Those with OCD

[spedrunner]

Do you take any medications? If so, what and how has it helped

Also, would you mind sharing what your obsessions involved ?

[vicky]

Hi. My doctor is starting me on Zoloft for my OCD. I don't know yet, but it's supposed to do wonders for OCD and anxiety.

I pick my skin and scabs and I scratch myself until I bleed.
I obsess over embarrassing moments and negative thoughts until I bring myself to a panic.
I scrub my right front tooth for plaque an uncountable number of times a day. And I floss. A lot.

[Deleted]

I am not on any medications, because my last PCP felt that my anxiety took priority over my OCD, and my last therapist told me I wasn't ready to be treated and sent me away. I'm not even sure why I'm posting, because I'm pretty much zero help in terms of treatment.


Most of my obsessions are food and germ related.
I wash my hands until they're raw and bleeding.
I don't touch food with my hands.
I have to prepare foods exactly the same way every time I make them.
I can't use brands I'm not familiar with or packaging that looks damaged.
The list goes on and on, and blends in with my main sources of anxiety.

[fuckyourcouch]

I have pills for anxiety. I only take them if I work myself into a panic I can't be talked out of. Luckily my h is good at that.

My list is really long. I count everything subconsciously (as in I can carry on a conversation or something while I do it), I wash my hands excessively, things need to be in the same place, things need to be grouped according to my hierarchy, I have a photographic memory and if things don't match my mental image I freak, I remember most numbers I see obsessively - things like random phone numbers, CC numbers, even digits of pi. The list goes on.

[spedrunner]

Thanks girls. Some days my OCD and anxiety are worse ... Mine are running related. I run the same time every day (4am) and get all pissy if I'm late or off schedule or can't run. It throws off my day

I tend to do this ritual/routine thing with a lot of things in my life. It sucks and is draining

[Deleted]

Apr 30, 2013 19:49:56 GMT -5 fuckyourcouch said:

I have pills for anxiety. I only take them if I work myself into a panic I can't be talked out of. Luckily my h is good at that.

My list is really long. I count everything subconsciously (as in I can carry on a conversation or something while I do it), I wash my hands excessively, things need to be in the same place, things need to be grouped according to my hierarchy, I have a photographic memory and if things don't match my mental image I freak, I remember most numbers I see obsessively - things like random phone numbers, CC numbers, even digits of pi. The list goes on.

I never realized this sort of thing was considered obsessive.
I absolutely do this, but I didn't think to put it in the same category.

[Deleted]

Apr 30, 2013 20:10:26 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Apr 30, 2013 19:40:57 GMT -5 @pixiechinchilla said:

I am not on any medications, because my last PCP felt that my anxiety took priority over my OCD, and my last therapist told me I wasn't ready to be treated and sent me away. I'm not even sure why I'm posting, because I'm pretty much zero help in terms of treatment.


Most of my obsessions are food and germ related.
I wash my hands until they're raw and bleeding.
I don't touch food with my hands.
I have to prepare foods exactly the same way every time I make them.
I can't use brands I'm not familiar with or packaging that looks damaged.
The list goes on and on, and blends in with my main sources of anxiety.

 I'm so sorry they wouldn't treat you. I'd definitely try to see someone else, maye a psychiatrist.

I'm so terrified of doctors at this point (or them rejecting me, at least), I don't even know what to do anymore.

[sweetredheadx]

Wellbutrin really helped with mine.

My tics were things having to be in a particular order. Usually alphabetical. I had fears that if my canned foods or DVDs were not, they would go bad or break.

I also lock doors 5 times and say "I am locking the door" each time.

I also knocked on wood. All the time. Trees, doors, desks, anything wood.

I could only let phones ring 3 times. I hung up on lots of people.

I also worked really hard with behavioral therapy because I desperately wanted to not have the fears I had or the anxiety. It was so hard at first and I did a lot a lot a lot of positive affirmations to remind myself I was doing well. My husband was amazing support. I was completely honest with him and was able to ask for help with my behavior changes.

I'm not on meds now (took them for 6 months). I still lock the door two times but do not freak out about things breaking or knocking on wood. Which is so freeing.

You are always welcomed to pm me.

[glassofsyrah]

Apr 30, 2013 20:19:05 GMT -5 @pixiechinchilla said:

Apr 30, 2013 20:10:26 GMT -5 mofongo said:

 I'm so sorry they wouldn't treat you. I'd definitely try to see someone else, maye a psychiatrist.

I'm so terrified of doctors at this point (or them rejecting me, at least), I don't even know what to do anymore.

I've never been rejected by a doctor.  This is a totally new concept to me.  I don't understand why a doctor wouldn't treat you.

[Deleted]

Apr 30, 2013 20:24:59 GMT -5 glassofsyrah said:

Apr 30, 2013 20:19:05 GMT -5 @pixiechinchilla said:

I'm so terrified of doctors at this point (or them rejecting me, at least), I don't even know what to do anymore.

I've never been rejected by a doctor.  This is a totally new concept to me.  I don't understand why a doctor wouldn't treat you.

I'm not going to lie, it's really hurtful when it happens. And it's happened to me more than once.
I had a GI send me away, saying that I was faking my symptoms to cover up an eating disorder (seven-ish years ago).
My last therapist told me that I'm just too anxious and not ready for treatment (a little over a year ago).
My last PCP left the practice, and when he did they told me I'm too complex, and I needed to find a new office (four months ago).

Most recently (last week), my new PCP ignored everything that I told her about how I'm doing and told me I need to eat more veggies, less animal proteins and things will get better.

[Deleted]

Sorry, I took over this thread. I didn't mean to. Back to the OCD!

[Deleted]

Apr 30, 2013 20:04:44 GMT -5 spedrunner said:

Thanks girls. Some days my OCD and anxiety are worse ... Mine are running related. I run the same time every day (4am) and get all pissy if I'm late or off schedule or can't run. It throws off my day

I tend to do this ritual/routine thing with a lot of things in my life. It sucks and is draining

Are you being treated? If so, what kind of treatment (meds, therapy, etc)?

[circa1978]

I've had OCD since I was nine. For most of my life, it was health related but I also had body issues/ appearance obsessions. I took Prozac for several years and stopped in my teens. After my son was born, I developed PPOCD. Most of my fears centered on SIDS/something "bad" happening to the baby. I took Luvox and did an intensive CBT program. I still do CBT and am back on Prozac as of a few months ago. Honestly, though, exposure/CBT is what has worked best.

[circa1978]

Pixie - I'm sorry that happened to you. If you are interested CBT, the OCD Foundation has a list of recommended programs. Some practitioners really don't get OCD, or even as common as it is, have outdated ideas about treatment. It is worth trying again, if you want to, or your symptoms get worse.

[Jalapeñomel]

I have it pretty bad.

I take zoloft.

I am a counter and a scratcher.

[spedrunner]

Apr 30, 2013 21:01:14 GMT -5 @pixiechinchilla said:

Apr 30, 2013 20:04:44 GMT -5 spedrunner said:

Thanks girls. Some days my OCD and anxiety are worse ... Mine are running related. I run the same time every day (4am) and get all pissy if I'm late or off schedule or can't run. It throws off my day

I tend to do this ritual/routine thing with a lot of things in my life. It sucks and is draining

Are you being treated? If so, what kind of treatment (meds, therapy, etc)?

Pixie, i am in therapy, cbt, she and I both feel it is time to incorporate some sort of medication and she referred me to a psychiatrist, my regular dr thinks i may have add/adhd, but i think its more ocd , so does she. My thoughts are obsessive and affecting my life. some days seem unbearable, others are not as bad. I just want to feel better

xoxo  thanks for the info!

[spedrunner]

Apr 30, 2013 21:33:32 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

I have it pretty bad.

I take zoloft.

I am a counter and a scratcher.

i count my steps when i run, and i am obsessed with TIME.  Like, i have to be at a certain place at a certain time eeach day or i get all irritable

((Sigh))

[circa1978]

Sped, I also have ADD. It's not unheard of to see the two together and some people have theorized that people with ADD compensate with OCD tendencies. I don't think that's true for me but it is an interesting thought.

[vicky]

May 1, 2013 9:51:05 GMT -5 circa1978 said:

Sped, I also have ADD. It's not unheard of to see the two together and some people have theorized that people with ADD compensate with OCD tendencies. I don't think that's true for me but it is an interesting thought.

You know, my dr. said the same thing. It explains my obsession with being on time, handing things on time, having to put every damn thing in my planner, etc.

[Deleted]

I don't have physical manifestations of my OCD but I have obsessive thoughts. I was on adderall for a while and it changed my life for the better. I wish I was still on it.

[glassofsyrah]

Apr 30, 2013 20:42:29 GMT -5 @pixiechinchilla said:

Apr 30, 2013 20:24:59 GMT -5 glassofsyrah said:

I've never been rejected by a doctor.  This is a totally new concept to me.  I don't understand why a doctor wouldn't treat you.

I'm not going to lie, it's really hurtful when it happens. And it's happened to me more than once.
I had a GI send me away, saying that I was faking my symptoms to cover up an eating disorder (seven-ish years ago).
My last therapist told me that I'm just too anxious and not ready for treatment (a little over a year ago).
My last PCP left the practice, and when he did they told me I'm too complex, and I needed to find a new office (four months ago).

Most recently (last week), my new PCP ignored everything that I told her about how I'm doing and told me I need to eat more veggies, less animal proteins and things will get better.

Wow.  That is so shocking to me.  Thanks for sharing because I was so curious how/what a doctor would say to explain that they were not accepting you as a patient.