The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder (Revised and Expanded Edition) by Demitri Md Papolos and Janice Papolos

page 6 -- "most adults will have well intervals in between the periods of heightened or lowered mood. Bipolar Disorder in chiildren rarely fit this recongnizable pattern..."

page 7 -- "indeed our study sample showed that over 80% of the children who developed early-onset bipolar disorder had what is know as 'bilineal transmission' -- substance abuse and mood disorders appeared on both sides of their families.

I am interested in talking to other parents who have teens with substance abuse and Bipolar Disorder. We have been seeing a psyciatrist and a therapist for awhile. They first were treating her for depression and substance abuse problems. She has been in 4 treatment centers and has gone to NA alot too. That helps some...she is off the meth now. It seems the Effexor made the mania worse. What I think is the plan is to wean her from the effexor and put her on mood stabilizers. The next appointment with the psych is 10-20. I am interested in hearing from bipolars too on your experiance with your parents and the meds. Thanks.

Hi,
Good that she is in NA and off the meth. Street drugs mess up any effort to get a grip on the bipolar.
Does the pdoc have a good plan for coming off the Effexor? I have heard that some people need help stopping this drug.

As soon as she gets on a mood stabilzer she will feel better.
Of course, then she will have to pay attention to side effects and symptoms so that she can report to the pdoc. Also, so that she can have some control over her disorder and the treatments for it.

Have you already checked with
Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation:
www.bpkids.org A trusted source of vital information on Pediatric Bipolar Disorder, resources at your fingertips, and a network of parents and experts.

Also
www.nami.org -- local meetings in your twon -- mostly for family members

Here is an on-line mood chart
http://moodtracker.com/
You can goole "mood chart" to find others that you print out.

Your daughter might benefit from group meetings.
Ask the therapist or pyschiatrist about who meets in your area
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
1000 patient support groups acrosst the country.
www.dbsalliance.org

Information about mood stabilzers:
http://www.psycheducation.org/depres...tabilizers.htm
http://www.psycheducation.org/

Good luck.
Mari

Alice, I saw your post and wanted to offer some sympathy. I have a 30 yr old BP son, but few of us can forget the first years of dealing with a child with BP. I say that because these,early years, I think, are by far the hardest. The disease is brand new, your grief over your child's illness is especially raw and too close to the surface to hide well, and you do not quite know how to deal with your child's situation yet. I skipped past the other posts but I saw that someone was recommending sites and organizations for you to contact, and that is quite important for you to do, especially to get involved with mental illness support groups. NAMI has these groups in almost every community and you will find people there who either are in your situation or have been there. For your own sake, it is important to share your grief with others. It also helps to know there is help within your own community. I think it is also important to start building your own support network. Discuss your situation with your family doctor, your minister, or priest, or rabbi. And try to remain close to whomever is treating your child. There are important privacy issues to deal with too. Your child has the right to prevent anyone from learning about his condition, and can bar anyone from even giving information to those who are providing treatment. But these privacy issues can be dealt with if your son gives written permission to you to do so; and there are times when you will want to tell someone what is happening at home so that your child's treatment can take what you have to say into consideration.
Good luck to you, keep your chin up; it is not quite yet the end of the world.

I recall that the book by Dr. Papolos, my version is/was very old, was like a Bible to me. I think if you have a bipolar child/teen...this book is an absolute must have.

I really should be stopping by here more often.

I have an adopted bipolar child, age 19. I have YET to fully understand her disorder. I still am not totally coping well with her ups and downs or the embarassment.

Her illness is somewhat controlled by medication and therapy. In addition, her age has helped significantly. She is bright and has a good heart. But she can't hold down a job or go to college. We do hope she might be able to work part time. There are lots of problems....and the stress has been ongoing.

My support system hasn't been ideal. "Outsiders" do NOT NOT NOT want to hear it. They don't understand it, get confused by it and are either frightened or bored by it.

I have thought of going to Parent's Anonymous, one of our more active support groups here for parents with difficult kids, but most of them have kids who are abusing drugs. That is not our issue. So, I'm not sure I have a really good place to go to for support.

Anyway, I should be able to provide some support for others and hope that I can likewise receive some here. I have found this road a difficult/hearbreaking one.