Trichotillomania - something new-ish!

[T_Anna]

So DS is still very stuck in severe OCD. He. Only eats certain foods on certain days (especially Monday thru Friday). Lately he had been picking and twisting his hair, as well as pulling it out. Not sure why this bothers me more than biting finger nails, picking at toe nails or any other of the100 rituals/habits he has, but I find it very troubling.

 

Sorry, just had to vent. I'm just hoping the minocycline keeps improving things (really reduced tic). And maybe the steroid will help too?!

 

 

T.Anna

[3boysmom]

T Anna, I know you are not new to all this, so you have most likely read or even tried NAC already. There was a very reputable research paper written on how NAC really helped people with trichotillomania. Doctor suggested us try it for our DS with his skin picking. Worked great for the skin picking until the Coxsackie virus and the new onset of vocal tics. We stopped everything while looking for the trigger. As he is slowly clearing the Coxsackie titers and improving, he began to " pick" again and Ds asked for us to give him NAC. It seems that NAC increases his vocal tics a bit but has been helping a great deal with the picking. He said that he would rather have tics than picking. The other 2 boys are on NAC as well. One swears it helps his anxiety and the third boy says he isn't biting all the skin off from around his fingers ( still bits his nail though, but MUCH better ). Our school nurse's son is a " picker" and so I told her about NAC and he is much improved!

Blessings,

Linda

[3boysmom]

Double post, sorry

Edited October 3, 2013 by 3boysmom

[T_Anna]

Thanks 3boysmom, we had tried NAC a few times. It did not work for us, DS started to bang his head against the wall when he got frustrated (we had upped it to 4 pills s day). It might be that DS's mutations made it difficult to process. The integrative doctor I saw on Tuesday said that it could have been that the NAC was feeding into his yeast issue.

 

Great suggestion, glad it helps your boys.

 

Last night was a bit better, maybe because he was working on the computer and his hands were busy ; )

 

T.Anna

Edited October 3, 2013 by T.Anna

[momcap]

I don't have an advice, just wanted to commiserate. DS had 2 short bouts with Trichotillomania. The second time he actually picked a bald patch in the back of his head while he was lying in bed. I was horrified. It took a year to grow back! I agree, this one for some reason is so disturbing. Sure he chews his nails so badly they are permanently damaged, but that bald spot was just so horrifying and such a constant and obvious reminder. Hopefully the mino and/or steroids will do the trick before it gets out of hand for your DS.