So I’ve been going through a rough patch with my OCD. I am currently on 15mg of Lexapro. I’ve been on it for about two years I think. I feel like it does it’s job but I keep falling into these relapses every couple of months, it’s exhausting. So my psychiatrist wants to add 25mg of Clomipramine (Anafranil) and I read the side effects—especially about the serotonin syndrome—and now I’m afraid to take it. I don’t know anyone on this combination of drugs so I’m obviously worried. I may ask to try something else instead. But if anyone has any information or experience about them together please let me know.

I’ve been on Lexapro for 16.5 years. What I can tell you is it did help a TON, but I still hit rough patches for a long time. I was increased from 10 to 20 daily after a year and that did help the anxiety more and the rough patches were further apart. However, I will tell you what helped me the most YEARS later was adding more tools to my “toolbox”. I made sure I added self care in even if it was 15 minutes a day I did it. I added a great multi vitamin. It was important to move my body daily either in a gym or just getting outdoors for a hike/walk/run/bike ride. I took up some hobbies to. I found a great Bible study group. But the biggest help has come from adding ERP to be honest. It wasn’t easy but it’s been totally worth it! I actually had a major ocd relapse in June and that’s when I finally started ERP. Prior to that I had been dealing with this junk on my own for over 20 years. I had also weaned almost all the way off my Lexapro and I believe that contributed but I’m back on since at 10mg and doing great 💕. I share ALL this because I want you to know medicine helps BUT it’s just a very small part. Medicine alone isn’t going to ever just cure it or make it all stop. Does it help? Absolutely! I just would want you to be 100% certain that you’re truly putting in the ERP work and other self help before adding more meds. I say that because if you’re not doing those things adding more medicine alone will likely just be more of a temporary fix. IF you’re also not doing ERP it’s possible that you are practicing avoidance/distraction types of things which seem to help for awhile but then every so often BOOM the OCD hits 🙄Everyone is different and this is strictly my own experience and opinion. Some natural things that help are the things I mentioned plus magnesium glycinate (bedtime), vitamin d3, eating good foods, sunshine/fresh air, a whole food multi vitamin, vitamin c. I use New Chapter Perfect Calm Multivitamin and it’s AWESOME 🤩. Anyway, I know this is a lot but bottom line is you need to do what’s BEST for you and if it’s adding this other med then that’s okay too. If you want to know more about Seratonin syndrome you can definitely talk to the pharmacist or even call your Psych and tell him your concerns. Sorry I couldn’t say I have had the two meds together but I do hope what I have shared may help a little.