Anxious about Starting Lexapro for Anxiety
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Anonymous
NP - you're missing the point PP. Whatever issues the mom of the PP you're replying to had, that PP felt like they didn't need to be on meds. Sometimes one's moodiness and hatred of school is all based on totally reasonable, understandable conditions. And moodiness in teens is also so common without any mental health issues. Raising teens is hard for most parents, so maybe this PP's mom just couldn't handle it or had her own mental health issues and projected them onto her DD who then was forced to take meds that maybe she didn't need. And she's struggled to be free of them ever since it sounds like. 14 is old enough to definitely have the DD/DS's thoughts on going on meds be sought and weighed into final decisions that parents and therapists may make. And giving a teen an opportunity to try other approaches is important unless they are in crisis right now. OP sounds like they've tried to get their DD to try other things, she hasn't wanted to, but now is willing to try meds. Sounds like OP IS taking her DD's opinion into serious consideration, and that's good. PP who was forced into it and felt like you didn't have the mental health issues your mom was upset about, I'm sorry that happened to you. |
Anonymous
It sounds like you're taking the right things into consideration and both giving your DD voice as well as being clear that something has to be tried because she's not ok. Sounds like you're doing the right things. Even your original post to me sounded like a good question but also understandable (and I'd argue) "healthy anxiety" about starting a 14 yr old on SSRIs. I hope things go well and she gets to a baseline where she can titrate off the meds completely. Good luck OP! |
Anonymous
Not the PP but… Based on current data, magnesium taurate and glycinate have the most research supporting their effects on anxiety and other mental health disorders |
Anonymous
Are you anti-meds with every illness or just the ones that are not totally understood yet? |
Anonymous
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My ds has been on Prozac since just before he turned 10. He’s now almost 13. I am 100% sure he’d be dead now if we hadn’t sought medication. He had been in therapy for two years prior. He has been to three different therapists and the one he sees now is leaps and bounds better than who he saw before.
I wouldn’t do medication without therapy for a kid. |
Anonymous
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I did not read threads after the first page. Just want to share my son started on Lexapro about 18 mos ago when he was 15 for “social anxiety”. He is very thin and it did not cause any weight gain. He said he did not feel side effects. He is 6 ft about 140 lbs. He started on half 5 mg pill then gradually ramped up to 5 mg over a few weeks. In the beginning was more chatty and pleasant but then he sort of leveled into his quiet self.
When we started the med finding a therapist was scarce through our network. the one we had canceled all of the time. He started seeing someone 4 mos ago for 45 min each week. He says it helps and may go down to every other week. He has been moody and tired the past month. We started questioning if it was the medication. Turns out he had stopped cold turkey without telling us. It was withdrawal. He seems to be doing ok. I was personally disappointed that he stopped taking it without consulting us. We had a big discussion that this medication had to be ramped up and down properly. He took adhd medication when he was younger and he stopped it abruptly so we wanted him to understand that this medication was different. He seems ok. We are getting a full neuropsych in a few months to address some issues but overall ok. He felt it worked for him when he needed it and no longer needed it. |
Anonymous
Would you please say more about the decrease in sports performance and hormonal changes. DD would be okay with some weight gain but not okay with decreased athleticism in her dance. |
Anonymous
The hormonal stuff is tricky because she also has other endocrine issues and medications. There was some improvement as Lexapro was reduced, but another primary cause was found. The weight gain is more reliable as related to the Lexapro because with the decrease to a tiny dose, she lost the weight. The sport is speed-based and having the extra weight slowed her down, and there is some evidence Lexapro can decrease reaction time. |
Anonymous
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My DS had crippling anxiety that was not abating much with CBT. It was really interfering with life and causing near daily meltdowns. He is on the autism spectrum and a lot of the anxiety had to do with rigidity of thinking, freaking out over unknown or not routine things, etc. There was so much stuff he couldn’t enjoy.
With great trepidation we started him on Lexapro. It was nothing short of transformational. Sometimes I still marvel at how calm and flexible he is. He seems a lot happier and is doing so much stuff I never could have imagined before, like going to camps where he doesn’t know anyone or what exactly will happen, etc Why Lexapro? Because I had started it in my 40’s, for depression and anxiety. I often wonder what my life might have been like if I’d started it much earlier. I also think my parents’ alcoholism was them self medicating. We both have had some weight gain on it which is a bummer but preferable to the crying and screaming. |
Anonymous
Can you share which how strong? I’ve found gummies for 100mg, 200mg and 400mg. |
Anonymous
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I’m reviving this thread because I’m curious how the OP’s dd is doing now?
I have an anxious teen who probably needs meds and I’m looking for some anecdotes of success. |
Anonymous
| My nephew has been on Zoloft for 3 years. He is 18 and he is in such a better place now. At 15, we would never have dreamed he would go to college. He was in a bad place. Now he is so much better. |
Anonymous
Not necessarily so, especially if she hasn't used it for long. It's not recommended to stop cold turkey, but titrating down usually works fine. |