Medication help for a tomorrow a.m. meeting!

[nvts]

Hi! I know I haven't been around lately (mostly in the Watercooler) but difficult child 1 is going south rapidly. They've added mood disorder not otherwise specified to his diagnosis of aspergers and learning disability. My husband (now officially known as AH) and I separated over Easter break and difficult child 1 prior to and currently is spiraling out of control.

A list:

he's punching holes in walls
throwing things very forcefully
anxious about irrational things (my teachers at school will hate me if I don't get this done and will throw me out of the school)
cursing at everyone
threatening to kill everyone in the household, my sister and my dad
trip to the psychiatric e.r. and released

I'm meeting (without him - the State Tests are going on) with his psychiatrist, therapist and the therapist's boss tomorrow and I know that they're going to suggest medications.

A disclaimer for you all: I know you're not doctors (and to my knowledge never played one on TV), but have any of you dealt with this sort of behavior and had success with any type of medication? I want to read up on them so that I can make an informed decision and have her write the scripts.

By the way, my marriage is a train wreck and so am I - any help would really help with the stress levels here!

Beth

 

[svengandhi]

I have no advice on medications but want to wish you good luck.

My 2 youngest are also taking the NY state tests this week and last and then the Regents are coming up fo difficult child (4 Regents, one AP test and SAT 2's for him).

Can it be the stress of the tests that are partly getting to him? There is so much emphasis put on them in so many SD's, including mine. One year, I was told to keep Learning Disability (LD) child home because his results might skew the grade! I sent him in.

Does your SD have the Banana Splits progam - that's a group that the guidance counselor or someone runs with kids whose parents are going through problems. How about a circle of friends for him? Maybe if school feels a little safer for him, he might not act out as much.

Good luck.

 

[smallworld]

Beth, I'm so sorry. Major hugs!

What has he already been on that didn't work? And what was the reaction? That will give us a place to start with suggestions.

 

[nvts]

Beth, I'm so sorry. Major hugs!

What has he already been on that didn't work? And what was the reaction? That will give us a place to start with suggestions.

He did Concerta with no positive results, Abilify made him gain 22 pounds in 2 mos. so with my history of type 1 diabetes we couldn't continue (and it wasn't changing anything at all), the Oxcarbazipine (a seizure medication that supposedly would help the mood disorder stuff) that had no positive results and when we titrated down he had awful withdrawal symptoms, almost a year with no medications and was doing well and then after February started with the anxiety, so we have been doing this "as needed" deal with a type of Benadryl with an anxiety kicker called hydroxyzine. Nothing changed but the behavior has been outrageous.

Hope that helps!

Beth

 

[smallworld]

Mood disorder is a catch-all diagnosis. It could be treated with:
Antidepressants
Atypical antipsychotics
Mood stabilizers

A medication that is FDA-approved for kids on the spectrum is Risperdal, but like Abilify, it will cause weight gain. It will treat irrational anxiety, aggressive tendencies and rage behaviors.

 

[DammitJanet]

Well your description of your son could have been the one most said about me when I was a teen...lol. Probably a lot longer than that if I care to admit if I am being fully honest here.

he's punching holes in walls
throwing things very forcefully
anxious about irrational things (my teachers at school will hate me if I don't get this done and will throw me out of the school)
cursing at everyone
threatening to kill everyone in the household, my sister and my dad
trip to the psychiatric e.r. and released

If we take this individually, I think I can sort of do a flow chart and maybe what could help. Not gonna say anything will help cause Im not a fortune teller...lol.

1. Punching holes in walls. I so get this one. Punching holes is a release of pent up frustration and boiling rage that just has to come out in a very volatile way in a very short period of time and in the most satisfying way possible that will actually take up some energy from the puncher and may even cause pain to the puncher. Not to mention the "Oh S! I gotta fix this mess" pain! Now what you need to do is work on ways to find out what is causing him so much rage so he can deal with it more appropriately and then of course, you want to find ways to relieve as much stress that is causing him to rage anyway.

Some kids/people...dont know that there are more than just a very few emotions - love/like, hate, blah, happy, sick. Nothing else. They dont understand that you can feel sad about something but you arent mad. You can cry because you are happy. These kids/people are the ones who will blow up at someone in great rage because someone is 15 minutes getting home from work but the reason that they lash out so over the top is not because it matters so much that they are late but because the person at home was scared to death that they were in an accident and the emotion that she couldnt control was fear.

2. Throwing things very forcefully. Could be a by product of just inner disconnect of his ability to put deeds with thoughts.

Onward....Ya know, I seem to see a complete pattern of a mood disorder with a pretty severe anxiety component.

If I was going to be asking for anything, and you do realize we cant advise, but if I was ask my doctor for me....I would ask for lamictal for the mood issues to try to straighten them out and then seroquel to deal with any leftover anxiety.

 

[crazymama30]

I think both dj and sw are on the money here. I think risperdal would give the fastest results, but would also be the most likely to cause weight gain. Lamictal would most likely be good, but takes a while to get to a theraputic dose.

There are lots and lots of medications, and they all react differently in each person. It is scarey, as it is such a hit and miss thing. However, we did the hit and miss thing with difficult child for years, and it hoovered hard core. Now? We finally hit it, and it rocks! He went from wanting to be a bully, to getting more suspensions as an elementary schooler than most middle schoolers and more than I got in my entire public school career, and I was a late blooming difficult child! He now can express his feelings, expresses remorse and can see others' perspectives. Now? He is fun to be around. There was a time when I knew I loved my son, but I really was not sure if I was ever going to like him

Hugs. You have so much more in your life that is a whirlwind, that I am sure this is not helping you. Hang in there.

 

[idohope]

No advice but plenty of sympathy. My marriage is also a train wreck and our first psychiatrist appointment for difficult child is in a couple of weeks. So am sending strong thoughts your way and will follow this thread closely.