I will try to keep this short and still give as much info as possible.

5 yrs old taken to therapy due to night terrors and anger issues told he has acute separation anxiety. Just do some therapy on and off told doing well move into family therapy until about 8. Not really changing much but this is my first child and I believe when they tell me he seems fine and to move on.

Back into therapy when a 3rd grade teacher asks me to have him checked for ADHD and basically he meets all the criteria according to teacher's paperwork. We do therapy, not a big fan of meds. This is sporadic, mostly for anger issues. Stopped approx. 2003.

Then in Dec. of 2004 child takes a knife from his collection to school and threatens a bully and a friend. Expelled. We start family therapy, him one on one, my one on one, and meds for both. His diagnosis is ADHD, Bipolar Disorder (they tell me but put II in the paperwork), Anger issues. He is given meds for ADHD, and Bipolar.

In the last four years he has been treated for ADHD and Bipolar and has never really been mentally stable. He has had good moments and I do mean moments.

He suffers from terrible anxiety and I can't seem to make this clear to his pdoc, he just keeps saying the Abilify is supposed to help that. His ADHD meds help to a point but only at first and only in school. He is still hyper and seriously irritating and picks until he pushes the right buttons lol.

Within the last few months I have been talking to John Hopkins University Hospital because I had put in for us to be part of a Bipolar study and after talking to them on and off for a couple of months they turned me down saying that my son sounds like he does not have Bipolar Disorder but more like Generalized Anxiety Disorder. This sets off bells and explains a lot of things because I have been wanting them to try an antidepressant and something just for anxiety for a long time and they won't.

Then after my son developing the beginnings of an ulcer in two areas we spoke to his pdoc and I told him what John Hopkins said and that the new Vyvanse was making him manic then we discontinued the Vyvanse, gave Klonopin, and halved his Abilify.

Now he is not exhibiting any signs of ADHD. Has no trouble concentrating on his school work, is very mellow, not that loud talkative, pacing, throwing himself around teenager that he was a few months ago. He still has the anxiety and depression but I am confused.

I am wondering if the ADHD could have been anxiety all along and triggered similar symptoms and now that the anxiety is being treated the symptoms are gone.

Even when he was on ADHD meds he was still hyper. I don't know, I am a mental head case myself and have been trying to keep this kids head above water for years and now after all of this time I hate to think that I let them, let him go this route for so long.

Does anyone have any ideas? Thoughts? Maybe ask in a different forum?

Thanks all