The great vitamin debate...WWYD?

[Hasil72]

DS's neurologist and I are having another debate over meds. HE wants to prescribe Zoloft to assist with DS's ASD related anxiety and I say absolutely not. Not unless there is no other alternative. DS (9) is already on two other medications and I'm concerned about the chemical dependency not to mention the possible contraindications, etc.

I want to at least try the high dose B6/magnesium supplements that some people have had luck with in the past. We already are experiencing success with Omega-3s so who knows? I've also started looking for a pediatric psych with experience relating to autism and the anxiety/OCD behavior that can often come along for the ride.

Have any of you tried this route? Any particular brand? Does it take a long time to see any results? Side effects?

ANY advice would be welcome.

Thanks!

Lisa

 

[spiceycat]

would go with B-Complex

but hey it is up to you

like this place - excellent vitamin for minimum cost

www.puritan.com

 

[disneydeb]

i would never let dgs take any medication like zoloft or such , i have used enfamil liquid vitamins 2ml because he wont chew a regular vitamin and have noticed a big difference in his appetite , he eats better so hes not as anxious, tired , and hes more focused , its up to you as you know your child best, but this is just what i do .

 

[1stluvispooh]

I have had my DD on methyl B-12 and had great results. You may want to look into taking your son to a DAN! doctor.

 

[Hasil72]

Thanks!

I have an appointment scheduled with a DAN! doctor (I'm skeptical) but they can't fit us in until February. I'm debating about trying the Kirkman super nu thera. Right now, we're using the Kirkman trial pack of B6/magnesium chewables but DS hates the taste so I'm looking for something he can swallow.

I just think at this point, something as strong as Zoloft is a little over the top.

 

[bookwormde]

All indications are that vitamins really do not do anything more for spectrum kids than NT kids, with that being said the cognitive or stress management advantages of vitamins do have a more pronounced effect due to the increased ability to manage the “extra work” of being a spectrum individual in a NT world. As long as you do not do “mega” doses it is certainly one if the safest routes.

Of all the medications Zoloft has one of the best safety profiles, but I would only consider it after all other anxiety reducing non-medicinal possibilities are fully implemented and then only if chronic co morbidities are present.

bookwormde

 

[mechurchlady]

A problem seen in ASD kids is SID which I have though they are seperate things. Some kids will not eat the right foods so vitamins do help. If the child is not getting the right vitamins then the vitamins will work. I think there is lab work to show if a child is anemic, but could be wrong.

I think the vitamins are worth a try but read up on side effect, ingredients, and the deficiencies tied to that specific vitamin. If after a while you are not seeing improvement then stick with daily multivitamin only.

Should your kid get more drugs? I find that training and self awareness is very important. I would look into the triggers and alternate remedies that do not need drugs. I could take happy pills right now but it will not take away the cause of the depression and avoid the triggers that cause depression for example.

 

[zumbergc]

If your wanting to go the suppliment route. Have you thought about finding a naturalpath. I see one, and she looks at the whole body, and determines what minerals, vitamins, enzymes, that your missing, and figures out if your not making them, or if something else is not balanced, causing some of the vitamins, minerals not to be absorbed into your system that you are eating or taking.

I tried adding different things into my diet, vitamins, suppliments, enzymes etc. But, trying to do it yourself, can help a little, but if you don't know the amounts and the types that are more easily absorbed into the body. Plus, if your missing somethine, the other things your taking won't work. Magnesium is not all the same for each individual. Some people can absorb the cheaper version, some people can't.

My opinion would be to try the vitamin route before the drug. If the vitamins don't show promise, then you have it in your pocket as maybe something else to try later on.

One thing to remember about magnesium. If you all of sudden add a bunch to your diet, you may get the runs. So start off slowly, and keep that dose for several days to make sure every things is fine. Then slowly add a little more, and then wait a few days at that dose. I really like the standard process brand, but you have to get it in chiropractors, naturalpath offices. I see some of the stuff on amazon.com, but not the magnesium lactate.

 

[1stluvispooh]

Thanks!

I have an appointment scheduled with a DAN! doctor (I'm skeptical) but they can't fit us in until February. I'm debating about trying the Kirkman super nu thera. Right now, we're using the Kirkman trial pack of B6/magnesium chewables but DS hates the taste so I'm looking for something he can swallow.

I just think at this point, something as strong as Zoloft is a little over the top.

I'm not surprised that you can't get an appointment until Feb. We had a 6 month wait. My DH was skeptical but I looked at it as a jumping off point. He would order blood test so that I knew which supplements to try instead of guess and wasting money especially if I would try several different brands of the same supplement because DD wouldn't swallow the pill, didn't like the taste etc. The only thing I can say is I have had much better results with biomedical treatments than with pharmaceuticals.

 

[Forevryoung]

Should your kid get more drugs? I find that training and self awareness is very important. I would look into the triggers and alternate remedies that do not need drugs. I could take happy pills right now but it will not take away the cause of the depression and avoid the triggers that cause depression for example.

I take an antidepressant daily. I live a very full, happy, wonderful life because of them. After 12 hours off of them the panic starts, the depression hits around hour 18 and at the 24 hour point I'm no longer functioning. It's scary.

Like a diabetic requires insulin, I require an antidepressant. There are no triggers for me, it's what my brain can not control. Avoiding triggers would mean becoming a hermit and never leaving my home- the anxiety and depression would be that bad.

I would rather take one low dose medication every day for the rest of my life (and I've been on 19+ of them over 8 years, I know side effects) and live the life that I love living. There are two sides and choices- neither one is sometimes best.

 

[disneydeb]

All indications are that vitamins really do not do anything more for spectrum kids than NT kids, with that being said the cognitive or stress management advantages of vitamins do have a more pronounced effect due to the increased ability to manage the “extra work” of being a spectrum individual in a NT world. As long as you do not do “mega” doses it is certainly one if the safest routes.

Of all the medications Zoloft has one of the best safety profiles, but I would only consider it after all other anxiety reducing non-medicinal possibilities are fully implemented and then only if chronic co morbidities are present.

bookwormde

vitamins stimulate the appetite

 

[Hasil72]

vitamins stimulate the appetite

Good to know!

Thank you all again for your input. I'm still going to keep with the B6/magnesium supplement to see what happens. Not astronomical doses, just an average OTC supplement. So far, I don't see any difference. The anxiety is hard to describe; he has no panic attacks nor does it prevent him from participating in anything. It's more like a security issue. For example, if we're all on the first floor, he doesn't want to go up to the second floor to get something. Or at school if he needs to use the bathroom, he needs to use the first stall (always a stall for privacy) so that he can talk to his para through the door. He needs to know someone is there. Am I making sense?

I've contacted Temple Univ. Anxiety Clinic as referred by his guidance counselor. I'm still waiting to hear back from the school psychologist about therapists with experience in this type of issue.

Thanks again!

Lisa

 

[disneydeb]

Good to know!

Thank you all again for your input. I'm still going to keep with the B6/magnesium supplement to see what happens. Not astronomical doses, just an average OTC supplement. So far, I don't see any difference. The anxiety is hard to describe; he has no panic attacks nor does it prevent him from participating in anything. It's more like a security issue. For example, if we're all on the first floor, he doesn't want to go up to the second floor to get something. Or at school if he needs to use the bathroom, he needs to use the first stall (always a stall for privacy) so that he can talk to his para through the door. He needs to know someone is there. Am I making sense?

I've contacted Temple Univ. Anxiety Clinic as referred by his guidance counselor. I'm still waiting to hear back from the school psychologist about therapists with experience in this type of issue.

Thanks again!

Lisa

you are making perfect sense, when my dgs gets too anxious and starts showing signs of anxiety this is what we so in our house, most of the time the anxiety is coming from school so we do a lot of role playing in our house, dgs is the teacher and we are the students and then we just start playing school , you would be surprised at the amount of information that we have found out about whats going on in school just by doing this, also last year his 2 teachers were great and when he would get anxious and start to tell us what was wrong, they said to do role playing as this helps them to see the consequences that their brains sometimes dont process and it also helps them to see some solutions they may not be able to figure out themselves., The role playing has worked many times in our house and yes grandson has some ocd as we cannot put his drink in a glass unless he puts his straw into it first he'll yell dont pour it yet! but i wouldnt let him get medicated with all the side effects for just that or washing his hands to often ,good luck and here's some pixie dust coming your way

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I can't advise about vitamins since we didn't try that route. My DS13 has been taking Zoloft for several years for his ASD-related anxiety. Last year when he was in public school and being treated very poorly (that's another story), his dose was at a moderate-to-high level. Now that he's in a wonderful and appropriate school, his anxiety is greatly reduced. We have been able to cut his daily Zoloft dose by 2/3. The Dr. had us decrease it gradually until we found the lowest tolerable dose for him. We cut it further last month and he was starting to feel anxious. So we bumped it back up a little and he's doing fine, still 2/3 less than he was taking a year ago.

 

[Hasil72]

I can't advise about vitamins since we didn't try that route. My DS13 has been taking Zoloft for several years for his ASD-related anxiety. Last year when he was in public school and being treated very poorly (that's another story), his dose was at a moderate-to-high level. Now that he's in a wonderful and appropriate school, his anxiety is greatly reduced. We have been able to cut his daily Zoloft dose by 2/3. The Dr. had us decrease it gradually until we found the lowest tolerable dose for him. We cut it further last month and he was starting to feel anxious. So we bumped it back up a little and he's doing fine, still 2/3 less than he was taking a year ago.

Thanks! It's good to hear something positive if we have to go that route.

Has your DS experienced any side effects?

 

[blondietink]

I can't believe that doctors get away with prescribing adult medications to children when they are not approved for children. I had personal experience when I worked with a teenager with Autism who was prescribed Risperdal for her behavior and she actually started to lactate! We had to take her to an endocrinologist who made the connection. The doctor who prescribed the medication had no idea that this was a side effect.