# Lexapro - OCD Dosage



## chris87 (Jul 13, 2008)

Has anyone with OCD found relief from their symptoms at a certain dosage? I know that it typically requires a higher SSRI dose, and I have heard that for Lexapro, it is typically in the 20-30 mg range. I'm only on 10mg right now, and it hasn't provided any relief yet. I'm pretty sure that is too low of a dosage to be effective. I appreciate any insight!


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

If you're only at 10 mg and you can tolerate the drug then upping the dose is certainly worth a shot -- either it will work at a higher dose or you'll definitively prove it doesn't work for you and you can go on to try something else.

I've tried Lexapro, three other SSRIs, and lots of other assorted pills. I think I only went up to 20 mg on Lexapro -- hard to remember exactly as that was 6 years ago. The final SSRI I ever tried was Zoloft and I really beat that dead horse -- starting at 100 mg (largest pill they make), going to 200 mg within a week (max recommended dose), and then spent my final month at 300 mg (50% higher than max recommended, though used in some rare cases). After a full 13 weeks and going above & beyond what is recommended I proved with absolute certainty that drug does nothing to help me in any way with any condition (SA, GAD, OCD, depression).

Personally, I haven't found any drug to be effective on my relatively severe OCD. I've never specifically taken meds with the intent of treating OCD. It just happens that many of the meds used for SA would also be ones used for OCD.

The only thing that truly calms my OCD is alcohol, but only because if one drinks enough they're happy and don't really give a damn about anything, thus making it hard to obsess.


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## Bob Slydell (Oct 23, 2008)

Im sorry but I dont think its ethical to give OD dosages for medications. 

If your having personal issues then talk to anybody. Even me if you want. 

There is a better wasy then OD'ing on meds.


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## chris87 (Jul 13, 2008)

Bob Slydell said:


> Im sorry but I dont think its ethical to give OD dosages for medications.
> 
> If your having personal issues then talk to anybody. Even me if you want.
> 
> There is a better wasy then OD'ing on meds.


I'm so confused! My post was about the dosage for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). It traditionally requires a higher SSRI dose than depression, but certainly not an overdose!


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## SBP21 (Jul 21, 2006)

Did I miss something here? No one is giving overdose amounts. They are simply discussing the fact that OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) requires higher dosages of SSRI's to treat. I don't have OCD, but my psychiatrist told me that for OCD he has to prescribe much higher than the standard dosage given for depression He specifically mentioned that for celexa, he prescribes >60 mg (for ocd), which would = 30 mg lexapro. He said the same thing about Parnate. I was taking 30mg, and he said for OCD, he prescribes 60mg.


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## Bob Slydell (Oct 23, 2008)

chris87 said:


> I'm so confused! My post was about the dosage for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). It traditionally requires a higher SSRI dose than depression, but certainly not an overdose!


I see the mistake.

I have word confusion sometimes and its like dyslexia or something so I saw OD in my mind and not OCD. I seem to have left out the C in OCD.

As for your question, I was on Lexapro 20mg and I have SA, OCD, and alot of the anxiety spectrum disorders.

Lexapro only made me more depressed and didnt help OCD but it could work because you never know.


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## karen1970 (Jun 25, 2012)

*lexapro*



chris87 said:


> Has anyone with OCD found relief from their symptoms at a certain dosage? I know that it typically requires a higher SSRI dose, and I have heard that for Lexapro, it is typically in the 20-30 mg range. I'm only on 10mg right now, and it hasn't provided any relief yet. I'm pretty sure that is too low of a dosage to be effective. I appreciate any insight!


Yes, it does work! 40 mg and my ocd has minimized completely. I am a small person though, therefore, the dosage works well. No weight gain or any side effects. It triggered me out of a bad episode. It took a couple of weeks to work when my dr. realized that 20 was not working.
Also, tried Abilify for a while. It made me too drugged up and I gained weight.


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