Guest guest Posted September 17, 2004 Report Share Posted September 17, 2004 : After trying all the bio-medical routes, there are some children who do need prescription medications to make gains. In consulting with Dr. Amen re SPECT exams on autistic children, he notes certain patterns their brains show. This is what he recommended for one of my patients who is also pretty much a non-responder to everything (except diet): 1st) A trial with an amino-acid mix; he likes a compound called Teen-Link, obtainable by internet from Pain and Stress Center. (Since I already have my patients on lots of amino acids, I often go right to the 2nd.) 2nd) A trial with an anti-convulsant; I recommend Neurontin (gabapentin) as it is non-toxic and does not systemically react with any other medication your child is taking. I suggest GABA prior to this to get ready for it, and some kids quiet down and get better with GABA alone. I have had some notable responses with neurontin, and some notable lack of responses - few negative responses. 3rd) A trial with very low dose SSRI's - I like starting out with 1/4 ml of Lexapro and working up very gradually. Prozac is the only SSRI that is recommended for children, but it takes so long to start having its effect (3 weeks) that unless a child has already shown that this helps (from another therapist in the past) I usually go to one of the faster acting ones. I must stress the importance of starting with tiny doses and working up slowly. If neurontin has shown some benefit but not enough, I continue these simultaneously. 4th) If still no benefit, or even negative reactions, Risperdal (risperidone) in low doses does calm down the " ring of fire " that many of these kids show on their SPECT exams, and they are able to listen and focus better. The side effect is strong hunger and weight gain, and in an attempt to move away from these side effects, some parents go to Geodon or Abilify, with varying results. Obviously you have to have a willing doctor to work with you on all these, though they are all pretty safe medications except for the carbohydrate metabolism problem with all the anti-psychotics. The suicidal risk lately touted about the SSRI's I believe applies to NT or very high-functioning kids who are depressed and get activated enough by the SSRI that they figure out how to kill themselves. With the degree of supervision that our kids have I don't think they are dangerous drugs in this regard. Some cause some weight gain in some people, but not like Risperdal. As to TD-DMPS chelation, I cannot offer any more than I already have until after the Think Tank at the DAN! coming up very soon. 10 rounds of chelation is not enough to judge yet. If you are going to follow Andy's chelation protocol, you should be addressing your questions about chelation to him. I cannot be more specific than this without a formal consultation. Dr. JM from Antony - Jack's urinary toxicity test results > > > > > > > Dear > > > please see attached results > > > brgds > > > Antony > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 17, 2004 Report Share Posted September 17, 2004 They are completely different medications. Strattera is in a class all by itself, and doesn't cause weight gain, helps some kids, makes some kids too sleepy, and most show nothing with it. I consider it a pretty benign medicine. I consider a child lucky if they are helped by Strattera. Most ASD children do not do well on Ritalin or Adderall, but a few higher functioning kids seem to benefit. Dr. JM from Antony - Jack's urinary toxicity test results > > > > > > > > > > Dear > > > > please see attached results > > > > brgds > > > > Antony > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Many frequently asked questions and answers can be found at <http://forums.autism-rxguidebook.com/default.aspx> > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 17, 2004 Report Share Posted September 17, 2004 Is Lexapro comparable to Strattera? Our daughter can't take Strattera because it's metabolized in the 2D6 pathway but Lexapro is metabolized in the 2C19 which is good for her. Strattera helped her focus and retain memory, but she simply couldn't metabolize it. Thank you, Shari from Antony - Jack's urinary toxicity test results > > > > > > > Dear > > > please see attached results > > > brgds > > > Antony > > > > > > Many frequently asked questions and answers can be found at <http://forums.autism-rxguidebook.com/default.aspx> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 17, 2004 Report Share Posted September 17, 2004 Thanks. We have had our daughter off of Ritalin since May and she's holding her own. Ritalin was a very remarkable drug for her when it was in her body as far as focusing. When the Ritalin wore off so did all of the benefits. We're trying to get her back on track with Play Attention and other behavioral therapies. However, she's doing great with four of the five " quintet therapies " - but I have always thought that our daughter could do so much if she could just concentrate better. Thanks for the information. Any ideas on supplements that help concentration? I noticed the ADD e-mails. We have a prescription amino acid for our daughter but it makes her SO HYPER. Shari Shari from Antony - Jack's urinary toxicity test results > > > > > > > > > > Dear > > > > please see attached results > > > > brgds > > > > Antony > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Many frequently asked questions and answers can be found at <http://forums.autism-rxguidebook.com/default.aspx> > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2004 Report Share Posted September 23, 2004 Dear Dr McCandless, I was most surprised and upset to see your response to my mail as I had not checked out your recomendations at all with Andy, but had merely responded to an email he had written suggesting that indeed there were other signs other than on an EEG which might indicate the benefit of using an anti-convulsant. I asked him what those signs were in order to see if Jack fitted this mould as you had suggested I might try one. I am only trying to assess the best way forward for Jack who is not progressing at all, and I have never double checked your recommendations against anyone else, indeed being in the UK where we have no good physicians in this field we and other parents are eternally grateful for yours, Andy's and others support in trying to help us with our children and I hope that you feel that you can continue to do so. We continue to follow many of your recommendations from our initial consult, the only difference being that we are chelating following Andy's protocol. We have reached a point where we need to make some decisions around the possible use of some prescriptive medication and are just trying to find out more about the suggestions you have made. My biggest concern is how we convince a UK G.P to prescribe as they are very conservative over here, hence my question about a further consult as we are keen to trial some with him. With my very best wishes from Antony - Jack's urinary toxicity test results > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear > > > > > > please see attached results > > > > > > brgds > > > > > > Antony > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Many frequently asked questions and answers can be found at > > <http://forums.autism-rxguidebook.com/default.aspx> > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2004 Report Share Posted September 23, 2004 : I had been given incorrect information and have already apologized to Andy. He is my friend but we have been battling for years over his constant need to put DAN! doctors down, and I had a knee jerk reaction when I was told what apparently another poster had said about the use of anticonvulsants. None of us like to use medications on our kids but the clinical reality is that sometimes it is necessary, and your son (and my granddaughter, after fighting it for years - so it is an emotional touch-point for me) may be one of those. Though Andy and I agree on many things, we do have some distinct differences around chelation. In spite of my having had notable successes with the use of DMSA (as that was all we really had for a long time) the pathogen overgrowth issue is a serious one, and other agents/routes/doses are being investigated at DAN! and elsewhere. At the moment I am exploring TD-DMPS, and the Think Tank where we have invited Dr. Buttar will be next Wednesday and Thursday, after which I will know more and will post it here. Since I am extremely busy until after the conference, physician training, and clinics that follow each DAN!, I would prefer to discuss consultation re the meds by personal e-mail after the 6th. At that time, I will know more and can help better. Dr. JM from Antony - Jack's urinary toxicity test results > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear > > > > > > > please see attached results > > > > > > > brgds > > > > > > > Antony > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Many frequently asked questions and answers can be found at > > > <http://forums.autism-rxguidebook.com/default.aspx> > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2004 Report Share Posted September 23, 2004 : I'm still for some mysterious reason not getting the personal e-mails from you. Since I receive about 400 a day from all over the world, I sure don't understand it. Please send it to my dh Jack (jmzimmerman@...) who is in the next room and he can forward it to me. Thanks! Dr. JM from Antony - Jack's urinary toxicity test > > results > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear > > > > > > > > > please see attached results > > > > > > > > > brgds > > > > > > > > > Antony > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Many frequently asked questions and answers can be found at > > > > > <http://forums.autism-rxguidebook.com/default.aspx> > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2004 Report Share Posted September 23, 2004 Thanks Dr M I look forward to discussing a way forward post the 6th and hope the think tank is a big success for all !! I am ccing this to your private email too so can you just let me know if you get it as otherwise I've still got the same problem with mailing you privately!!! Many thanks from Antony - Jack's urinary toxicity test > results > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear > > > > > > > > please see attached results > > > > > > > > brgds > > > > > > > > Antony > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Many frequently asked questions and answers can be found at > > > > <http://forums.autism-rxguidebook.com/default.aspx> > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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