from Abilify to Trileptal, was dystonia

[keista]

Terry, don't dismiss them all so quickly. Son is on Abilify and it's working WONDERFULLY for him. He's an Aspie. I was hoping for the same effect for DD1 but for her, it was horrible. That doesn't change the fact that for son it really is a lifesaver!

 

[TerryJ2]

It's just so scary reading all these notes.
We'll talk about it at the next mtng and get a scrip for ... something.

 

[gcvmom]

Grandma flips circuit breakers to the TV and the computer and he still believes that it's from wires overheating. psychiatrist and I say it's not pedagogical but difficult child's totally at peace with it and then reads a book with grandma, translating it for her into the old-country language, perfect idyll.

 

[miles2go]

You laugh but difficult child is on my case to hire someone to put "the thickest wires in the walls".
His reaction to replacing Abilify with Trileptal seems pretty much like gcvmom's difficult child -- mania up, both euphoric and dysphoric.
Somehow has been ok at school, but this weekend has been tough. Both days he had a meltdown over a parking spot being too far (maybe a block) from the destination he himself wanted (a diner on Saturday and a fair on Sunday).
He's up to 2100mg / day of Trileptal which afaik is pretty close to the limit.
So -- not sure what's next, Lithium I guess ......
Oh and dystonia is still with us.....
And TerryJ2 -- Abilify has been a godsend until this weirdness -- the "honeymoon" phase was especially awesome, he was just a normal kid for 4-6 months or so. I keep wondering how long that would have lasted if his mom (and my still wife) didn't start lowering his dose. Having the brain run on manic has its bad and long-term side effects too.

 

[gcvmom]

Yes, I believe you're at the upper limits for pediatric dosing. My husband takes 1800mg for seizure control and his neuro would not take it any higher, though I've read that 2400mg for adults is not unheard of.

Sorry to hear the dystonia has not really improved. I hope his psychiatrist comes up with something helpful soon.

Did he ever try a Depakote/Lamictal combo? And did you say Seroquel was tried but not helpful? Sorry for not remembering...

 

[miles2go]

He threw up 2 mornings in a row -- wonder if Trileptal is responsible; will try to spread it out more through the day.... Dystonia is getting better, I think -- it became a habit (shrug, neck twist) which his hypomania kinda helps go on.
Seroquel was not tried since we/psychiatrist are spooked away from all atyp. antipsychotics.
Will watch this for a while longer -- he's hypomanic now much of the time and weirdly lost interest in TV/computer and is reading in a room alone, talking and singing to himself.
Will talk more to the psychiatrist about Depakote /Lamictal; apparently he had good results just on Trileptal...

 

[InsaneCdn]

If nausea is causing the vomiting, try ginger - not as in ginger ale (too weak) - but health food stores have ginger candies that are called "travellers candy" - basically ginger and sugar - which is safe even for pregnant women.

My daughter uses it for the nausea that goes with severe migraine... and swears by it.

 

[miles2go]

o yea, thanks, how soon does it act? no guarantee that he'll take it, of course. unless there is a cokkies and cream flavor.

 

[InsaneCdn]

It acts NOW. As in, as soon as it hits the tummy. daughter says maybe 2-3 minutes to start to have effect. But its a "hard candy", so you have to suck on it, not just swallow. Does come in different strengths - start with the milder one, the stronger ones take some getting used to.

Sorry, no cookies-and-creme flavor - it comes in "one flavour suits all" - as in, Ginger flavor!

Ginger also has positive effects on headaches in general, including migraines. We keep this stuff in the house all the time now.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Oh, and... the whole nausea thing on a different approach - but have you considered having him eat something bland as soon as he wakes up - like before getting out of bed? crackers, arrowroot cookie, that sort of thing. Sometimes, having nothing in the tummy is actually worse.

This was actually an old trick from back when I was pregnant - 9 months of severe morning sickness... had to find some sort of answers!

 

[miles2go]

I'll give it a shot, thanks. With his hypomania it takes him a long time to get to sleep these days and then in the morning there's barely enough time to get him to the bus. But he does complain of "bad taste in mouth" as soon as he wakes up....

 

[miles2go]

Couldn't hold down his pills in the AM, poor guy. What do I do with this nausea? And he is still hypomanic even with this high dose of Trileptal. Made a "second opinion" psychiatrist appointment for next week, see what this one says.......