Brief Answer:
Explained below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for the details.
You are right in saying that both OCD and
social anxiety lower one's productivity a lot and need to be treated effectively.
Your treatment history shows that you have been treated with more anti-psychotics than with SSRIs which should have been the first line of management. Your list only has three SSRIs, Fluvoxin, Daxid and
Paxil CR. The doses of Paxil CR and Daxid that you have mentioned are just the starting doses and not likely to benefit much in OCD which requires higher dosages. You have not mentioned the dose of Fluvoxin, but perhaps you did not take it for long. SSRIs do not cause sedation, but it is possible that other medicines like serenace, mozep, sizodon etc were prescribed with the SSRI and caused sedation. As a result, you stopped all medicines yourself, blaming them for the sedation.
I would have preferred to treat you only on an SSRI, either
fluoxetine or
fluvoxamine with
propranolol to be used on a SOS basis for interviews, meetings etc. The problem with SSRIs is that they take a few weeks to show their response and people often discontinue them before that, thinking that they are ineffective. Also the dose needed for OCD is higher than that needed for other disorders. These medicines are also the first line agents for management of social anxiety, so you do not need any other medicine in addition for social anxiety.
Psychotherapeutic interventions work in both OCD and social anxiety, but they are more effective in people with predominantly compulsions. In your case, I feel that not being on medicines is not a sensible decision and you should start a SSRI as soon as possible, preferably fluoxetine. It is cheaper than fluvoxin and very effective. For psychotherapeutic interventions, you may find it difficult to find a doctor who practices these as they are time consuming and take a lot of time. However I know a
psychiatrist in Mumbai who did her postgraduation in Psychiatry from PGIMER, Chandigarh and is now a XXXXXXX resident in department of Psychiatry in TNMC and BYL XXXXXXX Hospital, Mumbai. Her name is Dr XXXXXXX Somaiya. She was a junior of mine while I was doing my XXXXXXX residency in PGIMER, Chandigarh and I personally know that she is good in both pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions. If you wish you can contact her for both. I have deliberately not given you any big names as they are not likely to be able to help you with
psychotherapy and you may also find that they do not listen to you!
This time, if you have any problems with medicines, talk to your doctor, rather than stopping the medicines yourself.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
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