Californiablonde
Well-Known Member
<span style='font-size: 11pt'> </span> Two days ago my bipolar daughter was put on Topomax as an add-on MS with her Trileptal and Geodon. P-doctor is not trialing her on Topomax due to instability, rather to help curb her appetite, which has ballooned out of control in the last year.
She's been on Topomax since Friday, and so far her appetite is still extremely huge, and she's trying to sneak food from the cupboards. I don't know if the side effect of appetite loss happens over time, or if it usually hits someone right away if it's going to happen at all.
So far the only side effect has been fatigue, and that hit her a couple of hours after her first pill. I assumed the appetite loss would also be immediate, and now I'm worried that she could be one of the rare few that doesn't have that particular side effect from the medications. We already yanked Seroquel from her about six months ago, in hopes that it would stop her massive appetite and weight gain, but unfortunately it didn't do the trick. It's a shame too, because the Seroquel worked wonders on her manic episodes.
difficult child is a binge eater, and will hoard food and attempt to hide her over eating. We've been battling this problem with the help of her pediatrician, a dietician, her p-doctor, t-doctor, and school psychologiist, and we are all at a lost what to do next.
I've gotten to the point of hiding most of our food in a locked toolbox, and each night when the kids are asleep, I'll take out a few snacks and put them in individual baggies. I also keep fruit and veggies on hand when difficult child goes through one of her tirades, insisting that she's hungry, even after eating dinner and having a light snack an hour later. She can munch on lettuce, cucumbers, and baby carrots all she wants to, which she loves, but of course after a few bites, she goes into a rampage because she wants real food (sugary sweets and chips, in her eyes.)
The main problem is when difficult child to her friends' houses in the neighborhood, and she is given popsicles, candy, cookies, etc. I have spoken to a couple of the worst offenders in the area, and both of the moms agreed to lay off the snack hand outs. One mom even offered to get sugar free candy just for difficult child, but she has not kept her word. What's worse, the neighbors have a habit of giving ALL the kids outside extra snacks, so when difficult child sees everybody else getting food, she flips.
School and after school daycare is another battle. difficult child's Special Education (emotionally disturbed) class offers up little treats as rewards for good behavior. I have asked the teacher of the classroom to please lay off the candy, and suggested that he have stickers and little toys from the 99 cent store as rewards instead.
He promised to get rid of the candy bars (full size, none the less)because he agrees with me that all the kids should avoid the sugar, not just difficult child. 5 out of the 8 kids in her class are currently battling weight problems, including difficult child's best friend in her class.
This last Friday difficult child came home after having a HUGE rage in the classroom, because the other kids in her special day class were buying candy bars and cookies with their earned play money, but they would not let difficult child purchase any food. difficult child began to scream and break puzzles and books because she became so frustrated at seeing the other students buying treats while she was being told, "Your mom tells us you are not allowed to have candy, so we can't give you any. Sorry"
I am FURIOUS!! Her teacher did NOT keep his promise to me... :grrr: Of course difficult child flipped out, seeing everybody else in the class having candy but her! Other than her food related blow ups, difficult child is stable otherwise. Food seems to be her only trigger at the moment, *sigh*
I thought you couldn't even give out candy and cookies in schools anymore! My kids' daycare is just as bad. I've asked them to let difficult child have only one snack in the afternoon, but when she whines and cries and insists she's hungry, someone will eventually cave in. She also gets extra food from her friends at lunch and recess time.
I give up! At 9 and a half years old, difficult child weighs only 17 pounds less than me! She is already 95 pounds and clinically obese. She wears an adult size small because even a child's size extra large shirts are too tight to fit over her stomach. Sadly, some of my own clothes don't even fit difficult child because they are too tight. I may be a bit on the petite side, but my clothes should NOT be too small for a nine year old!
Forget about jeans. She cannot wear any of the cute little styles because they are waaaay too tight and waaaaay too long. difficult child is desperate to lose weight, but unable to control, or even explain, her binge eating.
She's always been very self conscious about her looks. Until a year and a half ago, she's always been very thin. This weight problem of hers suddenly came out of nowhere when she was 8. Her doctor runs blood tests every six months on her, and her thyroid levels, although very slightly on the low side, are fine.
Her therapist is at a loss. She doesn't have much experience in treating eating disorders in children. The dietician can't give me any more suggestions than she already has. Topomax was my last hope. Is there still a chance it could work? Anybody have any advice, experience, or any tidbits of info? Please, I'm desperate! :crying:
She's been on Topomax since Friday, and so far her appetite is still extremely huge, and she's trying to sneak food from the cupboards. I don't know if the side effect of appetite loss happens over time, or if it usually hits someone right away if it's going to happen at all.
So far the only side effect has been fatigue, and that hit her a couple of hours after her first pill. I assumed the appetite loss would also be immediate, and now I'm worried that she could be one of the rare few that doesn't have that particular side effect from the medications. We already yanked Seroquel from her about six months ago, in hopes that it would stop her massive appetite and weight gain, but unfortunately it didn't do the trick. It's a shame too, because the Seroquel worked wonders on her manic episodes.
difficult child is a binge eater, and will hoard food and attempt to hide her over eating. We've been battling this problem with the help of her pediatrician, a dietician, her p-doctor, t-doctor, and school psychologiist, and we are all at a lost what to do next.
I've gotten to the point of hiding most of our food in a locked toolbox, and each night when the kids are asleep, I'll take out a few snacks and put them in individual baggies. I also keep fruit and veggies on hand when difficult child goes through one of her tirades, insisting that she's hungry, even after eating dinner and having a light snack an hour later. She can munch on lettuce, cucumbers, and baby carrots all she wants to, which she loves, but of course after a few bites, she goes into a rampage because she wants real food (sugary sweets and chips, in her eyes.)
The main problem is when difficult child to her friends' houses in the neighborhood, and she is given popsicles, candy, cookies, etc. I have spoken to a couple of the worst offenders in the area, and both of the moms agreed to lay off the snack hand outs. One mom even offered to get sugar free candy just for difficult child, but she has not kept her word. What's worse, the neighbors have a habit of giving ALL the kids outside extra snacks, so when difficult child sees everybody else getting food, she flips.
School and after school daycare is another battle. difficult child's Special Education (emotionally disturbed) class offers up little treats as rewards for good behavior. I have asked the teacher of the classroom to please lay off the candy, and suggested that he have stickers and little toys from the 99 cent store as rewards instead.
He promised to get rid of the candy bars (full size, none the less)because he agrees with me that all the kids should avoid the sugar, not just difficult child. 5 out of the 8 kids in her class are currently battling weight problems, including difficult child's best friend in her class.
This last Friday difficult child came home after having a HUGE rage in the classroom, because the other kids in her special day class were buying candy bars and cookies with their earned play money, but they would not let difficult child purchase any food. difficult child began to scream and break puzzles and books because she became so frustrated at seeing the other students buying treats while she was being told, "Your mom tells us you are not allowed to have candy, so we can't give you any. Sorry"
I am FURIOUS!! Her teacher did NOT keep his promise to me... :grrr: Of course difficult child flipped out, seeing everybody else in the class having candy but her! Other than her food related blow ups, difficult child is stable otherwise. Food seems to be her only trigger at the moment, *sigh*
I thought you couldn't even give out candy and cookies in schools anymore! My kids' daycare is just as bad. I've asked them to let difficult child have only one snack in the afternoon, but when she whines and cries and insists she's hungry, someone will eventually cave in. She also gets extra food from her friends at lunch and recess time.
I give up! At 9 and a half years old, difficult child weighs only 17 pounds less than me! She is already 95 pounds and clinically obese. She wears an adult size small because even a child's size extra large shirts are too tight to fit over her stomach. Sadly, some of my own clothes don't even fit difficult child because they are too tight. I may be a bit on the petite side, but my clothes should NOT be too small for a nine year old!
Forget about jeans. She cannot wear any of the cute little styles because they are waaaay too tight and waaaaay too long. difficult child is desperate to lose weight, but unable to control, or even explain, her binge eating.
She's always been very self conscious about her looks. Until a year and a half ago, she's always been very thin. This weight problem of hers suddenly came out of nowhere when she was 8. Her doctor runs blood tests every six months on her, and her thyroid levels, although very slightly on the low side, are fine.
Her therapist is at a loss. She doesn't have much experience in treating eating disorders in children. The dietician can't give me any more suggestions than she already has. Topomax was my last hope. Is there still a chance it could work? Anybody have any advice, experience, or any tidbits of info? Please, I'm desperate! :crying:
