I've been taking medication for OCD for about 2,5 years and I was 90% fine, but whenever my doctor lowered the dosage symptoms were returning bit by bit, I thought nothing of it because they were bearable so I consulted my doctor about stopping the therapy and she agreed since symptoms were mostly gone, BUT, after approximately 2 months OCD returned I'd say stronger than ever.
So, how do I deal with it again? Is there any permanent solution, I don't really want to be on medication whole life...
I can't promise that you won't have to take medication long term - I've taken it for many years! But as medication does damp down OCD it stands to reason that cutting back is going to let it flare up again.
Medication also makes it easier to do CBT and ERP.
There is good research on a natural substance called inositol. It doesn't need a prescription - I don't think it is available on prescription - but buy it over the counter in pharmacies or health food stores. Large doses are needed - 18 grams a day - for OCD, but it is safe and relatively free from side effects.
It might be worth investigating that. There is quite a lot of stuff on the internet about it. Studies have demonstrated that it is particularly effective in hard-to-treat OCD.
Thank you for your reply!What do you consider "long term medication?" Is it a whole life thing, or just years?
I've gained around 30kgs in 2.5 years probably due to medication...
Now I get your reluctance to stay on medication! Long term - a bit like asking how long is a piece of string. I've been on sertraline for 15 years, with an aripiprazole low dose booster for about 7 years. Before the sertraline I was on clomipramine for a number of years.
I did take a sulpiride booster for a while - but put on about 35 pounds. I came off it them, not wanting to put any more on. So I get the weight gain problem.
30 kg is a lot of weight to put on. And it wouldn't be good to put any more on. Has the treatment you've been getting involved CBT? Because that can make a real difference.
Don't suddenly stop taking the medication - there are withdrawal symptoms that come with sudden stoppage.
Other options include inositol as I said before, and making sure you have a healthy gut with lots of beneficial bacteria - this, studies have demonstrated, may help to alleviate OCD. Probiotics and prebiotics may help, but also lots of fruit and vegetables and plenty of fibre in what you eat.
Here are a couple of links to articles on inositol - I posted them in a reply to someone else. It might be worth investigating - could be a better option for you. It's a substance that occurs naturally in the body but in larger doses can help with OCD. It is classed as a sugar and as one of the B vitamins.
iocdf.org/expert-opinions/o...
greatplainslaboratory.com/a...
I did try CBT (sorta, my therapist mentioned it, but I don't remember exactly), I didn't suddenly stop, we were withdrawing meds slowly, but I experienced withdrawal effects anyway...
CBT is a must! The medication can only do so much. It's the CBT that does the heavy lifting - the medication makes it easier.
So ask your therapist about CBT. It isn't always easy to do, but it gets easier as you learn and practise. For OCD it mostly consists of ERP.
Perhaps make a start on it while you're still on the medication. Then perhaps weaning yourself off the medication you won't get the OCD coming back stronger than before.
If getting CBT with a therapist is a problem, then buy a book about OCD that has CBT exercises you can adapt to your own forms of OCD. Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and The OCD Workbook are both good ones, and have helped me, but there are plenty of others.
Thank you for your suggestion, I wanna try everything!
I've been to my psychologist today, I wanted to go to institute for mental health, but she thinks it's not necessary since it's just the OCD and not something serious... I've mentioned CBT but I don't remember receiving any answer. I went to public hospital, but I feel like private clinics offer better help. I've been to private polyclinic since covid started.
CBT really is essential as a frontline treatment for OCD. It's something that all psychologists treating OCD should use with their patients. So it's important that you insist on it. I'm assuming that you're in the US where you don't get as good treatment unless you pay, so it may well involve going private, if you can afford it or your insurance covers it.
Over here in England, we have the NHS, and so excellent treatment is available without charge, paid for out of our taxes. It's an overstretched service, and there's often a waiting list for some treatments, but the treatment is really good and reliable once you get it.
Be careful if you go private - there are a lot of scammers, crooks and charlatans ready to take your money off you. Make sure you get someone with proper qualifications, and who does CBT. Anyone promising a cure, particularly an instant cure isn't to be trusted.
Good luck with the CBT - it may feel hard going at first, and it's certainly quite difficult to do, particularly when you start it, but stick with it, and you should start making progress.
It doesn't matter if you don't always manage it - the benefit is in the trying as well as the succeeding. And the more you try, the more you will succeed. Get a book or two on OCD with CBT exercises as I suggested, and make a start!
Alright, thanks.
I'm from Europe, so I have free health care, but I prefer psychologist who can sit and talk a bit, instead of just listening to me and prescribe me medication with little conversation. She was late today so she sped up probably with patients, otherwise I think she used to talk a bit more with me.
Psychologists who work at private polyclinics also work at hospitals in my area, so I have some faith in them.
I believe I haven't tried CBT that much, I tried some ERP, but it was very hard.
I'm optimistic about it all, but I'm slowly accepting the fact that I may end up on meds for the rest of my life, but still wanna try to prevent that.
Also, you mentioned that you were on medication for more than 10-15 years, so do you have any liver problems, or any unwanted effects? I'm curious about it, I'm relatively young (21) and I think it may cause some problems in other area of my health.
Good that you have free healthcare - make the most of it where you can! But often health services can be busy. For OCD, medication is just the start of treatment.
A little in-depth talk about your history and possible triggers for OCD is good, but talking therapy doesn't do much by itself. CBT is the thing that makes it effective, and ERP is a type of CBT.
It is certainly hard to do - but don't give up on it. It's a little of two-steps-forward followed by one step back. It's going to involve a lot of failure, where you feel you can't help giving into the OCD, but that doesn't matter - just having tried makes a difference. Each attempt rewires your brain a little. Gradually the OCD is weakened, and ERP becomes easier to do.
CBT and ERP take a bit of patience, but they do work. They give you tools which you can use in daily life to stop the OCD getting in the way of the things you want to do.
I've been on medication since I was 21, and haven't had liver problems or other health problems as a result. I don't drink alcohol, and it's best not to drink it if you're on medication anyway. Each one of us is different, and I can't say what is the best medication for you or how it will affect you. All I can say is that it's possible to be on medication for years without serious problems.
I'm happy to answer any other questions, if I can.
Thank you for answering, I have no more questions and I hope you deal with your problems successfully.
Hi. I have been told by psychiatrists that reducing the milligrams or going off of a medication when it had been working, may make one feel worse (depending on their problem). When a person feels better, they might believe they don't need medication anymore. They believe they are well, but don't realize they are well, BECAUSE of the meds. I had the same issue as you, when my dose was lowered. I had felt my symptoms return. Sometimes that original dose is what is needed to help one feel better and to be able to have productive days. Trust your dr; he or she will know how to treat your OCD, and will do what they think is right for you. 😊
thanks for replying!well on my psychiatric test i was told that "I was going into health", meaning I was telling myself that I was fine or something that .
OCD is chronic, but apparently you can go into periods of a type of remission. I was symptom free for a while, and now I’m full blown OCD again. I’m back in exposure therapy at the moment. It legit feels like it isn’t helping.
Medication does help, but I feel like it can work well, then all of a sudden it doesn’t. If there’s a permanent solution, I’d really like to know.
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