Re: Re: New to the group 11 (Barb)

[Guest guest]

Hi Barb,

Thanks so much for the response, and the encouragement. We've been a little

worried since the diagnosis 2 weeks ago. Not sure of his future with fighting

both OCD and Tourette Syndrome.

Called a Neuropsychiatrist today, he's going to pull some strings with a

colleague and get us in in December, the new patient wait is 2-3 months!

He mentioned zoloft. I'm guessing we will start there. We tried Clonidine

for the TS, that was a big disaster, as he had a bad reaction to it. Constant

ticcing for 2 days! He was sore and worn out, not to mention scared and

depressed.

I'm a little afraid, messing with brain chemistry is so frightening. I tried

Topamax for migraines and I started hallucinating, cried all the time, fell

apart over Micah's homework..........it was bad. So given my own

experiences I'm a little apprehensive, but he truly needs help. He gets " stuck "

so

easily, and it seems on more and more things.

It used to be just doors/drawers, now its door ways, switches...etc.

tune out time for me....I've recently gotten hooked on desperate housewives.

Id never seen it before, its nice to laugh, my life has become so serious.

Again, Barb thanks so much for your help, valuable information and

encouragement!!

In a message dated 11/1/2008 10:59:33 P.M. Central Standard Time,

barbnesrallah@... writes:

Hi ,

Just wanted to welcome you. You will find many here to relate to and

who will have helpful suggestions and can offer support.

I think others have covered everything really, but just thought I'd

add a bit to the medication piece. While medication is not a cure,

it can make a big difference in terms of intensity of the OCD, so

that they are able to do CBT. The side effects vary and are

individual, and can be different with each medication even though

they basically work to do the same thing. So often a person has to

try out more than one ssri (anti depressant) until one is found to be

helpful. Also, usually a much higher dose is needed than for

depression, and it generally takes up to three months to see the full

effect.

Having said that, many notice an improvement quite rapidly, that was

the case for us. We did go through several trials of medications and

there were difficulties, but in the end it was worth it because it

does help. With regard to suicidal concerns, this can happen, but

you would be watching for this and it reverses when the medication is

stopped. We did go through this on one medication and our son was

able to tell us very clearly how he was feeling and we tapered off

and stopped that med.

Often when starting, increasing and decreasing medication the OCD

will temporarily get worse. As the brain chemistry adjusts things

settle down and generally slowly improve. Since OCD waxes and wanes

it can be difficult to be certain how things are progressing

sometimes, but it is a matter of time and patience - sometimes hard!!!

Being a parent is exhausting, being a parent to a kid with OCD and

whatever else can just completely wring the life out of you and bring

you to your knees wanting it to end. I used to call " uncle " but no

one was listening...one was listening...<WBR>.. I'm sure you are a great

of your own, and as you say it all falls to you. You do the best you

can at any given time, and much of the time it is an impossible task

just to get through the day without losing your mind.

I can assure you I " snapped " in more ways than one many times. At

one point I gave up " trying " to be anything other than I was at any

given time. It is better if you can remain calm for their sake, but

you are only human and it all affects you too. Many people do find

they get to the point that they need some medication to help them

cope.

Do take time for yourself, any way you can, it is essential if you

are going to make it through the marathon that is life with OCD. I

used to " tune out " with escapist novels, I lived on the

Gabaldon series for several months.

I send you hugs!

Barb

Son 17, OCD, LD

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[Guest guest]

Hi Barb,

I guess for now we will just wait.

Now that the Clonidine has worn off the OCD is back to what it was. I didn't

realize that med would make the OCD worse as it also made the tics worse.

Gee after living with severe OCD and tics over the weekend, what he's back to

seems like a breeze!

The Dr that gave us the Clonidine is in KCity, 3 hours away. So I don't

think she will give us anything, since we've told her we need to make his

treatment local. We just cant afford to drive to Kcity all the time. Certainly

not

weekly.

Thanks again Barb for your help, and encouragement.

Mom to Micah 11 (Tourette Syndrome and OCD), 23, 30

And Grandma to Chloe 6, Colton 5, Greta 2, and 3mos.

In a message dated 11/3/2008 8:46:54 P.M. Central Standard Time,

barbnesrallah@... writes:

Hi ,

I'm so glad you will get in to see someone in December. We have very

long waits too, so I know this challenge. I wonder if they can

prescribe the zoloft before you see them, maybe phone your family

doctor, or the one who prescribed the clonodine? Just a thought to

get him started.

I understand your fears and concerns for your son's future, when they

are so bad, and it is all new it's hard to imagine. It's best to go

one day at a time, and take it as is comes, just deal with the

current circumstance and get on track toward management and then

recovery. It does take time, but when they learn to understand the

OCD and how to work with it, or maybe I should say against it(!), it

gets better and easier. It's hard to imagine at the outset of this

illness when it's severe, I remember those times well. There is a

grieving process that goes with this, I found, just letting go of how

you thought things would/should be.

I also understand your concerns around the medications, esp

considering that it did not go well with the clonodine. However, the

medication can really make a difference so it's worth going through

the trial and error to find the " right " one, or combo. Not fun, for

sure, but part of it I'm afraid. Best to go slow and stay low with

the dose. Hope the zoloft is a good pick.

I'm all for " escapist " tv, books, need to get away from the OCD any

way you can.

Barb

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