I’m at my wits end | ADHD Information
Janna- Hehehehe, well, I do not know much about yours, but mine are quite the handfull! I see on your signiture line that your Dylan has a lot of the same issues as mine(without the pdd) and my brendan has develpmental issues which make life fun. [QUOTE=OlderMom]On the right meds, bipolar behavior can improve and the ODD can even go away. [/QUOTE]
As has been the case with Dylan.
Amazingly, I have no ODD problems out of him anymore 
. Go figure. And with the atypical antispyschotic (Abilify, 10 mg), he is no longer ADHD.
The right meds can make a really huge improvement to Bipolar kids, you're so right, as usual, OlderMom 
Lionessof2~ Have you tried going to www.bpkids.org like oldermom suggested? I am there every day and it is a huge help! I can usually find people in the chat room in the evenings and it really helps keep the sanity and blow steam if you need to.
Janna~ I had to say something, I notice you have a Dylan and a Brandon. My two boys are Dylan and Brendan!
[QUOTE=momoftwoboyz]
Janna~ I had to say something, I notice you have a Dylan and a Brandon. My two boys are Dylan and Brendan! [/QUOTE]
Very cool, mom Knowing how MY Dylan and Brandon are, hope they're not anything like yours 
If so, big, huge {{{HUGS}}}
Janna
Most likely the bipolar is your biggest challenge. I can offer you a few sites that focus on that. The ADHD, imo, is a minor issue with such a big diagnosis. I have bipolar and probably ADHD too, but the bipolar is what has really messed with my life and had made it very hard for me to comply as a child. Trust me, ADHD meds make bipolar worse, even with co-morbid ADHD. The first site I post is the gold star of juvenile bipolar sites on the internet. Although there is a .00 fee to join, if you can't afford it you can get a waiver to join. If you can afford the .00, it's well worth it. Many of the parents have kids with co-morbid ADHD too so you aren't alone. ODD is just part and parcel with bipolar. Never heard of a bipolar kid who was able to comply without good meds. On the right meds, bipolar behavior can improve and the ODD can even go away. The Conduct DIsorder site I post is excellent too (and free). Lots of bipolar/ADHD/ODD kids there as well as everything else. THese are seasoned, older, experienced parents with a lot of knowledge and experience to share.
IMO, you'll get better information on those sites. There are a few people here who have co-morbid bipolar dx. I'll warrant you'll have good/bad days with a bipolar child until he is stable on a mood stabilizer and usually an antipsychotic is needed along with it. If your child is on ADHD meds--that is probably complicating things. The gifted part is probably a non-issue. My sister's twins are both very gifted, straight A's, etc. but they have no behavior problems. If you are gifted and acting out enough to need TSS, it's probably not the giftedness causing the trouble. in fact a very bright child may be able to understand his disabilities and perhaps compensate better. Use that brain to help! Here are the five mood stabilizers that work well for bipolar, both in kids and adults--Lithium (gold standard), Depakote, Trileptal, Tegretal and Lamical. Antipsychotics, often used as add-ons are Risperdal, Zyprexa, Abilify, Seroquel and Geodon. Alone, antipsychotics tend to only work short term. Any stims or antidepressants work against the meds. good luck!
OlderMom38800.3615162037Welcome!
Can you give any more info? like what meds and the dosages and how long he's been on them? what kind of dr he sees?
Hi!
My 9 year old in 3rd grade is also Bipolar and has an ADHD dx on him as well.
Is he being medicated? ADHD medications - stimulants - can really make a child with Bipolar worse, as has been the case with my son. He's been on Ritalyn, Concerta, Metadate, and several others. They all triggered mania in him, and didn't help.
Where you have both of the dx's with your son, I would suggest considering a mood stabilizer first (Lithium, Depakote, Lamictal) to calm the Bipolar (especially if your child is raging), then work on the attention and hyperactivity afterward. IMHO, your best bet is to treat the Bipolar first.
I would also suggest if he is "gifted" you have him tested in school, and possibly put into the appropriate classroom, if he already isn't in that. What was his IQ score?
It's hard, I've been there - Bipolar children that are not appropriately medicated are very difficult to deal with. Just remember, it's not his fault. The pdoc explained to me and my boyfriend - "imagine getting a 1,000 volt jolt into your arm once a day" - that's how Bipolar kids can be. It's uncontrollable.
(((hugs)))
I am a mother of 2 boys and my oldest is ADHD/Bi-polar/Gifted/ODD - boy what a combination
. He is my biggest challenge in life right now. He as been ADHD since he was 3 and it has been a rocky road since then. If anyone out there has any information, I would greatly appreciate it. I don't know where to turn or what to do. Things seem to be getting worse with each and every day that goes by. He got in trouble at school this week and he told his TSS that he decided the night before that he was going to have a bad day and that's exactly what happen the next day. He is one step away from getting in school suspension and he's only in 3rd grade. He is very smart (diagnosised as also gifted) and he doesn't care anymore about school. I am ready to run out in front of a truck because I don't know what to do or where to turn for help anymore.