A British presenter, DJ and campaigner has revealed how his body “shut down” after taking prescribed medication – leaving him unable to speak or move in a terrifying medical emergency.
Ryan Swain says his life was turned upside down when a routine dosage increase spiralled into a “life-threatening” ordeal.
The medication – prescribed to manage his motor tics and Tourette’s syndrome – triggered a severe reaction that saw his body effectively seize up.
From extreme rigidity and seizure-like episodes to agonising chronic pain and a complete inability to communicate, the symptoms were devastating.
“My body felt like it was shutting down and I had no control over my muscles or my responses,” Ryan, from Malton, North Yorkshire, told Need To Know.
“It was within a short period after starting the medication, particularly following an increase from 30mg to 60mg, that I began to notice symptoms developing.
“My condition deteriorated rapidly and became life-threatening in a very short space of time.”
The 36-year-old presenter, skateboarder and motivational speaker had been prescribed duloxetine – but after his dosage was increased, his condition quickly took a frightening turn.
Warning signs first emerged in early April, when he began suffering profuse sweating, zoning out and severe muscle tension.
Concerned, Ryan visited his GP – who suspected early signs of both Serotonin Syndrome and Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, two potentially dangerous conditions.
As his symptoms rapidly escalated, he was rushed to Scarborough General Hospital.
Ryan said: “I was taken into hospital where I was rushed in resuscitation.
“A cannula was fitted and I was given a drug to counteract it called Procyclindine which worked well and I remained for five days under close monitoring.
“During that time, I underwent a range of tests including ECG heart monitoring and other investigations to assess the impact the reaction had on my body.”
During his five-day hospital stay, he was closely monitored by multiple specialist teams, including neurologists and mental health professionals.
But the experience exposed how little understood such reactions can be.
Ryan said: “Different teams were learning in real time, assessing symptoms, and working through what was happening as it unfolded.
“While the care I received was dedicated and supportive, it highlighted how complex and evolving the understanding of these reactions still is, even within clinical settings.”
The aftermath has been life-altering.
Ryan says his muscles “totally seized up”, leaving his mobility severely impacted – and even the simplest tasks now feel overwhelming.
He said: “My moods and emotions are all over the place, my movement became slow and painful, and even basic tasks simply became difficult.
“I also experienced issues with memory, processing, and coordination, which are still part of my ongoing recovery.
“Emotionally, the experience has been overwhelming and at times traumatic.
“There’s a loss of trust in your own body when something like this happens, especially when it escalates so quickly and without warning.”
Doctors later explained the ordeal was caused by a severe adverse reaction linked to serotonin levels in his body.
While rare, such reactions can escalate at alarming speed – and can become life-threatening in a matter of hours.
Ryan said: “From what I’ve been told, reactions like this can sometimes be linked to dose increases or how an individual’s body responds to a medication, even when it has been prescribed correctly.
“While this is a complex condition and still something that is being understood in real time, the care, urgency, and dedication I received were absolutely incredible.
“I do wish I had been more aware of how serious and fast moving reactions like this can be, and how important it is to recognise early warning signs and seek immediate help.
“I want to raise as much awareness as possible around the potential dangers of prescribed medication when it is not fully understood by the individual taking it, particularly around side effects, reactions, and the risks that can come with mixing medications.”
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