Medication
Debating on seeing a psychiatrist for medication. Does medication help you guys for OCD? Or at least help the depression and anxiety that comes with OCD? Thanks! 🫶🏼
I’ve been on Zoloft from a previous diagnosis (GAD), which I later learned should have been OCD. It’s been 11 years on Zoloft. Recently I did test out Lexapro because I didn’t feel like the Zoloft was doing enough anymore, but my body didn’t react well with Lexapro (I was super depressed on it). I ended up on a much higher dosage of Zoloft and now take Buspar in addition to the Zoloft. Although a lot of the recovery process is dependent on things besides medication, the meds definitely help me see clearer, especially on hard days. Oh and I have an “in case of emergency” pill called hydroxyzine for days I REALLY can’t get out of my head or nights I can’t sleep. Hope this helps!!
@Anonymous I took Lexapro for years and it was great. Went through a traumatic event and increased the dosage and it still wasn’t working. Switched to zoloft and that made me worse. Even after 11 weeks of trying it. I haven’t been on anything but I’ve heard from many mental health professionals that SSRIs can be a tremendous help for OCD. I really want to give meds another try. Thanks for sharing.
@Tee10 It seems people either do well with Lexapro or Zoloft but not both, not sure why! Sorry to hear about the challenges in finding the best prescription for you. I’m sure something will take soon!!
I am taking Prozac. Have been on it about 9 months. Went from 10mg per day to 20 then 40 then 60 then back to 40. Was at 40 for about 7 months. I am cutting down on it now. Did 20mg per day for about 3 weeks. Now I will try 10mg per day. It seemed to take the edge off of the OCD anxiety. But having been doing the ERP I don’t feel the need for it. Believe me I still had tears and sweat from anxiety doing the ERP but the work is paying off.
I was on celexa doe 15 years (my oncologist put me on when they told me my cancer wasn't treatable anymore) now I know it helped manage the OCD. It wasn't until my primary care doctor tried to take me off that I had debilitating intrusive thoughts, was checking locks, organizing and reorganizing and cleaning to keep the anxiety down. I checked myself into the hospital because of the thoughts and they put me back on the celexa, been back on almost 3 weeks and the depression has already lifted, my anxiety is getting better and the thoughts aren't constant. I am also doing erp so they are fighting back but I do feel like the meds help make it manageable. My current dose is 40 of celexa.
@Amandaarene Thank you for sharing. I haven’t tried Celexa. My grandmother takes it though, and it has helped her tremendously for anxiety and depression.
@Amandaarene Did you have any bad side effects on Celexa like low libido or weight gain?
@halem77 Personally no, in the very beginning when I started I had some dry mouth and some insomnia but once my body became used to it I haven't had any trouble since. I started using ut at such a young age that I'm not sure if the small amount of weight gain I have experienced was from the medication or just from finishing puberty and entering adulthood. But definitely no extreme weight gain.
@Tee10 My body works so well with the celexa, they tried to randomly change me to lexapro once and it was miserable. My aunt takes Celexa for her hoarding and it seems to help her too. My psychiatrist said that if you have close family members who respond well to a SSRI there's a high probability you will too!
Just asked my therapist about this. Took Lexipro 20!yrs ago for about 5 years. Thought anxiety was behind me but now know I have OCR. Therapist said it can be helpful under the right circumstances. I have been avoiding it as I want to face the fears and beat them without influence. That said, my sister also has HCOCD and was prescribed a low dose of Zoloft. Which she claims is very helpful for preventing “the thoughts”.
@PPitts I’ve been avoiding the meds too. I’m afraid of taking something that may make me worse. Or introducing my brain to a chemical that it will have to depend on forever. But I know it’s normal to have reservations about meds. I just feel I’ve finally gotten to the point where I may need to go ahead and get back on something.
Thanks everyone very helpful!!
if anyone answers can you please let me know ! im curious about this as well :)
Me too! I'm going to bookmark this.
@jadew Hey just letting you know ppl have shared!
Yeah I saw one and I started taking Zoloft about 3 days ago (25mg) It has helped me deal with the thoughts so far. (The reason It started to take effect so fast is because im a skinny 15 yo) But most people dont see results until about 6 weeks
It helps take enough of the edge off of the fear that I can do ERP.
@Erin P What medication do you take?
@Tee10 I take Zoloft but everyone is different for what works best for them.
Does medication help calm down OCD? I feel like I may need to be medicated for a while, but maybe I just don't try hard enough and I am worried medication will change me. Does anyone have any input on this?
Anyone on medicine for ocd and what is ur experience? I’m debating it
Just curious I’ve been doing so good with my ERP and I’m like 80% better but POCD seems to have a huge grip on me still. And while I’m not so afraid anymore my mind still loves to obsess about it and give me feelings (my ocd is very very feelings based) and wants me to think about the obsession.it’s mostly just annoying and tiring. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist to just have a convo about meds that could help with depression and OCD. Has anyone gone through this? And what does the medication for you? (I know everyone is different) does it stop your brain from obsessing so much? 🖤
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