Comments | bipolarsurvival: x-Posted to MiracleBean

miraclebean in bipolarsurvival

x-Posted to MiracleBean

Nov 05, 2009 08:25

Sleepiness
Bean is having trouble falling asleep in school again. His classroom, by its nature, doesn't sit very much. But the minute they do, the teacher(s) tell me he's fast asleep in just moments. When I ask Bean about this he says he doesn't remember falling asleep or vehemently protests and says he wasn't sleeping.

Meds is a potential culprit; ( Read more... )

meds

Comments 12

I think your psych doc is an idiot. Sorry. Here's why: catseyecordelia November 5 2009, 16:46:40 UTC

For starters, Clonidine is usually dosed in afternoon or evening because is known to cause sleep and is often prescribed for patients with ADHD to get them calmed down before bedtime. Giving it to him when he wakes up in the morning and then again during school seems like a likely culprit for daytime sleep ( ... )

Re: I think your psych doc is an idiot. Sorry. Here's why: indy_md November 5 2009, 18:02:02 UTC

trileptal sucks for adults, but actually has quite a good record in treating pediatric bipolar disorder, the same with risperdal. make sure you know about pediatric pharmacology before you tell a parent their child's doctor is an idiot. risperdal is great in handling children with agitation or aggressive outbursts and i remember past posts from this mom where she described her son having outbursts like that. if you are going to say that trileptal isn't a mood stabilizer but rather prevents seizures then you have to apply the same rationale to depakote and lamictal, popular adult medications. be careful what you condemn ( ... )

Re: I think your psych doc is an idiot. Sorry. Here's why: catseyecordelia November 5 2009, 18:17:29 UTC

I'm saying that trileptal is not the first line of defense against mania/depression. Most likely if they have reached this point it means that depakote and lamictal has failed for this patient, which I believe to be the case based on previous posts from the OP. I question the efficacy of wellbutrin in this patient given the amount of sedation likely caused by the existing antipsychotic medications.

Re: I think your psych doc is an idiot. Sorry. Here's why: miraclebean November 6 2009, 05:37:53 UTC

Well, I'm starting to wonder about her effectiveness.

Let me clarify...and after I posted I did more research and with Bean's consent, we're going to change when he gets his meds.

The seroquel he takes just before bed; it's for sleep. He only takes 25 mg.

Depakote he had such an obnoxious reaction to -- and he refused to take it (and I don't blame him). He has not been on lithium before.

The Clonidine dosage is .1mg at least 2x a day and an additonal one at dinner if Bean feels he needs it. School days, he feels like he needs it... The clonidine we know takes his aggression edge off.

The Trileptal is now generic...and it's 600 mg 2x a day.

The Risperidone is .5 mg and 2x a day.

starrlitt November 5 2009, 16:53:08 UTC

Yeah... I would say it's the medicine. I've had the same problems. I'm no doctor, maybe you should ask them? I don't mean to sound so bitchy. No matter what I do, I can't get rid of the harsh edge of my soul. I'm just... so you know? Cold-sounding. It stinks, but yeah.... see a doctor perhaps, and see what you can do?

miraclebean November 6 2009, 05:38:45 UTC

I didn't take it as harsh. I appreciate the input. If I didn't want it, I wouldn't ask. It does, however, seem that we went from no meds in 2006 to maybe too much in 2009. Stupid puberty isn't helping either.

starrlitt November 5 2009, 16:54:10 UTC

I wish you the best, and sorry that I have this weird attitude that never goes away, because I really do care.

punkymcmunky November 5 2009, 16:55:05 UTC

Does he sleep at night or is he having trouble sleeping at night when he has school the next day? I remember I used to have bad issues sleeping at night when I had school because I'd be very anxious about school the next day.

Any recent changes in brands of medications (from name brand to generic, or generic to name brand or changing of generic brands)? I know I've reacted differently to the "same" medication before.

Has his caffeine intake changed? When I was on Wellbutrin and Seroquel I eliminated caffeine from my diet.

miraclebean November 6 2009, 05:39:51 UTC

He gets very little caffeine. The seroquel he started to help him STAY asleep. He never has trouble going to sleep, but the staying asleep was a problem. And yes, the Trileptal changed to generic after the first couple of 'scripts. Stupid Insurance.

lavinia_short November 5 2009, 19:18:55 UTC

i'd say it's probably the meds (any one of them, in fact, but seroquel stands out to me - talk to his doc) -- but another factor might just be the excitement of school. if i have a super busy morning, i am GONE by 2pm. and i mean gone. i've always been this way, even in my school days. i never actually fell asleep, but i would drop by 3 pm.

another thing to consider would be his blood sugar -- depending on what he's eating for lunch, he could just be having a blood sugar crash - that in combination with the meds could easily put anyone to sleep!

good luck!

miraclebean November 6 2009, 05:41:10 UTC

Food, I don't think is an issue. He gets a good bfast, a snack when he gets to school. We pack him a really healthly lunch and he gets fresh hot soup and salad at school on top of it.

But, like I said above, the timing of his meds might be whacked out.