Against Medication
07 Aug 2011, 9:48 am
Another thing to think about: medicating an adult is different than medicating a child. First of all, these medications are tested on adults, so they have a very good idea of how an adult will react (sadly, this is not so with children, they just lower the dosages.)
Second, your brother is at an age where his brain is pretty much done developing, so my other concern about making changes to brain chemistry while the brain is still trying to sort itself out doesn't really apply. (Not judging parents who go the meds route: there are times when safety trumps the two concerns above.)
I was on medication myself for a very short time, in college, when I was just a bit older than your brother (I have some sort of mood disorder that's in the world of bipolar.) It was a long time ago, so it was a tricyclic antidepressant, something they don't use much anymore. There were a few side effects, but mostly I felt like I was (metaphorically) surrounded by pillows: not much of any feelings got in. It was a huge relief; I had been severely depressed for so long I had forgotten how it felt not to be in despair.
The meds gave me a sort of foothold, and I was able to pull myself up, be effective in therapy, and get somewhere with the battle against depression. I went off them after about a year (you do want to give whatever it is at least a year, there's a lot of dosage-tweaking stuff that has to happen before you can really know how it's working.) I would do it again if I had to.
I can't blame you and your brother for being concerned, and I don't have a good answer for you. Good luck.
07 Aug 2011, 10:15 am
I know. I think he's scared. We're both scared to be honest.
He doesn't want to loose his sense of self. But he keeps saying his brian won't shut up. That it's constantly going and going. He says the only time it makes sense is when he hears his music.
He said that he's heard some people loose the creative side of themselves when they go on medication. I'm sure that's one of the reasons. He found reason and voice in his music.
I never dealt with medication. And I have become a psuedo parent for these two. I don't want him to become someone else. That sounds so wrong and rude.
The right medication at the right time should not change who one is. I went on anti-depressants after my daughter was born and they mostly just took off that edgy feeling I had been having, made me sleep more, and slowed down thoughts I hadn't wanted to have. At one point I tried a different drug because it was cheaper, and that was a mess. Move around within the class until you get one that does what you want it to, and not what you don't. No point in taking something one isn't happy with, because going on again off again out of frustration pretty much messes everything up.
Since another post mentioned brain development, that you want to wait until the brain stops growing, I should mention that I've read that the male brain keeps on growing until 25. Which leaves me wondering if it's still a little early ... But I also know things have been going on that indicate it could be time for a change. Seriously, it is an incredibly tough decision, and you all are right to be careful and think it through. In the end it may come down to instinct, the answer that feels right. Your favorite way to decide, eh? Not. I know. Wish there was a little chart you could fill in that popped out the answer when you were done.
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Mom to an amazing young adult AS son, plus an also amazing non-AS daughter. Most likely part of the "Broader Autism Phenotype" (some traits).
07 Aug 2011, 11:15 am
Maybe since you son also has Autism and Bi Polar he should try lower doses. My son is the same and he went on street drugs for years instead of taking the med the doctor gave him. He is now clean and on a low dose of Depakote. Lithium worked really well for him but he went off and on it so much that it no longer works. His doctor is surprised that the low dose he is on is helping him so much but it is. He is also getting help for his drug addiction which left him with very few teeth and Hepatitis C (hes in remision) and hes been in jail and prison about 6 times....twice in prison the rest jail or juvy. He is only 24....so he does need the meds but the low dose seems to work for him.
Also I have a serious chronic autoimmune disease that is fusing my bones together and destroying my muscles and tendons. My medications (including pain meds) give me some semblance of life. I agree that medications should not be used so frivolously or just to keep a kid quiet but I certainly will not say that I am against medication.
07 Aug 2011, 12:21 pm
People with bipolar disorder suffer a very serious risk of suicide. Check out the statistics, it is very very frightening. Typically, this occurs when a person with bipolar is off their meds. Most people don't like having to take them, and they can feel so normal while on the meds, they think they can go off of them. with bipolar you are treating the chemical imbalance, which is the problem not the symptom.
AS is completely different, they medicate the symptoms. There are times when perhaps the symptoms are interfering with ones life so they make a choice to medicate, and that's a perfectly acceptable choice for a person to make.
I don't see medicating bipolar as a choice though, I believe it is a medical need. It is unfortunate that finding the right medication for a persons's unique chemistry can be a long and challenging process.
07 Aug 2011, 12:48 pm
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My husband's father, who was also bipolar, actually committed suicide when my husband was 9 years old.
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www.freevideosforautistickids.com is my website with hundreds of links and thousands of educational videos for kids, parents and educators. Son with high-functioning classic autism, aged 7, and son with OCD/Aspergers, aged 4. I love my boys!
07 Aug 2011, 1:57 pm
I have never been concerned with that. Only because P Boy isn't the type.
I know that sounds horrible as well. And probably horribly misinformed. Because some people are like, "Daniel wasn't the type and one day he did so..."
I understand that may be the case. But P Boy has always been a lot stronger than that. He says his music saves him. And his music is the only thing that helps him think clearly.
07 Aug 2011, 3:03 pm
Pandora - unfortunately, suicide has to do with manic episodes and depression, not type. I'm not saying that P-boy should be on meds, rather that you need to make a good, educated decision rather than let your biases put your brother in harms way.
I have been very impressed with your love and care for your brothers. Bipolar disorder is a life threatening illness, base your brother's treatment on facts.
08 Aug 2011, 6:25 pm
Good luck! My mom always says, "No shots, no ducks." In other words, if you try, you have the possibility of success.
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www.freevideosforautistickids.com is my website with hundreds of links and thousands of educational videos for kids, parents and educators. Son with high-functioning classic autism, aged 7, and son with OCD/Aspergers, aged 4. I love my boys!
21 Oct 2011, 3:47 pm
I had wrote my current situation in another thread with my 19 year old and my 14 year old brothers. And the therapist wants to put the 19 year old on medication to calm him down. And I'm like this fix likes she is trying to fix the blame over the problem. She is only treating a symptom not a cause. We have never had this issue with her before. But lately she's been a little iff. Or maybe that's just my thinking. I should make a statement that he has mild autistism with a mood disorder. [bipolar type 1]
We've been suggested by another therapist when P Boy was 15 to put him on medication. It never really worked P Boy refuses medication and the woman who gave birth to us did everything to make us seem normal. Taking medication, in her mind, would have meant he wasn't normal.
I guess another reason I am against medication is that we as a family don't use medication. When I busted my knee after someone tried to merge into me on my scooter, I didn't take pain killers or anything of the sort and let it heal naturally. The common cold, we don't take medication. We have never in this family used medication to solve our problems.
I'm on the fence. P Boy has never been as bad as he has been now. P Boy has never exploded as wildly as he has before, until now. And I rather help him in a different way then go, "Oh well you're behaving bananas time to pop some pills".
I'm against medication. But am at a lost of where I should go.
Thank you Tom Cruise.
Edit: Sorry about that comment. I get frustrated by the medication situation because meds have saved my life. My sister died of leukemia and my brother had to have a brain surgery. I get upset when people knock medical intervention. The day I posted that comment (which was immature) my brother had told me he didn't believe in autism and didn't think I needed medication.
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You may know me from my column here on WrongPlanet. I'm also writing a book for AAPC. Visit my Facebook page for links to articles I've written for Autism Speaks and other websites.
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Last edited by Tambourine-Man on 22 Oct 2011, 12:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
21 Oct 2011, 6:24 pm
Since someone bumped this thread from out of the graveyard.
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P Boy is doing very well and the house is actually sane. We haven't had many outburst and I feel I can help in the home a little more now.
