Need suggestions for my son

[Cr892]

What a great mother, you're actually trying to get medications that work as opposed to telling the docs not to prescribe anything like most moms.

 

[Violenza666]

What a great mother, you're actually trying to get medications that work as opposed to telling the docs not to prescribe anything like most moms.

No shit. I commend her.. my mom was basically the opposite when I was a child and I have ALL kinds of problems to show for it!

 

[RedRum OG]

i would recommend an SSRI and sleeping pills for night time. maybe some short acting benzos like xanax for when it gets real rough. try kratom. that stuff works wonders.

why cant you be my mom. honestly. i just turned 18 and i realized how messed up i am and stuff and how i couldve avoided my morphine addiction if i had just got parents willing to go the extra mile.

 

[Fletchacet]

For some reason, my psychiatrist doesn't believe in going over 2mg of Clonazepam and/or Xanax, for any reason (it seems). Does anyone have a similar Dr. or ever heard of this theory.

in can relate. my first psych VERY reluctantly prescribed me .25 mg Kpins to split in half and take twice daily. So 1/8 mg of Klonopin at a time and ONLY for 2 weeks with no refills. Its alot like pain management docs...some are compassionate and will prescribe high doses of narcotics to control pain the requires such high doses, wheras others are scared of trouble so keep their patients in agaony by way underprescribing. I finally found an amzing psych who knew that during trials for panic disorder, some patients required up to 10 mg of Xanax for control. Yes, 10 mg. And if you do equivalency, thats something like 200 mg of Valium. Thats besides the point. So he gave me a supply of 2 mg Klonopins and told me to adjust dose until I balanced out benefits with side effects and then report to him the dose that worked. Turned out to be 4 mg a day. Obviously much higher than .25 mg per day. Surprisingly, it never crossed my mind to abuse the benzos because they were magical in how they crippled my anxiety. Again, like chroin pain patients rarely become 'addicts' because the narcs relieve pain and dont just get them high. My advice....call around to see which doctors are open to discussion of benzo dosage. And if you find one, DONT fuck them over by abusing the hell out of them or selling them. Youll get dropped like a bad habit and you most likely will get flagged if you live in a state with prescription monitoring. Sorry for long post, but I just needed to share the frustration experienced by many chronic anxiety sufferers and the undertreatment we get. be safe.

Fletchacet

 

[skn]

Have gone that route ... 2 psychiatrists who threw crap meds at him, none of which worked for the anxiety or deep depression (not to mention horrible physical symptoms).

Nobody has suggested mood stabilizers yet or anticonvulsants .. OR any psychotics ... I'm just not sure if those will take the HORRIBLE physical symptoms away:

adrenaline rushes throughout body all day off and on
pins and needles .. same as above
head feels like exploding
wanting to throw up all the time
shaking all over from panic attacks (out of this world)
fear and terror upon waking up for several hours

etc. etc.

lovely

 

[happygoluckygal]

First....let me say that I'm so sorry your son is going through this! It must just be awful to see him suffering and not feel as though there is much you can do about it (although, you're doing all you can!)

I'm also curious, like the posters above, as to why he stopped the Paxil in the 1st place? Because he didn't want to be on a med anymore, b/c it wasn't working? Sadly, so many people get to a point where they think "I don't need a med anymore, I'm feeling great...", only to find out later that they felt so good BECAUSE of the medication! I've been there, done that myself!

Pretty much all SSRI's have a discontinuation syndrome (withdrawal), but Paxil is up there as just about the worst. Some people suffer for months, even YEARS trying to come off it. And, not enough docs either KNOW this, or care enough to PROPERLY taper people (as slooooow as possible) to minimize symptoms. That's the bad news. The good news is...he WILL get through this, it is just going to be a rough ride. :0(

I agree that you need to find a GOOD p-doc who is going to be aggressive with your son in finding him the right med regimen to both relieve his Paxil w/d symptoms and also find something that will treat his underlying condition that brought him to Paxil in the 1st place. Of course, treating these disorders isn't easy, and often times it requires a lot of trial and error to find the right med(s) to do the trick. He also may want to try to accept the fact that he may have to be on a med for the rest of his life in order to control his symptoms. NO one really wants to have to take a med to feel normal and be anxiety/depression free, but sometimes it is necessary. Also, as he is finding out the hard way...if these meds need to be D/C'd for any reason, it needs to be done prooerly....slowly, with a safe, doctor guided taper.

Wishing your son relief...please tell him the while he may feel AWFUL now, that he won't feel like this forever...tell him to try to be as patient as he can, as hard as that is...and keep working with the doc to find a solution.

 

[Fletchacet]

yes yes and yes...youve been very descriptive as to your sons symptoms but i and others are still curious as to what is behind them? If Paxil was working for him and he just decided to go without it because he thought he was 'cured', he needs to get back on it to stabilise. From there as sympathetic doctor can question his reasons for wanting to dicscontinue and help him taper if thats what he really wants.
I read an article recently about poeple quitting their anti-depressants because 'they feel like they cant cry or their orgasms arent as strong or they gained 5 pounds.' the writer of the article was a 26 year sufferer of MDD and was one of the first to try Prozac when it hit the market. She finds it ridiculous that people quit their meds for these reasons, and if they do, they never knew just how bad the depths of depression can get. Sometimes people need to be reminded why they started meds in the first place. was it cosmetic reasons? to become more social and energetic? or was it the dredges of major depression? as you can see, unfortunately your son is a perfet example of why these drugs are not to be taken lightly and along with their amazing therapeutic qualities many come with devastating side effects esp. in withdrawal.
again, is this a withdrawal from paxil scenario or are these what he feels like when not on meds? in any event, this needs a doctors attention ASAP because noone here at BL can help your son. Take him to the ER if you must...his symptoms sound severe enough to warrant an ER visit. be safe.

Fletchacet

 

[dokomo]

if this is the case, then im 100% behiind benzo usage to end this kind of suffering. im just curious if its Paxil w/d causing this anguish or if the anguish is the despite Paxil. youre very right, even high doses of strong benzos (like 8-10 mg/day of Xanax) is preferable to this type of hell. i just wanted a clarification as to what shes asking for. help with paxil w/d or help with her sons symptoms for which he tried paxil and it didnt work. and even i have to admit, that relying on benzos for life is preferable to the nightmaring symptoms that they relieve.

Fletchacet

The problem is, tolerance will ALWAYS develop. Benzodiazepines are UNSUSTAINABLE as a long-term treatment for severe, severe anxiety. A patient might be fine taking 8-10mg of xanax a day, but almost no doctor will be alright prescribing that. At some point a person will either run out, lose their doc, have their doc stop prescribing, etc and if you think anxiety was hell before benzos, try dealing with it AND benzo withdrawal.

 

[Fletchacet]

ok...during early paxil withdrawal, i was told about a couple of OTC meds that help with the 'brain zaps' and the vertigo and whooshing feeling. 1) is Dramamine (the original, with diphenhydramine) and 2)is Sudafed (the old kind, with pseudoephedrine, not the new synephrin). Depening on your local laws, pseudoephedrine may not be OTC anymore but ask a pharmacist for original sudafed and youll probably jusy have to sign a form and show ID. these meds DID help alot. for the terror and anxiety, benzos seem to be the best answer. OTC options like Valerian Root an Kava are weak at best and I wouldnt expect much help from them at this point. As his mother, I'm sure just your physical presence with him is tremendously soothing...I wish my mom had been there during my Paxil w/d. be safe.

Fletchacet

 

[Fletchacet]

The problem is, tolerance will ALWAYS develop. Benzodiazepines are UNSUSTAINABLE as a long-term treatment for severe, severe anxiety. A patient might be fine taking 8-10mg of xanax a day, but almost no doctor will be alright prescribing that. At some point a person will either run out, lose their doc, have their doc stop prescribing, etc and if you think anxiety was hell before benzos, try dealing with it AND benzo withdrawal.

youre right...almost no doctor will prescribe 10 mg of Xanax regardless of what clinical trials say. and im not recommending it either. however, tolerance to the anxiolytic effects of benzodiazepines is very very slow to develop as opposed to say, the sedative effects which tolerance is near complete in 2 weeks. most long term users of benzodiazepines used for anxiety disorders are on relatively low doses and very rarely increase dosing. now, is this evidence benzos still work or is it just keeping w/d's at bay by continuing to take them? i dont know. i have been on benzos for 15 years now and the only time my dose was increased was when i started and was figuring out what dose helped the most with the least side effects. placebo effect? maybe. but in my personal case, i am much better on then off, and yes ive withdrawan and it is sheer hell. YMMV as everyone else. in essence, there is never a 100% guarantee when it comes to medication. be safe.

Fletchacet

 

[deez_nuggs]

how old is he? it sounds as if hes more than just depressed and anxious..

 

[DianaElaine]

OK ... I'm so F'ing angry!

Can we use the whole curse word in this forum?

Anyway ... so the stupid therapist that joe sees in seattle, won't give him ONE SINGLE more benzo, nothing, zilch, zero! He NEEDS them right now! UGH!

He NEEDS to stabilize on Paxil ... and yes, that might take time ... but he certainly doesn't need what she's suggesting now: Anti psychotics! Serequel precisely. A whole list of stupid ass side effects too!

He tells me now, while inpatient, sitting in a room with a BRIGHT LIGHT on him, and 7 psychiatrists, he was asked if he said he wanted to die, why didn't he? WHAT??? And Joe started to cry ... and the pdoc says, so yeah .... I see the tears .. now what?

So NOW what? he says he's feeling like shit (some of that he'll have to endure while waiting for the Paxil to kick back in), but he NEEDS something for the horrible anxiety, while waiting. What the hell ARE the doctor's problem .... being so careful about something that might help him make it through this alive?

Hooked? what's hooked? I mean ... I know folks on them for years .. they NEED them, and their quality of life is SO much better. Cancer patients NEED morphine, you can get hooked on that too, so what?

I better shut up now .. before I get banned. 8)

He also tells me, that doesn't feel like himself anymore ... depersonalization, and mentally very scared and confused. poor kid! I hate that he's back there all alone again.

Suggestions now? I feel like getting my doctor to prescribe me more xanax or valium and sending it to him.

 

[dokomo]

I feel your pain (my brother has suffered from anxiety and depression for the past year and has been suicidal. I'm the one who takes care of him.) Honestly if they won't prescribe SHORT TERM (ie two weeks or less) benzodiazepines, I think he would benefit from seroquel, especially if he's experiencing depersonalization.

And I'd implore you to read my previous post about benzodiazepines. Despite some individual's experiences, tolerance to the sedating and anxiolytic effects occur and rebound anxiety is often MUCH worse than the original anxiety they were used to treat, especially when used over time. DO NOT risk your son's progress by giving him your benzos without his doctors knowledge, I know it seems like a tempting move right now but it is definitely not the best thing.

 

[DianaElaine]

I feel your pain (my brother has suffered from anxiety and depression for the past year and has been suicidal. I'm the one who takes care of him.) Honestly if they won't prescribe SHORT TERM (ie two weeks or less) benzodiazepines, I think he would benefit from seroquel, especially if he's experiencing depersonalization.

And I'd implore you to read my previous post about benzodiazepines. Despite some individual's experiences, tolerance to the sedating and anxiolytic effects occur and rebound anxiety is often MUCH worse than the original anxiety they were used to treat, especially when used over time. DO NOT risk your son's progress by giving him your benzos without his doctors knowledge, I know it seems like a tempting move right now but it is definitely not the best thing.

Yeah, but how the hell do I know or .. does he know, if seroquel will help or hurt him? Why does he need all these heavy drugs added, when he needs to stabilize on Paxil? My head hurts!

 

[dokomo]

Yeah, but how the hell do I know or .. does he know, if seroquel will help or hurt him? Why does he need all these heavy drugs added, when he needs to stabilize on Paxil? My head hurts!

There is very little certainty in using psychotropic medications. However you've got to be open to other treatment options for them to have a chance to work. Psychotropic medications are a risk/benefit analysis and in your son's severe case, I'd imagine potential benefits outweigh a lot of risk.

 

[Nigiic]

I once was on Paxil for about 2 or 3 months but i decided to stop taking it and felt the W/D's symtoms so i switch to Lexapro and i am now down to 2.5 mgs every 3 to 5 days its been like a year since i started to try to get off this crap.

 

[carbon unit]

I'm sure most everyone here will scoff, but I find flower essences, such as the Bach Flower Remedies to be a great help.

Rescue Remedy can be found in most any healthfood store and helps with panic and anxiety.

Mustard flower works well for depression... I treated someone with it who had suffered depression and been through all sorts of meds for years and he said within one week, it had done more for him than anything else he ever tried.

There are many other essences that are pretty specific in their actions, and I know there are many that can help. If interested I'll post more, but I'll leave it at that for now.

 

[DianaElaine]

There is very little certainty in using psychotropic medications. However you've got to be open to other treatment options for them to have a chance to work. Psychotropic medications are a risk/benefit analysis and in your son's severe case, I'd imagine potential benefits outweigh a lot of risk.

The problem is, Joe's brain is so messed up right now .. and most of his symptoms/problems, are coming from the fact that his brain NEEDS Paxil .. and to reinstate to the point of him stabilizing/feeling better, then he has to come off VERY VERY slowly, like 5-10% every 2 weeks or so. It can take a year, but at least you can function and feel decent that way.

If he goes on Seroquel, he still can't just come off the Paxil .... since that's what his brain is use to and needs, and then on top of it .. he'll have to taper off the Seroquel, with more withdrawal symptoms!

I believe my son's 'severe case' is because he tried getting off Paxil too fast, too many times... and not having the patience to stabilize back on. Problem is, doctors won't listen to that ...

 

[DianaElaine]

I'm sure most everyone here will scoff, but I find flower essences, such as the Bach Flower Remedies to be a great help.

Rescue Remedy can be found in most any healthfood store and helps with panic and anxiety.

Mustard flower works well for depression... I treated someone with it who had suffered depression and been through all sorts of meds for years and he said within one week, it had done more for him than anything else he ever tried.

There are many other essences that are pretty specific in their actions, and I know there are many that can help. If interested I'll post more, but I'll leave it at that for now.

I bought him Rescue Remedy before he left ... he has it with him, but hasn't tried it yet. I'm going to try to get him to try a few drops today. Some go up to 6 drops at a time, if they need it.

I'll look into the Mustard flower. Thank you ...

 

[carbon unit]

Rescue Remedy can be used as often as needed... it's not like traditional meds as there is no danger of overdose or side effects. He should feel some relief from even a single dose of 4 drops, very fast acting too.

Good luck.