Short Acting Anti-Anxiety Drug

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Registered: 10-03-2004
Short Acting Anti-Anxiety Drug
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Thu, 03-16-2006 - 5:00am

We have seen a specialist in ASD drug therapy and after much discussion, etc. he gave us a prescription for a short-acting anti-anxiety drug called Clonazepam. This is in bloodstream and working in under 10 minutes, lasts about 4 hours, then out, super mild dose, almost no side effects.

In order to try out the use of this drug, which we plan to only use for competetive sports as necessary, we set up a baseball game with 2 of Malcolm's best buddies, twins, one ASD, one NT, about 15 of their NT teammates and a few dads/moms as well. Malcolm (age 8, PDD-NOS) usually has a hard time holding it together in any competetive sports situation for very long, getting angry when he misses, if anyone runs into him, etc. He really CAN do it sometimes, he has good days and bad days with it. The only problem is that he wants to play with his friends and be on little league and basketball teams. And so far we haven't been comfortable to have him try.

And HOORAY HOORAY he did great in the game. He had so much fun. He and his best pal did little hip dances and chants as their teammates ran in. When he missed the ball in a play, he looked over at me when a big grin and said casually "Oh well..." At one point during game, he trotted over to where his pal's mom and I were standing and said "Isn't this funny? There's something wrong with my body. I'm not getting angry!"

The next day he had a coaching with private baseball lesson. He had a hard time again when missing the ball. Like always with his private lessons, he hung in there and managed even though he cried and yelled some. Afterwards, he asked why the medicine had stopped working! I said it only lasts 4 hours and he looked sad -- "Why couldn't it last 2 days?" I explained that he will only use the medicine for games and that we want him to learn how to eventually not need the medicine then, either. Last night he had a private basketball coaching and did perfect, no screaming, crying, played hard and well, and no drugs. Next time we'll set up a basketball game. Little League starts in April.

Hopeful Happy Dance...

Sara
ilovemalcolm

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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2001
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 7:36am
Thats great!

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-11-2003
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 10:07am
That's great! Keep us posted.
Samantha
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Registered: 04-11-2003
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 10:14am

Ok, I was just looking up this med because our dd has anxiety so I thought I'd look into it. The first site I went to (and only one) said this is a med for seisures. It aslo said you need to wean off it slowly and under risks for kids it said: Children:
Because of the possibility that adverse effects on childhood physical or mental development could become apparent only after years, a risk-benefit consideration of the long-term use of clonazepam is important in pediatric patients.

Ok, so I'm wondering if I googled the right medicine? Clonazepam is what I typed in.

Samantha

Samantha
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2004
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 12:24pm

Sara,

Wow!! I remember you talking before about trying this med for Malcolm. I'm glad it's working for him....sounds great!! But I agre with Malcolm....why can't it last for 2 days??? LOL (That's something my boys would say too!!)

michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 2:13pm

Sara,

That is great. I am glad it worked so well for him. Here is hoping that it continues to with no side effects.

Renee

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 2:14pm

Ya know I was just thinking of it for Mike for similar things if I could just give it PRN. I will look it up too and see what I find. I hope the side effects aren't bad. What a bummer.

Renee

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 2:28pm

Awesome for Malcolm....I hope all goes well. What a joy for him to be able to participate in the activities he loves....

Way to go Mom for helping him achieve this....

Christie

Avatar for littleroses
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Registered: 03-28-2003
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 2:39pm

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Edited 2/19/2008 7:19 pm ET by littleroses
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Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 4:00pm

I was looking it up too and I agree it seems to be the weaning problem would be for those who take daily for seizure disorders. I know any med given for seizures has to be weaned slowly. That is a standard warning typically for seizure meds because quick withdrawal can cause an increase in seizure symptoms and that would be very very bad.

I am going to keep that one in the back of my mind incase we ever decide to add a PRN type med for Mike for those really rough times. I nearly got risperadol once as a PRN for him but that was when they put him on all the heavy meds, he went bad and I dc'ed all of them.

Right now we seem to be having success with the enzymes we started. I got Rainbow Light Enzymend. They are great. A high quality digestive enzyme with chamomile and l-carnotine (I think). At anyrate, I looked up the info and they were similar to houstons dosage with some extras and they are high quality. We started them on Sunday and it has been about the best week in months. I just saw him in school at lunch and he gave me a hug and told me about a recycling job he had earned doing today and was excited. It was really nice!

Renee

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Registered: 04-11-2003
Thu, 03-16-2006 - 5:03pm

I'm going to keep it in the back of my mind for dd too. She's having a great yr but next school yr is in a different building. She's not the least bit happy about that. Renee, glad the enzymes are working well for Mike. They are good for Kyle too but we didn't see any effect for Hannah.

Samantha

Samantha

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