re Lexapro and ocd
Hi, I have ocd. Thoughts race through my head faster and faster, and
I want to scream cause I can’t make them stop. I was on 40 of c. My
pdoc moved me to 20 of lexapro. It took a week till the ocd was
manegeable, and 10 days till it is really put in its place. I have
energy today, and have for a week . I think I needed the higher dose
to control the ocd, but not to get sides, and lexapro lets me go to a
higher dose with out the sides. Karen
March 25th, 2003 at 4:47 am
How long ago did you switch from C to L?
I am currently on 60mg of C and debating switching.
Oh yeah, I have OCD too!
Why did you switch, side effects?
Were you getting relief from the C?
Thanks!
March 25th, 2003 at 7:59 pm
Hi I am also curious what Celexa did for you before you switched.
Were you still getting the Racing thoughts on the Celexa?
I am on 35 mg. of Celexa, and my OCD seems under control. I only had
a mild case..more panic disorder, anxiety as a diagnosis. And don’t
like traveling outside my City.
How much is 20 mg. of Lexapro compared to Celexa? I thought 10 mg. of
Lexapro was like 40mg Celexa. So does that mean 20 mg is like 80 mg.
Celexa? What side effects did you feel upping to that much Lexapro. I
have been reading this new site…and seem to see most people on 5
mg. You are one of the first on a higher dose. So tell us….were the
sides hard????
curious, and hopeful….
dagmar
March 28th, 2003 at 1:11 am
-Hi, yes I have ocd, the celexa worked, but , I found it was not
working as well the past few months. So, I am at 20 on lexapro, and
its working, hopefully, it will work better since I’m at a higher
dose. Karen
March 30th, 2003 at 9:34 pm
When you switched from C to L, did your doctor ramp up your dose
slowly or did you go right to your intended dose of L?
April 7th, 2003 at 7:32 pm
-Hi, I went right from 40 of c to 20 of lex. I admit, I am FULL of
energy at this time, but today is the first day where I feel calm.
This is day 12. Karen
April 9th, 2003 at 9:32 am
-Hi, on 40 mg of c, I started to feel that it was pooping out when it
came to racing thoughts and obsessive thoughts. I do not have
compulsions as I know of. I told the pdoc this for 4 weeks, and he
suggested I try lexapro at 20 mg, and if that doesn’t work, I may be
coming resistant to c or l. Then maybe switch to zoloft or something.
I think that 60 of c is like 20 of lex. Its not an exact
science. But 10 of lexapro would have been like the same 40 mg of c.
dose I was already on.
I am on day 12, and getting periods of calmness, but also had a
near panic attack tonight while in the mall. [guess I won’t be going
there anymore!] I don’t know why. I’ve gone there for 25 years!
I guess there’s no rhyme or reason to panic and anxiety. It just
has a mind of its own. Karen
April 10th, 2003 at 8:42 pm
I was on 60 mgs of Celexa for OCD and can say it worked a little bit
for me but left me feeling like a “zombie.” A skinny not caring about
anything “zombie.” It was good in the way that it let mind take a
break from everything, racing thoughts, obcession, complusions, life.
It was what I needed at the time but it wasn’t the answer to the OCD.
I have switched to Remeron with much better results for ME. I am not
sure if they have it here but someone posted a link to mindfixer.com
site on the celexa chat. Remeron was one of the meds listed, after
reading info on it and talking with my doctor I made the switch. Hope
the Celexa works for you.
Tom
April 10th, 2003 at 11:31 pm
HI Karen, I am sure your body is still adjusting to the Lexapro. And
it sounds like you are on a higher dose than some here. But that also
sounds good, for OCD.
About the Panic at the shopping mall…hang in there. Maybe go again
to the same mall, in a week, and just stay for 10 minutes… to show
yourself you can go back and be okay.
I know how you feel, as I had a panic attack at a relaxing nite spot
here in my city on my Birthday. I am uncomfortable to go back…but I
will, to get over the memory!! This is the therapy I learned to deal
with a panic attack. Even “tell the panic” to try and come
back!!! …to give it as little power as possible.
~dagmar
April 11th, 2003 at 7:07 am
-Hi, this anxiety or pre p/a stuff, well it seems to happen most when
I am not busy, working, hunting, etc. Its almost like when I am the
closest to complete brain relaxation, it leaves opportunity for the
bad stuff to get in. And its strange. It just comes into my being,
with no reason whatsoever.
Last night, at the mall, I just started to feel like I was being
smothered.
Maybe I will go back there, like for 10 minutes, like you said.
Karen
April 11th, 2003 at 2:43 pm
Karen,
I remember I had a panic attack once while taking a walk with my best
friend…I ended up jogging home to get back to where I felt “safe”.
A doctor, in another group I was in, suggest I go back to the spot I
had the panic feeling. I did, the next day, and jumped around
literally and said,
“Okay show me the panic now!!” I felt empowered, and happy it didn’t
have any power over me anymore.
You mentioned it comes when you are not busy, working, “hunting” etc.
I know what you mean. That is why I think it happened in the nite
spot on my birthday. I had been stimulated all day and was tired and
relaxing when it came on….
By the way, you mentioned “hunting”…you don’t mean this
figuratively…do you? I can’t picture you hunting!!!
~dagmar
April 11th, 2003 at 10:19 pm
my post didn’t go…I will wait and see…
darn,
dagmar
April 12th, 2003 at 5:55 am
–LOL, no , I meant “hunting” for something. Like shopping for
something.
I guess I need to go back and do what you said. I go by there on
my way home from work, so I WILL get over there and do it.
I’m glad you know what I’m talking about. I have the same thing
happen in a movie theater, and the last time, I got all thru the
movie, and it occurred in the car on the way home!
Hope this lexapro makes it more manageable!! Karen
April 13th, 2003 at 12:19 pm
Karen you must be “my long lost twin”. Movies has been my place, too,
for panic attacks. I finally started going to movies alot, to
overcome this. I notice that when I get up from the Movie, I always
feel alittle spacey. Not full panicky, but kind of. I have learned to
really focus on the theater and come back into the “now”. I think it
is that we go into another world in the movies…and it takes us with
panic/anxiety alittle longer to regroup….
Keep going to the movies…and it does get better. There are a lot of
good ones out right now. I just saw the “Banger Sisters” with Susan
Serandon and Goldie Hawn…so funny.
Keep us posted how the Lexapro helps you. I read it does lessen panic
attacks…according to clinical studies done on people taking it.
dagmar
p.s. if you don’t mind, could you describe how you felt in the car
when you had the panic, after the movie, and what you did to help it
pass? It helps me to hear how others deal with their anxiety…
thanks,
d.
April 14th, 2003 at 11:06 am
-Hi, I’ve only had one full blown panic attack. But in the car after
the movies, I felt spacey, like you said, like , claustraphobic,
muffled, short of air, fuzzy stomach.. I rolled down the windows,
and it passed, slowly.
I hope this stuff helps. I was okay on c, just not leaving the
house much, hahahaha. I felt like I needed something stronger.
I hope I find a good movie soon. But, I never know which movie is
going to be the one. Sometimes I go, and its okay. Other times, its
not. Karen
April 15th, 2003 at 2:52 am
I used to have panic attacks in the malls. I’d be shopping, go into a
smaller store, like a shoe store, and get a panic attack. It was truly
awful. I would have all of the physical symptoms and the emotional
ones. I remember I felt like running out of the store screaming. So what
did I do? Just sat there in paralyzed fear until I felt good enough to get
up out of my chair.
The thing that helps me is changing my consciousness by taking care of
myself. I do this either by exercising or meditating. If I exercise for
at least 20 minutes, I’ll have positive physical and psychological
changes. At the time I was having those is also the time I started taking
Buspar, and that helped quite a bit. I haven’t had a panic attack for a
long time now. (I really do know how awful they can feel.)
Changing subjects, I think I’m doing well on the Lexapro. I still can’t
cut those darn pills in half, so I keep getting varying doses. I think
I’ll just need to call my doctor to get a refill sooner. Emotionally I’m
doing okay — with the exception of Sunday night, but again, I think the
uneasiness that I was feeling was about moving, not related to taking the
Lexapro. I’m getting so used to taking it already — I’m in my 3rd week
now — that I’m thinking of taking myself off of the Celexa list soon.
Take care,
Christie
Christie@…
May 30th, 2003 at 4:31 pm
Hi, I just wanted to see how you are doing. Did you make up your
mind about lexapro yet? I am on day 22, and glad I made the switch.
The only things that linger are that I grind my teeth in my sleep
which drives my husband crazy, and my eyesight has been bothering me
lately, so I have to wear my glasses more. That seems to come and
go. And, I find that the lex does wierd things with caffeine. If I
have a little caffeine , I am super women for a few hours, then it
wears of suddenly, and I need a nap. I guess it just makes the
effects of caffeine stronger, and more abrupt. Go figure!
Otherwise , I am doing well, and feel stronger than I did on
celexa.
I don’t know much about you, so feel free to fill me in on
important details of your life, LOL. Karen
March 26th, 2004 at 10:15 am
Hugs and thank you too..
am sitting here with tears, but not bad ones.You, Dave, Tom ,and
bones just made me feel alot better and thank you guys again .
April 1st, 2004 at 3:22 pm
ones.You, Dave, Tom ,and bones just made me feel alot better and
thank you guys again .
I think the whole idea behind these chat groups (especially support
groups such as this) is to bring people of similar issues together.
Who could better understand and relate then people in the same
shoes….
BoB