What to try next

[Marc10142]

Hi, I've been struggling with ocd for about 15 years. I've tried cbt 3 times, and I've been on citalopram for about 3 years. The citalopram helps slightly, and the therapy helped at the time, but the ocd just creeps back in eventually, and now I'm struggling to work. I keep having to take intermittent sick days when the checking gets out of hand. I'm wondering if ketamine therapy has helped anyone? Seems that it does potentially help. Bit stuck as to what to try next.

[Dempsey1919]

I've done ketamin recreationaly years ago,it gives you a outer body experience and makes you paranoidcand trip,that won't help

[aparente001]

No clue about ketamine.

You might consider trying:

- a different SSRI

- a stronger dose of SSRI (but make sure you ramp up slooowly)

- a medication such as Buspirone as needed for fairly quick symptom relief

- Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) therapy (IOCDF website has online directory of trained providers)

- change something up at work, such as a change of office, to help you get out of the groove

- a new hobby that will get you out meeting people who share enjoyment of the same activity (could be anything -- e.g. join a gardening group, take a ceramics class, etc., etc.)

[Sallyskins]

Having been taking sertraline for a number of years, my dose was increased to 300 mg a day (the normal maximum is 200 mg a day) and boosted with a 5mg a day dose of aripiprazole. This is an anti-psychotic and I'm not psychotic, but in a low dose prescribed alongside an SSRI it can make a difference.

I found myself managing much better with the aripiprazole boost - I often say it's as though colours regained their brightness.

The effect is has on me was brought home to me recently - problems with supply meant that I couldn't get it for a while. I felt much worse and wasn't doing too well. Supplies resumed, and I'm back on it - much better!

So ask your prescriber to consider letting you have aripiprazole alongside your usual SSRI. My initial dose was 2.5 mg a day, but put up to 5 mg a day after a week or two.