Tell me about medicating your child for anxiety/cod

[Anonymous]

I was in the original study for OCD at NIH in the early 90s. I started on the Prozac and within a week I felt such relief from symptoms. I am not clear of them still, but now I can handle it.

My daughter started with OCD in 4th grade and I immediately got her on Prozac and she improved quickly with a year of therapy. She is now in college and off the Prozac.

Prozac stopped working for me after many years, and I have been on others. The last one was Zoloft, and it took some of the edge off, but really didn't work for my OCD. I stuck with it for a year and finally went back to Lexapro, which works well.

I have worked with many students with anxiety and OCD who take Zoloft, and I have never felt that it worked well for them, although of course I am not allowed to give that kind of feedback to parents since I am not a doctor.

I would put your child on Prozac in a heartbeat. Don't let the OCD thinking and behaviors get entrenched. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Thank you all for your replies. I truly appreciate them. The therapy is helping; she has told me so, but the obsessive thoughts are still there, and that's just no way for a 10 year old to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, OP

My daughter went on Prozac at age 13 ( HFA, anxiety and then later OCD) We noticed the change overnight and it was very positive. Now 17 she is only on 20mg but her OCD is getting worse so her doctor and I are observing her for a week before we decide to increase the dosage.

Good luck!

Be skeptical readers -- no SSRI works overnight, and in fact they take 4+ weeks to achieve optimal therapeitic level.

In my experience, it takes much less than a month to see the results. In fact, our psychiatrist checks in after two weeks and if the dosage doesn't seem to help, he raises it then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, OP

My daughter went on Prozac at age 13 ( HFA, anxiety and then later OCD) We noticed the change overnight and it was very positive. Now 17 she is only on 20mg but her OCD is getting worse so her doctor and I are observing her for a week before we decide to increase the dosage.

Good luck!

Be skeptical readers -- no SSRI works overnight, and in fact they take 4+ weeks to achieve optimal therapeitic level.

That is just not true, period. Prozac can work very quickly.

[Anonymous]

Started DD on Zoloft in 2nd grade due to severe anxiety (lifelong but had gotten worse since K). She has CBT biweekly, too. It took about a month but she is a NEW child. I actually have a lot of mom guilt that she missed out on being this happy and carefree her whole life but am grateful we helped her out at a young age, at least.

[Anonymous]

I'm in the same boat. DS has anxiety and OCD. Just put him on 10 mg Prozac and weekly therapy. He needs some relief, so it's worth trying. The alternative is to watch them suffer.

[Anonymous]

My 7 year old daughter is on 100 mg of Zoloft for anxiety and OCD. We started medicating her about a year and a half ago and we have no regrets.

[Anonymous]

Took our 9 YO DD about 11-12 days for Prozac to kick-in for her anxiety (our dr said it works faster on anxiety than on depression). Frankly, we were shocked by the change and oh-so-thankful that we'd taken the leap. She'd been miserable and then "we got her back." Like others have posted, she has thanked us for helping her with her "brain medicine." She's still in CBT, of course, but we do it now as maintenance rarher than as crisis intervention.

[Anonymous]

OP here: I have a referral from her therapist, can you share what the process is like once we meet with the doctor? We're going with a psychiatrist in the same office rather than her pediatrician. Will we meet the doctor and walk out with a prescription? Or will it take several visits?

[Anonymous]

In our experience, we got a prescription at the initial visit. I think if you are already doing therapy and her anxiety is still significant, a psychiatrist would try medication as the next step. He/she may want to have frequent follow ups to see how it's working (like monthly) which is good at first.

[Anonymous]

Thank you, 16:51. That's pretty much the exact scenario we're dealing with.

[Anonymous]

who is best therapist for OCD in area? My 10 yr old son is OCD. I hate what it does to him. Tried a few idiots. did nothing for him...NOTHING. I watch him cry at night because he want's to stop thinking the thoughts and doing the rituals. I have to listen to 5 -10 minutes every night before he sleeps all the thoughts or he thinks I will die if he doesn't tell me. I tell him it is ocd, not him thinking these things. This is the saddest think I have ever watched one of my babies go thru. I just want to find the right help..

[Anonymous]

Dr. Kim Bullock in McLean. If she can't take a new patient, ask her for referrals. There are books for kids to read about how OCD works, although it isn't enought to just read. But it helps to know that the kid isn't crazy. I still have to tell myself it is just OCD, but that doesn't stop me from having to walk only around the left side of the couch. I know it, but sometimes I can't fight it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be skeptical readers -- no SSRI works overnight, and in fact they take 4+ weeks to achieve optimal therapeitic level.
[Report Post]


I am the person who said my daughter had immediate positive reaction in taking Prozac. I don't understand your post, PP. I was only sharing my experience and wasn't assuming that it would be the same with the OP and their child. Why would someone lie about their experience? Why would you say something that suggests that I have? Please rethink your thoughts about something you know nothing about!

I am on Lexapo and fel a difference within a week or so. Maybe that was just my imagination but if I felt better, who cares!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you rule out PANDAS, it is the cause of my DD's OCD/anxiety. Low dose SSRI has helped her tremendously as well as antibiotics.

Is it a strep panel test that shows this?