Sneaky OCD

[Guest guest]

I'm feeling a bit foolish tonight that I once again let a good patch

lull us into a false feeling of peace. For two months, the anxiety

has been gone, . . . The OCD has been quiet. . . We thought we had

more of a handle on it than we did before. Then a little cold came

and knocked down this house of cards. We've been pushed two steps

backwards again.

You would think that after riding this roller coaster ride for years

that we would have this figured out, but not so. You still get your

hopes up when things go well. You start to smile again and feel

somewhat normal. And it still has the potential to blindside you. My

hope is that as he improves with this cold, that the OCD and anxiety

will improve too. But, I also know that in the past that hasn't

always been the case. Sometimes just the anxiety starting again seems

to perpetuate itself, and even restored health won't make it stop.

Every day we get up hoping that day will be better, but instead it has

been worse.

It's hard to remember to try to be optimistic when you get knocked on

your behind yet again. It once again makes me wonder if he will ever

be able to live in the real world.

Just feeling a bit beat up tonight. (

BJ

[Guest guest]

Don't lose hope. Don't ever lose hope. I have had OCD my entire life. I

hid most of it growing up from my parents. I have always lived in fear and

thought I was crazy. In my twenty's I completly melted. I would no longer

leave the house and if I did I would have a major panic attack. I went six

months without leaving, listening to those voices in my head. One day I had a

huge panic attack that scared me so bad I thought I should be committed. I

told my aunt and she told me that it was in the family, my father has it. I

never saw my father so I did not know. So, I found this great therpist who

did

a kind of exposier therpy on me. She was very kind and loving. She saved

my life. Now, I tell you this story to let you know there is hope. As a

adult I still get those crazy thoughts all the time. The difference now is

that

I know they are not real. I do have bad days were I give in to them but

90% of those days are good. I did it without any family helping. My Mom just

found out I have it because of my son. She still does'nt get it. I now have

a 11 yr old son who is suffering. I am struggling to help him and still

keep mine in check. I am doing it but I do feel very alone. But Bottom Line

" I

am doing it. "

So, Please do not lose hope. There is a Normal life.(But who has a normal

life anyways, everyone has something they have to deal with in life) I have

to hope because these kids have parents who care and understand them they

have a wonderful shot at getting better. That is alot better that I had it. I

now feel like a parent going bonkers because my kid is washing his hands to

the point of bleeding. But the important thing is that my OCD is in check.

I know those thoughts in his head. The bad part is that it makes me so sad

because I know what he is going through. It is a living hell. It helps to

have family who loves you. I did'nt have that. It also makes it hard on me to

be strong and not give in to his thoughts. I know how scared he is. But

hang in there. I guess it is a day by day thing.

I hope this helps,

Lynn

**************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music.

(http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp00300000002\

5

48)

[Guest guest]

Hi BJ:

There is a lot of that going around (the knocked on your behind again

thing, I mean). I think that is where we are heading again also, as

I read your and others posts. I have been pretty down myself, cuz

there seems to be no hope. But then I will read the post of someone

else that shows that there are good times ahead. I guess we just

have to get used to wave riding. It is life intensified. I am sorry

Josh is doing less well than before. Keep the faith, as this too

shall pass!

mm

>

> I'm feeling a bit foolish tonight that I once again let a good patch

> lull us into a false feeling of peace. For two months, the anxiety

> has been gone, . . . The OCD has been quiet. . . We thought we had

> more of a handle on it than we did before. Then a little cold came

> and knocked down this house of cards. We've been pushed two steps

> backwards again.

>

> You would think that after riding this roller coaster ride for years

> that we would have this figured out, but not so. You still get your

> hopes up when things go well. You start to smile again and feel

> somewhat normal. And it still has the potential to blindside you.

My

> hope is that as he improves with this cold, that the OCD and anxiety

> will improve too. But, I also know that in the past that hasn't

> always been the case. Sometimes just the anxiety starting again

seems

> to perpetuate itself, and even restored health won't make it stop.

> Every day we get up hoping that day will be better, but instead it

has

> been worse.

>

> It's hard to remember to try to be optimistic when you get knocked

on

> your behind yet again. It once again makes me wonder if he will

ever

> be able to live in the real world.

>

> Just feeling a bit beat up tonight. (

>

> BJ

>

[Guest guest]

Hi BJ,

I'm sorry you are having to deal with this now. I am too. I think this is a bad

time of year. My son was doing okay until he came down with a bad cold and sinus

infection last week ,not to mention my daughter has strep. My son's OCD has come

back with a vengeance!!! He has been whispering to himself again, apologizing to

me every minute,thinking a fork is going to go through him, afraid to eat in

fear of vomitting, seeing things,etc, etc, etc,. I took him to his psychiatrist

again Monday and he had to add Celexa to his Seroquel. I could just cry, because

the Seroquel isn't working anymore for his thoughts and he is only 6! What is

next?

I really feel your despair! It seems like it never ends! A different illness is

going around the school everyday! I swear this is what makes our kids OCD so

much worse

I'll say a prayer for you!!!!!!'

Hugs

Judy

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Lynn. I'm doing better today. Wish I could say the same

for the kid. It just got to me yesterday.

Thank you for sharing your story. My son and my nephew both said they

thought they were crazy, before we found out they had OCD. It must be

so frightening for a kid to know something is wrong, but not know what.

I assume what the therapist meant is she wants you all to learn how to

fight OCD at home. Our son has been doing ERP (exposure and response

prevention) and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) with a therapist

for a while. It has been a learning experience for the whole family.

Our son has been motivated to do his homework, but there are times

when he gets stuck on something where I'm able to help him see that it

is the OCD (not him), so he is able to try to move on. At other

times, we've participated in his homework, for example. . .Leaving

drawers open, not locking the car doors, allowing him to mess things

up to fight the urge to have everything straightened and in the " OCD

perceived correct " position, etc. If a therapist didn't include the

family, I would be concerned.

I confess, my husband doesn't participate at all. But, I think that

is because he has his own OCD issues and doesn't like to face the fact

that our son even has it. Plus I think it brings him face to face

with stuff he deals with that he doesn't want to see. If nothing

else, at least the diagnosis, and me trying to educate him, has made

him stop blaming our son for things he can't always control. He used

to yell at our son a lot for behaviors that he found annoying.

Glad you are here, Lynn.

BJ

>

> Don't lose hope. Don't ever lose hope. I have had OCD my entire

life. I

> hid most of it growing up from my parents. I have always lived in

fear and

> thought I was crazy. In my twenty's I completly melted. I would

no longer

> leave the house and if I did I would have a major panic attack. I

went six

> months without leaving, listening to those voices in my head. One

day I had a

> huge panic attack that scared me so bad I thought I should be

committed. I

> told my aunt and she told me that it was in the family, my father

has it. I

> never saw my father so I did not know. So, I found this great

therpist who did

> a kind of exposier therpy on me. She was very kind and loving.

She saved

> my life. Now, I tell you this story to let you know there is

hope. As a

> adult I still get those crazy thoughts all the time. The

difference now is that

> I know they are not real. I do have bad days were I give in to

them but

> 90% of those days are good. I did it without any family helping.

My Mom just

> found out I have it because of my son. She still does'nt get it.

I now have

> a 11 yr old son who is suffering. I am struggling to help him and

still

> keep mine in check. I am doing it but I do feel very alone. But

Bottom Line " I

> am doing it. "

> So, Please do not lose hope. There is a Normal life.(But who has

a normal

> life anyways, everyone has something they have to deal with in

life) I have

> to hope because these kids have parents who care and understand

them they

> have a wonderful shot at getting better. That is alot better that

I had it. I

> now feel like a parent going bonkers because my kid is washing his

hands to

> the point of bleeding. But the important thing is that my OCD is

in check.

> I know those thoughts in his head. The bad part is that it makes

me so sad

> because I know what he is going through. It is a living hell. It

helps to

> have family who loves you. I did'nt have that. It also makes it

hard on me to

> be strong and not give in to his thoughts. I know how scared he

is. But

> hang in there. I guess it is a day by day thing.

> I hope this helps,

> Lynn

>

>

>

> **************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL

Music.

>

(http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp00300000002\

5

> 48)

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

And I will say a prayrer for you and your son, (((((Judy)))). (

Sickness never helps does it. But, there is no way to keep them from

getting sick. We homeschool so we avoid a lot of it, but hubby drags

it home from work sometimes. You are right, it's a bad time of year.

Most people don't understand why we avoid colds like they are the

plague. But, they also don't deal with what we have to when our kids

gets sick. It's never just a little cold for us whose kids have OCD.

((((another hug))))

BJ

>

> Hi BJ,

> I'm sorry you are having to deal with this now. I am too. I think

this is a bad time of year. My son was doing okay until he came down

with a bad cold and sinus infection last week ,not to mention my

daughter has strep. My son's OCD has come back with a vengeance!!! He

has been whispering to himself again, apologizing to me every

minute,thinking a fork is going to go through him, afraid to eat in

fear of vomitting, seeing things,etc, etc, etc,. I took him to his

psychiatrist again Monday and he had to add Celexa to his Seroquel. I

could just cry, because the Seroquel isn't working anymore for his

thoughts and he is only 6! What is next?

> I really feel your despair! It seems like it never ends! A

different illness is going around the school everyday! I swear this is

what makes our kids OCD so much worse

> I'll say a prayer for you!!!!!!'

> Hugs

> Judy

>

>

[Guest guest]

And I will say a prayrer for you and your son, (((((Judy)))). (

Sickness never helps does it. But, there is no way to keep them from

getting sick. We homeschool so we avoid a lot of it, but hubby drags

it home from work sometimes. You are right, it's a bad time of year.

Most people don't understand why we avoid colds like they are the

plague. But, they also don't deal with what we have to when our kids

gets sick. It's never just a little cold for us whose kids have OCD.

((((another hug))))

BJ

>

> Hi BJ,

> I'm sorry you are having to deal with this now. I am too. I think

this is a bad time of year. My son was doing okay until he came down

with a bad cold and sinus infection last week ,not to mention my

daughter has strep. My son's OCD has come back with a vengeance!!! He

has been whispering to himself again, apologizing to me every

minute,thinking a fork is going to go through him, afraid to eat in

fear of vomitting, seeing things,etc, etc, etc,. I took him to his

psychiatrist again Monday and he had to add Celexa to his Seroquel. I

could just cry, because the Seroquel isn't working anymore for his

thoughts and he is only 6! What is next?

> I really feel your despair! It seems like it never ends! A

different illness is going around the school everyday! I swear this is

what makes our kids OCD so much worse

> I'll say a prayer for you!!!!!!'

> Hugs

> Judy

>

>

[Guest guest]

((((mm))))

I'm sorry the homebound instruction is not going well for you. It's

been hard for Josh to get through his school work lately too. I know

the anxiety and thoughts intrude. I can see it on his face when they

do. I've had to cut his school work back, but I'm encouraging him to

try to get through some of it. It's hard, but I'm thinking he needs

to learn to push through some of it, when possible. This is going to

be something he will most likely cope with for life and pushing

through the tough times is part of coping. Sometimes that is not

possible, but sometimes it is.

I hope something improves for you soon.

BJ

> >

> > I'm feeling a bit foolish tonight that I once again let a good patch

> > lull us into a false feeling of peace. For two months, the anxiety

> > has been gone, . . . The OCD has been quiet. . . We thought we had

> > more of a handle on it than we did before. Then a little cold came

> > and knocked down this house of cards. We've been pushed two steps

> > backwards again.

> >

> > You would think that after riding this roller coaster ride for years

> > that we would have this figured out, but not so. You still get your

> > hopes up when things go well. You start to smile again and feel

> > somewhat normal. And it still has the potential to blindside you.

> My

> > hope is that as he improves with this cold, that the OCD and anxiety

> > will improve too. But, I also know that in the past that hasn't

> > always been the case. Sometimes just the anxiety starting again

> seems

> > to perpetuate itself, and even restored health won't make it stop.

> > Every day we get up hoping that day will be better, but instead it

> has

> > been worse.

> >

> > It's hard to remember to try to be optimistic when you get knocked

> on

> > your behind yet again. It once again makes me wonder if he will

> ever

> > be able to live in the real world.

> >

> > Just feeling a bit beat up tonight. (

> >

> > BJ

> >

>

[Guest guest]

((((mm))))

I'm sorry the homebound instruction is not going well for you. It's

been hard for Josh to get through his school work lately too. I know

the anxiety and thoughts intrude. I can see it on his face when they

do. I've had to cut his school work back, but I'm encouraging him to

try to get through some of it. It's hard, but I'm thinking he needs

to learn to push through some of it, when possible. This is going to

be something he will most likely cope with for life and pushing

through the tough times is part of coping. Sometimes that is not

possible, but sometimes it is.

I hope something improves for you soon.

BJ

> >

> > I'm feeling a bit foolish tonight that I once again let a good patch

> > lull us into a false feeling of peace. For two months, the anxiety

> > has been gone, . . . The OCD has been quiet. . . We thought we had

> > more of a handle on it than we did before. Then a little cold came

> > and knocked down this house of cards. We've been pushed two steps

> > backwards again.

> >

> > You would think that after riding this roller coaster ride for years

> > that we would have this figured out, but not so. You still get your

> > hopes up when things go well. You start to smile again and feel

> > somewhat normal. And it still has the potential to blindside you.

> My

> > hope is that as he improves with this cold, that the OCD and anxiety

> > will improve too. But, I also know that in the past that hasn't

> > always been the case. Sometimes just the anxiety starting again

> seems

> > to perpetuate itself, and even restored health won't make it stop.

> > Every day we get up hoping that day will be better, but instead it

> has

> > been worse.

> >

> > It's hard to remember to try to be optimistic when you get knocked

> on

> > your behind yet again. It once again makes me wonder if he will

> ever

> > be able to live in the real world.

> >

> > Just feeling a bit beat up tonight. (

> >

> > BJ

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Please don't beat yourself up, BJ. I'm really glad you enjoyed the peace for

two months. And it isn't like you could have done anything to keep this from

happening. I'm just so sorry. And I hope with you that maybe this time, the

cold won't completely take him back to old anxieties, but that he will be able

to reason and get a handle on it after he is better. This terrible disorder

denies reason, and you are so right - it is super sneaky. I hate it, hate it,

hate it. Longing for the day when all tears will be wiped away. Can't come

soon enough for me.

Many hugs and best wishes.

I'm so sorry it is one of those crying nights for you.

Leigh Anne

Sneaky OCD

I'm feeling a bit foolish tonight that I once again let a good patch

lull us into a false feeling of peace. For two months, the anxiety

has been gone, . . . The OCD has been quiet. . . We thought we had

more of a handle on it than we did before. Then a little cold came

and knocked down this house of cards. We've been pushed two steps

backwards again.

You would think that after riding this roller coaster ride for years

that we would have this figured out, but not so. You still get your

hopes up when things go well. You start to smile again and feel

somewhat normal. And it still has the potential to blindside you. My

hope is that as he improves with this cold, that the OCD and anxiety

will improve too. But, I also know that in the past that hasn't

always been the case. Sometimes just the anxiety starting again seems

to perpetuate itself, and even restored health won't make it stop.

Every day we get up hoping that day will be better, but instead it has

been worse.

It's hard to remember to try to be optimistic when you get knocked on

your behind yet again. It once again makes me wonder if he will ever

be able to live in the real world.

Just feeling a bit beat up tonight. (

BJ

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

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[Guest guest]

Please don't beat yourself up, BJ. I'm really glad you enjoyed the peace for

two months. And it isn't like you could have done anything to keep this from

happening. I'm just so sorry. And I hope with you that maybe this time, the

cold won't completely take him back to old anxieties, but that he will be able

to reason and get a handle on it after he is better. This terrible disorder

denies reason, and you are so right - it is super sneaky. I hate it, hate it,

hate it. Longing for the day when all tears will be wiped away. Can't come

soon enough for me.

Many hugs and best wishes.

I'm so sorry it is one of those crying nights for you.

Leigh Anne

Sneaky OCD

I'm feeling a bit foolish tonight that I once again let a good patch

lull us into a false feeling of peace. For two months, the anxiety

has been gone, . . . The OCD has been quiet. . . We thought we had

more of a handle on it than we did before. Then a little cold came

and knocked down this house of cards. We've been pushed two steps

backwards again.

You would think that after riding this roller coaster ride for years

that we would have this figured out, but not so. You still get your

hopes up when things go well. You start to smile again and feel

somewhat normal. And it still has the potential to blindside you. My

hope is that as he improves with this cold, that the OCD and anxiety

will improve too. But, I also know that in the past that hasn't

always been the case. Sometimes just the anxiety starting again seems

to perpetuate itself, and even restored health won't make it stop.

Every day we get up hoping that day will be better, but instead it has

been worse.

It's hard to remember to try to be optimistic when you get knocked on

your behind yet again. It once again makes me wonder if he will ever

be able to live in the real world.

Just feeling a bit beat up tonight. (

BJ

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

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Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.

http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

[Guest guest]

Hi Judy,

I just read your response to BJ. Oh it is so hard for all of us, every letter I

read is so familiar, I could have written it myself.

Judy, do you know about the connection between strep and OCD? I am telling you,

from personal experience, that strep is to be taken very seriously if you have a

child with OCD. Our daughter's OCD likely started with strep and we have to be

very careful about strep in the house, as the hospital has told us that her OCD

could get much worse if she gets strep. My son has many allergy problems and

gets sore throats often and everytime he does, our daughter's doctor has us take

him for a strep swab to make sure he doesn't have strep-- which he could pass to

her. It has been a big bother but in fact a couple of times in the past decade

he has had strep, so it was worth it. Good luck, it's hard but we will help

them through it, LA

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

Hi Judy,

I just read your response to BJ. Oh it is so hard for all of us, every letter I

read is so familiar, I could have written it myself.

Judy, do you know about the connection between strep and OCD? I am telling you,

from personal experience, that strep is to be taken very seriously if you have a

child with OCD. Our daughter's OCD likely started with strep and we have to be

very careful about strep in the house, as the hospital has told us that her OCD

could get much worse if she gets strep. My son has many allergy problems and

gets sore throats often and everytime he does, our daughter's doctor has us take

him for a strep swab to make sure he doesn't have strep-- which he could pass to

her. It has been a big bother but in fact a couple of times in the past decade

he has had strep, so it was worth it. Good luck, it's hard but we will help

them through it, LA

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

On this topic, one reason I wondered about PANDAS for was

that his OCD increased with fevers. Some children when sick have

OCD decrease (though maybe they feel too bad to do/think any OC

things). But have since ruled out PANDAS for us. But it has, at

times, taken weeks for OCD to settle back down again after a huge or

any increase due to fever.

>

> Hi Judy,

> I just read your response to BJ. Oh it is so hard for all of us,

every letter I read is so familiar, I could have written it myself.

> Judy, do you know about the connection between strep and OCD? I

am telling you, from personal experience, that strep is to be taken

very seriously if you have a child with OCD. Our daughter's OCD

likely started with strep and we have to be very careful about strep

in the house, as the hospital has told us that her OCD could get

much worse if she gets strep. My son has many allergy problems and

gets sore throats often and everytime he does, our daughter's doctor

has us take him for a strep swab to make sure he doesn't have strep--

which he could pass to her. It has been a big bother but in fact a

couple of times in the past decade he has had strep, so it was worth

it. Good luck, it's hard but we will help them through it, LA

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I am, and always have been very skeptical about my son having PANDAS. He started

with severe abrupt bad thoughts OCD out of the blue one day when he was 4 years

old.He had had a strep throat infection three weeks prior to this. It has been a

nightmare ever since.

When I mentioned this to the psychiatrist several months later, he had my son's

blood drawn and told me the titers were very low so therefore he cannot have

PANDAS.

I was under the assumption they only had to be high during an actual strep

infection. I don't know.

I took him to the ER for a strep test because he had a high fever, and they said

it was negative, that he had a sinus infection, so they gave him Amoxicillin. My

daughter tested positive for strep. I'm very confused right now, seeing my son

is acting very bizzare again with all his nightmarish symptoms. I had to go pick

him up from school.

I wish you luck and hugs

Judy

[Guest guest]

Hi Judy and , I have a feeling as well, that kids with OCD are

somehow more suceptible to strep. We just had a round of strep in the

house, why did my 3 kids with OCD contract strep, but my 13 yr old

got only a sore throat, and my 8 and 5 yr old's got nothing?

I also wonder, though doctors tend to think rheumatic fever is some

sort of arcane illness now b/c of antibiotics, whether kids in

autoimmune/anxiety spectrums are getting it undetected (as a by-

product of strep-where some kids can be carriers or have very mild

symptoms).

Why do so many pepple with anxiety disorders also have suspected

valve problems (like mital valve prolapse or MVP- Rheumatic fever

known to affect valves).

nancy grace

>

> Hi ,

> I am, and always have been very skeptical about my son having

PANDAS. He started with severe abrupt bad thoughts OCD out of the

blue one day when he was 4 years old.He had had a strep throat

infection three weeks prior to this. It has been a nightmare ever

since.

> When I mentioned this to the psychiatrist several months later, he

had my son's blood drawn and told me the titers were very low so

therefore he cannot have PANDAS.

> I was under the assumption they only had to be high during an

actual strep infection. I don't know.

> I took him to the ER for a strep test because he had a high fever,

and they said it was negative, that he had a sinus infection, so they

gave him Amoxicillin. My daughter tested positive for strep. I'm very

confused right now, seeing my son is acting very bizzare again with

all his nightmarish symptoms. I had to go pick him up from school.

> I wish you luck and hugs

> Judy

>

>

[Guest guest]

Okay - I really have to ask.....

What is PANDAS???

All I can reference is those cute bears in China.

Joyce in Seattle

-------------- Original message ----------------------

> On this topic, one reason I wondered about PANDAS for was

> that his OCD increased with fevers. Some children when sick have

> OCD decrease (though maybe they feel too bad to do/think any OC

> things). But have since ruled out PANDAS for us. But it has, at

> times, taken weeks for OCD to settle back down again after a huge or

> any increase due to fever.

>

>

>

>

> >

> > Hi Judy,

> > I just read your response to BJ. Oh it is so hard for all of us,

> every letter I read is so familiar, I could have written it myself.

> > Judy, do you know about the connection between strep and OCD? I

> am telling you, from personal experience, that strep is to be taken

> very seriously if you have a child with OCD. Our daughter's OCD

> likely started with strep and we have to be very careful about strep

> in the house, as the hospital has told us that her OCD could get

> much worse if she gets strep. My son has many allergy problems and

> gets sore throats often and everytime he does, our daughter's doctor

> has us take him for a strep swab to make sure he doesn't have strep--

> which he could pass to her. It has been a big bother but in fact a

> couple of times in the past decade he has had strep, so it was worth

> it. Good luck, it's hard but we will help them through it, LA

>

>

>

>

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> . Subscription issues or suggestions may be addressed to Louis

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>

[Guest guest]

Grace,

How would you even know if your child had a heart condition like that? My dd had

gotten scarlet fever once from untreated and undetected strep. I never knew she

had strep. She had a sore throat for two days than it went away. No fever,

nothing. A few months later she woke up with a full body rash with a high fever.

I took her to the ER, and after they did bloodwork, that's what they said it

was.

Hugs

Judy

[Guest guest]

Because I have MVP, I've done some reading on it. My understanding is

the irregular activity of the heart causes anxiety. I can attest to

that. I get ventricular fibrillation at times that is about as bad as

it gets, although the cardiologist doesn't think it is related to my

MVP. <Shrug> Who knows. At any rate, I had them check our son's

heart for MVP because I wanted to make sure he hadn't inherited it

from me and we were blaming OCD for it. Turned out good, no sign of

valve problems for him.

BJ

> >

> > Hi ,

> > I am, and always have been very skeptical about my son having

> PANDAS. He started with severe abrupt bad thoughts OCD out of the

> blue one day when he was 4 years old.He had had a strep throat

> infection three weeks prior to this. It has been a nightmare ever

> since.

> > When I mentioned this to the psychiatrist several months later, he

> had my son's blood drawn and told me the titers were very low so

> therefore he cannot have PANDAS.

> > I was under the assumption they only had to be high during an

> actual strep infection. I don't know.

> > I took him to the ER for a strep test because he had a high fever,

> and they said it was negative, that he had a sinus infection, so they

> gave him Amoxicillin. My daughter tested positive for strep. I'm very

> confused right now, seeing my son is acting very bizzare again with

> all his nightmarish symptoms. I had to go pick him up from school.

> > I wish you luck and hugs

> > Judy

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi, Judy. If heart valve damage was caused, they can pick it up on an

echocardiogram (that is an ultrasound of the heart). When I took Josh

in to the pediatric cardiologist, he did it right there in the office,

so the office call co-pay covered it.

Hope that helps.

BJ

>

> Grace,

> How would you even know if your child had a heart condition like

that? My dd had gotten scarlet fever once from untreated and

undetected strep. I never knew she had strep. She had a sore throat

for two days than it went away. No fever, nothing. A few months later

she woke up with a full body rash with a high fever. I took her to the

ER, and after they did bloodwork, that's what they said it was.

> Hugs

> Judy

>

>

[Guest guest]

Joyce, here is a website address that explains it better than I can.

http://intramural.nimh.nih.gov/pdn/web.htm

The psychiatrist had Josh checked for it because this kid couldn't get

rid of strep when he was young. He had it for months and went through

numerous antibiotics before he got a clean strep test. It makes on

wonder.

BJ

> > >

> > > Hi Judy,

> > > I just read your response to BJ. Oh it is so hard for all of us,

> > every letter I read is so familiar, I could have written it myself.

> > > Judy, do you know about the connection between strep and OCD? I

> > am telling you, from personal experience, that strep is to be taken

> > very seriously if you have a child with OCD. Our daughter's OCD

> > likely started with strep and we have to be very careful about strep

> > in the house, as the hospital has told us that her OCD could get

> > much worse if she gets strep. My son has many allergy problems and

> > gets sore throats often and everytime he does, our daughter's doctor

> > has us take him for a strep swab to make sure he doesn't have strep--

> > which he could pass to her. It has been a big bother but in fact a

> > couple of times in the past decade he has had strep, so it was worth

> > it. Good luck, it's hard but we will help them through it, LA

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Our list archives, bookmarks, files, and chat feature may be

accessed at:

> > http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group// .

> > Our list advisors are Gail B. ,

Ed.D.(http://www.ocdawareness.com ), Tamar

> > Chansky, Ph.D.( http://www.worrywisekids.org ), Dan Geller, M.D.

> > (http://massgeneral.org/pediatricpsych/staff/geller.html ),Aureen

Pinto Wagner,

> > Ph.D., ( http://www.lighthouse-press.com ). Our list moderators

are

> > Birkhan, Castle, Joye, Kathy Mac, Gail Pesses,

and Kathy

> > . Subscription issues or suggestions may be addressed to

Louis

> > Harkins, list owner, at louisharkins@... , louisharkins@... ,

> > louisharkins@... .

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi Judy, I guess you can't know for sure. And it is not something

doctors look for much, I don't think. But I do wonder if OCD kids could

be more susceptible. You might follow up with an electrocardiogram or

echocardiogram and see if there is a murmur or any abnormality.

Usually a doctor would hear a murmur first and suggest the follow up. I

am not clear on meaning of murmur vs MVP(mitral valve prolapse) or if

they sound different. But murmurs can be pretty common, and without

other frequent symptoms like breathlessness or fibrillations, may be

considered benign.

This happened to me as a child (9 yrs old). My strep was undiagnosed

for a period of over 3 weeks b/c we were actually en-route cross

country at the time moving. I ended up in an unknown hospital on the

way where the doctor said I had strep (so given antibiotics) and a

heart murmur (he also did an electrocardiogram) and he said it " could

be " rheumatic fever. So apparently it is not an entirely objective

diagnosis, one of " suspicion " I guess. So he advised a cardio follow up

once we settled. I actually cannot remember if my parents ever followed

up and I was otherwise very healthy and active (actually ran track and

very athletic). It seemed doctors sometimes heard a murmur and

sometimes did not(in course of visits for check-ups or various). It was

not an issue I raised. I remember another time I ended up in emgcy for

a fall and concussion (in 8th grade) and again the doctor said the

mumur could be a concern. Well what does that really mean, if you start

having chest pains or atrial fibrillation you do something? But

otherwise ignore it? If there is no effect on a daily basis you just

ignore it, it seems (I did often have missed beats-but then so do alot

of people). The only reason I have begun to recall the episode more

seriously is b/c of my recent " mystery " heart attack(s) (i.e. no heart

disease, no risk factors).

I do believe I had a transient case of OCD too around age 9-11 or so.

Sub-clinical I guess, like I see in my " unaffected " kids. Whether it

was triggered by the strep and associated with rheumatic fever, or was

stress of moving, or a two week hospitalization for surgery I had just

prior to the move, I don't know. It just got me to wondering about

OCD/Strep/heart. The difficuly with some medical conditions is they can

appear benigh until something serious happens, in which case there is

not alot of prevention, and maybe it is not worth it to worry oneself

too much ( but a check-up can't hurt).

nancy grace

>

> Grace,

> How would you even know if your child had a heart condition like

that? My dd had gotten scarlet fever once from untreated and undetected

strep. I never knew she had strep. She had a sore throat for two days

than it went away. No fever, nothing. A few months later she woke up

with a full body rash with a high fever. I took her to the ER, and

after they did bloodwork, that's what they said it was.

> Hugs

> Judy

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi. You do not have to have an elevated strep titer to be diagnosed

with PANDAS b/c the titers fall back down to normal after several

weeks. If your sons OCD or tics increase periodically, especially

when he has been exposed to someone with strep, then there is

definitely a possible link. My kids get no physical symptoms with

strep and frwequently test negative, but improve greatly with

antibiotics. A lot of PANDAS kids do this and some theorize they

have strep somewhere else in the body (intestines, sinuses).

Colleen

> > >

> > > Hi ,

> > > I am, and always have been very skeptical about my son having

> > PANDAS. He started with severe abrupt bad thoughts OCD out of the

> > blue one day when he was 4 years old.He had had a strep throat

> > infection three weeks prior to this. It has been a nightmare ever

> > since.

> > > When I mentioned this to the psychiatrist several months later,

he

> > had my son's blood drawn and told me the titers were very low so

> > therefore he cannot have PANDAS.

> > > I was under the assumption they only had to be high during an

> > actual strep infection. I don't know.

> > > I took him to the ER for a strep test because he had a high

fever,

> > and they said it was negative, that he had a sinus infection, so

they

> > gave him Amoxicillin. My daughter tested positive for strep. I'm

very

> > confused right now, seeing my son is acting very bizzare again

with

> > all his nightmarish symptoms. I had to go pick him up from school.

> > > I wish you luck and hugs

> > > Judy

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Grace,

I swear, if it's not one thing it's another. One more thing to worry about! Like

we all need this now!

Thanks so much for your information! I wish these doctors would inform me of

these things! (sigh!!!!)

I get nervous as it is with my daughter on the clonidine to top it off.

Hugs

Judy

[Guest guest]

I find this very interesting, because my older daughter and my husband have

strep right now. My daughter with OCD never ever shows any major symptoms with

strep ,ust a sore throat for a day or two.My older daughter is sick in bed when

she has it so I know she is ill. My son has a fever of 103.6 right now and the

doctor did not test him for strep today.He has OCD also. The doctor said he had

a virus.

Do the titers go down after the symptoms subside , so you never know if it's

PANDAS?

Hugs

Judy