Re: getting off meds? Please Read

[Guest guest]

Hello!

How old is your daughter? Since you mention school, I'm assuming

she's at least 6. My daughter just turned 10, and we are fighting

her OCD with just therapy (ERP) at this time. My understanding is

that the correct therapy for OCD can be just as effective as meds.

However, there are kids who are more severely affected by their OCD,

and they need meds to help them with the anxiety so that they are

able to participate in therapy. Depending on where you live, it can

be difficult to find someone who specializes in therapy for kids with

OCD--we have to drive over an hour each way to my daughter's

appointments--the local therapist we were taking her to wanted to

start meds, but since we hadn't tried ERP yet, I wanted to try that

before starting meds. I know she still may need medication in the

future, and I do believe that they can be very helpful for some

children.

The reason I asked about your daughter's age is because my daughter

first started showing symptoms of OCD at age 5, and she was able to

participate in some therapy at that time, so I don't understand why

you would have to wait a few years.

You may want to try the OC foundation website, ocfoundation.org, or

the aabt.org website to see if there are any therapists that work

with kids with OCD in your area.

I hope this was somewhat helpful, and you can feel free to e-mail me

privately if you want.

>

> My daughter was diagnosed with ocd about 8 months ago.

> She is on 15 millagrams of prozac.

>

> I really don't want her on meds, but my doctor insists.

>

> I've never been through this- can i stop it myself?

>

> I know it has to be done gradually, but I'm thinking thereapy may

help

> her too, but they don't even want to think about that for a couple

more

> years!

>

> I don't know what to do- she is also having troubles in school

since to

> increase from 10 mil to 15.

>

> please reply-

>

[Guest guest]

My experience is that it is best if you have the doctor involved. If

your daughter starts doing really badly you would want someone to fall

back on for help. Although my sister weaned her son off and he did

fine.

If your doctor can't respect your feelings, maybe you should look for

a new doctor that does. The last thing any of us need is a doctor

that won't work with us when we already have our hands full with a kid

with OCD.

Why don't " they " want to consider therapy for a couple of more years?

My son is 15 and we just started therapy for him, with a qualified

psychologist. And many in here have had good results with kids much

younger doing CBT and ERP. I would think it would be worth a try.

Go with your gut feelings. You know you kid best and want what is

best for them.

Just my 2 cents worth.

BJ

>

> My daughter was diagnosed with ocd about 8 months ago.

> She is on 15 millagrams of prozac.

>

> I really don't want her on meds, but my doctor insists.

>

> I've never been through this- can i stop it myself?

>

> I know it has to be done gradually, but I'm thinking thereapy may help

> her too, but they don't even want to think about that for a couple more

> years!

>

> I don't know what to do- she is also having troubles in school since to

> increase from 10 mil to 15.

>

> please reply-

>

[Guest guest]

It's my understanding from a lot of reading about ocd, that CBT/ERP

therapy is always the " gold standard " for treatment. Basically meds

are only added if needed to get the person to a point to be able to do

therapy. Unfortunately, my 15-year-old son is on meds and still

resisting therapy. He's a pretty severe case. If it's a mild case,

the child will cooperate by going to therapy, and you have a good

therapist, I would say therapy would be the way to begin. Just my

opinion from what I've read. Good luck.

>

> My daughter was diagnosed with ocd about 8 months ago.

> She is on 15 millagrams of prozac.

>

> I really don't want her on meds, but my doctor insists.

>

> I've never been through this- can i stop it myself?

>

> I know it has to be done gradually, but I'm thinking thereapy may help

> her too, but they don't even want to think about that for a couple more

> years!

>

> I don't know what to do- she is also having troubles in school since to

> increase from 10 mil to 15.

>

> please reply-

>

[Guest guest]

ok, how often does your son have therapy? Because my daughters dr. only

sees her every 2 months! and when she does, she's really rude and when

I try to talk to voice my concerns, she says she's not talking to me,

she's talking to my daughter.

I got so upset the last time she did that, I almost took my daughter

and walked out of the room!

I'm calling around tomorrow for a new doctor!

[Guest guest]

Hi! Are you sure you understood that " two years " ??? Sounds like the

current doctor doesn't understand OCD or the therapy for it!

Generally, kids may start a medication to help with their anxiety/OCD

so that they can participate better in therapy, need to get the

anxiety lowered first sometimes. But no reason, that I can think of

at this minute, to wait other than that.

How long has it been since she went up to the 15mg, just a few days?

Did she have any problem going up to the 10mg? You might want to

just drop back down to the 10mg if she's really having problems since

going up.

I would talk to the doctor again about the Prozac before stopping

it. He might suggest trying another medication if Prozac hasn't

really helped and she's had a long trial of it. And he (or your

pharmacist) should be able to guide you if you determine you do want

her off it on how to best come down; might need to 1/2 the dose a bit

at first then skip days or something. When my son was on 50mg of

Celexa we just came down a bit each week or 10 days by 5 mg and

eventually at 5mg began to skip days.

Quick thoughts,

single mom, 3 sons

, 18, with OCD, dysgraphia and Aspergers

>

> My daughter was diagnosed with ocd about 8 months ago.

> She is on 15 millagrams of prozac.

>

> I really don't want her on meds, but my doctor insists.

>

> I've never been through this- can i stop it myself?

[Guest guest]

yes, I did understand -at least 2 years on meds before trying to get

her off- nothing about therapy.

I'm done with her-

> >

> > My daughter was diagnosed with ocd about 8 months ago.

> > She is on 15 millagrams of prozac.

> >

> > I really don't want her on meds, but my doctor insists.

> >

> > I've never been through this- can i stop it myself?

>

[Guest guest]

Josh is going once a week to start. Eventually we will go twice a

month. And hopefully even less often than that, with time.

Hmmmm. . . Honestly, if it were me, I would be looking for someone

else. OCD affects the whole family and I think it involves everyone,

even if the child with it is going to have to do the work. I want to

be as involved as I can so when he runs into a snag at home I know

what to do to help him. The therapist we saw the other day said he

was going to work with my husband and I too, so we can all do what we

can to help Josh. Most good therapists that I've talked to wants the

parents involved to some degree.

BJ

>

> ok, how often does your son have therapy? Because my daughters dr. only

> sees her every 2 months! and when she does, she's really rude and when

> I try to talk to voice my concerns, she says she's not talking to me,

> she's talking to my daughter.

>

> I got so upset the last time she did that, I almost took my daughter

> and walked out of the room!

>

> I'm calling around tomorrow for a new doctor!

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/23/2007 7:41:14 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

bestmomconnie@... writes:

ok, how often does your son have therapy? Because my daughters dr. only

sees her every 2 months! and when she does, she's really rude and when

I try to talk to voice my concerns, she says she's not talking to me,

she's talking to my daughter.

Connie

Time to look for a new doctor!!!! Behavior like that is inexcusable. As

far as going off meds & dealing with the OCD yourself - it really depends on

how bad off your daughter is.

My dd was diagnosed at 14. She had germ issues (afraid she was going to

pass germs to someone else & they would get sick... although, many other

obsession & compulsions surfaced over several months - many unrelated to germs)

Anyway, I was also very against using meds. But, it is true that if the OCD is

having such a high level of anxiety, they are simply unable to learn the

methods used to help themselves. Until they are able to think clearly, it just

won't happen.

Think of it this way. Have you ever tried to reason with a child (or adult

for that matter) who was SO upset over something that they were crying

uncontrollably? I mean - hysterical crying - they kind when they have to gasp

for

air in between? You can not only NOT reason with this person, you can hardly

even talk to them because they can't even hear you.... the first thing you

have to do is simply calm them down & get them to stop crying. THEN you can

reason & talk with them. It's really the same basic premise for using meds.

The OCD can have your dd's thoughts so out of control that she simply isn't

capable of reasonable thought. This is not a good learning environment.

My dd started out on 10mg of Prozac & was upped at each monthly appt (every

6 - 8 weeks) another 10mg. We carefully monitored her reaction & progress.

We saw small improvements on the way up to 50mg's but that was the " magic "

number. At 50mg per day, she was her 'old self' again. Actually, even better

than her old self (tragically she had OCD much longer & in other ways before

we ever thought something was wrong).

We have been decreasing meds for several months now. She is currently on

20mg per day with no recurring symptoms. I hesitate taking her down to '0'

just yet because of so many emotional things coming up this summer for her (her

older brother graduating & moving away to college, and the beginning of

school again right about the same time....).

That's really the important thing to remember - if your child does have to

use meds to help, please don't feel like it's a " forever " thing. It's not.

Good luck to you. Personally, I would dump the doctor you have. He/she

sounds like a really wack-job.

LT

************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/23/2007 7:58:19 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

bestmomconnie@... writes:

yes, I did understand -at least 2 years on meds before trying to get

her off- nothing about therapy.

Connie

I agree with previous posters on this.... that doctor is NOT experienced

with OCD.

LT

************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

[Guest guest]

My daughter started therapy as soon as she was diagnosed.

Laurie

bestmomconnie <bestmomconnie@...> wrote:

yes, I did understand -at least 2 years on meds before trying to get

her off- nothing about therapy.

I'm done with her-

> >

> > My daughter was diagnosed with ocd about 8 months ago.

> > She is on 15 millagrams of prozac.

> >

> > I really don't want her on meds, but my doctor insists.

> >

> > I've never been through this- can i stop it myself?

>

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[Guest guest]

-You gotta be kidding!!!! my son (7yo) did therapy twice a week! Not

every other month. It sounds like you are having talk therapy but no

CBT ERP. His sessions lasted one hour each time. good luck finding a

therapist to help you. We had an MD for the meds and a Psychologist

(Phd) for the therapy.

Laurie

-- In , " bestmomconnie "

<bestmomconnie@...> wrote:

>

> ok, how often does your son have therapy? Because my daughters dr.

only

> sees her every 2 months! and when she does, she's really rude and

when

> I try to talk to voice my concerns, she says she's not talking to me,

> she's talking to my daughter.

>

> I got so upset the last time she did that, I almost took my daughter

> and walked out of the room!

>

> I'm calling around tomorrow for a new doctor!

>