Prescription drugs vs. self-medication (long)

[Guest guest]

My fifteen year old daughter has had problems sleeping for a long time.

Her doctor put her on Ambien at the end of August. The medication caused

severe memory loss (something like amnesia), mood swings, irritability,

distorted thinking, deepening depression, and paradoxical agitation (even

less sleep). She became incapable of functioning normally and she missed

about 14 days of school because of problems related to the medication,

including about 7 meltdowns. We also think it's likely her now former

boyfriend took advantage of her drowsiness and memory loss and initiated

sex without her consent.

In any case, we went in for another appointment last week and the doctor

prescribed Zyprexa. I didn't give it to my daughter right away because she

was visiting her dad, and since he's in denial about her having bipolar

disorder and Borderline traits, she needs to be with me so I can monitor

her reaction to the medication . Her experience with side effects to

medications (Ambien, Risperidol, Trazadone, et. al.) have been frightening

to her (in a PTSD sort of way) that she is refusing to take the Zyprexa.

She says that she doesn't want to be on so many medications and compared

herself to her grandmother, who from 1993-1995 had been prescribed almost

20 different meds by almost as many different doctors and ended up in an

ICU due to Lithium toxicity. Granted, my daughter's case is not nearly as

severe, but I think her use of that example demonstrates just how afraid

she truly is.

My daughter also was introduced to marijuana last Thursday evening. (Prior

to that she had a clean drug test.) It helped her sleep, but worsened her

depression. She told me that her insomnia had gotten to the point that she

felt incredibly frustrated and annoyed, although her word choice was more

decorative. Her feelings are again quite understandable. By last Thursday

she had had only 5 hours sleep in two days and she was miserable. Being

able to sleep made her ecstatic, though.

I was on to her right away and spent the weekend thinking about what I

would do. I have spoken to the mother of the boy who shared the pot, and I

have spoken to my daughter's doctor. I set preliminary boundaries for the

continuation of the friendship so that I don't get too much rebellion, but

it appears that the boy's mother doesn't realize just how much she needs to

limit his mobility and supply of cash. (I know this isn't the politically

correct thing to say in AA, but he seems to be addicted.) My daughter's

doctor was willing to give me a standing order for drug tests, and

suggested Chemical Dependency classes through Kaiser, but I think that if I

can get my daughter to try the Zyprexa, she may not feel the need to use

pot because the Zyprexa will tend to reduce oppositional behavior and

impulsivity.

I'd like to know what happens when parents notify the school about the

potential for students' drug use because that would be my next step.

However, I want to be cautious and use fairly subtle timing so the kids

won't connect me with any report. Has anyone had experience with talking to

the schools about their child's drug use?

Meredith

[Guest guest]

Thank you for the information, Ann.

Meredith

[Guest guest]

> My fifteen year old daughter has had problems sleeping for a long

time.

> Her doctor put her on Ambien at the end of August. The medication

caused

> severe memory loss (something like amnesia), mood swings,

irritability,

> distorted thinking, deepening depression, and paradoxical agitation

(even

> less sleep). She became incapable of functioning normally and she

missed

> about 14 days of school because of problems related to the

medication,

> including about 7 meltdowns. We also think it's likely her now

former

> boyfriend took advantage of her drowsiness and memory loss and

initiated

> sex without her consent.

>

> In any case, we went in for another appointment last week and the

doctor

> prescribed Zyprexa. I didn't give it to my daughter right away

because she

> was visiting her dad, and since he's in denial about her having

bipolar

> disorder and Borderline traits, she needs to be with me so I can

monitor

> her reaction to the medication . Her experience with side effects

to

> medications (Ambien, Risperidol, Trazadone, et. al.) have been

frightening

> to her (in a PTSD sort of way) that she is refusing to take the

Zyprexa.

> She says that she doesn't want to be on so many medications and

compared

> herself to her grandmother, who from 1993-1995 had been prescribed

almost

> 20 different meds by almost as many different doctors and ended up

in an

> ICU due to Lithium toxicity. Granted, my daughter's case is not

nearly as

> severe, but I think her use of that example demonstrates just how

afraid

> she truly is.

>

> My daughter also was introduced to marijuana last Thursday evening.

(Prior

> to that she had a clean drug test.) It helped her sleep, but

worsened her

> depression. She told me that her insomnia had gotten to the point

that she

> felt incredibly frustrated and annoyed, although her word choice

was more

> decorative. Her feelings are again quite understandable. By last

Thursday

> she had had only 5 hours sleep in two days and she was miserable.

Being

> able to sleep made her ecstatic, though.

>

> I was on to her right away and spent the weekend thinking about

what I

> would do. I have spoken to the mother of the boy who shared the

pot, and I

> have spoken to my daughter's doctor. I set preliminary boundaries

for the

> continuation of the friendship so that I don't get too much

rebellion, but

> it appears that the boy's mother doesn't realize just how much she

needs to

> limit his mobility and supply of cash. (I know this isn't the

politically

> correct thing to say in AA, but he seems to be addicted.) My

daughter's

> doctor was willing to give me a standing order for drug tests, and

> suggested Chemical Dependency classes through Kaiser, but I think

that if I

> can get my daughter to try the Zyprexa, she may not feel the need

to use

> pot because the Zyprexa will tend to reduce oppositional behavior

and

> impulsivity.

>

> I'd like to know what happens when parents notify the school about

the

> potential for students' drug use because that would be my next

step.

> However, I want to be cautious and use fairly subtle timing so the

kids

> won't connect me with any report. Has anyone had experience with

talking to

> the schools about their child's drug use?

>

> Meredith

dear Meredith,

my daughter to has turned to marijauna to try to help her

anxiety. She is also borderline and 171/2 your story sounded so

much like mine I took her off lithium and its back to her storys

and impulsiveness im at my witts end my husband also does not

understand this terrible illness right now im just trying to find

the right therpist for her because im so tierd of them reporting us

because of illness.

I feel I get no family support or therpist support when she is

in pshycosis " its just a teenager thing or behaviorl problem or

its the marijauna causing her delusions I have to lol at these so

called experts. As far as the school, ive pulled my daughter from

public school she is now in a county school with on site

counsling so no more calls everyday from the public school your lucky

your daughter is still functioning in a public school.

good luck

mother of severe bpd daughter

[Guest guest]

> My fifteen year old daughter has had problems sleeping for a long

time.

> Her doctor put her on Ambien at the end of August. The medication

caused

> severe memory loss (something like amnesia), mood swings,

irritability,

> distorted thinking, deepening depression, and paradoxical agitation

(even

> less sleep). She became incapable of functioning normally and she

missed

> about 14 days of school because of problems related to the

medication,

> including about 7 meltdowns. We also think it's likely her now

former

> boyfriend took advantage of her drowsiness and memory loss and

initiated

> sex without her consent.

>

> In any case, we went in for another appointment last week and the

doctor

> prescribed Zyprexa. I didn't give it to my daughter right away

because she

> was visiting her dad, and since he's in denial about her having

bipolar

> disorder and Borderline traits, she needs to be with me so I can

monitor

> her reaction to the medication . Her experience with side effects

to

> medications (Ambien, Risperidol, Trazadone, et. al.) have been

frightening

> to her (in a PTSD sort of way) that she is refusing to take the

Zyprexa.

> She says that she doesn't want to be on so many medications and

compared

> herself to her grandmother, who from 1993-1995 had been prescribed

almost

> 20 different meds by almost as many different doctors and ended up

in an

> ICU due to Lithium toxicity. Granted, my daughter's case is not

nearly as

> severe, but I think her use of that example demonstrates just how

afraid

> she truly is.

>

> My daughter also was introduced to marijuana last Thursday evening.

(Prior

> to that she had a clean drug test.) It helped her sleep, but

worsened her

> depression. She told me that her insomnia had gotten to the point

that she

> felt incredibly frustrated and annoyed, although her word choice

was more

> decorative. Her feelings are again quite understandable. By last

Thursday

> she had had only 5 hours sleep in two days and she was miserable.

Being

> able to sleep made her ecstatic, though.

>

> I was on to her right away and spent the weekend thinking about

what I

> would do. I have spoken to the mother of the boy who shared the

pot, and I

> have spoken to my daughter's doctor. I set preliminary boundaries

for the

> continuation of the friendship so that I don't get too much

rebellion, but

> it appears that the boy's mother doesn't realize just how much she

needs to

> limit his mobility and supply of cash. (I know this isn't the

politically

> correct thing to say in AA, but he seems to be addicted.) My

daughter's

> doctor was willing to give me a standing order for drug tests, and

> suggested Chemical Dependency classes through Kaiser, but I think

that if I

> can get my daughter to try the Zyprexa, she may not feel the need

to use

> pot because the Zyprexa will tend to reduce oppositional behavior

and

> impulsivity.

>

> I'd like to know what happens when parents notify the school about

the

> potential for students' drug use because that would be my next

step.

> However, I want to be cautious and use fairly subtle timing so the

kids

> won't connect me with any report. Has anyone had experience with

talking to

> the schools about their child's drug use?

>

> Meredith

dear Meredith,

my daughter to has turned to marijauna to try to help her

anxiety. She is also borderline and 171/2 your story sounded so

much like mine I took her off lithium and its back to her storys

and impulsiveness im at my witts end my husband also does not

understand this terrible illness right now im just trying to find

the right therpist for her because im so tierd of them reporting us

because of illness.

I feel I get no family support or therpist support when she is

in pshycosis " its just a teenager thing or behaviorl problem or

its the marijauna causing her delusions I have to lol at these so

called experts. As far as the school, ive pulled my daughter from

public school she is now in a county school with on site

counsling so no more calls everyday from the public school your lucky

your daughter is still functioning in a public school.

good luck

mother of severe bpd daughter