The list owner and her moderators and a large number of 'old-timers' here do not recommend adding in an antidepressant in an attempt to help get off benzos. For one thing, according to the PDR and BNF, it is contraindicated to use these 2 drugs together. To see why, you might do some research on the serotogenic drugs being combined with benzos and see what happens to the brain. Here is Dr. Tracy’s website where you can see what happens during serotogenic drug use: http://www.drugawareness.org/Ribbon/SSRIMeds.html
We have a large amount of empirical evidence on the groups of people who tried to add in a/d drugs and caused themselves a dramatic and long-term increase in benzo w/d symptoms. This hell they put themselves in was often very difficult to get back out of, even if removing the a/d drug from the picture.
Thirdly, the a/d groups are telling people to get their doctor to give them a benzo to 'help' their antidepressant w/d and the benzo groups are telling people to get an a/d drug to 'help' their benzo w/d.
These are 3 reasons why a/d drugs should not be added into a benzo w/d situation unless someone is actively planning suicide. Please note that increasing the benzo can often bring someone out of this state without adding in another drug.
As always, this is just an opinion and you should check with your doctor before making any change to your medications. We hope you have found a “benzowise” doctor to help you through all of this.
For more information, please read the articles here, at Ray Nimmo’s site at www.benzo.org.uk , and also Dr. Breggin’s site at www.breggin.com . You may even be interested in http://www.antipsychiatry.org/.
Many blessings and fast healing
Debra
Owner/Yahoo Benzo Group
Other references to Antidepressants and Withdrawal
Professor Ashton in the Ashton Manual