Adding something else to fluoxetine for anxiety?

I've been taking fluoxetine (initially 20, then 40mg) for depression & dysthymia for some months - I was hoping that it might also do something for anxiety (mostly social, that worsened considerably during the most recent depressive period), but so far, all it's been able to do in that area is to reduce the occurrence of excessive rumination about said anxiety. The fluoxetine has otherwise been reasonably effective, in that I seem to be tolerant of it & it has helped keep me out of the black pits of hopelessness - so, I'm reluctant to mess around too much with that part of the equation, but I'm wondering if there may something else that I can ask my pdoc about next week that may help with the anxiety & not mess with the fluoxetine?

A benzo would help the most if not ask for gabapentin or buspar.

I take topamax as a mood stabilizer and i loooooove it. Ie with fluoxetine.

Yeah, that was my thought as well, but I've a feeling that they're reluctant to prescribe benzos now, due to their addictive properties.

I'll look into gabapentin & buspar - thanks.

Hadn't thought of that one. I see that some have successfully used it for anxiety, but it's a bit pricier & for once in my life, I probably wouldn't need it's abilities for weight loss, as I've already gotten that from the fluoxetine.

My pdoc just prescribed a very low dose of Seroquel in the morning to help with anxiety.

Given you take it in the morning, do you find it at all sedating during the day?

In the end, buspar at a relatively low base dose with some room to adjust as required, was additionally prescribed. Once the script has been filled & I've been able to evaluate the affects, I'll likely add an update.

Thanks for the replies - it's always useful to be able to bring some knowledge/experience with you,when inquiring about such things.

Prozac made me hypomanic. I've never become addicted to benzos in 35 years. They don't completely do the job, either.

I get the real sense that everyone reacts to these medications in different & frequently unpredictable ways - there was some concern that prozac would do the same for me, but I've never experienced that. I've also previously used benzos (for pain) in the past, without adverse affect.

It definitely depends on the type of anxiety as well.

Adding Seroquel 25 mg could help. I am on that for anxiety as well.

Something I am also on is an old-school neuroleptic called Fluanxol. They use 0.5-1 mg for anxiety. Not sure that they prescribe it that often.

Another option would be Buspar or Gabapentin, as mentioned above.

Benzos work for short term, but not exactly long term for all cases of anxiety. For some anxiety disorders, they discourage benzos altogether.

That's likely true & something I found a lot harder to get a handle on, since (to me at least) it seems that the various classifications of anxiety rather overlap into each other.

How is the buspar working for you? I took it and it did nothing but others have had success.

It might be a little while before I can get the script filled, as I have transportation issues & it was too late in the day to pick it up after my visit to the pdoc.

Hope you can pick it up soon and keep us updated.

Well, it took forever, due to transport/money issues - but I finally got the buspar prescription filled. It's probably too soon to report any affects (plus too much other stuff going on to easily benchmark), but I do have a general question.

When originally discussed with the pdoc, I said I was looking for something to use as needed - and the prescription note does actually say as needed - but it also says take twice a day, which implies take regularly...

From what I've read online, buspar probably does need to be taken regularly, at least for 3-4 weeks until it builds in your system - does that sound right? After then, do you typically carry on a maintenance dose, or take only as required? Or both?

I have experience with gabapentin and pregabalin. Gabapentin was the only one that felt like it did anything, but the effects were really subtle and then it just seemed to stop. Pregabalin never did anything for me — not even side effects. You could also try propranolol for the physical symptoms of anxiety. And as others said — benzos as well. I'm prescribed 0.5mg clonazepam as needed and it helps, but don't know how you or your prescriber feel about them

So far, I can't really tell if the buspar is having much affect, but it's early days & my stress has gone up recently. I may ask about other options on my next pdoc visit, but my pdoc seems very reluctant to go down the benzo road in the current climate. I am thinking about the gabapentin.

Klonopin works for me on top of Lexapro.

Well, it's a couple of weeks in & I am noticing an increase in assertiveness (good). However, this has come with an increase in irritability (bad). Still not sure its making any difference to the anxiety, but I get annoyed a whole lot faster!

Scouting around other forums, I see a few people reporting similar & some of those wrote that the irritability went away after a while. Plus, TBH - I have a fair number of things to be irritated about...