Any success stories of anxiety being ADHD and going off SSRI
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Anonymous
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My DC was diagnosed with GAD 2 years ago but it became apparent it was more impulsive hyperactive ADHD. Now that they are diagnosed, we are seeing great results with Concerta and I am wondering if weaning slowly off the SRRI is possible and maybe doing Clonidine if needed.
I am not against SSRI but I never felt like it really worked and I don’t like the side effects. Loss of hair, swelling, ruddiness, increased appetite, gi issues, etc… I never really saw anxiety now that I look back. They are happy and not depressed. Just very impulsive, fidgety, and had infrequent defiant attacks (that were initially labeled panic attacks) Is it wrong to consider weaning off the med or at least lowering the dose? Has anyone done this with positive outcome? |
Anonymous
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I think it is worth a try, since the side effects are bothersome.
I do think you get a slow natural weaning effect from the kid's physical growth relative to the dose, so bear that in mind. |
Anonymous
| They often go hand in hand. My DC needs both. But it’s worth a try. I would taper super slow - like over months. And for me personally, I feel fine for a few months and then the anxiety comes creeping back in. So keep a sharp eye on things. |
Anonymous
| Are you working with a psychiatrist? Attempting a slow wean seems very appropriate. Is your child able/willing to communicate how they feel? |
Anonymous
| Be really careful with this. Either have your doctor make a dosing schedule, or figure it out yourself, but you need to understand that what matters is how long the medicine stays in her system. And that can vary from person to person. When you reduce the dose, it'll seem okay because she's still coasting on what's already in her system. But eventually her system level will decrease enough that she feels a difference. You don't want to get overconfident and decrease too fast just because the first week goes okay. |
Anonymous
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Yes, of course. Anxiety meds have a higher risk of side effects than stimulants for ADHD, so doctors should always try ADHD meds first. This is why the evaluation needs to be wide-ranging to catch any disorders that may be comorbid with the anxiety.
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Anonymous
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Respectfully- a board full of strangers is not a resource for this kind of question.
Please work with your provider. |
Anonymous
| What kind of “defiant attacks”? |
Anonymous
OP here. Yes we have a psychiatrist but they are very “whatever the patient wants” which can be good but also doesn’t help as we are new to this and I don’t really know. And our appointments are only 25min so it’s so rushed I feel like I have to have a game plan before going. A lot of my research is just looking online. And I am not looking for strangers to decide for me. I am asking if anyone has been successful. I can interpret any feedback. I realize ADHD and anxiety co-exist but I have also seen a lot of misdiagnosed girls who were given anxiety diagnoses when it was ADHD. I mean even my psychiatrist and pediatrician were completely against ADHD testing forever because she had good grades and did well at appointments. I had to push it and then after testing/teacher feedback, they were like oops. It’s just been really frustrating how long this all takes. SSRI’s have a lot of bad side effects and long term issues so I already feel guilt that’s she’s been on them for so long already when they weren’t doing much. Hence me pushing for ADHD testing. |
Anonymous
| If you are really treating the ADHD, shouldn't the anxiety get better? |
Anonymous
| Since your provider is not very directive I would do some research, come up with a plan, and share it with the provider. Say explicitly "I am here for your expertise and I want to know your professional opinion. Do you think this is a good plan?" |
Anonymous
Not the case for my DD who does have general anxiety disorder. She really needs the Zoloft to help her sleep, feel more comfortable in social situations, and her anxiety presents as grumpiness/irritability and not helped by ADHD meds at all. Every kid is different though, so I really hope OP works with the provider on this decision |
Anonymous
OP here. Yes, much better. But they are on an SRRI before starting ADHD meds, so that is my concern is weaning off. Did I think the SSRI was working? Not really but I guess that’s why I am looking for feedback if anyone has tried going off SSRI for a possible mid diagnosis. |
Anonymous
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My DS's anxiety was the direct result of ADHD. He's off the SSRI. He's 20 now and recently told me that therapy was more of a help for him than the SSRI.
Good luck to you and your DC. |
Anonymous
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Diagnoses are for insurance companies. There will be significant overlap in symptoms between those two diagnoses and you will want the help of a psychiatrist who can address those symptoms as well as possible. I'm a big fan of weaning off of SSRIs, but everything comes at a cost -- be aware that sometimes people come off of them, realize they are better off on them, and then go back and it doesn't work as well. But you are saying you don't think it did much anyway, so I'd go ahead and try to get DC off of it.
Psych prescribing is art as well as science and very complicated. Good luck. |