Doctor is telling us our daughter needs meds

lamer01 · Sep 10, 2016 at 04:53 PM

Our daughter had a bout of severe depression about a year ago. She was treated with meds that really changed her. She is now weaned off but during her last visit she revealed that she has had auditory and visual hallucinations. She mentioned that she had them even when she was younger. The doctor wants her to go on meds but based on our experience with the depression meds we are very reluctant. The hallucinations are infrequent. They vary from once a month to maybe once a week. From observation, her life does not seem to be impacted, she gets good grades, has friends. Of course, she is quite secretive about her psychotic experiences, she does not feel comfortable sharing the details so I cannot offer more information as to what they are.

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Sometimes psychotic · Sep 11, 2016 at 01:32 PM

I'm a big fan of meds for the right people and in ideally low doses. However if I only had rare hallucinations and no delusions I wouldn't take them. Look into the hearing voices movement ....there is a whole spectrum of voice hearing/hallucination and some people can handle voices quite comfortably. However depending on age i.e. teens, low doses of antipsychotics have been shown to help people stop from developing full blown schizophrenia. It's a tricky issue and I'd urge you to get a second medical opinion ideally from someone more familiar with modern thinking on this, usually at a teaching hospital.

Sometimes psychotic · Sep 11, 2016 at 01:44 PM

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lamer01 · Sep 11, 2016 at 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

I'm a big fan of meds for the right people and in ideally low doses. However if I only had rare hallucinations and no delusions I wouldn't take them. Look into the hearing voices movement ....there is a whole spectrum of voice hearing/hallucination and some people can handle voices quite comfortably. However depending on age i.e. teens, low doses of antipsychotics have been shown to help people stop from developing full blown schizophrenia. It's a tricky issue and I'd urge you to get a second medical opinion ideally from someone more familiar with modern thinking on this, usually at a teaching hospital.

That is very interesting, I will look into it. Thanks.

Sep 11, 2016 at 05:02 PM

I agree if it's not interfering with her life then it's probably best not to take them right now. Just make sure to monitor and be prepared if her symptoms do escalate and start taking over her life, then it would be more beneficial/helpful.

Victoria'smom · Sep 11, 2016 at 07:33 PM

What does she want?

greentires4me · Sep 11, 2016 at 07:55 PM

my doctor is really good at giving me a low dose of things maybe a low dose would be something you could look into i hate when doctors put everyone on a high dose of things it changes things and then they don't listen. I had a pdoc that didn't listen at first she did listen then one day it changed it was a nightmare then my GP found me this new pdoc and its been great for a year hopefully you can find something that works for you

lamer01 · Sep 12, 2016 at 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

What does she want?

That's a very good question. She is a teenager so she wants whatever is easier. A pill a day is the easiest. She does understand our reluctance based on the bad experience with the depression meds. I think she is ok with a wait and see approach. She does have a really bad (typical teenager) diet so we started giving her some omega-3 in the form of flaxseed oil. I read that it helps. I also asked her to keep a log so that we can monitor what is going on. If condition worsens we will address. She has follow ups with doc every few weeks.

Als1495 · Sep 13, 2016 at 12:03 AM

How old is she? I started hearing voices at age 19. It escalated to the point where I was (volunterily) hospitalized at age 29. At first I managed it as best I could to work and graduate from college, but as time went on, I started hearing more voices more frequently and then I started seeing things, and in a few years later started feeling things.

I am on medication and I don't really hear voices that much, but when I do, it's so infrequent that I can cope very well. Like someone else asked, what does she want? Find out how much it's really bothering her. Keep an eye out for worsening symptoms because they might make her want to hurt herself, or do something not normally good.

Victoria'smom · Sep 13, 2016 at 07:47 PM

I'd let her take the pill. You can't know how hard it is for her. If she's willing to take it let her.

lamer01 · Sep 30, 2016 at 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

I'd let her take the pill. You can't know how hard it is for her. If she's willing to take it let her.

Today she went to the school nurse complaining that the voices got worse and she mentioned depression and suicidal thoughts because of them. There was no outward signs that preceded this. I guess meds it is, not too happy about it.

lamer01 · Oct 01, 2016 at 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamer01

Today she went to the school nurse complaining that the voices got worse and she mentioned depression and suicidal thoughts because of them. There was no outward signs that preceded this. I guess meds it is, not too happy about it.

Further update, the school psychologist seems to have overreacted a bit. There was no talk of suicidal thoughts or anything as severe. One valuable piece of information that came out of this incident is that the voices are always preceded by a decrease in mood (depression).

OliverB · Oct 01, 2016 at 10:55 AM

Cold them be dissociative voices because of the stress caused by depression? Psychosis is always the worst case and I think it's a good idea to rule out other more bening issues, specially when it's about young people.

12AM · Oct 01, 2016 at 10:59 AM

Just sharing a personal experience, meds are my life saver. I got diagnosed late, at 22-23 yo. If I could turn back time I wish I had been diagnosed earlier, the sooner the better. The right medications can really be a life saver. However I do understand that sometimes psychiatrist can make a wrong diagnose which lead to wrong medications and sometimes we need to invest time, energy, etc in finding the right meds because two people with the same diagnose can have a different reaction to the same meds.

And this question got into my mind, if I may ask, what makes you sure that the school psychologist might a bit overreacted?

lamer01 · Oct 02, 2016 at 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12PM

Just sharing a personal experience, meds are my life saver. I got diagnosed late, at 22-23 yo. If I could turn back time I wish I had been diagnosed earlier, the sooner the better. The right medications can really be a life saver. However I do understand that sometimes psychiatrist can make a wrong diagnose which lead to wrong medications and sometimes we need to invest time, energy, etc in finding the right meds because two people with the same diagnose can have a different reaction to the same meds.

And this question got into my mind, if I may ask, what makes you sure that the school psychologist might a bit overreacted?

My daughter said she was just upset and crying regarding a separate incident at school. She never brought up suicide. Only the psychologist brought that up.

12AM · Oct 02, 2016 at 12:37 PM

The thing that concerns me is that she has hallucinations since she was younger. I, personally, don't think that this kind of hallucination will just disappear in time without help (psychiatrist and meds). Suicidal ideation can come and go to, I am afraid that her feeling (depression) was in a different state/level when she talked to the psychologist and when she talked with you, so her opinion about that could be different as well. I'd seek for a second opinion from the pro here. Hope things get better for your daughter

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Sometimes psychotic Legendary Wise Elder Member Since May 2013 Location: Chicago Posts: 26,409 (SuperPoster!) 10 22.8k hugs given	Sep 11, 2016 at 01:44 PM #4 A First Class Recovery: From hopeless case to graduate __________________ Hugs!
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Anonymous52845 Guest Posts: n/a	Sep 11, 2016 at 05:02 PM #6 I agree if it's not interfering with her life then it's probably best not to take them right now. Just make sure to monitor and be prepared if her symptoms do escalate and start taking over her life, then it would be more beneficial/helpful.
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Victoria'smom Legendary Member Since Apr 2012 Location: Earth Posts: 14,908 (SuperPoster!) 12 5,445 hugs given	Sep 11, 2016 at 07:33 PM #7 What does she want? __________________ Dx: Me- SzA Husband- Bipolar 1 Daughter- mood disorder+ Comfortable broken and happy "So I don't know why I'm tongue tied At the wrong time when I need this."- P!nk My blog
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Victoria'smom Legendary Member Since Apr 2012 Location: Earth Posts: 14,908 (SuperPoster!) 12 5,445 hugs given	Sep 13, 2016 at 07:47 PM #11 I'd let her take the pill. You can't know how hard it is for her. If she's willing to take it let her. __________________ Dx: Me- SzA Husband- Bipolar 1 Daughter- mood disorder+ Comfortable broken and happy "So I don't know why I'm tongue tied At the wrong time when I need this."- P!nk My blog
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