Posted by Emily Elizabeth on November 16, 2005, at 16:18:48
In reply to Re: ADDH Prescription.....Prozac, posted by Buckeye Fan on November 16, 2005, at 12:02:21
Does your family work with a mental health professional? Getting a teen to buy into taking a med is often a complex process and typically a parent is in the WORST position to convience their child. If you try to force him, it will just become an issue to assert his independence around. "I'm not a baby, you can't make me take it!"
Also, I think that it makes sense for you to take your son to a psychiatrist rather than a family doc to figure out the best meds for him. In my (at this point) brief, professional experience, family docs get in over their heads very fast w/ psychotropic meds. They also don't always admit this.
Even though your son's ADHD symptoms are textbook, the ODD is a complicating factor where a pdoc's thourough assessment could help. To be honest, if he were my son, I feel like I would need a pretty compelling argument to NOT give him stimulants. My knowledge of the ADHD treatment literature is that stimulants have been shown to be very effective while other meds have rarely been shown to be effective. Also, ODD symptoms often diminish when ADHD is better controlled (less frustration, etc.)
I hope that some of this is helpful. I don't want to claim to be an expert or anything. I have a few years of training and work in mental health. I personally do not experience ADHD though, so I can't offer any experience from that perspective. I hope that you and your son find some relief soon.
Best,
EE
poster:Emily Elizabeth
thread:579255
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051112/msgs/579386.html