looking for support and maybe some advice

January 28, 2003

Hi there. Hope I can help a bit. My daughter has BP and OCD. I was in the

same panic you are but slowly I think you will realize things will improve.

My daughter is also on Celexa only 40mg. We can't go higher because of the

BP disorder (antidepressants irritate this). A really good book titled

" Blink, Blink, Clop, Clop: Why do we do things we can't stop? by E. Katia

Moritz, Ph.D. really helped my daughter relate to her probs when she was

younger. Is your child responding to therapy at all. Take one hour at a

time-a day at a time is too overwhelming. Ellen

January 28, 2003

My 9 year old son was diagnosed with ocd 4 month ago. He's probaby

had it since he was 4. His obsesive side is severe. He worries

about germs, about not going to heaven because he's not sure if God

is real. He worries about possibly having told a lie, about not

doing anything bad, about growing up to be a bad guy. There are too

many to list, but those are his worst. He has no fexible thinking.

If you tell him to have a good day, he thinks that means he has to

have a good day. His medication has done little for him. It has

made him a little happier, which I am very thankful for. It has also

helped some of his compulsions. He doesn't wash his hands so much

now. He's still so worried so much of the time though that it just

breaks my heart. He's now had his medication uped to 60mg a day of

celexa. This is the highest dosage he can take. I don't know anyone

else with ocd and family and friends just don't really seem to

understand it. I'm just looking for someone who can relate and maybe

give me some advice on how to help him. I'm so scared that he won't

have a normal life when he grows up.

January 28, 2003

My son is also 9 and has many of the same problems that your son displays.

He is taking Luvox (150mg). I too have OCD and I take Luvox(200mg) so I know

it works. Since he started this medication he has been doing much much

better. The worst time of day for him is nighttime and this is when his

compulsions come to light. I have noticed that many of the problems he has

center around fear (ultimately the fear of dying). We have been working on

this and try to talk through it. But, as you know children that have this

obsess and it is like a switch in one's brain. It is either on or off. They

can't help it.

He has been seeing a child psychiatrist but we are now going to

Riley Children's Hospital in Indy. Riley has a program especially for

children who suffer from OCD.

It is important to let your little boy know that other kids have

this as well and talk to him about his fears. It has really helped my little

one.

(Indy)

> ----------

>

> Reply To:

> Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:02 PM

> To:

> Subject: looking for support and maybe some advice

>

> My 9 year old son was diagnosed with ocd 4 month ago. He's probaby

> had it since he was 4. His obsesive side is severe. He worries

> about germs, about not going to heaven because he's not sure if God

> is real. He worries about possibly having told a lie, about not

> doing anything bad, about growing up to be a bad guy. There are too

> many to list, but those are his worst. He has no fexible thinking.

> If you tell him to have a good day, he thinks that means he has to

> have a good day. His medication has done little for him. It has

> made him a little happier, which I am very thankful for. It has also

> helped some of his compulsions. He doesn't wash his hands so much

> now. He's still so worried so much of the time though that it just

> breaks my heart. He's now had his medication uped to 60mg a day of

> celexa. This is the highest dosage he can take. I don't know anyone

> else with ocd and family and friends just don't really seem to

> understand it. I'm just looking for someone who can relate and maybe

> give me some advice on how to help him. I'm so scared that he won't

> have a normal life when he grows up.

>

January 28, 2003

My daughter is 9 and was diagnosed with OCD at 4 1/2 yoa. She has been on

Prozac the whole time. We just upped the dosage to 60 mg per day. The

handwashing etc. has been under control since about 40 mg, but her anxiety

has been interfering with daily activities. Prozac is an old stand by

medication and does not have any of the mixtures that some of the new

medications have. I would talk to the prescribing doc to see if you can try

something else or add something. Your son should be getting more relief.

in Texas

January 28, 2003

The Blink Blink book is out of print. Anyone find a source? in Texas

January 28, 2003

Are you sure about that book? I just got it about 6 months ago, I thought!

Ellen

January 28, 2003

Hi, welcome.

I'm a little limited on time right now so can't greet you properly

right now.....But wanted to ask if you've considered trying to

switch meds since you're not seeing as much relief as you'd like from

the Celexa? Lots of families have had to switch around until they

find the right med that helps their child (with the least side

effects of course, I know that's important).

A lot of times the medication will help relieve the anxiety, but it's

the THERAPY (cognitive behavioral therapy and also exposure &

response prevention - CBT and ERP) that really helps in the long

run. The med can help relieve the anxiety so that the child is more

willing/able to proceed with CBT and ERP. I say this as the

medications don't always make all the OCD go away altogether, and the

CBT/ERP is needed to cope with and learn to boss back the OCD.

Each of my sons (one with OCD and 2 more) worried about dying and

heaven and all that. Mostly just about dying. I remember getting

all the age-appropriate books at the library I could find on heaven,

etc., and going over bits with them. Also I did go over others'

beliefs too but, as my own beliefs go, went over God, heaven, etc.

It was tough with my typical kids! Scrupulosity can be a part of

OCD, I guess you know, so the telling a lie worry and being bad worry

are all a part of it. My (my OCD son) was like that, so far

as always telling the truth. And being honest, not cheating, etc.

Don't know if it's good/bad to say that now he has learned - well,

not to lie, but to leave out some things, so sort of lying. And

doesn't seem to feel the least bit guilt! But he will feel guilty on

other things.

I'm sorry I don't have any big advice/answers for you, though I'm

sure others can offer suggestions! Keep us posted on you and your

son!

- single mom, 3 sons; , 14, with OCD; his twin ; and a

17.5 yr old also -

> My 9 year old son was diagnosed with ocd 4 month ago. He's probaby

> had it since he was 4. His obsesive side is severe. He worries

> about germs, about not going to heaven because he's not sure if God

> is real. He worries about possibly having told a lie, about not

> doing anything bad, about growing up to be a bad guy. There are

too

> many to list, but those are his worst. He has no fexible thinking.

> If you tell him to have a good day, he thinks that means he has to

> have a good day. His medication has done little for him. It has

> made him a little happier, which I am very thankful for. It has

January 28, 2003

Hi again!

I know I mentioned in my last post about therapy (CBT and ERP) but

didn't ask if your son IS being treated by anyone for his OCD

(besides the medication)?

We had no one local who was experienced in OCD either. So from what

I read and also learned here (in this great group with lots of great

suggestions/ideas), we managed pretty well on our own. had

all different kinds of behaviors, compulsions or things he physically

had to do mostly, I guess. Though he did have to have a " just right "

feeling or keep repeating, so I imagine it was also " mental. " And he

had to do things to keep " something bad from happening to him. " At

any rate, I picked what I thought would be easiest for us/him to work

on first, something that wouldn't cause the really big meltdowns

(hopefully!).

With us it was - and this can sound silly, but then OCD isn't logical

anyway - using the TV remote (which he'd avoided for almost a year)

and not repeatedly turning things on/off. And memory might fail at

times, but it seems to me like once we got thru a few things (not

necessarily cured but better about it), that other things just sort

of maybe " fell into place " with us not even picking out some things

he just seemed to be able to do easier. I mean, some compulsions

just seemed to shorten or go away on their own. I think success can

give them a feeling of accomplishment and help them conquer a little

more on their own.

Does your son know he has OCD and understand what it is? You could

choose 1 or 2 things that you/he consider to be OCD and begin working

on them. Like maybe limiting the number of questions he can ask or

the number of times he can worry about something that day.

Distraction sometimes worked with , but sometimes backfired

too. For example, once when I stopped him from a compulsion on a

Friday night, I found him Saturday a.m. up before me and doing it

because I hadn't let him finish. (again, weird, but he needed to

touch the kitchen cabinet wall, etc.) And apparently my interruption

also increased his anxiety/agitation or whatever and it took him much

longer........Boy, I don't miss those days!

Happy to say that he is SO much better these days than 2 years ago,

even one year ago. His OCD does seem to be waxing a little right

now, but I'll take NOW over where we have been! So take hope, things

can improve, just not overnight unfortunately!

Oh, and used to repeated ask " reassurance questions " when he

was younger, before his OCD seemingly hit overnight in 6th grade. He

doesn't do that so much now. He still might ask something (feels

EVERY pain in his body) but it's not more than once in a day usually;

he'll just bring it up the next day!

So how is your son doing at school and with friends, etc?

> My 9 year old son was diagnosed with ocd 4 month ago. He's probaby

> had it since he was 4. His obsesive side is severe. He worries

> about germs, about not going to heaven because he's not sure if God

> is real. He worries about possibly having told a lie, about not

> doing anything bad, about growing up to be a bad guy. There are

too

> many to list, but those are his worst. He has no fexible thinking.

> If you tell him to have a good day, he thinks that means he has to

> have a good da

January 28, 2003

,

I think I ordered a copy of the book from the Obsessive-Compulsive

Foundation about a year ago; you might want to give them a try. You

can go to their website at www.ocfoundation.org.

Good luck,

Amy

> The Blink Blink book is out of print. Anyone find a source?

in Texas

>

January 28, 2003

Hi,

Welcome to the list. My 11 yr. old daughter was diagnosed with OCD about a

year and a half ago. I think that, for me, the most frightening time was

those first few months after she was diagnosed but before she had optimal

treatment. Her symptoms began and developed very quicky over a couple of

months. She was diagnosed early as I am a clinical social worker and

recognized the signs pretty soon after they started and got help fast. She

had lots of " Os and Cs " . Had to make things even, repeat an action til it

" felt right " , make unwarrented apologys a hundred times a day, had to

repeatedly rub her thumb on each side of her nose an equal number of times

or " something bad would happen " , There were " deadly bacteria " on our dishes,

and lots more. She has gotten soooo much better and, with proper treatment,

your son will too. She sees her therapist bi-weekly and takes 50 mgs. of

Zoloft per day. She sometimes goes a whole week now without any symptoms.

When symptoms do appear, they don't usual last long these days.

Recently she called me at work to say that she wanted to cook some pasta but

the pan was in the sink dirty. I said, " So wash it. " She said several times

that she couldn't wash it because she wouldn't know when it was " really

clean. " After a few minutes, she said " But there might be bacteria that I

can't see. " I said, " Sounds like OCD talking. Why don't you tell him to

get lost and wash the dish " . She replied " OK Mom, I can boss OCD back. I'm

gonna wash it now and make my lunch. " A year ago that would not have been

possible. That said, OCD is a waxing and waning disease and I know that

Billie will have periods where her OCD is better and times when it's worse.

And there's always a little bit of underlying anxiety. On the way home this

afternoon I had to stop at the bank to use the ATM. It's COLD here in Boston

and the ATM was literally about 6 feet from the car, separated by a big

window so I could see her the whole time. I asked if she wanted to come in

with me or wait in the car which was warm. She said, " I think I'll come

with you. I'm not feeling very secure right now. "

You don't say how long your son has been on Celexa. Sometimes it can take

as long as a couple of months to work. If it's already been a while, I agree

with others who suggested talking with the doc about trying another med.

Not every med works for every person and sometimes you have to try a few to

find the right one. Also, I can't say enough about finding a good Cognitive

Behavioral therapist who knows how to do Exposure and Response Prevention

(E/RP). This is the only type of therapy proven to work with OCD.

You might want to read Dr. Tamar Chansky's book " Freeing Your Child From

OCD " . I have found it to be very helpful. The other place to get lots of

information and support is from the other parents right here on this list.

I've been too busy to post much lately but still feel that I get lots of

support from reading what others post. I hope that you will keep us posted

on how you and your son are doing and feel free to ask advice or just vent.

We've all been there.

Kathy

on 1/28/03 2:02 PM, rockydazzler1 at

bones32_306@... wrote: