Experiencing increase obsessional thoughts with dose increase

Hey everyone,

I'm new to the online forums - so hello and hoping someone shares a similar experience.

I've been taking Lexapro for just under 3 years, originally for depression and anxiety (10mg)

2 weeks ago my GP increased my dose to 20mg - as I have been experiencing (increasingly over the last 6 to 12 months) increase in anxiety but most troubling, obsessional thoughts.

My question here is in regard to the dose increase. How many other people taking Lexapro for obsessional thoughts (pure o, i guess) have had a spike in anxiety or new obsessional thoughts, when increasing from 10mg to 20mg?
It's only been two weeks at the new dose, but I can't seem to shake the new obsessional thought away. Could this be related to the dose increase you think? Does this get better over the upcoming weeks? I'm a little apprehensive - to say the least..

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Hi

Sorry you are having these obsessional thoughts - it is probably the dose increase that has set you anxiety off! fuelling the thoughts. I am on Citalopram - believe less potent 40mg for Pure OCD - same sort of thing. Went up last Saturday and tbh - have felt worse the past couple of days with the anxiety and thoughts! Hoping it will settle down and clear off completely but very draining.

Would think it is with the dose increase - should settle soon once you get to your therapeutic dosage. Lexapro is an SSRI like Celexa - used for Pure O - but it is always anxiety that is fuelling them.

Sorry I haven't been able to answer your questions - directly on Lexapro - but you have to be on a high dose of an SSRI for the thoughts to diminish.

Laura

Dear Laura

Thank you for your reply and considered response.

Im now just a little under 3.5 weeks with the dose increase, and I had about one week of improvement. The last day or so has been a little rough with anxiety. I'm sure this should pass, and may just be a matter of adjusting to the new dose (I hope so:) ). Especially troubling me has been new obsessional doubts coming into play. Erghh... So annoying.

But thanks again.

Hi again Laura

How are you feeling on your medication dose increase?

I am now on week 5 of escitalopram - 20mg. Last week I've bee feeling better but one or two bad dreams (sexual in nature) have made me unsettled again. Am hoping that it will continue to improve (in addition to more focus on my cbt strategies) over the upcoming weeks, as I have read it takes longer for ssri to be effective for ocd.

W.

Hi W

Had to abort mission with Citalopram - just did not agree with me at all - was making me more depressed - my first SSRI Prozac worked brilliantly for 15 years then stopped - Sertraline, then Citalopram. Psychiatrist has changed me to Venlafaxine XL - which I am pleased about early days but hope it works better.

Escitalopram is purer than Citalopram and is meant to be very good for OCD and they do take longer you are correct there up to 12 weeks!

Hope we both feel better soon.

Take care Laura