Medication- has anyone tried? What helps?

Has anyone had success with medication and ocd? I am managing ocd to a certain extent but my highs and lows are too extreme and I don’t think it’s fair to be this exhausted and keep pushing on my one anymore. My doctor recommended hormonal birth control as a first step to medicine to possible help level my hormones which might be aiding in the timely spikes I’m noticing. Next step would be the Xanax nightly option. I’ve tried other medications in the past but I have a med condition that doesn’t always necessarily allow me to use all prescriptions. Anyone else find success with medicine and ocd relief ?

cait111

Date posted: 2y

luvox is the only ssri i’ve tried that helps me

reneaerts

Date posted: 2y

Seconded, Luvox has been helpful overall for me

Anonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

I'm new to my discovery that my life-long battle with health anxiety is OCD. So I'm careful to speak on this (still learning a lot). But I'll share my experience in the hope that it helps you a bit. I'm currently in a relapse. After understanding my life patterns, I believe hormones play a strong role in my relapses. I'm 48 years old and I'm experiencing hormone changes (peri-menopause). My first experience with OCD was at age 13 and it came on like a freight train. After talking extensively with my gyno, I just had a Mirena IUD put in since they've worked great for me in the past at stabilizing my hormones. And since my estrogen is high, the low-dose progesterone-only IUD seems like a good bet at helping. I tried a low-dose estrogen/progesterone combo birth control pill 4 months ago and my OCD worsened. So estrogen is not what I need right now. If you decide to try hormones, know there may be some trial and error and to be patient. Zoloft helped me tremendously about 10 years ago during a relapse. But side effects are always a difficult part of managing anti-depressants. I've started taking the max daily dose of St. John's Wort (It works for me, maybe not for others). I'm feeling better already. If after a couple of months I'm still struggling my gyno will prescribe a low dose of Prozac or Zoloft so I can get some help without the side-affects (felt with a high dose). I didn't take meds for my OCD until my mid 30's and I wish I had. It can help so much! Everyone is different, but I hope this helps!! I would suggest you talk to your Gyno doc. Make sure they know about your OCD. Hope you feel better soon!

Anonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

@Anonymous Very insightful and helpful! Thank you so much! I appreciate it. My gyno recommended trying the birth control since I didn’t do well with other meds but yeah I’m think Prozac might be a next step solution if not

Autumn Aura

Date posted: 2y

@Anonymous This is my experience too. I’m peri at 41 & the hormonal fluctuations have caused a relapse.

Jillybobs7

Date posted: 2y

I did a medication years ago, 1990. It’s older but a good one imo. I was lost thinking I was insane, was going to lose my baby when I first had symptoms of OCD until I read an article in a magazine about a young girl suffering with OCD also secondary a tick called trickotillomania(pulling out hair). Anafranil. It worked thru my first years.

Anonymous

Date posted: 2y

I mean it’s different for everyone but Prozac and geodon together really helped me

Anonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

@Anonymous Thanks for the reply! Just want to get some ideas to see what helps for others, so thank you

Anonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

Thanks everyone!!!

lemon tears

Date posted: 25w

Looking for insight on OCD/depression medications

(25f) Before I was diagnosed with OCD I tried Lexapro (wasn’t bad but wasn’t great) and Citalopram (partially think it was a part of what caused me to develop severe anxiety that ignited my once not so active OCD.) After diagnosis tried Effexor and didn’t see an improvement. Was on Adderall for a good amount of my life and mentally did good on it, stopped about 2 years ago because the physical side effects started to become more noticeable. Maybe I go back on Adderall? Maybe SSRI’s and I aren’t a great fit? Anyone taking other medications that helped?

trinii

Date posted: 14w

Medication or treatment?

I understand that everyone is different but lately I have been debating on medication just because of past experiences but does anyone have any good experiences with medication that has helped them with their OCD as well as therapy or treatment? As of now I’m dealing with it by myself but it feels like it may be getting worse

Young adults with OCD

sarah_kate

Date posted: 11w

Treating OCD without medication

Has anyone had success treating their OCD without medication and solely ERP or non-medicinal methods. I have pretty severe OCD and just about every sub-type, but I’ve been on various meds (SSRI & SNRIs) for going on 8 years and have never found one that truly relieves me of symptoms. I’m looking to see if it’s worth continuing with the side effects I experience (mostly mild) or if there are alternatives that could work for me. Low key tired of constantly changing meds in an attempt to find something that works when maybe medicine isn’t the route for me…

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Medication- has anyone tried? What helps?

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