Banned from all SSRI's and old antidepressants but still need treatment

[TillySm]

Hey,

My OCD has been hammering the **** out of me lately because I am not on any meds. I have been banned from SSRI's and older antidepressants because I suffer also from dormant bipolar that is activated with antidepressants of all kinds.

Problem is I do not know what to do about my OCD now. It is Chronic and it is unrelenting, it is also a bit weird. It is sometimes normal OCD with weird themes and minor thought disorder at times and other times just pure O.

I have available to me Zyprexa or seroquel (if I took that I would only do so in tiny doses as my pdoc says). That is all I have and I haven't taken those things yet.

Could someone please advise on possible treatments that I can ask my doctor for? Anyone else in this situation or have learnt to deal with CHRONIC OCD with CBT or something like that?

[TillySm]

Please help I cannot stand this anymore. So 61 people that have read this thread have no clue on what someone with my OCD can do to cope? Just goes to show that there is no cure and little treatment options available for ****ing OCD and that we have to suffer through it. **** this shit. And **** anyone who thinks mental illness is a weakness of character and is not as distressing as physical illness. I am sitting alone in my house just screaming at nothing now to try and dull out the intrusive thoughts, that seems to help stop the OCD thought patterns, let out the anger, frustration and anxiety but it is no good for use in public because I would be committed.

[nomorepanic]

I really can't advise sorry - but did you see this post:
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=50116

[swgrl09]

Hi, have you had any types of therapy or counseling, or just seeing a medical doctor? I have heard that CBT can be helpful in treating OCD. It is a lot of work to get better, but it's worth a shot, right? Nothing to lose, really. It will address both the physiological reaction you have to stressful triggers and the thought process behind it.

[little wren]

Hi TillySm

I read your initial post but felt I could add nothing as I am taking ssri for ocd (prozac) and do not really know of alternatives.

However, after reading your second post it sounds like you are really suffering so I'l offer what I can in the hope some of it may help...

I hope you have already been referred to a psychiatrist as they are more knowledgable about the latest meds out there and I think they have a broader spectrum of what they can prescribe and more leeway to prescribe than a gp. If not I would suggest asking your gp to refer you on.

The only other meds. suggested to me by my psychiatrist was either risperidone (which would be taken alongside prozac to boost its effect, so unlikely to be suitable for you) or lyrica (pregablin) which is fairly new. They also let me have diazepam on an as and when needed basis. However, my case is a bit different to yours as they also needed to control anxiety from agoraphobia as well, so lyrica may be just to calm anxiety rather than specifically for ocd.

As for cbt for ocd I have tried that years ago (unfortunately was too ill at the time to make the most of it - have agoraphobia as well and I was in such a state attending that only about half of what she said I could take in). What I did take in was useful though. It wouldn't hurt to ask your doctor to get you on the waiting list for cbt with a clinical psychologist. Many people benefit from cbt.

A book which may help is 'Overcoming obsessive compulsive disorder: a self help book using cognitive behavioural techniques' by David Veale and Rob Wilson from amazon.

People who think anxiety disorders are all in the head have probably never experienced them. When I became ill, I was shocked at just how physical it is. You deserve better than having to deal with it alone.

Just wanted to add - I didn't know the above ocd site existed thanks nicola for pointing it out. It is so worth looking at TillySm. Ive just had a look and the bit about challenging the thoughts is similar to the cbt I had.

little wren x