Medication for BPD teen

[Jennyrob]

Anyone have advice on no weight gain meds for BPD teen with depression, anxiety, OCD and binge eating? Lots of dr's lots of failed meds... .

Our objective is to better understand the struggles our child faces and to learn the skills to improve our relationship and provide a supportive environment and also improve on our own emotional responses, attitudes and effectiveness as a family leaders

[lbjnltx]

Hello and   and to the Parenting Board.

We are happy to have you here looking for information to help your daughter.

We cannot make recommendations for your daughter's medications as we aren't medical professionals.  What we can do is share our experiences with the medications our children/adult children have or do take.

My d did not gain weight on Prozac or Lexapro.  When abilify was added to her rx regiment she did gain weight.  The abilify helped w/anxiety and psychotic features which were more debilitating than the weight gain.  The weight gain actually had a positive affect as she began to exercise more.  As she gained the tools to cope with her anxiety causing thoughts she quite the abilify.  She has recently changed to Lexapro and has no side affects.

As a side note, she believes that the Prozac was causing her to have stomach problems, she might be right or it could be a whole host of other issues causing the stomach problems.

Does your daughter participate in any skills training through therapy?

lbjnltx

[Jennyrob]

Thank you. Yes... I understand ... .sorry... .and yes... .my daughter (and I) just began DBT family therapy. She's reluctant however... .but has been going intermittently to sessions ... .baby steps...

[lbjnltx]

That is awesome! 

My d was reluctant to go to weekly therapy sometimes too.  I usually tried to have some kind of secondary incentive to gain her cooperation. (it was a long trip to make since we lived on a ranch) The times she refused to go I went alone and made the most of the sessions.

What DBT skills are you and she currently learning?  Do they offer a family group session too?  Or do they offer a teen group?


lbj

[sad_soul]

I'm glad you posted this topic. We haven't been able to find the right medication combo for my daughter either... .I'd be interested in hearing what other's have tried and what was successful for them.  My daughter is currently on abilify, prozac, lamictal, trazadone and gabapentin.  I think she is on entirely too many meds, they aren't working -clearly and she also has gained weight which makes her self conscious.  They are supposed to be addressing her med management at RTC but so far my daughter has refused to meet with her psychiatrist so that's not happening. 

[Jennyrob]

Reply 3: this week my D attended both individual session and her group . Individual incorporates talk therapy and skill training . Group is sharing and skill training . She leaves in a better mood from both . Getting there not so much . Right now they are teaching her DEAR Man skills... Relationship skills and how to relate to people . I go to parent group therapy that teaches same skills and coping skills for us as parents . It's very helpful. I still however say all the wrong things  I draw a blank when problems arise and always try to solve her problem instead of validating and listening to her . I guess it needs more time .

[Jennyrob]

Reply 4: we have tried : Zoloft , abilify , tramictal, triliptal , gabapentin , inderal, Heldon , risperdon , seraquel , zyprexa amd xanax . Now we are occasionally on zyprexa and lexapro and Xanax occasionally and Benadryl . Abilify lexapro and zyprexa made her gain tons of weight ! Which makes her nit want to leave the house ! So devastating to watch her go throw go this all . Oh I forgot we also tried all add meds : aderall concerta vyvance and strattera . Nothing worked ... .Could have made it all worse ! Now they want her back on abilfy , switch to Prozac and add topomax for weight gain . All this within 4 years ! I get scared what this is doing to her brain , liver , kidneys ... Hormones ! I never know which dr to trust . They never seem to admit to side effects . We even paid 4,000 bucks for genetic testing to find the right meds . Did nothing . I want to give her hope but I see how she feels so hopeless  

[michmom]

Hello Jennyrob,

My daughter was misdiagnosed with Depression and then Bi-polar disorder. I am more confident with BPD traits.   Took two hospitalizations to get her off the anti-depressant Prozac and Lithium.  She has been stabilized with Lamictal and Abilify for two months.  She is now exibiting the ability to get to baseline much more quickly.  The full DBT program for adolescents has also helped.  We have completed the Distress Tolerance Module.