Agoraphobia

July 28, 1999

In a message dated 7/27/99 11:10:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

lisa86@... writes:

<<

But the very worst is the sweating. I will browse the freezer section for 45

minutes just trying to stop sweating, which never happens. When I get to the

checkout, sweat is literally dripping off my hair and down my neck and face.

The checkout girls look at me pityingly and try to hurry, but I am so

uncomfortable by then that all I can do is hope I get out in time. The fact

that I live a half-hour from the nearest grocery store is the only blessing.

I have time to regain some >>

The sweating is really bad for me also. I wonder if it's a symtom from the

lyme.

July 28, 1999

>From: lisa86@...

>The first part of the reaction is that the very MOMENT I step into the store

>and grab a cart, my intestines start up.

>Anybody else have similar stories?

>

>Noralee

Hi Noralee,

I found the same experience with my intestines.

I have since learned that this entire situation is due to many different

symptoms of Lyme. Most of these are related to the 12 Cranial Nerves and

psychiatric symptoms. I find a lot of relief on somedays when I wear my

special sunglasses indoors. The lights, size, number and kind, cause many

problems. If fluorescent, I can forget staying in the store for very long.

The more lights and movement of people the worse.

I always thought it was agoraphobia until I remember the most significant

incident. I was in Seattle, WA at their dome [name? totally gone]. I

found myself getting dizzy, lost, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, etc. But I

now know that it was because of the awful lights in that place. I can't go

there because of the lights.

Kiana Rossi

mailto:bornfree@...

Northern California

July 13, 2005

my son is the same way, he has gradually gotten better in the past year and

half, but he still has his moments. I just have to talk him through it and we

get by. I wish I could give you really good advice, but it has taken us a year

and half to get past the fit and reassurance stage with it, and now we are

working on getting him over it completely.

July 13, 2005

Don't worry, it will get there. Who knows, your child may go faster at the

progress than mine did, every child is different, thus their rate of progress is

different. There is upsides to this, just know that sometimes there are

backslides and you have to talk them through it. Even though there are times I

would just like to scream! As I am sure we have all felt!

Shamra

July 13, 2005

Thank you - at least you have made some progress. I will be happy to

see a trend in the right direction.

Bonnie

> my son is the same way, he has gradually gotten better in the past

year and

> half, but he still has his moments. I just have to talk him through

it and we

> get by. I wish I could give you really good advice, but it has taken

us a year

> and half to get past the fit and reassurance stage with it, and now

we are

> working on getting him over it completely.

>

July 14, 2005

Hi Bonnie, This might sound silly but I am a mother of a 5 year old with

OCD. I myself have panic attacks but have been fine up until my son gets bad

days and then I get anxious again. Like your son, I am afraid that I will

throw up in public because that I how I feel when I have a panic attack. (I

have

never actually thrown up!) When this feeling comes over me, I sing the

alphabet in my head. By the time I am done, the nausea subsides. You can give

this a try. Also, You can carry a paper bag in your pocket book and let him

know you have it " just in case " . Sometime just knowing this helps. Good luck,

Jodi

July 14, 2005

Hi Bonnie. I can't really help you with the situation, but I wanted to tell

you that I think it is good that you are aware of the problem at such a young

age. Somehow, I didn't realize my daughter's issues were so significant until

she was 12 years old. She had actually gone into therapy for depression and

during this time she had started running out of malls and restaurants in a

panic. During therapy, I found out that my dd had felt sick to her stomach and

would have panic symptoms every time she left the house. This had happened

for so long that she thought everyone experienced this when they left the

house. Though she still has other issues, medication took care of these

symptoms

for her. I still feel bad that I didn't realize this is what she experienced

daily. Good luck to you and your son. Kim

In a message dated 7/13/2005 2:14:59 PM Central Standard Time,

rnmomo2@... writes:

My 6 yr old son has panic attacks whenever we go out and wherever we

go. When in panic mode he constantly asks for reassurance ( " I'm not

going to throw up am I? " ) and cries that he's afraid he's going to be

sick. This is his obsession. Have any of you been through this? Any

ideas or success stories?

Thanks,

Bonnie

July 14, 2005

I hope meds will help your son. My daughter is on the maximum dose of

Zoloft, as well as Seroquel. I think you are right, my daughter probably did

learn

some coping skills. Unfortunately, I think there just came a point, as she

got older, where she just couldn't handle going out anymore. I think that is

when it got so overwhelming that she started fleeing places we took her to.

Though your son is younger, I hope he experiences the relief she did when her

meds kicked in. She couldn't get over the fact that you aren't suppose to feel

sick to leave the house. I hope you see results soon. Kim

In a message dated 7/14/2005 1:47:52 PM Central Standard Time,

rnmomo2@... writes:

My son is only on half of his therapeutic dose of Prozac (just started

meds 2 weeks ago), and I am hoping that this will help. I am so

afraid of the school year starting.

Even though you didn't realize what was happening to your daughter

when she was younger, I bet that she got something good out of going

places anyway. Even though we try and fail, I bet there is something

(coping skills) gained in the struggle that is not all bad.

Until his medication begins to help, we limit outings to necessary

ones and try to figure out what works without too much trauma.

July 14, 2005

Thanks for your post.

My son is only on half of his therapeutic dose of Prozac (just started

meds 2 weeks ago), and I am hoping that this will help. I am so

afraid of the school year starting.

Even though you didn't realize what was happening to your daughter

when she was younger, I bet that she got something good out of going

places anyway. Even though we try and fail, I bet there is something

(coping skills) gained in the struggle that is not all bad.

Until his medication begins to help, we limit outings to necessary

ones and try to figure out what works without too much trauma.

Bonnie

>

> Hi Bonnie. I can't really help you with the situation, but I wanted

to tell

> you that I think it is good that you are aware of the problem at

such a young

> age. Somehow, I didn't realize my daughter's issues were so

significant until

> she was 12 years old. She had actually gone into therapy for

depression and

> during this time she had started running out of malls and

restaurants in a

> panic. During therapy, I found out that my dd had felt sick to her

stomach and

> would have panic symptoms every time she left the house. This had

happened

> for so long that she thought everyone experienced this when they

left the

> house. Though she still has other issues, medication took care of

these symptoms

> for her. I still feel bad that I didn't realize this is what she

experienced

> daily. Good luck to you and your son. Kim

>

> In a message dated 7/13/2005 2:14:59 PM Central Standard Time,

> rnmomo2@y... writes:

>

> My 6 yr old son has panic attacks whenever we go out and wherever we

> go. When in panic mode he constantly asks for reassurance ( " I'm not

> going to throw up am I? " ) and cries that he's afraid he's going to be

> sick. This is his obsession. Have any of you been through this? Any

> ideas or success stories?

> Thanks,

> Bonnie

>

July 14, 2005

Thanks, I will try this!

> Hi Bonnie, This might sound silly but I am a mother of a 5 year old

with

> OCD. I myself have panic attacks but have been fine up until my son

gets bad

> days and then I get anxious again. Like your son, I am afraid that

I will

> throw up in public because that I how I feel when I have a panic

attack. (I have

> never actually thrown up!) When this feeling comes over me, I sing

the

> alphabet in my head. By the time I am done, the nausea subsides.

You can give

> this a try. Also, You can carry a paper bag in your pocket book

and let him

> know you have it " just in case " . Sometime just knowing this helps.

Good luck,

> Jodi

>

July 14, 2005

Thanks, I will try this!

> Hi Bonnie, This might sound silly but I am a mother of a 5 year old

with

> OCD. I myself have panic attacks but have been fine up until my son

gets bad

> days and then I get anxious again. Like your son, I am afraid that

I will

> throw up in public because that I how I feel when I have a panic

attack. (I have

> never actually thrown up!) When this feeling comes over me, I sing

the

> alphabet in my head. By the time I am done, the nausea subsides.

You can give

> this a try. Also, You can carry a paper bag in your pocket book

and let him

> know you have it " just in case " . Sometime just knowing this helps.

Good luck,

> Jodi

>

July 15, 2005

Hi Bonnie, getting your son used to the idea that yes, he might throw up is

the way to reduce and eliminate this obsessive worry and the compulsion of

asking you for reassurance that he won't.

All of us would rather not throw up, but people around the world do every

day and live to tell about it. Though unpleasant, it is not the catastrophe

that your child's obsession and anxiety have caused him to perceive it as.

Some ERP ideas would be to start low and slow--maybe just talking about the

possibility of throwing up, drawing pictures or writing a story where he

does throw up while out, reading a book or watching a movie where a

character throws up, talking about the last time he did throw up, what

happened, how he felt, etc. The more he is exposed to the idea that he may

vomit, the lower his anxiety about it will rise each time.

My child had this obsessive fear for quite awhile, but it faded quickly

after she caught the flu and did actually throw up. This I guess functioned

as a flooding-type exposure, but she has not worried about throwing up

since.

Take care,

Kathy R. in Indiana

----- Original Message -----

From: " rnmomo2 " <rnmomo2@...>

> My 6 yr old son has panic attacks whenever we go out and wherever we

> go. When in panic mode he constantly asks for reassurance ( " I'm not

> going to throw up am I? " ) and cries that he's afraid he's going to be

> sick. This is his obsession. Have any of you been through this? Any

> ideas or success stories?

> Thanks,

> Bonnie

July 15, 2005