Agressive behavior

[Guest guest]

My ds, 13 years, has been having some issues with becoming agressive when in a

panic attack. He has thrown things and threatened to do more. His eyes become

glazed over and he is not himself. He wants me to answer his questions " just

right " or OCD rears its ugly head and he panics that he will be " unclean. " I

have tried not answering, and my husband and I have held him down a couple of

times, while he raged. He eventually calmed, but its not pretty. When he is

calm, he says he doesn't want to be that way and tells me how OCD wants the

questions asked and promises to try harder, but it is really getting tiring. He

had a few of these in the beginning of his OCD, but they subsided for the past

few weeks, and now are excalating again, though I will say they don't last as

long as before.

He was on Prednisone for 5 days starting 12 days ago to see if he has PANDAS,

during which time he improved so much it was established he does have PANDAS.

Could coming off the Prednisone cause this? He has been on Luvox for now week 12

with very gradual improvement of the OCD, and he is trying to challenge it

through his exposure and response therapy. He still gets very anxious though.

His therapist, who is very experienced with children and OCD ERP therapy says he

is doing better because his panic attacks are getting better and he is doing

more activities, though it is still very little, and requring less rituals

(true). He says maybe I should try walking away, but I'm afraid he would trash

the house or the car if I did. His psychiatrist put him on Clonazepam which

calms him a little, but he still had a panic attack while on it today (his

second day of taking it). When I am able to answer his questions " just right " he

immediately gets relieved, though it is increasing how often he has me answer

these questions. I know, I shouldn't be enabling, but my ds was and is pretty

bad off and it's very, very hard. The questions just kind of spiraled out of

control in the last week or so.

Any thoughts on whether my ds should be on something stronger for his angry

panic attacks? I've literally taken almost everything out of the house that is

breakable except necessary items, but there are still things he could throw. Or

does it take a long time for the Clonazepam to work? His therapist thinks he

needs something stronger. My husband is going to call the psychiatrist himself

tomorrow who is a nice guy, older, though usually open to ideas. So if anyone

has any thoughts, please let me know. I'm getting exhausted here.

Anita