# Can a pediatrician prescribe anxiety medication?



## flying15 (Feb 1, 2015)

I'm 15 years old. I recently had to go to the ER (involuntarily) because of my anxiety and the hospital psychiatrist suggested I see another psychiatrist that specialized in anxiety. My mom wants to take me to a psychiatrist, but I'm afraid I'll be prescribed an antidepressant. Some time ago, a psychiatrist put me on Zoloft which I was on a year and it didn't help my anxiety at all; in fact it became worse. 

I'm not depressed; it's the anxiety that's an issue. My mom said I could even help her search for a psychiatrist, but honestly they're difficult to find. I don't even know where to start. The hospital psychiatrist suggested for my mom to call our insurance company to find one, but I'm afraid of what they'll put me on.

It seems like it would be easiest to go to my regular doctor. I've been seeing her for a long time and she knows about my history with anxiety. I've gone to her several times feeling sick to be told I was only having a panic attack (my heartbeat is always racing whenever I go to the doctor's.) She's also referred me to a psychologist before who happened to be her sister so I'd say she's familiar with my anxiety issues. 

I asked my mom about it and she said she would make an appointment. If I go, what should I say? Ask for a referral to a psychiatrist, or ask her about medication for my anxiety? Should I explain my symptoms? Like I said, she's already familiar with my anxiety issues so I don't know if I should. 

The thought of going to the doctor's office for anxiety is giving me anxiety already :blank What if the person at the front desk laughs at me and thinks I'm crazy when my mom explains why we're there? ar


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Sure, your pediatrician can prescribe anxiety meds. Any MD can prescribe any meds for any disorder as they see fit. You don't want another antidepressant like Zoloft, but that's going to be a problem since that's what you're going to get no matter who you see. SSRIs/SNRIs are the standard first line treatment for SA. Given that you're only 15 I don't seriously imagine you getting benzos.

A pediatrician or any other primary care doctor can prescribe SSRIs/SNRIs just as well as a psychiatrist can. Frankly, seeing a psychiatrist just to get an SSRI strikes me as overkill. It's like needing an auto mechanic to pump your gas. Sticking with the pediatrician especially makes sense since you're comfortable with them. At least you don't need to suffer the added anxiety of seeing a new doctor.

If it makes you feel any better I'm meeting a new psychiatrist on Friday and it scares me even though I'm 41, in case you thought adults didn't have fears.


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## flying15 (Feb 1, 2015)

What I'm most worried about is the uncontrollable panic attacks I get at the worst possible times - like on the plane. Having a panic attack at home or in public is one thing, but having one when you're in an airport and on the plane is the worst. I've been diagnosed with social anxiety. I have constant anxiety and going out of the house or even talking on the phone is enough to give me an anxiety attack but traveling by far is the worst. I travel every Summer with my mom to visit my grandmother. Summer is approaching. Last year, I decided I would try to be strong and go with my mother even though the prior year I had skipped the trip and stayed home with my dad out of fear. 

It was severe panic attacks one after another. Not like, a small 30 second panic attack once on the plane, but what seemed like hour long (even though it probably only felt like that) panic attack after panic attack all summer at my grandmother's house. I tried everything I had talked about with my therapist: breathing techniques, journalist, talking with someone; nothing helped. I felt horrible. I don't know what I'm going to do this year. I don't want to disappoint my mother and refuse to go. Staying apart from her gives me panic attacks as well (I know, I'm a baby) so panic attacks either way. 

My family seems to have a history of anxiety, as my grandma and aunt are both on benzos for panic attacks and depression. I'm one of the few teenagers that is terrified of summer approaching because I still remember how I felt last summer. I don't know what will help me at this point :sigh


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## LouiseLane (Mar 15, 2015)

Hey there.

I wouldn't be surprised if your paediatrician recommended that you see the psychiatrist. From what you've said, your anxiety is substantial and you're very young to be experiencing such difficulties. As a general paediatrician, it's not really her area of specialisation. She'd be inclined to refer you to someone she felt would be more of an expert. 

The advantage of a psychiatrist is they can get a full history from you, make some treatment plans, then monitor you to see how you go, making adjustments where necessary. That'd be a good thing for you. 

Do ask the paediatrician to recommend a good psychiatrist, who she thinks would be a good match for you. Medical practitioners can be very good resources simply be way of knowing who to connect you with. 

I do think describing the panic you feel regarding things like plane travel will be important. The more they know, the more they can work out how to help.

I think seeing a psychologist can also be beneficial. They can give you techniques to use to help manage your anxiety and can make a dint in how you approach situations as well.


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## voodoochild16 (Jan 20, 2009)

I asked a GP for a medication which was beyond his authority. So a pediatrician... probably not, I would just go in to where ever, make an appointment with a psychiatrist and then try and get what ever it is your trying to get. If you are going to go in, try to get some information on the drugs Nardil, Parnate or Marplan (from trusted sources) to show their benefits and explain that SSRI's do not work for you at all. If you are given the chance to try a weak MAOI to test the effects of the drug on your body for awhile, go with Moclobemide and if your body is OK with it then see about trying one of the three mentioned above. 

If your lucky you may have to wait until you are done proving that one medication he has prescribed you doesn't work. 

If he or she is an ******* and gives you a list of SSRI's and sends you away to think about it, switch Psych's right away.

Don't ever argue with a Psych either because it's either their way or the highway, and you can just switch Psych's when ever you want anyways.


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## CopingStrong (Jan 14, 2013)

Any MD (Medical Doctor) can prescribe anything


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

voodoochild16 said:


> If you are going to go in, try to get some information on the drugs Nardil, Parnate or Marplan (from trusted sources) to show their benefits and explain that SSRI's do not work for you at all. If you are given the chance to try a weak MAOI to test the effects of the drug on your body for awhile, go with *Moclobemide* and if your body is OK with it then see about trying one of the three mentioned above.


Moclobermide isn't available in the US.

No way in hell are they giving Nardil, Parnate, or Marplan to a minor. They're less than thrilled about giving it to middle-aged adults! No way would they trust a teen not to mix it with the wrong food or drug & *DIE*. If your patient dies from a drug you prescribed, you're looking at a lawsuit that reaches the limits of your malpractice insurance. Thus the medical community's great love of "safe," but ineffective drugs.

While benzos certainly sound reasonable to me in this case, I've never actually heard of benzos being prescribed to a minor. Ironic, given that docs have no problem giving C-II stimulants to teens or even little kids.


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## wealldead (Jun 20, 2014)

UltraShy said:


> Moclobermide isn't available in the US.
> 
> No way in hell are they giving Nardil, Parnate, or Marplan to a minor. They're less than thrilled about giving it to middle-aged adults! No way would they trust a teen not to mix it with the wrong food or drug & *DIE*. If your patient dies from a drug you prescribed, you're looking at a lawsuit that reaches the limits of your malpractice insurance. Thus the medical community's great love of "safe," but ineffective drugs.
> 
> While benzos certainly sound reasonable to me in this case, I've never actually heard of benzos being prescribed to a minor. Ironic, given that docs have no problem giving C-II stimulants to teens or even little kids.


In USA you get on stimulants, but in France it's right to get minnor on benzos without any problems.
But, in france to get on stimulants, it's almost impossible.


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## flying15 (Feb 1, 2015)

Update: My mom is taking me to a psychiatrist because she's thinks it'll be best. If they try to put me on an antidepressant I plan on (kindly) refusing.


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## flying15 (Feb 1, 2015)

I should clarify. She's not taking me at this exact moment, but she's searching for one right now. Hope she'll find one that'll actually help me.


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## voodoochild16 (Jan 20, 2009)

flying15 said:


> I should clarify. She's not taking me at this exact moment, but she's searching for one right now. Hope she'll find one that'll actually help me.


What I would of done when I was in my teens (if I knew about maois), is to take every ssri I could take until the conclusion was that an mAOI must be tried. Because I haven't heard of anyone talking about any ssris working for them anyways. After that and getting an mAOI like nardil, at the age of 19, could of given me more life that I have missed in the past 7 years to date. Now I am 26, and I only found out about maois about 4 months ago. If I knew about this stuff earlier, I could of lived a better life. I'm sorry to say this if people here don't believe that medication works for social anxiety but Nardil has saved my life. It's incredible.


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## MidnightProxy (Jan 22, 2015)

If you want my opinion, as someone who suffered with serve anxiety since being your age: go to therapy. Do therapy for a year and hold off on ANY medication. I honestly think I could of overcome my social anxiety/anxiety problems when I was that young with therapy and I wouldn't be on meds now. I think you could get a benzo prescribed for emergency use, like if you think you're going to have a panic attack etc; you take one. As for worrying about what they will think of you, LOTS of people have anxiety and are seen for it all the time, they won't think anything less of you.
"Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older (18% of U.S. population)"

The biggest piece of advice I can give you is get help and keep knocking away at in and hell in a few years you'll probably look back at this and laugh.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

flying15 said:


> The thought of going to the doctor's office for anxiety is giving me anxiety already :blank What if the person at the front desk laughs at me and thinks I'm crazy when my mom explains why we're there? ar


The other year 49 million Xanax prescriptions were written in the US. Evidently, a few other people share your problem.:yes The person at the front desk will think it's just another uneventful day on the job.


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