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Is Divalproex Suggestible For Treating Severe OCD?
Question: What is the advisability of using Divalproex DR for treating severe OCD?
Brief Answer:
Divalproex is not the right choice...
Detailed Answer:
Divalproex is a mood stabilizer drug and it has limited role in OCD to control only behavior problem secondary to OCD. Though it has no serious side effects, but this drug is not proven to be very effective in the treatment of OCD. We use it as add on therapy.
There are other good option available for treatment of OCD. My choices are SSRI (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor) and also behavior therapy - the combination of SSRI and behavior therapy works best.
As a sole drug when I weight the benefits of divalproex against its side effect, I don't consider it as useful drug. So better to avoid divalproex in severe OCD and start SSRI according to advise by psychiatrist. Your psychiatrist will know about what I said.
Thank you
Divalproex is not the right choice...
Detailed Answer:
Divalproex is a mood stabilizer drug and it has limited role in OCD to control only behavior problem secondary to OCD. Though it has no serious side effects, but this drug is not proven to be very effective in the treatment of OCD. We use it as add on therapy.
There are other good option available for treatment of OCD. My choices are SSRI (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor) and also behavior therapy - the combination of SSRI and behavior therapy works best.
As a sole drug when I weight the benefits of divalproex against its side effect, I don't consider it as useful drug. So better to avoid divalproex in severe OCD and start SSRI according to advise by psychiatrist. Your psychiatrist will know about what I said.
Thank you
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Dr. Prajapati,
Thank you for your response. I have used SSRI's in the past: Prozac 80 mg/day, Paxil 60 mg/day; also Zoloft and Luvox. Side effects were negative and no help from them.
I also suffer from PTSD, GAD, and depression. Any other suggestions are very much appreciated.
Thank you,
XXXXXX
Thank you for your response. I have used SSRI's in the past: Prozac 80 mg/day, Paxil 60 mg/day; also Zoloft and Luvox. Side effects were negative and no help from them.
I also suffer from PTSD, GAD, and depression. Any other suggestions are very much appreciated.
Thank you,
XXXXXX
Brief Answer:
How long were you on SSRI
Detailed Answer:
But how long were you on these medication? Because SSRI works best after 3 week so minimum 3 weeks is necessary to see the effect.
If those were ineffective, you can use tricyclic antidepressant named clomipramin which has good result in OCD and also add on Tab Admenta (memantine) which has very good result now a days for refractory OCD. For good result use combination of SSRI, tryclic and admenta along with behavior therapy. Discuss about it with your treating doctor.
Thank you
How long were you on SSRI
Detailed Answer:
But how long were you on these medication? Because SSRI works best after 3 week so minimum 3 weeks is necessary to see the effect.
If those were ineffective, you can use tricyclic antidepressant named clomipramin which has good result in OCD and also add on Tab Admenta (memantine) which has very good result now a days for refractory OCD. For good result use combination of SSRI, tryclic and admenta along with behavior therapy. Discuss about it with your treating doctor.
Thank you
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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