How is stability such a fragile thing?

[gcvmom]

I'm a little confused. difficult child 2 has been doing pretty well for a while now at his current medication levels. But for some oddball reason today, and maybe it's because he woke up earlier than he normally would on the weekend (8:15am vs. 11 or noon), or because he got his afternoon dose a few hours late, or maybe it's because he's in the beginnings of puberty, he was just all over the place. It did not give him any stimulant today (and he only takes 2.5mg when he does). By the time I gave him the lunchtime Seroquel XR at 3:00pm today, he admitted that his thoughts were racing -- I asked him if his head was buzzing again. I could tell just by his hyperactivity and the scattered look on his face.

So a half hour later and he's calmed down, says his head's not buzzing anymore. But then about an hour after that, he's starting to ramp up again -- more impulsive, more hyper. We were at the beach and he was just running and running and climbing out on the jetty where he shouldn't have been and throwing a bucket and running around with it on his head and running back in the water (it was very cold and windy today), then running back out, then laying in the sand and getting covered head to toe, then complaining that his legs were chaffing (DUH, you covered yourself in wet sand!). Argh!

We decide it's time to dry off and change clothes to go get dinner. He calms down a bit after he's rinsed off and in his dry clothes. He volunteers (very nicely) to go fetch difficult child 1 who was on the pier fishing. But as he's walking back he's being very absent minded, almost tripping over fishing poles or bumping into people, swinging the fishing bucket and knocking it into difficult child 1 or easy child. Or he steps on easy child's feet (he's got clunky sneakers on and she's wearing flipflops). Just totally unaware and clumsy.

We walk to a restaurant and he's being very touchy-feely, hanging on difficult child 1 and driving him nuts, or bumping into easy child -- and since everyone's hungry they have no patience for him.

He ate dinner o.k. -- ate about 1/2 of what he ordered. Behaved fairly well and wasn't too terribly impulsive.

We went for a drive on the harbor ferry then parked and walked around a small downtown area to windowshop since everything was closed. And by now (maybe 30 minutes after leaving the restaurant) he's ramping up again. Swinging his body around, unaware of his surroundings and coming close to colliding with passers-by, hanging on his brother, with this driven energy almost like he's on the verge of pacing like he used to before...

Maybe he was just tired. He did have an emotional meltdown earlier in the day when he was begging to go to the beach and we were all doing yardwork (around 11:30am -- which is an hour before he usually gets his afternoon medications). I promised we'd go, but not until after we finished some of the work and ate some lunch. He just couldn't stand it and threw some hand clippers (opened blade at that) and started crying and throwing a tantrum.

I hope tomorrow is better for him. Hopefully no one will wake him up early!

 

[graceupongrace]

GCVmom,

Sorry you had a tough day!

It's hard to tell exactly what's going on with difficult child 2, but FWIW, when my difficult child was about that age, he was growing very fast, and we had to monitor his medications closely because he kept outgrowing his dosage. He would be going along just fine, then suddenly start on a roll of difficult behavior for no apparent reason, other than shooting up an inch practically overnight. As we upped the dosage to suit his increased body mass, he did better. And of course, those hormones can have an effect too. He also had a brief clumsy period -- long arms and legs all over the place. I think that's a pretty typical teen thing. Fortunately, it didn't last long at all.

Sending hugs and wishes for a peaceful Sunday!

 

[Marguerite]

That's exactly what we get if medications are low, absent or wearing off.

They really can't help it and if made aware of it can really get frustrated with themselves and everyone else.

We just grit our teeth and make sure it doesn't happen again. I use such situations to remind myself to go check my emergency stash of spare medications, so if difficult child 3 forgets his medications I can dose him even if we're out and about. I carry long-acting medications as well as short-acting (fast kick-in) medications. I adjust the dosage according to is behaviour and the time of day we find ourselves dosing him.

Marg

 

[tiredmommy]

Didn't you need to cut back his medications briefly last week because the mail pharmacy hadn't delivered his refills? I would think this could be a direct result of that. If so... you may need to ride this out for a few days until he adjusts back up to a therapeutic level. {{{Hugs}}}

 

[timer lady]

For both kt & wm all it takes is one missed dose or some change in routine to throw their stability into chaos. Stability in many of our difficult children is a very very fragile thing.

It's like walking a tight rope for our difficult children - we're just taken along for the thrill.

I had to learn to keep things calm; not to expect much out of either kt nor wm (when he was here) until medications were given & taking effect. I also learned never to plan a day long activity. It was, heck still is, too much for kt. She needs her breaks, time of quiet (transition, if you will).

I'm sorry yesterday was so rough. And in my case stability is a very fragile moster.

 

[totoro]

I have found with K and her BiPolar (BP) triggers are so up and down. Which hoovers.

It can be the anticipation of doing something, sometimes. It can be a medication fluctuation, sometimes.
It can be sleep, sometimes...
You get my drift! LOL
So we watch and walk on eggshells.
Luckily I can usually tell in the morning prior to doing something big, or the night before if it is going to be too much. I can either give her a PRN or just shelve the event.

If she wakes early this is usually an indicator. If she is agitated, yep. Racing, yep.

She is also a rapid cycler, so this is common for us. Most days part of the day are semi-hypo. Which is a downgrade from the Mania.

I am sorry that he is having a rough time.
I suppose you should watch and keep track of all of the things that it could be and continue to watch.
Fun stuff, huh?

We actually went somewhere yesterday and K is doing OK today, and she did OK on the outing. This has not happened in months. Why is she doing OK? Who knows, so we have the reverse! LOL

Puberty is such a funny thing, some kids it helps, some it whacks out worse. In the end it is "suppose" to even our kids out somewhat though! We can hope.

 

[BusynMember]

I have a serious mood disorder/maybe bipolar II? Even on good medications you can spike and fall a bit BUT you shouldn't do it as often. Under extreme pressure, I have been known to lose it, but not violently.

It's a very volatile disorder and sometimes you need to tweak your medication.

I got much worse as a teen. Suddenly my BiPolar (BP) just kicked up BIG TIME, just like an adult. It was no better than an adult's BiPolar (BP).

 

[Wiped Out]

I've found with my difficult child stability truly is fragile. Like Toto said, so many things can trigger the instability. My difficult child is also a rapid cycler and I'm all too familiar with the walking on eggshell scenario.

I'm sorry your difficult child is struggling and hoping that stability returns soon. Hugs.

 

[gcvmom]

Today seemed better. He did sleep in, so maybe it was just an issue of not enough yesterday. I took him to a matinee with a friend and the friend's sister. He was a little wound up while waiting in line, said his head was buzzing a little -- but as soon as they started talking about something he's REALLY interested in (Pokemon game), he suddenly pulled it together and was focused and not so hyper any more. Weird. He was fine in the theater, too, and the rest of the day went o.k.

TM, he fortunately ended up not missing any of his dosages (was just late one day last week) because husband managed to get samples from the psychiatrist to hold us over until the rx shipment arrived late last week.

When we were waiting in line today, I asked difficult child 2 to try to keep his body still because he was swinging his arms around and playing a poking game with the friend's sister -- I was worried about it escalating and someone near us getting bumped or stepped on. The friend said somewhat sarcastically, "Is difficult child 2 EVER able to hold still?" I don't think he meant it in a mean way, just a frank observation. He also said difficult child 2 sometimes sleeps in class. I told him that his medicine makes him really tired sometimes and he can't help it.

This boy is the ONLY kid who calls difficult child 2 to do things together. Although their personalities are VERY different, they do share common interests. I hope that even though they'll be going to different schools next year we'll be able to keep the friendship alive. He's a good kid and is patient/tolerant of difficult child 2's quirks.

It's good to hear everyone's experience with stability. I guess at this age it's not that unusual to have some off days, especially considering all that his brain is trying to deal with. I look at him and wonder about the future and worry sometimes. One day at a time, I guess...

Thanks everyone

 

[totoro]

The staying still drives me crazy. K can't keep her hands off of N. She jumps up then sits then up then sits, when watching a movie. She swings her arms as well. She is a hugger and picks up other kids and swings them around.
We have therapy balls for when she is watching a movie and even that drive me crazy. It is good for her, but she is bouncing non-stop then doing the super man, then sliding in and out on her tummy, then lying on her back, flopping around...
I am thinking "DON"T YOU EVER TIRE!!!"
But then we say let's go for a bike ride, she pedals for while and starts whining that her legs hurt....
But at doctor apt. she sits perfectly still from anxiety!

Luckily K is still young enough that the other kids don't really see how quirky she is, yet.

I feel for you though. Our kids are so weird... LOL We can laugh about it here!

On Sunday we were at these really cool caves, they are only 70 degrees inside.
Anytime the other people on the tour were more than 10 feet in front of us, K would scream, "We are lost!" or "We are going to be lost and left here!"

Nothing we could do could calm her... and this was her doing well. husband and I were just laughing to ourselves the whole time, what else can you do?

UGH!

 

[gcvmom]

husband and I were just laughing to ourselves the whole time, what else can you do?

UGH!

We either laugh or we are doomed to cry... And lose our own minds!