Hi, I'm new here and my name is Susan. My 13 year old is on 3 drugs currently and has been taking all 3 for about 3 years now. My kids were with their father cause of me having medical problems and not being able to care for them. But now they are home and I have researched the drugs that my 13 year old is on and they scare me very much. David is said to have ADD along with seperation aniexty disorder. They are giving him Wellbutrin for the ADD. I am very confused by this none the less cause it is for depression. My son has NEVER been classified with depression and I know that for a fact that he is NOT a depressed boy. The 2nd drug that he is on is Trazadone before bedtime to help him fall asleep (since the Wellbutrin makes him anxious and causes restlesness). But again Trazadone is an antidepressent not a drug for insomnia! And 3rd the one that scares me the most is ZYPREXA!!! They give him this as well before bed. WHY??? This is for manic depressants and psychotic disorders. I have also read that this was initially approved for the SHORT TERM treatment of acute manic episodes. Not to last but for NO more than 6 weeks. David has been on this for 3 years! I have been trying to contact his doctor to find out WHY he has my son on these dangerous drugs but he hasn't called me back at all.
Can someone please give me ANY insight to why a doctor would give these drugs to my son that has only been ruled with ADD? Any info would be helpful or any stories that you have heard I would love to hear!!!
It sounds like not only are the meds maybe not the best for his disorders, but that they are meds which would contradict each other. I would not waste my time with discussing anything with the dr who prescribed them. He may have valid reasons, but it would take another dr to understand and determine that.
Find another pediatrician and make an appointment with him or her. Tell them why you want one. You can go into his office a few days before your son's appointment to fill out the forms necessary to get his medical records from the original dr. They will send them in and he has to pass them on to the new dr.
The new dr will then be able to not only talk to you about your concerns, but he will have access to whatever records the other one used to decide what to prescribe.
Keep us posted.
Welcome!
On Wellbutrin / Buproprion withdrawal
Withdrawal syndrome from Wellbutrin can occur as in SSRIs despite the fact that it does not work on the serotonergic system. Its thought that the dopaminergic and noradregnergic systems may be the cause. All should be tapered off gradually although its possible that it may be reduced more rapidly than is necessary with SSRIs. As always, taper at a speed that your son can cope with and be aware of the possible emergence of akathisia.
Article on Wellbutrin withdrawal, pdf file (acrobat reader required):
http://www.psychiatrist.com/pcc/pccpdf/v01n02/v01n0205.pdf
An article on Akathisia (which is common on and in withdrawal from many psychotropic drugs) and the various treatments proposed. If he does show signs of akathisia then it is essential to address the problem. If that situation arises it may be worth seeking your doctors advice as to which of the treatments outlined would be effective when only taken episodically (such as low doses of diazepam when necessary for instance) and asking if this 'episodical' option would be more advantageous in that it would avoid his taking an additional regular drug which may present withdrawal problems of its own:
http://www.smj.org.uk/1001/aka1001.htm
curus38629.4421180556
"In May 2003, the maker of the SSRI Paxil, GlaxoSmithKline (“GSK”), announced that it was withdrawing claims contained in its promotional material for Paxil (called Seroxat in Ireland and the UK) that the drug worked by normalizing levels of serotonin.
GSK acknowledged that the link between depression and serotonin levels is unproven and that such claims “were not consistent with the scientific literature.”
( http://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/media/ssri/Zoloft/CalifAttyGen /PFIZERCOMPLAINT.pdf Page 8 Footnote)
To SOMSS02
Tapering off ZYPREXA.
How many mgs is he on?
Tapering off should be taken as slowly as necessary. Everyone's metabolism differs. If a reduction in dose off brings on withdrawal symptoms then go back up to the previous dose, wait for a week or so to stabilize and then try reducing again by a little less of a drop. Pill cutters, razor blades and metal nail file are all useful when tapering, the nail file particularly at the end where the transistion from small amounts to nil may need to go slowly.
Carefully consider whether you intend to taper your son off all three meds at once. Perhaps ask your doctor if it would be wisest to taper off only one at a time and which one should be first - and also for him/her to consider which should be last. The last should probably be the one with the most sedative qualities which might help counteract withdrawal akathisia.
Below is one site where an average tapering procedure is set out to give you some idea on the timeline you could be looking at. It could be longer, particularly if any of those drops need recalculating. The safest way to taper off medication is to take as long as needed. The following is based on someone taking 5 mgs of zyprexa.
Check also with your doctor (and perhaps research people's experience of zyprexa withdrawal) on the 'every other day' line at the end.
It might be easier on your son if you can split or file off half of that last 2.5 mgs so that he gets 1.25 mgs EVERY bedtime for the last (approx) 30 days, rather than miss a dose every other night. Good luck.