We had the parent meeting for difficult child 2 to go over all the test results with-the neuropsychologist today. She really didn't shed too much new light on anything. She added nothing to our diagnoses of ADHD and anxiety. She felt his learning, etc... is fine, which we knew already. She feels the biggest problems are with-his anxiety primarily, mixed in with-his ADHD (executive function skills). Her recommendation is to up his therapy sessions with-the psychologis to weekly, which is something I've been trying to do for a year. I'm pretty frustrated because I *knew* he needs more therapy (both kids do) and while I really love our therapist, we can barely see her she's so booked up. I left a msg for a new therapist my friend used and loved when her daughter was going through terrible anxiety. He was able to see her daughter far more often than our therapist sees us. I hate to leave my current one, but at this point, she's just doing triage when we see her. We're playing catchup with her all the time. And she gets to spend like 10 minutes with-difficult child 2 once a month. difficult child 1 hasn't been in to see her in months unfortunately and she desperately needs to see her or someone else more frequently as well.
As for my kids coming off the Risperdal, it's not going well at all. They've both been having a lot more issues in school the past week or two. Meltdowns for difficult child 2 and crying over tiny corrections by her teachers for difficult child 2. But due to negative side effects, they both have to come off the Risperdal. I'm hanging on by a thread until the second opinion with-the new psychiatrist next week and it's only for difficult child 2. difficult child 1's appointment. with-the second opinion isn't until January. And I don't even know that there's going to be options for other medications for them. I'm petrified of the thought of trying to up their SSRI, which is the direction I'm sure the doctors. will want to head due to both of their anxiety being so out of control at the moment. They're both currently on Celexa, 10mg. which is probably too low a dose. However, they both had previously tried Zoloft and it worked well at first, but as soon as the doses were upped, they went off the deep end and that's how we ended up on the Risperdal in the first place. I feel trapped between a rock and a hard place. I'm pretty down and upset about it all. There's been so much stress otherwise in our lives personally (death in the family, me stopping work). I'm having a hard time coping myself. I'm trying with-every ounce of strength I have to keep it together and be the picture of calm for the kids, but sometimes it's so hard.
As for my kids coming off the Risperdal, it's not going well at all. They've both been having a lot more issues in school the past week or two. Meltdowns for difficult child 2 and crying over tiny corrections by her teachers for difficult child 2. But due to negative side effects, they both have to come off the Risperdal. I'm hanging on by a thread until the second opinion with-the new psychiatrist next week and it's only for difficult child 2. difficult child 1's appointment. with-the second opinion isn't until January. And I don't even know that there's going to be options for other medications for them. I'm petrified of the thought of trying to up their SSRI, which is the direction I'm sure the doctors. will want to head due to both of their anxiety being so out of control at the moment. They're both currently on Celexa, 10mg. which is probably too low a dose. However, they both had previously tried Zoloft and it worked well at first, but as soon as the doses were upped, they went off the deep end and that's how we ended up on the Risperdal in the first place. I feel trapped between a rock and a hard place. I'm pretty down and upset about it all. There's been so much stress otherwise in our lives personally (death in the family, me stopping work). I'm having a hard time coping myself. I'm trying with-every ounce of strength I have to keep it together and be the picture of calm for the kids, but sometimes it's so hard.