My daughter is 11 years old and just diagnoised with bipolar. She has been treated for ADHD for almost 4 years. I am hoping to learn as much as possible to help her she has been hospitalized 3 times. If any body has information to shareI am willing to learn
This is a good forum. You weren't specific as far as questions.
Honesty is very important. If she doesn't feel right, she needs to say so.
There are outward signs. For bp sufferers, it is important to eat right, sleep on a rigid schedule (don't sleep in on the weekends), and to avoid alcohol (that should be easy). I sleep in on the weekends, but know I shouldn't. So if she's up pacing all night, you know that's not good. After 3 nights of no sleep, hospitalization is likely imminent.
I use a therapist. I've found her to be extremely beneficial. The doctor doesn't spend a lot of time with you. My therapist helps me to have productive discussions with my doctor, she remembers what we discussed last time, she shares best practices of her other patients. Get one with BP patients.
Talking with the doctor, it's better to avoid clinical terms. Instead of "i'm depressed", better "have low energy, low motivation".
Go to some of her appointments and participate - you'll learn what it's about. At her age she probably wants to be independent.
The drugs are going to be a rollercoaster. There's no 1 pill. It takes some time to learn which drug or drug-combo works for you (rollercoaster). With ADHD also, it will probably exclude some drugs. You try a drug, wait 1-2 weeks before you know if it works. You can also take combinations of meds. You can check out drugs.com and zoom in on bipolar drugs, to familiarize yourself with the meds. They all have proported side affects, but most people don't experience them. Weight gain is a real side-effect. BP people should be very conscious about what they eat, or they'll gain 30 pounds like nothing. Keep conscious of your food intake when things were *normal*. And just stick to that regimen - no snacking on chips or junk food. Follow the meal plan.
I keep a journal. It's been real helpful, as I forget things. Please keep a log of meds taken, and if you stopped taking them, why. 10 years later, a doctor may push a drug on you that you reacted badly to in the past.
If you don't like your doctor, shop for a new one. If you have a good therapist, the doctor isn't the major player anyway.
I'm assuming she's not unipolar. Bipolar is depression on the left side and manic/psychotic on the right side. If you slip too far to one of these spectrums, you'll need to be hospitalized. However, you learn to judge that you're getting close, and you can always page your doctor for a med adjustment.
Meds are confusing. You can take an anti-psychotic in a low dose, and it acts as a mood stabalizer. It's hard to read the labels. Best to ask your doctor.
This is long - hope it helps - and that it wasn't too gloomy. It is manageable.
Chris
This is a good forum. You weren't specific as far as questions.
Honesty is very important. If she doesn't feel right, she needs to say so.
There are outward signs. For bp sufferers, it is important to eat right, sleep on a rigid schedule (don't sleep in on the weekends), and to avoid alcohol (that should be easy). I sleep in on the weekends, but know I shouldn't. So if she's up pacing all night, you know that's not good. After 3 nights of no sleep, hospitalization is likely imminent.
I use a therapist. I've found her to be extremely beneficial. The doctor doesn't spend a lot of time with you. My therapist helps me to have productive discussions with my doctor, she remembers what we discussed last time, she shares best practices of her other patients. Get one with BP patients.
Talking with the doctor, it's better to avoid clinical terms. Instead of "i'm depressed", better "have low energy, low motivation".
Go to some of her appointments and participate - you'll learn what it's about. At her age she probably wants to be independent.
The drugs are going to be a rollercoaster. There's no 1 pill. It takes some time to learn which drug or drug-combo works for you (rollercoaster). With ADHD also, it will probably exclude some drugs. You try a drug, wait 1-2 weeks before you know if it works. You can also take combinations of meds. You can check out drugs.com and zoom in on bipolar drugs, to familiarize yourself with the meds. They all have proported side affects, but most people don't experience them. Weight gain is a real side-effect. BP people should be very conscious about what they eat, or they'll gain 30 pounds like nothing. Keep conscious of your food intake when things were *normal*. And just stick to that regimen - no snacking on chips or junk food. Follow the meal plan.
I keep a journal. It's been real helpful, as I forget things. Please keep a log of meds taken, and if you stopped taking them, why. 10 years later, a doctor may push a drug on you that you reacted badly to in the past.
If you don't like your doctor, shop for a new one. If you have a good therapist, the doctor isn't the major player anyway.
I'm assuming she's not unipolar. Bipolar is depression on the left side and manic/psychotic on the right side. If you slip too far to one of these spectrums, you'll need to be hospitalized. However, you learn to judge that you're getting close, and you can always page your doctor for a med adjustment.
Meds are confusing. You can take an anti-psychotic in a low dose, and it acts as a mood stabalizer. It's hard to read the labels. Best to ask your doctor.
This is long - hope it helps - and that it wasn't too gloomy. It is manageable.
Chris
This is a good forum. You weren't specific as far as questions.
Honesty is very important. If she doesn't feel right, she needs to say so.
There are outward signs. For bp sufferers, it is important to eat right, sleep on a rigid schedule (don't sleep in on the weekends), and to avoid alcohol (that should be easy). I sleep in on the weekends, but know I shouldn't. So if she's up pacing all night, you know that's not good. After 3 nights of no sleep, hospitalization is likely imminent.
I use a therapist. I've found her to be extremely beneficial. The doctor doesn't spend a lot of time with you. My therapist helps me to have productive discussions with my doctor, she remembers what we discussed last time, she shares best practices of her other patients. Get one with BP patients.
Talking with the doctor, it's better to avoid clinical terms. Instead of "i'm depressed", better "have low energy, low motivation".
Go to some of her appointments and participate - you'll learn what it's about. At her age she probably wants to be independent.
The drugs are going to be a rollercoaster. There's no 1 pill. It takes some time to learn which drug or drug-combo works for you (rollercoaster). With ADHD also, it will probably exclude some drugs. You try a drug, wait 1-2 weeks before you know if it works. You can also take combinations of meds. You can check out drugs.com and zoom in on bipolar drugs, to familiarize yourself with the meds. They all have proported side affects, but most people don't experience them. Weight gain is a real side-effect. BP people should be very conscious about what they eat, or they'll gain 30 pounds like nothing. Keep conscious of your food intake when things were *normal*. And just stick to that regimen - no snacking on chips or junk food. Follow the meal plan.
I keep a journal. It's been real helpful, as I forget things. Please keep a log of meds taken, and if you stopped taking them, why. 10 years later, a doctor may push a drug on you that you reacted badly to in the past.
If you don't like your doctor, shop for a new one. If you have a good therapist, the doctor isn't the major player anyway.
I'm assuming she's not unipolar. Bipolar is depression on the left side and manic/psychotic on the right side. If you slip too far to one of these spectrums, you'll need to be hospitalized. However, you learn to judge that you're getting close, and you can always page your doctor for a med adjustment.
Meds are confusing. You can take an anti-psychotic in a low dose, and it acts as a mood stabalizer. It's hard to read the labels. Best to ask your doctor.
This is long - hope it helps - and that it wasn't too gloomy. It is manageable.
Chris
This is a good forum. You weren't specific as far as questions.
Honesty is very important. If she doesn't feel right, she needs to say so.
There are outward signs. For bp sufferers, it is important to eat right, sleep on a rigid schedule (don't sleep in on the weekends), and to avoid alcohol (that should be easy). I sleep in on the weekends, but know I shouldn't. So if she's up pacing all night, you know that's not good. After 3 nights of no sleep, hospitalization is likely imminent.
I use a therapist. I've found her to be extremely beneficial. The doctor doesn't spend a lot of time with you. My therapist helps me to have productive discussions with my doctor, she remembers what we discussed last time, she shares best practices of her other patients. Get one with BP patients.
Talking with the doctor, it's better to avoid clinical terms. Instead of "i'm depressed", better "have low energy, low motivation".
Go to some of her appointments and participate - you'll learn what it's about. At her age she probably wants to be independent.
The drugs are going to be a rollercoaster. There's no 1 pill. It takes some time to learn which drug or drug-combo works for you (rollercoaster). With ADHD also, it will probably exclude some drugs. You try a drug, wait 1-2 weeks before you know if it works. You can also take combinations of meds. You can check out drugs.com and zoom in on bipolar drugs, to familiarize yourself with the meds. They all have proported side affects, but most people don't experience them. Weight gain is a real side-effect. BP people should be very conscious about what they eat, or they'll gain 30 pounds like nothing. Keep conscious of your food intake when things were *normal*. And just stick to that regimen - no snacking on chips or junk food. Follow the meal plan.
I keep a journal. It's been real helpful, as I forget things. Please keep a log of meds taken, and if you stopped taking them, why. 10 years later, a doctor may push a drug on you that you reacted badly to in the past.
If you don't like your doctor, shop for a new one. If you have a good therapist, the doctor isn't the major player anyway.
I'm assuming she's not unipolar. Bipolar is depression on the left side and manic/psychotic on the right side. If you slip too far to one of these spectrums, you'll need to be hospitalized. However, you learn to judge that you're getting close, and you can always page your doctor for a med adjustment.
Meds are confusing. You can take an anti-psychotic in a low dose, and it acts as a mood stabalizer. It's hard to read the labels. Best to ask your doctor.
This is long - hope it helps - and that it wasn't too gloomy. It is manageable.
Chris
Honestly? I would question the diagnoses of your daughter. I know it causes quite a stir when people like myself that are bipolar question whether we really want our young people medicated to the hilt and if the diagnoses is correct.
It must be really hard on you and your family to have to hospitalize your daughter to try and get her well. Here are a few things to keep in mind when dealing with medications at a early age...a lot of the medications out there now will do more harm than good. Some will cause the patient to exhibit signs of paranoid delusional psychosis, while others will cause suicidal ideations where the child acts on it.
You say she has been in treatment for the past 4 years with ADHD...what medications were prescribed? Ritalin is now well known to be abused by patients and there are a number of side effects. It has been crushed and snorted to a whole other wide range of abuse.
As a mom, take a minute and look past the diagnoses and really take a good assessment of your child. Is she being ostracized at school for being considered mentally ill? Is she treated differently at home? Are there real things going on that could effect her well being? Loss of someone close, divorce or straight up mental abuse.
No one knows their child better than our mom's. This is a gut feeling your going to get and go with it. Mom's are usually right even when we try to say otherwise. If you have any specific questions...most of us are more than willing to offer suggestions along the way
My daughter has the same diagnosis. I have noticed that going to sleep early around 8:30 PM helps her a lot. She also needs to take her medicine around 4PM daily for the best benefits. If for some reason she goes to sleep late around 11 or 12 midnight that by itself makes her rather irritable,sometimes for days. She needs a lot of attention and at times seems frightened of authority figures. I have found that what she has benefited most from has been the fact that I apparently without meaning to have modeled some correct behaviors such as saying" I love you and I do not want to argue",after which I try my best to limit my verbal exchange with her and this has reduced her wanting to argue,but this has taken years. Attending the course Love and Logic helped me decrease her anger when I asked her to do chores. Love and logic courses are given throughout the USA. I learned about the course through her psychologist. They might have a website for further information.
Hope this helps.
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This is a good forum. You weren't specific as far as questions.
Honesty is very important. If she doesn't feel right, she needs to say so.
There are outward signs. For bp sufferers, it is important to eat right, sleep on a rigid schedule (don't sleep in on the weekends), and to avoid alcohol (that should be easy). I sleep in on the weekends, but know I shouldn't. So if she's up pacing all night, you know that's not good. After 3 nights of no sleep, hospitalization is likely imminent.
I use a therapist. I've found her to be extremely beneficial. The doctor doesn't spend a lot of time with you. My therapist helps me to have productive discussions with my doctor, she remembers what we discussed last time, she shares best practices of her other patients. Get one with BP patients.
Talking with the doctor, it's better to avoid clinical terms. Instead of "i'm depressed", better "have low energy, low motivation".
Go to some of her appointments and participate - you'll learn what it's about. At her age she probably wants to be independent.
The drugs are going to be a rollercoaster. There's no 1 pill. It takes some time to learn which drug or drug-combo works for you (rollercoaster). With ADHD also, it will probably exclude some drugs. You try a drug, wait 1-2 weeks before you know if it works. You can also take combinations of meds. You can check out drugs.com and zoom in on bipolar drugs, to familiarize yourself with the meds. They all have proported side affects, but most people don't experience them. Weight gain is a real side-effect. BP people should be very conscious about what they eat, or they'll gain 30 pounds like nothing. Keep conscious of your food intake when things were *normal*. And just stick to that regimen - no snacking on chips or junk food. Follow the meal plan.
I keep a journal. It's been real helpful, as I forget things. Please keep a log of meds taken, and if you stopped taking them, why. 10 years later, a doctor may push a drug on you that you reacted badly to in the past.
If you don't like your doctor, shop for a new one. If you have a good therapist, the doctor isn't the major player anyway.
I'm assuming she's not unipolar. Bipolar is depression on the left side and manic/psychotic on the right side. If you slip too far to one of these spectrums, you'll need to be hospitalized. However, you learn to judge that you're getting close, and you can always page your doctor for a med adjustment.
Meds are confusing. You can take an anti-psychotic in a low dose, and it acts as a mood stabalizer. It's hard to read the labels. Best to ask your doctor.
This is long - hope it helps - and that it wasn't too gloomy. It is manageable.
Chris