has anyone faced relapse and switched back to increased dosage and thus fear that you can never quit on medicines ?
i am planning to increase back my dose of fluvoxin from 75 to 100 (earlier i was on 150). Though i thought of quitting them but it looks no sooner.
please share your meds history and suggestions.
Hello,
It's a hard question to answer, but I can share my experience. I started with Zoloft (100 mg) 14 years ago. Out of those 14 years, I took the medication for approximately 7 years. During a 5-year period, I stopped the medication and experienced almost complete symptom remission. However, in my case, relapses do occur, especially during very stressful moments.
One doctor suggested that I might need to take it for the rest of my life, while another said I could try stopping after 2 years following a relapse.
I understand the concern about relying on medication for life. The side effects are real—we can't deny their existence—but in my case, they are mild. The fact that I now live a stable life with a wife and kids helps a lot. However, when I was younger and enjoyed a more social lifestyle with parties, drinking, etc., the side effects hit harder, especially since it was the beginning of my treatment.
Over time, though, you can develop your own strategies to manage these effects and make them less significant.
One last thing: the "good side effects." I tend to be a very impulsive person, and the medication helps me feel less anxious in situations like traffic, work, and more.
r u still taking 100 mg and will continue forever ?
Yes, I'm taking it now. I restarted this year, but I don't think I'll need it forever or every day. I expect to stop again next year or 2026, though I'm fairly certain I'll relapse at some point and start taking it again. So, I believe I'll need it throughout my life, but not consistently.
but these medications are not like painkillers showing immediate effect. And do you consult with your doctor? I mean i am also thinking about doing the same thing, i will increase my dose and then again taper within next year. May be i will respond better as there is a learning involved during the relapse.
The point is that, in my case, it worked to stop the medication for a while in the past, so I always think I can do it again.
However, every time I start treatment, I end up taking it for at least two years.
Over the years, I’ve had two pauses approved by doctors, and the last one (in 2021, It was the peak of the pandemic, and I was more worried about my family, since I lost my mother during that period, than about my OCD) I did on my own, which I don't recommend . All pauses were done carefully by gradually reducing the dose until stopping completely.
There’s no clear consensus among the doctors in my case. But I don't have hopes of being "cured." I just use the medication for a few years, stop for a few years, and that works for me.
Every case is unique. When you start medication, I don't think you should worry so much about when to finish the treatment. Nobody wants to take medicine forever, but getting better should be your goal now
I have been on OCD medication for 30 years. My understanding is that OCD is managed not cured. I think it depends on the level of your OCD. I am thankful to have found something that helps. I would love to come off my medication but I don’t think that would be beneficial. 😄
did u try coming off to them
I've been on medication for OCD since I was 21 and I'm not planning on cutting it down or giving it up. I feel the better for it.
I started on clomipramine, which I took for a number of years, before being switched to sertraline, which I've been on for 17 years. I'm now on 300 mg a day - high doses are needed for OCD. I've also taken a supplement of aripiprazole of 5 mg a day for about 10 years.
It's best to stay on medication if you can - it helps to keep the OCD at bay and makes relapses less likely.
I note that you are a woman in her twenties, so if you plan to have children, or already have children and plan to have more, do talk to health professionals about medication and pregnancy.
my life has been f*cked up all. My chances of getting married is 1%. Lol.
No need to say that! No matter how much OCD has you in its grip, you can come back from it and live a pretty normal life.
Certainly, OCD gets in the way of relationships, but many sufferers do have long-term relationships and marriages. And many also have children.
Don't think that you have to give up finding a partner!
I have tried to cut back on my Clomipramine and each time relapse happened. That is why my doc said you need to concentrate on Managing not Curing your OCD. I do believe this is true in most cases. When I accepted this idea I began to feel better. Understanding OCD is a huge part of managing 😀
Understanding OCD’s playbook is essential in overcoming OCD. This is why it’s so important for an OCD specialist to provide the needed psychoeducation on OCD before beginning ERP. If it takes a month or more to learn it, so be it. It’s a worthwhile investment.
My doc reduced my Zoloft from 150 to 50 over the past few years. When I got down to 50 I had a relapse. Now I’m back to 150 and am feeling much better. Was it due to the medication reduction that I had this relapse? Possibly. Although I did have a relapse in 2015 when I was on 150 mg. But I do believe medication helps. It’s always an individual decision.
Medication help!
Contamination OCD medication
Long Covid OCD
Medication : Paxil 
