Hi...I have been on this road with my 15 year old daughter since she was your son's age. And I know it isn't an easy one.
First, BP is treatable, however it is not like a physical illness that one pill fixes all. There are many meds and the most difficult part of all of this is finding the right meds for your son. Each med has it's side effects but they should subside as the body gets use to them.
The doctors try Abilify first because if it works it often eliminates the need for other drugs. It works pretty rapidly in reducing the hypomania/mania which your son seems to be exhibiting. It also has a mood stabilixing effect so that is why alot of doctors choose to use this med.
My daughter is hypersensitive to meds and the Abilify didn't work out for her. It had too much of a sedative effect and caused twitching of the face and tongue within the first few weeks.
Discuss your concerns about the way in which this med is working for your son. The doctors will make any adjustments based upon your input as well as your son's. Like I said, it will take some time to find the right meds but you will have to give each one a fighting chance to see if once it levels off it does the trick.
Reassure your son, that you will work with him to find the right meds that won't make him feel like another person. Tell him that you know he doesn't want to feel angry and frustrated and that what he has been diagnosed with is a chemical imbalance of the brain and just like somebody who has diabetes has to take insulin, he is going to have to take meds to balance the chemicals in his brain or his condition will worsten and that you do not want that to happen. Tell him that this is not his fault...that the disorder is often genetic and out of his control. And give him hope that he will feel better once you find the right meds.
My daughter was hospitalized 4 times before being properly diagnosed. It took 2 suicide attempts and impulsive behaviors and the perscription of an antidepressant that triggered a mania that had her arrested before she was properly diagnosed.
I will share what the pyschiatrist told me when I was afraid to put her on these strong meds. She told me that and unmedicated person with Bipolar was in more danger than any med perscribed. And from doing my research and looking back on my daughter's life before she was medicated I see that what she said is true.
Educate yourself so that you can have the knowledge to help your son through this.
As far as other meds that help out with anger, frustration, irritability....Seroquel is a great one with very little side effects and works fast and with both mania and depression so if your doctor suggests that one I would highly recommend it.
My daughter is on Seroquel and Lamictal, both of which are wonderful meds with minmal side effects and are working out pretty well for us. We are having some increased frustration, impulsivity, and hypomania and see the pdoc today and expect to have some type of adjustment.
Hang in there....give your son hope and point out any improvements you see and promise him that you will make sure that you find the meds that will make him feel well and it will take time to do that but you need for him to be patient while you find them for him.
There are lots of other moms here who will be more than happy to hold your hand through this. You will grow stronger with the more you understand BP and see your son's improvement.
Oh....and most doctors will want to stabilize the BP before addressing the ADHD or OCD. My daughter was also diagnosed with ADHD and she is having symptoms of OCD as well which we are going to discuss with the pdoc this afternoon.
Please know that you are not alone. This is such a wonderful place, it has become my lifeline and I am sure you will find that too. So take my hand and know that you are not alone.
((((HUGS)))) ~ Goody
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