How To Overcome Intrusive Thoughts While Taking Prozac For Mild OCD And Generalized Anxiety?

Posted on Sun, 15 Dec 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 15 Dec 2013 Answered on

Wed, 8 Jan 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : was just diagnosed with mild ocd and gen anxiety two weeks ago by a pyscitrist i was on 10mg lexapro for 6 years he switched me to 20mg generic prozac i have been taking for 15 dys and ativan for emergencies. i have bad anxiety for the past eight years but the past to months i have been having intrusive thoughts please help. i have been horrible intrusive thoughts the past week cant get them out of my head almost like they are real any tips

Answered by Dr. Srikanth Reddy (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: Prozac is a good choice Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for choosing health care magic for posting your query. I have gone through your question in detail and I can understand what you are going through. Prozac is actually fluoxetine and it is the drug of choice for intrusive thoughts. You have been started on 20 mg of it, and the dosage has to be increased to atleast 60mg over a period of time. Probably your psychiatrist is planning to do that. Along with these medications you should also consider taking CBT. Its a cognitive behavioural therapy which works on distress caused by the thoughts and makes you well adapted to the presence of these thoughts. Hope I am able to answer your concerns. If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you. If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback. In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link: bit.ly/dr-srikanth-reddy Wish you good health, Kind regards Dr. Srikanth Reddy M.D.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Srikanth Reddy (35 hours later)

i have an appt with him this week i know the thoughts are not real but they wont leave me alone especially in the morning can you give me any exercises to help untill i see him thanks

Answered by Dr. Srikanth Reddy (36 hours later)

Brief Answer: Relaxation helps Detailed Answer: Hello Thanks for the follow up. The best thing to do at this stage would be to allow the thoughts come and not to restrict them. Ones the though comes its going to leave as well. Just try not paying your attention to these thoughts. Also tie a rubber band around your wrist and and when ever there is a thought just tense it and relase it and it will hit you lightly on your wrist. Try meditation and yoga as well and this will help you. R

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Srikanth Reddy (33 hours later)

hi the past 3 nights i have been waking up in the middle of the night with a anxious feeling in my chest and i cant get back to sleep i try and i wake up every 1/2 hour makes me very irritable and depressed in the morning what could that be

Answered by Dr. Srikanth Reddy (16 hours later)

Brief Answer: Panic attacks Detailed Answer: Hello Most probably the symptoms that you are taking about are called panic attacks. These happen any time of the day and are typically as your described. That will need clonazepam or proranolol. Prozac will take care of that as well. Regards Dr. Srikanth Reddy

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar