She seems to be sliding down hill

[Lothlorien]

I wanted to wait to see if it was just the holidays, but now that a few weeks have gone by, I just don't think so.

1) Anxiety level has gone back up

2) Bedtime.... At least 2 to 3 times a week, she has a pain, itching, her finger hurts, her leg hurts. Something bothers her at bedtime that wasn't bothering her just a half hour before when she was jumping off the walls. It has made bedtime a nightmare. I hate to use the Melatonin, unless absolutely necessary, but I've used it, because she is just so wound up and upset, she can't sleep.

3) Having problems with kids on the bus, again. Wants me to take her to and from school. NOT going to happen!

4) Doesn't want to go to school (this is a new one), because she's congested.

5) Gets frustrated very easily with games, arts & crafts or anything she can't easily master. Loses patience very quickly and blows up.

6) hypomania has returned. I thought it was just the holidays, but it's obviously back. She has spurts of inability to control herself, laughing inappropriately, needing to shout out or make bizarre noises inappropriately. She has that glazed look and can't look at me when I speak to her. I went to the movies and pizza with my friend and her kids and she was completely inappropriate the entire time. I wanted to slide into the floor.

We've had a few meltdowns. Granted, they aren't as bad or as long, but they've returned. After placing her on Risperdal and increasing the Trileptal, she was doing well for several months, but I'm seeing a lot of the behaviors return.

We start Karate three times a week today. I'm hoping that the physical activity will help, plus learning self control. I participated in Martial Arts when I was younger and I always thought it was a great tool for kids with issues. I would see a huge difference in their behavior.

I'm also going to call psychologist this week. But, unfortunately, I'm thinking that she may need an increase in the Risperdal.

 

[Critter Lover]

I6) hypomania has returned. I thought it was just the holidays, but it's obviously back. She has spurts of inability to control herself, laughing inappropriately, needing to shout out or make bizarre noises inappropriately. She has that glazed look and can't look at me when I speak to her. I went to the movies and pizza with my friend and her kids and she was completely inappropriate the entire time. I wanted to slide into the floor.

WOW are you sure she is not autistic? This sounds so much like my son when he was younger. You had to hold his head and say look at me when I talk for him to focus. We used Benedryl many a nights to get him to sleep. Usually the glazed look was because he was having petite seizures and came around full blown when he hit puberty. I would have her tested by a neuropsychologist and also make sure that her seizure medications are working correctly.

 

[crazymama30]

Loth, I gave up a long time ago and routinely use melatonin to help difficult child calm down to go to sleep. Otherwise he is up untill who knows when. I hope that the Karate class helps, I do send difficult child out to play several times a day and I do think the physical activity helps. Sometimes he only stays out for 15min, but at least it is something. Good luck, and hope things get better.

I don't like the glazed over eyes either. I have never been able to describe that, but that is a good description.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Loth,

Sorry. Missy seemed to be doing well this school year with everything you had set up. Have you put a call in to her psychiatrist?

I think the physical exercise is a great idea and so is the self control with martial arts. I wanted to do that with difficult child. Took him to a studio a few years ago that actualy had an adhd class. We wanted to observe. A boy was late to class and the master made him come up front and do push ups and jumping jacks. difficult child said, "No way." That was the end of that.......

How are you getting her out the door in the morning? Is she crying about going to school or just using the sick excuse. Sounds like her anxiety level is really increasing.

Hugs,
Sharon

 

[LittleDudesMom]

Loth,

Sorry. Missy seemed to be doing well this school year with everything you had set up. Have you put a call in to her psychiatrist?

I think the physical exercise is a great idea and so is the self control with martial arts. I wanted to do that with difficult child. Took him to a studio a few years ago that actualy had an adhd class. We wanted to observe. A boy was late to class and the master made him come up front and do push ups and jumping jacks. difficult child said, "No way." That was the end of that.......

How are you getting her out the door in the morning? Is she crying about going to school or just using the sick excuse. Sounds like her anxiety level is really increasing.

Hugs,
Sharon

 

[Lothlorien]

Critter Lover, she is not autistic. The glazed look and inability to look at me is a symptom of her bipolar. It is not all the time, only when she's hypomanic. Oh, be careful with Benedryl....Missy has "aftershock" with Benedryl. The fallout from Benedryl, for Missy, is that she's miserable, explosive and hypomanic for several days after. There have been studies on this and has proven to be the case with her. I do not use Benedryl with her, ever, even the one that is dye-free.

Sharon, Missy has participated in Karate, just not the full blown class. The school she went to had a once a week introductory class for about 10 weeks. It was an inexpensive way to figure out if she'd like it. Mighty Mouse went too and they both really liked it.

As far as the morning thing....somedays are fine and other days she's getting on the bus crying. Last year, there were mornings that she was in such a state that I wouldn't let her go on the bus and I waited until she calmed down and then took her to school. So far, this year, I've not had to do that, but I see it coming if she continues to slide.

 

[DammitJanet]

Loth....Have you considered faking her out if you think the night time ills are not real? Can she swallow pills? If so, find a tic tac that she doesnt recognize put that in a prescription bottle. Have her take at bedtime. Or a calming tea that the doctor orders.

Onetime Cory skipped school and faked being sick. He gave me all these symptoms. I told him I called the doctor and that there was this awful disease out there and kids were dying from it. The only cure was this awful tasting medicine. I went and got magnesium sulfate, dulcolax, and something else. I had him running for the potty! He thought he was dying. He was oh so sorry. Finally I told him what I had done. LOL.

 

[Shari]

DJ, you're so bad! I think that's why I love you....

Sorry Missy's having these problems. If its any consolation, wee difficult child is in the same boat, just hasn't de-escalated since the holidays and we're at the max dose of risperdal.

Hopefully the karate will help.

 

[TerryJ2]

So sorry. It does sound like she's backsliding. Wish I had some advice.
{{hugs}}

 

[totoro]

Loth This sounds a lot like K.
She gets that same spacey distant glazed look. I can hold her face and talk to her but she just can't focus or look at anything for too long. She gets to where there it just too much going in her head, it seems like she zones out to help her stop in a way. Like when it is going to fast her mind sort of blanks and I will look at her and she is just staring, glazed over.

K also can not handle things like Benadryl, we get the *fun* couple of days of the train wreck after the fact. Sometimes it triggers her or it will just weird her out.
I won't give it to her either.
She woke last night with terrors.
When K's anxiety is high, she will get real twitchy at night, restless, she has a harder time settling down. We have started letting her have her i-pod or her DIDJ hand held game. With the headphones to help her calm and then sleep.
Her i-pod and DIDJ were Christmas gifts and the DIDJ is educational so I do not feel too bad! I put a bunch of songs that have bilingual stuff and educational songs on her i-pod also!
It seems to help when she is like this.
I think their sensory issues get worse when they are hypo and anxious. Which is worse at night. I equate it with RLS but with their whole bodies at times.
K gets itchy as well.

I have been charting K over the years and she starts getting triggered as soon as the days start getting longer. Here it starts early. Up in Idaho we started seeing it in February. I know it is called March Madness but for a lot of us it starts happening earlier, depending on where you live.

Sorry she is having a hard time. I hate having to make medication adjustments.

 

[Lothlorien]

Totoro....Yes, it certainly does sound like K and Missy are in the exact same boat. I bet you and I could compare notes and find a lot in common. Missy doesn't have night terrors, though. Mighty Mouse has nightmares once every few months, but not Missy.

 

[gcvmom]

Just wanted to send hugs and I hope you can bring her back down soon.

 

[Big Bad Kitty]

Here's hoping the karate helps! Sometimes, Tink gets into a cycle where nothing is right, nothing is good, everything hurts, it's almost like a downward spiral that she can't get herself out of. An activity that she enjoys and is good at can help ease her out of that vicious cycle.

 

[Wiped Out]

Loth,
Sorry to hear Missy is backsliding. I hope the karate will help. I'd probably be calling the psychiatrist. Sending some hugs your way.

 

[ML]

I hope the karate does help. I think if we had found a more kid friendly class manster would have enjoyed it more. But doing pushups for inattention produced more frustration that motivation for him.

 

[Andy]

I am sorry! I am also glad that you are staying on top of this and are noticing the changes. Hopefully you can get it back in control before it worsens.

 

[Lothlorien]

Missy was thrilled with the class, today. Mighty Mouse was a little wierd about it. We are still going for it. Though she was a bit overtired, today, it was good.

I will be calling psychiatrist, tomorrow, for an appointment. Ran out of time today. Sooooo many things going on all at once. Today was a crash and burn kind of day for Mom.

 

[Janna]

I'm really sorry to hear this, D. I was getting to the point where I had some time and was going to get in touch with you to see how things were with you and the family.

Good luck with the karate! We did that here, too, and the boys really liked it. Took them a few times, but it went pretty good.

Hope you make out well with the psychiatrist. medications are so very hard to work through. My thoughts are with you. Get in touch if you need an ear or a shoulder.