# Combining with effexor



## Bobjenkind (Jan 13, 2020)

Hello everyone so I found a med that has really helped my anxiety which is Effexor of course but the only problem is I still have the ocd and dp and feeling of numbness feeling it feels like it's hitting my noradrenaline more then serotonin i was wondering of I could still combine an ssri like Luvox but I know there is serotonin syndrome or if there is anything else that could help my ocd feeling to add. I have already tried anafranil but it made me feel much worse. If anyone could give suggestions thanks!


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## 35467 (Dec 31, 2010)

You can not combine a SNRI with a SSRI as the both affect the serotonin system for the reason you wrote. Effexor starts to have affect in humans on the noradrenaline system from a dose of 225.mg and above. Bellow that dose it is like a SSRI.


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## forestx5 (Aug 29, 2008)

I know it is not uncommon to combine a small dose of an anti psychotic like Seroquel (quietapine) with an SSRI. I had symptoms associated with lack of sleep caused by insomnia.

The Seroquel gave me restorative sleep and refuge from the anxiety I otherwise would have experienced if I were awake all night. And it might be said that Seroquel was not appropriate

for someone who is not diagnosed with a psychotic disorder, it worked wonders for me in an "off label" use. Psychiatric treatment is a lot about trial and error.

Anafranil should have worked and didn't, and Seroquel might work when it shouldn't. What you describe as OCD might be different from how I experience it.

Unlike the SSRIs, I don't recall any adaptation period with Seroquel. It can be sedating and that effect is more pronounced when you first take it, which might be

why one typically starts at a 25mg dose, before ramping up to 100-150 as an adjunct, and as high as 700 mg daily for full blown schizophrenia.


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## Bobjenkind (Jan 13, 2020)

Yes thank you for the comment i have tried serequol but it just made me super drowsy and tired and abilify which was actually really good just to many side effects. Maybe wanna try Wellbutrin but probably won’t do much for my ocd definitely gonna stay with Effexor but just seeing what to add


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## Psyborg (Dec 23, 2018)

Bobjenkind said:


> Yes thank you for the comment i have tried serequol but it just made me super drowsy and tired and abilify which was actually really good just to many side effects. Maybe wanna try Wellbutrin but probably won't do much for my ocd definitely gonna stay with Effexor but just seeing what to add


i dont know if effexor is mixable with zyprexa/olanzapine but you could ask your doc . i take zyprexa and it helps me tremendously


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## forestx5 (Aug 29, 2008)

Bobjenkind

Just be mindful that a medication's side effects are sometimes reduced quickly as an individual's system adapts to the medication.

The first time I took seroquel, I was sitting with my legs up and watching TV. I decided I would try to go to bed and I hadn't had any real sleep

for more than a week. I almost couldn't walk to my bedroom. It was if my body had gone to sleep without me. My legs felt like they were made of

lead. lol Over the course of taking Seroquel for a week, any drowsiness went away. Somehow the Seroquel made me sleepy without making drowsy.

I awoke early the first night I took it, and I thought...that's it. My nights sleep is over. This was my pattern. Early waking after 2 or 2.5 hours, and anxiety

for the rest of the night. Well, I lay back down and went right to sleep and didn't wake up for 6 hours. I remember thinking...I'm saved!

So, be sure to give a medication a fair trial before you decide its not the right one due to relatively minor side effects. Side effects are most prominent

the first week of taking a new medication, in my experience. Good luck!


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