Hello
Thanks for posting your query at DoctorSpring.com
I have gone through your question in detail and I can understand what you are going through.
Your anxiety and panic disorder was being controlled by a combination of paroxetine and garcinia cambogia. Now that you have stopped garcinia cambogia cold turkey, you have started having the symptoms again. As per what you have stated, paxil at 5 mg is unableto control the anxiety symptoms. YOu should certainly consider increasing the dose of paxil to 10 mg gradually to control the anxiety spells. I would also suggest that you consider taking option of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This therapy is taken by either a psychologist or a psychiatrist in which the therapist identifies impaired cognitions (Thoughts) and try to correct them. They are 15-20 min weekly session and there should be around 8-10 sessions to help you with your illness.
Further short courses of clonazepam or propranolol may also help you in reducing your symptoms. You may then discontinue them after 3-4 weeks.
Hope these options help you,
If you have any further query,do let me know.
Kind regards
Dr. Srikanth Reddy MD
Patient replied :
Thank you for the response, however I guess my general question should have been, could taking Garcinia Cambogia for three-four months have an effect on my anxiety since I stopped it cold turkey? My doctor put me on the paxil six years old patientago and I have been trying to get off it. I had no idea GC increased the serotonin in the brain. I was merely taking that to lose some weight. BIG MISTAKE now. It just seems like ever since I stopped taking those supplements, my anxiety and panic attacks have come back. I am experiencing the same type of withdrawal symptons like I did when I first tried to stopped paxil cold turkey 5 years old patientago. My original prescription for paxil was actually 25mg paxil CR. I started tapering last year in this order, 12.5mg CR, to 10mg Paxil regular, to 7.5mg paxil, 5mg, 2.5mg. These withdrawal symptons, panic attacks, anxiety needs to go away and I think its because I am not taking those GC supplements anymore which was acutally increasing my serotonin levels while I was on such a small dose of paxil. I'm just trying to get back to a normal state.
Hello
Thanks for the follow-up query.
Yes you are right. Garcinia Cambogia did increase serotonin levels in your brain and on stoping it cold turkey the anxiety symptoms have reappeared. Now you need to increase the doses of paxil until the anxiety symptoms go down, stay symptom free for 3-4 months and again try withdrawing paxil...but gradually this time.
Hope this helps
Regards.
Patient replied :
Hello
Thanks for the follow-up query.
Yes you are right. Garcinia Cambogia did increase serotonin levels in your brain and on stopping it cold turkey the anxiety symptoms have reappeared. Now you need to increase the doses of paxil until the anxiety symptoms go down, stay symptom free for 3-4 months and again try withdrawing paxil...but gradually this time.
Hope this helps
Regards.