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Is OCD the last to go?


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I have my girl on bactrim, mino, and valtrex. I am seeing some improvement with insomnia, focus, and agitation but the OCD is always there and seems to get even worse. Does it just take a longer time to see any improvement with it? Have you added anything to the antibiotics to help with the OCD. She really needs help since obsessions/anxiety are getting worse. Thanks

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Is your DD getting any therapy for the OCD? CBT or ERP?

 

Yes, OCD can be very sticky, especially in our kids, I think, because we're working so hard to address the variety of comorbid behaviors and health issues, so sometimes we wind up accommodating their obsessions and compulsions in the interest of maintaining some level of calm and sanity!

 

I would try to find a therapist familiar with exposure response prevention (ERP) therapy in your area; this kind of support can make a world of difference in your child's ability to shed the OCD behaviors.

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In our house, we are wondering about OCD being stimulated/exacerbated by yeast, as the OCD seems to get even worse while taking antibiotics. I don't understand what the mechanism would be, but I read bits here and there indicating that this may be a possibility. (For example, we know for sure that our son reacts negatively to s. boulardii.) Now we are trying nystatin and slowly building up Enhansa.

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We found OCD the predominant and also the last lingering symptom, although physical symptoms emerged as treatment progressed. The most effective treatments we had for OCD were focused on babesia, (although it was only a clinical diagnosis for those years, we only got a positive babesia test after 4 years of treatment!)

Very aggressive babesia treatment including lariam, malarone, and mepron, and herbals such as artemisinen, A-Bab, and cryptolepis, were all key factors in reducing OCD symptoms. Of course there was the herx and flare at first..

Although bartonella is usually blamed for OCD, I believe babesia plays a huge role as well.

 

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OCD is often the last lingering symptom for many kids because their OCD rituals, compulsions, etc...have become engrained. Like MomwithOCDson suggested, it might be time for therapy. We found that with our son especially, because he was so young at onset, all other symptoms would significantly improve/resolve within a few weeks of changing up abx with a new strep infection - but the OCD seemed to linger.

 

We started therapy and our first therapist (who was awesome, so sad she got married and moved away) pointed out that not only were we accommodating his OCD (which is often the case to maintain sanity) but in young children especially it can become their "normal". For example, you don't think about washing your hands after using the restroom, it's just something you do because you ALWAYS do it. Same thing for the OCD. Having to line up your trains before leaving the room isn't any big deal because it's just what you ALWAYS do when you leave a room.

 

She gave me an analogy that really resonated with me on the whole "residual OCD" concept. When someone gets a severe injury, they use pain killers to help with the pain. As time goes on, they grow dependent on the pain killers because they remember how awful they felt when they don't take them, and taking them makes them feel good. Eventually it becomes a never ending cycle and you have an addict. Same thing with PANDAS and OCD in young kids. I may have to touch the light switch 3 times before leaving a room when I'm in the midst of a flare because if I don't I have terrible anxiety and worry about whatever crazy thing my OCD is telling me. Once I'm past the flare, I still will continue to touch the light switch 3 times because I remember how awful it was not to, I no longer have the same fears and worries about whatever crazy thing my OCD was telling me before, but now I just don't want to feel "bad" so I'll just continue to touch the light switch.

 

It made a lot of sense to me. And CBT/ERP therapy has really helped both of my kids in the long run. It helps with the residual OCD like I mentioned, it helps my husband and I react/respond better when OCD is in control, and it gave my kids a vocabulary and tools to use even in the midst of bad flares that have helped them maintain functionality. It's hard work, and torture for us parents because part of it is letting your child feel the anxiety and have the meltdown so they can learn that they can come out of it, but it has been worth it for us.

Edited by airial95
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I don't think bactrim would treat babesia - since it is a protozoa, things that are anti-malarials, like mepron, malarone, lariam, and also certain herbals like artemisinan, A-Bab, Bab-1, Bab-2 - I'm sure there are others we haven't been on yet.

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