Guest guest Posted January 1, 2003 Report Share Posted January 1, 2003 , my daughter is seven and has both OCD and is bipolar, which means an antidepressant alone both works instantly on OCD and also causes intense mood swings--even violent mood swings. She has been put on risperdal along with luvox--and that works very well. OCD can actually get reved up if there is agitation due to mood instability-- the antidepressant in that case can actually make the OCD WORSE. If the antidepressant is causing agitation, mood instability, and hypomania or mania-- it makes things very strange--my daughter looks as if she has OCD on speed. She obsesses about things but as if she's had eight cups of coffee and has to get in every objection she can think of in two seconds (every two second I might also add). It is something to explore, I agree, particularly because bipolar types often respond " immediately " to an antidepressant. My daughter's OCD was cured in 24 hours by any antidepressant she's ever tried. BUT, then the mood instability would come and we were in for a horrible time. Sometimes it takes two months for the mood instability to come- -which is why we've been able to figure out its not drug activation or pure side effects of medication--it emerges over time like a growing force... although on certain medications the activation side effect made this whole thing even worse. If you want to talk, please e-mail me. I've been on a long and tiresome journey--and I have a feeling this is only the beginning, but I can certainly share with you some of our experiences in teasing out different side effects and diagnoses. Stephany mom to age 7 ocd, bp luvox, risperdal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2003 Report Share Posted January 2, 2003 > - Your child's behavior sounds very much like Bipolar not just OCD! has > anyone suggested this to you? It makes alot of sense because if you give a > BP child Paxil or any antidepressant without a mood stabilizer, it usually > causes the violent mood swings. Also, Paxil is the highest weight gain > according to our pdoc. We were immediately switched to Celexa. I would > definitely discuss this possibility with your pdoc and good luck! Ellen > > Hi Ellen, You are very correct about severe side effects from SSRIs for some people with bipolar. But, it's not just angry mood swings that get activated - my sister's *depression* was increased by Prozac (and several others). That's how we finally figured out that she had bipolar instead of something else. She could not tolerate SSRIs of any kind. Now, (11) does has the violent mood swings (I'll spare the group, especially the new folks, those stories!) However, his doctor doesn't want to say that he has bipolar. He'd rather treat the symptoms. I've pressed him many times and asked " do you think he has bipolar due to the family history? " and he still responds that OCD can make anyone extremely irritable, angry and irrational. He also says that paranoia is very common for those with OCD because their fears spin out of control and get magnified. And, 's doctor (a well-respected child psychiatrist) recently said that his TS (tourettes) is his primary diagnosis and OCD is his secondary. is *so* extremely moody and angry, so the TS diagnosis really threw me. He seems textbook bipolar to me - but I'm no expert. His doctor thinks that 's TS causes him the most anquish - and is responsible for his angry outbursts, impulsivity, etc. (and of course, the tics). I'm sure that if I looked hard enough, I'd find a doctor that would eagerly diagnose as bipolar. However, I happen to agree with his current doctor's conservative approach by simply treating the *symptoms* and not worrying about the diagnosis at this time. Joni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2003 Report Share Posted January 2, 2003 Joni-I know, we have a neighbor friend who thinks her son is BP also but the pdoc refused to give a mood stabilizer to such a young kid-6th grade. But, I don't know if it will happen for us, but symptoms of ADD,OCD, ODD, etc. can be how BP manifests itself according to The Bipolar Child and to me, if the Topamax works for us in that it eliminates the OCD and ODD symptoms maybe instead of being on Three meds, we can eventually just be on one. It is my hope. Ellen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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