Medication Question - SSRIs

[Guest guest]

My dd (17 yrs) likely will have to be put on SSRI drugs. She's had OCD since age

11 & the social anxiety has crept in the last 4-5 yrs. The psychologist

mentioned zoloft, etc. to be taken at high doses - 40mg to 100mg, though they'd

start at a lower dose & work up as needed.

The dr. feels that the social anxiety is currently more debilitating than the

OCD, but the OCD is continuing & we see symptoms daily that keep recurring. The

dr. thinks dd needs the meds to progress before even more time passes & she

misses her chance to develop the most basic social skills. She won't even do the

social exposures - avoids them instead.

Is there an SSRI that causes less weight gain than others? What experiences

have you had with side effects at high doses of SSRIs? Will I be able to tell

if she has suicidal thoughts/etc. as a side effect or will dd have to tell me?

Has anyone had success taking drugs for 1-2 yrs. then getting off them & dealing

with OCD/social anxiety without the drugs? I'm worried she won't get off them

if she starts.

Thanks, I have no experience with any of these drugs & am scared to have dd take

them, although the dr. assures me they are safe. It's hard for me to see a

future of any quality for dd right now & the drug issue just makes me picture

her drug dependent & still dysfunctional.

Dot