Does anyone know of any alternative treatments for OCD?
I have OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), and am currently taking Zoloft 250mg daily and Xanax as needed for anxiety. The Zoloft helps a bit, but not a whole lot. I started out on Luvox and it worked great for about 10 months, then lost its potency altogether. I have also tried Paxil, Prozac, and several anti-psychotic medications. I would like to know if anyone has any suggestions for prescription medications, herbals (other than St. Johns Wort), or anything else that might help. I am 36, female in central Florida and do not know of anyone near here who specializes in OCD. Anyone with any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
Tags: prescription medications, st johns wort, Alternative, Treatments, luvox, obsessive compulsive disorder, anyone, anti psychotic medicationsRelated posts:
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I was taking xanex and prozac, it wasn’t helpin much. Now i’m taking valium and prozac, and vitamins(centrum), it seems to be helping a little so far. Ask your doc. about valium, they may work better for you than the xanex did, they work better for me.
GOOD LUCK.
But one thing that may help is is just try to keep yourself occupied so you don’t worry about things, and things that you know really don’t matter, try to forget it, then take a valium. works for me sometimes.
i dont knwo how to help i was taking zoloft for it but am not any more
biomedical treatment for OCD seems like it would be very ineffective. systematic desensitization needs to occur for OCD to be taken care of. OCD is a disorder that will progressively get worse the more you give in to it. what you need to do is - stop giving in to the messages your brain is sending you saying something needs to be cleaned/fixed, etc. recognize that you are being obsessive and/or compulsive, and deliberately don’t do whatever it is your brain is telling you needs to be done. please feel free to contact me - chichuskeychick_89@yahoo.com - if you have further questions, and i’d be more than happy to help you in any way i can.
I don’t know about this. It is simply speculation, but it seems as if your doctors were using SSRI’s (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors) to help with your OCD. In depression, which is also treated with SSRI’s an amino acid called 5-HTP has been helpful to some. It may help lessen the anxiety.
I have had the same problem with Zoloft and others losing efficacy over time, and 5-htp has helped me.
I get the best price and product 5-HTP 50mg 90 CAPS
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from http://www.totaldiscountvitamins.com/Default.asp
I use the books especially the first one to calculate dosage. I do take a much higher dose than the vitamin shop website suggests.
I’m on anafranil, I was told its a pretty new drug and all of my systems have pretty much disappeared
you probably need some intensive psychotherapy. psychotherapy for OCD is difficult but very effective. most therapists who use cognitive-behavioral therapy styles should be able to treat you for this.
Medication is a constant battle. I went through tons of them to get my moods and ocd under control. i finally ended up on paxil which i took for about 9 years before it just stopped working. then i had a breakdown and had to find something new. i now take effexor xr. find a good psychiatrist that you are comfortable with and keep trying. ocd is very biochemical and medication can be extremely helpful.
Anafranil/clomipramine is the oldest drug used to treat OCD. someone mentioned it before me. it is the most effective but has some rather unpleasant side effects. It is a lot older than the newer SSRIs and other depression/anxiety treatments.
One more thing: don’t mix supplements with medication, such as st. john’s wart. they can have deadly interactions. ask your doctor first.
I have been there and done it all (including CBT) . I am currently on 60mgs. of Prozac with a new drug named Edronax in Europe. In the U.S it is Reboxetin. Although it is made by Pfizer, it is still in the FDA process of approval in the U.S. After 20 years of meds. it has helped the most. I have had OCD my whole life. I am a 44 year old mom living in Europe. Have you tried higher doses of Prozac? Lilly is in trials using it at 80 and 100mgs here in Europe. You have to keep talking to your psychiatrist and trying different combinations of meds. and therapy. Don’t give up hope. Keep trying. There are special clinics that provide Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Talk to your doctor and if he isn’t helpful, get another. Good Luck!
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors such as handwashing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these so-called “rituals,” however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety.
Effective treatments for each of the anxiety disorders have been developed through research. In general, two types of treatment are available for an anxiety disorder—medication and specific types of psychotherapy (sometimes called “talk therapy”). Both approaches can be effective for most disorders.
The family is of great importance in the recovery of a person with an anxiety disorder. Ideally, the family should be supportive without helping to perpetuate the person’s symptoms. If the family tends to trivialize the disorder or demand improvement without treatment, the affected person will suffer.