Support thread for parents of children with MH issues [title edited by MNHQ at OPs request]

[blimppy]

DD(16) has been taken to A&E by DH having cut her arm badly and with suicidal thoughts. I'm at home with younger child. DD has been assessed by CAMHS, has anxiety and Depression, and is being treated by GP with anti-depressants while we wait (forever it seems) for CAMHS to actually provide some treatment. She sees a private counsellor who is concerned that the ADs are not working properly, and we have a GP appointment next week to review the medication. I just wondered if anyone might know what we might expect to happen now?

[Thornrose]

Oh your poor dd, and poor you.

I took my teenage dd (with similar issues to yours) to A&E with suicidal thoughts. She hadn't self harmed. They were hopeless I'm afraid.

They gave her diazepam and sent us home as she wasn't actively planning suicide.

I do hope you get better treatment.

[blimppy]

That sounds awful. I hope things have improved for you and your DD. They are currently waiting for a psych team apparently.

[Thornrose]

That sounds more promising, fingers crossed for you.

I didn't want to say it before but the fact your dd has actually self harmed may speed things up. So terrible that it has to be that way!

[blimppy]

We got back from hospital yesterday afternoon, armed with additional medication to help manage the anxiety and a promise that she will see a psychiatrist next week, and to speed up the provision of CBT. The CAMHS person who assessed her in hospital admitted that the service has let DD down. He said he'd get back to me before the end of the day, but of course didn't. I shall have to chase up as soon as offices open on Tuesday. We've only got two weeks supply of the new medication, so we definitely need to see a psychiatrist within that period to review it.

[Thornrose]

I was wondering how you got on. (Hope that doesn't sound stalkery ) Thats a start.

We're about to be re referred to CAMHS, ugh. I have no confidence in them. My dd is on Sertraline which doesn't seem to help. I think she needs something specifically for anxiety, can I ask what they prescribed?

Were you on the long running children and mental health thread at all? I can't find it, everyone was so supportive. I might start a new one.

[blimppy]

Hi. The new drug is called Risperidone which, according the leaflet, is an anti-psychotic drug - which sounds kinda scary! It's used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar mania and people with Alzheimers who are getting aggressive. I think the general idea is to help calm her down. She's on a very small dose.

I understand your concerns about CAHMS, but I hope that they do something to help. I have learnt, belatedly, that you have to keep pushing. My DD is on Fluoxetine and we have been wondering whether it is the right AD for her. 4 months in and although sometimes her mood is better, she is really volatile and I would say more down than up. This is another reason why I'm so desperate for her to see a psychiatrist. The GPs do their best, but they are not the experts. Afterall, if we have cancer we see an oncologist who works out the right treatment. It really shouldn't be different for mental illness!

And I'd definitely join a new thread! Parenting a child with these sorts of problems is so stressful and upsetting, and feels really isolating (I seem to be surrounded by people with "perfect" children!). It really helps to be able to share with others who understand.

[Thornrose]

Oh, dd is on Respiridone too! She was prescribed it when her psychiatrist thought she was psychotic. It's calmed down her aggression which was a major issue. It has some quite unpleasant side effects though.

I agree, it's very isolating. I'll start a new thread, there are lots of families on MN going through this.

[seriouslyworried]

Hi, I took my DD off of fluoxetine after 5 months. Her self harming increased, she overdosed twice and I truly believe that the medication was to blame. Four months on and the difference in her whole mood is amazing. She said that she was scared the whole time she was taking the fluoxetine and can feel the difference since stopping.
A&E have always been brilliant and we are lucky enough to have been under Camhs for a year now. Without doubt it had been the toughest year of our lives. The only medication she takes now is melatonin which is great for getting her to sleep and stopping the mind working overtime! Good luck xxx

[blimppy]

That's interesting and I've heard similar about Fluoxetine elsewhere, but for others it has clearly worked. It's so hard to know what to do, which is why I really want her to see a psychiatrist rather than keep playing guess the right meds with the GP! I'm scared to try and wean her off the drug myself and don't really know whether it is a problem or a help for her.

[seriouslyworried]

I didn't realise that the GP could prescribe fluoxetine. We had to see a psychiatrist for the prescription. Every time we went back for a review I would say that they didn't seem to be helping - if anything her mood is lower, and he would just say to give it a few more weeks and come back. After the second time in 10 days that we ended up calling 999 for suicide attempts I made the decision to stop the pills. She spent three weeks at home with us, and was then alright to go back to school! I hope they have a different effect for your DD. I think that severe anxiety has caused my DD's depression so therefore that needs to be treated, not the depression. It's an uphill struggle but CBT and having a regular therapist that she has a great relationship with has made a massive impact.

[blimppy]

Thought I'd update to say we have progress. Starting CBT this week and seeing psychiatrist next week. Meanwhile, DD has been unable to face her one lesson of the day due to "bad feelings" and is apparently hanging out with friends. I'm meant to be at work, but decided to stay at home, firstly to make sure I was available to sort out the appointments and secondly just in case DD needed me. I now have to decide whether I risk going to work tomorrow. Thankfully, I have understanding and supportive bosses!

[Thornrose]

Wow, that is good progress.

I've just been signed off work for a while. I hadn't realised what terrible added strain it was. I can make the umpteen follow up calls and chase people now!

[blimppy]

Thornrose - it's good that you've got a break from work. I must admit, I could not have sorted everything out today had I been at work, as I would have kept missing phone calls because of meetings and so on. I also would not have been able to concentrate. I am thinking of going in tomorrow, with DH on standby to work at home if need be. It is so hard juggling everything at the moment, and trying to keep a semblance of normal for DD2! I did see my GP, who suggested he could sign me off work for a while, but he also wanted me to go onto anti-depressants, which I don't think I really need (I may be fooling myself!).

[Thornrose]

Hmm, funny you should say that! My GP gave me anti depressants, I intend to start them tomorrow.

I've been fooling myself too. I've been coping and now I've admitted I'm struggling it's a bit of a relief.

It's hard because I feel almost guilty. Dd is only a teenager and she's the one living this, every single day.

[Marchate]

Be thankful your DD is 16 and sharing with you. Mine was 18 when I took her to A&E, and subsequently to the psych ward where she stayed a month. Her notes stated, on the front, that she didn't want ANY information shared with her family. Her right, I know, but difficult to bear

[blimppy]

That does sound difficult Marchate. It's a really difficult balance at this age between respecting their growing independence and offering the right support. Anyway, because I find it therapeutic to vent, I thought I'd update again. We were back in A&E last night for more of the same, and back on the same ward overnight. Had her first CBT session this morning, and CAMHS have now managed to get an appointment for her to see the psychiatrist tomorrow. So it's great help is finally coming, but awful that things have to get so bad for that to happen. My boss is being brilliant and agreeing to me have 2 weeks off, and I'm seeing the GP on Monday about my own stress levels! I'm also really worried about the impact all this is having on DD2. She seems okay, but who knows? If anyone has any experience of how to help siblings in this sort of situation, I'd very much welcome ideas!

[timechoes]

hi there, i am sorry to read your experiences, and would like to offer my support in that i am a parent of a child with mh probs, very similar, and would love a new supportive thread. x

[blimppy]

Thanks timechoes, and sorry to hear you are going through this too. We've just seen the psychiatrist, who is going to take DD off the Fluoxetine because she is confident that the side effects are making things worse for DD. She thinks DD is "sensitive" to SSRIs. We go back in a week. I'm pleased to have what is starting to feel like a plan, and it will be good to see DD's mood more stable, but a bit concerned about how bad the depression might be without meds.

[BoffinMum]

I am having problems too at the moment. DS2 is very bad at the moment and not in school much at all, and I am so worried about how much he is missing. He spends a lot of time lying in bed being more or less catatonic. He has complained of suicidal thoughts again. I don't know about him, I've had 2.5 years of this and I have moments like that myself. There are times you just feel useless. (In our case this is despite excellent CAMHS care).

[BoffinMum]

He is on Fluoxetine but I seriously wonder how effective the generic formulation is that the NHS dishes out. Apparently it only has to have 75% of the active ingredient that Prozac has (the branded version).

[thesunwillout]

have renamed myself to stay on this thread (complicated)

I hope your dd manages to get off the Prozac blimppy.

Its hard to know when to stop them, we am with camhs but they are so chokka that getting the psychiatrist on the phone is almost impossible re my dds prozac.

we are 5 weeks in, and progress is v slow. so many side effects, such a low dose.

Boffin, my heart goes out to you and your ds, i know EXACTLY how you feel. Hopeless yep, at times, no break etc... How old is your ds?
My dd has missed most of year 8 and 9

[BoffinMum]

He is 15 and up there now having a minor meltdown in bed because I called him on some manipulation. Although he does it because he's unwell and insecure, but I still think it's wrong to pull our strings quite as much as he does and I needed to say something. It is very easy to tiptoe around ill teens.

[BoffinMum]

I think I am sinking myself, tbh

[Thornrose]

I was on a long running thread which I seem to have lost. I'd love one as it's a very lonely place. I too feel like I'm going under Boffin.

I've decided to withdraw my dd from the Respiridone blimppy. Psych agreed that it doesn't seem to be helping. It's been 4 days and yesterday she was quite agitated but could be a coincidence.

I'm quite worried because although it didn't help her actual problems a helpful side effect was that she was less aggressive and violent.

She has put on a horrendous amount of weight. She obsesses about food. She is very apathetic and she has developed a tic associated with the drug.

I've been on a forum for people withdrawing from anti psychotics, it was difficult reading!

[blimppy]

Thornrose, we also have stopped the Respiradone. The psychiatrist didn't think stopping would cause a problem, other than making DD less sleepy. Moved onto 10mg Fluoxetine today, and her last one will be Monday. The psychiatrist said it tends to hang around in the system for a few days though. It will be "interesting" to see how she is once she is fully meds free. Oddly, this morning, and yesterday evening, DD has been in good form. Wanted to play on the WII with her sister last night, which she hasn't done for ages, slept okay and has been pretty upbeat this morning. I've no idea why, as it is too soon for the effect of dropping the medication to be happening! All her problems are still there, so I know this won't last, but it is a glimpse of the real girl within! And I recognise what you say about food and putting on weight - very much the same here.