- Thread starter Cindy
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David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
No. Not dangerous. Totally different class of medications.
Buspar is primarily used as a treatment for anxiety.
Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) is an SNRI used to treat both anxiety and depression.
They can be safely used in combination.
I found this statement while doing my own research on this drug for side effects that I was experiencing:
- [ ] From mayoclinic.org: Do not use desvenlafaxine with buspirone (Buspar®)
So if it’s safe why would they state that? I’m confused.
David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
The concern involves a rare but serious condition called serotonin syndrome. This is not specific to the combination of Buspar and Pristiq but is a possible though unlikely condition of any two medications which both result in an increase in serotonin levels. That said, thousands and probably millions of people are prescribed combinations of medications that both act on serotonin with no ill effects. The risk is dependent on the doses of the two drugs. Sometimes, rather than increase the dose of one of the medications to a point where the side-effects might become intolerable, a second medication might be added that does not usually have those side-effects. In other cases, like the case of Buspar and Pristiq, it may be that the second medication boosts the treatment of one symptom (anxiety) but also adds treatment for a secondary or additional issue (depression).
The reality is that (1) although serotonin syndrome is a real thing, it is also a rare thing (I haven't personally ever heard of someone actually having serotonin syndrome); and (2) where it may be a concern, the risk is minimized by using doses of the two drugs which reduce the risk for serotonin syndrome even more. But note that this is why you should always follow directions for taking any medications to the letter and why you should never exceed the doses your doctor has ordered.
Here's what various sites say about this combination of medications. Note that the first two report no interactions, which is because the risk for serotonin syndrome is so low:
From https://healthtools.aarp.org/drug-interactions
From buspirone oral and desvenlafaxine oral Drug Interactions - RxList
From Desvenlafaxine (Oral Route) Precautions - Mayo Clinic
From BuSpar and Pristiq Drug Interactions - Drugs.com
The reality is that (1) although serotonin syndrome is a real thing, it is also a rare thing (I haven't personally ever heard of someone actually having serotonin syndrome); and (2) where it may be a concern, the risk is minimized by using doses of the two drugs which reduce the risk for serotonin syndrome even more. But note that this is why you should always follow directions for taking any medications to the letter and why you should never exceed the doses your doctor has ordered.
Here's what various sites say about this combination of medications. Note that the first two report no interactions, which is because the risk for serotonin syndrome is so low:
From https://healthtools.aarp.org/drug-interactions
From buspirone oral and desvenlafaxine oral Drug Interactions - RxList
From Desvenlafaxine (Oral Route) Precautions - Mayo Clinic
From BuSpar and Pristiq Drug Interactions - Drugs.com
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