Introduction...Mom of PDD/Bipolar Child...Need Support
Hello everyone,
Let me begin by introducing myself. I am a 43 year old mom of 4, with my youngest (7 yrs old) being dx with PDD/Asperger Syndrome at 5 and just last week as early onset bipolar, which unfortunately runs in my family.
My child has the sensory issues, social deficits, toe walking, obsessiveness with things being lined up, etc. that fits the PDD profile.
He has always been extremely difficult to handle, but the last six months or so, he has changed into a raging, violent wreck. There haven't been any changes in his life, so I know that's not the problem.
He rages many times a day over the most trivial things. He screams until the veins pop in his neck, he lashes out and hits me as hard as he can with a closed fist, he throws things at us and in order to destroy. He calls us all 'stupid, idiot, fat', says he hopes we die, that he's going to kill us, has tried to stab me with a pen, scissors etc., chased my older son with a hammer....the list goes on and on.
He's been on Risperidone since he was 5, with good results until recently.
He was just prescribed Lamictal to stablize his mood. He's now at 12.5 mg once a day, with it becoming twice a day next week. I pray to God, literally, that this helps bring my child out of this black hole. Has anyone had good results with this drug in a young child? I am aware of the risk of rash and am watching for any signs of it.
I am being treated for depression myself, due to this out of control situation and the grieving that I'm doing over the beautiful child I once had that no longer seems to exist. I cry every day and feel broken. What has happened to my family?
If someone could give me some hope, I would truly be grateful. I am lost and physically and mentally spent.
Sorry for the long post. I wish everyone well and will be checking in often.
Re: Introduction...Mom of PDD/Bipolar Child...Need Support
You poor thing having to go through this with such a young child!
You have come to the right place for advice though, there are many wonderful people on this board and also mom's whose children have BP, although I am not sure if anyone has a child so young with that diagnosis.
I just wanted to say hang in there, people will answer you with some great advice (My kids have SZ, which isn't quite the same, so I will leave it to the experts.)
Re: Introduction...Mom of PDD/Bipolar Child...Need Support
Hello J's Mom,
Welcome to the board. Things are a bit slow on weekends, but I wanted to welcome you and let you know that help is available for your son.
I don't believe there is a lot of research out there on the results of treating a young child with Lamictal. It is a truly magical drug for many, and I will keep my fingers crossed that it works well for your son and will bring your little boy back to you.
If you don't already have a copy of The Bipolar Child, I would suggest you get one. There is a lot of valuable information in there that will assist you as you move through the different stages of your child's growth.
I'm sure some of our moms will be chiming in soon to offer their experience and encouragement.
Hang in there. It is a rough road you travel, but there is hope for your son.
Re: Introduction...Mom of PDD/Bipolar Child...Need Support
Ohhh, I second that book recommendation! I checked it out of the school library on two separate occasions and both times, it helped me learn a bit more about it - the second time, I picked up on things I'd skimmed over before.
Anyway, I'm seventeen, dx'ed Bipolar when I was fifteen, but symptoms go back since I was ten, and before that, mild symptoms showed up (most likely cyclothymia). But, that's just a little background. I've been on Lamictal since I was 16, which I know isn't nearly as young as your son, but I know that it works really well for me. Good luck with it with your son and I hope it starts to calm him down.
Re: Introduction...Mom of PDD/Bipolar Child...Need Support
Hello J's Mom,
I am sorry you are having such a hard time with your son. As a mom I know how hard it is to watch your child suffer and to see how it is effecting the rest of your family.
My 13 year old son has been on Lamictal since Jan. He now takes 200mg at night and is doing well. He also takes a small dose of abilify in the morning. The lamictal has really helped to stabilize his moods and he is much happier now. It did take many months for us to reach a therapeutic dose with my son. We were reluctant to medicate him because of his age and then we changed pdocs in the middle of increasing him so we were on hold for a while. One thing we did see with my son was that when we were beginning to get him near his therapeutic dose he would do well for a week or two then regress again. Once we got him to 200mg this did not happen. So my advice is to hang in there because it may take awhile to see improvement with the lamictal.
Keep us posted. I am hoping for better days for you and your family.
Re: Introduction...Mom of PDD/Bipolar Child...Need Support
Hi, I am new to this as well and I need to talk to someone. My 13 year old son has been diagnosed with many things over the years, everything from ADHD, Bipolar, OCD, ODD, with last year being diagnosed with bipolar. He has been a difficult child since he was about 2 and over the years has gotten worse. He has been hospitalized numerous times over all of these years, the first time when he was 7 and 5 times in the last year alone. He is currently taking depakote, abilify, zoloft, clonidine to help him sleep and the Daytrana patch for his adhd. I often wonder what the long term effects could be with all of the meds and what exactly they are doing for my son, because he is still so clearly out of control. Our lives are so dysfunctional and I also worry about the effects on my other children as well. I definitely feel as though I have gone through my own bouts of depression because of it too. My son has been a guinea pig for so many years, but the one thing that we haven't tried is Lamictal. I am tired of feeling so helpless. I am sorry that this is so long but I just want to have someone else to talk to. I have dealt with this alone all of these years.
Re: Introduction...Mom of PDD/Bipolar Child...Need Support
Dear Debbie,
I'm sorry you have had such a rough time with your son. It certainly sounds like he has not yet found the right balance.
Although I have never been there with my son, one of the things I investigated early on is the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorder Clinic. They have an adolescent section and offer a one-day evaluation. It seems to me that you might need to get new eyes on your son and determine exactly what you are dealing with. I have always been impressed by Hopkins because they are specializing in Mood Disorders and, if nothing else, should be able to give a good evaluation.
One of the other mothers on the board, Goody2shuz, had a good experience with the Amen Clinic as well. If you check her posts, you can find alot of information about that experience there.
You then may want to consider talking to a pharmacologist. In today's world, the pharmacologists can often give even better recommendations than some psychiatrists because they really deal with the science of the drugs and how they interact. It sounds like your son is on alot and, since they don't really seem to be helping, it might be time for a fresh look.
Keep posting. There are several mothers on this board and you'll find a lot of support. When you have new questions, you should open a new thread to encourage more participation.
(My kids have SZ, which isn't quite the same, so I will leave it to the experts.)
