Hi all, I'm Kim and I'm 25 and I was diagnosed with OCD in 2015 and have battled with it ever since. OCD has caused me to do some crazy things, I've almost poisoned myself from mixing toilet cleaners and bleach, I can wash my hands with bleach anything upto 20 times a day and every day I live terrified that my children will become sick or be taken away from me if I dont complete these compulsions over and over again! I've taken fluoxetine before but now my GP has started me with Sertraline I've recently just been put onto 150mg so I'm hoping to see a difference soon, I'm on the waiting list to do CBT again for the 3rd time, 3rd time lucky I hope! I'm interested to hear other peoples experiences with this life controlling disorder was there ever an end? Does it get better?😫
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KimH95
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It can and does get better! I've been so bad with it that I've hardly been able to move from the sofa. I can't say that I'm OCD free but I can get about and do plenty!
The dose of sertraline you're on is relatively low. For OCD high doses are often needed, and the usual maximum dose is 200 mg. It can be increased up to 400 mg in some cases, though most psychiatrists and practitioners aren't allowed to prescribe above 200.
I'm on 300 mg a day myself, and was prescribed it as an inpatient at Springfield Hospital in Tooting. They also prescribed me 5 mg daily of an antipsychotic called aripiprazole. I'm not psychotic; it just boosts the effects of the sertraline. Perhaps ask your therapist about this and about increasing to 200 mg of the sertraline. If offered sulpiride, though (also known as Dolmatil) do not take it! It makes you put on weight!
Having OCD can make you do crazy things! I once had to be restrained from throwing myself out of a moving car!
CBT is difficult, but the medication makes it easier. Don't feel as though you've failed, though, if you don't manage to do it. Just try again, Most of us struggle with it.
Try not to worry about your children. I know that's difficult (it goes with being a parent) but OCD has a habit of hitting us just where something matters most to us. So it's not surprising that your OCD is focused on your children. On the whole a bit of dirt is good for children. It helps them to build up healthy immune systems. And I know that OCD likes to ignore rational thought, but I'm pretty sure there's no reason why your children should be taken off you, when you're such a caring parent.
Hi Sallyskins it's hard work isn't it, the rational side of me knows some dirt is good for the kids but the OCD bullies it and takes over! I only started on the sertraline in april after coming off the fluoxetine so only went onto 150mg last week still time to go but i'm not feeling any benefits yet 😫
As for it making you do some crazy things wow I'm really glad somebody managed to restrain you from jumping out of that car but I do understand once the compulsions there it can be very hard to get rid of!!
Fingers crossed for my 3rd round of CBT, it feels like so much to take in but I will get there with it, one thing I am scared about is when all these meds finally help and if CBT makes things better then will I end up becoming a messy person because I just can't see myself doing it is this the anxiety/OCD?😂
Thank you Sally, yeah as a parent your instinct is always to protect your children I think my ways just take it overboard it all started properly after my son was born I stopped sleeping on a night incase something bad happened to him and it stemmed out from there!
Good luck to you some days are better than others as i'm sure you know already!x
Hi I'm struggling with contamination ocd and was wondering how you are getting on now ? Mines been really bad for 6 months cant find the right meds to control it x
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