To all who may be interested...plus my fellow obsessives/neurotics! a word on meds

[Thinkalot]

Well, I've been taking Lovan (prozac) for about 4 months. My doc said I'd need to take it for at least 6.

I saw him today, and he said considering I am doing well, but still have some progress to make...he reckons about 12 months.

 

I'm a little bothered because, it has sexual side effects....delayed or no orgasm is normal now, when it wasnt before, plus a lowered sex drive.

 

Plus, I really really don't want to fall into a trap of using medication as a crutch! Hell, I don't even want to hide behind the label of OCD and use it as an excuse for my behaviour! Ingrained thinking I guess.

 

I said perhaps I could switch..he said maybe, but doubted it would help. Has switching meds helped anyone else out there? He seemed to think if I had this side effect on this one, I'd probably have it on another too. He said it was my call whether I go through the process of switching...but thinks I've made considerable progress in the past 4 months.

 

Anyway, the upside is, they have helped me far more than they have affected me negatively...so progress is all good in the long run, and I guess sanity is worth it.

[moimeme]

I would have been surprised had it only been six months. I think a year is not bad - and he may revise his opinion in another few months. After all, you've had a whole bunch of years to put the OCD structure in place so it will take a while to tear it all down. Keep on keepin' on, girl!

[Thinkalot]

Thanks Merry.

 

The main problem (without offering TMI): I want more orgasms again...and I want to want sex more again! would also like that! But he supports me regardless of course.

[meanon]

Yes it's a common side effect (due to the effect on serotonin receptors in the brain I think). Six months is a relatively short time to be on meds for OCD - I bet it doesn't feel that way . Try not to think of it as a crutch. The condition is caused by a chemical imbalance. Some people can manage without meds but it's best to give yourself the greatest chance of success and it sounds like it may be better to wait a while. I don't necessarily think that's a reflection on how far you've come - it seems such standard advice I suspect it's more to do with the chemical balance and how likely it is to be corrected naturally.

 

The side effects of different meds are so variable from person to person it's hard to say if a change would be worth it - I'd go for it I think. If you are going to switch I'd go for one with a shorter half life. You should check with your doctor but my understanding is that missing the odd dose has little harmful effect and if it's one with a short half life you reduce the side effects for a short period by doing this.

 

I'll ask around and let you know if I hear of any cases of people who have made the switch.

[Thinkalot]

That'd be great thanks. I'm going back to see the doc when I finish my current script, which is another couple of months.

[BOWWIE]

you could ask him for celexa. i have a very good friend who take 30 mgs of celexa a day and her sister does as well. they both have OCD and depression. she was on only 20 mgs for many a year then last year her dog died and she was having hormonal problems so her dr. raisesd her dose to 30 mgs. real wonderful stuff so she says. no sexual side effects or so she says.

[Thinkalot]

Thanks Bowwie. Will mention that.

[brashgal]

I've been on Prozac now since the ides of March and done a bit of reading about it. Sounds like the recommended dosage for OCD is quite a bit higher than the recommended dosage for depression (20mg starting dosage for depression vs 60mg for OCD). This is the first medication that I've been on the hasn't affected my libido but I'm only taking 20mg. Everyone is different and this is totally unscientific so for any pharmacists/doctors out there - forgive me but maybe since you are doing so well, ask the doctor if reducing the dose might still curb the OCD but maybe take away the side effect.

 

Just a thought.

 

Also, if you switch meds, think about how long it takes to get regulated again. You won't be able to switch cold turkey, first you taper off the old med and then rev up whatever alternative med you take, then you wait up to a month to see any relief - ugh, getting tired just thinking about it - plus you may have to deal with other side effects (nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, dizziness, etc). And you may or may not suffer reduced libido, etc with the new med. Quite a gamble.

[faux]

Switching medications would mean that you would have to first taper off of your existing medications. After this, you would then need to start new medications, which would take a month or two to fully kick in. These would bring about all new side effects, as well. Switching medications would start you back up from Day 1, and you'd essentially lose the six months of progress that you have made so far, unless the switch proves to do you quite well, which involves luck.

 

As for other people recommending medication to you, this has never helped me. I always would hear "My sister/cousin/uncle/whoever was on X medication and it did him/her wonders! You should try it!" Well, those people are not me, and my body and brain were never anything quite like theirs. Medications are trial and error. It's up to you to stick with what you have, and live with the side effects for another six months, or to chance having brand new, perhaps even less desireable side effects from new medication.

 

If the medication that you are on now is doing you well, and you can manage with the side effects for a while longer you might want to stay. If you cannot live with the side effects, however, then by all means change! I know what that's like, but also most side effects usually go away after the first month or two from my experience. I can see why you are pondering this decision.

 

I suppose it is weighing your personal health and well being over more sex and more orgasms. Just remember that switching meds, or tapering off alone, might cause those problems to escalate.

[Thinkalot]

Thank you for the advice brashgal and faux. I'm certainly thinking carefully about the pros and cons of switching.

 

Basically, I am not suffering side effects EXCEPT much lower libido, and little ability to reach orgasm. This in turn, reduces my desire for sex I think, because it's not the same experience as it was. It has actually had a benefit in one way though, in that it has turned all sexual experiences back into lovemaking, revolving around emotional connection, rather than the physical end results! My partner and I enjoy that connection, but we both miss my being able to experience orgasm....and of course, the frequency of lovemaking has reduced since I started the meds.

 

BUt- I am a happier, saner person, and our relationship overall is much better and calmer as a result!

 

Brashgal...I am only on 20mg. That may be why some of the healing effects have been slow to take hold, and at times my progress has seemed frustratingly slow to me. It's also partly why my doc said stick with it for 12 months I believe. I have never considered increasing the dose, because I have at least been making progress, and it seems even worse to have to take a bigger dose!

[brashgal]

Bummer, thought I had found a remedy! Just shows that everyone is different as Faux suggested. Hope it isn't causing too big a prob between you and Bunnyboy - and hopefully the time will pass quickly so soon you'll be med-free.

[HokeyReligions]

Just a side note. side-effects change too and the lower libido, etc. may taper off or even disappear once your body has regulated the medicine. I took Prozac for a long time in the hopes that it WOULD get rid of my libido since my husband and I were not having sex. It worked for a while, but after a year or so my libido was back and the doc told me that sometimes our bodies adjust and the side-effects disappear or lessen. Also, there are some other things out there that may work with prozac to counter-act those side-effects. Talk to your doctor about them.

[wideawake]

I know some woman that have switched over to Lexapro and noticed some improvements. Though no where near the level they were at prior to using SSRI's.

 

Some studies point to dopamine augmentation as key in this repect. Something like a low dose of amphetamine or ritalin might do the trick. Perhaps a combination of buproprion (wellbutrin) and your current SSRI.

[Thinkalot]

I must admit, I am reluctant to take more medication to offset the effects of my current medication!