My teen son has been having a few delusions this past week, and is now weening off wellbutrin and lexapro. He also reacted quite badly to the celexa.

He has gained 12 lbs in a month, his liver enzymes are up, and his depression is still pretty bad, then the delusions.

I took him in to the ER tonight, they didn't keep him. they just say to wait it out till he gets off meds and they get out of his systme. they didn't seem too worried.

Other than one major story and things that go along with that, he thinks he witnessed friends murder, and has been a "blood" and now been shot 3 times himself...

other than that, he is ok I guess. He did talk to a cop who knows it didn't happen,and he told her that he saw this from above, like he was floating above the scene. Dissociation, depersonlization....


So anyone know if these are things taht happen either rarely or more commonly?

I am worried about his depression after he is off meds. Will he feel better or what? He had situational reasons to be depressed, and no evidence of known mental illness within family members.

I dont' know if I am happy or not that they sent him home. But he is safe in his bed for now.

Thanks
I'm just trying to figure this out.

I can't give you a clear answer. The drugs you mention all work in the neurotransmitter systems of the brain, so I think yes, they can and will change the way the brain constructs "reality" for the user.

I also think you might look into the anti-depressant and mood stabilizing effects of EPA and DHA, as found in fish oils and flaxseed. These nutritious compounds are also generally good for health, boosting many vital systems of the body.

Your insurance may cover such compounds as Lovaza, which is a pharmaceutical preparation of DHA/EPA.

Yes, those meds can have serious side effects. Keep an eye on your son, and if you get worried- go back to the hospital.

Call your son's doctor first thing in the morning and go over your concerns with him.

Yes, these are serious meds, especially for kids. Celexa definitely can cause weight gain.

And no history of mental illness in the family means nothing, really. Not until you know what the mental illness he might be suffering from actually is, if any.

Even in low dose, but especially in children, these meds can create what is called "suicidal ideation", meaning a bizarre fixation on wanting to kill oneself, where no idea of suicide existed before.

They can make someone more depressed than they ever were before, or cause insomnia to an extreme degree.

The dreams they cause in some people are so nightmarish and bizarre, people wake up repeatedly, and in the morning, truly end up believing that what they dreamed was real.

They can create hallucinations and delusions. But then again in others, do almost nothing at all.

How and why they work is actually not very well understood--and this is admitted by the very people who make and sell them. And by the people who prescribe them.

Tapering off, or stopping them suddenly, can cause serious problems, too.

And believe it or not, I am a proponent of people that really need them, using them!

My son has a serious mental illness that for a very long time was undiagnosed, then misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated. He suffered needlessly, for a long time.

Trust your instincts here. If your son needs you to advocate for him more strongly, do that.

If your gut tells you that waiting and watching isn't doing enough, do more.

Most ERs, unless the person is raving mad at the moment they see the person, tend to tell you to go home and then see your regular dr, and have that dr make a psych referral if in that dr's opinion it is needed.

But was a psych eval ever suggested to you? A psych dr's or psych facilities' name ever given to you? Were you given a number to call if this non emergency suddenly turned into one?

Was a trained psych nurse or intern or resident ever there? Did anyone suggest having someone from the psych dept come down and talk to you or your son?

Or did they listen to your and his oral history of what had already been done, and make their judgement based solely on that?

Did anyone call or speak with the prescribing MD, the one who gave your son the meds originally?

Was an overnight observation admission suggested to you at any time?

Was a referral to a social worker ever made, or ever discussed?

NAMI is a good org for the mentally ill and their families. NIMH has some good resources and links. Your regular dr may refer you to a group or source, locally.

And can you also go online and look up a support group, or center for mental health treatment in your area? Call and ask/ tell them what you are saying here; then ask for help.

But above all, keep an eye on your son. He is very vulnerable right now.

Sorry, not my son, my nephew, He is the one with schizophrenia I have refrred to previously. Typed that really fast. Doesn't matter except to me, I guess.

Above post are very good...My suggestions....Do not use a regular M.D. they are not well trained in this type of disdorder. Get a good psychiatrist. Dont't be afraid of changing meds, and or dosages...Watch interactions of medicationsd, they are different in each person. Be positive, there is support and help and when you get the right meds, the right medical support and diagnosis things will get better and he may even appear and act normal.....Chemicals in the brain, or lack thereof, can cause many of the observations you have seen. Medicalion usually add to brain chemistry and the person becomes ver close to normal in thinking and acting. Be positive things will get better and you have happyness in your future with him.....Keep going...I was as bad as him at one time, but after years of finding the right medications some saw I act normal,,,,,x wives say it has done no good. Oh well.

So, the hospital visit went like this. We took him in, they did vitals, took him back, took blood, then the dr came in and we told her what was going on.

Basically then we waited for the crisis worker-a psychologist, to show up. I was hoping he would be one of my professors who works there on call, but it was some other older guy. He went through the notes, then talked to us a bit. He was the one who said to watch and wait with tthe taper, but of course we could bring him back.

He also told us to get a shrink (duh) but one of the reasons we took him in was that we were hoping they could get us into one right away, but no suggestions there.

Just, oh, if you guys need a break there is this place you can take him-vantage point, and drop him off for a couple days. That is NOT the problem.

Since we already had therapist and stuff, that was pretty much it. The dr was more helpful, making sure I knew that I could bring him back.

I don't even know that I wanted him in-patient, but everyone has said take him in and I know that I had to at this point.

He was nice to me on the way home except for a couple things I said that he didn't like. He went to school, though late today. He is failing most stuff, but frankly that is not my biggest worry. He will be busy the next few days/nights with football.

I asked him if he felt better on less medication, and he said no. He is still not admitting that they have messed with his mind though, he still believes what he said. Ijust hope there is nothing new.....

Thanks for your kind words and advice.

It took me a good three months to be free of the fallout from Effexor XR. And yes it caused irrational behaviour, i think in large part due to the fact it speeds up one's adrenal system. Among other things I could not stop sweating. And getting off it resulted in repeated electrical zap type sensations going off in my head, something others have reported as well. I have been anti depressant free since 1 May, and yes still am depressed at times but at least I feel and act like me.

Lexapro was very bad for me. Serious hallucinations. Example: I had an extended conversation in my office with a colleague, after he left I remembered he had been dead for two years.

But I'm an adult and am on a very low dosage. I had tried some others before that caused some other really weird effects like crying spells and constant shaking.

It takes a lot of time, and trial and error to see what works and what doesn't work.

It sounds like your boy needs to be on something, but you've got a road to travel in order to figure out what that something is and how much the dosage should be.

Good luck. It can be very frustrating.

While you're waiting to get a psychiatrist, see a psychologist, or a clinical social worker. The latter two can sometimes be easier to get in to see, and they can make the appropriate referral up the mental health care ladder.

Community health centers have them, many drs and schools have numbers for them. Keep calling until you get what you need for your son.

He is telling you something very important---he feels no better without meds, than with. With meds he was a mess and was hurting. How must he be feeling now? He needs help.

Health care has gatekeepers to keep most people from using it, all but those who truly need it most and keep pushing for it.

Especially mental health care, which is expensive, specialized and sometimes must continue for a lifetime, with no foreseeable end to the cost.

But push on. Push to get what he needs.

Good luck, and take care of yourself in all of this.

non for this, these side-effects are not unheard of. I take celexa daily and I have weird, hallucinatory nightmares. I also take Klonopin, which is a tranquilizer. Side effects include sleepiness and a fuzzy mental state.

Having said that, I would probably be completely housebound without the medication. I have severe panic attacks in crowded and stressful environments and have even been hospitalized for that.

I agree with others that you should consider changing medications or lowering doses. Your son will probably continue to need treatment. He has one thing going for him. A concerned parent. You are the most powerful weapon in his arsenal.