Re: Re: Aspergers AND Bipolar, anyone else have a child with both?

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

My Mom was Bipolar and my 7 year old son is ADHD, but I pushed for him to be seen by a pshychiatrist specializing in moods that go up and down violently. He was put on Abilify and I see a completely different boy, steady and more grounded. Would this med help you too?

Cathleen

From: <kristenwallen@...> Sent: Fri, October 15, 2010 2:16:15 PMSubject: ( ) Re: Aspergers AND Bipolar, anyone else have a child with both?

Hi E.V. :)My 13 yo son started becoming suicidal around age 11. First he started to sink into a deep depression. I was used to the explosive "I wish I were dead" comments during his rages but this was different, it was a calm eery emotion. He would lay there and quietly tell me, while tears streaming down his face. "I just want to be dead, I wasn't made for this earth and I want to kill myself". The difference was the mood, it wasn't just anger lashing out, it was calm, matter of a fact, "I will kill myself" mood. When that happend the first attempt at meds was Prozac. Only being on it for one week he was manic, his teachers met me at the car when I picked him up and asked "what is he on!?!" He was crawling up the walls at school, singing, poking people, just as if he was being driven by a motor. The doctor FINALLY considered bipolar at that point. My grandmother suffered from bipolar and so does my mother and my husbands

brother. Since it typically runs in families so strongly they finally decided to treat him for it. He's been on lithium for two years now and even though it seems to shut down the sad, I want to die talk, it doesn't do anything for the rage, anxieties and other stressers he deals with everyday.As far as his actions coming from the AS or the BP, I really don't know which is which as they so commonly are comorbid I think they tend to overlap. I've done nothing but research since he was two yrs old and other than the suicide talk and the extreme manic from the prozac I tend to wonder if he's more AS than BP. I would like to wean him off the lithium to see however it scares me to death to actually do it. So for now he'll continue the lithium and I'll continue to research AS and BP an apply ideas/suggestions to his life and basically just wait it out. It is what it is, even though I wish things were different.I too have heard "I'm not worth

being on the planet". My son also is up and down but not so much happy then sad, it's mostly things like he's happily playing a video game and I ask him to brush his teeth or tell him it's time to feed the dogs. All you know what breaks loose and you'd think I asked him to perform brain surgery!I"m sorry I'm not much help as I'm living the chaos on a minute to minute basis too but at least it's good to know we're not alone in this,Taker care!>> ,> > I'm curious what gives him an AS diagnosis and bipolar? My son (8) is an Aspie with anxiety, tics, anger outbursts. A few drs have floated the BP thought b ut his psych says it's too early to decide in his case and that his current diagnoses

explain his issues. I have my doubts and wonder if BP is in our future. What do you see w/ BP that is extra from AS, if you don't mind my asking?> > I can't completely commiserate, but my son is def enough of a handful w/out a BP dx so I know it's hard. He's so up and down and has recently bc periodically depressed and suicidal. It's hard to keep in him check for his inappropriate aggression when 10 min b/4 he was crying and saying he's not worth being on the planet. The depression has gotten better since he went back on Zoloft, but still it's a roller coaster. > > Take care and I appreciate any thoughts you might have. > > E.V. Downey -- Washington, DC > > > Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T>

[Guest guest]

Thank you very much for the recomendation Liz.

We already think about a possible hospitalization several times. In reality, we are still thinking about this possibility, but I believe that it is going to be a very hard experience for the family as you just said.

We (Me and Myllene) just received another opinion and this doctor prescribed a new antidepressant called Pristiq (I never heard about this one...). According to this new doctor, including this antidepressant may give a chance to decrease the rest of the medications. However, I am confused, it is another medication and we know that antidepressants must be closed monitored (Oasis Guide to Asperger Children - page 261-266).

Maybe it is time to organize a meeting with the different doctors to discuss Victor´s current situation and talk about the subject "hospitalization".

All the best!

Pedro.--- Em ter, 26/10/10, Liz Turenne <liztt121@...> escreveu:

De: Liz Turenne <liztt121@...>Assunto: ( ) Re: Aspergers AND Bipolar, anyone else have a child with both?Para: Data: Terça-feira, 26 de Outubro de 2010, 10:40

Hi Pedro,

My son has had big "rebounding" issues when coming off a medication (Risperidal). And, it lasted way more than a week! It was really, really hard, so I can relate.

I am a mom of a 12 year old child who had a psych hospitalization last spring, and he is now on 3 meds. He is more stable and not as volatile; he is not aggressive now, and the meltdowns are less.

I think getting another opinion from an expert with meds asap is a great idea. I only recognize the amount of Risperidal, and know it is really high; when that was tried with my son, they aimed for 2mg.

I am going to make a suggestion, just to plant a seed- I know I would not ever have wanted to hear it, and I don't want to offend you. I am wondering if your son could be hospitalized and taken off the meds, and see what you have; then try adding one at a time, or a different one, to see what helps. It must be hard to tell what is the meds and what is the AS.

My son's hospitalization was so difficult in so many ways, for him as well as for the rest of us, but I have to say it helped a lot; he hasn't put any holes in the walls, there is no hitting or kicking anyone; my daughter's nightmares about him and his behavior have slowly stopped (I had to 1:1 her because of his aggression for more than a year, and I don't have to 1:1 her now, although I supervise very closely still), etc.

I would be glad to tell you more of our experience if it would help. Hang in there.

Liz T.

Re: Aspergers AND Bipolar, anyone else have a child with both?

Posted by: "Pedro Paes" pedro_paes@... pedro_paes

Wed Oct 20, 2010 1:42 pm (PDT)

Hi and All.I agree!! He is taking a huge amount of medication with very limited results. That is the reazon why we are looking for a second opinion and maybe change all the related therapy (06 different ones). However, considering our previous experience, we do know that we must be very carefull when changing or decreasing medication. The last time we changed medication (Risperdal to Abilify), Victor went inside a very serious "episode". It was necessary to go back.There is no cure for autism, but something is wrong...maybe the "comorbity" is getting stronger. I don´t know.Please, any recomendations? Similar Experiences?All the best for you all,Pedro.