buspirone and fluoxetine

[kiddiechaos]

hello, just wondered if anyone has any advice, im currently taking 40mg of fluoxetine but feel this is not quite enough, my doc wont prescribe me 60mg dose but instead has given me 10mg buspirone to take alongside the fluoxetine. has anybody taken this combination of meds and is it helpful? doc recommended changing my meds altogether but that would mean having no meds in  my system properly for about 6 weeks and i cant afford to let myself go through that change as i have 5 young children and it would be horrendous.any advice will be helpful, thanks.

[mjbrown]

I've been on fluoxetine in the past with only moderate benefit. I remember my psychiatrist recommending augmentation with buspirone - it is supposed to be pretty effective in boosting the effect of fluoxetine. however, we just decided to switch to lexapro instead. i did not have to go without any meds though. we just started the lexapro slowly as i slowly decreased the fluoxetine. fluoxetine stays in your body for several weeks, so withdrawal effects are less likely (and/or less severe) than with other SSRIs. i would speak to your dr. about a slow transition from one med to the other... or give the buspirone a try. buspirone is supposed to be similar to valium in terms of it's anti-anxiety properties. so if you are having trouble with anxiety or panic, this might be a good combination for you.

all the best..

[LeftCoastChick]

I really would consider switching. Many folks don't respond to that class of drugs, some get more anxiety from it, me being one of those people. I was switched over to a mood stabilizer which has dramatically reduced my depression to almost nothing, and I have refractory(hard to treat) depression.  I only saw a mild difference with the buspar, though what I liked was that it wasn't a tranq, so it doesn't cause sleepiness. I do suggest if you don't have a psychiatrist to get one. There are a ton of different combos of meds if required which a family doctor is simply not educated enough in that field. They only take 1-2 courses on basic psychiatry, so it's worth the investment to see a pdoc. Like others have said, it's a much easier withdrawal then many of the similar drugs.  A good shrink  can closely monitor you and augment if you are having a difficult time withdrawing.

[SB91]

I have tried both serperately but found buspirone more helpful, why your doctor recommend you take both at the same time I don't know because I personally don't think it's healthy for you, I'd see someone seperate from your doctor and see what they recommend.

[JAmom]

I started fluoxetine about two months ago and my anxiety got worse but depression got better so my psychiatrist added 10 mg of buspar 5 in the morning and 5 at night (just 2 weeks on that) it has helped me get through the day and helped me get out of the house a little I see my psychiatrist on Tuesday so I will let you know what happens but I would try the two together because they do seem to work well together