Meds

[marcb]

As I was coming off my meds, I was sure nothing was going to shake me (of course that was when I was still on meds). The bottom line is that I started to see and feel that very scary scenario, where thinking clearly was becoming more and more difficult. Even knowing what it is, I still need the meds to be able to think clearly about the situation. I started to regret previous exposure therapy, thinking that it was sinful to "bring out the imp."

I needed to restart my meds. Fortunately, this time is different, because I don't have to "wait" for the meds to kick in; with God's strength I will continue therapy to the best of my ability. The first time I started taking meds, I was so "upside down" that I didn't know if I believed I had ocd.

Thanks for listening.

Marc

 

[gracealone]

HI Marc,
I agree that for many of us medication is what enables us to do the therapy. I believe it all depends on the level of severity of the OCD. If it's so bad that you are very debilitated by it or very depressed then meds. can be such a blessing to help us begin to do the therapy. It also makes it so obvious that it's the chemical imbalance in our brain that initiates the whole process of developing OCD. If it weren't due to a chemical imbalance then the drug which fixes that imbalance would have no positive effect whatsoever. So therefore the other blessing of the medication is to me that it is a diagnostic tool toward confirming that we have a biologically based mental disorder called OCD.
So good to hear that you are doing better.
Mitzi

 

[seajoy]

Hang in there Marc. We are here for you! And if we who are human are here for you, think of how much more your dear Father in Heaven is right there beside you.

I think within a week or so, you will be feeling much better. Those meds will kick in and the therapy will be like a bull-dozer, removing those old crummy thoughts!

God bless.

 

[marcb]

Thank you so very much for your kindness. I thank God for this community of believers that "get" eachother.

 

[seajoy]

I thank God for this community of believers that "get" eachother.

Indeed we do!

 

[stacii]

Marc - Just curious to know if the meds kicked in yet. I was worried when you said earlier that you were going to come off of them and am glad that you are able to recognize that they were helping you. Therapy is definitely more effective on medication. I've been praying for your rapid recovery.

 

[MommytoTJ06]

I have OCD and I am on Luvox and I thank God that he enabled people like us suffering from this horrible mental illness to have access to something that works to keep this disorder under control. Before being on medicine I would pace my floors all day and night almost and I was losing weight like crazy and became dehyrdrated because I couldn't control the excessive adrenaline in my body to eat, drink, or care about anything. So I thank God that he saw me through this.

 

[marcb]

Marc - Just curious to know if the meds kicked in yet. I was worried when you said earlier that you were going to come off of them and am glad that you are able to recognize that they were helping you. Therapy is definitely more effective on medication. I've been praying for your rapid recovery.

Thank you for your prayers. Yes, the meds are working faster than expected. That has been a true blessing. My next question is how quickly should I go back to my previous dose? I know that's a question for my MD, but has anybody been able to bounce back up, or did you gradually increase the dose? I take lexapro and went back by starting with 5mg for 3days, and I'm on my 3rd day of 10mg. I was previously up to 40mg, but was more lethargic.

I have learned many lessons from going off my meds. I feel quite a bit better. It forced me into some more intense therapy, made me realize how clinical this disorder is, and I've made an appointment with a psychiatrist to really pursue recovery.

Marc

 

[QUannie]

Marcb,
I am glad you're doing better!God bless you, I prayed for you!
Is lexapro the only meds you take?

Q

 

[marcb]

Marcb,
I am glad you're doing better!God bless you, I prayed for you!
Is lexapro the only meds you take?

Q

Hi QUannie,

Thanks for your prayers. I take lexapro and klonopin. I usually take 1 mg of klonopin in the evening, but since I'm waiting for the lexapro to kick in, I take 0.5 mg klonopin as needed (like for church this morning). I'm on 10 mg of lexapro and need to increase. The doctor's office said to stay on 10mg for a week before increasing. My body is responding, but mornings are hard - depression and anxiety more than ocd. ocd kicks in once I get moving past the morning depression.

I think since it's only been about a month since I stopped lexapro, my body is taking to it quite well. That makes me wonder if I can go up to 20mg sooner.

Have you been able to increase the dose more rapidly without bad effects?

I went to what is essentially a Sunday school class and led a discussion (my wife and I are 'shepherds' for a young adult class). I managed ok, but had that fearful feeling.

The exposure therapy is too much sometimes. I'm depressed, because I had a runaway thought during an exposure session (on my own), about selling my the souls of my unborn twin baby boys. I love them and know God will protect them, but this keeps haunting me.

I can't believe how stopping meds has sent me almost all the way back to square one (except I can accept it's ocd - for the most part).