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Need help finding resources for children with bi-polar disorder PLEASE!
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<blockquote data-quote="susiestar" data-source="post: 425633" data-attributes="member: 1233"><p>Welcome! The others have given some great advice.</p><p> </p><p>I strongly suggest that you get a copy of The Bipolar Child by Papalous. It is an incredibly good resource. </p><p> </p><p>Many people with bipolar disorder cannot function with-o medication. The biggest problem that I have seen is that docs do NOT want to follow the medication protocol that is approved for bipolar. It is outlined in the book and on the website for the Board of Psychiatrists - both the adult and pediatrician boards (the group that certifies docs in that field). The protocol calls for first using a mood stabilizer and even going to using two of these until moods are not cycling. An atypical antipsychotic like abilify, risperdal or seroquel is often used at that stage and is part of the protocol. This helps with anger and aggression.</p><p> </p><p>Once moods are stable then medications for ADHD, depression, etc... can be added - SLOWLY. The medications for depression, ssri and snri medications like prozac, effexor, etc... seem to be the medications that docs want to use first. This is a BAD thing because they can CAUSE mood cycling in people with-o bipolar. Most people with bipolar go into a very bad state on these medications. SOmetimes they think they are helping at first but then they later realize that the medications are causing increased problems. We had one psychiatrist (psychiatrist) who wanted to say that my difficult child had bipolar and wanted him to take lexapro to treat it. I knew that this wouldn't help and had the Bipolar Child with me because I was ready for him to try this. We already were srue that my difficult child did NOT have it, but it was a new psychiatrist and we had been through this with several docs. So I opened the book to the protocol and asked WHY he didn't want to follow it. He wasn't happy but admitted that he kenw it wasn't the right medication for the disorder. I never did get any real explanation, but have had 7 different docs suggest that it was bipolar and that he take a SSRI/SNRI medication to treat it. </p><p> </p><p>If you can find a support group through NAMI in your area, it will be a godsend. THe one in our area is awesome.</p><p> </p><p>Also read through as much of the archives as possible - there is great info in them.</p><p> </p><p>I urge you to start to write a Parent Report. The link in my signature will take you to ta thread with the outline and explanation of this. The Parent Report is a document that you create about your child. It includes everything you have tried/done/thought/etc... about your child - the good and bad stuff. It iwll help you communicate with the various docs and other people who are supposed to be helping. </p><p> </p><p>I also want you to start thinking of yourself as "THE Expert". Not an expert, THE expert. You see lots of therapists, docs, teachers, etc.... and they all have opinions and ideas. they are Experts. but they are experts in a field of study. YOU are the expert in your child. THe docs spend 10 min every couple of months with your child. Therapists maybe spend 45 min aweek with them. YOU spend all day thinking of them and with them. You are their mother and the absolute expert in your children. Period. Don't let the docs bamboozle you or talk you into anything that your instincts say is WRONG.</p><p> </p><p>I made some big mistakes with my kids. Every parent does. But the biggest and worst mistakes were when I let someone talk me into something that went against that little voice that screamed it was wrong. I let a doctor talk me into keeping Wiz on a medication that seemed to make him angrier and angrier the longer he was on it. I let my brother talk me into letting him take my kids to the lake one July 4th. Just him and my 2 oldest. They wound up with 2nd degree burns because he refused to let them use sunscreen because I insisted they had to use it. They lost 2 YEARS of playing outside in the daylight because the burns were so bad, plus spent a month in agony. I let another doctor tell me that effexor had no withdrawal and my son nearly went nuts from it (I also was on it and had awful withdrawal - and could see why he ended up in a psychiatric hospital for 3 days from it.)</p><p> </p><p>We all have stories like this, mistakes we made because we let ourselves be convinced our instincts were wrong. So no matter what the docs tell you, follow your instincts as much as you can. Hopefull you will find a team of people that will work with you. Sending LOTS of hugs!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="susiestar, post: 425633, member: 1233"] Welcome! The others have given some great advice. I strongly suggest that you get a copy of The Bipolar Child by Papalous. It is an incredibly good resource. Many people with bipolar disorder cannot function with-o medication. The biggest problem that I have seen is that docs do NOT want to follow the medication protocol that is approved for bipolar. It is outlined in the book and on the website for the Board of Psychiatrists - both the adult and pediatrician boards (the group that certifies docs in that field). The protocol calls for first using a mood stabilizer and even going to using two of these until moods are not cycling. An atypical antipsychotic like abilify, risperdal or seroquel is often used at that stage and is part of the protocol. This helps with anger and aggression. Once moods are stable then medications for ADHD, depression, etc... can be added - SLOWLY. The medications for depression, ssri and snri medications like prozac, effexor, etc... seem to be the medications that docs want to use first. This is a BAD thing because they can CAUSE mood cycling in people with-o bipolar. Most people with bipolar go into a very bad state on these medications. SOmetimes they think they are helping at first but then they later realize that the medications are causing increased problems. We had one psychiatrist (psychiatrist) who wanted to say that my difficult child had bipolar and wanted him to take lexapro to treat it. I knew that this wouldn't help and had the Bipolar Child with me because I was ready for him to try this. We already were srue that my difficult child did NOT have it, but it was a new psychiatrist and we had been through this with several docs. So I opened the book to the protocol and asked WHY he didn't want to follow it. He wasn't happy but admitted that he kenw it wasn't the right medication for the disorder. I never did get any real explanation, but have had 7 different docs suggest that it was bipolar and that he take a SSRI/SNRI medication to treat it. If you can find a support group through NAMI in your area, it will be a godsend. THe one in our area is awesome. Also read through as much of the archives as possible - there is great info in them. I urge you to start to write a Parent Report. The link in my signature will take you to ta thread with the outline and explanation of this. The Parent Report is a document that you create about your child. It includes everything you have tried/done/thought/etc... about your child - the good and bad stuff. It iwll help you communicate with the various docs and other people who are supposed to be helping. I also want you to start thinking of yourself as "THE Expert". Not an expert, THE expert. You see lots of therapists, docs, teachers, etc.... and they all have opinions and ideas. they are Experts. but they are experts in a field of study. YOU are the expert in your child. THe docs spend 10 min every couple of months with your child. Therapists maybe spend 45 min aweek with them. YOU spend all day thinking of them and with them. You are their mother and the absolute expert in your children. Period. Don't let the docs bamboozle you or talk you into anything that your instincts say is WRONG. I made some big mistakes with my kids. Every parent does. But the biggest and worst mistakes were when I let someone talk me into something that went against that little voice that screamed it was wrong. I let a doctor talk me into keeping Wiz on a medication that seemed to make him angrier and angrier the longer he was on it. I let my brother talk me into letting him take my kids to the lake one July 4th. Just him and my 2 oldest. They wound up with 2nd degree burns because he refused to let them use sunscreen because I insisted they had to use it. They lost 2 YEARS of playing outside in the daylight because the burns were so bad, plus spent a month in agony. I let another doctor tell me that effexor had no withdrawal and my son nearly went nuts from it (I also was on it and had awful withdrawal - and could see why he ended up in a psychiatric hospital for 3 days from it.) We all have stories like this, mistakes we made because we let ourselves be convinced our instincts were wrong. So no matter what the docs tell you, follow your instincts as much as you can. Hopefull you will find a team of people that will work with you. Sending LOTS of hugs! [/QUOTE]
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Need help finding resources for children with bi-polar disorder PLEASE!
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