Changing SSRI's

[Guest guest]

We've been dealing with OCD and medication for it for many years. I have always

been grateful to know of the experiences of others' in this group. Here's what I

would tell anyone about the process of changing. First, as has been said many

times, you can read all the studies you'd like, but the only way to know what

will really work for your child is to try it. Second, we have learned the hard

way that you need to give your current medication a fair shot before switching.

This means, if it's not working, try it for at least a couple of weeks at a

higher dose and also at a lower dose. A good psychiatrist with experience

treating OCD patients can help you figure out if you're likely to need a higher

dose or a lower dose. Also, the duration of any trial depends on the half life

of that particular medication. If you haven't given it a long enough time to

work, then in the future, a new psychiatrist or a treatment program will ask you

whether such and such drug worked and you won't really know. We are currently

trying Prozac again because we never tried it at a high enough dose the first

time.

Third, the process of switching is difficult and takes a long time. We underwent

a change from Lexapro, which worked well for over four years, to Fluvoxamine,

under the guidance of the chief of pediatric and adolescent psychiatry at a

major teaching hospital. We started in July and it took until October for all of

us to conclude that fluvoxamine was not working at all. (A blood plasma test

confirmed that it was not present in his plasma.)Then it took from October to

January to get some help from Prozac. There were some very bad times during the

fall and winter.

Fourth, as has been said by others, keep a notebook where you record all

medication changes, dates, amounts, results, doctors' directions, therapist

advice, potential new therapists, treatment center info, record of obsessive

thoughts, rituals- -everything OCD. As horrible as it is when you're going

through it and as much as you think you'll never forget it, you will.

Hope this helps someone.

WorriedMom

[Guest guest]

Thanks. My daughter has been on 150 mg of zoloft for 2 years so I am convinced

it is as good as it is going to get on the zoloft. However as another member

stated I could try going up a little more. She did seem to get somewhat better

with each increase but her psychiatrist(not seeing her now) said she didnt want

to go above 150 mg.

 

Di

To:

Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 11:06 AM

Subject: Re: Changing SSRI's

 

We've been dealing with OCD and medication for it for many years. I have always

been grateful to know of the experiences of others' in this group. Here's what I

would tell anyone about the process of changing. First, as has been said many

times, you can read all the studies you'd like, but the only way to know what

will really work for your child is to try it. Second, we have learned the hard

way that you need to give your current medication a fair shot before switching.

This means, if it's not working, try it for at least a couple of weeks at a

higher dose and also at a lower dose. A good psychiatrist with experience

treating OCD patients can help you figure out if you're likely to need a higher

dose or a lower dose. Also, the duration of any trial depends on the half life

of that particular medication. If you haven't given it a long enough time to

work, then in the future, a new psychiatrist or a treatment program will ask you

whether such and such

drug worked and you won't really know. We are currently trying Prozac again

because we never tried it at a high enough dose the first time.

Third, the process of switching is difficult and takes a long time. We underwent

a change from Lexapro, which worked well for over four years, to Fluvoxamine,

under the guidance of the chief of pediatric and adolescent psychiatry at a

major teaching hospital. We started in July and it took until October for all of

us to conclude that fluvoxamine was not working at all. (A blood plasma test

confirmed that it was not present in his plasma.)Then it took from October to

January to get some help from Prozac. There were some very bad times during the

fall and winter.

Fourth, as has been said by others, keep a notebook where you record all

medication changes, dates, amounts, results, doctors' directions, therapist

advice, potential new therapists, treatment center info, record of obsessive

thoughts, rituals- -everything OCD. As horrible as it is when you're going

through it and as much as you think you'll never forget it, you will.

Hope this helps someone.

WorriedMom

[Guest guest]

Worried Mom, thanks for sharing this, good thoughts! I was interested in that

blood plasma test. How does that work when taking medication? If it doesn't

show, what does that mean exactly? If you know, be interested to hear!

>

> Third, the process of switching is difficult and takes a long time. We

underwent a change from Lexapro, which worked well for over four years, to

Fluvoxamine, under the guidance of the chief of pediatric and adolescent

psychiatry at a major teaching hospital. We started in July and it took until

October for all of us to conclude that fluvoxamine was not working at all. (A

blood plasma test confirmed that it was not present in his plasma.)Then it took

from October to January to get some help from Prozac. There were some very bad

times during the fall and winter.

[Guest guest]

May I ask you why after using Lexapro for over 4 years you switched SSRI's ?

Thank you,

Dana

Dana -Kennedy

Changing SSRI's

We've been dealing with OCD and medication for it for many years. I have always

been grateful to know of the experiences of others' in this group. Here's what I

would tell anyone about the process of changing. First, as has been said many

times, you can read all the studies you'd like, but the only way to know what

will really work for your child is to try it. Second, we have learned the hard

way that you need to give your current medication a fair shot before switching.

This means, if it's not working, try it for at least a couple of weeks at a

higher dose and also at a lower dose. A good psychiatrist with experience

treating OCD patients can help you figure out if you're likely to need a higher

dose or a lower dose. Also, the duration of any trial depends on the half life

of that particular medication. If you haven't given it a long enough time to

work, then in the future, a new psychiatrist or a treatment program will ask you

whether such and such drug worked and you won't really know. We are currently

trying Prozac again because we never tried it at a high enough dose the first

time.

Third, the process of switching is difficult and takes a long time. We underwent

a change from Lexapro, which worked well for over four years, to Fluvoxamine,

under the guidance of the chief of pediatric and adolescent psychiatry at a

major teaching hospital. We started in July and it took until October for all of

us to conclude that fluvoxamine was not working at all. (A blood plasma test

confirmed that it was not present in his plasma.)Then it took from October to

January to get some help from Prozac. There were some very bad times during the

fall and winter.

Fourth, as has been said by others, keep a notebook where you record all

medication changes, dates, amounts, results, doctors' directions, therapist

advice, potential new therapists, treatment center info, record of obsessive

thoughts, rituals- -everything OCD. As horrible as it is when you're going

through it and as much as you think you'll never forget it, you will.

Hope this helps someone.

WorriedMom