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Suggest Treatment For Severe OCD While On Prozac And Sertraline

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Posted on Wed, 6 Jan 2016
Question: I have OCD, been treated since the 1980s. Prozack, Sertraline, and writing my issues down over a period of time
doctor
Answered by Dr. Saad Sultan (29 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
plz elaborate your issues , arthritis needs work up

Detailed Answer:
Welcome at HCM.....
I have gone through your query and medical history and being your physician I do appreciate your health concerns...
It would be more appropriate that you elaborate your query and attach any reports as well. Do mention the dose of drugs you are taking? So far , I only found Fibromyalgia and arthritis in your medical history.
Fibromyalgia should get improved with fluoxitine and there is need to adjust its dose.
Arthritis ,on other hand , need to be investigated. First of all which joint is involved and management plan would be according to it.
Hope your query is adequately addressed if you still have any feel free to ask anytime..
Hope it helps
Regards
Dr XXXXXXX Sultan


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Saad Sultan (29 minutes later)
I have had sever OCD symptoms all my life. I was near a breakdown in 1984 and went for inpatient therapy for a month. It did little good. Later, I was told they didn't have a program of treatment for OCD. In the 90's my doctor said Prozac showed help for OCD. I took it and became improved. I thought (typically) that once I felt better I could stop. Wrong (of course.) I ended up in XXXXXXX Memorial Hospital in Wisconsin for a month, and there I learned about objective heatlth care, where I wrote things down, and I felt the best I had in my life. I was transferred to a Psychiatrist and for about 8 years I felt fine. I quit taking Prozac again, and fell apart. That was about two years ago. I finally started taking a mixture of 40 mg of Fluoxetine and 250 mg of Sertraline. Without the practical training of writing things down over and over, I did not recover. Finally, I started that therapy (can't remember the exact name) and got better. Had a problem with promoting a novel I wrote a couple months ago, got anxiety, and crashed to OCD again. Even after the 2nd part of the therapy. I also have fibromyalgia, which interferes.

I'd like to start from square one, speak with a specialist and a therapist to see if I need new direction, or if there's any new techniques or medication that helps.I'm afraid that if I do, they'll say no, that I'm doomed to be in a constant state of anxiety/panic for the rest of my life. My fears have evolved into fearing death and anihilation of the soul afterward. I KNOW for a fact it's not true, but with OCD, it doesn't matter.

Please advise

I don't understand why there's no mention of OCD in my files. It is the worst of all my afflictions. Arthritis is a picnic in the park on a Sunday afternoon compared to OCD. OCD is an XXXXXXX number of times a greater problem than the other things. I don't know why it wasn't in the file your read. Anyway, I've been going through a bad state again, and I'm covering all bases, to see every opinion I get. There could be something I didn't know.

And again on the medication: I take 40 mg Fluoxetine per day and 250 mg of Sertraline per day to combat the OCD Clonazepam is to fight axiety. They are doing well enough, I hope there's another answer.

I will not accept being basically untreated for OCD and relegated to a state of anxiety and/or panic for the rest of my life.

Thank you for you quick response. The information you provided was very helpful, in that I know I've got to dig into my files myself.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Saad Sultan (14 hours later)
Brief Answer:
meet your psychiatrist and discuss about behavioural therapy .

Detailed Answer:
Welcome at HCM....
I have gone extensively through your follow up queries and understands your concerns..
First thing , OCD is a condition which has got remissions and relapses. Relapses should be treated according to the situation. Sometimes it may need hospitalization, If a patient has suicidal thoughts.
In response to your query regarding consultation , yes you should consult to psychiatrist and it is treatable. You should not be worried and stop thinking that they would say it can't be cured.
In current scenario , you really need a behavioural therapy along with medicines. If you are not responding to fluoxitine then there are other options like citalopram and escitalopram. There is need to look for any other psychiatric issue like major depression or psychosis etc. Sometimes it is also present and needs treatment too.
Response in OCD is bit late , generally speaking, it may take up to 8 weeks .
In a nutshell , OCD is treatable condition , meet your psychiatrist and discuss about behavioural therapy and changing medicines.
Hope your query is adequately addressed , if you still have any feel free to ask.
Hope it helps
Regards
Dr XXXXXXX Sultan
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Saad Sultan

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2013

Answered : 1049 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Severe OCD While On Prozac And Sertraline

Brief Answer: plz elaborate your issues , arthritis needs work up Detailed Answer: Welcome at HCM..... I have gone through your query and medical history and being your physician I do appreciate your health concerns... It would be more appropriate that you elaborate your query and attach any reports as well. Do mention the dose of drugs you are taking? So far , I only found Fibromyalgia and arthritis in your medical history. Fibromyalgia should get improved with fluoxitine and there is need to adjust its dose. Arthritis ,on other hand , need to be investigated. First of all which joint is involved and management plan would be according to it. Hope your query is adequately addressed if you still have any feel free to ask anytime.. Hope it helps Regards Dr XXXXXXX Sultan