Not new here

[notellin]

Hello All,

I just realized that I never posted a message introducing myself. So here goes.

I work full time. I have been married for eleven years. I recently discovered that my husband has ADHD. I have an apparently normal five year old daughter. I have an eight year old boy who just started third grade. He was diagnosed with ADHD with no co-morbids at age seven by the neuro-psyche after the first grade teacher raised issues. I have been thoroughly tortured by his school, although they did provide an IEP voluntarily (albeit with zero services). I hired an education advocate and experienced seven straight months of a ten stress level after which he was provided with very helpful services by the school. Dealing with the school has been far, far worse than managing my son. School interaction is the worst aspect of ADHD for me. I've had my son in occupational therapy (did not help), play therapy (waste of time), two social skills classes (marginally helpful, but really it's all about the "homework" that the parents do), and tried supplements galore. Lots of them did not work. But some of them did, and I will not part with them: eye-Q fish oil, magnesium, and a homeopathic remedy. If I stop one of them some disaster inevitably occurs. Each one does something different. I have started my husband on a supplement regime and it has calmed his symptoms so life is getting better. I like to keep my son very busy with soccer, drawing classes, tennis lessons, swimming, and lacrosse. The busier, the happier he is. I have never told him that he has ADHD. I have reservations about that. Oh, and he has congenital heart disease (that he knows since he had to have open heart surgery), which has limited the medication issue. However, as of late I am taking a very close look at the non-stimulant Strattera.

Ok, so I think that sums it up in a nutshell.

Cheers!
notellin

[misty]

You're topic name just cracked me up! But Thanks for the intro. There are a couple others here who's kids have heart problems. I'm sure you can all help each other out. We tried Straterra on Shannon but it was a nightmare! I'm not sure if your son can take it as it affects blood pressure, but I hope he can & that it's a better experience with him than it was with Shannon. I do remember that we had to check Shannons blood pressure quite often while she was on it.

[jj]

Hey Notellin! I knew a little bit about you from over on News but this intro gives me a better idea what you are dealing with.

Gosh, I feel like taking your post and mailing it to every teacher and school in the U.S. and highlighting the part that says "dealing with the school is far worse than dealing with your son". That just makes me angry that this is the case in so many schools. Why do they make it a nightmare for parents?

Anyway, thanks for the intro. I'm always happy when I see you online and posting. Guess I missed you from over on News.

[katiekat]

We sure have a lot in common Notellin. My 6 yr old was DX with ADHD and he had a heart condition(PDA) that was corrected by surgery. Last year when he was in kindergarten I had more aggravation from the school then I care to even remember. They do nothing but complain about his behavior yet refuse to help him in any way. I am dreading the start of this school year and have basically given up fighting with them. Instead we have decided to move so Im not even bothering.
As far as the meds/heart issue I know how difficult and scary that can be. At Sean's last cardio. appt. everything checked out great and his PDA is completely closed. We were told that it is no more of a risk to put him on meds then if he had never had the PDA. But it still makes me nervous. I have realized though that he will never make it in life without medication.(In addition he is DX with OCD,bipolar, and an anxiety disorder) A few months ago he was put on Depakote with no results so we are weaning him off that and going to try Risperdal. I did ask his psych about Strattera and she told me it would take a while to see if it works so we are going to try Adderall. I know it is a stim but we want to try to get him situated before school starts. He also attended a Intense Outpatient Program but I have seen no improvement and will be starting social skills classes next month.

[puzzled]

notellin, I too remember you from news....I am chasesmom79 there, though I cannot post anymore....long story.....

Anyhow, I am so sorry that you have had to battle the school! I have had nothing but cooperation from my son's school, but he only has inattentive, no real behavior issues since we got his meds tweaked, so that may be why they are so helpful? I don't know and I don't want to rock the boat so I don't ask, though I do compliment them profusely each and every time that they add an accommodation to his 504 w/o blinking an eye.

I hope things go more smoothly for school this year, and welcome! Hopefully you will post more often here!

[charliegirl]

I'm glad you posted this. Its so much easier to understand what you are going through when I see it all in one place.

[lillian]

Notellin,

Posting this is a great idea! I'm thinking that all of us oldies should do this, so the newbies know something about us. O.K. I'm going to be a copycat and post mine, now.

[lillian]

O.K. I just wrote this loooooooong page and it wouldn't let me post it. I'll try again to post my copycat post tomorrow.