Posted by Solstice on March 1, 2012, at 20:31:32
In reply to Re: Moon sent home from school today - sigh.., posted by Twinleaf on March 1, 2012, at 19:37:28
Thanks so much for responding, Twin..
> There are a couple of things which really do seem like extreme anxiety: the fluctuation in vital signs, especially the very rapid pulse at school vs the normal one at home, and her normal behavior at home when she feels safe and relaxed. If her bipolar symptoms were as severe as they have been in recent months, she would not seem like herself at home, so that is one very encouraging development. I'm assuming that the extra-pyramidal symptoms have mostly cleared up?
Those are some really good questions, but it's really hard to be sure. The tremors are pretty much gone. But this obtundedness.. her sense of having no memory of the last week.. staring and feeling 'blank'.. slurred speech.. some of that could be EPS.. but could also be anxiety, especially when anxiety really escalates. Intense anxiety can make you just 'check out,' and like you said, make your heart race, etc. And she has had some symptoms at home, but it is usually associated with pressure she feels about taking tests she's not ready for or doing homework she doesn't understand because she missed so much instruction.
>
> It sounds that the most important issue right now (in addition to working out the best possible med combination) would be to help her be, and feel, successful, even if in small ways. Would it help to drop some classes and just concentrate on one or two, and planning on an additional year as you mentioned? I don't even know if that's possible in high school, but I do think you are right in suspecting that anxiety is making things very hard for her right now. Is she able to concentrate on homework when she is at home?Lately, all the instruction Moon has missed has made homework difficult. Not so much for AP English, but more for Advanced Algebra and Pre-AP Chemistry.
I just really do think the anxiety is causing of the trouble, and it makes it difficult to know whether the new meds are working. Worst of all, is that I don't know how we're going to resolve what's behind the anxiety.
:-( Solstice
poster:Solstice
thread:1012142
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120221/msgs/1012155.html