And DevPed's answer?

[Shari]

Put him on Tenex.

Again.

The same drug we've tried twice that doesn't work. If he's not manic, it knocks him out cold in the smallest of doses. If he's manic, it does absolutely nothing, even at 8x the "knock out" dose.

Right now, difficult child is awake 13-15 hours a day. He is having trouble with 1-2 of those hours with a known trigger. So we're gonna sedate him first thing in the morning to deal with an hour in the afternoon? Can someone please explain this logic to me? Cause I'm not getting it.

 

[TerryJ2]

I don't know anything about Tenex, but I'd go for something in a low dose that is time released. Is there any way you can take a few days off to visit a teaching university or something? This is so frustrating!!

 

[Shari]

this pediatrician IS at the university. And no one around here will go against her.

 

[Janna]

Just because he's a dev. pediatrician. doesn't mean he knows squat.

He's trying to treat ADHD. Did you (I'm sure you must have) tell him about difficult child wanting to kill people and the threats he made? THAT isn't ADHD.

Sheesh - these docs are friggin' morons. I'm ticked off and your difficult child isn't mine.

Tenex. LOL! Gawd. Tenex isn't even supposed to be USED for mania. It's a freaking antihypertensive LOL! Yeah, good if you want to comatose your kid. That's a good "cure". Way to go doctor. Urghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I'm sorry.

 

[smallworld]

What is the school doing to get rid of the trigger?

Is his Depakote at a therapeutic level? When was his last blood test?

How much Risperdal is he taking? Has he ever trialed a different AP?

 

[Shari]

I'm working the SpEd right now to work on that trigger. I've suggested so far that I think difficult child thinks he's supposed to be reading these books, and he "can't read". I think that's the root of it. They are also asking for this when he comes in from recess. I've suggested they add another calmer, but not as calm as sitting with a book, activity between recess and asking him to "read". I'm also suggesting they take the word "read" out of the activity all together, since they are wanting him to sit and look at pictures in books, but not actually read them. Maybe have him look at the pics and make up a story abotu what he sees, anything to leave the word "read" out of it. I think that's where he's getting hung up.

Depakote levels were checked last week, and I didn't hear back, so that's an assumption all's well. Checking on this today, tho, just in case. He takes 2mg of Risperdal daily, with an addition 1mg prescribed to use PRN if necessary. I'm also working on getting a PRN dose to the school to use (that may be impossible, but I'm trying).

Risperdal is the only AP we've tried. It doesn't work as well as when we first started it, but it does make a big difference in him.

 

[totoro]

Tenex was not so good for us.

THis is like Strattera for us with an old psychiatrist, he put K back on it 3x's!
I kept saying but it sure seems like it is making her worse, "Well let's try it again"
HuH?
I just don't get it some times.
I am so sorry you are getting the runaround. I just feel so bad for difficult child. The poor kid must be suffering in his little head.

 

[smallworld]

Sometimes APs like Risperdal poop out and you need to try another one instead.

 

[TerryJ2]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgh!

So sorry.

When my difficult child insisted he couldn't read, (because his homework was too hard and he was stressed) I'd take him to the grocery store, where he would beg, of course, for everything. I told him that he could have anything he wanted as long as he could read the label.

Boy, was that a mistake! He ended up with-a bunch of candy. Good thing we weren't at CompUSA or something.

I like your idea that he make up stories about pictures. That's a good start.
Somehow, he attached the word "read" to something negative.
Can you place your son in a situation, outside of the classroom, where you can use the word "read" and encourage him to "read" in a fun way? Like, candy labels? Something basic, like, M&Ms. He surely knows the letters of the alphabet.
I have given in on that, even with-my son's reaction to red dye, just to get to the next stage.
I'm a big rule breaker.

I am so sorry about the dr. That is SO frustrating!!!!!!

 

[ML]

I like the idea about making up stories too! Very smart.

The tenex has helped manster but it did make him very tired at first. He's adapted to it luckily. It also helps his tics. But if it didn't work I would be frustrated with a doctor that wanted to try it again. Grrr.

ML

 

[Steely]

So what did you say to psychiatrist? Did you say NO, that will not work? Please put my child on something that WILL work?

I swear sometimes - psychiatrists are unbelievable. Unbelievable!!!

You cannot take Tenex as an answer. You need to press the psychiatrist, if you have not already, and say that you need an additional mood stabilizer, or a new mood stab, or a new AP. Something. When a kid is talking about death and acting as angry and out of control as difficult child 2 is - to have a psychiatrist throw Tenex at the problem, in my opinion, is malpractice.

So sorry. You are in my thoughts.

 

[Shari]

I respectfully told her that unless she gave me some complelling and viable information as to why a thrid trial of a medication that previously failed twice, was to be used as a sedative, given in the morning, for a kid who is exploding only one hour of the day in the middle of the afternoon in reaction to a known trigger, was a good idea, the answer was no, we will not be using Tenex again.

I am keeping him home today. The deputy is coming this afternoon. I am only having him talk to him, tho, we will remove the guns ourselves. We will do his school work, talk with the deputy about the seriousness of what he said, and remove the guns. I am trying to reach our advocate, too.

Frankly, I'm afraid to send him back with that general of a "behavior plan" in place; "If he threatens or acts in a way that an adult or child could be injured" is leaving it WIDE open. There's no considerations about triggering him again, etc.

Tomorow is his Valentine's party and an early out day. He would be devastated to miss the party, so I will probably take tomorrow off, as well, and go with him to school so he can attend the party AND not risk getting another suspension until we can get something in writing to actually deal with this kid, not just throw him out.

This is exactly what I was afraid would happen when I didn't send him there for Kindergarten. Things were going good, so I was beginning to think maybe, just maybe, it was going to work; maybe they really were going to work with him. Ah, but here we are...

 

[TerryJ2]

{{{hugs}}}

 

[DaisyFace]

Shari--

in my opinion it makes no difference the "reputation" of the doctor. Sometimes, even the best docs get stuck....

Years ago, I was struggling with digestive issues, couldn't eat, felt terrible all the time, it was awful...so I went to see a doctor that was highly recommended. He took one look at me and diagnosed "Diabetes". Well, the blood tests did not confirm diabetes. Instead of looking into other answers, the doctor swore up and down that the test must have been incorrect--so he ordered another round of bloodwork. Again--no diabetes. At my third visit, the doctor seemed aggravated with me....and this time, ordered bloodwork after fasting and also with fasting/glucose. STILL negative for diabetes....and yet, that seemed what the doctor was determined to treat me for.

Finally, I just had to switch doctors. I had to find someone who was willing to listen and be open to finding the correct diagnosis--regardless of their reputation as a "great doctor".

by the way--I still don't have diabetes. Good thing I did not let that nut treat me for it!!

Sounds like you need to move on before your little one gets any more treatment for a condition he does NOT have.

Best of luck!

--DaisyF