
What Is The Cause And Treatment For Anxiety Disorder?

Increase dose of fluoxetine and take help of psychotherapy
Detailed Answer:
Hello Madam,
Thanks for writing to us.
From your narration it seems that yo have been suffering from some type of anxiety disorder. I read your query thoroughly and understood your concern.
In any anxiety disorder fluoxetine is going to help. In your case it was useful before but not later on. However 10 mg dose is not at all sufficient to treat problem.At least 20 mg and if needed 40 mg dose can be used for such problem.Just discuss with your psychiatrist/NP about that and increase the dose.You have tolerated it well for many years,so as per guidelines it should be restarted and optimum dose should be given.If no improvement in 4-6 weeks, you can be shifted to some other medicine.
I agree with you that you should wean off medicines. Psychotherapy specifically CBT - Cognitive Behavior Therapy is very helpful in anxiety disorder. But CBT to be effective person should be somewhat stable. Alparazolam 12.5 mg is enough high dose to say that you have severe anxiety episodes.
In my opinion, you should be stable with fluoxetine gradually with simultaneous going on CBT or other psychotherapy. After significant and satisfactory improvement you can taper off medicine under doctor's guidance and applying behavior therapy aspect in practical life.Psychotherapy can cure your problem while medicines are just controlling them likely.
Hope your dad will recover soon.
Hope my answer will be helpful to you. I will be happy to help further.
regards,
Dr.Chintan Soalnki.


Thank you, XXXX
Not likely withdrawal of fetzima
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing back.
I can understand your situation of anxiety.
You are right that fetzima is not so good drug and it can cause withdrawal symptoms after stopping suddenly.
Normally withdrawal symptoms of fetzima or other antidepressant drug (also called antidepressant discontinuation syndrome) occur after use of 8 to 10 weeks of use in most of the cases.As well as it starts within a day or two of stopping a medicine.
In your case, fetzima has been taken for 2 weeks and you had not any problem after 2-3 days of stopping fetzima. They started later on.
In my opinion these are the symptoms of your anxiety disorder itself and they reappear due to controlling effect of fetzima lost. Alprazolam is controlling your symptoms also suggest that it is likely anxiety disorder symptoms.
With above consideration it is not likely withdrawal of fetzima.
If by chance it is withdrawal, symptoms decrease gradually as days progress on its own without any medicines as you had taken for 2 weeks only.But this is not the case at present.
Hope this answers your query, I will be glad to answer more queries.

Answered by

Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
