got girlfriend'gs evaluation results... doesn't make sense

[Star*]

MWM -

Loved your explanation!! You're right - we can make ourselves crazy - but I never thought of using toilet tissue - but may as well have. Honestly I can not remember a SINGLE psychiatric doctor evaluation where I even mildly liked or felt like I was not made to be an unknowing idiot. IT was like MY observations did not count towards a thing - except - (mother needs counseling remark) gosh - ya think??

by the way - I'm big on Mom gut too - I think it's a weight problem. (Chuckle)

 

[flutterbee]

Until my daughter hit puberty, she could easily get by on 5 hours sleep a night with no problem. She did often. Anxiety and depression kept her up. Sometimes she would want me, but often she entertained herself...watching tv, reading, playing games.

She's not bipolar, although I had people wanting to throw mood stabilizers at her because of her mood instability which was brought about by her anxiety and neurological issues.

And yes, depression can cause insomnia and hypersomnia. My son fluctuated between the two.

 

[Big Bad Kitty]

Tink went the first several years of her life on 6 hours of sleep per night, no nap, and I could never figure out where her endless supply of energy came from.

Then the doctor said to give her Melatonin.

She sleeps at least 10 hours per night. Which means that I get to sleep at least 7 or 8. Which means I am not crabby.

That's a win-win.

MWM is right. This is not a concrete science. There are no blood tests. It is a lot of trial and error. We all wish we could just wave a wand and get a printout but that does not happen.

Trial and error, and talking to the people on this board. That will get you through this.

 

[Steely]

To answer your questions Jen about my sleep, yes there are times when I cannot sleep all night, and then get up to go to work. I have to say at that point that adrenaline just kicks in for the day, and though I may be tired, it is not noticeable to others.

I have had many doctors tell me that the reason I am depressed is because of my sleep issues. They wanted to put me on various sleep/mood things like Trazadone, and those always made me wake up feeling like someone had hit me over the head in the middle of the night. Recently, however, I started Ambien. It has revolutionized my life at age 40. I can sleep, finally, all the way through the night..........and yep..............you guessed it, I am less depressed.

I am not sure how intense your daus sleep issues are - but the first place to start could be a sleep medication like Remeron or Ambien, and see how much that helps with all of the other issues. It is best to take each symptom and treat it, find success, or not - and then take the next symptom that remains, and deal with that.

 

[BusynMember]

I agree...and disagree. I think the idea of medication for every symptom is counterproductive and can make a child a zombie. I know this from having been zombied out on medications myself. My own personal limit is two psychiatric medications. Any more than my Paxil and Clonazapan and my head is so foggy I can't think. If we used medications, and many kids NEED medications, I think it's best to try to get as much as you can for as little as you can. Once the child is doing better, for example, giving him a stimulant because he still has trouble focusing, in my opinion, is better served by getting special supports in school. I really get queasy when child psychiatrists throw medications at the kids for every single symptom until they may be cognitively dulled or just plain doped. One psychiatrist at our mental health center has a child on FIFTEEN pills a day. That blows my mind. There are some things, in my opinion, you can work on without a pill. We medicate more than any other country in the world. medications are great if they work, but some psychiatrists really overdo it in my opinion.

 

[Jena]

hi

thanks so much for all of your input. you guys really are the best.

i think that for now i am going to proceed with the therapist once i find one, setting up the thing with school, some more time outside for her after school each day and chlonidine at night, no medications.

then i'll see if working with the therapist and more care in school will make some type of improvement.

here's hoping.

it was quite sad though what the dr. said how she views herself, how much she hates just about everything or rather that she has negative thoughts surrounding everything.

she wrote she doesn't feel comfortable talking to new people, that she feels like she can't eat in school because everyone's looking at her, that she thinks she's fat and ugly and people dont' like her. that she doens't do anything well, etc.

i praise her often and love her alot and hug her alot and this. it's sad. very sad.