Posted by Ritch on January 6, 2003, at 9:40:42
In reply to Re: Effexor and side effects, posted by jtc on January 5, 2003, at 22:37:21
> > > Hi everyone,
> > > I am currently taking 75 mg of Effexor XR and .5 mg of Klonopin a day. I have been having palpitations occasionally. Does anyone else have these on the Effexor? I have been taking the Effexor for about 8 months for anxiety disorder and depression. Also my 8 year old daughter has been on Effexor XR, 37.5 mg for about five weeks. She says she is tired during the day and I have noticed her yawning a lot and she has this habit of rolling her eyes downward like she is looking downward but not meaning to. I am still very skeptical about her being on the Effexor but after seeing a psychologist and having her tested for ADD, the doc said she doesn't have ADD but that she has a lot of anxiety for a child her age so he referred us to psychiatrist and she gave us the Effexor to try. It has made my child a little hyper and she is having trouble sleeping at night also. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks, jtc
> >
> > Hi, did the doctor consider something a little milder such as Buspar first? Effexor seems to be a rather big gun for a small kid given that she has just anxiety and isn't depressed. Maybe there are some stressors at school that could be addressed with counseling?
>
> The psychiatrist did not talk about any other medications except Effexor, but my daughter has an appointment on January 15 and I think I will discuss the BuSpar. I am not sure if she is depressed or not. She seems sad a lot but I think it could be her severe anxiety and worrying that is making her depressed. We are also seeing a child psychologist to talk about school issues because a lot of things at school bother her. Paxil was approved today by the FDA for treating children. But I don't know if I want her to try that one either. What do you think? Thanks for advice, jtc
>
>
Hi, treating kids with psych. meds is very controversial. I was first treated with phenobarbitol or diazepam or atarax back in the early 70's for anxiety when I was 11 years old (can't remember which). It helped a lot, but changing schools is what did the trick. The big problem, IMO, is getting an accurate diagnosis with a child. I am bipolar and have had symptoms of bipolar disorder (and ADHD) as far back as I can remember (I was a very agitated, jittery, "high-strung" kid). Use of antidepressants in a child with a hidden bipolar disorder (i.e.) can cause some drastic, unintended effects. All I can really say, is make sure you are seeing a GOOD children's pdoc and really grill them about just exactly what her *diagnosis* is and what the other possibilities (differential dx) are. If you trust the pdoc and are going to go with meds, make sure you get some information from them about signs/symptoms to watch for that could indicate her condition worsening or a bad reaction to the medication they prescribe. Just my 2 cents. good luck--Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:133573
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030106/msgs/134704.html