Re: Update - Henry, OCD and Valtrex

April 21, 2006

I'm sure that now we are just dealing with learned behavior from that one short period off Valtrex, and I don't know how to get rid of it. How can you be so sure? For some reason, based on what you've said, it doesn't sound behavioral to me, at all. Could it be that his body is going through another regression, since you've put him back on the Valtrex? We haven't done Valtrex, but we did do homeopathic remedies for viruses. And, we stopped once and then restarted and had another serious regression that lasted for about 5 or 6 weeks. It was no fun. Is it possible that is happening with your son? I wonder, especially if his titers are very high, like you say. When my son does OCD stuff, I try to playfully mix things up. And, if you can try to notice when he does it, notice what things may trigger it ( sensory, emotional, etc), I

find it helps my son when we can talk about the underlying cause. It distracts him from the OCD and also helps him to gain understanding of what he's doing.RuthMae Lynn Arlinghaus <MaeLynnArl@...> wrote: Hi everyone,I posted a while back about my son who had been taking Valtrex since November and how this had successfully warded off the OCD that he gets every winter. Before anyone asks, what I mean by OCD in his case is, for example, compulsion to go back and touch things that he touched before - if someone accidently brushes him when walking past him he will have to chase that person down to "re-touch" them. When anyone puts a cup or glass down, he must go and bounce that cup four (not twice, not three times, but FOUR) times. He has to always say certain words in certain

situations ("that was good telling Mom"), getting mad when others use certain common phrases - for example, he gets angry when people say "OK?" at the end of a sentence (Oh, you're sorry for saying OK!"). He says this to anyone and everyone, even if they are not speaking to him. Needless to say, when he is like this he has everyone in his life walking on eggshells.Anyway, we had previously determined that his OCD was viral in nature, not bacterial. So I was very relieved when we managed to avoid the situation all winter with Valtrex. Well, the problem is that in March, I stopped the Valtrex because I saw no other things that people were seeing on this list. Other than the above, there were no improvements. Besides, it was spring, and he usually stops the OCD after cold and flu season. When I stopped the Valtrex, the OCD showed up worse than ever, and I mean right away. I immediately refilled the Rx, got him back

on Valtrex, and the OCD has not gone away! It has been a month back on Valtrex. He is doing very poorly, now is not sleeping well, and I am very depressed. I'm sure that now we are just dealing with learned behavior from that one short period off Valtrex, and I don't know how to get rid of it.He has been on MB12 spray every other day, MB12 shot on the other day for a few months (before that just the shots for over a year), 500 mg Valtrex twice a day for a month now. We are supposed to go up to 500mg three times a day today.By the way, my son has very high viral titres - our DAN said they are as high as she has ever seen.I am about as low as I have been, and we have been on the biomed track for six years. Does anyone have any thoughts at all? Please?Mae LynnMom to Henry, 10, ASD

April 21, 2006

I'm sure that now we are just dealing with learned behavior from that one short period off Valtrex, and I don't know how to get rid of it. How can you be so sure? For some reason, based on what you've said, it doesn't sound behavioral to me, at all. Could it be that his body is going through another regression, since you've put him back on the Valtrex? We haven't done Valtrex, but we did do homeopathic remedies for viruses. And, we stopped once and then restarted and had another serious regression that lasted for about 5 or 6 weeks. It was no fun. Is it possible that is happening with your son? I wonder, especially if his titers are very high, like you say. When my son does OCD stuff, I try to playfully mix things up. And, if you can try to notice when he does it, notice what things may trigger it ( sensory, emotional, etc), I

find it helps my son when we can talk about the underlying cause. It distracts him from the OCD and also helps him to gain understanding of what he's doing.RuthMae Lynn Arlinghaus <MaeLynnArl@...> wrote: Hi everyone,I posted a while back about my son who had been taking Valtrex since November and how this had successfully warded off the OCD that he gets every winter. Before anyone asks, what I mean by OCD in his case is, for example, compulsion to go back and touch things that he touched before - if someone accidently brushes him when walking past him he will have to chase that person down to "re-touch" them. When anyone puts a cup or glass down, he must go and bounce that cup four (not twice, not three times, but FOUR) times. He has to always say certain words in certain

situations ("that was good telling Mom"), getting mad when others use certain common phrases - for example, he gets angry when people say "OK?" at the end of a sentence (Oh, you're sorry for saying OK!"). He says this to anyone and everyone, even if they are not speaking to him. Needless to say, when he is like this he has everyone in his life walking on eggshells.Anyway, we had previously determined that his OCD was viral in nature, not bacterial. So I was very relieved when we managed to avoid the situation all winter with Valtrex. Well, the problem is that in March, I stopped the Valtrex because I saw no other things that people were seeing on this list. Other than the above, there were no improvements. Besides, it was spring, and he usually stops the OCD after cold and flu season. When I stopped the Valtrex, the OCD showed up worse than ever, and I mean right away. I immediately refilled the Rx, got him back

on Valtrex, and the OCD has not gone away! It has been a month back on Valtrex. He is doing very poorly, now is not sleeping well, and I am very depressed. I'm sure that now we are just dealing with learned behavior from that one short period off Valtrex, and I don't know how to get rid of it.He has been on MB12 spray every other day, MB12 shot on the other day for a few months (before that just the shots for over a year), 500 mg Valtrex twice a day for a month now. We are supposed to go up to 500mg three times a day today.By the way, my son has very high viral titres - our DAN said they are as high as she has ever seen.I am about as low as I have been, and we have been on the biomed track for six years. Does anyone have any thoughts at all? Please?Mae LynnMom to Henry, 10, ASD

April 21, 2006

>

> How can you be so sure?

I think this because we started the Valtrex in November, before the

flu season, before the time the behaviors usually start. While on the

Valtrex, he never had these behaviors at all. After a short time off

it he started the behaviors again. I think at that point it was

physical. If the biological cause was supressed by the Valtrex before

there is reason to believe that it should be again. But this time the

Valtrex isn't touching it. The only difference is that now he

remembers these things. So I think that all that is triggering it now

is just the situations. He thinks he has to do the behaviors now.

I definitely believe that initially the behavior was rooted in

something biological (otherwise I wouldn't be on this list or doing

biomed!) but now I think it is all about a learned response.

So, I like your idea of trying to change the behaviors in a silly, fun

way so he sees that if he doesn't do it the world will not come to an

end.

Thanks so much for your response.

Mae Lynn

April 21, 2006