louxx Report post Posted March 27, 2007 Just wanted some advice really as im really unsure as to what to do about my 16year old and medication. The past 6years reece has been on some sort of medication. He was on prozac for 8months, it did help his anxiety a little through the night and did reduce his suicidal thoughts. I took him off them December as he still couldn't cope with going out and not much else had changed and i didn't want to keep pumping him with different kind of tablets. The psyc is coming out to see him at home tomorrow and she wants him back on the medication, and i just dont know what to do for the best. I just feel that all she wants to do is keep giving him different pills. I think he has to be positive in his own mind and i dont want him on pills for the rest of his life. I am giving him st johns wort at the moment because its natural but i dont know if im doing right. Any advice would be very grateful. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted March 27, 2007 Hi Louxx, Make sure you let his doctor know he is taking St John's Wort. It can interact with other medications, so it's important they know he's taking it before they prescribe anything else. If he does start another medication, he may well have to stop taking the St John's Wort. But a lot of people find it really helpful, so it's worth a try. I know that medicating children is a controversial subject, but if it does help him to feel better, maybe it is worth taking. From what I've seen, medication can be helpful to a lot of people, but what helps best in the long term is therapy to help you understand and identify the way you are thinking, and to help you challenge the negative thoughts and replace them with realistic ones. Have you talked about counseling or psychotherapy for your son? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
louxx Report post Posted March 27, 2007 Hi tally, thanx for the advice. I didnt know he could get counseling, we have seen a psycologist but didn't help much, we now got our 2nd visit with occupational therapist tomorrow. Whats the psycotherapy?? I will tell the psyc im trying st johns wort, i would like to keep him on it to see if it helps rather than the prozac. When i saw my dr for a repeat perscription for the prozac one time he said he would never put a child on prozac as its too dangerous, that scared the life out of me, i have the psyc wanting him on it and the dr saying the opposite, its so confusing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clare63 Report post Posted March 27, 2007 Lou, Its very important not to take StJohns Wort or simular with Prozac, so please be sure to tell your pysc. Prozac is not supposed to be addictive, but certainly takes a good two weeks of unpleasantness to kick in and then again to come off. Like you I am wary about considering my child on meds, but can't really see an alternative, my child has Aspergers and gets very depressed and negative. When I spoke to our pysc about him being negative and does not want to seem to try anything to make his life a little easier or less stressful and anxious, she told me that people with ASD's are often very negative people they can't help it but it makes CBT , counselling etc more difficult and has to be adjusted dependant on how the individual sees the world.At the moment we have not gone down the medications road, though of late serious consideration is being given to this thought as like your son ours too has suicidal thoughts, particuarly at time of high stress and anxiety which of late has been most of the time. Good luck with your meeting with the pysc. Clare x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted March 27, 2007 Hi lou Difficult issue, this one. I understand your fears about meds. L tried five different kinds of anti depressant over a period of 18 months when she was the same age as your son. (Prozac wasn't one of them). There were some benefits when she was in a high state of anxiety - it gave us a bit of a breathing space, but over a period of time meds seemed to just make her really tired and fog up her brain, as she described it. Once other problems were resolved, especially the educational stuff, she didn't need them - she just refused one day to take them any more: in fact she's refused all therapy and found her own way out of the depression she was in. She hasn't taken anything for 18 months now. Her confidence and self esteem have increased now that she's in a place where she feels accepted. I hope this encourages you a bit. I think meds are useful, maybe even necessary in the short term to get over a crisis and keep someone safe, but if they are used as a permanent substitute for other kinds of support there's something very wrong. Unfortunately that's all that seems to be on offer sometimes. K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
louxx Report post Posted March 27, 2007 Hi kathryn thanx for that, it sounds promising. I know things wont ever be perfect but as you say they only help for so long. He dosnt really want to go back on the anti depressants either, although he is very anxious through the night, most times physically sick. thanx anyway lou Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted March 27, 2007 There are lots of types of psychotherapy, but Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is very successful in treating anxiety and depression. Being on the spectrum does make it more complicated, but certainly not impossible. It focusses on thoughts, feelings and behaviour. People on the spectrum often find it really hard to identify and discuss feelings, but you can benefit from it by looking at feelings and behaviour. A good psychologist will be able to adjust 'mainstream' treatments for the needs of an autistic person . . . it sounds like the one you saw could not. It could be a really good idea to give the St John's Wort a go for a few months. It does help a lot of people, so hopefully it will help your son. A lot of people on the spectrum find they benefit from extremely low doses of antidepressants, lower then the normal recommended starting doses. Higher doses can sometimes have the opposite effect in people with ASD. If you do decide to try antidepressants, it might be worth discussing this with a psychiatrist. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
louxx Report post Posted March 27, 2007 thanx tally def worth a try and a lower dose of anti depressant dosnt sound too bad. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted March 28, 2007 louxx, so sorry to butt into your thread, but I've tried to send you a pm and it's saying you're not a member!! I'll keep trying, just wanted you to know I hadn't forgotten. <'> <'> ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
louxx Report post Posted March 28, 2007 hi mel i have emailed you but i dont know whats going on ive been having trouble signing in for some reason, take care lou Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
louxx Report post Posted March 28, 2007 hi mel i have emailed you but i dont know whats going on ive been having trouble signing in for some reason, take care lou Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
curra Report post Posted March 31, 2007 Hi Lou, My son is on a very low dose of Prozac and it has been benefitial for him. He still gets depressed and anxious but he says that he feels better with the medication. I tried to bring him out of it slowly but he felt awful so the psychiatrist said he should continue with it. I wish he didn't have to take it but as long as he's depressed it's the only way to keep him feeling OK(ish). He's also in couselling but it hasn't helped much. He has become angrier at me and the rest of the world. I suppose that he has to bring out his emotions and as long as he is in control, I accept it, but I'd much rather see his calm and happy. Curra Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
