Re:Thought I would introduce myself!

[Guest guest]

Chrissy,

Welcome, I am so glad you found this group. I remember when my son first

started having problems and I felt so alone in the world until I found this

group. That was almost 3 years ago now!!

Your son sounds a lot like mine when he was 6 (he is 8 now). He was very

angry all the time and we had a LOT of problems! I too felt like a failure

as a parent because I could not control my son. He was suspended more times

then I can count, and he was only in kindergarten! My daughter is also the

older one and she is a terrific kid. Never in trouble in school, always at

the top of her class, active in Girl Scouts (she just got her Bronze award

in June!)

Anyway, you can tell I related to your post!! <grin>

Today, we are in a much better place then we were two years ago! Our son

also ended up at a special ed school that has been a blessing to our family.

The teachers there are wonderful and they totally understand him. They have

helped him so much it is unbelievable.

Now, I have some questions to try and help you. You say your son is on a

lot of meds. Which ones? What are they for? We are down to only one

(Ritalin) to help him focus in school. We were able to eliminate all the

rest through diet changes. We follow the Feingold diet which eliminates all

artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. It has truly worked miracles,

especially with his anger. Most artificial ingredients are petroleum based

and those chemicals just wreaked havoc with his brain chemistry.

Also, is your son getting Occupational Therapy? That was another huge help

for us. Our son has sensory integration disfunction, so his sensory system

does not work right. OT has helped to straighten the pathways and get the

system to work correctly.

OK, that is enough for now. Good luck and welcome!!

Debi

[Guest guest]

Hi Debi,

Thanks for the welcome and the encourgement!

The medication he is taking is Depakote 500 mg (4 pills), zoloft

37.5 mg, Seroquel 125 mg (5 pills) and Melotonin as he refuses to

sleep at night. started having problems when he was about 4,

he had always been " different " from the moment he was born, never

slept, hit every milestone late. He wasn't potty trained until he

was almost 5 and still at 7 still has accidents almost daily. When

he was 4 I took him to an early intervention program here in Maine

and they to said he had Sensory Intergration and we instantly

started on the OT. That seemed to help but more with some of

the " annoying " behaviors, like clothes he wore, foods he never would

eat and now will, touching things, some of the hugging of strangers,

but not the licking. I want you all to imagine for a moment walking

through a mall and your 7 seven year old who is the size of a 10

year old walking up to a complete stranger and licking them. How

many times people have screamed at me. Anyways, from the moment

this all started I refused any meds for him, thinking he would

outgrow it, boy oh boy was I wrong! We also take him to Theraputic

horse back riding. I would really like to look into this diet, I

guess I havent tried it before, as bad as this sounds, I was always

just so busy working getting my bacheldor's degree and just being so

tired and drained from dealing with everything with ! That

makes me feel so horrible but I guess for a long time I was in

denial that anything was actually " wrong " with him. I will do a

little more reading about it, any recommendations for any great

sources? That's my other question does child with Aspergers

normally overeat or is that the medication? He is always hungry!

He out eats his father who is 6' 4 " and 250 lbs, we are grasping at

straws trying to cut back on his intake and he gets NO snacks

besides fruit veggies and the occasional low fat treat! He's 4' 4 "

and weighs 100 lbs! He will naturally be bigger as he takes after

his dad but I don't want to add being over weight to everything else!

Thanks

Chrissy

> Chrissy,

> Welcome, I am so glad you found this group. I remember when my

son first

> started having problems and I felt so alone in the world until I

found this

> group. That was almost 3 years ago now!!

>

> Your son sounds a lot like mine when he was 6 (he is 8 now). He

was very

> angry all the time and we had a LOT of problems! I too felt like

a failure

> as a parent because I could not control my son. He was suspended

more times

> then I can count, and he was only in kindergarten! My daughter is

also the

> older one and she is a terrific kid. Never in trouble in school,

always at

> the top of her class, active in Girl Scouts (she just got her

Bronze award

> in June!)

>

> Anyway, you can tell I related to your post!! <grin>

>

> Today, we are in a much better place then we were two years ago!

Our son

> also ended up at a special ed school that has been a blessing to

our family.

> The teachers there are wonderful and they totally understand him.

They have

> helped him so much it is unbelievable.

>

> Now, I have some questions to try and help you. You say your son

is on a

> lot of meds. Which ones? What are they for? We are down to only

one

> (Ritalin) to help him focus in school. We were able to eliminate

all the

> rest through diet changes. We follow the Feingold diet which

eliminates all

> artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. It has truly worked

miracles,

> especially with his anger. Most artificial ingredients are

petroleum based

> and those chemicals just wreaked havoc with his brain chemistry.

>

> Also, is your son getting Occupational Therapy? That was another

huge help

> for us. Our son has sensory integration disfunction, so his

sensory system

> does not work right. OT has helped to straighten the pathways and

get the

> system to work correctly.

>

> OK, that is enough for now. Good luck and welcome!!

>

> Debi

[Guest guest]

I'm always happy when I can share a personal experiencew instead of

an opionion. I am bi-polar and was prescribed Depakote (500mgx3)

for that condition. I can tell you, that in my case, that

medication gave me the most voracious apetite I had ever exepeienced

in my life!! I mean - imagine eating a full meal and 30 minutes

later you feel like you have been fasting all day. From what my

doctor told me, it was not an uncommon reaction.

Anyway, my doctor put my on a second anti-convulsant in addition to

the Depakote called Topamax. When I first started taking the

Topamax it balanced out the Depakote to the point where I had no

desire to eat.

Now that I have been on both meds for quite a while, I have a more

balanced appetite than before taking the two, my weight is more

stable than ever before in my life and I eat at a much slower pace

than I ever did before. I consider all of these good things since I

have always been overweight. I'm still overweight but, for the

first time in my life, at least I feel better about the way I'm

eating. That's kind of nice.

Anyway, on the specturm or not, I hope this may give you some

insight into what your child may be going through with the

medication.

Wishing you all the best,

Mike

" It's hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your head "

P.S. What's wrong with people can't they take a compliment? They

don't get so freaked when a dog shows them affection by licking them

LOL!

> > Chrissy,

> > Welcome, I am so glad you found this group. I remember when my

> son first

> > started having problems and I felt so alone in the world until I

> found this

> > group. That was almost 3 years ago now!!

> >

> > Your son sounds a lot like mine when he was 6 (he is 8 now). He

> was very

> > angry all the time and we had a LOT of problems! I too felt

like

> a failure

> > as a parent because I could not control my son. He was

suspended

> more times

> > then I can count, and he was only in kindergarten! My daughter

is

> also the

> > older one and she is a terrific kid. Never in trouble in

school,

> always at

> > the top of her class, active in Girl Scouts (she just got her

> Bronze award

> > in June!)

> >

> > Anyway, you can tell I related to your post!! <grin>

> >

> > Today, we are in a much better place then we were two years

ago!

> Our son

> > also ended up at a special ed school that has been a blessing to

> our family.

> > The teachers there are wonderful and they totally understand

him.

> They have

> > helped him so much it is unbelievable.

> >

> > Now, I have some questions to try and help you. You say your

son

> is on a

> > lot of meds. Which ones? What are they for? We are down to

only

> one

> > (Ritalin) to help him focus in school. We were able to

eliminate

> all the

> > rest through diet changes. We follow the Feingold diet which

> eliminates all

> > artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. It has truly

worked

> miracles,

> > especially with his anger. Most artificial ingredients are

> petroleum based

> > and those chemicals just wreaked havoc with his brain chemistry.

> >

> > Also, is your son getting Occupational Therapy? That was

another

> huge help

> > for us. Our son has sensory integration disfunction, so his

> sensory system

> > does not work right. OT has helped to straighten the pathways

and

> get the

> > system to work correctly.

> >

> > OK, that is enough for now. Good luck and welcome!!

> >

> > Debi

[Guest guest]

Hi Chrissy,

I know how hard it is to figure out what drugs work and what ones don't. I think this has been as hard for me to deal with as anything else has. It is just too bad they don't work how they are supposed to in every person, but they just don't. Once they gave Marty a drug when he was in the hospital years ago, was in there to try and find something to control his seizures. And what they gave him was supposed to calm him down, and after he took it he was literally jumping out of his bed and all over the room. We had to restrain him till it wore off, live and learn.

Yes, it is sad the way Marty has to eat now. At first I felt so guilty having something to eat in front of him. I had to hide it but even at that he could smell it. He has always loved pizza and spaghetti and things like that. Sometimes I do give him yogurt or pudding or something, but he tends to choke and cough for a long time. Got aspiration pneumonia once and that wasn't good. At this point I don't know if he chokes because he is so excited about getting food in his mouth, or can't swallow. Sigh. It is always one thing against another.

I hate it when they get violent. Marty had years of that too, and I have scars on my arms and even on my face. I was looking at it yesterday right on my eye brow, he was sitting beside me one day and banged me with a water glass he was holding. Owee! I just taped it up and it lift quite a scar. Got them on my arms where he has scratched me and bit me. I was sure glad when he quit doing that, but it didn't come from any drugs, just prayer. I have prayed a LOT over the years for Marty, and for myself too, and God has heard us and He has helped us or I don't think we would even be here.

I was driving down to church this morning feeling kind of down, just tired I think, and the sermon was about "People Who Grow in Maturity," and then coming home another preacher was preaching on my car radio that "When you are weak you are strong," so that hit home. I have learned how to rely on God for my strength, don't have much of my own that is for sure, and I do believe that there is a purpose in all of this trial we have had, that it is not in vain.

Love,

Carolyn

Re:Thought I would introduce myself!

Hi Carolyn,Thanks for the hello and encouragement.The Depakote, he has only been on for about 3 weeks, I think his overeating started with a trial of Respideral and clonidine. (not sure on the spellings) But those meds made him eat uncontrollably and sleep non-stop, so they then gave him the seroquel. The doctor doesn't really "push" the meds but when I say no or stop a med he becomes extremly violent and I am scared to death he will hurt someone or himself. So basically I break and give in. The zoloft is the only thing that I have noticed any real difference with. That was the first thing we ever gave him about 18 months ago. The anxiety was out of control and that seemed to instantly calm him to where he could at least listen to a sentence. Then for about the last 6 months it has been one trial of meds after another, this combination seems to be the most successful for the violent behavior, but I hate him taking so much!I have to say reading about Marty has truely given me an eye opening, it has given me the strength to know the future is not so dim and that even right now things could be so much worse. I can only imagine how hard it was for you and your family as I am sure things have advanced so much in the last 40 years. It's sad for me to think what Marty goes through everyday just to eat. I guess I always took for granted that my children would always be happy, healthy and these problem were not something I would have to face. I don't mean that to sound selfish in any way, but I was very uneducated on the subject and it just always felt distant. Until was 2 I worked for Social Security and would hear claims for disabled children and I would always think "maybe it was something the mother did" Now I think dear god help these mothers. Finding the school is in, was the best thing in this world for him, he had been kicked out of every dacare, preschool and kindergaten class he was ever in. I always told him that there was a place for him and it was my job to find it. Finally I did, that alone I think has helped to improve him the most. He never felt safe or wanted unless he was at home, now he wants to try to go places like the beach, movies, parks when before he would just cry and want to stay at home.Thanks again,Chrissy > > Chrissy,> > Welcome, I am so glad you found this group. I remember> when my> son first> > started having problems and I felt so alone in the world> until I> found this> > group. That was almost 3 years ago now!!> >> > Your son sounds a lot like mine when he was 6 (he is 8> now). He> was very> > angry all the time and we had a LOT of problems! I too> felt like> a failure> > as a parent because I could not control my son. He was> suspended> more times> > then I can count, and he was only in kindergarten! My> daughter is> also the> > older one and she is a terrific kid. Never in trouble in> school,> always at> > the top of her class, active in Girl Scouts (she just got> her> Bronze award> > in June!)> >> > Anyway, you can tell I related to your post!! <grin>> >> > Today, we are in a much better place then we were two> years ago!> Our son> > also ended up at a special ed school that has been a> blessing to> our family.> > The teachers there are wonderful and they totally> understand him.> They have> > helped him so much it is unbelievable.> >> > Now, I have some questions to try and help you. You say> your son> is on a> > lot of meds. Which ones? What are they for? We are down> to only> one> > (Ritalin) to help him focus in school. We were able to> eliminate> all the> > rest through diet changes. We follow the Feingold diet> which> eliminates all> > artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. It has> truly worked> miracles,> > especially with his anger. Most artificial ingredients> are> petroleum based> > and those chemicals just wreaked havoc with his brain> chemistry.> >> > Also, is your son getting Occupational Therapy? That was> another> huge help> > for us. Our son has sensory integration disfunction, so> his> sensory system> > does not work right. OT has helped to straighten the> pathways and> get the> > system to work correctly.> >> > OK, that is enough for now. Good luck and welcome!!> >> > Debi> > >

[Guest guest]

Crissy, That school sounds like a life saver. I can only imagine how emotionally draining it must be for him to be kicked out repeatedly, even if he didn't know that happened. It is just a change in routine over and over not to mention kids are smart enough to realize that they aren't accepted! Is he on summer break now??

csaragusa wrote:Finding the school is in, was the best thing in this world for him, he had been kicked out of every dacare, preschool and kindergaten class he was ever in. I always told him that there was a place for him and it was my job to find it. Finally I did, that alone I think has helped to improve him the most. He never felt safe or wanted unless he was at home, now he wants to try to go places like the beach, movies, parks when before he would just cry and want to stay at home.Thanks again,Chrissy > > Chrissy,> > Welcome, I am so glad you found this group. I remember> when my> son first> > started having problems and I felt so alone in the world> until I> found this> > group. That was almost 3 years ago now!!> >> > Your son sounds a lot like mine when he was 6 (he is 8> now). He> was very> > angry all the time and we had a LOT of problems! I too> felt like> a failure> > as a parent because I could not control my son. He was> suspended> more times> > then I can count, and he was only in kindergarten! My> daughter is> also the> > older one and she is a terrific kid. Never in trouble in> school,> always at> > the top of her class, active in Girl Scouts (she just got>

her> Bronze award> > in June!)> >> > Anyway, you can tell I related to your post!! <grin>> >> > Today, we are in a much better place then we were two> years ago!> Our son> > also ended up at a special ed school that has been a> blessing to> our family.> > The teachers there are wonderful and they totally> understand him.> They have> > helped him so much it is unbelievable.> >> > Now, I have some questions to try and help you. You say> your son> is on a> > lot of meds. Which ones? What are they for? We are down> to only> one> > (Ritalin) to help him focus in school. We were able to> eliminate> all the> > rest through diet changes. We follow the Feingold diet> which> eliminates all> > artificial

colors, flavors and preservatives. It has> truly worked> miracles,> > especially with his anger. Most artificial ingredients> are> petroleum based> > and those chemicals just wreaked havoc with his brain> chemistry.> >> > Also, is your son getting Occupational Therapy? That was> another> huge help> > for us. Our son has sensory integration disfunction, so> his> sensory system> > does not work right. OT has helped to straighten the> pathways and> get the> > system to work correctly.> >> > OK, that is enough for now. Good luck and welcome!!> >> > Debi> > >

[Guest guest]

Chrissy,

My daughter takes Risperdal and she gained a lot of weight in a

short time on it. She was constantly eating like she couldn't get

enough. Her doctor told me that Risperdal blocks the receptor in the

brain that allows her to know when she feels full. So, she couldn't

help it.

I'm guessing that other meds might have that same side effect. Kimmy

has now stabalized her eating and is back to her ideal weight.

Take care.

Ginnene

> Hi Carolyn,

> Thanks for the hello and encouragement.

> The Depakote, he has only been on for about 3 weeks, I think his

> overeating started with a trial of Respideral and clonidine. (not

> sure on the spellings) But those meds made him eat uncontrollably

> and sleep non-stop, so they then gave him the seroquel. The

doctor

> doesn't really " push " the meds but when I say no or stop a med he

> becomes extremly violent and I am scared to death he will hurt

> someone or himself. So basically I break and give in. The zoloft

> is the only thing that I have noticed any real difference with.

That

> was the first thing we ever gave him about 18 months ago. The

> anxiety was out of control and that seemed to instantly calm him

to

> where he could at least listen to a sentence. Then for about the

> last 6 months it has been one trial of meds after another, this

> combination seems to be the most successful for the violent

> behavior, but I hate him taking so much!

>

> I have to say reading about Marty has truely given me an eye

> opening, it has given me the strength to know the future is not so

> dim and that even right now things could be so much worse. I can

> only imagine how hard it was for you and your family as I am sure

> things have advanced so much in the last 40 years. It's sad for me

> to think what Marty goes through everyday just to eat. I guess I

> always took for granted that my children would always be happy,

> healthy and these problem were not something I would have to

face.

> I don't mean that to sound selfish in any way, but I was very

> uneducated on the subject and it just always felt distant. Until

> was 2 I worked for Social Security and would hear claims for

> disabled children and I would always think " maybe it was

something

> the mother did " Now I think dear god help these mothers.

>

> Finding the school is in, was the best thing in this world

for

> him, he had been kicked out of every dacare, preschool and

> kindergaten class he was ever in. I always told him that there

was

> a place for him and it was my job to find it. Finally I did, that

> alone I think has helped to improve him the most. He never felt

safe

> or wanted unless he was at home, now he wants to try to go places

> like the beach, movies, parks when before he would just cry and

want

> to stay at home.

>

> Thanks again,

> Chrissy

[Guest guest]

Hi Mike,

Thanks, beleive me that is helpful. Just today, he ate a huge

dinner then with in 45 minutes I found him in his bedroom sneaking

cupcakes. He told me he was just so hungry he couldn't help it. So

knowing that is helpful!

If you don't mind me asking, how old were you when you were

diagnosed? Child or adult? I'm asking because I really havent found

any good info that supports children with bipolar and just pray that

this is not a wrong. I hate to think of him being treated for

something that isn't there!

Anyway, I am glad to hear your own eating habits are where you now

want them to be I am sure that is probaly a really great feeling!

I'll tell you I never had a weight problem until I gained 76 lbs

while pregnault with , now I have joined Curves and though I

have lost no weight only inches it has made me feel great! So I

understand completely how you are feeling.

The best to you,

Thank you

Chrissy

> > > Chrissy,

> > > Welcome, I am so glad you found this group. I remember when

my

> > son first

> > > started having problems and I felt so alone in the world until

I

> > found this

> > > group. That was almost 3 years ago now!!

> > >

> > > Your son sounds a lot like mine when he was 6 (he is 8 now).

He

> > was very

> > > angry all the time and we had a LOT of problems! I too felt

> like

> > a failure

> > > as a parent because I could not control my son. He was

> suspended

> > more times

> > > then I can count, and he was only in kindergarten! My

daughter

> is

> > also the

> > > older one and she is a terrific kid. Never in trouble in

> school,

> > always at

> > > the top of her class, active in Girl Scouts (she just got her

> > Bronze award

> > > in June!)

> > >

> > > Anyway, you can tell I related to your post!! <grin>

> > >

> > > Today, we are in a much better place then we were two years

> ago!

> > Our son

> > > also ended up at a special ed school that has been a blessing

to

> > our family.

> > > The teachers there are wonderful and they totally understand

> him.

> > They have

> > > helped him so much it is unbelievable.

> > >

> > > Now, I have some questions to try and help you. You say your

> son

> > is on a

> > > lot of meds. Which ones? What are they for? We are down to

> only

> > one

> > > (Ritalin) to help him focus in school. We were able to

> eliminate

> > all the

> > > rest through diet changes. We follow the Feingold diet which

> > eliminates all

> > > artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. It has truly

> worked

> > miracles,

> > > especially with his anger. Most artificial ingredients are

> > petroleum based

> > > and those chemicals just wreaked havoc with his brain

chemistry.

> > >

> > > Also, is your son getting Occupational Therapy? That was

> another

> > huge help

> > > for us. Our son has sensory integration disfunction, so his

> > sensory system

> > > does not work right. OT has helped to straighten the pathways

> and

> > get the

> > > system to work correctly.

> > >

> > > OK, that is enough for now. Good luck and welcome!!

> > >

> > > Debi

[Guest guest]

Thanks Ginnene,

How long was your daughter on Risperdal before how appetite

stablized? tried that but man did he sleep, he would only be

awake about 4 hours a day and he was soooooooo quiet. It scared me

and his father so bad, that we wouldn't give him anything for a few

months. Isn't funny how some meds are heaven sent to some and

nightmares to others?

Thanks

Chrissy

> > Hi Carolyn,

> > Thanks for the hello and encouragement.

> > The Depakote, he has only been on for about 3 weeks, I think his

> > overeating started with a trial of Respideral and clonidine.

(not

> > sure on the spellings) But those meds made him eat

uncontrollably

> > and sleep non-stop, so they then gave him the seroquel. The

> doctor

> > doesn't really " push " the meds but when I say no or stop a med

he

> > becomes extremly violent and I am scared to death he will hurt

> > someone or himself. So basically I break and give in. The

zoloft

> > is the only thing that I have noticed any real difference with.

> That

> > was the first thing we ever gave him about 18 months ago. The

> > anxiety was out of control and that seemed to instantly calm him

> to

> > where he could at least listen to a sentence. Then for about

the

> > last 6 months it has been one trial of meds after another, this

> > combination seems to be the most successful for the violent

> > behavior, but I hate him taking so much!

> >

> > I have to say reading about Marty has truely given me an eye

> > opening, it has given me the strength to know the future is not

so

> > dim and that even right now things could be so much worse. I can

> > only imagine how hard it was for you and your family as I am

sure

> > things have advanced so much in the last 40 years. It's sad for

me

> > to think what Marty goes through everyday just to eat. I guess

I

> > always took for granted that my children would always be happy,

> > healthy and these problem were not something I would have to

> face.

> > I don't mean that to sound selfish in any way, but I was very

> > uneducated on the subject and it just always felt distant. Until

> > was 2 I worked for Social Security and would hear claims

for

> > disabled children and I would always think " maybe it was

> something

> > the mother did " Now I think dear god help these mothers.

> >

> > Finding the school is in, was the best thing in this world

> for

> > him, he had been kicked out of every dacare, preschool and

> > kindergaten class he was ever in. I always told him that there

> was

> > a place for him and it was my job to find it. Finally I did,

that

> > alone I think has helped to improve him the most. He never felt

> safe

> > or wanted unless he was at home, now he wants to try to go

places

> > like the beach, movies, parks when before he would just cry and

> want

> > to stay at home.

> >

> > Thanks again,

> > Chrissy