Medication for teenager with panic attacks

[MrsBodger]

My 15-year-old daughter has been suffering for two years or so with mental health problems. She's been seeing a CAMHS psychologist and her depression is a million times better, but she still gets panic attacks, which seem to come out of the blue, very unpredictably, and are very hard to control or overcome. Because of these and the depression she's had to leave school (although she's doing some GCSEs from home). Her psychologist has suggested going on medication to help with the panic, as a temporary thing to get her through the stress of going on holiday with us and her two younger sisters (I was kind of surprised by this, I didn't think she found it that bad, but apparently it is) - does anyone have any experience or knowledge of medication of this kind for adolescents? Unfortunately, I don't know what kind of drugs will be suggested (we have to have an appointment with a psychiatrist to discuss it) but I'd like if possible to find out a little bit ahead of time.

anxiety is sometimes treated with some anti-depressants. My son was put on them at 18 although he was not depressed but suffered from an anxiety disorder. This combined with CBT was very helpful. I don't know if they use it on teenagers but beta-blockers are sometimes used to reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety/panic attacks. For extreme anxiety which can be completely incapacitating anti-psychotics such as quietapine can be used in small doses. DS1 had these for a short period, they reduced the anxiety but made him like a zombie so he stopped.
You should google all of these to set an overview. Only the psychaiatrist can prescribe, not the psychologist.

Thanks lazymum, I'll look those up.

I was diagnosed with panic disorder when I was approaching gcse's and was given beta blockers Propranalol and they were great because they stopped my heart from racing and my breathing getting out of control. Unless she's clinically depressed try to stay away from anti depressants as they can cause other issues.
Get her to work on proper diaphragm breathing and relaxation techniques and get her to learn the biology behind a panic attack, as once you understand them, you realise they are rather like a wave, they can't last forever and they pass, they're just your fight or flight reaction going haywire. I went from severe panic disorder where I couldnt even leave the house to having a completely normal and successful life. Good luck to her.

My 15 year old dd is very depressed and sometimes suicidal. She has been bullied for a long time at school. She is having CBT and talking therapy but there is a long waiting to see a psychiatrist and then hopefully receive some medication. She is much worst when at school and feels totally worthless at the moment. Please is anyone else going through this? I wonder whether to give up work. I enjoy my job but she is my priority and I am scared to not be with her when she is really low.

Hi mandy - please do not give up or despair, Have been through very similar with my daughter and I am happy to talk to you about it, we are through the worst, but it has taken over two years, and sadly I did have to give up my job in the end, as I felt I just had to be there. Will write more tomorrow if you feel it would help, just off out now, but happy to help and give support . X

Hi guineapiglet
Thank you for your reply.
Did your daughter manage to keep at school and did she have medication? My daughter is worrying about her schoolwork but is not well enough to be there at the moment. We are still waiting to see a psychiatrist to see about medication but we are having other support from Camhs. Scary times.

Hi again.
Am happy to talk via pm if it helps.

My daughter had 6 weeks off school in YEar 9 after contracting a vile virus - she had post viral fatigue she couldnt get out of bed properly and was left weak and debilitated for some time. It then kicked off panic and anxiety attacks whenever she became unwell, you could literally see her unravelling, it was petrifying. I felt very alone throughout all this, as friends and family were usually kind, but mostly unsupportive, ( they just didnt get it at all) and in some cases, we lost friendships all together, some of her friends couldnt cope with her 'weirdness'.

My advice is to talk to your GP and the CAMHS people and get a medical statement to give to the school so they know exactly what has been going on and is going on. School helped by providing work for her to catch up on. I cannot advise re medication, as we tried to avoid that route, and thankfully her CAMHS counsellor was an angel, really, they got on so well and he helped her get through a very dark couple of years.

I felt I had to give up my job in the end, these were GCSE years, and we needed to keep her going and in school as much as possible, although the school were very supportive about reducing timetables etc, and in the end we notified the examinations officer of her difficulties and they made provision for her to take her exams in a separate room, - you have to find the right person to help and it takes ages. It is a long process, and I do feel you just have to be there right behind them to literally catch them and keep them going again.
It is important that YOU seek support too, as it is very draining and exhausting to have to live with and I send you hugs, let me know if I can help.

Thanks Guineapiglet! Just to know someone is there ,who knows how it is to be going through this, really helps.

Hi mindfulmum
My daughter is feeling much brighter at the moment but is off school and I will have to see what happens when she soon returns to school on a reduced timetable. She has finally got an appointment with a psychiatrist at the end of this month and at the moment I do feel unsure about the medication route but will see what is advised. It's good to hear that your daughter is so much better!

Dd is 16 and has ocd, but is not currently having therapy.
She suffers from acute anxiety around exams...she has panic attacks, which stop her concentrating.
With gcses coming up I'm wondering whether beta blockers would help. I worry about her being like a zombie though....Tataclaire, reassuring to know they worked for you.

I have just booked appt with our gp who specialises in mh.
Cahms were useless, and she won't go to any more private therapy.

Really worried about my 14 year old dd. Very depressed and won't often talk to me about it like she had done until recently. Feel like I'm walking on eggshells. She has seen a psychiatrist now but she felt as depression caused by bullying which has left her traumatised medication is not really the answer for her but she is having CBT. gets very angry with me which is not like here at all. We have always been very close and open with each other and able to talk about anything but now she is withdrawn and I found shes looking at internet sites about suicide and wrist cutting.

Thanks mindfulmum for your reply. My dd has now actually been cutting her wrists over the last couple of weeks and camhs know this but don't seem as worried as me. She is doing it to cope with going to school and tends to only do it on a Sunday night or weekdays. I wonder whether to take her out of school altogether. I really do not know what to do. She has seen a psychiatrist once a few weeks ago but is seeing an early intervention practitioner from camhs every 2 weeks for talking / cbt therapy. She has not been recommended medication. Has anyone experience of how prozac has affected their child as this is the only thing that has been mentioned and we were told the side affects are not good?

Hi, I'm also worried about my 16yr son. He has missed loads of time off school after being ill with ibs. Lost over 2 stone in weight in 5 months. He has tried different medication for the ibs and nothing has worked. He has missed a exam now and is off school for month. Ended up being addmitted to hospital being was going to hang himself. Seen camhs twice and it made him very angry. Next appointment is not untill the end of April. I am worried of he will try to harm himself.

Hi mindfulmum
Thank you so much for your excellent support and advice. It is so helpful to know other people have been through what we are going through and have come out the otherside! So pleased to hear your DD is now well again and doing so brilliantly. I am building up a network of lovely people to talk to her in between seeing CAMHS and I do think this will help but as you say it is a long journey. She wants to feel better and I will do all I can to help there. Keep going Mumtomonsters and I do hope your DS soon feels better too. I find it helps just to listen and get alongside them rather than try to advise solutions.

My 15 year old son is currently a patent with CAMHS suffering with anxiety and depression. He is taking prozac and respiritone. He comes home at the weekends. Im really worried in case he only feels safe in there and will never be comfortable at home again. He has been there for two weeks and the choice was left to him to go back. He asked me to bring him back. Im just feeling a bit useless at the moment. Im his mam

My daughter (13 years old) suffers from anxiety (and panic attacks when it gets bad), so I've encouraged her to start to write blog posts. Here's her most recent... beingamy.online/step-step-guide-overcoming-panic-attacks/

Maybe, this would be of some help knowing that it's written by a teenager for other teenagers. It's certainly helping her by sharing!

POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) is often misdiagnosed as anxiety and syncopal episodes can feel like panic attacks. www.pots.org.uk has all the info. Worth checking out.