Dominyk's psychiatrist decided this summer that we needed a baseline. He had been on medication since he was four -- 9 years on Aderall with only momentary breaks to see what did or didn't work. While in many ways he is no more agitated or hyper than he was without it, we are discovering that his primary issue is his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He has been on an antidepressant to combat this, but we had thought that the Aderall was making it worse. Well this little experience has taught us that whatever he was on definitely was better than nothing in regards to the OCD.
If you have a child who has ADHD and OCD you know how lethal the combination can be. The constant talking about the obsessions is about to drive me batty. Before it was just pop and drinks. Now he is itchy. All the time. He has been up for 30 minutes and I am not exaggerating at all (probably underestimating) when I say that he has told me that he is itchy in 7 different ways at least 60 times. He's also hot and can't get comfy (as he puts it). And his head hurts.
I am supposed to take him to see my very elderly parents in Arizona this week and I can't imagine hot, itchy, uncomfy, head-hurting OCD/ADHD mantras the whole three hours on the plane. ANd then the four hours in the car.
Fortunately, the pop thing is still an obsession because I am so desperate this morning that I told him if he could let me work for an hour uninterrupted he could have a caffeine free diet coke. SO far it's working.
I called the psychiatrist to tell her that either he needed meds NOW or I did. They are supposed to call me back. If they don't agree to medicate either him or me, you may just hear me from here, wherever you are.
Holy cow! Look at those lips! I'd kill for lips like that. I truly would.
ReplyDeleteAbout the itchy. Os he allowed to have Benedryl? I kills the itch and it comes in a cream/ointment if the OTC pills are verboten.
Did they step him down at least?
ReplyDeleteIf nothing else, at least your post gives readers a glimpse of what it's like to be inside the head of someone with OCD.
ReplyDeleteWhen people act as though medicating the kids is all for the parents' sake, I want to shout, "That stuff you hear? He's hearing it ALL THE TIME too. Even when you're not. And guess what? It's probably just as annoying for him!"
Sorry. Rant over. I hope your son gets meds so he doesn't have to hear "I need pop. I'm itchy. I need pop..." on constant replay in his head 24x7. And maybe then, you won't have to hear it either =)
On another note, it's rare that I see a pic of Dominyk not smiling--he was the first of your brood that I learned to recognize in pictures, because he was the one with the biggest, best smile. I hope he has that smile back soon.
Interesting insight into the mind of a young person with OCD. I have had it since I was 13 (but of course that was long ago), and I've wondered what it would have been like to know I had it a little earlier.
ReplyDeleteBloggerwithocd just posted about 3 good things that came out of having OCD at:
www.itsmewithocd.blogspot.com