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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by amyw on August 15, 2000, at 20:48:31
I have been writing about my son who is 18 and has been diagnosed about four different ways. These include binge eating disorder, depression, anxiety, and a possible bipolr. In any case, he has decided and I understand why that the only success he has ever had with medications is in the first week or two when they are activating. After that, he gets more side efects of fatigue, body sensations etc. It is really as if the side effect of activation at the beginning is truly the only thing that ever helps. Then he falls into a slump. He is starting to feel exactly the wame way on wellbutrin after only 3 weeks and I see the difference. He is now lethargic, tired and physically exhausted. He didn't give wellbutrin that long, but he gave prozac almost a year, with varying dosages, risperdal for two months, paxil for five months and cellexa. Is there anyone who has had a similar problem? Right now he wants to give his body a rest and go off everything for a while.
ALso, he is recovering from an eating disorder nad is still only 140 and 5"9 and perhaps that plays a role also. THe wellbutrin made him lose another five pounds and that certainly isn't good.
HAS anyone else ever found that they feel worse on meds than when not on them? What a frsutrating process, but I support whatever he does. HE wants to have the energy to make it as a freshman in college, but he says he will bring all his meds with him in case of a real crash.
HE also is having blood work again to see if anyting else could be wrong, but usually nothign shows up.
Any advice as a parent? THe psychiatrist says not o let him go to college and to take his car way if he doesn't take meds,. but I feel that it hasto be his choice. HE has never been suicidal or anything and I think that the stimulating environment at college may help him. HE has become really isolated here.
Posted by quilter on August 16, 2000, at 0:15:44
In reply to all Meds seem to be worthless after a few weeks , posted by amyw on August 15, 2000, at 20:48:31
Amy, I am also sending my daughter off for her freshman year with a pile of pills and a ton of prayers. She has also had a problem maintaining a healthy weight due to effexor side effects. Her pdoc told her that if her weight dropped below 105 she would have to start taking remeron to help her appetite. She is looking much better and seems better since she began taking both meds but is having some understandable anxiety about starting school.
His doctor doesn't seem to have a very good understanding of how important this first experience away from home is. I also do not see much of an effort to try medications from other classes (tricyclics for example).
We felt it was essential for Cathy to be introduced to the counselling center at her school at the very beginning, so she knew where to go when things got too scary. She will continue to see her pdoc here as she will be only an hour or so from home, but your son might be better off seeing another pdoc at school.
I have had many experiences with medications that begin promisingly and then poop out after a while. It is a real problem and needs to be addressed but also enough time must be allowed so a potentially helpful med is not discarded too soon. Please make sure he has a good thyroid check up before he goes as well. Adding thyroid hormone or other meds can help a partial response become a full
one. Hope at least part of this makes sense, I'm feeling pretty addled right now.
Wishing us both luck- Quilter
Posted by stjames on August 16, 2000, at 23:36:12
In reply to all Meds seem to be worthless after a few weeks , posted by amyw on August 15, 2000, at 20:48:31
> ALso, he is recovering from an eating disorder nad is still only 140 and 5"9 and perhaps that plays a role also. THe wellbutrin made him lose another five pounds and that certainly isn't good.
>
James here,Were there tramatic events that lead to this eating disorder ?
james
Posted by LizG on August 20, 2000, at 5:59:44
In reply to all Meds seem to be worthless after a few weeks , posted by amyw on August 15, 2000, at 20:48:31
Hi Amyw
I have had depression myself for a couple of years and have tried numerous medications. I currently take dothiepin (TCA) because it is the only one that has any sort of effect. Personally I don't rate the newer drugs, they just make you feel like you've been thrown in a bag and shaken up. I have tried prozac (made me jittery), seroxat (which did nothing but make me sick) remeron (mirtazapine) which worked slightly then stopped working.
I think your son should do what HE wants and not what the psychiatrist says. I myself am absolutely sure that social interaction and activity is better than staying at home and doing nothing, letting your mind whirr round in circles.
I am also starting to form the opinion that drugs are just the simplest way for a doctor to dismiss you.
"Here, take these. Next please"I don't at all like what I read on these pages about side effects/long term effects and I certainly wouldn't take Effexor after what I have read about it.
Has your son tried any of the TCA's? I must admit they're not great but they do work well for anxiety and they have no unpleasant side effects (despite the garbage that's reported about them).
Regards
I have been writing about my son who is 18 and has been diagnosed about four different ways. These include binge eating disorder, depression, anxiety, and a possible bipolr. In any case, he has decided and I understand why that the only success he has ever had with medications is in the first week or two when they are activating. After that, he gets more side efects of fatigue, body sensations etc. It is really as if the side effect of activation at the beginning is truly the only thing that ever helps. Then he falls into a slump. He is starting to feel exactly the wame way on wellbutrin after only 3 weeks and I see the difference. He is now lethargic, tired and physically exhausted. He didn't give wellbutrin that long, but he gave prozac almost a year, with varying dosages, risperdal for two months, paxil for five months and cellexa. Is there anyone who has had a similar problem? Right now he wants to give his body a rest and go off everything for a while.
>
> ALso, he is recovering from an eating disorder nad is still only 140 and 5"9 and perhaps that plays a role also. THe wellbutrin made him lose another five pounds and that certainly isn't good.
>
> HAS anyone else ever found that they feel worse on meds than when not on them? What a frsutrating process, but I support whatever he does. HE wants to have the energy to make it as a freshman in college, but he says he will bring all his meds with him in case of a real crash.
>
> HE also is having blood work again to see if anyting else could be wrong, but usually nothign shows up.
> Any advice as a parent? THe psychiatrist says not o let him go to college and to take his car way if he doesn't take meds,. but I feel that it hasto be his choice. HE has never been suicidal or anything and I think that the stimulating environment at college may help him. HE has become really isolated here.
This is the end of the thread.
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