It may be that she has *too* much empathy. That she feels *too* much when she sees people that are different enough to trigger these feelings for her. Just as there are things I've learned to avoid because they trigger issues for me regarding my anxiety these may be triggers for her OCD so she avoids them. Just like not being able to let the shower run on her head and face...it triggers panic for her and she's never been able to overcome that. I've overcome much of what triggers anxiety for me. I'm talking about extreme anxiety which verges on panic. I've been blessed in that I've never had a full blown panic attack. The worst I experienced was physical symptoms of shortness of breath, asthma type attacks along with extreme fear. And I don't have asthma. I also seem to have a type of OCD but it's with thoughts I can't get rid of. Repeating thoughts and such. It's difficult to get away from that. It takes time and training myself how to turn those thoughts into something different or off altogether. Someone with full-blown OCD does not have that kind of control. If they did they wouldn't have OCD.

Even having the anxiety issues and such that I've had I have problems with other people with anxiety issues because what triggers for them may not trigger for me and I sometimes have a hard time understanding *their* triggers. It's like I can't understand why they would be afraid of *that*! But that's the nature of these problems. And why it's even harder for someone that has *no* problems with anxiety and deprssesion to understand that telling us to just get over it doesn't work. It's far from that simple. At least experienceing anxiety I can look at another person and even if I can't relate to exactly what triggers attacks for them I can understand that the fear and panic is real. At that point it no longer matters what the trigger is. I can and do relate to their fears. But for someone that's never experienced any of this it's impossible for them to have any understanding.

The bottom line for OCD, anxiety and other disorders is they *don't* make sense. Even to those of us that suffer from them. It just is.

That's very true about people with OCD. I deal with a lot of kids with OCD at school, in my Life Skills classroom. It seems lots of kids with mental problems have OCD also. It's very difficult for the person who has it and for those who have to deal with that person. There's medication for OCD but it doesn't totally help....just calms down the disorder a bit.
I hate dealing with mean people and those who don't want to understand disabilities. I'm like Mel, I speak up if I see someone being mean to someone else, esp. if they have a disability!

Hi.

I am severely dental phobic, have been all my life. I have only had one panic attack in my life. I was 22, sitting in the dentist's chair and he had to take two temporary crowns out of my mouth and put the two permanent crowns in. He starts to numb my two front teeth. I looked at him like he lost his marbles and I said "you do know that you have to put me to sleep for this don't you??", He looked at me like I was bonkers and said "are you crazy, I'm just pulling off two temps and putting on the two permanents". I said 'unless you want me to go nuts in this chair, you have to put me out (I know me, believe me, I know me).

So he very nicely said "I'll give you nitrous oxide". Now, I've never had nitrous oxide in my life, but this guy said "you won't know what's happening to you". I trusted him, he puts the mask on me, the gas starts to go into my face, (he's telling me "breathe deeply, you're fine"), Well, guess what?? I was not fine. I had a full blown panic attack right there in the chair. My whole body went completely numb and I started hyperventilating, screaming, yelling, whatever happens during a panic attack. It seems that my fears got the better of me, my body went numb and my brain went into overdrive. Scared the dentist out of his chair. He sighed and then said to his assistant "get the anaesthesiologist, we have to put her out'.

This happened almost 40 years ago. I now have a phobia dentist who works with me. It's all about who you trust and who's hands you put your life in. I can trust this dentist.

I will never forget that day if I live to be 100 years old.

Phobias, OCD, panic attacks. No fun at all!!!

Melody

Did the afteraffects of the infusion go away yet? Your body should be getting used to getting them by now - I would definatley contact your nurologist about whats going on - as mentioned - you may need a different type or different dose....

I had of new brand if IVIG this past week - and started getting real sick the minute they started infusing it - that was Wednesday - they only got thru a quarter of it - stopping three times to get to that point - and am still feeling very bad - have orders from the neruo to go to ER if they continue... your neruo really needs to know what is happening... hope you are feeling better by now!

HI,
I finally started feeling better last night. I felt like death warmed over! I ached, my head hurt, felt weak and just felt fluish. I'm going to call my dr. on Monday and tell him I'm having terrible after effects of the IVIG. I started feeling bad about 2 hrs after the infusion was over with. and then it lasted for 48 hrs. I'm sure glad I feel better today!
Sounds like you had a terrible experience with the brand you used last. I guess everyone reacts differently with that stuff. Glad you are doing better now.

Gosh Mel that must have been dreadful! I'm glad you found a dentist who will work with you now.
My son has a dentist phobia too and it's been very difficult for him and he's 32 now. He waits and waits till he is in major pain before he'll finally go to a dentist for dental work.
I have 2 good friends who have panic attacks and it's just awful for them. The one friend gets panicy if he has to drive over bridges or if there's lots of cars around his car. His dr. put him on some medication and he's doing much better now, but it happens every so often. His job requires him to drive a lot so it's very difficult for him.

Roxie:

I have found dentists for people as far away as Ireland.
I go on the dental phobia forums.

It's good to help others. And to wait until you are in major pain... well, no one should ever have to live like that. I know because I did, for many years.

And I'm glad your IVIG stuff is wearing away. We want you to feel GOOD ABOUT IVIG!!!

lol
Melody

I'm trying to catch up so escue if i do moore messing up,i know there is
a awful fly going around in Mo, and Mi. Since i never experienced what
your going through,i wonder if you might have both, I though you would
get better with our infunsion not worst.

I got my SSSI in a year,i know it surprised me as well,perhaps Because i
have a smart son and the help of my husband. Or i just got lucky but i
do know it took my husband far longer than i and he had to get a lawyer
and was turned down,far 2 many times and he was sick.

Now panic,anexity attacks my mom said i was born with them and my
dad was sweet just tried to help me through them. So poor man had
to take me to everything, he would say Sue you must walk through this
he was so calm so gentle,i would be able to do it. Many years later my
Grandmother told me he had them,i must say i was surprised. Although
i am able to help other's. I can help anyone go to a dentiat,but going to
one terrifieds me. Just like with this experience with my son in Mn.
i honestly thought i was having a heartattack.but if i was there to help
i would of been fine, Today while watching that President i got a massive
panic attack or maybe it's how he speake's false word's it is heartburn i'm
getting. And he always seems to dress the part,it's amazing and sad. Sue
attack,how easy he seems to speck false words,maybe that's just

I often feel when people say hurtful things it is to cover up there own issues. Its still hurts but to realise its not your fault and you can't change others just use your voice. I suffered and still have issues like I said with ocd to where I would wash my hands till they blead,anxiety to where I would leave the house rarely,severe depression and once tried to commit suicide though would never again and of course the anorexia. Anyhow I know I must sound like a nut but its been almost a year and half of recovery and I can say I have thoughts,anxiety,depression but I work through it rather then it take over. I thing a huge factor of getting through is facing the fears and doing it over and over till it becomes a healthy habit. For the start of my recovery I would have to plan outings and a schedule to get out,a food plan to follow,and not allow myself to wash my hands or check things. Really I thought I would die at first there was days of crying,anger,shaking in fear but as I saw nothing" bad" happened it got easier. Everyone has fears in life but learning to not let it take over and hurt you mentally and physically.
Now onto the disability I do know that when I was in Ca in treatment for a mental issue I was a fgiven a form how I could not be fired from my job cause it was under the mental health act. I had friends there that had been on disability for like a year. I do think a lot is luck if you get that. I mean why would a 25 year old who though suffered from bulimia and severe depression get it but a 60 year old person with a long list of health issues not? I had friends who had months of coverage at the clinic and I had a to pay 1000 a day. The system is not fair. I really think it needs a major overhall.

Its called socialized Medicine (Brits/Canadians/Danes/Swedes & a long list of others) but It'll never happen in a Republican administration. Not ever under them. War economies and big business (can you say "the insurance industry"?) are what they are for. Socialize3d medicine would put health insurers out of business- can't let the ins. cos stop piling on -the billions of $ in profit. Drug Co's too!