Help - need advice on medications that help depression/negativity
My 13 year old son has been taking 900mg of Lithium for about 3 months now and it has made a huge difference in stabilizing his moods - no more rages and outbursts. He does however still exhibit depression, anxiety, and a lot of negativity. He has a hard time seeing the positive side of anything and complains about everything. He hates going to school - although he gets good grades....it's a constant battle of complaining, negativity and a lot of anxiety getting ready for school, doing homework, etc. For over 4 years he has been seeing a therapist for CBT and she has noticed he is becoming much more resistant to accepting the therapy.
Before he started taking Lithium he had been taking Zoloft for 3 years - it did help control the depression to some degree up until last year when he began raging again. So his pdoc decided to try the Lithium. I have read that antidepressants can make symtoms worse, but I have also read that Lithium can help make antidepressants work better. I think my son needs to augment the Lithium to help address the depression, anxiety and negativity.
I would like to get some advice from anyone who has seen good results from medications for depression/anxiety......what have you tried that has worked? In the past he has tried Abilify and Respirdal -- bad reaction. Any information you can share would be so helpful. Thank you.
The antidepressants can make symptoms worse in a lot of people. Augmenting the mood stabilizer (Litium) with an atpyical anti-psychotic is the usual course. If you've already not succeeded with Abilify and Risperdal, you might check with your doctor about another one. In addition to the two you've tried, Seroquel and Zyprexa are two others I can think of. We have had much success in removing my daughter's depression and anxiety, and most of her negativity with Seroquel; but every kid reacts differently to different meds. I think augmenting is a good idea - see what your doctor thinks, maybe s/he can offer comparisons between what you've tried and what you haven't.
--
Shelle, 49 in So Cal - Celexa 20mg, Xanax 0.5mg rarely as needed
Family Response Team member and CABF Support 11
rmadmom@hotmail.com
Single Mom to Rachel, 12 - BP, anxiety, ADHD (or maybe not) - Lamictal 200mg am+Seroquel 50mg am/200mg early pm, Therapeutic School
We also have Birdie, the love bird - she bites; and Scarlett, the kitten - she does too
FROM CABF: Do not start, stop, or change medication or other treatment for yourself or your child based on what you read on this Website or elsewhere on the Internet. Information presented here should not replace the considered judgement of a doctor who knows you or your child.
Lamictal partially helped my older daughter's depression/anxiety, but just minimally.
Wellbutrin greatly helped my younger daughter's depression/anxiety.
What helped their depression/anxiety completely and totally, though was not a psych med - it was individualizing treatment by exhaustive biomedical testing - hormones, food allergies/sensitivities, nutrition, and then fixing & optimizing everything we could. But the other meds were necessary to start with so that we could even get to the point of the biomedical testing and treatment. The older daughter is especially angry that the doctors JUST gave her the psych meds and then pursuing further treatment stopped there, especially since what she actually needed to be well was so very simple. (it was more complicated for the younger daughter).
--"Naomi"
It's Not Mental
Older dd: formerly(?) teen-onset bipolar: After over 13 years - stable off psych meds over a year. Now fine on just diet changes and higher thyroid levels after healing - addressing gut issues/Candidal overgrowth while using EMPowerPlus and other supplements.
Younger dd: formerly(?) Childhood-onset schizoaffective, TS, OCD with disabling migraines since infancy. After over 15 years, is "recovered" for 4 years after treating endocrine issues, food sensitivities, gut issues, sleep issues, nutritional/mitochondrial needs.
My ds17 struggled with depression that wouldn't go away on standard treatment for BP. We finally tried Cytomel (T-3) to augment his meds, and he has not really had a depression since. Since lithium is well known for suppressing the thyroid, make sure your pdoc is checking free T-3 and Free T-4 each time he checks a lithium level.
--
Brenda,51, CABF Parent to Parent Volunteer
Mom to A, 17, BP, Tourette's, OCD, ADHD: Eskalith CR, Trilafon, Lamictal, Seroquel, Cytomel, Allegra
E, 15 1/2, BP,AS: Seroquel, Eskalith CR, inositol, Buspar
B, 14 & H, 11
Married 18 years to DH, 50
FROM CABF: Do not start, stop, or change medications or other treatments for yourself or your child based on what you read on this Website or elsewhere on the Internet. Information presented here should not replace the considered judgement of a doctor who knows you or your child.
Yep. Raising thyroid levels has been in psychiatric textbooks for decades, yet the psychiatrists often focus exclusively on psych meds. My older daughter was so improved (here) when a GP simply switched her thyroid med and raised her levels into the upper range of normal. There are so many reasons a person may need the level in the upper range - things to interfere with the functioning of thyroid hormone - it is so complex. My younger daughter had been placed on T3 (Cytomel) in addition to the Levoxyl (T4) but both are now on Armour (dessicated - prescription). For them both they also had to change diet, but the thyroid thing was major.
Here is more on that topic, which includes a link back to an article here on CABF: Brain Health: Thyroid Hormones and the article on CABF: Hypothyroidism: Is It Contributing to Your Child's Symptoms?
--"Naomi"
Older dd: formerly(?) teen-onset bipolar: After over 13 years - stable off psych meds over a year. Now fine on just diet changes and higher thyroid levels after healing - addressing gut issues/Candidal overgrowth while using EMPowerPlus and other supplements.
Younger dd: formerly(?) Childhood-onset schizoaffective, TS, OCD with disabling migraines since infancy. After over 15 years, is "recovered" for 4 years after treating endocrine issues, food sensitivities, gut issues, sleep issues, nutritional/mitochondrial needs.
I wanted to add something very specific that has helped my kids.
For the younger one, Rhodiola and "Vital Adapt" per her Integrative doctor's instructions are key. Both, interestingly are energizing, just as her Wellbutrin was.
For the older one, eliminating GRAINS--all grains increase her negative thinking! Apparently, she is exquisitely sensitive to the effects of gluten.
--Jeanie aka "Naomi"
It's Not Mental-The Book
Older dd: formerly(?) teen-onset bipolar (morphed into ultradian cycling): "Recovered" after over 13 years - stable off psych meds almost two years. Now fine on just diet changes and higher thyroid levels (after healing - addressing gut issues/Candidal overgrowth while using EMPowerPlus and other supplements). She added EMpowerPlus back on just because she feels better on it - gets sick less often.
Younger dd: formerly(?) Childhood-onset schizoaffective, TS, OCD, anxiety, PTSD, migraines. After over 15 years, is now "recovered" for almost 5 years after treating endocrine issues, food sensitivities, gut issues, sleep issues, nutritional/mitochondrial needs.