Sunday, March 15, 2009

All Consuming

Wow -- I guess it's been awhile. So here goes with an update.

I am finding that having a child with an ADHD diagnosis is all consuming. I eat, sleep, breathe, trying to figure out this condition and how to manage it. And, not only does Matthew have ADHD, he also has ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), which is something that up to 40-50% of ADHD kids have as a co-existing condition. The good news is that he was not diagnosed with any anxiety or depression, which can also be co-existing conditions with ADHD. So we have been working with his doctor and the school to come up with a treatment plan we can all live with.

Matthew started on Methylin on Friday March 6, so he has one week of school under his belt with the medication. I'm seeing an improvement at home with a reduction in what I'll call "defiant episodes." But his sleep patterns have been out of whack. He'll go a couple nights not sleeping well, then a few good nights, then back to not sleeping well. And when he doesn't sleep well, then it seems like the medication doesn't work as well -- like this morning. Yikes -- tried an 8:00 church service, and it was a nightmare. So, looks like some medication adjustments are probably in order -- which is not unusual at all based on the reading I've been doing. Actually, it would probably be highly unusual to get the right dose of the right medicine on the first try.

So, we'll keep plugging away at it, and I'll try not to lose myself in the process. I am an emotional eater, so of course, I have had my good days and bad days lately. But I am afraid to step on the scale again -- I can tell I've gained weight and I'm feeling quite dumpy, frumpy, and disappointed in myself. I am really having a hard time finding the motivation to eat right lately, and I need to get back on track. How do I separate my eating habits from everything else that is going on in my life? I think if I could answer that question, I'd solve the weight problems of the rest of the world and become a multi-millionaire in the process! :) So I just keep going.... one day at a time.