Warning: take the warnings about SSRI with teens seriously
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Anonymous
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My DD tried to kill herself about a month ago.
She had been on Zoloft for about a year, but in the fall, she was having some problems, and the depression (and destructive coping mechanisms) returned. Starting at winter break, the psychiatrist upped the Zoloft dose from 50 to 100. When the new year started, she was not argumentative, and was actually moderately pleasant to be around. But, her edge was gone -- not as much (dark) humor, and no infectious laugh. Then, after about three weeks, I noticed that her grades were slipping. I did not know why. And was this just hard units in a couple of classes? She started talking about the ability to BS her way through some AP classes. Once the 3rd q. began, it was clear things were going badly. She had dropped from mostly A's with one or two B's to failing a lot of quizzes. Then, one Saturday, I heard this god-awful noise. I went up stairs, and discovered her on the floor of her closet. The rod was down; she had tried to hang herself. Fortunately, I did a really poor job of installing the rod. Oh, it turns out she was also cutting. At the hospital, they quickly got her stabilized on a much lower dose of the SSRI (25) and added another med. With that, within a couple of days, my DD was back -- she is anxious about her slump -- she wants to go to a good (but not great) college. Her grades are rebounding. The Guidance Counselor has arranged for the teachers to throw out the three - 4 weeks proving she rebounds (no long term consequences). But, I can not get over the the fact that I missed it. She seemed to be doing better -- less anxiety. She is currently in an intensive outpatient program after school to learn better coping skills. |
Anonymous
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Friends kid did the same thing - only he was successful. So awful.
Long live big pharma! |
Anonymous
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That’s so scary. I’m sorry it happened.
Yes, close monitoring of SSRIs is absolutely important, especially with dosage changes. I’m glad the low dose combined with another medication (non-SSRI?) is helping and that you aren’t swearing off meds altogether. I started SSRIs at age 15 and I’m pretty sure they saved my life. Still on them 20 years later— my doctor and I have tried tapering off a few times when things are going really well for me, but the crippling anxiety always comes back. I have three close family members who attempted suicide, one successful, none medicated. |
Anonymous
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OP here. I am not against SSRI's. I have been on them for 15 years and they have definitely helped me.
But, the warnings -- they are real. |
Anonymous
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I’m so sorry, OP, but so glad to hear she’s in a program and stabilizing.
Another PSI: Effexor can cause awful personality changes in kids with a family history of bipolar, even if the kids themselves aren’t bipolar. Effexor turned my anxious and depressed kid manic and angry, to the point he shoplifted and flew off the handle at everybody around him. He’s now on a different med and his normal, sweet personality is back, but he’s still trying to repair the damage to his friendships. |
Anonymous
| My daughter was like this before we put her on meds, but we watched her closely when she started them and as we upped the dosage. Suicide is a warning on the lists of reactions. |
Anonymous
WTF? She tried to kill herself because of the medicine your doctors recommended, then the doctors say "ooops, guess we'll reduce the dose and add another crazy drug" and you're like "awesome, thanks doc!" When a drug causes you to attempt suicide, never take that drug again seems like an obvious course of action. "But the doctors said..." yeah the same idiots who just almost killed her? |
Anonymous
Big pharma has saved exponentially more lives than it has caused adverse reactions to |
Anonymous
How is this big pharma's fault? SSRIs all have a boxed warning--FDA's highest level--regarding suicidal thoughts and actions in those under 18. I think that's OP's point--she is reminding everyone to take those warnings seriously; it's easy, for any of us, to get complacent. |
Anonymous
| I would up that age regarding suicidal thoughts to 25 at least. My brother made an attempt on Prozac in his early 20s. |
Anonymous
| My child has been on SSRIs for several years. He has seen 3 different psychiatrists. All 3 of them are absolutely certain that SSRIs do not cause suicidal ideation/suicide. I don't know what t believe. |
Anonymous
| Isn't it more that kids/folks that really need to take those kinds of drugs (because they are, unmedicated, in a terrible way) are more likely to have suicidal thoughts/feelings? |
Anonymous
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OP, why did you put her back on that drug PLUS another?
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Anonymous
OP here. You can't just stop the SSRI's; you need to taper off. She is down to 1/4th the prior max dose. We were warned at the get go that psychiatric drugs are largely trial and error -- there is no objective blood test to figure out which will work. WTF is wrong with you? There is a reason why we had to start the drugs in the first place. Or are you of the tom cruz crazy mode. |
Anonymous
You can not just stop an SSRI. It will take 2-3 weeks to wean off of it. |