CPS got called and I'm freaking out and need opinions.

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
So last night I went to give difficult child her night time medications and her ulcer medication. My adderall and her main ulcer medication come in the exact same size big bottle and the capsules are both blue and very similar looking. By accident, instead of giving her the Prilosec, I gave her one of my adderalls. I was freaking out mainly because of sleep. difficult child already has issues with sleeping especially after the weekend, and I was worried she would be awake all night. I had already given her the melatonin and I was hoping it would counteract the adderall and she would still be able to sleep. So I belong to this online bipolar support group that I found through facebook. It's a private group and nobody can see what I post there except the members. I thought I was safe to post the accident of switching pills. I asked for prayers for my daughter that she would be able to sleep.

Big mistake. Everybody on the group started freaking out. They tell me I just put my daughter's life in danger by giving her a dangerous stimulant and I need to take her to the ER right away. I consulted my boyfriend and mom for their advice, and they both agreed that the goup was highly overrreacting. The group kept responding to my post, begging me to call an ambulance. difficult child was already feeling tired, so I told them that I thought everything would be okay and she would probably sleep through it. They wouldn't listen. Finally I laid down to sleep with difficult child, who fell asleep at eleven and slept through the night except for briefly waking up at 1:00 in the morning. Meanwhile I get a private message from one of the group members asking me why I quit the group. I never quit the group, so I log on to see what happened, and I find that an admin had deleted me from the group. This group has been a huge part of my life for the past several months and I was devastated. I had made lots of friends there and I posted every day and the group members really helped me through some of my most anxious times. So I was really upset to be deleted. But that was the least of my worries.

The same person that sent me the private message told me that another group member googled my name, got my address, and called CPS on me for giving my daughter the adderall. I am in shock. Now I am sitting here at work all paranoid and waiting for them to either call me or knock on my door. My boyfriend doesn't work Mondays so he will be there when they show up. So do you all think social services could take my daughter away for not taking her to the ER right away? And should have I taken her to the hospital? I went with my mother's intuition and decided not to take her because easy child takes a higher dose of stimulant and he is half her size. So I really didn't think it would be that bad. But maybe I should have listened to them and taken her? Now I am scared to death waiting for CPS to contact me. Help!
 

Jody

Active Member
Do not freak out. It was an accident and they happen. difficult child is fine. I would just set myself up a different way so this doesnt happen. Definately have your drugs stored elsewhere separate from difficult child's. CPS does not want your child. Do not panic and get yourself all worked up. Hang in there. Don't get upset, it will be okay.
 

ksm

Well-Known Member
I am hoping that nothing comes of this. I wouldn not think that one adderol would affect someone that negatively. SOmetimes there are nurse hotlines... like our BCBS card has a 24/7 toll free line to ask a nurse a question. You stayed with her all night, you weren't negligent. She suffered no ill effects. I would be sure the house is in order so that they don't feel like there is a neglect problem that would throw up a red flag. Good luck. And I am disappointed that the list treated you in such a way. Glad for this list - we can vent and hopefully nothing like that would happen. KSM
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Relax. This was an honest mistake and you didn't put your child's life in danger. Since I have a mood disorder too, I am thinking that your bipolar group is full of very high-strung people. I have had to sit and listen to CPS talk about the things that they take very seriously and this mistake isn't one of them. I think you'll get by with a warning to be careful and mark your medications. They don't like to remove kids...there isn't any chance of that in my opinion. Stay calm, tell the truth and maybe put your medications in seperate places from her medications and lock both places so that they can see you have already done something.

I'd quit that bipolar group.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
A bottle of Adderall might be a problem. But ONE DOSE? Nah.

If they did indeed call CPS, and CPS read what you had posted, they probably won't even talk to you. Nothing will happen.

If they DO talk to you... Your response to them will determine what they do. If you're calm and tell them you made a mistake and have now put the medications in totally different places, they'll leave you alone. If you freak out... They will dig in.

Red flags for CPS are: obvious injuries on a child; people who come across as hiding something; a really nasty filthy home, or, conversely, a too-clean home. IF they visit, they'll make sure you have food, running water, and electricity, and that the kids aren't living in filth.

We got blindsided by CPS a couple of times. Usually it was husband who answered the door, but the one time I did and he was at work... I told them I didn't know what to expect and I was nervous but to ask whatever, I had nothing to hide.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
PS. I accidentally switched one of my Celexa and Onyxx's Seroquel a few years back. I was really groggy all the next day... She was fine.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
For future ref - medication tip:
I can't keep track of the... (counting on fingers...) medications around here, and whether person X missed their morning dose or person Y missed last night...

We have "weekly" pill boxes. Color coded. I fill them once a week, same time same day every week. Then, the bottles get locked away, and we have our nice little counted-out-dosages in neat-and-tidy boxes. After breakfast and supper, I check that the right "day" is empty, for each of us (depending on who gets morning or afternoon dosages...) and can follow up immediately. One of us needs more than one weekly box - both same color, but the contents are OBVIOUSLY different (a.m. really different than p.m.) The number of medications issues really went down (ours was more "missing" dosages, but we had a couple close calls on "wrong pill").
 

cubsgirl

Well-Known Member
I agree with the others. Put a system in place so you don't mix up the medications again. We've had CPS to our house 2 or 3 times all for stupid reasons. Everything that Step said is true. Tell the truth, have food in the house and be fairly clean (doesnt' have to be sparkling). In one case someone called CPS on us and it was 18 days before they showed up to interview us. We knew right away that they didn't take the report seriously. They might not come, they might not come right away, or they might show up. Just be calm. It's all going to be fine. We all make mistakes.
 

LucyB

New Member
I can't help on the CPS issue, but I know you have had other posts about her GERD problems continuing. Does her doctor recommend taking the Prilosec in the evening? My son has GERD. My understanding is that GERD medications are usually taken with breakfast for them to be most effective. She may also find one of the newer medications like Nexium to be more effective, but you often have to try the cheaper stuff first for insurance to pay for Nexium.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
Thank you ladies you all are making me feel better. The person called CPS last night and they still haven't shown up/called. I was almost hoping they would show up right away just as to not keep me in suspense. But now I know if I tell the truth they probably won't do much. I am still incredibly hurt and upset that I was outed from the group. I have really counted on that group to help me get through some pretty rough days in the last few months. And one of the members private messaged me and told me they took a vote and they all voted me out. So now I really feel like ****. I was good friends with a lot of them and I thought they really cared. A lot of them said they wanted me gone cause I'm too negative and I trigger them. There are a lot of people in that group who are way more negative than me. Some of them post that they are suicidal and some say they hate their lives, their kids, and regret ever becoming a parent. All I post is about my anxiety. And the straw that broke the camel's back for the leader and creator of the group? Was a post I put up on Friday. I said that I hadn't been sleeping well and all the lack of sleep was catching up to me. I commented that I couldn't wait to get done with the work day so I could go home and relax. Well this woman flipped. She then posted something on the page that said she was sick of "somebody" always :censored2:ing and complaining and a certain someone wouldn't know happiness if it slapped them in the face. Then she blocked me. Told other members in the group that my post triggered her and she couldn't take it anymore. So I got blocked then removed from the group altogether. And now I'm hurt. But I guess I will get over it in my own time. I just really miss the support I got there from people who knew exactly where I was coming from. But they don't want me there so be it.
 

Bunny

Active Member
Take a deep breath. This was an honest mistake. It was one pill. You checked her through the night to be sure that she suffered no ill effects. You were not negligent in any way, shape, or form. If CPS shows up at your door, let them in and be nice. You've done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide.

I think that the people on that other board treated you badly. I'm sorry that they deleted you for their forum, and then took the drastic step of reporting you to CPS over a mistake.
 

Dixies_fire

Member
I agree with what everyone said about the Cps situation they may not even come out if the person who reported you was honest and told them exactly what happened.

If they do show up is take minor precautions cleaning up around the house making sure the bedrooms are in order and food in the house but truthfully unless the house is gross they won't say anything. Notice I said gross not messy or untidy

I would at a minimum color code your bottles take a sharpie and color the tops for difficult child and a different color for you. But the pill sorters are wonderful and I've had to use one for awhile had a different color for hubs medications.

I was on a stay at home mom mommy's page till yesterday and had words with an admin about downing her kids bio mom in front of 4000 people who are in the group. It's given me hours of enjoyment entertainment and a few thank god I m not dealing with that situation, during the worst of the problems around here at least till I found this group. So I just cut the cord and was done. So I'm sorry you are missing your group and that it happened in such a hurtful way. It seems to me that most women have a pack mentality once one said something it was almost inevitable that the rest will follow in the negative remarks. To be honest I much prefer this group because there is less young mother drama.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
Personally, sweetheart, it's probably best they removed you from their little clique if they are going to be THAT judgmental. I'm pretty negative, too... That's why I have been here for more than 4 years, we are all people and human but we try not to judge. :hugs: (I wanna smack those people PM'ing you, and tell them to get a life...)
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
LucyB I almost missed your post. My daughter was taking Prilosec only in the morning but it didn't seem to be helping. So the doctor increased it to twice a day. She is still complaining of pain and now the doctor thinks her gallbladder might be an issue. So we are going tomorrow to the children's hospital and they are running more tests. And I put difficult child's medicine in the hall closet and mine are on the kitchen counter so they are now separated. The pill sorters sound like a great idea. I will look for them the next time I am at the pharmacy.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
Here (and remember this is Canada and your prices are mostly WAY cheaper than for us)... the pill sorters were dirt cheap. Like, last time I checked (they do wear out...) it was something like $2 each.
 

PatriotsGirl

Well-Known Member
I think I picked up a couple of pill sorters at Walmart for a buck each. DO have a plan in place that you can show CPS. They will be happy to log that and close it out. One morning when difficult child was about two years old, I was still asleep. difficult child decided she wanted to go to the park. So I woke up to the door wide open and my baby gone. I was looking frantically as some neighbors were bringing her back. Of course I was yelled at, put down and they called cps. When cps came, they saw that I placed a lock too high up for difficult child to reach and they closed the case.

Oh and it may take a little while before they contact you...
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
Well I just talked to another group member through PM and she says she doesn't think it was CPS that was called. She thinks it was the local authorities because when I posted last night it was after hours. But I just moved a couple of months ago and this person googled my address on the internet. I doubt my new address would show up this soon so probably they sent the police to my old place. At least that's what I'm thinking. But maybe she also called CPS today. I don't know. So now I'm wondering if the police are going to track me down and show up at my door. I don't know which is worse.
 

Bunny

Active Member
I think these people are creating more drama than this really needed. Even if the police show up, your daughter is fine. She is showing no ill effects from this. Don't let them make you crazy. No is going to take her away over a mistake that caused no problems, except maybe some lost sleep for you. As long as you have a plan on place that this doesn't happen again, you will be fine.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
Well they probably went to the wrong apartment complex cause I moved. So maybe it's over now and nothing will happen. At least I hope so. I know they probably won't take her away but I would prefer not to have to deal with anybody at all.
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
I'm thinking with the way that forum handled a common mistake, you are better off not seeking support there. I think you were perfectly correct to not rush off in a tizzy to the ER. People take prescribed Adderal all the time. If your kiddo had shown bad signs of the medication conflicting with her, I have no doubt you'd have gone to get her checked out. I wouldn't second guess your completely rational/logical decision.

I also wouldn't worry if police or CPS show up. Simply be polite, explain as you did here how it accidentally happened this ONE time and that internet people overreacted. Make sure not to put up a fuss if they want to speak to your daughter, she will obviously just confirm what happened. That will be that.

I don't know about the pharmacies in the US. Here you can ask for monthly medications to come blister packed by week for the month. There is no charge. No bottles to mix up and each blister pack has the prescription label info right on it, so clearly marked names. Alternately, those weekly pill dispensers are great. They are super cheap at any dollar store.

I can see how upsetting all the support group drama would be to anybody. Probably didn't exactly help your anxiety either! I hope you don't sweat this. Even if in a week or more someone turns up to question you, tell yourself over and over it is going to be FINE and not to stress. I highly doubt anybody is going to be even bothering though if the person really called and told them that it was a one time thing. If they went overboard and lied to make it sound worse, I absolutely would privately alert that groups board owner.

Get a good sleep, try to not to stress this. People can really hoover though can't they? Sorry this cropped up for you.
 
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