Bryan: Paxil withdrawal

[Bryan]

Supplements

 

Hey all it’s Bryan haven’t posted in along time. I always have problems on how to post when I haven’t gone on in awhile. My question is I’m on Paxil 40mgs lamictal 100mgs and 300mgs of Wellbutrin. I started taking fish oil and garlic extract and a few days later I started having anxiety. Do these supplements interact with prescription medications specifically the ones I’m taking? Let me know thanks

 

Edited October 24, 2022 by ChessieCat
added Intro topic title before merging with intro topic

[Shep]

7 hours ago, Bryan said:

Supplements

 

Hey all it’s Bryan haven’t posted in along time. I always have problems on how to post when I haven’t gone on in awhile. My question is I’m on Paxil 40mgs lamictal 100mgs and 300mgs of Wellbutrin. I started taking fish oil and garlic extract and a few days later I started having anxiety. Do these supplements interact with prescription medications specifically the ones I’m taking? Let me know thanks

 

 

You may be suffering from adverse drug interactions from that cocktail. Combining Paxil with Wellbutrin has a MAJOR drug interaction and combining Paxil with Lamictal has a MODERATE drug interaction. 

 

Drug Interaction Report - lamictal, paxil, wellbutrin

 

Bryan, are you here to taper your drugs? You're on more drugs than you were a year ago when you first posted on this site. 

 

 

[ChessieCat]

That's a hefty dose of Paxil you are taking even without the Wellbutrin.

 

Please update your drug signature.  We need to be able to see your entire drug history at a glance, with dates and doses and the last dose you took if you stopped a drug.

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature

 

From the drug interaction checker that Shep did, right at the bottom of the page (which you might not notice) is the following:

 

Duplication

Antidepressants

Therapeutic duplication

The recommended maximum number of medicines in the 'antidepressants' category to be taken concurrently is usually one. Your list includes two medicines belonging to the 'antidepressants' category:

• Paxil (paroxetine)
• Wellbutrin (bupropion)

 

Here are the results from a different drug interaction checker:

 

https://reference.medscape.com/drug-interactionchecker

Serious - Use Alternative

• bupropion + paroxetine

  bupropion will increase the level or effect of paroxetine by affecting hepatic enzyme CYP2D6 metabolism. Avoid or Use Alternate Drug.

• paroxetine + bupropion

  paroxetine increases toxicity of bupropion by unspecified interaction mechanism. Avoid or Use Alternate Drug. May lower seizure threshold; keep bupropion dose as low as possible.

Monitor Closely

• lamotrigine + paroxetine

  lamotrigine increases toxicity of paroxetine by unspecified interaction mechanism. Modify Therapy/Monitor Closely. CNS depressants may increase the toxic effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; psychomotor impairment may be enhanced.

 

Edited October 24, 2022 by ChessieCat

[ChessieCat]

Post #1 of this topic has links to various helpful topics as well as links to the Tips for Tapering topics for different drugs:

 

Important topics in the Tapering forum and FAQ

[ChessieCat]

Just a reminder that SA is a site for tapering psychiatric drugs.

 

With regards to your question about supplements, SA recommends only trying one things at a time and only taking a small dose to see how you respond.  And only making one change at a time.  Having more than one variable makes it difficult to know what might be the cause.

 

the-rule-of-3kis-keep-it-simple-keep-it-slow-keep-it-stable

 

If I were you are would be extremely concerned about the drug combination you are taking and the interaction.

 

Sometimes when taking too high a dose and/or too much of one type of drug you can have a parodoxical reaction, where the effect is opposite to it's usual effect.

 

This might be the cause of your increased anxiety.  There is a possibility that the supplement/s you took might have contributed to it.  Obviously if something occurs after you make a change then it might be the change that caused it.  The only way to provide more evidence is to stop the supplements, wait a while and then reintroduce them one at a time.  We are all different and react differently so we have to be our own detective.

 

There are many existing topics on SA.  You could do a search in the Symptoms and Self Care forum for the supplements.

 

If you are wanting assistance with tapering your drugs then we are able to assist with that.  If you are, however, planning on staying on your drugs then we will not be able to help with that.