<p>Please, please see an endocrinologist. There is a very good chance your daughter may have a severe case of PCOS. Allow an endocrinologist to rule it in or out.</p>
<p>It can manifest itself in depression , anxiety and other emotional problems. She is at an early age and if diagnosed now can save you and her years of floundering in the MH system when it can all just be physical.</p>
<p>"…What are the symptoms?
Symptoms tend to be mild at first. You may have only a few symptoms or a lot of them. The most common symptoms are:</p>
<p>Acne.
Weight gain and trouble losing weight.
Extra hair on the face and body. Often women get thicker and darker facial hair and more hair on the chest, belly, and back.
Thinning hair on the scalp.
Irregular periods. Often women with PCOS have fewer than nine periods a year. Some women have no periods. Others have very heavy bleeding.
Fertility problems. Many women who have PCOS have trouble getting pregnant (infertility).
Depression.
Most women with PCOS grow many small cysts on their ovaries. That is why it is called polycystic ovary syndrome. The cysts are not harmful but lead to hormone imbalances…"</p>
<p>Don’t leave her alone. If there’s a lock on her door, dismantle it. Same with the bathroom door.</p>
<p>See if you can help her create some vision of herself in her future adult life that is appealing – helping kids who feel down; traveling; having her own apartment. Visit Pottery Barn and help her pick out furniture. Tell her stories about how many people find this period of life a tough one. Color in her future. Have her hang on to some idea that there is a better life out there. </p>
<p>There’s a video project called “It gets better” that’s aimed at letting gay teens know that life does get better. Your daughter is not gay – but the idea is the same. Kids gets locked into this mindset that everything is bleak. It’s hard for them to see that they have a whole future outside of the small petty world of high school.</p>
<p>And if you can’t get the appointment any earlier, tell her she might want to start keeping a journal or practice talking about her feelings to the family pet or her favorite stuffed animal because she’ll need to do that with the therapist. You don’t want her to keep everything inside.</p>
<p>Great advice from all of you. Thank you so much. It’s funny how we sometimes have to come to message boards to get help and support - I appreciate it and am so very grateful. </p>
<p>This weekend should be fun. We are going to her favorite city, to see one of her favorite bands. She also has a project for her journalism class. She needs to take 50 or so pictures of various types of buildings, etc. She will have the opportunity to get outdoors, get some exercise and use some creativity for her project. </p>
<p>We don’t always get along well together…but hopefully this will be a good weekend. She’s excited about it and so am I.</p>
<p>To the posters who feel that the medical provider blew off the problem, consider that the PA may have correctly realized that depression is beyond his/her area of competence. The same would have been true of the MD in the practice. Pediatricians are not mental health experts, and should not be freely prescribing psych meds, especially on the basis of an office visit that may have had 15 minutes allotted. The referral was the right thing to do. Wdaveo, I hope your daughter can get in to see the counselor sooner. If you ever suspect she’s suicidal, take her to an ER and don’t worry that you’re being alarmist about it. I wish you and your girl the best of luck. So many teenagers, not to mention adults, are having struggles like hers. She’s lucky to have you as an ally.</p>
<p>Thryroid test necessary - reputable therapist won’t prescribe antidepressants without it - especially with your family history.</p>
<p>Drugs very likely to be appropriate, even at this age (maybe even especially at this age!). As mentioned, can help get a person to the point where they can work on their underlying issues.</p>
<p>Definitely worth it to get her in somewhere sooner. She’s in pain, believe me. If she had a broken leg you wouldn’t let it go anywhere near that long. This can hurt just as bad. Plus,</p>
<p>It can be difficult to find a mental health professional who is good at what they do and who is a good fit. Believe me, I have been through this several times, for self (due to geographic relocation) and offspring. I would say that on average<a href=“though%20not%20a%20a%20statistically%20valid%20sample”>/U</a> it takes three different therapists before you find the right one. The corollary is,</p>
<p>If your daughter doesn’t feel comfortable with the first one after a few (2-4) sessions, consult with the therapist and, unless he or she convinces you that there is a good reason to continue, don’t hang around. Cut your losses and move on.</p>
<p>It can be very hard to find a good person. You need to ask around - school counselor, other moms, pediatrician, minister, rabbi, anyone who’s in touch with troubled kids on a regular basis.</p>
<p>*My daughter has put on a lot of weight in the last six months *</p>
<p>All of this could be related…the weight gain, depression, etc. </p>
<p>Also… For a teen girl to put on a lot of weight can cause all kinds of body image issues and perhaps some unkind comments/reactions from others.</p>
<p>Please consider asking the medical doctor for the referral to an endocrinologist. PCOS can be determined through a very specific blood test. It is not a thyroid test. Please read the symptoms of PCOS. With the sudden large weight gain this makes this a very real possibility. Ask your daughterr about all the symptoms. Please.</p>
<p>OP - I feel for you. I’ve been through all kinds of stress with my D too, and there is nothing worse than seeing your beloved child so unhappy. </p>
<p>Agree with those who suggested getting her seen sooner, even if it means going out of network on insurance. If the doctor’s office isn’t responsive, a crisis line or community health center might have some ideas on where you could get a referral where she could be seen earlier. Or just call where she already has the appointment and explain that she needs to be seen ASAP.</p>
<p>About medication - the PA she saw wouldn’t prescribe because s/he recognized that only a child psychiatrist is qualified to prescribe antidepressants at that age. There are some risks, and only a child or adolescent psychiatrist is qualified to determine whether the benefits outweigh potential risks. When she sees the therapist, it’s likely that the therapist might refer her to a psychiatrist -many therapists work in the same practice with one or more psychiatrists.</p>
<p>Hang in there. I think a lot of teenagers pull away from their parents because it’s the only way they know to prove to themselves that they’re all grown up - of course they’re not, but they like to think they are.</p>