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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Kathrynn on April 3, 2001, at 18:21:21
I'm looking for any information regarding medication for Reactive Attachment Disorder other than what our 9 year old son is now taking. He takes Ritalin, Clonidine and Risperdal. He can be very aggressive even on these medications and because of his frequent cyling we have been asked to concider putting him on Depakote. Please help.
Kathrynn
Posted by Sulpicia on April 3, 2001, at 19:44:19
In reply to Reactive Attachment Disorder/Bipolar, posted by Kathrynn on April 3, 2001, at 18:21:21
> Hi--
I can't help with the RAD but my daughter has bipolar II, and ADD/HD
and so was a candidate for stimulants.
The one thing I am certain of is that mood stabilization must come first, and
this can take a while, in terms of specific drug and getting up to a theraputic
dose. Depakote is a very effective mood stabilizer for many. If not, there are many
others to try.
I would ask about the ritalin tho. Without totally perfect mood stabilization of long
duration most pdocs don't use a stimulant when there is a suspicion of bipolar becuz
it can set off mania and cycling.
Stay in touch and push for an accurate diagnosis.
Best,
S.
Posted by AnneL on April 4, 2001, at 19:00:33
In reply to Re: Reactive Attachment Disorder/Bipolar » Kathrynn, posted by Sulpicia on April 3, 2001, at 19:44:19
> > S.
I forgot to ask you about Bipolar II. I went to www.psycheducation.org and this Dr. James Phelps
believes that patients with bipolar disorder go on an average of 7.5 years before being correctly diagnosed. When I read about Bipolar II - depression without being "crazy", it sounds so much like my daughter. The intense moodiness and irritability and extreme anxiety. And then she had that apparent downslide when she started Zoloft. I am going to do some heavy duty research on this. Any other links your sites you can think of? Thanks, Anne
Posted by Sulpicia on April 4, 2001, at 23:10:55
In reply to Re: Reactive Attachment Disorder/Bipolar, posted by AnneL on April 4, 2001, at 19:00:33
> > > S.
>
> I forgot to ask you about Bipolar II. I went to www.psycheducation.org and this Dr. James Phelps
> believes that patients with bipolar disorder go on an average of 7.5 years before being correctly diagnosed. When I read about Bipolar II - depression without being "crazy", it sounds so much like my daughter. The intense moodiness and irritability and extreme anxiety. And then she had that apparent downslide when she started Zoloft. I am going to do some heavy duty research on this. Any other links your sites you can think of? Thanks, AnneTry the Bipolar disorder site at About.com
go to Dr.Bob's home page here and look at the bipolar links
search for the Bipolarkids site [I don't care for the forums there,
very poorly educated at least when I visited]
search for the neurology webforums at Massachusetts General Hospital
[the Harvard site] and post on the bipolar forum --probably easiest
to start a thread to Peanut. She has all the urls for bipolar kids and
she is part of an in-person parent support group.
I post on that forum too.
RE; the delay in diagnosing bipolar, I sure do believe it. My daughter's
symptoms were confined to severe depression. It took a fabulous pdoc to
spot hypomania. It's extremely subtle in some cases. And then there are
mixed episodes, a hellish angry state of both depression and hypomania.
ugh.
The destabilization on zoloft is another hallmark of bipolar. They can't
take AD meds w/out a mood stabilizer or they start cycling into mania
or mixed episodes.
Good luck with this and I'll keep checking in.
Take heart-- if it is bipolar, please realize that it is very treatable,
more so than many problems.
Best,
S.
This is the end of the thread.
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