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Graelwyn
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03 Sep 2011, 8:50 pm

I have a really irritating form of OCD where I re-read lines of writing in posts, feel the compulsion to read every bit of user info on each post etc etc, it is really making my internet life quite miserable.

I also tend to get obsessive thinking patterns.

Has anyone found a medication that actually works, without causing other problems (such as worsening depression and mood swings) ?


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John_Browning
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03 Sep 2011, 9:57 pm

Usually SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants are used for their serotonin, downers like benzos and babituates have been used to deal with the anxiety aspect, and sometimes atypical anyipsychnotics, mainly risperdal, invega, and abilify have been used to safely augment the effects of the other meds. Lithium has been used for this too and can be mixed with all the others I've mentioned. Managing the side effects will usually depend on taking the time to work out the right combination of meds and the right dosages. The serotonin meds typically aren't too bad about side effects unless you take one from the SNRI class, doses of antipsychotics used for OCD tend to be very low and unlikely to cause side effects other than some initial drowsiness that will wear off or be managed by taking it at night. Same with lithium except plan on peeing a lot more (it's a type of salt) instead of getting drowsiness. Personally I've been on meds from all those classes I've listed above, and the only classes as a whole that really disagreed with me were the benzos and barbiturates. That's probably best given my insane predisposition for addiction. If you see a doctor and they recommend an antipsychotic, ask them about ones that don't cause as much drowsiness.


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sagan
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03 Sep 2011, 10:02 pm

Yep, I do this as well. It is a complete waste of time.

I have found that in my case at least, I do it when I am really anxious, or stressed. So I just treat that. I am not on any prescription meds, but when I start to get too OCD I usually take kava, or valerian root.

And Also Bach Rescue Remedy is awesome. It might be more of a placebo, but it totally works for me. But I think its kind of is a way of replacing one ritual with another... But they have non alcoholic candies, and little drops you put in your water...
Or turkey really helps too, it has something that calms you down and is good for treating OCD (my doctor told me, and it works)

Or if you want prescription, Xanax isn't bad. I take it every know and then, but it can be too intense, makes me tired.

But maybe the best thing is just to condition your brain to do it less and less. If you do it long enough, the urge slowly dies off. Indulging in your compulsions be just makes them much worse. At least for me... :?


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Daryl_Blonder
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03 Sep 2011, 11:05 pm

OCD is a b***h to treat. But I have OCPD, which is even more of a b***h.

In my experience, well... medications just have never helped me with it. Many many many moons ago I was given Anafranil (chlomipramine), the original and most widely prescribed anti-OCD drug. It did nothing. I still have to do things a certain way or it drives me crazy. If I'm doing something the "wrong" way I can't enjoy the task. I get so caught up in doing things the "right" way that the original point of the activity is lost. This is true for pretty much everything I do. Even eating, for crap's sake.

The worst part about OCD is, when you sit back and realize how much time has been wasted in your life wrestling with this nonsense.

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Graelwyn
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03 Sep 2011, 11:30 pm

John_Browning wrote:
Usually SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants are used for their serotonin, downers like benzos and babituates have been used to deal with the anxiety aspect, and sometimes atypical anyipsychnotics, mainly risperdal, invega, and abilify have been used to safely augment the effects of the other meds. Lithium has been used for this too and can be mixed with all the others I've mentioned. Managing the side effects will usually depend on taking the time to work out the right combination of meds and the right dosages. The serotonin meds typically aren't too bad about side effects unless you take one from the SNRI class, doses of antipsychotics used for OCD tend to be very low and unlikely to cause side effects other than some initial drowsiness that will wear off or be managed by taking it at night. Same with lithium except plan on peeing a lot more (it's a type of salt) instead of getting drowsiness. Personally I've been on meds from all those classes I've listed above, and the only classes as a whole that really disagreed with me were the benzos and barbiturates. That's probably best given my insane predisposition for addiction. If you see a doctor and they recommend an antipsychotic, ask them about ones that don't cause as much drowsiness.


The last medication I was on was Sertraline...aka Zoloft, I believe, and it caused me to meltdown much more often, with severe anger outbursts, so I stopped it. I have been also on Prozac, and in the past a few anti psychotics, which at the time, seemed to do little to help OCD and much to make me even more unwell. It seems insane that it is so incredibly difficult to overpower this overriding compulsion.


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Graelwyn
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03 Sep 2011, 11:33 pm

sagan wrote:
Yep, I do this as well. It is a complete waste of time.

I have found that in my case at least, I do it when I am really anxious, or stressed. So I just treat that. I am not on any prescription meds, but when I start to get too OCD I usually take kava, or valerian root.

And Also Bach Rescue Remedy is awesome. It might be more of a placebo, but it totally works for me. But I think its kind of is a way of replacing one ritual with another... But they have non alcoholic candies, and little drops you put in your water...
Or turkey really helps too, it has something that calms you down and is good for treating OCD (my doctor told me, and it works)

Or if you want prescription, Xanax isn't bad. I take it every know and then, but it can be too intense, makes me tired.

But maybe the best thing is just to condition your brain to do it less and less. If you do it long enough, the urge slowly dies off. Indulging in your compulsions be just makes them much worse. At least for me... :?


I am relieved it isn't just me, and yes, it wastes so much time and I end up not looking at all the things I want to. I am soo sick of reading every line of each user's signature, post and post count etc, everytime I read a post, it is draining. It is as if I have this sense that something will somehow go badly wrong if I do not.

Stress, yes, bad issues with a relationship/friendship, whatever it was seems to have triggered this episode off, beforehand I had just about overridden it.

It extends even to having to have labels facing exactly central in my cupboard, packet edges straight, stuff folded before being binned, things sitting straight, it really is so depressing. I do have rescue remedy here already, I used to use it to try and prevent meltdown issues, I shall give it a try. I also have chamomile tea etc. I must be extremely anxious for things to have become this debilitating.


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Graelwyn
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03 Sep 2011, 11:38 pm

Daryl_Blonder wrote:
OCD is a b***h to treat. But I have OCPD, which is even more of a b***h.

In my experience, well... medications just have never helped me with it. Many many many moons ago I was given Anafranil (chlomipramine), the original and most widely prescribed anti-OCD drug. It did nothing. I still have to do things a certain way or it drives me crazy. If I'm doing something the "wrong" way I can't enjoy the task. I get so caught up in doing things the "right" way that the original point of the activity is lost. This is true for pretty much everything I do. Even eating, for crap's sake.

The worst part about OCD is, when you sit back and realize how much time has been wasted in your life wrestling with this nonsense.


Eating is a problem for me also, but mainly due to calorie obsession, and also because everything has to be bloody lined up after being used, and put away exactly as it was before.
The time wasted in the midst of one of these episodes is phenomenal. I wanted to have some time on second life tonight, but only got as far as here, because I feel the compulsion to check out certain sections, then get caught up feeling the need to read every single post and word in a thread. I cannot really express here how distressing it is, and is resulting in my often not getting to sleep before 7 or 8am.


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IdahoRose
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03 Sep 2011, 11:51 pm

I take Lexapro for my OCD and it works very well. Almost too well, because now instead of being a compulsive-handwashing germophobe, I'm a complete slob.



namaste
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05 Sep 2011, 5:49 am

i get obsessed with men...especially those who are good looking and show even little bit interest in me.
i cant get them out of mind and couple of years ago i had a bad crush on a married guy....
i just cant get him out of my mind...its been 3 years now.
i keep looking at his facebook profile.....he as not bothered to add me also.
completely avoids me...

will any medicine help me....will i be able to overcome this obsession???



jackbus01
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05 Sep 2011, 7:53 am

Daryl_Blonder wrote:
OCD is a b***h to treat. But I have OCPD, which is even more of a b***h.

In my experience, well... medications just have never helped me with it. Many many many moons ago I was given Anafranil (chlomipramine), the original and most widely prescribed anti-OCD drug. It did nothing. I still have to do things a certain way or it drives me crazy. If I'm doing something the "wrong" way I can't enjoy the task. I get so caught up in doing things the "right" way that the original point of the activity is lost. This is true for pretty much everything I do. Even eating, for crap's sake.

The worst part about OCD is, when you sit back and realize how much time has been wasted in your life wrestling with this nonsense.

*******************************************************************************************************************

Check out my IMDB page!


How do you cope, I'm curious. Also did/does CBT help you?



Daryl_Blonder
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05 Sep 2011, 11:27 pm

jackbus01 wrote:
Daryl_Blonder wrote:
OCD is a b***h to treat. But I have OCPD, which is even more of a b***h.

In my experience, well... medications just have never helped me with it. Many many many moons ago I was given Anafranil (chlomipramine), the original and most widely prescribed anti-OCD drug. It did nothing. I still have to do things a certain way or it drives me crazy. If I'm doing something the "wrong" way I can't enjoy the task. I get so caught up in doing things the "right" way that the original point of the activity is lost. This is true for pretty much everything I do. Even eating, for crap's sake.

The worst part about OCD is, when you sit back and realize how much time has been wasted in your life wrestling with this nonsense.

*******************************************************************************************************************

Check out my IMDB page!


How do you cope, I'm curious. Also did/does CBT help you?


With extreme difficulty.

I am seeing a therapist right now, and it does help. But we deal with a lot of other issues that aren't OCPD.

I haven't tried CBT but don't see how it's applicable to OCPD. My issues involve thoughts and the way I perceive things, not actions.

*******************************************************************************************

Check out my IMDB page!



godoftruemercy
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27 Sep 2011, 3:53 pm

I wouldn't really recommend meds as a first step. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is much, much more effective. I benefit greatly from a very low dose of Lamictal, but only in concert with CBT. It's hard and scary, but there's really no other way.



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27 Sep 2011, 11:03 pm

Benzos only made me sleepy, grouchy yet still obsessive (I've tried them all).

I'm doing extremely well on 20mg of Celexa (Citalopram).

I always avoided SSRIs but I had finally had enough of my anxiety.

I take 40mg of Adderall as well. The transformation has been nothing short of astounding.


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05 Oct 2011, 10:49 am

I have/had very bad OCD issues & obsessive thoughts all my life & I've spent 5 years seeing psychs & taking meds for different things including the OCD & none of that helped my OCD at all. I started an anti-anxiety med a couple weeks ago called Buspar because I was having lots of anxiety issues about a relationship I'm in with the perfect girl from here on WP & I was having panic-attacks. I decided to try Buspar because it's specifically for anxiety instead of being a tranquilizer or an anti-depressant like the other anti-anxiety meds are; I've been through lots of those & I've also tried Lithium & more than a few anti-psychotics. Buspar is mostly for certain types of anxiety like generalized anxiety & helping prevent panic attacks but my OCD & obsessive thoughts seems to be slightly better I think because I'm worrying less & am less anxious in general. I'm only taking the starting dose


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