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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by mogger on December 13, 2010, at 14:20:55
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by Melanie-00 on December 13, 2010, at 13:58:55
Melanie,
I think Rhodiola Rosea sounds like a great option! I have heard some great things about it as well so I think you are making the right decision. Go for it! :) Make sure you are getting the standardized and quality grade of it. Let me know of your progress,
Joseph :)
Posted by Melanie-00 on December 13, 2010, at 14:32:08
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by mogger on December 13, 2010, at 14:20:55
I will let you know! Hopefully, my order will arrive in a few days. I ordered the MIND BODY & SPIRIT by Verde Botanica brand because I heard it was the best, and it is standardized. I think it is similar to the Arctic Root label produced by the Swedish Herbal Institute, which has been used in most of the studies I could find. But the Swedish Arctic Root variety does not appear to be marketed in the USA, so I went with the Verde Botanica brand. Interestingly, the folks selling the Verde Botanica brand used to sell the Swedish Herbal Institute brand. I don't know why they switched over, but they seem to think that it's just as good or better.
Fingers crossed!
It's nice to hear about success stories like you on this site. It gives me hope. I've lived with trichotillomania and anxiety most of my life, but for much of my life, I did not consider them to be "medical" problems (just personal problems, problems with my attitude, self-discipline, etc). In recent years, I've tried getting help through my doctor, but I move around so much, that it makes having a strong relationship with a doctor difficult. Also, my health insurance isn't so good, so as a result, I don't usually have the best doctors either.
Posted by mogger on December 13, 2010, at 14:49:33
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :( » mogger, posted by Melanie-00 on December 13, 2010, at 14:32:08
Sounds like a great brand and a quality product. It is great you are being so aggressive with your treatment. You will succeed. All the best,
Joseph :)
Posted by bleauberry on December 14, 2010, at 17:23:24
In reply to NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by mogger on December 8, 2010, at 15:30:57
There are a few labs, for example Thorne Research, that realize certain fillers and buffers can actually interfere with absorption and metabolism. Of them, magnesium stearate is guilty. In low dose Naltrexone, calcium citrate is a common filler but needs to be avoided because it slows down absorption...with LDN they need fast absorption for it to work properly.
I'm sure this topic ties in to why we see so much difference between brand and generics. When someone claims a filler is "neutral", I automatically am suspicious. I say prove it. They can't. Only patient reactions like yours tell the truth.
> Hello,
>
> About 5 months ago my psychiatrist recommended that I take NAC 2400mg for OCD/Depression. I was all over it and began taking it. My doctor told me to be patient as studies have shown that NAC can begin to work at 9 weeks and actually is most effective at the 6 month mark. Well he is correct. I have been patient with it and it has paid off. It is incredibly powerful for my constantly over working brain that does not shut off. It has acted like a dampener and I have now been able to take a job and I am able to make travel plans for the first time in my life.
>
> I actually was taking 3600mg and felt that I was feeling a bit too spacey (in a good way) so dropped down to 2400mg and found that I needed a bit more so I went to 3000mg a day. The interesting this is that I switched brands to get a 500mg capsule instead of the 600mg capsule so I could take 3000mg evenly (1000mgX3 daily). I was using Swanson brand, 600mg, which capsules were made of gelatin and magnesium stearate (vegetable). I switched to Jarrow Brand 500mg and after about two weeks I began to struggle a bit with depression and horrific dry mouth. I became suspicious as the only thing I had done different was to swich brands. Clearly this was the problem so I looked at the side of the bottle. Well Jarrow's formula has silicon dioxide, cellulose, gelatin and magnesium stearate in each capsule. I really didn't feel great and was beginning to struggle so I went back to the Swanson brand to see if my suspicions were true and they are. After about 5 days switching back to Swanson I feel complete relief and back to where I was. I had no idea that ingredients in a capsule could have such a profound effect on me. I am wondering if anyone else has had the same negative reaction to either of these ingredients? I found an interesting website discussing that some fillers are not so good for us. Any thoughts and experiences?
>
> Joseph
Posted by mogger on December 14, 2010, at 18:03:49
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by bleauberry on December 14, 2010, at 17:23:24
wow thank you for the information bleauberry. I checked out their site and was bummed to see that they don't sell NAC. I can't find any brand that sells NAC without magnesium stearate.
Sometimes with my conventional medication when my pharmacy switches generics on me it takes a period to get used to the new generic. I had no idea about different fillers. It is so frustrating to think that what seems to be an identical zoloft pill could have completely different coatings/fillers. No wonder I feel off sometimes when I switch generics. Thanks again for the input,
Joseph
Posted by need2beatOCD on January 14, 2011, at 20:02:37
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by mogger on December 14, 2010, at 18:03:49
I just started NAC a few weeks back and I'm up to 2,400 mg a day. No real help yet but I know it's too early. Also the GNC brand only has 2 fillers and magnesium stearate isn't one of them but I don't know if the fillers it has are any better. I'm hoping this helps bc Ive been on 60 mg of Prozac for a few years now and it used to help but not much anymore. I'm desperate for some progress.
Posted by mogger on January 14, 2011, at 20:33:17
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by need2beatOCD on January 14, 2011, at 20:02:37
need2beatOCD,
I hear you about being desperate for progress, totally. I hate to say it but it did take about 9 weeks for me to really start to feel something and as I say my doctor said full benefits aren't felt until 6 months! :( I am actually at 3600 mg as my pdoc said that is fine to take as I feel it is more powerful. Something to think about. Also, if you want relief in about 2 weeks I highly recommend you take 18 GRAMS not MG's of inositol for ocd. It is a gem. My zoloft, inositol and NAC are what I take for my OCD and I feel like I am at a good place. I used to be basically bedridden with ocd and clinical depression so these three have really helped. Inositol tastes great and it is also great for depression if you are feeling really low. It works well with my zoloft. Please babblemail me if you would like as I have some articles and really cheap places to buy inositol and nac at. Hang in there and again please babblemail me if you want additional information as I am more than happy to help.
Joseph
Posted by Melanie-00 on January 14, 2011, at 20:53:12
In reply to NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by mogger on December 8, 2010, at 15:30:57
Hi Joseph,
I started taking NAC a while back, too, after discovering this post and doing my own research.
I'm at the 2400 mg dose now and plan to stay there for a while. I don't think I see any effect yet, but you said about 9 weeks, so I am still giving it a go.
Just to clarify, did you see an effect after 9 weeks of being on NAC (even at lower doses) or only after taking the full dose for 9 weeks (that is, 9 weeks after completing your build-up period to the full dose)?
Sorry, confusing question ... What I mean is, my understanding is that you built up your dose by 600 mg every 2 weeks, a schedule something like this:
week 1 600 mg
week 2 600 mg
week 3 1200 mg
week 4 1200 mg
week 5 1800 mg
week 6 1800 mg
week 7 2400 mg
week 8 2400 mg
week 9 2400 mg <-- So, is this when you first noticed an effect -- at week 9 after initiating treatment?Or was it sometime later?
This is more or less the schedule I've been following, although I stayed at 600 mg for only a couple of days, and have increased by 600 mg after about 10-11 days (instead of 14 full days), but I haven't experienced any side effects, so all seems fine.
Thanks again for your advice!
BTW, as far as taking inositol, I would also highly recommend building up to the 18g/day very slowly. Otherwise, you are likely to get bad cramping and stomach problems!
Posted by mogger on January 14, 2011, at 22:28:44
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by Melanie-00 on January 14, 2011, at 20:53:12
Hi Melanie,
You are so right Melanie. I hear that inositol can cause gastrointestinal irritation at the beginning (I thankfully didn't have it). I was desperate and I started almost immediately at 18 grams and was irritable and spaced out for a few days but than soon passed.
Not a confusing question at all, please ask away as I feel it is so important to share experiences. :) I felt the effects 9 weeks AFTER arriving at 2400mg unfortunately. I remember though feeling strange earlier than 9 weeks, a sort of subtle calmness but it wasn't until 9 weeks that I knew it was working for sure. Are you on an SSRI as I read that NAC goes well with SSRI's or other anti depressants? Are you on inositol as well?
Joseph
Posted by Melanie-00 on January 15, 2011, at 17:31:32
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by mogger on January 14, 2011, at 22:28:44
Hi Joseph,
You are fortunate that you did not experience any GI problems with the inositol. I've been on 18 g/day (in divided doses) of inositol for a few months now, but I still think I suffer from some minor GI complaints due to the inositol ... Actually, due to my GI complaints, I'd like to stop taking the inositol if the NAC helps just as much with my trichotillomania (time will tell ...)
Thanks for answering my question, and I'm definitely going to stick with the NAC for at least 9 full weeks on the 2400 mg dose before I make a decision as to whether it's working for me or not. However, I'm optimistic that it may work a bit faster for me (maybe after only 3 weeks on the 2400 mg dose). That's because I'm mainly taking it for trichotillomania and anxiety, rather than for OCD. I think I have some OCD leanings, but after you got me interested in NAC, the main thing that convinced me to try it was that, according to a 2009 clinical trial study published in the Arch Gen Psychiatry, NAC was found to be useful in treating trichotillomania. In this study, the subjects took either a placebo or NAC for 12 weeks. For the first 6 weeks, they took 1200 g, and then if they hadn't responded, they took 2400 g for the remaining 6 weeks. By week 9 of the study, 55% of the participants taking NAC had shown a reduction in trich symptoms (a much higher response rate than in the placebo group). So that's why I'm optimistic I'll notice something fairly soon, as I reached the 2400 mg dose about a week ago. Maybe I'll know something in another 2-3 weeks. But like I said, I'm going to definitely be giving this supplement a chance for a few months before I evaluate whether to keep up with it or not. Actually, I'll probably have to stop taking the inositol to know for sure whether the NAC helps with my trichotillomania, as for now, I have my trich mostly under control thanks to the inositol, anyway.
So, anyway, to answer your question, no, I'm not taking an SSRI. I'm taking the 17-18 g of inositol, 2400 mg of NAC, and 600 mg of Rhodiola rosea every day. I also take a magnesium glycinate/calcium glycinate supplement on an as-needed basis. It seems to give me a bit of a calm feeling (relaxes my muscles). Plus, I'm upping my cardiovascular exercise.
I started taking the inositol several months ago, but the other supplements I've added more recently, so I'm still evaluating this regime for myself. I wouldn't be opposed to trying an SSRI, but the reason I decided to go down the complementary/alternative treatment route is that I don't have access to a doctor right now. (Due to an odd situation, my doctor and health insurance coverage are actually in another state.) And actually, I really haven't had all that much luck with doctors helping me with mental health issues in the past. This time, I'm doing my own research, using it as I can, and also making notes so that I will be more informed by the time I start working with a doctor again.
By the way, are you also using the Swanson brand of inositol? I'm using the Swanson brand of NAC, but I've been taking the Country Life brand of inositol, which is quite a bit more expensive. I was thinking of switching to the Swanson brand to save money. Which brand do you use, and would you recommend it -- sounds like your satisfied with whatever brand you are using? I'm a little hesitant to switch brands because the inositol is the one thing that really does seem to help me. That being said, how it seems to help is limited to helping me control my trich symptoms; it doesn't seem to do anything for anxiety or mood for me ....
Thanks again for posting on these boards, and for your follow-up to my question. Right now, I am feeling very hopeful about the NAC. I've also been feeling a tiny bit less anxious over the past couple of days. Don't know yet what should get the credit for that shift, if anything. Maybe it's just a random shift in mood for me.
All the best,
Melanie
Posted by mogger on January 17, 2011, at 10:23:09
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :( » mogger, posted by Melanie-00 on January 15, 2011, at 17:31:32
Melanie,
Thanks for the message. Lets keep our fingers crossed that the less anxious feeling you are feeling the last couple of days is because of the NAC. My pdoc, who is one of the heads at UCLA Psychiatry is a massive proponent of NAC. He never recommends things unless they are thoroughly tested. I must say the benefits really creeped up on me gradually so I am hoping that you feel benefits from it! It sounds like you have such a good regimen of supplements. I must tell you that I tried Magnesim Glycinate and had to discontinue it as it gave me quite a drop in my mood. It actually brought on depression for me. I am glad it has had benefits for you.
I take Jarrow Inositol and get it on iherb.com. They price match so whenever I buy it I then search for the cheapest bottle I can find on the internet, give them the link and then they match the price. Country Life is great as well but it is far too expensive for me. My nutritionist thinks that Jarrow is a phenomenal brand (also is a fan of country life as well) so I wouldn't worry about switching as the Jarrow brand is pharmaceutical grade and also has Good Manufacturing Practice certification. It is also the best tasting inositol I have found.
Please update me as to your progress and don't hesitate to babblemail me as well.
Joseph
Posted by Melanie-00 on January 17, 2011, at 20:22:22
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by mogger on January 17, 2011, at 10:23:09
Thanks for getting back to me! I'm going to try the Jarrow brand, although Country Life brand is actually not that much more expensive when you buy it on the Swanson Vitamins web site. However, even a small savings can add up to a lot when you're taking 18 g/day! So it's worth it to me to see if a cheaper brand is just as good, especially if I end up taking inositol for the long-term.
I wonder how your pdoc became such a proponent of NAC? I'm guessing s/he has a lot of patients and has already gained a lot of direct clinical experience by observing how it has helped his/her patient population. But you also said s/he only prescribes remedies that are evidence-based. Do you know how long s/he's been prescribing it to patients, because it seems like the research on NAC for mental health has just gotten started in the past 2-3 years? That being said, the results thus far are very exciting!
I just wish there were more research on NAC for anxiety disorders. If it helps me with trichotillomania, that would be great. But if it ends up helping with anxiety, that would be even more fantastic!
I found this post recently, which sums of the research nicely and gives references:
http://www.healthyfellow.com/401/nac-for-mental-health/
However, there's no mention of NAC for anxiety disorders here, and I haven't come across any clinical trials using NAC for anxiety disorders, though it definitely seems to help with related disorders, like anxiety-based nail biting (and of course, trichotillomania, too, has a huge anxiety component). I'm very hopeful about this supplement, although I have other tools (exercise, bibliotherapy, other supplements, etc) that I am also exploring because I don't want to be too disappointed if it doesn't work out for me ...By the way, do you know how one can find out if a certain vitamin/supplement company has Good Manufacturing Practice certification? That would be good to know. Sorry, yet another question! I always seem to have one more question!
Thanks again and wishing you all the best.
Melanie
Posted by mogger on January 18, 2011, at 12:34:49
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :( » mogger, posted by Melanie-00 on January 17, 2011, at 20:22:22
Melanie,
No problem it has been great writing back and forth! I am excited for you with the NAC. I secretly hope you take inositol for the long term as I think the duo of NAC and inositol, one targeting serotonin and the other glutamate could be a great combination.
Yes my pdoc will never recommend something to me unless it is thoroughly tested and he has seen results. He is great like that. Dr. Pittenger, the man who pioneered the study of NAC is available for email as well. I have corresponded with him about the results with NAC as well. I dont have his email address anymore but if you google it he always was kind enough to get back to me. There is a full report of his findings available that I have read. Google it for sure and read it.
I can tell you first hand that my anxiety has plummeted since being on it. I am actually a proponent of 3600mg a day as that is the dose that really knocks my anxiety out. Perhaps if/when (fingers crossed) you start to feel benefits from it you can try 3600mg and see what happens. Swanson also price matches everything so you could do that through them since you are already buying the NAC from them and could kill two birds with one stone.
GMP (good manufacturing practices), which means it is third party tested, will be listed on the bottle or you can contact the company and see if they are.
No problem about the questions, bring them on as we are both helping each other. :)
Joseph
Posted by former poster on January 24, 2011, at 0:11:13
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by mogger on January 18, 2011, at 12:34:49
May I ask what brand you are taking and where do you buy it from?
Posted by mogger on January 24, 2011, at 13:37:48
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :( » mogger, posted by former poster on January 24, 2011, at 0:11:13
http://www.swansonvitamins.com/. They are great as they are very affordable and have the least amount of fillers I can see.
Posted by need2beatOCD on February 4, 2011, at 20:42:09
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :( » need2beatOCD, posted by mogger on January 14, 2011, at 20:33:17
Mogger,
Thank you for responding. I am still getting used to forcing myself to read and discuss on this forum. I am going to be more active in my attempt to beat this damn OCD and I apologize ahead of time bc this may be a longer post than I would normally type.
I was finding my symptoms were getting slightly better as I was eating a little healthier, taking NAC, and adding in a few vitamins and supplements such as building to a high dose of Omega 3 since the beginning of the New Year. Looking for the right mix.
But I always seem to sabotage myself. Maybe that is part of my overall issue but its like part of me is bored with living healthy and giving myself a chance and seeing progress so I go back to taking a medicine I am prescribed but know I should not take bc I find it directly affects my OCD and I really do not need it. I mean what the heck am I doing to myself. My OCD, which has really developed into terrible, disturbing pure-O over the years, is crippling when it spikes and yet when I am finding a bit of improvement I seem to convince myself that I can take this medicine again and the benefits will outweigh the side-effects and it won't kick up my OCD this time. That is bull and I know it, my OCD is really robbing me of so much of my life yet I go ahead and do something that I know will make me step back. Sorry I had to get that off my chest, the real point of this post was to say I am going to really get into this forum and that I was really finding the mixture of NAC and other supplements combined with just trying to eat a little healthier was helping.
I am interested in what you mentioned in your post, how do I use babble mail????? Hope this thread is still active. Thanks all.
Need2BEATOCD
Posted by need2beatOCD on February 9, 2011, at 21:09:47
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by need2beatOCD on February 4, 2011, at 20:42:09
Just wanted to update the forum, I am going to stick with the NAC and am adding Inositol it just arrived today.
Posted by mogger on February 10, 2011, at 10:05:03
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by need2beatOCD on February 9, 2011, at 21:09:47
that is great news need2beatOCD. excellent. please keep me/us up to date with your progress!
Joseph
Posted by Melanie-00 on February 11, 2011, at 11:41:38
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by mogger on February 10, 2011, at 10:05:03
Yes, definitely do let us know how it goes! I'm up to the 2400 mg/day dose of NAC, but I still haven't decided if it's working for me. But I'll be sticking with it for a while yet!
I wish you much success!
Posted by josn on May 28, 2013, at 22:33:14
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by mogger on December 13, 2010, at 1:24:07
Joseph,
I found this old post and thought I could ask you a few questions. My son has OCD which was unresponsive to Prozac. Currently he has been on Inositol for 2 weeks (12g) and is on his second day of NAC 600mg. It was encouraging to hear your success. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind letting me know who your psychiatrist at UCLA is? The psychiatrist my son has gone to in the past know nothing of alternative treatments.
Thanks,
Joy
Posted by Melanie-00 on August 28, 2013, at 14:21:32
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by josn on May 28, 2013, at 22:33:14
Hi Joy,
Inositol and NAC are not totally unknown to the mainstream medical community in that there have been a small number of clinical studies studying the efficacy of these supplements.
There is an overall review in the Journal of Affective Disorders (2011).
Title: Complementary medicine, self-help and lifestyle interventions for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and the OCD spectrum: A systematic review
Authors: Jerome Sarris, David A. Camfield, Michael Berk
Perhaps you could get a copy of this paper via your library.
However, I would note that usually 18 g/day is considered the efficacious dose for inositol.
I hope your son finds success on these supplements!
Posted by josn on August 29, 2013, at 15:22:47
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :( » josn, posted by Melanie-00 on August 28, 2013, at 14:21:32
Hi Melanie,
Thanks for the article information. I was able to download the entire paper. It is a nice comprehensive overview of many of the different OCD alternative therapies that I have researched. Nice to have it in one paper.
My son has been on 2400 mg NAC, 18 g Inositol, Omega 3, Vit. D since 6/8/2013. He ended up getting overwhelmed with the amount of pills he was taking a few weeks ago, so we agreed on just taking the NAC which I felt was the most important. So far it seems to work okay.
Are you having good luck taking NAC?
Thanks,
Joy
> Hi Joy,
>
> Inositol and NAC are not totally unknown to the mainstream medical community in that there have been a small number of clinical studies studying the efficacy of these supplements.
>
> There is an overall review in the Journal of Affective Disorders (2011).
>
> Title: Complementary medicine, self-help and lifestyle interventions for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and the OCD spectrum: A systematic review
>
> Authors: Jerome Sarris, David A. Camfield, Michael Berk
>
> Perhaps you could get a copy of this paper via your library.
>
> However, I would note that usually 18 g/day is considered the efficacious dose for inositol.
>
> I hope your son finds success on these supplements!
Posted by Melanie-00 on August 30, 2013, at 13:06:20
In reply to Re: NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by josn on August 29, 2013, at 15:22:47
Great -- glad you could get the paper! And glad to hear your son is doing well.
Posted by Roland2015 on July 16, 2015, at 14:07:20
In reply to NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by mogger on December 8, 2010, at 15:30:57
Hi mogger,
I tried to babblemail you regarding this post but it appears your babblemail is off so I thought I'd post a response to this post even though it's a bit old! I am a fellow OCD sufferer and haven't had much success with the traditional psychotropic meds to treat my OCD. I can only tolerate a tiny dose of Lexapro (2.5mg) as I am a slow metabolizer of SSRIs and meds that require the enzyme necessary for metabolization. I am also very hypervigilant when it comes to taking new meds or supplements so it's hard for me to stick with a med or supplement if it gives me bad side-effects initially. I recently completed a behavioral program at UCLA for OCD and a psychiatrist there was a big proponent of NAC. I was wondering if this might be the same psychiatrist you mentioned in your post. He told me that NAC has a very high rate of efficacy, especially when used as an adjuvant to an SSRI. I had the choice of trying a higher rate of Lexapro (5mg) or NAC and I chose the Lexapro (which I was unable to stick with due to the intolerable anxiety it caused).
I was also wondering if you are still taking NAC for your OCD and if so how effective it still is (have you had to increase the dosage, etc). I noticed you were also taking inositol. I've tried that but it had a very negative effect on my mood, even at a very small dose.
If you could reply to any of the above when you get a chance I would greatly appreciate it as I need something to ease my OCD enough to where I can apply the exposure and response prevention techniques I learned at UCLA. You can respond to this post or babblemail me.
Thanks in advance. I truly look forward to your response.
Best,
Roland
Posted by Roland2015 on July 16, 2015, at 14:08:31
In reply to NAC for OCD. Cellulose + Silicon Dioxide! :(, posted by mogger on December 8, 2010, at 15:30:57
Hi mogger,
I tried to babblemail you regarding this post but it appears your babblemail is off so I thought I'd post a response to this post even though it's a bit old! I am a fellow OCD sufferer and haven't had much success with the traditional psychotropic meds to treat my OCD. I can only tolerate a tiny dose of Lexapro (2.5mg) as I am a slow metabolizer of SSRIs and meds that require the enzyme necessary for metabolization. I am also very hypervigilant when it comes to taking new meds or supplements so it's hard for me to stick with a med or supplement if it gives me bad side-effects initially. I recently completed a behavioral program at UCLA for OCD and a psychiatrist there was a big proponent of NAC. I was wondering if this might be the same psychiatrist you mentioned in your post. He told me that NAC has a very high rate of efficacy, especially when used as an adjuvant to an SSRI. I had the choice of trying a higher rate of Lexapro (5mg) or NAC and I chose the Lexapro (which I was unable to stick with due to the intolerable anxiety it caused).
I was also wondering if you are still taking NAC for your OCD and if so how effective it still is (have you had to increase the dosage, etc). I noticed you were also taking inositol. I've tried that but it had a very negative effect on my mood, even at a very small dose.
If you could reply to any of the above when you get a chance I would greatly appreciate it as I need something to ease my OCD enough to where I can apply the exposure and response prevention techniques I learned at UCLA. You can respond to this post or babblemail me.
Thanks in advance. I truly look forward to your response.
Best,
Roland
This is the end of the thread.
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