Hi all.
I'm new here but definitely not new to the issues! I read through the posts and my motherhood flashes before my eyes....

My 13 year old daughter is at a school for mild to moderate troubled children due to her bipolar, ADHD and Reactive Attachment Disorder. Everyone is trying to decided whcih behavior belongs to which diagnosis. My husband and her counselor feel that her attachment issues are the driver and she will probably never really attach emotionally to us. I fell for that for a moment and then talked with my friend who I've known for the life of our children, a mother of an ADHD child born to her family. Her son has always been the mirror of my daughter. She set me back on my feet with the similarities and I realize that my heart is what needs to guide me. I know my baby the best and I know that it is the bipolar ADHD that is troubling her the most.

I need to convince the PSCY, counselor and my husband. She came home from the school after 14 months and was wonderful. She'd been on trileptal and began having neurological reactions. She didn't wait to wean off the meds and cold turkey stopped taking them (While pretending to, back turned to us). After 3 weeks she was full blown manic and then depressed. (There's another horror story in here with the hospital but that would take more time to write). She was put on Abilify and ended back in the residentail school.

She's not coming around as fast as she did before. Her moods seem to be stabilized. She's on only half her dose of concerta and having trouble doing work, handing it in, focusing, talking, organizing...She continues to have anger issues (which was not as common before) where she is so remorseful after She swore at her house parent, sometihng she's never done before and she doesn't know why she did it!. Her house mother says it is like she has no control over the moment. Before she is fine and after she is remorseful.Her house parents adore her and know how weet she is.

The Psych doesn't really listen to me and he has reduced her abilify because she gained weight (whcih was more than likely from having lost 12 pounds while she was home walking and starving herself and going back to cafeteria food and very little excercise- she gained her weight back and more). He lisetens to my daughter, who is too young to give a creditable answer. He asks her teachers who believe that she's too smart to need adaptations (504, IEP).

I would like to know if you all have had experiences with medicines CAUSING anger outbursts. I have heard of it happening with others but I would like to be able to have instances to take to her counselor and PSYCH to support my theory that her meds need to be changed.

Sorry for the novel. I look forward to your replies!