UPDATE on my 10 yr old son

[AK0603]

Well after meeting with his psychiatrist yesterday, he explained to her that he wanted to die, etc...she admitted him into inpatient phyc hospital, I just got a call from his dr. in there. I was told she doesn't feel he has ADHD, she feels the depression is secondary from the anger/rage/post traumatic stress disorder from the sex abuse. This is shocking to me because I thought he had dealt with that well. But she explained, how he dealt at 6 yo and how he is redealing now at 10 yo is different, and he again will deal different at 14 yo.

She feels he "could be" bipolar, but is DXing him with mood disorder. She wants him to stop strattera, and wean off abilify and start Risperdal ( I think that is what she said, I didn't write it down, but she's calling back in an hour) She also said she may wean him off the Zoloft, but wants to see how he does off the first 2 drugs first.

I'm just so scared, but I agree with- the hospital dr. I don't feel he really has ADHD, I think that it was easy to say he has that instead of the other things, the mood disorders, and finding out what that consists of.

 

[tiredmommy]

I'm sorry he had to be admitted, but it may very well be for the best. Hopefully the doctors will get a handle on you son and effective can begin. Try to use this time to take care of yourself and reconnect/reassure the other children. {{{Hugs}}}

 

[houseofcards]

Wow, alot has happened...It sounds like it is for the best and hopefully he will get the right diagnosis and medications. Try to take care of yourself during this stressful time, you are doing all you can to help your son..take care.

 

[Sara PA]

Don't expect miracles because drugs are being removed. Things can be a bit rocky for a while. Give it time. I hope they are weaning off Strattera and stopping the Abilify if they are going to replace it with Risperdal. Antidepressants should always be weaned. So should just about anything our kids are taking, for that matter.

 

[Lori4ever]

It is hard, but now he will get the answers needed to best help him. They can also monitor the medications better that way. I hope he is better soon.

 

[AK0603]

"Don't expect miracles because drugs are being removed. Things can be a bit rocky for a while. Give it time. I hope they are weaning off Strattera and stopping the Abilify if they are going to replace it with Risperdal. Antidepressants should always be weaned. So should just about anything our kids are taking, for that matter."

The dr. there said he was going to be weaned off the abilify starting tonight, cutting the pill in half, but that the strattera could be stopped immediatly. IF the zoloft would be stopped they would wean that as well.

I don't expect anything, I'm kinda numb right now, scared too. I don't know what to expect, but I do think they are getting to more of the "root" anger issues instead of just the stuff that is on the top, if that makes sense.

We have our first family counseling session tomorrow at 4 pm.

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

I know how scary it is when your child is admitted to a psychiatric hospital. I know this won't help you much, but even though I felt like my world was shattered when difficult child 1 was admitted, looking back, it was for the best. Life had gotten unbearable with him at home. Something had to change - we just couldn't keep going the way we were...

When he was discharged, he was put on trileptal. This drug has been a nothing short of a miracle for him and us too!!! Without the trileptal, his moods were all over the place - giddy, childish, one minute and the next, in a full blown rage... It was H-ll!!!

Now, a little over a year later, I'm very grateful for his hospital stay. While he still continues to make poor choices, lie constantly, etc.., etc.., we haven't seen a full blown rage in a long time. The closest he came is when he had to go to counseling last week, but he managed to stop himself with a bit of incentive from me ( no computer time if he continued). Prior to the trileptal, if he was told no, or that he couldn't have something he wanted, he always had a total melt-down that could last for hours on end...

Hang in there!!! The right help is the best possible outcome. I hope this makes sense.

Also, please take care of yourself. This is going to sound strange, but try to relax a bit while he is receiving the care that he needs. I didn't do this. I really wish I had. In fact, I felt guilty that I was glad he was out of the house! I should have allowed myself to rest and realize that my feelings were probably normal.

I'm thinking of you and sending many hugs your way. WFEN

 

[BusynMember]

Bipolar isn't diagnosed in kids because it isn't in the DSM for kids yet (it will be). The only way to get insurance to cover it is to call it Mood Disorder not otherwise specified, or so I was told by my son's psychiatrist. If your son has any sort of mood disorder, I'd be really leery of keeping him on the Zoloft. Not only can it make moods a lot worse, but it is a real pain to wean off of. The kids often seem MUCH WORSE at first, while their body chemistry is still messed up. It can take a few months for people coming off SSRIs to go back to normal. I recall I felt like strangling somebody!!!! Risperdal is good, maybe he'll add a mood stabilizer too. Good luck.