Are We Stable or What??

[Hound dog]

Every since that last blow out with b/f, the one where I hurt my foot, it seems than Nichole has been doing really well. I mean, really well.

I was impressed that college hasn't thrown her for a loop. Especially since she was homeschooled the last two yrs of hs. Her summer quarter grades came.... and A for English, and a C for Algebra. I'm not going to complain as I got a B in English and a C in Algebra. :rofl:

On the surface things appear to be going well with b/f Jerk.

Things are going well here at home too. Not perfect. But then I think I'd be scared if it was perfect with 2 difficult child kids in the house.

She asked husband to call in her refills several days ago. I've been reminded her to pick them up. She keeps forgetting. Today we made a trip to wallie world for diapers and dog food and I didn't think about her medications til we were home.

I told her she should've reminded me. Nichole says not to worry about it, it isn't like she's been taking them reg for about the last 3 months. :faint: :slap: Evidently the pill minder idea hasn't quite caught a firm hold yet.

Most especially she hasn't been taking the effexor. It's her only pill in the morning and she only remembers it when her body starts to withdrawl. (about every 3 days) The span can be longer with the trileptol and the abilify cuz they don't have quite as bad withdrawl effects.

I have noticed a few minor things. Increased energy level, although NOT manic. And the irritability is WAY down. She gets grumpy and moody but not the viciousness. However, she did get her lip pierced today despite the fact that I reminded her she had to let the eyebrow piercing closed due to infection. (she's allergic to most metals)

Alright. So what's going on? Is she learning to control the behavior without the aid of the medications? Or becoming an award winning actress?

I haven't jumped on her. I did remind her that the danger of her illness is to think you don't need the medications once they start working. And that if she slides in either direction, and hasn't been taking her medications, it'll take up to a month for them to work properly again.

Figure that's all I can do. She's 18 now. I can't threaten to shuve them down her throat and force her to swallow anymore. (and I'd have done it too lol) She's got to learn to deal with this disorder. She won't be living here forever.

*sigh*

 

[goldenguru]

Maybe she's just maturing. Kids do that ya know .. LOL

My daughter was about 18 when she decided she wanted to be medication free. She has been off medications for almost two years. I never would have believed it four years ago.

We must remember that some people are on medications for a season in life. Some really will need to be on them forever (my hubby has tried unsuccessfully to get off medications several times ... he's a lifer).

So at 18, I would watch her ... offer observations if you see her behaviors getting out of control, etc. She's an adult now and has to learn the ropes in terms of managing her own care. Sounds like shes on her way toward doing that. It's a good thing.

 

[KFld]

I was going to stay the same thing. MATURITY!!! Isn't it a wonderful thing.

 

[Sunlight]

at some point us parents realize we too will not be aroud here forever and we change to making the kid take care of themselves. it is still nurturing. it is making sure they can live without us. lol

 

[jbrain]

I noticed maturing with my difficult child 1 too--people told me she would get better with maturity but I didn't believe it til I saw it. She also chose to go off her medications and honestly I didn't see much improvement with them anyway. She seems to be doing fine without them. I never did get a diagnosis I was comfortable with and while I know she isn't quite "normal" she does function fine on her own now. I think in her case expecting her to act like a normal person her age was a good thing. She tends to live up or down to others' expectations of her.

Glad things are going better and that college is going well for her!
Jane

 

[lovemysons]

Hope it stays stable.

hugs,
lovemysons

 

[Hound dog]

Well, I do see quite a bit of maturity in her these days. Although she's still an average 18 yr old in many respects. Hence the lip piercing. lol

Now this may sound like a stupid question. But would it be better for her to not take the medications at all, or to keep with the hitting and missing thing? The only real worry I have about her medications at the moment is that I don't think that hit and miss doses are good for her body.

I know that there are people, even BiPolar (BP) people who don't require medications on a permanent basis. I'm one of them. There have been times when I've needed their help, but the majority of my life I've maintained stability without them.

Since Nichole is my carbon copy in every other way, it would definately be nice if she was in this way too. But I refuse to count my chickens before hand. No way am I going to jinx it. :scared: