OCD

Good morning Doctor,
I will try to keep this short and sweet, I have just finished taking a course of Prednisone for my hand Ezecma (On my fingers). I took it fr 12 days, 40 mg. for 6 days and 20 mg. for 6 days. My Ezecma is completely cleared up. I take currently 15 mg. of Buspar twice a day and 50 mg. of Zoloft once a day for my OCD & Anxiety. My ocd is skin picking on my fingers as you can see my problem. My question is that the Predinsone in combination with my other medications is GREAT. No itching on my fingers, no scratching, no picking, I FEEL GREAT> Problem is now that the Prednisone is done, when my ezecma comes back, and I have heard that it will... will my meds. be strong enough to keep me from picking. Is there something that would help with itching and keep me from picking like Prednisone. I have tried Doxepin. Sometimes it works. No cortisone cream works. I have tried Claritin also. Can you give me some idea's. I am sticking with Buspar and Zoloft. Celexa made me sick to my stomach and Welbutrin kept me up like a zombie, major insomnia. What do you think ???

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

I think you should stick to your medications that work, but also work on your other anxieties before your eczema comes back, so you are not totally reliant on the medications.  also, see your dermatologist for other medications that may keep the itching down.

[MONARCH]

hi i am 52 yr old female i have ocd i was diagnosed when i was 39 yrs old i have chronic anxiety and i get heart palpitations,since i was 28 yrs old i have had almost every test my cardioigist said my heart is fine but i'm afraid to take paxil for ocd i think it will make my heart skip beats ,i am taking beta blocker 50 mg since 1983 for b pressue tenormin atenonol is the generic name and zanax for anxiety sometimes i feel shaky inside hard to explain but my ocd is severe i worry obsessively about my heart just every thing i hear its better to avoid beta blocker if you can i don't know why is it normalto take it this many years will paxil really help? thank you ..Ruthie