A blog for anyone who needs to know they are not alone in raising a bipolar child.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Something's Amiss
We are taking Caroline back to the psychiatrist tomorrow because she just hasn't been doing as well as she had been doing, really since mid-October. It seems that something is wearing off in the late afternoon, making the time from about 4 to bedtime more difficult. She had been on extended release Lithium (Lithobid) at Meridell, but when we got back her doc gave her the regular kind, which may be the problem. We don't know, but she gets hypomanic and then quite irritable. Hopefully we will be able to get this fixed quickly. Her grades are not as good now either. And her room is getting really messy again, which happens when she is "off." We parents of bp kids have to become experts at reading all the "signs" portending mania or depression, don't we?
It's difficult figuring out the "typical teen-age angst" from bipolar swings, huh? Anxiety looks like irritation looks like manic spectrum. Or, oh, wait a minute, anxiety fell into depression. I am sure that you are probably tracking moods, which is so tough with a young person that sometimes can and sometimes can't track her own moods. I know I keep saying this but hang in there! One more adjustment (or two, or ten)...it will settle out and your daughter will grow into managing her own health and asking you for help when she needs it. It takes a looong while sometimes. Hugs your way!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cinda. I appreciate your experience and wisdom. We had flashbacks to some really bad moments over this weekend, and hope that we don't have any repeats, though we know things can happen. Never a dull moment, right?
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