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!

Psychiatry is shooting in the dark....blindfolded. As you can see, they diagnose based on labeling symptoms they see rather than underlying cause then try medication after medication to manage the symptoms that are troubling us.

Our family has several children trialed on many medications. Some did cause much worse psychiatric symptoms. Some helped manage symptoms. Some caused permanent side-effects that will plague these children for the rest of their lives, and the medications weren't even right for them.

One medication caused symptoms of OCD. Another caused agitation. One caused psychosis. One caused severe anxiety. That is what I mean by shooting in the dark blindfolded.

Your experience is definitely not unique.

Jaspar

I personally can't tell you if this is a medication problem.

I would ask though what her age is for one thing?

Next a lot of what you are talking about also sounds like
intermittent explosive disorder that the house mother is
seeing.

Or it could also be complex partial seizures. I would do
some investigating as to whether she might be having these.

And trileptal is a seizure medication. Also has she ever been
on depakote?

Donna

My son was diagnosed in February 2009 with Early onset Bipolar Disorder with psychosis and ADHD. He's 10. Previous to this, the docs all said ADHD. Some time last year he began having rages which ultimately lead to the correct diagnosis. Having said all that, we have discovered that he can not be on stimulants of any kind. We've tried them all. The stimulants bring out the absolute worst. I would encourage you to try going off the stimulants.

Would have to agree with the above poster. The stimulants certainly can and often do cause problems like raging. I would consider taking that ADHD/stim medication away. Intead, look into giving your child a Fish Oil supplement. They are not the same thing...but you might very well lesson the raging and the Fish Oil might help with concentration. Is your child seeing a therapist for talk therapy as well as a psychiatrist for medication? This might provide additional help. Please note that with Bipolar illness, the medication (s) will always be needed as well as tweaks now and again. Also, our dau (now a young adult) always had much benefit from Abilify (although it initially upset her stomach). Please keep the foods out of the house and encourage exercise. Sending you good thoughts...strength.

Good morning...
After lot of monitoring, journaling, etc., I was finally able to convince the medical powers that be that my son is bipolar and that the adhd meds and SSRI's were really making him crazy. I've seen it in several other kids in his classroom. I think part of it is the bipolar disorder, but alot of it is reactions to meds since it can differ from kid to kid. Follow your Mom's instincts and get pushy with her psychiatrist. It took us alot of arguments and getting really obnoxious with my son's doc, but now he's doing so much better. Don't get discouraged. I've been doing this with my 11 year old since he was 3, and things are finally on an even keel and I don't doubt my ability to read what's going on with him anymore. Keep at it. Things do get better

Welcome Chartonrm

You have some very wise words there.

Donna

Another quick thought...

I am currently reading some information about therapy and bipolar illness.

Some say a combination of CBT or related therapies in conjunction w/ family therapy can be very effective.

We know of one therapist who is getting good results seeing her bipolar patients weekly, but once a month she sees the entire family.

A therapist who is comfortable working w/ bipolar patients and is familiar with techniques that will be of help during times of crisis, esp. mania, can be of special comfort.

So, IMHO, it takes a really top notch medical doc familiar w/ the illness (psychiatrist) AND a really good therapist. The family therapy might be doubly important when you consider the attachment concerns.

My heart goes out to you...our dau is adopted ....so attachment is always a concern...this creates an additional potential trigger.

I do wonder if at some point, adopted children (not sure if you mentioned if your child is adopted or not) honestly just simply have to make the difficult decision to let this burden "go." It is certainly not easy, but necessary. It might not be much more unlike the ones all of us have to make when we reach adulthood...certain things in life are very difficult and very very unfair. But part of moving forward is letting things go, doing our best and see what good things are out there in this world for us.

I definently have your answer on this because i was diagnosed with Bipolar at 13 as well, as far as the ADD with your daughter goes, it's probably just a symptom of Bipolar. and yes, a stimulant such as concerta, which i was on only for a short while because of the same reason, actually agrivates mania and if her doctor does not know that you CANT give a stimulant to a BIPOLAR PATIENT then it's time for a new doctor. stimulants are extremly dangerous in these cases, it will make for more mania, more paranoia. please take action. I garentee you will see a huge difference in her mood and irritability.
lauren

OMGosh! This is just what we have gone through almost exactly NONE of the meds and/or combos of meds helped either one of our son's and they have both been diagnsed with adhd and childhood bipolar disorder and our youngest with anxiety on top of it. I have also been diagnosed with bipolar and a few other things and the meds didn't work for me either. I would try to see if she can get an EEG done?! It may show some abnormalities, like it did for our oldest son (he will be 10 next month) he was 9 when he had his last year after his first seizure. I am not sure if they will do one if the person hasn't had as seizure? I am trying to get one for me and our youngest son, he turned 8 in June. Good luck and lots of to you and your family.