Please Help....could just use opinions

[wolverines13]

So up until a week and a half ago I was on 150mg of effexor and 10 mg of paxil. I was on it since about june, the paxil was just because I was still tapering from 40mg. Well my doctor increased my effexor to 225 mg. I started taking it almost 2 weeks ago, when I started the increased dose I also cut the paxil to 5 mg, and I don't think I had any withdrawal symptoms which was good. But the past 4 or 5 days my anxiety has been the worst it's been in probably 7 or 8 months which is stressing me out. I called my doctor today and he said to go back to 150 mg. I'm wondering if anyone thinks my anxiety has been so bad because either 1. The effexor dose was too large and going back to 150 will help, or 2. Maybe the 10mg of paxil was helping me still and its lowering the dose which is causing all this. I know the only true way to find out is just start taking my old dose but I would really appreciate opinons or encouragement. Also when I drop back down tomorrow could I experience withdrawal from the effexor? It's only been two weeks but I'm a little worried about that. Thanks.

[Irishmanwrites]

Hey Wolverines,

My opinion is that a lot of this is psychosomatic. As we see here so often, the mind is a powerful thing when on your side or not as the case may be!

If I was in your shoes, I'd have tried to stick the in increase out. That said an increase of one med and a reduction in another med simultaneously is not ideal.

I'd suggest you meet your doc and draw up a new plan with two objectives, increasing your Effexor and decreasing your paxil, separately and slowly are the two key words for your joint plan that will work for you.

Separately and slowly..

Best

[sohelpless]

Med changes have always caused problems for me.  Whenever you are dealing with more than one med, it's hard to know what's doing what.  That's why I always try to taper off one before I try another.  At least I know what to blame.  If the anxiety you are experiencing is just too unbearable, then you may want to drop the Effexor dose first just to see if that's the culprit.  If there is no change within a couple of days, then maybe reinstate the higher dose of Paxil (but don't increase the Effexor)to see what happens.  It's better to be on less medication than too much.  Right now you are dealing with two things.  Withdrawal and start up.  Has your doctor given you any benzo's?  It would help while you are going through the switch.

[Irishmanwrites]

Good advice from SoHelpless.

Keep us posted Wolverines.

Ideally you don't want to be on two serotonin boosting drugs, so I think you will have to look at the reduction of Paxil. Increasing Effexor to 225MG gets you to a good therapeutic level too. Choose your order of increase or reduction and continue to come here for support.