OCD Action

aishah
Member

hi everyone, i used to post on the forum until a couple of years ago. since then i often login but dont have the guts to post anything. i have just completed a long course of cbt at the maudsley (CADATS) and ocd symptoms had reduced from severe to mild so i was really happy, just before my last appt. i started taking clomipramine in order to try and keep the ocd at bay for the future, within a couple of days of taking it the intrusive thoughts plagued me at an alarming rate and i couldnt cope, anxiety levels were so high i couldnt even eat, i was terrified! i hadnt had it so bad for couple of years. my psychiatrist said that it wasnt due to taking the new medication, but im not convinced. at the moment i am scared and feel unprepared to cope with my ocd despite having cbt. does anyone have any ideas. also the layout of the forum has changed and i didnt know how to send a new post

Sat Dec 26 2009 19:39:16 #

Sat Dec 26 2009 19:52:08 #
Truddles
Member

Hi aishah,

Welcome back to the forum.

Well done for plucking up the courage to post on the forum and sharing with us, you should be proud to have taken that first step.

How are you?

You said that you did so well with the CBT so don't let one little set back spoil everything. I'm no mental health professional but have you considered that maybe your anxiety levels shot up because the CBT was coming to an end? It's scary having had someone working closely with you and then you subconsciously realise that you've got to continue on your own. I know that when my CBT finishes that I'm going to panic, but I know that with the support of the forum I hopefully will (although with difficulty) be able to get through it. Did your psychiatrist give you any advice?

Why not start at the beginning with the OCD and take things slowly to build up your confidence. Every time that you accomplish something your anxiety levels will drop and your confidence will grow. You said that you've done it once then it's possible despite the set back to do it again.

Please let us know how you are getting on.

Truddles

Sat Dec 26 2009 20:29:40 #
Unregistered

Hi aisha

I had similar side effects when I went on citalopram in November- ie my anxiety got far worse for the first two weeks and I had panic attacks every day. I also could not eat and felt sick. My doctor told me that this was quite common for citalopram (though not the loss of appetite). On my doctor's recommendation I reduced the dose by half for two weeks until I had stabilized.

I do not know if it is a side effect of clomipramine, but it may be worth asking your GP for a second opinion. Have you read the label to see if increased anxiety is a rare side-effect? Having said this I did not have these side effects on anafranil - but they never really worked on me anyway.

I also agree with Truddles. Coming out of the Maudsley and coming to the end of your treatment is probably very scary. I felt afraid when leaving the Bethlem 11 years ago as I had felt safe in there. But if your symptons have been low up unitl now, you will be able to climb back up. I have no doubt about this at all. I have had two major relapses since leaving the Bethlem over 11 years ago. The first last Xmas and the second this November. Because I knew the way back to low anxiety I found it far easier than I imagined to regain control. I have achieved around 85% control in 7 weeks.

Please keep coming back to the forum to share your fears with us. We are here to listen.

Love
Glad

Sat Dec 26 2009 21:34:42 #
Unregistered

Hi aishah

How are you coping today. Please get back to us.

Glad

Sun Dec 27 2009 18:19:58 #
aishah
Member

Hi Glad and Truddles, thankyou for your messages of support. Knowing that you are not alone does help. Im feeling a little better this evening but the mornings are almost unbearable. I wake up to intrusive thoughts straight away, then i get anxious and it all spirals out of control. I have definately lost confidence in myself and i feel helpless in controlling my ocd. During my weekly sessions at the maudsley,i learnt how to stop using cleaning and ordering to releive my anxiety and my false belief that i wasnt coping if my environment at home wasnt in tip top condition. The intrusive thoughts have always been around but in the background but this last month they have spiralled out of control and are all aimed at my husband which is so distressing as he is such a kind caring person. Anyway thanks again for your support. How are you guys today? Ok I hope

Bridget (Aishah)

Sun Dec 27 2009 19:49:18 #
Unregistered

Dear Bridget

I am so sorry it is so difficult for you at the moment. First thing in the morning and last thing at night are the most difficult times for me. As I am now retired I do not get up until I feel ready to cope - which is when it is light (around 9am). I then take as long as I need to wash, get dressed and come downstairs so as to keep myself calm. Doing it this way helps keep me calmer. Finally, even though we women are supposed to be good at multi-tasking I find it easier to do one thing only at a time when I am coping badly. This way I do not lose my confidence.

I too like order, and could not do my studies unless my study was tidy. But my main OCD revolves around contamination. But over the past 7 weeks I have regained a huge amount of control by facing my fears one step at a time and involving my husabnd in my therapy. After 30 years of marriage he at last has real understanding of how scared I feel and praises me each time I fight one of my fears.

I think you must keep talking to your husband and involving him in your therapy and try not to ask him for reassurance. This way you will slowly re-build your confidence and feel more self reliant. You could also ask your doctor re side effects of your medication and whether or not it is safe to take homeopathic remedies such as Bach's Rescue Remedy. Whether or not it is psychological, a few occasional drops on the tongue do seem to help me.

Please keep on in there and do not fear that things will not improve. You are lucky to have a kind caring husband and that will greatly aid your recovery.

Please keep on coming back
We are here for you
Love
Anne

Sun Dec 27 2009 20:35:36 #
Truddles
Member

Dear Bridget,
I'm so glad that you returned to the forum.
How are you today?
Are you still on the Clomipramine and if so are the side effects diminishing or are you still having problems?
I have found talking to others on the forum helps to reduce the intrusive thoughts by sharing and also by keeping me occupied with something that I can cope with when my OCD is bad.
Keep posting wont you we're always here for you.
Love
Truddles

Mon Dec 28 2009 15:52:36 #
aishah
Member

Dear Anne and Truddles, thanks again for your replies. I find myself logging in several times a day to the forum, I find it reassuring that I am not alone in my battle. I will ask about Bachs Rescue Remedy. I am taking Diazepam at the moment, it helps a little but not much. I am due to increase the clomipramine tomorro to the dose of 250mg. I am not sure that this the right medication for me but will have to give it another 2-3 weeks. The side effects are horrible, feeling sick, blurred vision etc but it is helping me to sleep. You are right about talking about intrusive thoughts to others, it does help by keeping you occupied. I am a fighter, always have been, I just need to get back my confidence. For the last month I have been so scared, which I think keeps these awful thoughts going, but thanks to you guys at the forum, I am starting to feel less scared.
Thanks for being there and I do hope that when I feel better I will be able to help others in return.

Regards
Bridget

Mon Dec 28 2009 17:34:28 #
Wombat140
Member

I don't think Rescue Remedy is a homoeopathic remedy, but this is just nitpicking really. Homoeopathic remedies have never been known to interfere with any prescribed medicines, although medicines can interfere with homoeopathic remedies.
Hope the intrusive thoughts let up soon. I have heard about that effect occasionally. Sometimes it stops after the usual two or three weeks, sometimes it goes on, sometimes it actually starts to make things better.
Wombat140

Mon Dec 28 2009 19:10:28 #
Truddles
Member

Hi Wombat,

You're right Rescue Remedy isn't a homoeopathic remedy, the flower remedies were developed by a homoeopath but differ in that they are made in a far more gentle way and don't follow the law of similars. That is to say in homoeopoathy you use a substance that in healthy individuals would produce the same symptoms as those that you are trying to cure in the patient.

I was sceptical when I first saw my homoeopath and he gave me something that was labelled with a name that he used and so there was no way that I could look it up and so fake the response. I was told to write down any changes in any of my problems and it only worked on one of the problems that I had. When I next saw him he showed me what he had expected it to do and it was virtually the same as what I had written.

I have no experience of Flower Remedies, but I know many people that swear by them.

I know that some people say that both are only working using the placebo effect, either way does it matter so long as the desired effect is obtained.

Bridget, good luck with the remedy, I hope that it helps.

Truddles

Mon Dec 28 2009 20:35:29 #