Vertigoheel induced psychosis: A patient case report.

objectiveTo describe a case of a patient who developed psychosis after ingestion of Vertigoheel for treatment of dizziness. CASE SUMMARY: A 28-year-old male with no psychiatric history presented with 5 days of worsening depression and psychosis. He denied current use of prescription medications, alcohol, or illicit substances. Approximately 2 weeks prior, while visiting family in Germany, he developed dizziness. A provider in Germany prescribed Vertigoheel, 1 tablet to be taken every hour until symptom improvement. This did not improve his dizziness but did cause him to feel as if he were "in a dream." He stopped taking the medication after 2 days but continued to feel amotivated with decreased appetite and insomnia. Several days later, he developed ego-dystonic auditory hallucinations. He returned to the United States; was admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit for 4 days; and given olanzapine 5 mg at bedtime, lorazepam 1 mg every evening, and melatonin 6 mg every evening. He experienced gradual improvement in symptoms and was discharged with olanzapine 5 mg daily and outpatient follow-up. DISCUSSION: Vertigoheel is a homeopathic preparation containing ambra grisea,

conclusionA possible causal relationship was observed between the homeopathic supplement Vertigoheel and an acute episode of psychosis in a young male patient with no comorbidities.