Can You Take Buspar If You Are Taking An Ssri

[Marie1914]

Hi,

I'm on zoloft 8 wks now with a number of dose increases in that time. I'm still waiting for startup side effects to go and the good bits to kick in. My mood is slightly better at times and anxiety a bit milder but not a huge noticeable difference yet. I'm seeing my GP next wk and may increase to 150mg, I know this means more wks of start up side effects and not looking forward to it. I will have xanax and beta blockers to help with the short term side effects if I do increase tho.

I've read a bit about buspar for anxiety over the longer term but can't find much on the forums about it, if it is a good med for GAD and SAD and OCD, and whether or not people can take it combined with ssri treatment. Any experiences or advice?

Thanks

[johnprimo78]

I would not be going to a GP to deal with mental health issues I could be wrong in your case but most GP'S do not RX physc medications i would go see if you can get a referral on to a PDOC if you can

[Marie1914]

Hi John

I live in Ireland, I am on a waiting list to see a psychiatrist for the last year. Our health system is atrocious here. I pay 60euro to see our GP, 60 euro to see a psychologist. I was prescribed lexapro by my GP a few years ago for a depression I could not get myself out of. It helped a lot but eventually pooped out, since then I have been slowly trying new meds with my GP who spoke to the local mental health team over the phone re seeing me but they told her I would be another 6months on the list before they could see me and told her to try me on zoloft. This is the only choice of care or treatment I can recieve here.

Any info or personal experiences of Buspar still appreciated thanks

[kimber517]

Hi Marie,

 

I'm currently taking Buspar along with my SSRI and have been for years with no problems.  The Buspar is what keeps my anxiety in check, where I don't think my SSRI alone would do the trick.  This med cocktail for me has kept me the most stable I've been in years.  This is only my experience though.  Everyone is different.  I hope you get to see a psychiatrist sooner rather than later for the right med cocktail that works best for you.  

[NC86]

If you need to check drug interactions, use drugs.com drug interaction checker.  It is basically the same database a pharmacist would use.  

[Marie1914]

 

On 22/01/2016 at 1:39 AM, kimber517 said:

Hi Marie,

 

I'm currently taking Buspar along with my SSRI and have been for years with no problems.  The Buspar is what keeps my anxiety in check, where I don't think my SSRI alone would do the trick.  This med cocktail for me has kept me the most stable I've been in years.  This is only my experience though.  Everyone is different.  I hope you get to see a psychiatrist sooner rather than later for the right med cocktail that works best for you.  

Hi Kimber,

 

Only seeing your reply now. I asked my GP to add buspar , at first she was all for it but then checked online and said she wouldn't as it can cause serotonin syndrome! I told her that all the meds could do that but that it wasn't that common but she still said no :-(

I have had a really bad few months personally, anxiety is high and also increased zoloft 4 wks ago to 150mg in wk 3-4 the side effects really kicked in and I'm feeling very low and hopeless.

 

I finally see a psychiatrist next month after waiting over a year. The day I see him I will be 8 wks on 150mg of zoloft. Hoping I will feel good by then, but if not that he will either be able to say this isn't going to work or maybe add buspar or something in for me.  I hope!