Day 3 of PHP

[StressedM0mma]

Those of you that have had their children onLamictal are you in the US? I was just reading that it wasn't approved for kids under 16. And it seems like our psychiatrist is a huge rule followewr. Sorry if there are typos I have the aura of a migraine and can't see right now. How do I convince psychiatrist we need to stabilize her moods? I am having the worst time. Wouldn't it be easier to have her moods under control while she is going through all of this instead of her having to do it all on her own? It just doesn't make any sense to me at all.

 

[confuzzled]

mine uses lamictal and its been a godsend and she is just under 13. we are in the usa. life isnt perfect, but there has been a dramatic difference with little side effects. in fact, we are titrating up another 100mg for a total of 300 mg, it also allowed us to use focalin to address adhd symptoms and we see excellent results from that as well. its also been a slow, ongoing process to figure it all out.

but that all being said, its actually an excellent train of thought to get yours off of all medications if she has been on them long term. you say she started medications at 7? thats pre-hormonal. and teenaged hormones are a game changer in the psychiatric world. what worked at 7 can be very different that what works at 16.

and if you read here enough, you'll realize that very often, a diagnosis given at a young age morphs into different ones as they get older, so its conceivable you arent even treating the right thing, Know what I mean??

in my opinion, its a great idea to *start fresh*, particularly since she is in a php right now. it would be a good plan to clear her system and then deal with whatever symptoms are there.

at this point, what might the downside *be*? clearly, what she's doing isnt working for her, and i'm a firm believer that we not only need to make one change at a time, we also need to be mindful to figure out the least amount of medications/dosages--i think kids in particular can be just overmedicated if its not addressed in a very systematic and documented way.

and you have the bonus of a second "set of eyes" right now with her program...they may pick up on things you wouldnt at home....because teasing out symptoms is HARD.

i'd also suggest you keep some kind of a log if you dont already--changes, sleep issues, irritibility, whatever. i do a very simple calendar (i LOVE the "moms busy day" desktop calendar--each day has two boxes to write in--one i use for my actual calendar, the second i use strictly for difficult child 2--its very brief, sometimes a word or two, always includes medication changes, sometimes includes a weight, its nothing elaborate or formal--it can actually say "punished" or "happy" or "PITA all day")

but it helps show a pattern. it also helps show specific triggers. and its easy for me to do, which is probably the most important part--i found true mood charts difficult to use with mine.

hope that helps.

 

[StressedM0mma]

Thanks confuzzled. And that may be what they are doing, but I wish they would just let us know what their plan is. I feel like we are so out of the loop. Right now she is on just 10mg of Celexa. That is nothing. All I know is that I am just at the very end of my rope.

 

[AnnieO]

They may not have a plan yet... They may still be evaluating... But yeah, I am right there with you!

 

[StressedM0mma]

Thanks Step. You are right they may be evaluating. I should give them the benefit. I know there is no magic pill. Because if there were all of our children would be on it, and we wouldn't need this site. I am trying to take a breath, and hope that husband will be able to handle the mtg today on his own.

 

[susiestar]

First off, the psychiatrist isn't listening. in my opinion that alone means you should fire her and hire a new one. Or make her take difficult child home for a few MONTHS. Given your other thread about this am and calling the cops, is there a family friend your older daughter could stay with while she prepares for her auditions? Somewhere that would be calmer, with relatives or friends' parents that you know and trust? It might make a big difference to your older daughter. NOT permenently move out, just for a few weeks to get away from the gfgness?

Now, as for bipolar. Go to the store and get a copy of The Bipolar Child. It wll apply to your daughter. Celexa isn't good for bipolar, antidepressants may produce short term benefit but long term cause cycling. This psychiatrist is an idiot if she says the primary symptom of bipolar is staying up for days. Lots of us can list people who are bipolar and never did this. Importantly, that is NOT in the DSM as the primary symptom of bipolar. Or not all types of bipolar. Kids are very different.

The Bipolar Child has the dsm guidelines and has the approved medication protocol that works - approved by the board of psychiatry that certifies psychiatrists.

I am sorry it is so rough. I don't like docs hwo don't listen. Esp who don't listen to parents.

Do you have a Parent Report? It is a document YOU create that has ALL the info on difficult child in one place. The Warrior Moms who were here before me came up with an outline for a Parent Report. in my opinion it is the MOST POWERFUL tool a parent can have to help a difficult child. the link in my signature wll take you to the thread that describes it and has the outline. I would start on one so that you can get the best help for difficult child that is possible. She will be 18 before you know it and then you don't have nearly the options to help her, or the time, because she can keep you out of all of her info and appts but still won't be ready to support herself.

 

[StressedM0mma]

Susie thank you for the link. We currently do not have one. I need to put it together. I will start working on one tomorrow. Right now I am taking in some peace and quiet before the chaos of difficult child coming home begins. I was trying to nap, but I have been too amped up all day. I am finding it hard to get most people to listen. They automatically balk at the fact that she has been on medications since she was 7. I am going to have to ask around if there is a place for easy child to stay. All of my family lives 2.5 hours away, and most of her friends do not have the room. Not to mention, her instrument is huge. She plays the bass. So it alone takes up alot of space. But I have been thinking about this alot. I may ask one of my friends whose daughter is at college, or my mother in law but I know my daughter wouldn't want to stay with her. I know easy child's boyfriends mom would take her but they do not have the space in their home. She may have a teacher that she can ask. I will bring it up to her. I just hate that we would be running her out of her own home. I hate these **** tears. I am so sick of crying. And, the ativan makes them more common. I may ask if there is somwthing that works as well that won't cause all the emotions. I just don't want difficult child to see what she does to me, and give her the satifaction.