Medication for OCD

I think I've been living with OCD for about 12 years, and today I finally told a doctor. I kept meaning to for several years, but I felt like I was managing it on my own. But last week I started having obsessive thoughts and worries which led to my usual obsessive actions. I just got to the point where I knew this was all a bit rediculous, and kept asking myself how could such irrational thoughts make me so upset? I called a mental health emergency line which at least calmed me down enough so that I could sleep. Actually talking about it with someone outside my family was really difficult. I'm pretty sure my mom knows I'm OCD and is sympathetic and so is my boyfiend.

Anyways, I spoke with a doctor today. He recommended an anti-depressent and psycho-therapy combination. He prescribed citalopram. I was okay with the psycho-therapy, but I'm a little wary of the citalopram. Both my mom and little sister take this, and I know it really really helps them with their depression. I haven't been able to find anything on the web that suggests that it may be helpful with OCD. Has anyone else been perscribed citalopram for OCD?

I think I will wait until I have an appointment with the psycho-therapist. I'm also worried because they're 20mg and after checking the citalopram forum here at No More Panic, it sounds like that is a high dose to start out with. I would like to talk to the psycho-therapist about it first because if it is possible to address my OCD problems without the use of drugs, that might be best. The side-effects sound bad, and with school I can't afford to loose time because of drug problems.

So I guess I would like to know if anyone takes drugs specifically for OCD? was it citalopram? Is it or has it helped?

Hi, I hope you are okay and feeling a little better now you have a diagnosis of ocd.

I too have suffered for many years with ocd which came to boiling point when I was pregnant this year. I too was officially diagnosed as having ocd.

I was prescribed prozac (fluoxetine) for my ocd. I believe prozac is a common drug for ocd and if there is no success then clomipramine.

This is just my experience though.

Hope this helps.
:bighug1:

Hiya

I had severe OCD and PND and took Seroxat for a time.
Later was prescribed Citalopram.
I honestly think the only thing that truly helps OCD is ourselves.
Just my opinion though. The meds defo helped with the depression.

CBT got me over the acute stage OCD.

Hope things work out well for you
Julia

I was put on sertraline, which i have never heard of anyone else being prescribed with, it was prescribed by my psycho-therapist and was apparantly specifically for OCD. I may have to go back on something soon.

That was helpfull, thanks.

i was prescribed citalopram for OCD - i started on 20 - had no side effects apart from being a little tired and very thirsty....they were upped to 40 after a few weeks. I wouldnt let the fear of side effects put you off taking them..

I first started on Effexor (300 mg/day), then when I got transferred from my GP to my Psychiatrist he took me off of that and put me on Citalopram (30 mg/day) it didn't help much for me. Right now I'm on Prozac (80 mg/day), Risperidone (2 mg/day), and Buspirone (30 mg/day) along with Ativan as needed. This is the first course of treatment that has actually helped some. Instead of all day everyday, I'm down to half my day with thoughts and actions. Which is quite an improvement for me.