Coming off anti-depressants and anti-psychotics....

[lucille]

Hi again....I've forgotten how to tag someone in my conversation again!  Sorry.  Thanks so much for all of your replies. Thanks for your honesty and having the courage to share your experience. At times, I feel SO alone as none of our friends or family are going through anything like this.  I look at my son's mates and they are all so 'well' and then you can end up feeling like the only person struggling with these sorts of issues.  One thing I forgot to say is that we are very conscious that our son will be turning 17 in about 3 months time.  He has this precious six months off for the rest of the year and we would like to trial a medication reduction while he is happy, relaxed and is at home.  We are worried about leaving any trial of reducing medication until he is 18 when perhaps we have less input/control over what goes on in his life.  We feel it is safer to trial the reduction in meds now while the circumstances are favourable....no stress, home and happy, no school etc.  That is part of our thought process in thinking of trialling this now.  Thanks again for all of your encouragement and support. 

[taokat]

Hi @lucille, I'm so glad we have been able to support you and help you realise you're not alone in what you are going through. That knowledge in itself made such a difference to me, as I was like you - the only one I knew of going through it.

Personally, I think you're very wise to look at all of this before he turns 18, and while you have time with him at home for 6 months it provides the perfect opportunity. Good on you!

As you are the parent, you absolutely have the right to have your say with the dr and psychiatrist, and push for things to work the way you feel is best. I have had to battle bureaucracy to make the system work for us, so don't be afraid to stand up for what you need for your your son. My daughter's mental health care was moved closer to where we live, but the new team couldn't prescribe her medication under the PBS. I couldn't afford her all medications paying full price, and wanted to have scripts from her old psychiatrist, but have her seen by the new team in our area and have the psychiatrists communicate with each other. The new team said they couldn't do that, it was against their policies to see a child but not be prescribing. I argued my case and took it to the top, and had things work the way I needed. 

We're all backing you! 

Oh, and to tag someone use the @ symbol then it will bring up people in the conversation for you to tag