As of Saturday, difficult child is OFF medications (unless you count vitamin B2 as a medication - he gets 50 mg each morning to prevent migranes).
I gave him the choice of having Saturday or yesterday be his last day of 10mg Fluoxetine. The doctor had said off medications on Dec 15th. difficult child chose Saturday.
Today as I was going through some old papers, I came across the journal I kept on difficult child last December. Wow - thoughts of killing me, nightmares, feeling evil, suicidal (though I think they were more self harm based on the plans), seeing spots, headaches, plotting revenges, etc. etc. We were in a nightmare for sure.
He has come so far in the right direction. Now the true test starts. It can take up to 25 days for the fluoxetine to be totally out of his system.
He has shown minimal anxiety as he was being weened but nothing he could not handle on his own. He even remembered to breath not too long ago during math when he became anxious. He said it went away right away when he started his breathing exercise.
I know his anxiety is still there. I see its shadow every once in awhile waiting to pounce. I hope difficult child can keep his tools at ready to ward off any attacks. But if not, atleast I will know to recognize it and get help before it goes so deep again.
With his choice of having Saturday as the last day shows me that he is ready to take this next step. He as a little uncertain 3 weeks ago when he asked to stay on that level for longer but relaxed when I told him we had three weeks to make the decision to continue going off or to stay on 10 mg every other day or to increase.
I gave him the choice of having Saturday or yesterday be his last day of 10mg Fluoxetine. The doctor had said off medications on Dec 15th. difficult child chose Saturday.
Today as I was going through some old papers, I came across the journal I kept on difficult child last December. Wow - thoughts of killing me, nightmares, feeling evil, suicidal (though I think they were more self harm based on the plans), seeing spots, headaches, plotting revenges, etc. etc. We were in a nightmare for sure.
He has come so far in the right direction. Now the true test starts. It can take up to 25 days for the fluoxetine to be totally out of his system.
He has shown minimal anxiety as he was being weened but nothing he could not handle on his own. He even remembered to breath not too long ago during math when he became anxious. He said it went away right away when he started his breathing exercise.
I know his anxiety is still there. I see its shadow every once in awhile waiting to pounce. I hope difficult child can keep his tools at ready to ward off any attacks. But if not, atleast I will know to recognize it and get help before it goes so deep again.
With his choice of having Saturday as the last day shows me that he is ready to take this next step. He as a little uncertain 3 weeks ago when he asked to stay on that level for longer but relaxed when I told him we had three weeks to make the decision to continue going off or to stay on 10 mg every other day or to increase.
I'm raising a glass to difficult child... how far he has come since you first came here! I pray that he continues to build on his successes.
