Guest guest Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 Okay, here's the deal. My newly diagnosed 14 year old darling daughter has been on meds for 6 days now. And we're all deliriouly happy with the results. We have our old daughter back. She's patient, chipper, insightful, witty, smart, focussed, creative, loving...well you get the idea. She's a pleasure to have around. Is it this simple? I've heard that these kids still have rough patches when moments of extreme stress come along. But can meds make this much difference? She's on Celexa. She walks around going, " Is this what it's like to be normal? " I told her about the " pink cloud " that recovering alcoholics experience when they first re-discover life, and that the pink cloud is temporary. I said pink clouds can pop up for any kind of positive life change. But she clearly explained to me that she knows that life will still have its stresses, and its ups and downs, and that she simply is happy to be able to handle it again. Can I exhale? Maybe just a little? Wondering Mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 Morning, I will admit I am a newbie to the group and just out of curiosity what signs lead you to search out treatment I ask only because as my daughter now sixteen growing up she started showing signs of unique organizational rituals of rearranging shoes in our hallway, not wearing certain shirts based on that they are bad luck or having a wandering pinkie when she was put in a situation or conversation she would simply lift here hand and off she went with her pinky fingers twirling away. My wife never noticed it but I just couldn't help being more observant with her special talents. Now with her being a junior in school she started feeling more comfortable telling and detailing to us her daily rituals of having difficulty walking down the stairs at school based on that see has to tap her feet on her decent every other step and her need to walk against traffic in the school halls and of course now her grades on a downward spiral and always having to have remind her of certain tasks. We have taken her to a couple of specialists and spent some big dollars with first consultations and when the need to follow up with these specialists they never call back which leads me to believe that have nothing to offer or their education just never provided studies in this area? I will admit that I have learned more from this group than anything so thanks everyone and if someone has the time to provide a chart that puts definition to all the abbreviations that I keep reading such as dd, SSRIs, ERP etc. Thanks everyone! Lost in Chicago > > > Okay, here's the deal. My newly diagnosed 14 year old darling daughter > has been on meds for 6 days now. And we're all deliriouly happy with the > results. > > We have our old daughter back. She's patient, chipper, insightful, > witty, smart, focussed, creative, loving...well you get the idea. She's > a pleasure to have around. > > Is it this simple? I've heard that these kids still have rough patches > when moments of extreme stress come along. But can meds make this much > difference? She's on Celexa. > > She walks around going, " Is this what it's like to be normal? " > > I told her about the " pink cloud " that recovering alcoholics experience > when they first re-discover life, and that the pink cloud is temporary. > I said pink clouds can pop up for any kind of positive life change. > > But she clearly explained to me that she knows that life will still have > its stresses, and its ups and downs, and that she simply is happy to be > able to handle it again. > > Can I exhale? Maybe just a little? > > Wondering Mom > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 For my 12 yr. old daughter, it isn't like a pink cloud. She still has her regular issues with friends, homework, siblings, parent rules, etc., that cause stress. But it's all REGULAR kid stuff. She isn't dealing with bad thoughts and anxiety on top of all of that normal teenage stuff. And she knows the difference. She's happy because she remembers how bad it used to be. She has had 2 more rough spells where the thoughts crept back in and we had to make med. adjustments, but once we found the right combo she was back to her happy self. Hopefully it's the same with your DD. HTH, Dina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 For my 12 yr. old daughter, it isn't like a pink cloud. She still has her regular issues with friends, homework, siblings, parent rules, etc., that cause stress. But it's all REGULAR kid stuff. She isn't dealing with bad thoughts and anxiety on top of all of that normal teenage stuff. And she knows the difference. She's happy because she remembers how bad it used to be. She has had 2 more rough spells where the thoughts crept back in and we had to make med. adjustments, but once we found the right combo she was back to her happy self. Hopefully it's the same with your DD. HTH, Dina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 Welcome, wale67. First the abbreviations. I remember when I first got on the computer, then later joined this group, I also wondered what people meant with the abbreviations. ) dd-is dear daughter; ds-dear son SSRI - is a type of antidepressant that is typically prescibed for those with OCD, which includes Celexa, Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. I think Lexapro might also fall in that category. ERP-stand for exposure and response prevention. That is a therapeutic method that helps with the rituals that those with OCD have. It can be very effective in that it retrains the brain so those with OCD can let go of doing the ritual. We've seen a lot of progress with our son using ERP through a psychologist. CBT- is cognitive behavioral therapy. You will see that one a lot in here too. It is used also in therapy to help those with OCD. CBT is used to treat a lot of things, but if someone knows how to specifically apply it to OCD it can be very helpful. You probably did not get calls back (from the specialists) for exactly the reason you thought. There is a shortage of those who TRULY know how to treat OCD successfully, or even understand it for that matter. They can be hard to find, then when you find them, hard to get in to see them. If you put some work and effort into it, which is what I had to do (it took 3 months of almost daily phone calls), you can most likely find someone. But, be prepared to commute and pay, because a lot do not work with insurance companies. Because of that, a lot choose to try it at home. There are a couple of great work books that can walk you through it. March wrote a great one called, Talking Back to OCD. There is another called, Helping Your Child with OCD, by Lee Fitzgibbons, Ph.D, and Cherry Pedrick, RN. From what you shared, it certainly sounds like the typical OCD rituals that your daughter is experiencing. Does she also experience any " intrusive thoughts " ? Our son experiences both the physical rituals and the thoughts. We've found the thoughts are harder to treat. I'm glad you are here. There are many here who can share knowledge that is very helpful, and also understand what you are going through as a family. Take Care, BJ > > > > > > Okay, here's the deal. My newly diagnosed 14 year old darling > daughter > > has been on meds for 6 days now. And we're all deliriouly happy > with the > > results. > > > > We have our old daughter back. She's patient, chipper, insightful, > > witty, smart, focussed, creative, loving...well you get the idea. > She's > > a pleasure to have around. > > > > Is it this simple? I've heard that these kids still have rough > patches > > when moments of extreme stress come along. But can meds make this > much > > difference? She's on Celexa. > > > > She walks around going, " Is this what it's like to be normal? " > > > > I told her about the " pink cloud " that recovering alcoholics > experience > > when they first re-discover life, and that the pink cloud is > temporary. > > I said pink clouds can pop up for any kind of positive life change. > > > > But she clearly explained to me that she knows that life will > still have > > its stresses, and its ups and downs, and that she simply is happy > to be > > able to handle it again. > > > > Can I exhale? Maybe just a little? > > > > Wondering Mom > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 Welcome, wale67. First the abbreviations. I remember when I first got on the computer, then later joined this group, I also wondered what people meant with the abbreviations. ) dd-is dear daughter; ds-dear son SSRI - is a type of antidepressant that is typically prescibed for those with OCD, which includes Celexa, Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. I think Lexapro might also fall in that category. ERP-stand for exposure and response prevention. That is a therapeutic method that helps with the rituals that those with OCD have. It can be very effective in that it retrains the brain so those with OCD can let go of doing the ritual. We've seen a lot of progress with our son using ERP through a psychologist. CBT- is cognitive behavioral therapy. You will see that one a lot in here too. It is used also in therapy to help those with OCD. CBT is used to treat a lot of things, but if someone knows how to specifically apply it to OCD it can be very helpful. You probably did not get calls back (from the specialists) for exactly the reason you thought. There is a shortage of those who TRULY know how to treat OCD successfully, or even understand it for that matter. They can be hard to find, then when you find them, hard to get in to see them. If you put some work and effort into it, which is what I had to do (it took 3 months of almost daily phone calls), you can most likely find someone. But, be prepared to commute and pay, because a lot do not work with insurance companies. Because of that, a lot choose to try it at home. There are a couple of great work books that can walk you through it. March wrote a great one called, Talking Back to OCD. There is another called, Helping Your Child with OCD, by Lee Fitzgibbons, Ph.D, and Cherry Pedrick, RN. From what you shared, it certainly sounds like the typical OCD rituals that your daughter is experiencing. Does she also experience any " intrusive thoughts " ? Our son experiences both the physical rituals and the thoughts. We've found the thoughts are harder to treat. I'm glad you are here. There are many here who can share knowledge that is very helpful, and also understand what you are going through as a family. Take Care, BJ > > > > > > Okay, here's the deal. My newly diagnosed 14 year old darling > daughter > > has been on meds for 6 days now. And we're all deliriouly happy > with the > > results. > > > > We have our old daughter back. She's patient, chipper, insightful, > > witty, smart, focussed, creative, loving...well you get the idea. > She's > > a pleasure to have around. > > > > Is it this simple? I've heard that these kids still have rough > patches > > when moments of extreme stress come along. But can meds make this > much > > difference? She's on Celexa. > > > > She walks around going, " Is this what it's like to be normal? " > > > > I told her about the " pink cloud " that recovering alcoholics > experience > > when they first re-discover life, and that the pink cloud is > temporary. > > I said pink clouds can pop up for any kind of positive life change. > > > > But she clearly explained to me that she knows that life will > still have > > its stresses, and its ups and downs, and that she simply is happy > to be > > able to handle it again. > > > > Can I exhale? Maybe just a little? > > > > Wondering Mom > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 BJ many thanks for your response, info and welcome into the group as for " intrusive thoughts " yes but they are horrific visions of her falling down the stairs and others which I am assuming fuel her rituals. For now I will simply observe and gather info from others here in the group and if I feel that I can lend assistance based on experience consider them shared. Thanks again. > > > > > > > > > Okay, here's the deal. My newly diagnosed 14 year old darling > > daughter > > > has been on meds for 6 days now. And we're all deliriouly happy > > with the > > > results. > > > > > > We have our old daughter back. She's patient, chipper, insightful, > > > witty, smart, focussed, creative, loving...well you get the idea. > > She's > > > a pleasure to have around. > > > > > > Is it this simple? I've heard that these kids still have rough > > patches > > > when moments of extreme stress come along. But can meds make this > > much > > > difference? She's on Celexa. > > > > > > She walks around going, " Is this what it's like to be normal? " > > > > > > I told her about the " pink cloud " that recovering alcoholics > > experience > > > when they first re-discover life, and that the pink cloud is > > temporary. > > > I said pink clouds can pop up for any kind of positive life change. > > > > > > But she clearly explained to me that she knows that life will > > still have > > > its stresses, and its ups and downs, and that she simply is happy > > to be > > > able to handle it again. > > > > > > Can I exhale? Maybe just a little? > > > > > > Wondering Mom > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 8, 2007 Report Share Posted December 8, 2007 He became a bit animated, even had moments where he was a bit hyper. I watched him closely wondering if he was experiencing some manic signs, but it wasn't that. It's just a side effect some can have with SSRIs, but it goes away after a time of using them. For us it was a few months before it went away. ' ---------- This explanation is so helpful. I will watch for signs of this in my DD. Thanks everybody for your reply to my post about the pink cloud! WM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.