medication questions

[flutterby]

We have pretty much run out of AD's to try - unless we want to try the tryciclics (sp). Nothing has helped much (Zoloft, Welbutrin, Celexa, Lexapro, etc), and Prozac made difficult child intensely depressed complete with suicidal ideation and, at one point, a note and a plan.

We are currently doing a medication wash.

The biggest thing we need to target is the anxiety. Off the Prozac, her depression is pretty benign as depression goes. Although, Prozac is the only medication that worked on her anxiety. Frustrating. On the Prozac her anxiety was under control, but her depression was severe and debilitating, and she was sleeping all of the time. Off the Prozac, her anxiety is sky high, her depression is all but gone (and I think it stems from the anxiety to begin with), and she's not sleeping much at all.

I am hesitant to try the AP's because difficult child's cholesterol is already high (after taking Abilify for a short time) and she is at high risk of heart disease because of me. I'm not sure what route to go and want to have some ideas before going back to the doctor.

TIA.

 

[TeDo]

I wish I had some advice for you. We have not had to deal with many medication issues except for a couple that just didn't help anything. Some of the medications you list, I have absolutely no experience with. It sounds like a medication wash at this point is a good idea. Have you always been with the same psychiatrist? Have you been keeping a list of the medications you have tried, the dosages, the benefits & negatives? I would make a point of addressing the 2 main issues you have identified, anxitey and "medication-induced?" depression. There are some APs that might work. I wouldn't rule them out just because of the category they happen to fall under. I have had past clients that took seizure medications to very successfully deal with severe aggressiveness even though they had never had seizures of any kind. It was just one of the positive "side-effects" of that type of medication.

Good luck and keep us posted. Sorry I couldn't really be of any help.

 

[nvts]

Considering your heart issues and the concern for difficult child possibly having the same issues, it might not be a bad idea to put past the doctor.

Miss you - sorry I've been so "hit or miss" lately - I'm about as scattered as it gets right now!

Beth

 

[gcvmom]

Tricyclics have worked best for me.

difficult child 1 is doing pretty well on Remeron -- have you looked at that one?

 

[smallworld]

According to my own psychiatrist, Tricyclics work great for anxiety. Amitriptyline has helped me with stress and sleeping. Remeron has helped my daughter M immensely. Unfortunately, both cause weight gain, but nothing like the APs.

 

[susiestar]

Tricyclics can be very very helpful, and so can beta blockers. It is worth discussing them with the doctors because with-o treatment the anxiety can ruin every part of your life. I am sorry that she is having these problems.

 

[DammitJanet]

Ok...I know I know I know!!!

Can I raise my hand over in the corner excitedly LOL.


As you know I had to go off seroquel because of the cholesterol problem but I was just complaining to my psychiatrist a couple of weeks ago that I was still feeling a bit miserable without it and my sleep wasnt as good. My anxiety wasnt held in check as well and yada yada but still I really didnt want to chance another AP. He broke in and said...tada...well Janet...you do have two options right now and another is due to come out of the pipe works in February if you want to wait but one is Geodon which is weight neutral and the other is called Saphris which is new. I would probably advise Saphris.

I hadnt heard about Saphris so I asked him about it. It is a new atypical AP which is dissolved in the mouth so it bypasses the liver so it hits the blood stream and bypasses the liver hence it doesnt effect cholesterol. They say it can be slightly sedating but I have noticed that I wake up easier in the mornings. I am noticing my anxiety is getting better. I started it the Friday that I wrote my rant on WC. I took it that night. The normal dose is one pill twice a day but for now we are just doing me one pill a day at night. So I took my one pill that night on Friday night...after I wrote that rant. By Sunday I was feeling a bit better. My birthday was Monday and I was pretty okay. I got through the entire day without shedding one tear.

Now I will say this...it is supposed to taste like black cherry. Its yucky. Its a little tiny very thin pill that is made to dissolve the minute it hits your mouth. They say to put it under your tongue. My doctor advised me to put it between my cheek and gum because it is easier to deal with the taste. I tried it both ways. Under your tongue made me feel like I was foaming at the mouth and made my tongue feel numb. You cant eat or drink for ten minutes after you put it in your mouth. I have just gotten used to it and deal with it. I set aside my ten minutes and watch tv for that amount of time and then get something yummy to eat afterwards...lol.
​

 

[smallworld]

Saphris is typically reserved for treatment-resistant psychosis in kids. I personally wouldn't advise it for a teenager. But I'm not a doctor.

Beta blockers have very mild anti-anxiety properties. For kids with heavy-duty anxiety, they won't do a whole lot.

 

[Jena]

i just wanted to jump in and add good luck. the medication game is a nightmare. yet i've found now that the medication zyprexa that difficult child is currently on for the food phobia does combat the anxiety somewhat during day and def. at night. yes it's an ap though and doctor here suggested we wean her down once home. either way good luck never easy

 

[flutterby]

The Remeron and Celexa combo seemed to work very well, at least initially. However, she gained 16 pounds in a month on Remeron. I would love to try it again, being prepared for the weight gain and ways to combat it, but I don't know if I can get her on board with that. It didn't do for her anxiety what Prozac did, but I don't know that she was on it long enough to find out.

The doctor isn't wanting to do a beta blocker.

We are on a waiting list for a psychiatrist at Children's. difficult child lost all trust with former psychiatrist, and I wasn't thrilled with her to begin with. So, right now family doctor is doing the medications. She's good and I trust her, but will be happy when we get off the waiting list and into a psychiatrist.

Thanks for the ideas. I wasn't aware that tricyclics were good with anxiety.

 

[HaoZi]

I recall someone here (don't remember who, sorry!) saying she used half a chlor-tab for anxiety. I've tried it since then and it works well for me. It helps kiddo when I can get her to take it, too. I don't know if would work on major anxiety but for that subtle creeping background anxiety I've had good results with it. When my anxiety attacks were really bad I was on Ativan for them, took 1 at night and if I needed extra for a sudden nasty attack I took half.

 

[flutterby]

What is chlor-tab?

 

[smallworld]

It's an allergy pill. It shouldn't be used long term for anxiety.

 

[flutterby]

Oh. I seriously doubt it would do anything for difficult child anyway, then.

She's off medications and back to being angry and incredibly irritable...feel like I've been hit by a truck when she walks in the room sometimes.

 

[HaoZi]

Yes, it's an anti-histamine, on the shelf next to the benedryl. Low-pressure fronts and driving in snow cause me a lot of anxiety, so I use it as a PRN when I know it's going to be rough.

 

[Josie]

Elavil, a tricyclic, worked well for B's anxiety for a few years. It did not help her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which for her is mostly the obsession part.

Anafranil is a tricyclic that is used for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

 

[AnnieO]

The VA had husband on an antihistamine for anxiety. Due to his normal reactions to benadryl, I'm betting the way it works is through mild sedation.

As far as I am concerned, it's a nice once-in-a-while thing, but shouldn't be constant. For example - once we took Jett off all the expensive Rx allergy/asthma medications, and give him benadryl as needed only, he has FAR less problems with his allergies.

So - the two Janet mentioned are a possibility. I'm going to research the second one, with the "melt" factor it could be a possibility for Onyxx...

 

[flutterby]

At this point, I'm thinking Valium. For me.