Could a new prescription of Prozac have a part in this new behavior?

[Josie]

So, I have discovered that at least twice, difficult child said she was sleeping over at a friend's house and she was off with a boy. I am wondering where she actually slept, because it sounds like they just went to some parties. This boy is in high school, too, I think. I have never actually met him. So upsetting! We would have let her go out with the boy if she had asked, but no, she thinks she has to go be out all night.

She just started taking Prozac in June. Before that, she was not taking any psychiatric medications. She has seemed happier and has gone out more which I thought was a good thing. Now that I am founding out what she has been doing, I am not so happy. Could the Prozac be sending her into a manic state and that is driving all of this risky behavior? Any thoughts on this? Our therapist says no, she thinks difficult child is just "reaching out" more and this is what teens do.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Our therapist says no, she thinks difficult child is just "reaching out" more and this is what teens do.

skip the therapist... they don't know medications.
psychiatrist... needs to be driving this.
And my take? For "neurotypical" people, you would be unlikely to get this reaction. But if she is undiagnosed Bipolar, for example, then this medication is NOT what you want.

I'm assuming it's a psychiatrist who prescribed. If not... you need a psychiatrist!

 

[Josie]

It was a PCP who prescribed it. I thought this would be a relatively straightforward thing. Now, I am wondering.

When she was younger, I thought she was bipolar, but I haven't thought that for years. Her psychiatrist at the time did not think so and neither did a second opinion psychiatrist. She does seem to have depression.

If I tell a PCP or a psychiatrist about her drug use, is there any concern about legal trouble then? I am thinking they must have to keep that confidential, but does anyone know for sure?

 

[InsaneCdn]

street drug use? could there be interactions between those and Prozac?

 

[Josie]

I guess I am wondering if the Prozac could have made her more impulsive and risk-taking. She has started doing street drugs, including LSD and Ecstasy, that I know of, along with alcohol. I don't think she did any of this until the last month or so.

I have read that Prozac interferes with the effects of LSD, making it weaker. I have found a bunch of untaken Prozac pills in her room.

 

[toughlovin]

I dont have any answers for you but I think the right combo of medications can help some with the impulsivity. My son is on prozac as well and I think it helps a bit with that.

The thing is if she is taking drugs they interfere with the prescribed medications so it is really hard to get a good read on the medications if they are using other stuff at the same time. Plus it can just be more dangerous.

I would definitely tell the docs about her drug use for that reason.... they need to understand what she may be mixing stuff with and some stuff they may not prescribe. I think the docs are bound by confidentiality laws and so I dont think they can or would report anything to law enforcement.

TL

 

[BusynMember]

I guess I am wondering if the Prozac could have made her more impulsive and risk-taking. She has started doing street drugs, including LSD and Ecstasy, that I know of, along with alcohol. I don't think she did any of this until the last month or so.

I have read that Prozac interferes with the effects of LSD, making it weaker. I have found a bunch of untaken Prozac pills in her room.

She isn't taking Prozac if you found it. But if she was, it can make you manic. It made three people in my family a little crazy, including me. If she is mixing it with recreational drugs, there are obviously interactions. Also drugs don't always do what they are supposed to do and you can have paradoxical effects from them. But...again...if she isn't really taking her Prozac then Prozac wouldn't be a factor. Other drugs you may not know about could plus any sort of drug use causes defiance as they find llike-minded drug using friends who also don't listen to their parents. The risky behavior goes along with the illegal/dangerous drug use. They go together.

We parents usually find out about drug use way after the fact. I thought my daughter had started at fifteen when we first caught her smoking pot. In fact, now that she is clean, she has told us she started smoking pot at twelve and by fifteen she was doing anything and everything.

I would fire the therapist. This is NOT what all teens do. We had some goofy tdocs for our daughter as well. One told us we needed to trust her more. Oh, really? Every thing she ever said to us while she was using drugs was a lie and we should trust her more???

 

[Signorina]

Please get her into counseling. Acting out sexually combined with new risky behavior can often be the result of trauma. And, yes it could be a mental health issue or the Prozac . Either way, she should see a therapist. I hope you find answers soon.

 

[dstc_99]

Tell the doctor even if he does report it the worst that can happen is you get help and she faces reality.

*I hate when PCP's prescribe they don't really know much about what they are doing with psychiatric medications and most will admit that after trying the basics they are no help.