antidepressants after diagnosis? | Autism PDD

Tammy is right. Generally they will prescribe meds with therapy. Meds are great but most times you are not able to fight true depression with meds alone. Therapy is essential. This is the problem that I have with doctors other than mental health proffessionals dealing with medications for depression. They truley are not educated enough and a lot of times will just prescribe a drug and forget about the fact that you need therapy. Big mistake that is commonly made in the medical field. I mean really....if you have a heart condition...would you go to a foot doctor? LOL Sorry...i'm rambling now. Just made me think about that subject. Sallys.....life stressors commonly cause long term depression. They can be the trigger. Once it sets in and continues for a period of time is when most proffessionals will decide to medicate. If after a certain period of time that depression continues sometimes meds are needed until therapy can resolve issues that your dealing with. I think the best place to start is therapy..Just my opinion. Then let THAT doctor decide if you need to be on medication. IF you start with a counselor or a psychologist they can determine after seeing you and doing a consult, if the need is there for meds depending on your personal situation. They then can refer you back to your doc for a prescription or in my opinion the best choice a psychiatrist for the meds.

Karrie

It's definitely something to consider ... but probably if you can deal with things without drugs, it'd be for the better. Are there any support groups (for parents of kids with autism) in your area? My dh and I joined one right after Luke was dx'd and it's been a godsend. It's so great to have poeple who are going through the same things (or worse) with their kids as we are. You're right that this dx will be a lifelong stressor, so for myself I'd want to learn how to cope with the depression before I'd be willing to go on medication. If I couldn't cope, then I'd try therapy. If therapy didn't work, then bring on the Zoloft! Of course, it's completely up to you and we all know our own tolerance level for stress. If you honestly can't deal, then by all means, that's why God created antidepressants!

Good luck with your decision.

That was one of the meds that didn't work on me. Was on that years ago. But I was given anti depressants for more than just having two kids on the spectrum too.

Tammy

I also took Zoloft prescribed by the doctor for more than just depression, it helped take the edge off of my frustration and took away the feeling that I might "loose it" at any given moment. It also helped with the depression too. I was also taking it for more reasons than having a child dx'd..actually I was taking it before his dx. I have alot of anxiety and control issues it seemed to help me out. I ended up going off the med and have been dealing with it more on my own. It has been alot easier since we found the good school for our ds and he is doing so much better. But I have some rough days with having 4 kids. But nothing I can't handle. So if you don't think you need the meds and you can work through it on your own that is great but...don't feel bad if you need some help along the way.

I know here they have parent support groups but they are for a certain age. Until the child reaches the age of six or seven. Don't know why there aren't any for like teenage kids that are the spectrum. Do they think the symptoms go away or that the parent or parents don't need the support then? Who knows.

Tammy

When I told my doctor my son was in the process of being diagnosed with autism she gave me a three month prescription of paxil said they were non-habit forming and patted me on the back. . . .I have sinced lost the prescription. . . .

I did not even have to ask. . . .

Hi all, if you read my last post on migraines, you'll remember that I just started getting them for the first time in my life in the last few weeks. I had an appointment with my neurologist today (I have epilepsy) and he confirmed that they were indeed classic migraine headaches and most likely brought on by the current stresses in my life. He gave me some meds for them that I can take when they come on.

He also mentioned the possibliity of putting me on antidepressants given what's going on with dd being diagnosed with pdd-nos (and also recurrent miscarriages and the resulting inability to have more children). I'm basically dealing with a double "loss" in the children dept. The "loss" of a NT kid and the loss of the dream of more than one, not to mention the actual real recent losses of 3 pregnancies in a row. We didn't go into too many details because he doesn't want to start 2 new drugs (migraine and antidepressants) at once, so I'm going back in a few months to discuss again. We're going to tackle the migraines first.

I don't know much about antidepressants. Was wondering if anyone here was put on them in relation to their child's issues/diagnosis and if you knew of any good resources online for me to research the idea further. It makes sense to me that I'm depressed right now. I definitely feel depressed but also like I don't have the luxury of being depressed because I have to take extra care with my dd. But then that adds to the depression! And guilt. I feel guilty right now because I'm typing this instead of "intervening" with my dd!

Anyway, I thought antidepressants were for people with a chemical depression. I didn't know they were used when people actually had a life stressor that would cause depression, like having a child diagnosed with pdd. Also that's a life-long, chronic stressor so I'm not sure how antidepressants would factor in. Both me and my DH have been discussing feeling depressed but it never occured to us to go on antidepressants until my doctor brought it up. The idea is intriguing I must admit, if they can really help allieviate some of the feelings of helplessness, sadness, grief, etc. But then it seems we more likely need therapy or support group or something like that.

I was also wondering if maybe the antidepressants, since they are often antianxiety meds too, would help allievate my almost constant worry. I feel like I'm always worried about my dd, her future, her outlook, her health - or mine. But then that seems perfectly par for the course with pdd, too. Does anyone know more about all this or have experience with depression/antidepressants? Thanks!

I have been on I think four different ones throughout the years. If you think you don't need them and therapy would help you better, then that is your choice. I know there has been more of push to educate doctors in general on what depression can do to people. Generally they do prescribe anti depressants along with therapy. Some of the anti depressants can help with anxiety related issues. I know in the last three months I had to go back on Zoloft after being off of it for years. The reason they switched my meds so often is they could never find one that wouldn't make me sleepy during the day. Even tho this time around with Zoloft it is not making me sleepy. Good luck. I do know when I was on amitrypteline I had alot better focus than I did. With Zoloft on this time around I don't let the stress get to me as much and seem much more content.

Tammy

last summer when i went in for my yearly exam, i had to see a new doctor and she asked me about my life - children, stress, that sort of thing. i told her about my daughter being autistic and it was stressful but i've been handling it ok. then right before i left, she handed me two slips of paper - one for birth control pills, and one for Lexapro. an ex-boyfriend of mine was waiting for me in the lobby when i left (he was my ride) and i showed him what she gave me. he's a paramedic and has been diagnosed with depression and as being bi-polar, so he knows all about meds. he saw the Lexapro prescription and said "oh yeah, thats what i'm on right now. its an anti-depressant!" i decided to just try it. i took it for one month. NEVER AGAIN!!! i was even more depressed. i was so unbelievably tired. then i had a bad reaction to the bc pills and hit a downward spiral. i stopped taking both pills at the same time, out of desperation, and got so physically ill for three days that i had to have other people take care of my daughter while i recovered.

anti-depressants are great for some people, though. like i said, my ex-boyfriend is on them and he's doing so much better! he's a whole new person, he's so happy. he's become very successful and stable. too bad he moved far away, or i would marry him. but anti-depressants didnt work for me. i now take a green tea supplement for my health and it has improved my stress and moods. i've also found a different type of birth control that doesnt affect my mental stability.

I just started taking paxil again after being off it for a year and a hallf. Before I went off of it I was on it for 3 years and it did help me with depression, anxiety and I was able to focus better. I jsut started a new prescription this past friday....so I'm hoping I will start to feel better sooner that the first time that I started taking it. I forgot to aske the doctor is It would take affect sooner since I have been on it before. I hope you feel better soon sallys.

Take care,

Angela

Needless to say when I realized DS had Autism I took it pretty hard. I would just start crying for no reason. I stopped eating and lost weight. It just felt like life couldn't go on. The first 3-6 months were the worst and my husband and sister suggested that I try an anti-depressant. I didn't though- b/c I felt it was reactive depression to a certain circumstance- I was grieving.

It's been over a year now and things have gotten a lot better. I do get stressed out and sad sometimes- but I hardly ever cry in public anymore. LOL!

There are still plenty of moments in life still to enjoy. Your DD will get better. Take care. I went on a lot of pills after my son was born, I have a chemical imbalance and anxiety issues, but for me it didnt work because I found out I'm very sensitive to medicine and the side effects hit me harder than it does most people. I gained 40 pounds in a three month period and felt suicidal all the time, I agree with the other posts that it all depends on your body and it does benifit some people, I still have Depression and anxiety problems but I have to deal with them on my own since medicine did nothing for me. Therapy worked well for me, and changng my diet. I really hope you find what works for you because I know what it feels like to be depressed and feel guilty for being depressed

The best of luck to you.I went to the doctor once and asked for anti-depressants because all the mums in our support group were on them and I thought that if it helped them it might help me. Well I had a bad reaction to them so I decided that I had to do something. I started to write down five things I was grateful for each day in a journal. I took out time for myself when I could. I went to a counsellor and I allowed myself time to grieve.

If they will work for you great. I wished they would work for me because they would probably be a lot quicker than using cognitive techniques.

I also found time to exercise and cleaned up my diet.

Some of these techniques seem impossible to implement, I mean who has any time for themselves? But that was what I learned from those who were older and wiser than me in the ways of living with Autism. Find a few minutes a day. Be grateful for the little things. Laugh and cry with a friend and over time it will get easier.

Good luck and I hope you find something that works with you.

you know - I had a couple times where I thought I needed something but it turned out my son needed it.

I tried prozac once - I had the worst side effects. I never would believe you could have dry diahrea. I had it. way too weird. and I felt so sick! I wanted to sleep it off and between awake and sleep state I swear my pillow went up the wall. I knew then why I didn't do drugs as a kid.

http://www.cafepress.com/yellowpuzzle

Your dr. may have given you an anti-depprant for deppression but also to help with the migraines. I also suffer from migraines and been suffering from them since I was around 12 and I'm now 27 (I just so luckily inherited them from my mother). I have been on everykind of med for them and usually if they dont work, it's a trip to the hospital er. Anyway's, some anti-depprasants are considered to help in blocking migraines from starting. I've been on paxil 2 different times, once for deppression and once to help control my migraines and I have also been on some other anitdeppressants, which I have never seen any improvement in helping, however I know some people that take them and they think that they are wonderful. I'm sorry about your losses that you have suffered, we go on 8/22 for ds eval with the autism dr., I feel prepared for a diagnosis but I know that I am not. I feel for you on your headaches, no one knows the pain of a migraine, until they have had on themselves. Stay on your dr. on your headaches, do you know what's triggering them for you. Mine usually starts when the weather changes (barometric pressure rising or lowering), but who knows any number of things from food, drinks, menstral cycles, weather, etc.... can cause one to come on.

PS I have told everyone that suffers from migraines about this med. If he hasnt prescribed this to you, ask him about it - RELPAX, like I said before I've been on everything from blockers like paxil to neurotnin and been on imitrex injections (pills take to long) to amerge and RELPAX is the best, you can't take imitrex, amerge or anything else with it, but I can almost gaurantee that you wont need anything else.

Stephanie