Hi all has anyone got an experience with medication to treat OCD checking. Has it helped? What are the pros and cons from people who have experienced medication

In my personal experience, there is no medicine for OCD in particular. It’s more for anxiety. I take lexapro and it helps me be able to use the tools I have in place. I still have to make the choice not to check.

Sorry should have clarified abit better. Correct anxiety causes the compulsion to check. In your experience when you took meds fir anxiety did it reduce the compulsion?

Oh gotcha. Yes it does help. I have had to get off of it during my pregnancies and noticed an extreme increase in my checking when I do so.

If you dont mind me asking how long have you been taking it

Not at all! I have been on it for 6 years.

And when you stop taking them does it go back to the state b4 you took meds or it improves over time

Off and on and had three pregnancies where I wasn’t taking anything. I will say this, it does help me, but you have to be consistent. I’m of the camp where I think medicine shouldn’t be taken unless absolutely necessary. In my case, my marriage struggles because of this and it’s more important for me to do whatever possible to save it.

Coming off and on a drug can decrease its effectiveness over time, so it was worse each time ?Some people are able to come off after a certain amount of time and be okay. I have to take it. Probably for the rest of my life.

It sucks I know. Im scared to take them due to possible side affects. I feel I need some help with the anxiety to help challenge the checking

I was just like you. I didn’t want to do it. I was scared. But the truth is that you will feel better equipped to handle situations where your ocd has taken over before. Triggers are everywhere and if you’re finding yourself unable to stop checking on your own then you may need to explore medication as an aid. It won’t fix all of your problems but it can help. Kinda like if you needed to take medicine for diabetes or something else. You wouldn’t say no to that. Unfortunately, our society doesn’t see mental health as a medical issue just like anything else would be.

Agree, I strongly believe it can be turned around by training your mind. This issue I face is im yet to get all the tools to assist. Thank you its good to talk to people who are dealing with this. What sorts of things do you continually check

It’s been a long list. Started off with harm thoughts, sexual thoughts in my teens, thoughts about my salvation, and since I’ve been married it’s revolved around my spouse possibly doing something bad so I check his stuff and analyze him.

But I’m of the aol era where we used minutes put on a disc to access the internet. so there wasn’t a lot of info accessible (which can be a good thing too). I check online to see what he’s doing. It’s terrible.

Oh sorry to hear that. I go through just checking door handles, stove tops, my job involves mechanics so constantly checking my work because I catastrophise the crap out of everything scared a nut and bolt coming loose will cause a disaster etc

I've been on Celexa 10+years and it has helped me so much. I tried Lexapro for over a month and hated it. It made my anxiety and OCD spike through the roof. I'm back on my Celexa. Weird but trial and error in everything huh.

How does it affect you?

Celexa makes me pretty tired but it also quiets my mind a lot. I still get some thoughts but they're a lot easier to brush off with the assistance of meds.

Kool and what form OCD is it

I’m on venlafaxine for the past 4 years. It has helped me gain peace of mind to be able to calm down and start concentrating on being myself again. I have had to increase my dosage twice since I started because my ocd or anxiety have spiked during stressful periods of time. Just had my dosage increased last week and it always makes me feel worse before it helps!! I’m hoping it kicks in soon !!

Any side effects for that one I know all people are different

No I haven’t experienced any side effects and I am on a relatively high dosage 225mg. OCD is better managed on a higher dosage of the medication. Although I’ve heard coming off this medication is a nightmare I don’t plan to ever try as I know my OCD and anxiety isn’t just a temporary illness

Silly question but do you feel a difference if you have alcohol

No i haven't but was wondering the same thing.

I find I am able to drink with no bad side effects on venlafaxine however the day after I sometimes feel more low but that could just be the hangover effect on the body

Good to know I dont mind a beer after work etc

Are you on any medication now ?

Im currently not on any. I have been dealing with this for some time but was hoping I would just push/grow out of it. I have only really started to admit to myself I have a problem and need help.

That’s the first step in recovery! Hope you find a medication that works for you ! If you try venlafaxine make sure they start you at at least 75mg as the lowest dose will probably not be beneficial with OCD. Also it takes 3-4 weeks for the meds to start working and during those weeks it makes it worse but after that you should feel a HUGE improvement!! Good luck :)

Thank you I am in 2 minds at the moment because I havent really attempted to manage it by changing the way im thinking. I have just been dismissing it. Just seeing whay options and results are out there. Good luck to you 2