medication

[daisy]

has anyone diagnosed with hypochondria or another anxiety disorder had any luck with any medications?  i was recently diagnosed with generalized and social anxiety disorders and hypochondria.  the hypochondria is by far the worse for me because it keeps me constantly worrying that something is seriously physically wrong with me.  i've been in counseling for a while and my psychiatrist has wanted to try medication.  what are your experiences with medication?  i always get worried about side effects.

[kuteness82]

Alot of people here have benifited from Meds. I started mine yesterday for the first time. I have OCD I obsess about my health. I am taking the pills and going into Behavior Therapy soon for my anger issues. I'm sure I'll do fine. But I have to take my meds for 2-3 weeks to feel the full affect of the medication. I'm sure if you take meds it'll work fine. Hope you get some answers.

[Janey]

Hey there Kuteness82,

I read that you have OCD and are on meds. I have a few questions. What medication are you on for your medication? and also have you felt any affect from taking it?

Thanks

Janey

[Mango]

I'm taking an SSRI called Citalopram (I'm sure it has another name in the US). I must say it has helped me pretty much. I still sometimes have symptoms but I don't worry about them as much as before.
I feel my life is slowly and steadily getting back on track, and my self esteem has really been boosted by the medication.

The side effects can be pretty tough the first 2 weeks. My anxiety became a lot worse than it was before but once you get past the first 10 to 14 days everything starts to get better.
The physical symptoms that I have encountered have been rather mild (slight stomach problems, excessive sweating, fatigue, sometimes trembling although not noticeable to anyone but myself) and these symptoms have more or less disappeared now.
The one side effect that most people fear the most is the one that effects sexuality.
My medicine, according to my doctor, is supposed to give less sexual side effects than the average SSRI, however I have noticed a difference.
I have experienced normal (if not more) sexual desire, but reduced sexual function. However in my case (and I suppose it's very individual) it hasn't been to much of a problem.

There's a lot of horror stories out there about psych medication, but mostly they only account for a small fraction of all those who use it.
I know a lot of people who take anti-depressants, and there are a lot of people who take it but would never admit it, so I think it's pretty safe.

My personal opinion regarding medication is that if it can be avoided, it should. I believe that therapy (preferbly CBT) is the best route to take (no side effects, and fewer relapses after the treatment is finished) but usually this is harder to find and a lot more expensive.
I felt I had reached a point where I had no choice but to accept any treatment given to me, and it turned out to be medication.

[kuteness82]

Hey Janey. I'm on a SSRI called Novo-Sertaline for 4 months, which is another word for Zoloft I  think. Today is my third day taking it, it hasn't been helping too much yet, but it has rid a few symptoms. I never used to be this way, obessing about my health, but I've always had anger issues. I have a Varicose Vein went to two DR's did ultrasounds and everything fine right. But before going to the DR I went to a Pyshiotherapist my mom knows, and thought maybe she could help me out with my problem, and she saw it and said, "I don't like the look of that Vein, you need to take it out, because later it will turn into something bad", every since then everything has been downhill for me I started obessing about my health. Well Janey, if you need any advice or anything just ask. If you have OCD, or health anxiety, you should ask your DR if what I am taking will benifit you! Take care! :)