Another returning member

houseofcards

New Member

Hello everyone, I’ve been here before but needed to take a break…mostly because my last post involved telling about my difficult child’s suicide attempt and it scared me to see it in print. I also went thru a computer crash but was able to borrow a laptop to lurk on occasion so I have been thinking and praying for many of you. Anyway, I have a lovely new computer for Christmas and a great need to be here so I am back.
My difficult child D is doing just ok, my p-doctor understands the need for a mood stabilizer now so we have added Lamictal at just 125 mg, when we added another 25 mgs he got very disorganized, spilling things and just air headed, p-doctor felt that was a side effect so doesn’t want to increase it. I will ask about adding another MS at our next appointment. The Lamictal has worked pretty well for the depression but we still are dealing with impulsivity and anger. I wonder if it is a little bit of mania or the ADHD showing its symptoms more now that the depression is lessened. Anyway I am open for suggestions on a second MS.
I have some great news, my youngest probable difficult child M has been adopted. Something tells me he might be my hardest kid to raise. He is showing speech delays, sensory issues, quirky behaviors and my favorite(not) anger. He also will head bang or slap his face on occasion when angry/frustrated, obsesses with the TV, and uses 3 pacifiers to self comfort…1 in mouth, 1 in each hand. Many people want me to remove the pacifiers from him but I am not going there! He is very interested in people with good eye contact, has good imaginative play, the most adorable smile with dimples. He is just started to transition to the pre-school program from Early Intervention.
Life continues to be too busy but I must be an optimist because I keep thinking it will slow down. LOL
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Hey HOC,

Glad you are able to get on line and get back to some super support here! Congratulations on the adoption!!

Hugs
Star
 

KateM

Member
Welcome back! Congratulations on your adoption!

As to a second MS - my son had excellent results with Depakote. It lessened his anger and irritability greatly. But all these medications are so individualized and work differently for everyone.

It's good to have you back. I love your screen name.
 

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
Kathie,
Welcome back! You've been missed. Congratulations on the adoption, what a joyful time! I'm sure others will be along with their thoughts on another MS.
 

klmno

Active Member
Welcome back!! As already pointed, the MS medications apparently work VERY differently on different people. My difficult child couldn't handle lamictol- made him worse and awake for 30+ hours straight. Lithium has helped raging for him (moreso the first couple of mos. that he hit therapuetic dosages), but an increase in dosage causes him stomach upset. Depakote has helped with hypomania symptons, some. The school still sees hyperness, I see a little, but now he has grade issues at school, big time, when they were never a problem before. I'm not sure yet if this is cognitive dulling due to medications or not. He's still not where I think he should be and I see some raging issues coming back.

Good luck!!
 

houseofcards

New Member
Thanks for the welcome and congrats, we are excited about the adoption. I'll let you know about the MS when it happens, I am willing to deal with blood draws if it helps but D can be needle phobic so I don't know how well that would go with him if it were frequent. On the other hand, we did get a blood test at his physical today and it just cost me a video game....money well spent.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
WElcome back! I wondered what you were up to.

It sounds like you are getting all your duckies lined up. Be sure to take care of Mommy and Daddy!!

As far as the little one goes, I would not go to the pacifier wars either. My Jess still :censored2: her fingers when she is hurting. We are aware of the teeth issue, but braces will wait. Emotional stability is just higher on our priority list. I think the 3 pacifiers is cute. Do you have clips to attach all 3 to his clothes? My Jess always sucked her middle 2 fingers (with the rest of her fingers making an I love you in sign language) and held the silky part of her blanky in the other hand. Blanky and fingers are still with us. And she still loves us.

Sounds like you are quite busy. I have seen several kiddoes that we know do well with 2 mood stabilizers. My psychiatrist says lamictal is better for depression but not very good on mania. For what that is worth.

Glad to see you! Congrats on the adoption!!

Susie
 

houseofcards

New Member
We try to keep the pacifers away during the day unless he is in melt down or close to bed, he just sleeps with three for the most part.
it is cute..as long as we can find them, if we can't, that is considered an emergency.
 

smallworld

Moderator
Kathie, welcome back! And congrats on the adoption.

My son has been in a day treatment program since December 12. He was already on Lamictal (maxed out at 400 mg) so the attending psychiatrist added a second MS, Zonegran in his case. It is relatively new and not a first-line MS, but I have read good things about it. We're still titrating up so I can't report on its effectiveness yet. My son became more depressed on Depakote, but as KateM said, it is all very individual how kids respond to medications.

Good luck to you.
 
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