ambulance on way. she passed out and can't see.

[klmno]

The drinks that have the electrlytes (or whatever) in them are supposed to be good- you know, the grown-up version of pediolyte. I think I might try some chicken broth or something along those lines that she likes the taste of but is still bland and healthy but should also help with any fear of choking, too.

 

[Andy]

I am with Klmno - chicken broth - you can also find a variety of other soft/liquidy foods such as applesauce - ice cream (fruit sorbets?) - pudding - yogurt - mashed potatoes if they are super creamy - tomato soup - sloppy joe mix if the hamburger is super small pieces (I have seen some mixes that look so close to being soup).Maybe a new angle might be to encourage to "taste" instead of "eat". "Taste" a few things each meal may get more into her than one bite? Have her think about/focus on the taste of each instead of the swallowing action.Waiting for more updates!Where are you amongst the national weather news regarding New York City? Are you dealing with the strong winds also?

 

[svengandhi]

I have almost passed out in the past. I have a vaso-vagal disorder. The precursor is that you suddenly feel out of your body and then it gets very black and you feel hot and constricted. I have actually never lost consciousness and after a short time, the blackness starts to fade and I can see again. However, I always feel very faint and tired afterwards. I hesitate to say her blindness, however temporary, is faked.

Stony Brook is a very good hospital. Do you think that the Cody Center there can help you? I know it deals with autism primarily but maybe they can help.

Have you thought about BOCES again or perhaps a day treatment program?

Good luck.

 

[Mattsmom277]

Jena, coming late into this thread but sending warm hugs to you and your kiddo. What a scary experience for both you! I hope that today is a better day and wanted to tell you that I think you are handling this very well. It's a complicated issue and there is no magic method of coping and dealing with it all, but it seems you are doing well in being supportive of your daughter while trying your best to get her some help and back on track. I truly hope that something just quickly changes and she suddenly wants to start eating again.

I have only passed out once in my life but came close a time or two. The only reason I came "close" but didn't pass out the other times was because I started to feel woozy and suddenly my eyes were wide open and everything was black. I was able those times to grab something solid (a wall etc) and thank goodness my S/O was present those times. I remember telling him OMG I can't see Help me! And he quickly guided me to the sofa and had me lay down and my vision returned and I avoided passing out. Turns out it was my blood pressure getting so low that it would make me faint (or near faint). Had I not gotten horizontal on the sofa I would 100% have passed out on the floor. Oddly the doctor assured me the best thing if I don't get to a place to lay down on my own is actually for me to pass out cold (well, providing I don't smash my head on something and harm myself). Because once laying flat blood pressure rises fairly rapidly and that is necessary when my pressure completely bottoms out. There are so many reasons for a person to faint and its frightening. I would definitely talk to her about what to do if she suddenly "cant' see" again. Call out ASAP to anyone in the room if she can for help. Lay down if there is anyplace safe to do so. Put her arms out to break a fall if she does fall. It is a horrifying sensation to be so woozy yet very much alert, eyes wide open and unable to see a thing. Maybe discussing it and what she can try to do if it happens again will help her stay safer if it does occur again, perhaps make a response more automatic.

Meanwhile, I know you are going to take good care of her, its just YOU, Know what I mean?? Please also take good care of you! It is easy to lose sight of our own needs when in crisis with a child we love under circumstances like this. I hope she can drink something beneficial today at the minimum. Sounds like you've got a good take on what fluids can help her keep energy up etc.

 

[Marguerite]

"see how i work is this i am beyond excellent during crisis. i could of cooked an egg and fed it to my neighbor while this went on. i'Tourette's Syndrome my MO always has been. problem is i come down later, crash, cry in my bathroom sort of thing. maybe you were mislead by my words."

No, I did understand. I wasn't being critical of you. You made it clear you are the calm one (at least during the crisis!), but from what you have said, difficult child's bio-dad is the one who is ramping things up and probably aggravating things, and not just in the times he is present during a crisis. I'm wondering if his inconsistency and unreliability is making her in general a lot more uncertain and anxious.

I know you mentioned the shower, but it didn't fully click with me - if her "vision loss" was the greying out and fuzziness as a precursor to fainting, it could have been accompanied by lightheadedness and she would have then been more inclined to hold her head still, for sure (otherwise it adds to the dizzinerss). It doesn't matter now, but - how hot was her shower? Especially given her weakened state (lack of food mainly) the hot shower could have been enough to trigger the faint.

I'm glad the possible hysteric stuff has been considered. That was worrying me, that it had not been on the page.

From what you have said, her vision did return when she regained consciousness? Then this does seem to indicate it was fuzzy vision as precursor to fainting.

I'm glad they got some fluids into her. It buys more time.

Marg

 

[totoro]

My medications and my fast drops in BiPolar (BP) cause me to lose vision and almost pass out every few weeks or so. Sometimes more often. It happens more often if I do not eat... duh. Dumb Mom- LOL
I get the blurry, nauseous feeling and then start to feel like I am going down- the room goes black and then I can hold the wall and it will pass.

I am so sorry that she is suffering through this. I am so sorry as a Mom you are having to watch your child go through this.
Keep us posted... big hugs

 

[Jena]

hi guys! i slept till very late today i sooo needed it. so did difficult child! i could of slept all day to be honest. i just wanted to take a moment to say how great i think all of you are. how all these thoughts, insight kind words, ideas and all really are incredible and how it shows that this is def. the best online support group going and how newcomer's will see just how amazing all of you are and the influx of new and desperate confused parents will as always grow! my "hallmark" moment for today.............

as far as my little difficult child. she's weighing in at 104 and is 5'3" now. that's our current weight update. she's well hydrated, still is not eating. i am taking focus off of food for now. getting nowhere and as many of my friends here and my gut tell me the more focus on place the more she'll either use it as negative attention or just get more turned off to food and more convinced hey i'm def. giong to choke and die if i eat this.

my gut tells me dont' push panic buttons yet, that will only make me like my ex h! ewww really not a a fan of him lately, i gotta be the sane one (now isnt' that funny )

as far as he goes, he always keeps to his schedule has only jerked around with my support chk twice in ten years, and yes is def. a basket case. reason i divorced him. he's an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), depressed on and off anxiety paranoia ridden guy. that means well yet damanges all that is in his path. he needs help, always has. will never get it.

yet her relationship with him is very important to her, she loves her dad. poor husband runs around all day yesterday jumping thru hoops of fire and she acknowledges nothing. a whole other issue there. she wont' warm to him totally hasnt' for years. hopefully therapy and family therapy will address that as well. yet dad shows up, lies to her and says he took day off for her (liar!!!) can't make time for her thsi weekend even though it isnt' her weekend with-him would of been nice thing to do and she puts him on a pedestal. typical kid behavior in divorced/remarried situation. especially for a difficult child.

he the ex called here today umm about ten times, that's just my phone not difficult child's text about 7 times, reciting legalities from our decree on his rite to info etc. lol. how dare we sleep and not wake up to update him. my answer to that kiss my ............. you can fill in blank. i told him i won't be harrassed, nor will difficult child. you anxiety and paranoia makes her crazy and i have to control it somewhat and i may have to start watching her cell and your incoming calls. yet rather not due that so take a deep breath and get it together. his response i wont' be communicating with you anymore. my answer GREAT!!!

anyway, gotta go chk on her, just wanted to jump in quick. alot to read thru later, so many good ideas. gotta read it when i have time to really take it in.

 

[Josie]

Are you getting her any kind of therapy for the eating issue? If it is an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) type thing, I don't think you can count on it just going away by ignoring it. You probably need a therapist that specializes in eating disorders or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) to work with her on dealing with her fear of choking.

I think I told you my daughter has an issue with eating meat. We thought it was just vegetarianism in the beginning, but now believe it is due to her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) obsession with animals. She has had her animal obsession for years and she has been a vegetarian for more than 4 years. We have been low key about it until the doctor told her she needed to eat meat, but it hasn't changed. At some point, we will get her back in with her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) therapist who thinks we need to start with the idea that animals might be harmed and start with tiny pieces of meat. It sounds like Smallworld's daughter did similar exposure therapy.

My daughter takes Remeron to increase her appetite and to help with sleep, but it hasn't made a dent in her decision to not eat meat.

 

[Jena]

hope

hi. yes ofcourse therapy will occur, we were supposed to go yesterday yet our whole bout with-e.r. and drama got in the way. i called them in ambulance on way to hospital and rescheduled for tuesday with-them. they aren't sure if it's considered an "eating disorder' or what the heck it is at this point.

your difficult child sounds strong willed, my step daughter was like that for 3 years anti meat. she also presents with high anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) traits yet husband's ex does jack about getting kids help. the non meat thing to me wouldnt' make me crazy i dont' think, if you try health food store they may be able to steer you towards supplements to give the addtl. proteins meat gives. yet i'm sure you probably already tried that

yea there's no way i can handle any of this with just a medication, she needs therapy. once we get eating thing under control and i'm confident in time we will she still has a ton of other issues we have to handle as well as probably taking her off the current medication and finding one long term one that will work.

yet gotta be honest alot less anxiexty in this kid with-o school factor.

 

[Jena]

hey

so still no food, even after the hospital bout. thought for sure that would make her see the light and it would override her fear of eating. so far nothing. i'm hoping by later today she caves. we don't know what else to buy her to entice her to eat. she keeps requesting things i buy them she doesn't eat them. round and round we go.

it's odd how her body has adjusted to not eating. it really is. food was such a big part of her life, and now it isn't at all. she looks bad now, drawn, those dark circles a little around the eyes. and weird thing is i'm afraid to tell her to take a shower. i know that was the wrong thing to do the other day it def. contributed to her passing out. mom i'm dizzy ok go take a warm shower duh...

 

[smallworld]

Jen, don't blame yourself. It's all 20/20 hindsight.

I learned that the longer they don't eat, the less appetite they have. So food really does lack appeal at this stage. Just keep offering food frequently without emotion. Every bite is a victory.

Clearly, medication needs to kick in to make a real difference. That's what changed the dynamic in my daughter's case.

 

[Jena]

yea it's weird you said that. yet her desire for food overall is non existant like you said. shes def hungry has told me so yet can turn food away now like it's no big deal. i am showing no emotion at all. i def save my meltdown's for my room!!

 

[Jena]

my ex called today apologized for his behavior during the week and said i want to come take her out for a few. i said ok, but dont' force her to eat, be anxiety ridden in her presence or this will be it. i can't have you making her worse.

they return difficult child is so hyped up it's like the usual all over again but alot worse. has huge bottle of soda in her hand. she has been drinking some liquids here since hospital. not alot yet some. come to find out he begged her to eat cotton candy. she ate it. she hasn't eaten real food in several weeks and now shes hopped up on sugar. literally bouncing off the walls. he gets out of the car and says she's fine it's over she drank soda and ate some cotton candy with this pompus higher than life attitude.

i said well that's great and saved the rest for text message. i get when we dont' see our kids eat if they consume anything we are thrilled. they i really didnt think he'd pick her up, go buy her soda, than talk to her about eating cotton candy. he's like a two year old. truly.

she's going to crash hard once the sugar gets out of her system. usually when he does this to her i can fix it with real food, dinner.

 

[Cazzy]

Hi - I just wanted to comment on the not eating. Once when I was in my early 20's I went on a body cleansing ritual that basically involved not eating anything at all for 14 days. Sounds crazy now but it seemed to make sense at the time. Anyway, I was starving for the first 2-3 days I didn't eat and then just simply not hungry at all. I was working long hours and working out but only drinking water...not even any juice. I lost weight like crazy at the beginning but that stopped as my body held on to the weight. I think I went down about 14 lbs. I put the weight right back on as soon as I started eating anything and when I did start eating I felt starving. Anyway I am only posting this to let you know how I felt not eating that long...really not bad at all. Like you are doing just worry about liquids.

I hope everything works out well with your daughter.