What if we eliminate SSRIs?

[T_Anna]

DS15 has been on Luvox at doses of 25mg to 100 mg CR (continued release) since December 26, 2012. It never seemed to bring any improvement in anxiety or OCD. I'm titering him off the Luvox now (down to 75 mg and tonight I'll do 50mg for 5 days and then 25 mg).

 

We just added Biaxin (Wednesday), started cycline down Luvox from 100CR to 75 with a half life. He is doing a tiny bit better since Saturday. For example, he avoided going to the bathromm till 1am when he usually always goes at 5-6 pm and stays 4-5 hours. It didn't help with duration, but he was able to stay out (consciously) for a while.

 

Are there many out there who are successful with ZERO psych meds? I have a bottle of Lexapro at home, but my instinct is to first see what DS is like on abx, supplements only. I have a feeling that he will be roughly the same.

 

Can the anxiety be addressed with just the proper treatment of infections and needed supplements?

 

I'm all for solving OCD and anxiety will pills of any kind, but I just stopped believing that will work. I see more changes when we switch abx, anti-virals, etc.

 

T.Anna

DS15 - triggers Strep, Myco, Coxsackie and EBV. Currently on Augmentin, Biaxin, B12, folinic, Luvox 75mg, D2 (50,000/week), Ubiquinol, Gaba, probiotics,

 

[Mayzoo]

My daughter is probably considered low-moderate anxiety. She was on a low dose of zoloft. I took her off that when we started having great successs with lemon balm. The zoloft never really seemed to help with her anxiety anyway.

[T_Anna]

Which brand Lemon Balm do you use and how much? I found a few on Amazon with too good to be true reviews.

New Chapter Lemon Balm Force -- 30 Softgels

Nature's Way Melissa/Lemon Balm

 

Other Brands?

When do you give it? Thinking of trying it after DS15 cycles off Luvox.

 

DS15, will only take things in pills.

T.Anna

 

[tpotter]

My children do not use psychotropics at all. DS20 used them, but it always made him violent or just didn't work. Being that this is a neuropsychiatric disorder, SSRI's, and psychotropics frequently are not needed, and if you do use them, Dr. Swedo cautions to "go low, and go slow."

[Kathy4Him]

We are having great success with lemon balm also. New Chapter brand. It enabled us to get our son off prozac safely this time with no eating issues. The last two times we tried he quit eating. I can tell it is helping with stress. Not so much with ocd though.

My daughter is probably considered low-moderate anxiety. She was on a low dose of zoloft. I took her off that when we started having great successs with lemon balm. The zoloft never really seemed to help with her anxiety anyway.

[Kathy4Him]

New Chapter lemon balm. softgels in dark purple very small easy to swallow.

 

Which brand Lemon Balm do you use and how much? I found a few on Amazon with too good to be true reviews.

New Chapter Lemon Balm Force -- 30 Softgels

Nature's Way Melissa/Lemon Balm

 

Other Brands?

When do you give it? Thinking of trying it after DS15 cycles off Luvox.

 

DS15, will only take things in pills.

T.Anna

 

[Mayzoo]

We use Lemon Balm by Nature's Way 500mg capsules. I give one in the morning and one at bedtime. My kiddos two hardest times of the day getting through the morning and nightmares at night, and it is helping for both of those. I also take it with two generic excedrin when I get a tension headache, and it has helped me with those a lot as well.

 

My kiddo will not take liquids either unless there is no other option.

[lfran]

How much folinic acid are you using?

[mommybee]

SSRIs were of absolutely no use. They weren't bad, they just did nothing even at high levels. Finding where the strep was hiding and bringing down the ASO and ADB was what made the real difference. Also helpful for temporary symptom relief was finding the right anti inflammatory. Advil didn't work.,

[lfran]

T. Anna,

 

Just took another look at what you are using. My DS always reacts badly to D supplements (and fish oil) and others have posted the same.

 

We've tried numerous times with D3, dry D3, D2, at various dosages. I've just given up on D vitamins fornow.

 

How long have you been using the D2? Can you trace any worsening to that?

[T_Anna]

How much folinic acid are you using?

He is taking 1600mcg in the am and 1600mcg in the pm.

 

T.Anna

[tu4four]

I wanted so badly to stop all psych drugs. She was off of all of them for four months--initially things were a little better. Then back to the same. However, my daughter's raging included aggression--things were so bad, we couldn't wait it out any longer. We are treating for Pandas/Lyme still, but I couldn't even get her to take the meds for that without giving her the pysch meds. Things are significantly improved right now. I am hoping that the treatment is having some effect, too, but for right now, I am just continuing to treat "in the dark" on the pysch meds because none of us could live that way any longer. For us, we will not use an SSRI because it put her over the edge, but Abilify is working again on a low dose.

[Dedee]

One of my sons took Luvox once and it was a disaster. He did better on Zoloft at a low dose. I am not against SSRI's in general but his psychiatrist said she had many kids who reacted badly to Luvox. My daughter is not on SSRI's yet. I am still trying to treat her methylation issues. I have not ruled it out. I have given myself till summers end and if I don't see some major improvements, we will most likely try an SSRI. I am so tired of no liking who my daughter is and feeling guilty and crying over those feelings. Sorry.....bad week.....

 

Dedee