Can SSRIs make OCD worse?
No! Some commonly used antidepressants have almost no effect whatsoever on OCD symptoms. Drugs, such as imipramine (Tofranil®) or amitriptyline (Elavil®), that are good antidepressants, rarely improve OCD symptoms.
Does OCD medications have side effects?
In general, the SRIs are well tolerated by most people with OCD. The six SSRIs (fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, citalopram, and escitalopram) have similar side effects, although there are some individual differences. These include nervousness, insomnia, restlessness, nausea and diarrhea.
What are the most common side effects of SSRIs?
Possible side effects of SSRIs may include, among others:
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
- Headache.
- Drowsiness.
- Dry mouth.
- Insomnia.
- Nervousness, agitation or restlessness.
- Dizziness.
- Sexual problems, such as reduced sexual desire, difficulty reaching orgasm or inability to maintain an erection (erectile dysfunction)
Which SSRI is best for OCD and Anxiety?
Four SSRIs that have been shown to be effective in treating OCD and are FDA-approved to treat adults with OCD in the United States are:
- Sertraline (brand name Zoloft)
- Fluoxetine (brand name Prozac)
- Fluvoxamine (brand name Luvox)
- Paroxetine (brand name Paxil)
Is Paxil good for OCD?
Paxil (paroxetine hydrochloride) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant used to treat depression, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (premenstrual dysphoric disorder).
Is Lexapro approved for OCD?
Patients may be prescribed escitalopram (often sold as Lexapro), an antidepressant, to help with some symptoms. Escitalopram is approved to treat depression and anxiety, and it is sometimes used to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which is an anxiety disorder.
Can SSRI cure OCD?
Evidence-Based Answer SSRIs are effective for the treatment of OCD. If it is assumed that 10 percent of persons with OCD will recover without treatment, then 12 persons with OCD need to be treated for one additional person to have a response within six to 13 weeks.
What is the safest SSRI?
Citalopram and escitalopram have been considered the safest among the SSRIs with respect to potential for liver injury [41].
Do SSRIs have permanent effects?
While there are many patients who don’t experience problems coming off SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors), others can suffer extreme and longer-lasting effects prompting some to restart their medication either because the pain is intolerable or out of concern that it’s a sign that their depression is …
Do SSRIs help with obsessive thoughts?
SSRIs are roughly as effective for OCD as exposure and response prevention (ERP), according to research, and the value of combining the two has been documented in a number of studies.
Is Lexapro good for OCD?
The authors concluded that escitalopram is effective for treating OCD but that very high doses are not necessary. The doses between 20 and 40 mg/day were just as effective as the higher doses but without as many side effects.
Which is better for OCD Zoloft or Paxil?
Is Paxil or Zoloft more effective? In a randomized, double-blind study comparing the two drugs for the treatment of panic disorder, Paxil and Zoloft were found to be equally effective; however, Zoloft was slightly better tolerated, and patients did better when discontinuing the drug.