Cutting as a symptom

[KaraM]

Hi,

 

Was talking with an old friend last night whose teenage daughter's personality "changed" about two years ago. In addition to depression, she started cutting herself.

I thought I read somewhere that cutting was related to OCD, but can't seem to find that info anywhere now. Anyway, I was just curious if anyone experienced this or other self mutilation behaviors with their Lyme & Co child or if anyone can point me to some info they've come across.

 

I've been googling for 20 minutes or so and have searched this and the Lyme forum, but now luck.

 

Will post this on the PANDAS forum, too.

 

Thanks,

Kara

[JuliaFaith]

Have heard that there is a reason for it and should not ask them to stop. Ya, counter-intuitive. Would seek out a psych. that is knowledgeable about it. Also would insist that person get blood tests for drug usage, i.e., pain killers, cocaine, marijuana, heroin etc.

 

Just a few ideas that I learned at a conference.

[KaraM]

Thanks for your reply.

 

She is seeing a psych and was just put on a generic form of Prozac...her mother has researched a lot and they've both done support groups. I was just wondering whether there could be a connection to an infection, like Lyme, PANS, PANDAS and if anyone's child had these symptoms and they resolved after treating the LYme/PANS..Because that angle has not been explored.

 

Have heard that there is a reason for it and should not ask them to stop. Ya, counter-intuitive. Would seek out a psych. that is knowledgeable about it. Also would insist that person get blood tests for drug usage, i.e., pain killers, cocaine, marijuana, heroin etc.

 

Just a few ideas that I learned at a conference.

[tpotter]

Hi,

 

Was talking with an old friend last night whose teenage daughter's personality "changed" about two years ago. In addition to depression, she started cutting herself.

I thought I read somewhere that cutting was related to OCD, but can't seem to find that info anywhere now. Anyway, I was just curious if anyone experienced this or other self mutilation behaviors with their Lyme & Co child or if anyone can point me to some info they've come across.

 

I've been googling for 20 minutes or so and have searched this and the Lyme forum, but now luck.

 

Will post this on the PANDAS forum, too.

 

Thanks,

Kara

 

 

Sounds very much like it could be OCD to me. I would also definitely get blood testing for infections (strep, mycoP, lyme, viruses,) at the least.

[momcap]

Hi,

 

Was talking with an old friend last night whose teenage daughter's personality "changed" about two years ago. In addition to depression, she started cutting herself.

I thought I read somewhere that cutting was related to OCD, but can't seem to find that info anywhere now. Anyway, I was just curious if anyone experienced this or other self mutilation behaviors with their Lyme & Co child or if anyone can point me to some info they've come across.

 

I've been googling for 20 minutes or so and have searched this and the Lyme forum, but now luck.

 

Will post this on the PANDAS forum, too.

 

Thanks,

Kara

 

When DS was a toddler he had symptoms of PANDAS. We didn't know it then, but in retrospect it is obvious. For example he would only wear green clothing when he was 15 months old (!!!). If I tried to put any other colour on him he would fuss and fight, and end up ripping it off. He would pull open the bottom drawers on his dresser and bring me anything green he could find. But it wasn't until self-harming behaviours started at the age of 3 that I realized something was seriously wrong. He would slam his head repeatedly on the wall, and leave bite marks on his own arms. These behaviours went away immediately with antibiotics.

 

It wouldn't surprise me at all if cutting was a symptom connected to infection.

[Hopeny]

As far as I understand, cutting is a ritual (as in OCD). However that said obviously it is extremely serious and complex, it seems like it would make sense for a full medical workup to explore any medical sources of a problem concurrent with the treatment.

[FallingApart]

i know this isn't identical, but DD can't stop picking. she has scabs and scars ALL OVER her body. She aslo picks her nose until she gets 20 min nosebleeds with huge clots coming out. It irritates me like fingernails on a chalkboard, but I do believe it is OCD. I have a very select remedies that I can use to help with this, but they aren't very effective. Just chiming in to say that it does sound like OCD.

[NancyD]

Picking is also part of OCD. My DD tries to substitute chewing gum or rubbing a worry stone so she doesn't pick her lip or fingers.

[rowingmom]

Picking is also part of OCD. My DD tries to substitute chewing gum or rubbing a worry stone so she doesn't pick her lip or fingers.

 

Interesting - DD11 tears her finger cuticles and then squeezes them until the blood wells out. She tears her toenails as well and there is a fair amout of nose picking (especially during a tic flare), the lips seem to be fine. I have always thought it was a bored kid thing. I have always noticed when her tic symptoms flare, but have noticed little OCD in her behaviour - other than drawing the same stick figure girl over and over and over (this type of drawing has decreased a lot with treatment). I will keep and eye out for this.

Edited October 21, 2012 by rowingmom

[FallingApart]

So, if these are OCD, which I clearly believe they are, does anyone have a supplement that they have seen help this? I give magnesium and some homeopathic liver and lymph drainage drops. Usually I see some benefit in this. But I am curious if anyone else has a trick up their sleeve.