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[Guest guest]

Debbie,

I am facing the same issues like you. My 16 year old daughter was diagnosed with

OCD a month ago. She was put on Sertraline. She also saw the our primary doctor

and she is anemic and was put on iron pills. After starting her meds she was

found cutting her writs(just scratches with a paper clip). I brought it to the

psychiatrist attention and he did not seem to be bothered with it because it was

just scratches. He nonetheless increased her med of 25mg for a week to start,

the 50mg for two weeks. We saw him on Thursday and he increased her to 100mg. I

told him my daughter has been acting out(she had sex for the first time in the

back seat of a car with a guy she has only gone out with once, then last friday

at the football game she drank alcohol, got drunk and made out with two other

guys). The psychiatrist made me feel like an idiot when I brought these

activities to his attention, his answer... " she is a teenager and they will

behave like that. "

My daughter has always been the one the think things through, she is shy and

does not normally do things like these. On our drive home Thursday, she told me

she feels as thought she is separated from her body, sort of seeing herself

outside of her actual body. I asked her if she told the doctor that and she said

no. She is also quite sleepy(more than normal) since the increase of her

sertraline. I told her to take only 50mg rather than a 100mg to see if that is

what is causing her behavior and sleepiness. We have an appointment to recheck

her hemaglobin levels on Tuesday. Her thyroid was normal.

I think the meds do affect these kids differently and I am frustrated that the

medical professionals are seeing everyone through the same lens. Someone please

educate me here...shouldn't the meds and therapy be adjusted to help the child

perform to his or her best? Should I seek another psychiatrist because I find

the one we were referred to unapproachable. He keeps telling me this will take

time, I will not see any improvements for at least 3 to 6 months. But should he

not adjust her medication if she is getting worse?