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Suggest Best Combination Of Medication For Anxiety And Depression

Posted on Thu, 23 Jul 2015

Question: I am having mental trouble and have for sometime now. I was originally taking Lexapro 10mg. and Abilify 5mg, and they worked for quite some time but have stopped working over the last two years and i have been very deppressed, anxious, nervous, and no XXXXXXX what so ever. I had a psychiatrist who tried to wing me over to wellbutrin, then cymbalta. The wellbutrin made me worse and the cymbalta made even worse off than that. I have since winged off Lexapro and Abilify and have improved from when i was still on them but am no where near where i want to be. I am using valerian root for anxiety and a sleep aid and am also taking 5-HTP, they seem to take the edge off but still not in a good mental state.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (25 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Old combination can be tried again

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for using healthcaremagic.

In my view you need to go back for old combination as it is right time. We commonly observe that a good medication stops working after years of use but many of these patients respond well to same medication after medication holiday of three to six months.

In your case there is gap of two years and I feel you need to try it again after stopping the current medication if you are taking any. There is no contraindication for 5-HTP and XXXXXXX roots and they can be continued with lexapro and abilify.

I hope this helps you.
If you have more questions feel free to write back to me.
Thanks and regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (29 minutes later)

i have only been off of the lexapro for about 2 weeks and abilify for one month, the two years that i was continually getting worse i was still on the lexapro and abilify

Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Another Ssri can be preferred over SNRI

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for reverting back to me.

Since there is no significant wash out period I would prefer to choose from SSRI ( lexapro is also SSRI) rather SNRI ( Cymbalta).
The options are citalopram, Zosert, paxil, prozac and fluvoxamine. Without significantwash out period the possibility of lexapro doing required action is very limited.

The preference is based on the observation that people tend to respond with same class of medicine after failure.
I request you to discuss all SSRI with your treating doctor on next visit.

I hope this helps you.
If you have any questions left feel free to write back to me.
Thanks and regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (12 hours later)

do you guys prescribe?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (16 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Online prescription is neither permitted nor ethical

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for reverting back to me.

I am sorry to say that online prescription neither permitted nor ethical due to obvious reasons like state license, inability to monitor effect/side effects.

I hope this answers your query.
Thanks and regards.

Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar