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Medication for OCD


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I have just been forced to go on Olanzapine for my ocd. (My ocd is about feeling dirty all the time). The psychologist wasn’t even an ocd specialist, I’ve never been a fan of medication, CBT or therapy sessions as never found it worked for me and last time I was on SSRI’s my ocd got worse & I also ended up trying to commit suicide. Just wondered if anyone else is taking Olanzapine for their ocd or what meds are you taking? Any side effects, changes, helped?

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22 hours ago, PolarBear said:

I'm sorry... forced to go on meds? Forced?

That can happen if you are held in hospital under a mental health act (sectioned). 

If not, then Lost222- you get a choice. Olanzapine isn't one of the main treatments for OCD as it's an atypical antipsychotic but low dose anti-psychotics are sometimes used in combination with SSRIs for treatment resistant OCD or if you have a condition like Bipolar alongside your OCD.

I'm sorry I don't have experience of Olanzapine. I once took a medication which works in a similar way (by blocking some dopamine receptors) and I did find it helped with my OCD quite a lot (especially 'magical thinking' aspects of it) but it also made me a bit depressed and very irritable. 

Anti-psychotics do have quite a range of side effects but you may not get any at all.

I would probably think about seeing another Psychiatrist before deciding whether or not to start taking the medication UNLESS you have another condition (bipolar, schizoaffective disorder etc.) in which case it's probably best to go with the prescribed treatment.

Edited by BelAnna
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15 hours ago, BelAnna said:

low dose anti-psychotics are sometimes used in combination with SSRIs for treatment resistant OCD

They are, but certainly enough doubt about the use of anti-psychotics in general for OCD to question the prescribing if the patient didn't want to take.  For example one research study suggested no better than a placebo.  But that said, if Lost or anybody else is open to taking them and they help, great.

Just to clarify Lost, are you in the UK?  There are other treatment options available for specialist OCD treatment clinics through the NHS in London/Oxford.

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16 hours ago, BelAnna said:

If not, then Lost222- you get a choice. Olanzapine isn't one of the main treatments for OCD as it's an atypical antipsychotic but low dose anti-psychotics are sometimes used in combination with SSRIs for treatment resistant OCD or if you have a condition like Bipolar alongside your OCD.

I was in a right mess at one stage with so many themes interacting. As an example, I was trying to stop many hundreds of intrusive thoughts each day, and literally spent all day counting them as part of another theme.

Having read that Dr Veale recommended a trial of a small amount of anti-psychotic, alongside an SSRI in those that are potentially treatment resistant, I asked my psychiatrist and she agreed to a low dose of Ariprazole, alongside a low dose of Venlafaxine. I know Venlafaxine is an SNRI, & not really recommended for OCD but I had pretty much exhausted trying all types of SSRI over the years, and felt they did very little in comparison to what I am on now.

I wish you all the best Lost222, & dont give up hope! I am now loads better, & hope to request coming off these meds soon.

Edited by felix4
Spelling mistake
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10 minutes ago, felix4 said:

Having read that Dr Veale recommended a trial of a small amount of anti-psychotic

 

Interesting, I think he once suggested something different.  I cant find it now so he may have edited or removed the blog but a while ago he wrote a blog where, if I am understanding him correctly, he suggested if he was a patient he would opt for SSRI/clomipramine.  He also talked once about 4 weeks being the key time frame for benefits from Risperidone, again if I am understanding him correctly.

This is not that same text, but on the current blog page on his website.

Quote

 

Anti-psychotics were recommended by NICE guidelines for OCD because when you combine all the trials of anti-psychotics, there is on average some minor benefit in OCD. We found in our study that risperidone and aripiprazole in a  low dose over 4 weeks have the better evidence.

It’s worth mentioning a recent paper by Diniz et al (2011) who reported another trial in which they randomly allocated OCD patients who failed to respond to a SSRI (fluoxetine) by adding either clomipramine (an older drug used in OCD) or quietapine (an anti-psychotic like risperidone). Those who received clomipramine with to fluoxetine did better than those who received quietapine. Others have reported using high doses of a SSRI (e.g fluoxetine 80mg -120 mg; sertraline up to 350mg) to be helpful in people with OCD who were resistant to lower doses. However this will require monitoring with an ECG.

 

 

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Sorry for the slow response to all your messages to my topic on medication. Thankyou everyone.

I was sectioned on the 12th April because my OCD gave me fears of going into hospital and as I was close to dying at home due to a gut condition, the crisis team felt sectioning was their only option. Although as the weeks have gone on whilst here in hospital I have discovered that the psychiatric team think I have an eating disorder and my weight loss and food allergy symptoms are down to choosing not to eat or vomiting. It has been a very draining time with having to not only handle my OCD with being in hospital as I hate toilets & have fears of being dirty but having to try and convince the medics (gastro & immunology & psych teams) that I’m not making things up, has been hell. 
So sadly with the section I had no choice but to take the olanzapine. I’m only on a very small dosage so have only had headaches as a side effect, in the past I was on Fluoxetine and sadly my ocd got worse to the point where I took an overdose, and therapy or CBT never seemed to help. 
Here in hospital I’m just trying to take each day as it comes and trying the best I can to work around my fears

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1 hour ago, Lost222 said:

Sorry for the slow response to all your messages to my topic on medication. Thankyou everyone.

I was sectioned on the 12th April because my OCD gave me fears of going into hospital and as I was close to dying at home due to a gut condition, the crisis team felt sectioning was their only option. Although as the weeks have gone on whilst here in hospital I have discovered that the psychiatric team think I have an eating disorder and my weight loss and food allergy symptoms are down to choosing not to eat or vomiting. It has been a very draining time with having to not only handle my OCD with being in hospital as I hate toilets & have fears of being dirty but having to try and convince the medics (gastro & immunology & psych teams) that I’m not making things up, has been hell. 
So sadly with the section I had no choice but to take the olanzapine. I’m only on a very small dosage so have only had headaches as a side effect, in the past I was on Fluoxetine and sadly my ocd got worse to the point where I took an overdose, and therapy or CBT never seemed to help. 
Here in hospital I’m just trying to take each day as it comes and trying the best I can to work around my fears

Hi Lost, 

I'm sorry you've had such a horrible time recently and that you are in hospital just now. I don't have experience of being sectioned but have spent time in hospital for OCD treatment. 

That's really good that the Olanzapine doesn't seem to be causing many side effects. I think (although Ashley will know) that if you have any concerns you can ask to speak to an IMHA (Independent Mental Health Advocate) about your treatment OR you could ask to see the prescribing doctor/Psychiatrist to ask about why you are being prescribed this drug and whether it is definitely the best option for your OCD.

I hope things improve for you in hospital. If things had got to the point where you were at risk of becoming very seriously ill then it sounds like hospital might be the best place to be at the moment and it gives you time and space to focus on yourself and to get better. 

 

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Hi Lost222 I’m sorry for your situation I have been there too. You might be able to get a mental health advocate. If you look at the Mind charity website they have a page on “Advocacy in mental health”..

edit: sorry BelAnna I read your post earlier and forgot you mentioned this too. This post can be deleted.

Edited by daja
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