1999- 2007: OCD: ADHD: Childhood Bipolar Disorder: The Evolution of a Diagnosis ; part 7

1998

"Sertraline in Children and Adolescents With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder"

Zoloft, OCD Safe and Effective, 1998, Biederman

Summer of 1999 my daughter was given Zoloft and Luvox for intrusive thoughts she was having after 6 weeks of Immipramine use. [anti depressant] OCD was diagnosed based on that medicated mind. Luvox had just re-entered the market after the 1999 Columbine shootings.

Note in the study some of the kids had:

"The incidence of insomnia, nausea, agitation, and tremor were significantly greater in patients receiving sertraline."

My daughter's dx of OCD was quickly changed to Bipolar Disorder, and Zoloft was increased by her psych at the time, any time she became more agitated. To the point of 6 hour long wild rages during the day, increasing in severity until she was eventually hospitalized and the Zoloft was removed, at my insistence that the inpatient psych review anti depressant use in kids. She stopped raging when the Zoloft was removed. [Eventually the childhood bp dx would be removed as well].

I am navigating a time line here, that will ultimately show the evolution of my daughter's diagnoses, and medications and how both went along with the popular science and treatments of the times.

How psychiatrists are influenced by peer-reviewed studies, and how there are a handful of professionals that seem to be at the base of that major influence of diagnostic criteria, and medication choices that psychiatrists use.

It's easy to see a pattern of evolving theories, medication popularity[and Pharma funded studies]and one group of individuals with massive influence in the psychiatric world.

I would like to see an aggressive reversal of psychiatric medication use in children, and replaced with aggressive psychological approach be used first, and the strong chemical medications be a last resort.

The anti depressant use and "activation syndrome" in my daughter was so apparent, and well-documented, that she has a red-flagged chart now that shows "no anti depressants".

This is why I am interested to see the outcome of the Florida Gov. trial I wrote about in a previous post. The activation of symptoms, that do not necessarily give diagnoses, but in fact can be regarded as a paradoxical or hypersensitive reaction to the medication, and if one reacts this way to the psych med, it would benefit the person to do psychotherapy as a result vs. pharmaceutical intervention.

*It is important to note: that Zoloft[Pfizer] was not recommended for children under age 18, in the companies own literature when my daughter was placed on it at age 11, [1999]and at the time the television commercials for Zoloft that showed the little round "blob" many of us may remember; also stated "Not for use in children under 18."

Also, in 2004 the FDA came out with the blackbox warnings regarding suicidal ideation and kids on anti depressants, and the psychiatrists who prescribed the Zoloft for O.C.D. based their prescribing information on peer-reviewed studies, and pharamceutical hype of the popular medication at the time.

Results from the 1998 study linked above:

"Conclusion.— Sertraline appears to be a safe and effective short-term treatment for children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder."

--yet the television commericials said not for use under age 18.


I would like to know why a medication that is not for use in children under age 18 could have been deemed "safe and effective" for my 11 year old. Her psychiatrist went by the popular science peer reviewed industry standards.