What kind of medication works for Asperger?

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BlossX
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14 Dec 2021, 5:34 am

Given the fact that i'm not a doctor, and many of you are not as well, I was curious whether medication works for Asperger syndrome? (I'm considering answers with a source or based on your own experiences with drugs)

I'm talking about drugs (don't know the technical term in english), the medication which affect your brain like
antidepressant etc.

Have you ever been prescribed these kind of drugs? if yes, how did it go?

Because at the moment I'm on therapy with anti-psychotic drugs called Aripiprazolo (Abilify commercial name) and it seems to work to stop me from becoming psychotic but it doesn't help me cope with my Asperger syndrome. (Although the psychiatrist told me it should help me be less aggressive and less suspicious regarding the world)

Which drugs have you guys taken during your life, and did they work well for you?


EDIT 1 : I know that most doctors say that Asperger syndrome "per se" can't be treated with drugs, but you should speak with a counselor to teach you how to behave and how to react to your feelings, but I also know that some symptoms related to Asperger are treated with drugs. This is what I have read so far and how much I know on the topic based on what my psychiatrist told me.



autisticelders
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14 Dec 2021, 6:31 am

I took drugs for anxiety and depression long before I knew of my autism. SSRI's worked well for me for many years.


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BlossX
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14 Dec 2021, 6:42 am

autisticelders wrote:
I took drugs for anxiety and depression long before I knew of my autism. SSRI's worked well for me for many years.



my psychiatrist also suggested me SSRI for my frailty, so it works well?



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14 Dec 2021, 10:34 am

When I was first diagnosed with ASD, my doctor said all they could do was to offer me antidepressants for depression and sedatives for anxiety. I've never taken them up on the offer, and I see it as one of the most unimaginative things I've ever heard from a doctor. There are drug-free interventions for anxiety and depression and I'd always want to give those a good try first, and use psych meds only as a last resort.

Luckily for me, I've not so far had particularly severe symptoms in those respects. Ever since quitting my job and getting a stable pension, my anxiety levels haven't been bad, and I've only ever been what could be called seriously depressed once in my life, and that only lasted a few hours. For all I know, the state I've been in for years might be rightly termed mild to moderate depression, but I prefer to see it as the natural result of my lot in life, the unfavourable practical and social conditions I'm currently saddled with, and it never quite paralyses me. I just feel rather grumpy a lot of the time, but I rarely lose my sense of humour for long, and I don't think a day has ever gone by when I've not lifted a finger to try to improve things for myself or stop them getting worse. I don't suffer from suicidal thoughts because I'm far too scared of dying, so I've only ever thought of suicide as a remote possibility for the future if my life got inexorably and unbearably painful physically or emotionally, and even then if I couldn't find a painless way of doing it, I shrink from the idea. I think that's more like common sense than suicidal ideation.

The reasons I'm wary of antidepressants are that they can have side effects, and I'm particularly mindful of the "discontinuation syndrome" where you stop taking them and the depression comes back worse than it was before, so if somebody starts taking them, they'd better understand that they might be growing a dependency on them that could prove rather difficult to escape from. I'm sure opium would do roughly similar things to me, but I'm not about to try that either. I'm not saying that nobody should ever take psych meds. I'm sure there are cases where the symptoms are very serious and all other interventions have failed. I would imagine there are also cases where the right drug at the right time has given the patient the emotional energy to start solving their problems and pull out of a tailspin. But for many people, I'd urge them to look at their lifestyle first, and to put a lot of thought and energy into identifying the problems there and fixing them. Doctors and shrinks don't always do much to help you improve your lifestyle. Handing out a bottle of tablets is much easier for them. But I don't think there's always an easy way out.



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14 Dec 2021, 10:36 am

I have had good results with Placebin.

:wink:



BlossX
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14 Dec 2021, 12:05 pm

ToughDiamond wrote:
When I was first diagnosed with ASD, my doctor said all they could do was to offer me antidepressants for depression and sedatives for anxiety. I've never taken them up on the offer, and I see it as one of the most unimaginative things I've ever heard from a doctor. There are drug-free interventions for anxiety and depression and I'd always want to give those a good try first, and use psych meds only as a last resort.

Luckily for me, I've not so far had particularly severe symptoms in those respects. Ever since quitting my job and getting a stable pension, my anxiety levels haven't been bad, and I've only ever been what could be called seriously depressed once in my life, and that only lasted a few hours. For all I know, the state I've been in for years might be rightly termed mild to moderate depression, but I prefer to see it as the natural result of my lot in life, the unfavourable practical and social conditions I'm currently saddled with, and it never quite paralyses me. I just feel rather grumpy a lot of the time, but I rarely lose my sense of humour for long, and I don't think a day has ever gone by when I've not lifted a finger to try to improve things for myself or stop them getting worse. I don't suffer from suicidal thoughts because I'm far too scared of dying, so I've only ever thought of suicide as a remote possibility for the future if my life got inexorably and unbearably painful physically or emotionally, and even then if I couldn't find a painless way of doing it, I shrink from the idea. I think that's more like common sense than suicidal ideation.

The reasons I'm wary of antidepressants are that they can have side effects, and I'm particularly mindful of the "discontinuation syndrome" where you stop taking them and the depression comes back worse than it was before, so if somebody starts taking them, they'd better understand that they might be growing a dependency on them that could prove rather difficult to escape from. I'm sure opium would do roughly similar things to me, but I'm not about to try that either. I'm not saying that nobody should ever take psych meds. I'm sure there are cases where the symptoms are very serious and all other interventions have failed. I would imagine there are also cases where the right drug at the right time has given the patient the emotional energy to start solving their problems and pull out of a tailspin. But for many people, I'd urge them to look at their lifestyle first, and to put a lot of thought and energy into identifying the problems there and fixing them. Doctors and shrinks don't always do much to help you improve your lifestyle. Handing out a bottle of tablets is much easier for them. But I don't think there's always an easy way out.



thanks for your kind reply, I agree with your point. You should probably work with a counsellor as an individual with Asperger before taking any meds



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14 Dec 2021, 12:35 pm

I am of the opinion that the less drugs taken, the better off one is.

However, if a drug works for you and doesn’t cause side effects, I would continue with it.

Drugs might help with co-morbids—but not Aspergers itself, in my opinion.



BlossX
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14 Dec 2021, 3:58 pm

to be fair with you guys, in my country (Italy) the drugs are free since we have a solid healthcare system (or at least it appears to be solid, although full of debts.)

So all in all, you get free drugs prescribed by your psychiatrist and if they do seem to better your condition, what is the problem then?

Maybe you guys have some stigma related to going to the Pharmacy and asking for drugs? because last time I went there the Phamacy's employee asked me if I was in a "bad period". I mean what the actual f***? I'm taking drugs because I have ASD and you ask me if i'm in a bad period? so am I supposed to be in a bad period my whole life because of ASD and the drugs I have to take related to my syndrome? :x



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14 Dec 2021, 4:27 pm

Drugs sometimes cause bad interactions with other drugs, and with alcohol.

You really have to research drug interactions when you get medication.

Also: If you're going to have a medical procedure, you can't take certain drugs for a period of time before the procedure.



BlossX
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14 Dec 2021, 4:33 pm

kraftiekortie wrote:
Drugs sometimes cause bad interactions with other drugs, and with alcohol.

You really have to research drug interactions when you get medication.

Also: If you're going to have a medical procedure, you can't take certain drugs for a period of time before the procedure.



yeah I know that they have bad interation with alcohol, but the point is that I don't drink alcohol at all.

also you can always ask your doctor if drug x works well with drug Y for example...



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16 Dec 2021, 1:59 am

Matcha Green Tea. I'd rather sip my medicine than swallow it.


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16 Dec 2021, 2:17 am

I took Riseridone (Risperdal) to stop my RBFBs because they were very severe and self-injurious. It also helped with autistic irritability; in my case that meant I had fewer meltdowns from sensory stress, or stress from a change in routine.

I take ADHD meds because I have ASD / ADHD.

I also take a low-dose atypical SSRI called Trintellix which helps with brain fog and executive function.

I take anxiety tablets as needed, but I reserve to about one a month, max. Sometimes not even that.


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BlossX
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16 Dec 2021, 3:25 am

my doctor told me after 4 years that he thinks I don't have asperger.
I was told by him that I had bipolar disorder first,then asperger.
I was so convinced by it.

now I'm supposed to disappear from this forum I guess :x



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16 Dec 2021, 11:19 am

Just like you, I'm on an antipsychotic medication. I'm on Risperidone and found it helped. I talked to my temp therapist and he advised me it works for autistic people in a variety of ways but the main one is aggression. I was originally put on it to combat bipolar mania, but I've also noticed it slowed me down and calmed me. I'm told my autistic presentation overlaps a bit with some ADHD symptoms, and I was talking really fast and couldn't sit still before I got on that. (and no that wasn't from the bipolar) Odd that I'm only diagnosed with ASD but that I was always moving or talking, but that's how I am. I don't know entirely what a "normal" ASD presentation is, because I was just diagnosed, but I do know Risperidone helped me a lot, much in the same way your medication helped you.

I actually joined to comment on this post because I've read in multiple places online that Risperidone is the #1 drug prescribed for autism, and found that fact interesting.... That's why I feel it helped me with more than just my bipolar. I was always easily bothered and it's brought the "temperature" (for lack of a better description) down on my emotional fluxuations considerably.



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16 Dec 2021, 11:31 am

BlossX wrote:
my doctor told me after 4 years that he thinks I don't have asperger.
I was told by him that I had bipolar disorder first,then asperger.
I was so convinced by it.

now I'm supposed to disappear from this forum I guess :x


You can have both. I do. Is there any way you can get tested formally by a psychologist that specializes in ASD to provide more clarity and closure for yourself? Not every doctor has the experience with autism to make determinations. There's also self-diagnosis of Asperger's too, and I feel that's valid. Try investigating for yourself. Your doctor might be wrong.



BlossX
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16 Dec 2021, 12:27 pm

Phoenix2 wrote:
Just like you, I'm on an antipsychotic medication. I'm on Risperidone and found it helped. I talked to my temp therapist and he advised me it works for autistic people in a variety of ways but the main one is aggression. I was originally put on it to combat bipolar mania, but I've also noticed it slowed me down and calmed me. I'm told my autistic presentation overlaps a bit with some ADHD symptoms, and I was talking really fast and couldn't sit still before I got on that. (and no that wasn't from the bipolar) Odd that I'm only diagnosed with ASD but that I was always moving or talking, but that's how I am. I don't know entirely what a "normal" ASD presentation is, because I was just diagnosed, but I do know Risperidone helped me a lot, much in the same way your medication helped you.

I actually joined to comment on this post because I've read in multiple places online that Risperidone is the #1 drug prescribed for autism, and found that fact interesting.... That's why I feel it helped me with more than just my bipolar. I was always easily bothered and it's brought the "temperature" (for lack of a better description) down on my emotional fluxuations considerably.



fun fact : I was also on Risperidone until 6 months ago when I switched to Aripiprazolo.

It was the best medication I ever took, i had to switch due to my liver complications ( in the end it was my diet not Risperidone)