I love the way that snow looks softly falling, covering everything in white. My kids are never happier, outside most of the day, and I have no reason to go anywhere. Hot cocoa, baking Christmas cookies, no schoolwork, just family memories being created hour by hour. I needed this. Thank you God.
I am glad you are having a good day. It sounds so cozy!
ReplyDeleteHi Teri. I am so sorry that your daughter is unstable and gaining weight. I know that feeling. I am wondering, is your daughter on anything besides Abilify? The standard protocol that most of the really good psychiatrists follow is a combination of one or two mood stablizers and an antipsychotic. This cocktail seems to produce the best results, not for all kids, but for a lot of them. Lithium is a great mood stabilizer and cheap, and is proven to prevent suicide. Other mood stablizers would be something like Trileptal, Topomax, Depakote, and there are so many more. The CABF website is a good place to find the most cutting edge information on medications, etc. It sounds to me like your daughter needs different meds, or something added to the Abilify. Abilify can cause weight gain, but sometimes adding in Topomax or Amantadine can decrease appetite. Ask your new doc obviously, but hang in there. Also, if you haven't read The Bipolar Child by Demitri Papolos, you may want to grab a copy as a reference guide for meds, etc.
ReplyDeleteTerri, I am so glad you find this blog encouraging. That is my hope, that all of what we have gone through isn't for nothing, but can help other families dealing with early-onset bipolar disorder.
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