tough times | ADHD Information

thank you all I really hope today is better He is seeing a neurologist for his meds he was seeing a psy but she retired after only 2months of treatment and 8months of us waiting to see her on a list. he is on another med a antiseizure lamictal. the psy prescribed them and then the neurologist is following the meds for now.I have not heard the term comorbid but i will research it today I have a lot of phone calls to make! thank you all so much once again

 

Comorbid means "occuring with".  It simply means s/he has more than one condition going on and they are not really related, they are just happening at the same time.  An example would be, "A child with ADHD may also have one or more comorbid conditions such as ODD, Bipolar, Anxiety, etc."  None of those other conditions are directly related to the ADHD, but they are sometimes present, along with ADHD.

{{{Hugs to you}}} You sound like you're a woman on the edge. Please get some help for yourself first. I'm glad to see you are having a better day today.    Thank you all so much I have researched and researched today. It is just so hard when you get appointments that could take up to a year to be seen. I did print off a list of information on diets so I am ging to try harder on that aspect. I really do appreciate all of your help. I do feel alone and it is wonderful that i have found this site. thank you and you all helped me get over the "bad" day. I have to remember I am his strength and when I am weak it doesn't benefit any of us.

Here's a big hug for you ((((((jgdry))))) You don't think there's anyway that you could get your son in sooner? I've found that if you ask the office if you can speak to a nurse and discuss what is going on maybe the nurse could push for you to get an earlier appointment based on your discussion with her/him.

 

 

I have nothing profound to say as I"m new to the board but what concerns me is that you say your son was "standing over you with a hammer."

I know first hand how long it takes to get appts.  Seeing that your husband's job takes him away a lot, are you safe?  I would think that you need to make sure your son is safe and you are safe first and foremost.

Our psycholgist has told us that if my son is acting in a way that could hurt himself, we must take him to the emergency room ASAP. 

If I noticed my son with a strange look and with a weapon standing over me, I'd call 911 immediately.

Also, I'd call the Dr. that prescribed the meds and would explain the behavior and call it in as an emergency.  I have found that sometimes you have to be firm and desperate to get action.

What would have happened if you didn't wake up in time to see him holding the hammer? 

Sorry to sound harsh but my husband has warned me that if my son ever did anything to hurt me, that was what I was supposed to do.  So far my son has only threatened to hurt himself but he has given me "those looks."

((hugs)) good luck.

 

 

 

robynnw, that is a great idea, I wish I had thought to do that when I was waiting the 3 months to get in with my DS.

You might also try a childrens or research hospital in the area.  IMHO, it sounds like he needs to be reevaulated, the behavior you're describing just does not sound like pure ADHD to me, but rather ADHD with a comorbid or something else altogether.  ADHD is one of those amophous disorders that can mask/mimic other disorders so that if you miss a symtom, you wind up with ADHD instead of say, Bipolar, and you waste time treating the wrong thing with a medication that could even make the actual disorder even worse.

Were it me, I would get an appointment on the books for a reeval with a neuropsych, and while I was waiting, I would try a different med or 3, maybe something not a stim, like tenex or wellbutrin, both of which are antidepressants that are prescribed off label for ADHD (not strattera though because I have personally encountered the agression side effect from my DS who had comorbid depression and it was distinctly unpleasant).

Here's hoping things really turn around for your family.  :)

Do you have a Crisis Center near you?  Where we live if you take the child to the ER they have a Crisis Center with 24 psychiatry on call.  Make sure you know how to get ahold of these people in the event of another situation like this.

We had fear that our son might hurt us, so we took him to a hospital for evaluation, then furthered it with psychologist and pshychiatrist.  I don't think the medicine is right if your son was holding a hammer above you.  They might want to change the medicine all together.  My son was on Ritilan and he was worse than what he was.  It was scary. They changed it and he is much, much better.

You have my sympathy.  I sit and cry a lot.  At work I go to the bathroom and cry.

zgdry -

I can relate to many of your feelings and would strongly recommend seeing his doctor about different meds altogether or checking co-morbid conditions. Does this happen mostly in evenings or anytime? My son (ADHD/ODD) was also on Concerta (26mg) and after about a year, he got more out of control (mostly in the evenings) - threatening me, himself, his little brother...he'd go into extreme tantrums where he was totally impulsive and thought nothing about what he was doing, 8 different moods in 5 minutes. There were a few times I was scared for myself as well as him - even went so far as to hide all meds, knives, etc. I literally thought my son was a psychiatric mess during these episodes. I was in tears daily, felt lost, helpless and begged for help from his doctor. We ended up taking him to a behavioral therapist which did little. Finally, we changed meds last November to Daytrana and added Clonidine at night to aid sleeping. He still has little tantrums every now and then, but WOW, what a difference the med change made in his overall attitude. The meds are distributed more evenly so it doesn't seem to have such an impact on his body as it wears off. Making sure he gets enough sleep also helps alot.

It can be a tough road finding the right med/diagnosis - just know that others have/are going through it also and this board is a great way to get ideas and support!

Our son has only had two pills of Adderall and is hyper and aggitated.  Somethings not right.  He even woke me up last night at 2 am wanting juice and watch tv.  He had been sleeping thru the night.  15mg of it he took in am.  Today I didn't give it him.  I had called his psychiatrist yesterday and she was short and rude to me.  She said he is just "aggitated".   Cut it in half.   IT IS A CAPSULE and Extended Release!  She was found thru a hospital I thought was good.  I am frustrated big time.    Ryans teacher just emailed me and said he won't listen and is not doing as I ask in last couple days more so and makes noises and nonstop talking.  There is also atrial fib his dad has and heart disease on his side.  I am afraid the stimulants are going to make his heart go into A fib.   So, I gave him 1/2 tsp. Clonidine, 125 Depakote and .50 of Risperdal and see how his day is.  Yesterday afternoon it was bad.  He just was from one thing to the next and whining and crying and frustrated and could seem to play.  I gave him his clonidine, risperdal and depakote and he calmed down and went to bed soon after.  I feel so sorry for the child.  I just couldn't give him that Adderall.  I explained that I just have a feeling that this is wrong for him.  So he okayed it and said lets find another doctor quickly.   Just pray i am doing right!

 

We have been to an emergency room before a few times actually with ryan and have seen the psychologist.  They see a "behavioral disorder" and "hyper activity" ADHD.  Or is it ADHD.   His step-sister has a mood disorder.  She is Bipolar and ADHD.  She is real moody.  And Ryan is relatively a happy child.  His older step sister is very anxiety ridden but won't get help at 23 years of age.  She just says "every body" has something.  She justs turns to alcohol and smoking stuff she should be.

 

 

Dear jgdry,

If your child's behavior has changed so markedly from the symptoms of ADHD to "almost" violent or impulsive behavior, I would take your child to the doctor immediately. It is possible that his diagnosis id more complex and he may need different medication to treat the impulsive behavior. Pediatric neurologists are the best speciality to take him/her to in order to obtain the best treatment. The good news is that many of the symptoms of ADHD calm down as children mature.

We have an appointment a a children's hospital with a neurologist but it is May.  Not like next week, but in May.  They said they would call if they have any cancellations. 

Talked to our son's psychiatrist's assistant and told her I am NOT giving ryan any more adderall it made him worse with only taking two pills.  Just like when they tried Ritilan.  He was more aggitated, agressive and impulsive and wouldn't stop talking and most things didn't make sense he said.  Of course, the psychiatrist is not in today.  She was just off for two weeks..................

So we are looking for a new one today.  A lot of times there are long waits.

 

All of this waitng to see doctors gets me crazy. Where do you live? Maybe I have a contact to whom I could send you, I don't know, but I can try. Sometimes you can go to see a teaching fellow in amedical school setting who has actually been traing for many years a knows all of the new information about medication.

We try to go to Children's Hopital downtown St. Louis MO

 

Thanks for the support.

The hyper/impulsive/hitting/not thinking before acting/whining/crying/stomping -- he sometimes starts hitting himself in the head with his hand or just clap and clap his hands/ -- lets put it this way, last weekend when we sitting in the SUV he was behind me with no shoes on and we were waiting for dad to come back out of a store he said "i tickle your neck with his feet".  It was okay he wasn't doing anything wrong.  Then just out of the blue, he kicks me in my neck on my spine and laughs -- then before I could turn around because it startled me he started singing "i love you, i'm going to hurt you", then kicked real quick and got me in my shoulder.  It was kinda of hard to time him out in the truck.  He laughed and I was crying.  So I tried to talk to him about how wrong that was.  He had not had any clonidine or risperdal or depakote for many hours so something kicked in.  I told dad and he told him not to touch me and he was going directly to bed when we got home after he took his night time meds.  That kind of stuff is "all of a sudden"  anytime, anywhere, at school, has beatup the bus driver's aide.  After he is done with the fit he is totally wornout and goes into another world - tired.  Then later says -- sorry mom, don't know why I do it -- i love you -- of course I just cryyyyyyyyyy. My husband goes biking, rock climbing instead of crying or we all ride our bikes together to release frustration.  Our son has had 1st steps at early age, went to Rankin/Jordan for all therapies for 18 sessions and has several hours a week with his I.E.P. at school for therapies also.   I can't get any answers out of the little guy except he loves us and I don't know why i do what I do.

 

I am not sure if your child is too young, but find the book, on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, "Sometimes I Feel Like I Don't Have Any Friends (But Not Much Anymore) by Tracy Zimmerman and Lawrence E. Shapiro. You might have to read and explain it a few times,but it may help.

thanks

 

I have a 9 yr old son and we have tried almost everything from medications to counseling to neurologists to any other professional. His father is in and out of our lives due to his job and it seems to effect him more when he is away. I don't know if something triggers him or if the medication simply stops working. He is on concerta 36mg and we are about to increase it tomorrow to 54mg. I worry so much and am in tears half the time. Tonight he had a look in his eyes that was not my son. The last time I saw that he was standing above me with a hammer while I was sleeping. He becomes very violent and whines and cries I have no where to turn it seems and I just feel very alone and helpless. It seems we have our highs and our very lows. It is so difficult to try and deal with daily. if anyone has advice please please help

What kind of doc is managing the meds? It sounds like either the stimulant is not enough for the co-morbid condidtions.

It might be that he needs something to augment the concerta. Look at the Tenex threads for a start. Or it may take something more.

 Sending a much needed hug.

I agree with Vicke and the comorbid possibility. Most adhd'ers have something else going on in addition to. I just wonder if he could be bipolar and the medicine is not helping him but hurting him.

If you treat the adhd not the bipolar, the meds for adhd make the bipolar so much worse.

If that were to be the case, the bipolar needs to be treated then they can treat the adhd.

I would highly recommend another evaluation and discuss this with his prescribing the medication. I have no knowledge of oppositional defiance, but you want to have all things looked at for the sake of your son.

He is so young and I feel that once he receives the correct diagnosis and treatment, his and your lives will change for the better!

Have him reevalualted!!!

Beth

I don't have any profound advice to offer but was really touched by the desperate and sad tone of your post.

I just wanted to send you a little strength for today.

Be a squeaky wheel if your not getting youre doctors full cooperation.

ITS OK BY US  GO AHEAD    sssSQQQEEEEEEAAAKKK

Our son was diagnosed Bipolar too.  The anger stuff he doesn't know how to control when it hits he's too young.  Cost 4,000 for two week program where he was to learn how to control anger and not hit etc..  He doesn't retain that kind of infor like we do.

We took him camping this weekend.  Everyone loved him and he hugged and hugged everyone.  The only thing we saw is that he would "repeat" things over and over!   He had fun and barely had time for a fit. ha.  

I am sorry you are going through such a hard time with your son.  There is something else other than adhd and he needs to be seen asap before someone gets really hurt.  I am thinking bipolar, my ex husband was bipolar and I see the same behavior and then kind of a total turn around for a little while then back to the same thing.  I am following your story because my son is adhd and I see that evil eye at times and am worried I might be in the same boat with him.