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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rianny on February 13, 2004, at 22:44:53
I was previously diagnosed as Social Anxiety and OCD.
I wonder if the following symptoms are from OCD (without C) or anxiety:
1. I'm a university student, and sometimes this happens when I have an exam in the morning. I half-wake up in the morning (by half-wake up, I mean that I'm consciously awake but my body is still in bed because I force myself to sleep more), and all these worries strike my brain. It's not really like one specific worry in the head, but I hear the voice of my own talking as if telling a story to other people.
I still do that talking to myself as if talking to other people when I'm still awake, especially when I'm stressed.
2. I have hard time breathing. I sometimes cannot catch breath when I talk, even when saying a simple word. I feel like I try to listen to what I say.
I'm taking Klonopin 0.5mg/day, and planning to take it for long-term. Is there anyone who takes Klonopin for OCD (without C)? After calming down a little bit with this drug, I'll go to find another psychitrist. Currently, there is no psychitrist that I go to see regularly.I'm socially impaired, and lack a lot of confidence.
I have been on Paxil and Celexa with no success.
Posted by rianny on February 13, 2004, at 22:46:46
In reply to Is this OCD attack?, posted by rianny on February 13, 2004, at 22:44:53
Oh, should I up my Klo dosage to 1mg/day to be effective?
Posted by SPhobia on February 13, 2004, at 23:02:53
In reply to Is this OCD attack?, posted by rianny on February 13, 2004, at 22:44:53
Hello Rianny,
I too have Social anxiety and OCD.
Those sound more like anxiety episodes to me, which perhaps are then worsened as you obsess about it. I've had similar experiences, but I'm no expert.
A few questions and comments...
How long were you on the Paxil before concluding it didn't work. Not that Paxil is necessarily the "best" med for you, but I ask because studies have shown that it may take up to 12 weeks for people with SA to respond. And as my pdoc has told me, it takes higher doses of SSRI's to treat social anxiety than it does depression. I am currently on 50mgs/day of Paxil CR.
I currently take Klonopin on an "as needed" basis. I really prefer Xanax though because Klonopin makes me a little depressed and almost anti-social (though it definitly calms me). Another problem with benzo's (like Klonopin & Xanax) is that they slow my cognition, and make it harder for me to learn. That is troubling for me since I am a grad student.
I am giving Paxil CR a shot right now to see how it works for me, and will give it a few months. I have heard great things about Paxil for SA, but we'll see.
Good luck!
Posted by rianny on February 14, 2004, at 0:26:34
In reply to Re: Is this OCD attack? ?rianny, posted by SPhobia on February 13, 2004, at 23:02:53
I've been on Paxil for about 2-3 months, I guess. My previous psychitrist said that I would need very high dos of SSRI too but I think I asked him to let me quit it because I was getting too much side effects.
Anyway, I'll have to go to find a new psychitrist to try another SSIR or Paxil again.
Thx for comment.
Posted by rianny on February 14, 2004, at 0:58:32
In reply to Re: Is this OCD attack?, posted by rianny on February 14, 2004, at 0:26:34
Oh, I have more to add.
The max dos for paxil was 30mg/day.
The side effects I had were extreme fatigue, insomnia, nervousness, and impaired cognitive skills. I simply felt like dead.Celexa was worse. It totally changed my personality. Similar side effects to Paxil...but worse...much worse insomnia.
Maybe my pdoc upped the dosage too quickly.
Posted by Sad Panda on February 14, 2004, at 1:16:44
In reply to Re: Is this OCD attack?, posted by rianny on February 14, 2004, at 0:26:34
> I've been on Paxil for about 2-3 months, I guess. My previous psychitrist said that I would need very high dos of SSRI too but I think I asked him to let me quit it because I was getting too much side effects.
>
> Anyway, I'll have to go to find a new psychitrist to try another SSIR or Paxil again.
>
> Thx for comment.Hi Rainny,
Have you ever tried the old TCA Clomipramine? It's still considered very good for OCD.
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by SPhobia on February 14, 2004, at 3:55:20
In reply to Re: Is this OCD attack?, posted by rianny on February 14, 2004, at 0:58:32
Rianny,
Well, I have only had experience with Paxil CR, but I too am feeling sedated and nervous (and although not cognitively impaired I am having trouble concentrating). I think these are probably temporary side effects that will wear off as my body adjusts to the med. The permanent side effects on Paxil CR (reportedly) are weight gain (though I am going to try and avoid it) and sexual side effects (anorgasmia for me).
While my body is adjusting to the 50mgs/day, I am taking about 1mg of Klonopin per day to relieve the initial anxiety/nervousness. But if I have a big performance or something of the sort, I instead take Xanax along with Propranolol. It helps me cope better with breakthrough anxiety.Once the Paxil starts to take effect (in theory), I hope to drop that and just stick to the paxil cr.
I tried Lexapro (similar to Celexa) and also was VERY sedated. To the point where I had to get off of it. Since you seem to have insomnia problems I would not recommend Prozac or Zoloft to you because those are known to be "activating" SSRI's and often cause people insomnia -- much worse than Paxil. But again, I am no expert.
Let me know if I can be of anymore help. I have suffered with the same stuff you are dealing with and have put a lot of hours into researching it.
Take Care
> Oh, I have more to add.
> The max dos for paxil was 30mg/day.
> The side effects I had were extreme fatigue, insomnia, nervousness, and impaired cognitive skills. I simply felt like dead.
>
> Celexa was worse. It totally changed my personality. Similar side effects to Paxil...but worse...much worse insomnia.
>
> Maybe my pdoc upped the dosage too quickly.
>
>
Posted by Zee on February 14, 2004, at 9:45:47
In reply to Re: Is this OCD attack?, posted by SPhobia on February 14, 2004, at 3:55:20
Hi, my husband has OCD without C as well as mild anxiety and depression. He's been on Prozac for about 6 or 7 years and it's been the best for him. He's also tried Paxil and Effexor and they weren't as good. I guess it depends on the person, you just have to try and see what's best for you. I remember when he first started on Prozac, he put on about 30 pounds in a matter of a few weeks and no one could recognize him. That was really strange. His wieght is back on track now though.
Zee
Posted by SDA on February 14, 2004, at 11:37:14
In reply to Is this OCD attack?, posted by rianny on February 13, 2004, at 22:44:53
I'm also a student with OCD, and it seems to wax and wane a lot. Just out of curiosity, how much sleep are you getting? I went through a period of extreme sleep deprivation during my first year of college, and it screwed me up more than you could imagine. Sleep deprivation seems to exacerbate everything, including OCD. You should make sure you're getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night before trying new medications.
Posted by rianny on February 16, 2004, at 15:50:03
In reply to Re: Is this OCD attack?, posted by rianny on February 14, 2004, at 0:26:34
First of all, thank you all for telling your experiences. It really halped.
Btw, I'm worried about memory and cognition problems while I'm on medication. When I was on Paxil and Celexa, I had bad memory and cognitive skills. I'm a student, and I need to study. Currently, I'm on Klonopin 1mg/day, and it does WAY better than those SSRI's I've tried. I don't know whether it'll affect my memory or cognition, but I'll give a try. I always feel a little anxious when taking a pill with "what-if" questions. What if I get addicted to this, what if my memory gets screwed up, what if I become stupid, and so on. Maybe it's part of my OCD without C.
Posted by SDA on February 16, 2004, at 19:14:21
In reply to Re: Is this OCD attack?, posted by rianny on February 16, 2004, at 15:50:03
I was on Zoloft and Wellbutrin for a few years as a teenager for OCD. I didn't notice any real cognitive or memory problems while on the medications, but perhaps that is because I was simply too young to know any better. After stopping my medications, my work ethic improved dramatically. Unfortunately, I experienced a relapse of OCD (which I'm sure was partially due to the sleep deprivation I mentioned in my previous post).
Don't worry about memory loss or becoming "stupid". Despite some difficulties with getting started on my school work and creative writing assignments (which aren't really my thing anyway), I have always had an exceptional memory and a great affinity for math, science, foreign languages, and art. I think any negative changes brought on by medications are more likely to be apparent in you personality than your intellect.
I don't think you should worry about these medications being addictive either. However you should be cautious of withdrawal symptoms when stopping them (I never experienced any though). Side effects when trying to find the right medication can also be very hard on someone who is a student. I find that it is almost impossible to fight both battles simultaneously.
I can't deny that the medications helped a great deal with my OCD (I used to do things like skip steps on stairs and use napkins to pick up food due to fear of toxins). I also can't ignore the positive changes from discontinuing their use. Medications should be a LAST resort, not a first one. Try to make simple lifestyle changes before you take any medications. Many psychiatric drugs work by poorly understood mechanisms. Make sure you carefully weigh the risks and benefits of taking such drugs.
Posted by SDA on February 17, 2004, at 11:17:33
In reply to Re: Is this OCD attack?, posted by rianny on February 16, 2004, at 15:50:03
I forgot to mention anything about my father. He has taken Zoloft for 7 years, and is currently one of the most successful and innovative eye surgeons in the world. He has never complained about any medication related problems.
Always remember that people like me that have had negative experiences with medications are actually a minority. Most people who take them seem to be content.
Posted by rianny on February 17, 2004, at 17:13:35
In reply to one more thing..., posted by SDA on February 17, 2004, at 11:17:33
It is very encouraging to hear that even a doctor takes antidepressant. What dosage is he on, what is his reason taking it, and is he on any other drug like benzos or anything?
Posted by SDA on February 17, 2004, at 17:57:46
In reply to Re: one more thing..., posted by rianny on February 17, 2004, at 17:13:35
I believe he's taking around 150mg for depression (I was on 200mg for OCD). He has a strong family history of depression; his mother even committed suicide over it. According to him, his life greatly improved upon switching to Zoloft from older antidepressants. I don't think he's taking any other drugs. My doctor has prescribed Klonopin for me before, but I only remember taking a couple pills.
I'm not quite sure I understand your original post. It sounds as if you are hearing voices in you head while in the process of waking up. This doesn't sound like OCD at all to me, but more of a sleep issue. Obsessions can involve thoughts that you know are ridiculous, but are compelled to think anyway. I've never actually HEARD something speak to me. There have been times when I've been forced out of bed too early by school, and was still "half-dreaming". Perhaps you're experiencing something similar.
I'd encourage you to check out www.sleepnet.com. They have some pretty useful forums not unlike these ones. They seem to be closed until Feb. 23rd though.
Posted by rianny on February 18, 2004, at 9:13:25
In reply to Re: one more thing..., posted by SDA on February 17, 2004, at 17:57:46
Actually, it's even hard to say I hear "voices". I don't really hear something from my ears. It's just that I think in a way as if I'm in conversation. When you read a book you say the sentences you read in you head. It's very similar to that. It doesn't only happen during the sleep period. It happens when I'm anxious - which is all the time. Hopefully Klonopin will fix it.
Are you taking any medication, and for what?
Posted by SDA on February 18, 2004, at 14:32:31
In reply to Re: one more thing..., posted by rianny on February 18, 2004, at 9:13:25
Sometimes I have "mini conversations" inside my head too. I'm pretty socially inept too; sometimes it feels like I know what I want to say in a conversation, but when I actually say it my delivery is way off. I've never felt that these things were interfering with my quality of life enough to seek medical attention. You're situation is probably a bit different from mine though. From what I hear on these boards, Klonopin will probably be effective in treating these issues. People say that they have much more desire to socialize while on Klonopin.
I had been off meds for over a year until recently. Things had been pretty hard at school for a while (mainly due to sleep issues), but around 13 weeks ago something happened that catapulted me into a full blown "brain fog". I thought it might be stress-induced depression, so I decided to go back on Zoloft. Unfortunately the dose was probably too high (100mg), and I experienced bad aggitation. My psychiatrist recently prescribed Prozac for me at 10mg, but I had the same type of side effects. This is most likely because Prozac is known to be particularly "activating". We're now going to try Zoloft again at a much more reasonable starting dose (25mg). Its probably a better bet since Serotonin problems are genetic. Hopefully I'll be back to "normal" soon.
Posted by rianny on February 19, 2004, at 0:01:27
In reply to Re: one more thing..., posted by SDA on February 18, 2004, at 14:32:31
Yes, yes, you will get better.
Today was the first day that I started my morning with 0.5mg of Klonopin. Social anxiety was WAY reduced. To tell the truth, I did not sleep last night, and the anxiety must have been at peak, but I did fine. I'll sleep regularly from today. I mean I think I can.
Just a few minutes ago I took another 0.5mg as evening dosage (plan is to take 1.0mg/day). I hope there is no severe side effect, especially the ones related to cognition and memory =)
Wish me luck, and good luck to you!
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