BPDFamily.com

Our 14 y/o DD, who is diagnosed with BPD traits was recently taken off of Prozac and Abilify (as treatment for the depression and anxiety she also has as part of the BPD) and placed on Rispirdal.  After difficulty with being taken abruptly off of Prozac she was placed back on a lower dose and kept on the R.  She seems so much more irritable, not only with us, but with others which is not normal for her.  She is one of those kids whom teachers say is a model student.  Last night at her softball game she was so angry (and she pitched well, scored 2 runs and they won) that she shrugged her shoulders at her assistant coach when asked a question and wouldn't even talk.  Do they need to be on Risperdal for a longer period of time before we see improvement?  Could this mean she needs a higher does (she is on the lowest dose - 0.25 mg.)?  Could it mean she needs to go back to Abilify?  Honestly, she seemed so much better before, though I hate to not give the new meds a chance - its been about a month.  Does anyone have experience with anything like this with your child? 

Thanks!

Hello BioAdoptMom3,

Traveling the medication maze can be so tricky!  I feel for you as you wonder what the right thing to do is.

About 6 months ago we tried to lower my d17's dose of abilify.  It only took a week to see that it was a mistake.

The standard time frame for antidepressants to begin to become effective is 2 weeks.  There can sometimes be a "honeymoon" period... .a short time when it seems that a drug is working miracles and fixing problems... .even OTC's can have this affect.  It isn't very long before the root problem resurfaces in people with BPD.

Antidepressants, mood stabilizers and antipsychotics can help and aren't a cure for the disorders.  They can help level the playing field some ... .so to speak.

Probably the best thing to do is to go in for a med evaluation with her pdoc ASAP.

Hi Biomom,

I'm so sorry you're having a tough time.  It's so hard to watch our kids go to such extremes in their emotions.  I remember when they gave my dd a new drug.  I happened to be cooking dinner a few days later.  She got so mad at me that she grabbed my bowl of hamburger meat, emptied it onto the floor and then proceeded to stomp my meat.  I called the dr and was like... what did you do to my dd?

It very well could be a combination of coming off one drug and going on another.  A quick call to your pdoc will answer all those med questions. 

Good luck finding your answers.

-crazed

I too can tell you horror stories about my dd when there were med changes. There is nothing worse that stopping one and starting another so I would go back to the P and discuss further.

My daughter was put on Rispiral when she was hospitalized but once released her P stopped that drug. He didn't like the side effects and we felt is was not helping. She also recently stopped prozac because we also have never seen any improvement on that drug at all. I think the prozac irritated her to some degree.

She takes lamictal now 200mg and it is the first med that we have seen any improvement with. Have you tried that med? Is it the mood or anxiety or depression you are trying to help?

I am sorry you are going through such a tough time... .med changes are the worse.

Thank you all for your help!  I really thought the Prozac and Abilify were helpful but the doctor at the behavioral center where she was admitted about 2 months ago chose to change her meds.  She now is displaying an attitude and behavior close to what she displayed a couple of years ago.  My husband I also  noticed tonight that she is better for the first few hours after taking a pill, so I am wondering if she needs a slightly higher dose, or maybe even needs the low dose every 8 hours instead of every 12.  I will call her doctor tomorrow!