Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Support Group

krista,

sorry to see your ocd is back and tormenting you again.

i only have 2 suggestions: (1) see your shrink asap to change meds to see what else might work. there are many meds out there to try. (2) find a competent behavior therapist and try doing ERP. I am sure you have seen me and others write about this well known therapy for OCD. Can be very effective for some, even more so than meds, and some times, longer lasting than meds.

best wishes.

Thanks so much for the advice. I have a doctor appt. on the 19th someone suggested I ask about amblify I think it's called. I hope something works.

krista,

i think you are referring to 'abilify' which is a newer anti-psychotic. according to a paper i read recently on the web, abilify and other newer generation anti-psycotics can be just as efffective to fight ocd as ssris and other anti-depressants.

other anti-psycotics are risperadol, zyprexa, geodon and seroquel. and since you already tried a 'benzo' like xanax, you might want to try klonopin (clonazepam).

good luck.....and think about erp. might sound scary but if you try it and it is not for you, just stop going back to that therapist. easy.

Thanks again. Anti-psycotics sound a little scary to me I know I'm not psycotic. I think I might ask about the klonopin. Thanks again for your advice.

I am on 2mg abilify, as well as Zoloft. My doctor prescribed the abilify as an "add on" to the Zoloft. I asked about it being an "anti psychotic" (since I am pretty sure I am NOT!) and he told me that it's a drug that is commonly used with an antidepressant to enhance the effect that the patient receives. In such low doses, it's not effective as a true "anti psychotic." I also talked to my therapist, and got the same response. Made me feel lots better :) Just thought i'd share my experience with everyone!

krista,

haha....i know you are not psycotic at all. but as "mommy" wrote above, shrinks are using anti-psychotics as an add on to an anti-depressant. I have tried two anti-psychotics for only a few days because of side effects. I am supposed to be trying my third, abilify, right now but have not started due to a more pressing physical illness. i think i tried zyprexa and serroquel or risperadol a few years ago.

i was also very hesitant to try them as well. I had even read several times in the 1990's that anit-psychotics only helped about 2-3% of OCders. But newer research has led shrinks to beleive they can help some OCders. I was very hesitant to try prozac back in 1989! It took my shrink 1 year to talk me into it.

It is your life, so obviously it is your choice. I was just so desperate, that I was willing to try anything. and when those side effecst hit right away, went right off of them.

Good luck.