rainbow, you can have obsessive-compulsive symptoms without having OCD.

That is what I have. I have obsessions but without the anxiety. Anxiety is a requirement for OCD (if I'm remembering correctly), but that doesn't mean my repetitive thoughts aren't any less obsessive. I personally think they are more like the racey thoughts of mania than the worrying thoughts of OCD. But you'll see folks with bipolar and OCD taking similar drugs, so maybe the specific diagnoses don't matter?

I've had good and bad experiences with meds. Right now I'm experiencing the "bad", but it's not so bad that I'm giving up on them completely. And sometimes even when they are bad, I'm able to get a better understanding on what's going on through all the trial and error. That kind of makes the "bad" worth it.

Side effects are definitely no fun, but if you do decide to try meds, you will eventually realize that most side effects are minor and/or temporary. And you will be able to figure out which ones are your "no go's" and which ones you can tolerate. The challenge is finding a good pdoc. I have had no problem meshing with my therapist, but pdocs are another matter. You just kind of have to plod through and hope for the best.