Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 8/7/2007

Question
My 12 year old daughter was prescribed lexapro last fall. She took it for six months and nothing got changed much infact couple of times she got really bad panic attacks. Now she is off that medicine and not taking anything. Doctor still feels she should be given other medication.
We dont know what to do ? She is also going to psychologist once a week

Answer
Hi vijay shah,

This must be very difficult for you. I believe we need to first find the causes of any mood disorders, and I do not think that drugs is always the best way to treat it.

Most mood disorders are associated with the hypoglycemic syndrome, that causes unstable blood sugar levels to go up and down, triggering the release of stress hormones. It is obvious if this is the case that drugs can not help.

The best way is to test your daughter with the

The Nutrition-Behavior Inventory Questionnaire (NBI) at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/nutrition-behavior_inventory.html

If she scores high it may be an indication of a treatable metabolic disorder by means of a change in diet. There could also be allergies involved.

Please read:

What is Hypoglycemia at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/what_is_hypo.html

The Serotonin Connection at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/serotonin_connection.html

Depression is a Nutritional Disorder at: http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/depression_disorder.html

Having regard to her young age I strongly advise you to have here referred to a Nutritional Doctor or a Clinical Nutritionist.

You can find doctors here:

Looking for Complementary Health Practititioners at:
http://forums.delphiforums.com/clinutrition/messages?msg=149.1

I hope I have been helpful.

_______________________________________________
Jurriaan Plesman BA (Psych) Post Grad Dip Clin Nutr
Editor of
The Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia.
www.hypoglycemia.asn.au
Author of "Getting off the Hook"
Freely available at Google Book Search