difficult child forced to SSRIs, he is quite upset

SuZir

Well-Known Member
difficult child had his psychiatrist appointment today and she insisted he would try SSRIs. difficult child has an understanding that he has no choice but comply even though he is very upset about it. He was prescribed sertraline 50 mg a day.

He has been very wary of SSRIs and because of that he 'was given a chance to show' he can do without. And now he feels like a total failure. It's not any more even about being scared of side effects, that of course is part of it, but somehow he has ended up thinking that he is a total looser if he has to take SSRIs. He also doesn't like that he feels he has no choice in the matter.

He is not being rational and I guess part of it is, that he would so much want to be like others and accepting his challenges is very hard for him. And he had made SSRIs much bigger issue in his head than they really are. I tried to point out to him that he most likely does know many 'just normal' people who are using SSRIs. I think our current ratio is something like 7 % of population being on them. He certainly isn't the only one.

And let's face it, I can see why his psychiatrist things he needs them. He showed me some of his 'paperwork.' His self reported daily anxiety figures have been really high, so have his 'irritability index' his trainers estimate, the physical things they record imply to very high stress, his sleeping diary is miserable, Ambien use been high, apparently his executive skills have backslidden etc. Of course part of it could have been corrected by just season ending and sport stress getting less. But then again his possible transfer is not making things stress free for him this off season. And if new medications with potential side effects have to be tried, it's much better to do so off season.

I can see all that but I also feel bad for him being so disappointed on himself and also hate that he feels so overrun by his doctors and feels that his opinion doesn't matter.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
Sometimes... they have to see success, to come on-side. Maybe that's what the psychiatrist is hoping for? That if difficult child can SEE and FEEL results from these medications, then he won't fight against them so much?

WHEN they work... it can be a huge help.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
I don't understand SSRIs for depersonaliztion/derealization. Many times SSRIs make people MORE nervous...they are not necessarily calming, although if he is lucky and hits the right one immediately, they could be. They do take up to six weeks for full effect. But, frankly, a few have made me extra nervous and Sonic and Julie as well so keep a close eye on him and believe him if he says he is even more jittery. I don't like him being forced to take anything, and, yes, I understand feeling like a failure since he was prescribed medications, although it really doesn't make much sense. If he had diabetes he would take the insulin and not feel badly. But I was like your son. The first time I had to just see a psychiatrist I thought, "That's it. I knew it. I'm crazy." And it took a while to wear off.

I wish him all the best. I am not sure what his medication is called in the US. I just hope it helps him.
 

buddy

New Member
Poor guy. Many of them do also help anxiety in some people. Finding the right one, if there is a right one, can be so frustrating.

Since I know very few people who have not tried or been on then, including kids in my family, it seems almost not a big issue,.but of course it is. I was on them for many years and so grateful. It would be such a blessing if it could help. But how can it if he is determined it won't?

He has so much he is working through I bet this is just really hard on top of that. And for him, feeling powerless has to be far more of a trigger than i could ever understand.....I am sorry for your mommy heart. It must be awful to see him suffer so much.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
buddy...if the medication is going to work it will work, even if he has a bad attitude about it. When I was given paroxatene (about my tenth antidepressant) I was positive it wouldn't work. Guess what? it did!!! It is STILL working.

If he gets the right SSRI and if SSRIs are going to work for him, they are magic. So it could go either way. I just wanted Suz to be aware that many people also have negative effects while taking them and since her son has depersonalization/derealization...not quite sure that's the right medication for him, but I'm not the doctor either. I didn't mean he wouldn't get help from it. Just meant...there is no way to tell. Probably a 50/50 crapshaat...it can maybe work really well and maybe make him worse.I hope it helps him bunches.
And I don't think anyone should be forced to take medication if they don't want to. Psychiatric medications are so NOT scientific that I think it really should be up to each person....
Buddy, you always spin so much compassion into your posts :) Q. is a lucky boy.
 

buddy

New Member
I realize it will work, the question is if he will admit or accept that it works. If he is so against it, just like many people he could think he doesn't need it. I didn't say it well though...sorry :)

Thanks mwm.....This boy really has had a long life for one so young, right?
 

recoveringenabler

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Poor kid, it's tough to be different when you're so young, I can understand how he feels...............of course it hurts your heart too.............you've all been struggling lately, I hope this brings him some relief in spite of his feelings and therefore some peace of mind to you too........hugs............
 

SuZir

Well-Known Member
This far difficult child has done rather well in being objective with medications he has tried. With BuSpar he hasn't had much of the feeling that it would had done anything, but he is willing to believe his own and others notes that clearly showed it did help. Just now it just not doing enough and that is why sertraline (MWM, I think the well known brand name is Zoloft also in USA) was added. His psychiatrist is certainly following a treatment protocol, can't fault her for that. Though she apparently said she would not like to prescribe difficult child paroxetine because her experience is that especially young men tend to hate it and it is hard to get off from. And she had also said difficult child that it wouldn't be the best fit with difficult child's lifestyle, apparently for example many have to take it very same time every day etc. If sertraline isn't a match she wants to try some other SSRI instead even though sertraline and paroxetine are best studied for difficult child's condition. As you notice difficult child was much more talkative when he came home yesterday evening. frustrated and moody, but talking, so that is certainly better than just 'same old #@¤§!" from earlier.

MWM: While those depersonalization and derealization symptoms are extremely freaky, for difficult child they are considered to be just symptoms of his main condition, PTSD. If you have a nail in your head, you don't just take Tylenol even though headache may be your most aggravating symptom, you have to do something to a nail. Same here. The main problem is PTSD and that is what is mainly treated. With PTSD therapy (trauma centric CBT's being the number one option) is first line of treatment. If that is not enough or working fast enough, first line drug treatment are SSRIs (sertraline and paroxetine being most studied and approved for PTSD) and BuSpar. As you likely notice ;) I have been reading a lot about the topic. It seems difficult child's psychiatrist is certainly going by the book with difficult child.

If difficult child is to sabotage this medication trial he is likely to do it with not taking his medication (and lying about it) or taking it every now and then and 'forgetting' it rest of the time. That is very much of his usual MO. If he actually takes it diligently, his way of thinking is more on the lines that it better also work, so I don't think he would undermine possible positive effects purposely. And the anxiety and sleeping diaries, heart rate monitoring etc. are probably likely to make unconscious psychosomatic sabotage little less likely. Of course he could also fake side effects, but that would just move him to next SSRI and he knows that.

He did have his therapist appointment yesterday after psychiatrist appointment and from what difficult child said I do believe he made some kind of a deal with therapist about the medications. Hopefully he does honour that.
 
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SuZir

Well-Known Member
I think I don't give him enough credit on how much he has actually grown up during these last two years he has been out of home. He really doesn't like that he is forced to take this medication. He is very negative about it and how it may influence on him. He is bit**ng and whining and moaning and he is certainly letting everyone here at home know how much he hates it and how much it sucks and how much more it will suck when it starts to work. He is extremely negative, sarcastic and flippant about it.

And he went to pharmacy and bought the pills already at Monday, he actually read the instructions and followed them and started taking pills yesterday ( of course he says it is because he is sure he will get all allergic reactions mentioned in the instructions and because of that he doesn't want to start when he will be in Tunisia on vacation next week.) And he diligently keeps his mood and sleep diaries to follow his reactions.

I find that very mature from him. I really assumed he would do some passive-aggressive koi to sabotage this, because he feels coerced. Of course he can do that and just hide it from me... Wouldn't be new to him, but somehow him complaining so loudly and still taking the actual steps to follow the doctors' orders is new. In the past he would had act less reluctant and then done his passive-aggressive koi, when you don't expect that. Either he has become smarter or he actually isn't planning sabotaging this medication trial.
 
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