Posted by Trish Baker on September 27, 2001, at 20:56:08
In reply to Re: Cam or anyone, Anafranil better for OCD?, posted by bones on September 27, 2001, at 20:06:50
- > Hi Trish: I haven't visited Psycobabble for over a year now. My OCD has flared up again and prompted my visit.
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> I was reading through search messages for OCD and came across your "thread".
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> Thought I would say Hi, and ask how you are doing now. Did you stay with the Anafranil (Clomipramine)?? I hope you are feeling some cessation of your symptoms. I know how you suffer.
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> My OCD started up again after a very stressful few months; I had just enrolled at school full-time and was knocked over the head with OCD symptoms again. I decided to leave. Nursing is a stressful occupation; stress exacerbates my OCD ... it doesn't take a rocket scientist to determine that perhaps this is not a wise direction to go in.
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> As soon as I became symptomatic I started up with anafranil. It made my symptoms much worse!! So after 10 days I thought, the hell with this ... and came off it. I had managed to get up to 75 mg. in 10 days. Now I'm wondering if I made the right move. Anafranil has worked really well for me in the past. (That's why I'm hoping it eventually kicked in for you.) It almost acted like a wall between my obsessive thoughts and my brain. I felt protected. What a wonderful feeling, to be free of harassment.
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> What do you think about OCD ... I still have difficulty believing that there's a physiological cause. No matter what all of the medical research claims. Funny isn't it. I've had it since I was 15 years old, and have worked very hard with my own behavioural techniques to find relief. I must say ... with a lot of success. Whenever I go through a new "bout" I feel hopeless again. Like the symptoms will never cease.
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> I find it very difficult writing in this box, because I can never review my writing.
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> Anyway ... I am babbling. My husband wants to come on his computer.
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> I felt for you after reading your message, and thought I would say hello.
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> Let me know how you are doing now!
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> Take care.Hi, I"m glad you posted. I am feeling quite a bit of relief but have to go really slow with upping my dosage. I felt quite a bit worse every time I upped the dose and had to give it a month or so before my body adjusted and I felt better. It is definately the med for me but I can't stand the side effect I have of weight gain as I am obsessive about my weight as well. I, like you, felt unsure that this disease was physiologically rooted until my niece began having symptoms last year. I pray hers does not develop into full blown OCD. I do however strongly believe that our environment while growing up can make or break the way we learn to handle this disease. Stress is the trigger for me as well. If I get sick, if I watch to much news on T.V. (especially now), if I start a new job, and the latest, getting married and having a baby. I'm looking into hormone therapy now as I am in the perimenopause stage and it is really exacerbating my symptoms. Prayer and working on my faith is also really important. But hang in there, if it worked great before, it will again. Going to 75mg in 10 days is too fast in my opinion. I would wait a good two or three weeks at least before upping it 25mg. I need to make the jump to 125 but am putting it off for awhile, dreading the initial increase in symptoms. I'm sure you probably know to watch your sugar and caffiene intake. Diet really affects my symptoms sa well. Let me know how you're doing.
Trish
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poster:Trish Baker
thread:47742
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010927/msgs/79765.html