[shewheel]

Hello again. Been here for a bit keeping up with a couple friends. Haven't posted, but I likely will be...

My daughter was dx'd ADHD last week. I know a few of you deal with this on top of bipolar. While I don't have any specific questions yet, I know I will. I'm feeling pretty positive about the dx and the fact that she will be getting some relief.

My mom overdosed on aspirin the week before and spent a few days in the hospital. She claimed it was an accidental overdose, but her blood levels indicated she took over 40 pills. She also detoxed from alcohol while in. Again, I know some of you have experience with this personally and with family members.

I'm feeling well and have been for a while. Well enough to deal with both of these issues, but I know I'll need advice on the mom front.

I'll be bouncing around a couple of forums.

So, thanks in advance...

Hope you all are hanging in there

Hi Shewheel
My oldest daughter was DX'd with ADD about six months ago, so I can relate there

I hope your mom starts to feel better soon

[shewheel]

Thanks YYZ

I sure as heck will be picking your brain.

Excellent

[faerie_moon_x]

Hi! Welcome to PC.

My husband has ADD but diagnosed as an adult. One thing I've learned is sometimes his medicine helps and sometimes it doesn't. I don't know if that's because he's an adult or he needs to try different types, (which he isn't one to go doing that.)

Anyway, I'm sorry about your mom. Hopefully she gets better soon. I'm glad you're in a good place to handle it right now.

[Trippin2.0]

Glad to see you posted shewheel! Please keep us updated on your mum's recovery, looking forward to more of your posts

that's great you've been feeling well.

that's cool.

not seen a post from you in a good while- so it is nice to see you still here

[shewheel]

Thank you all.

I just requested my old username back...I am a silly woman. That's a bit of an understatement

@DHX-you answered a question I didn't think to ask yet...consistency. Thanks. I only know my meds and well, consistency?

Going to see Mom now. Hoping I can convince her to go to my T tomorrow. I'm so angry that they did not do a psych consult in the hospital. They sent her home with anti-anxiety meds, but no recommendation of follow up beyond primary doc. Just hoping she scared herself enough to know it's time to get some help.

Thanks again.

[faerie_moon_x]

Originally Posted by fallingrocks

Thank you all.

I just requested my old username back...I am a silly woman. That's a bit of an understatement

@DHX-you answered a question I didn't think to ask yet...consistency. Thanks. I only know my meds and well, consistency?

Going to see Mom now. Hoping I can convince her to go to my T tomorrow. I'm so angry that they did not do a psych consult in the hospital. They sent her home with anti-anxiety meds, but no recommendation of follow up beyond primary doc. Just hoping she scared herself enough to know it's time to get some help.

Thanks again.

Oh another thing the doctor told us is that he needs to take "mini breaks" on the meds. He's on Adderal XR. Anyway, like to not take them on days when he doesn't need to concentrate. Unlike BP meds, they don't need to build up to work in your system. I say there is 0 consistancy for him on them. But I also question if he's also bipolar so I don't know if that's why.

Hopefully your mom does seek help once she is out. I know some people from the older generations don't really find value in treatment for mental health.

[BlueInanna]

Hi Shewheel, nice to see you. So glad you're mom is ok... well, as ok as one can be, my daughter did that with aspirin it's a painful attempt to do. Daughter still has stomach aches and tinnitis ringing in ears. I'm sorry the hospital is not doing more to help.

Glad you are back, keep us posted.

[Victoria'smom]

How's your mom doing? I hope she does see your T. Maybe you can go with her to the GP and ask for a referral to a pdoc. My son has adhd + other dx's. How does your daughter feel about it? I'm so glad you are doing well even with so much going in.

[shewheel]

Originally Posted by dark_heart_x

Oh another thing the doctor told us is that he needs to take "mini breaks" on the meds. He's on Adderal XR. Anyway, like to not take them on days when he doesn't need to concentrate. Unlike BP meds, they don't need to build up to work in your system. I say there is 0 consistancy for him on them. But I also question if he's also bipolar so I don't know if that's why.

Hopefully your mom does seek help once she is out. I know some people from the older generations don't really find value in treatment for mental health.

I have heard of the mini breaks. It's day three ritalin. Can't tell if there is any improvement, but no side effects. Bipolar is definitely a possibility with my girl. Any chance you'l get you hubby to look into it?

Originally Posted by BlueInanna

Hi Shewheel, nice to see you. So glad you're mom is ok... well, as ok as one can be, my daughter did that with aspirin it's a painful attempt to do. Daughter still has stomach aches and tinnitis ringing in ears. I'm sorry the hospital is not doing more to help.

Glad you are back, keep us posted.

Thank you. It's the same hospital that sent me home with a recommendation of marriage counseling 5 years ago. And I did have a psych consult.

I can't even imagine what it's like to see your kids suffer with this. I hope you are doing okay

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

How's your mom doing? I hope she does see your T. Maybe you can go with her to the GP and ask for a referral to a pdoc. My son has adhd + other dx's. How does your daughter feel about it? I'm so glad you are doing well even with so much going in.

Thanks. She has agreed to go. I will call her GP this week and see what's next...

My daughter isn't bothered by the dx. She has a cousin and a friend with ADHD. She isn't afraid of meds because she knows I take them and why.

I'm so sorry to read about your trying to decide if Miguel should stay with family for a while. So many pros and cons. I would have no idea what to do.

[shewheel]

Thank you all for your support yesterday.

I feel I have a very short window of opportunity while my mom is receptive to getting some help. A few years ago she was open to the idea but only for a couple of weeks. Once she decides she is fine that’s the end of it. She slips back slowly.

She’s a great person. Kind, funny, intelligent. She’s also bipolar, in my eyes, and has developed heavy duty anxiety over the last couple of years. She has been drinking for over 20 years, but I honestly don’t feel like she is physically addicted to alcohol. She stops for weeks, months at a time with no effort at all…just doesn’t need it. Looks like bipolar 2. Hypo=no alcohol. She has agitated depressions, that she believes aren’t depression because they don’t fit everything she’s heard about it.

She’s so lost in all of this that she can’t recognize it. I don’t think it’s denial. She just is not aware from one cycle to the next that it isn’t the outside influences she thinks are causing the swings. When she’s headed down she picks an event that must have caused it. It all makes perfect sense to her! I know exactly how that feels! Bet you all do.

She’s so happy to be alive right now that she is already forgetting what put her in the hospital. She did have an appt with GP last week. Before the appointment she said she did not want to get an rx for the Ativan the hospital sent her home with because she was afraid she’d use it to off herself. She wouldn’t let me go into GP with her, but we share the same doc so I will call this week. She has another follow up next week. She’s only taken one Ativan since she came home. Not because she hasn’t needed it, but I think she is afraid that taking something for anxiety forces her to admit that she has it.

She is going to T with me. She was very open and honest with the nurses at the hospital and they were great with her, but everyone there treated her overdose as a “mistake” and seemed to refuse to speak to the alcohol. No psych consult. I did speak to the nurses and I know they spoke to the ICU doc, but I think it was just too hectic in there for things to be addressed appropriately. I hope she is open today with my T.

I guess that’s enough background. I should mention that sometimes she says to me that I take meds because it’s convenient not to feel anything. Her mom was institutionalized for a few years after she almost killed my mom as a baby. There’s definitely a fear that a label will turn her into something like that, somehow change her.

It seems that right now, if I can act fast enough and approach her the right way maybe she’ll get the help she needs.

I feel like I am talking to her the right way, but I’ve failed so many times in the past that I don’t know what is right anymore.

Any advice you have would be so greatly appreciated. How were you helped initially? How have you been able to help someone seek treatment?

Heading out to appt now. Thank you again.

[shewheel]

The session went surprisingly well, but she made it clear she does not want or need help. Maybe that will change. At least she knows that seeing someone doesn't have to be intimidating.

Thanks again for your support yesterday. The comment about the older generation and mental health made a lot of sense.

[BlueInanna]

I think you're doing all the right things too. Hopefully, she could start slow with just talking with a T on a regular basis? Good T's somehow slip their medicine in and can help fix a lot going on in our minds. Also, T could probably slowly open her to more treatment possiblities. But taking it slow is key, imho. She's got to decide to want the treatment, or think it's her decision. Good job hanging in there with her, you are so full of love, wish I could give you a big hug!

[faerie_moon_x]

I'm glad it went well with the T. I hope your mom can start feeling better and hopefully she will start to think of getting help.

[shewheel]

Thank you both.

Originally Posted by BlueInanna

or think it's her decision.

Yes...

I might be able to pull that off.

[Victoria'smom]

If you convince her to see a good therapist that's enough intervention from you. When I first went to therapy I was against therapy, medication everything. I went because I did not want to end up in the hospital. Between Pdoc, T, and PC I've become much more comfortable with the whole mental health system. It's the mental health system that has to convince her all you can / should do is get her into good hands.

[shewheel]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

If you convince her to see a good therapist that's enough intervention from you. When I first went to therapy I was against therapy, medication everything. I went because I did not want to end up in the hospital. Between Pdoc, T, and PC I've become much more comfortable with the whole mental health system. It's the mental health system that has to convince her all you can / should do is get her into good hands.

You are absolutely right. I tend to forget how I felt pre-diagnosis. Today really did go very well. She knows she has a contact and she liked her.

I don't use any specific language with her beyond saying I'm worried and I will help her get help. She doesn't see me as preachy or the enemy. I'll keep it that way.

Thank you for sharing your experience. It does help put things in perspective.