I have an ADHD/ bipolar 7 year old who is finally, on the home front, in a good place and on the school front things are in transition. My sons first diagnosis was the bipolar (diagnosis aged 5) and with the help of lithium his mood swings are managable. This past year we tried to introduce medications to help with the attention/focusing issues. We made our way through the stimulant class one by one (before he was on the lithium we tried a stimulant with horrible effects (which helped to tip of the BiPolar (BP) diagnosis). We are now finding success with lithium and metedate (ritalin family). We changed psychiatrists to give us a fresh look at the medication situation and it seemd to really help. Good luck, I know this is soooooooo hard.
Bi Polar?? I am so confused
- Thread starter gennard
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- aggressive child
Thanks everyone for the kind words and advice. difficult child has been at his new after school program since Tues. (its private Baptist so I figured the environment and atmosphere would be less hostile than school oriented where he is already "singled out"). He has done well there so far and asks to go back and stay late too(music to a single moms ears as this after school is more $$ and I haven't had to leave work early at all this week).
School front wise he is still adjusting. There have been no more daily calls or texts this week which has really helped my sanity. difficult child seems to still be aggitated in the mornings although this appears to be when he is told no or wants to do something he isn't supposed to be doing. I don't know if's it's a medication (2mg Abilify added in A.M.) change thing or the after school thing, or both, but I am more than happy to take what I can get. The school and I have agreed paddling (yep I ok'd it, BIG mistake but hindsight is 20/20) is not getting his attention and we are focusing on giving him "quiet space" for when he starts to wind up, hopefully hedging off the behaviour before it escelates too far. Hm , think I need one of those spaces too..lol. I should state that my marriage was not the best atmosphere to the upbringing of a child (esp one with needs like difficult child) and I feel some of his reactions and anger management problems are indirectly realted to that. Good for me for getting out when I did, bad for me for not having the guts and strength to stand up and leave the
. I sound bitter don't I? That being said I have a long road ahead of me. I am looking for another psychiatric for a second opinion and working on getting another evaluation with- the current one. difficult child goes to the EX's house for the weekend, that's alway's a bit stressful as I believe they share the same traits personality and all. Keep my little one in your thought please. I am off the FL myself to visit a wonderful,caring and understanding boyfriend (ex was bipolar he believes as well as her son). He has been a blessing but lives too far away right now. This is when I get my "me time" and this makes me smile.
School front wise he is still adjusting. There have been no more daily calls or texts this week which has really helped my sanity. difficult child seems to still be aggitated in the mornings although this appears to be when he is told no or wants to do something he isn't supposed to be doing. I don't know if's it's a medication (2mg Abilify added in A.M.) change thing or the after school thing, or both, but I am more than happy to take what I can get. The school and I have agreed paddling (yep I ok'd it, BIG mistake but hindsight is 20/20) is not getting his attention and we are focusing on giving him "quiet space" for when he starts to wind up, hopefully hedging off the behaviour before it escelates too far. Hm , think I need one of those spaces too..lol. I should state that my marriage was not the best atmosphere to the upbringing of a child (esp one with needs like difficult child) and I feel some of his reactions and anger management problems are indirectly realted to that. Good for me for getting out when I did, bad for me for not having the guts and strength to stand up and leave the
. I sound bitter don't I? That being said I have a long road ahead of me. I am looking for another psychiatric for a second opinion and working on getting another evaluation with- the current one. difficult child goes to the EX's house for the weekend, that's alway's a bit stressful as I believe they share the same traits personality and all. Keep my little one in your thought please. I am off the FL myself to visit a wonderful,caring and understanding boyfriend (ex was bipolar he believes as well as her son). He has been a blessing but lives too far away right now. This is when I get my "me time" and this makes me smile.Oh, by the way..I have already decreased the Zoloft to 1/2 of what it was before and hope to get him off it fairly soon. This, of course, has all been done with- no call back from the Psychiatrist so call me a bad mom but..I DID IT ANYWAYS!!! P O W E R to change is what I am trying to say to myself. I know most of you will say I needed advice from MD but I couldn't wait (I think the ans service sucks so it's time for a visit myself.
smallworld
Moderator
Just make sure to wean slowly (and I would recommend consulting an MD as soon as possible). There is something called antidepressant withdrawl syndrome that can cause flu-like symptoms, plus increased anxiety, agitation, depression, etc. It can get so bad that you may think your difficult child needs to be back on the Zoloft. But you really can't judge baseline behavior until the Zoloft really gets out of his sysmtem.
Just an update. I have an appoint with- psychiatric to have difficult child re-evaluated. I have read postings and articles on ODD. This sounds VERY much like difficult child as well as a few things from Bi-Polar. But he hits the mark on all bullets of ODD. Let's hope that tomorrow sehds new light on this because I have just been advised that if he hits another child again that he might be suspended. This breaks my heart as again, I know some behaviour is chemical realted of some kind, but some is also of will. Keep your fingers crossed for me !!
Liahona
Active Member
My David went over the top manic with Focalin and started hearing voices on Zoloft. David is bipolar. With the Focalin I didn't wait for the doctor either. 3 days was enough. I acted first and got permission later. The Zoloft I talked to the psychiatrist first. I understand about being bitter towards ex. Sorry you went through that and glad you got out.
