Posted by ed_uk2010 on October 1, 2014, at 14:54:35
In reply to My doctor says Desipramine can fix OCD?, posted by Joe Rogan on September 30, 2014, at 17:28:44
Desipramine is certainly an unusual choice. It is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibiting tricyclic. Desipramine is generally thought to have no efficacy in OCD, either alone, or as an 'add on'. It can however, improve certain ADHD symptoms, as well as some symptoms of depression.
OCD is generally treated with a moderate-high dose of an SSRI, or alternatively the tricyclic clomipramine (Anafranil). Clomipramine has a very potent action on serotonin, which desipramine completely lacks. Other meds such as antipsychotics (eg. Zyprexa) can occasionally be of use as an 'add on' in OCD but are not usually the primary treatment.
Sertraline (Zoloft) might be a suitable SSRI if you've not tried it before because it is well established in OCD, and has minimal drug interactions with your other meds. Sertraline may raise your blood level of desipramine slightly but this ought not to be a problem on your current dose.
An SSRI (fluvoxamine), but not the SNRI desipramine, proves useful in OCD...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2112374
Sertraline is useful in OCD patients who also suffer from depression. Desipramine is not so helpful here....
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10632236
Desipramine does not improve the response to SSRIs in OCD...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9286191
Hope this helps.
poster:ed_uk2010
thread:1071672
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20140914/msgs/1071706.html