A 25% increase from 5 would be 6.25. Then you go back down gradually. Several times I had to go from 8mg to 10 mg. I stayed several weeks on the 10, then several weeks on 9, etc. I've been doing this awhile so I go by feel, not dropping until I'm doing better. I just recently went from 6.5 to 8. I was in bad shape at the 6.5 so 8 wasn't enough. I asked my MD if I could go to 9 for a week, which I did, then back to 8. It sounds like you need good instructions from your doctor.