Just say no to Trazadone

Every time I tell therapists about how hard it is to manage Sissy, I always say,

"AND I STILL HAVE AB!"

Because AB's needs are diametrically opposed to Sissy's. At this point, some of their Dx are similar but either it's her RADs, his ASD or their gender difference but Sissy's Dx manifests differently than it does for AB. That means the therapy and Rx treatment is different.

Read: Mom has to know two different treatment plans to therapeutically parent and medicate two dually diagnosed children.

They don't put this kind of job description on trained professionals! And yet, we're expected to do it. Oh, and kick in the pants, if things aren't going smoothly, the first question anyone ever asks is "what are YOU doing mom and dad?" Not accusatory but because the gut response for any professional is to assume that the adult supervising the child is responsible. But they fail to consider that the supervisory parent is NOT the trained professional, just the 24/7 intern ad infinitum. Without pay. Or benefits. Or lunch breaks. Or caps on 40 hour weeks with paid overtime.

aside: No joke. I LOOK FORWARD TO going to work with The Dad, climbing ladders, getting mauled by rose bushes, covered in cob webs and sweating 2 gallons every day. It's EASIER than being the mom I have to be.

Then the professionals kick the parents once more and say to them, "hey mom and dad, when you call to tell us about your child's needs and I establish that you have done the treatment plan correctly and you tell me it's the meds, I won't believe that either."

O.o

Seriously. This is my daily hell.

Occasionally I toy with the idea of getting the same degrees and profession as the professionals I have to deal with everyday just so I can say to them "in yo face suckers, I know what you know too!" *enter annoying raspberry sounds complete with thumbs in my ears and waggling fingers followed by an annoying rendition of "nanny nanny boo boo"*

OK, to my point. I mean, after all the title DOES address a medication concern.

Last January AB was definitely starting to wobble in his mood and I predicted the diagnosis that didn't happen until June: mood disorder (which will morph into bipolar as he approaches adulthood). His developmental delay specialist put him on Trazadone.

All was well for awhile. AB was sleeping. His stimming stopped. It was better. Until it wasn't. Until the rage kicked in. I kept thinking it was the Trazadone. The doctor wasn't as convinced. Now we've been on hold as we wait for his first psychiatry appointment (9/13/10) so I can hand over medicating AB to the professional that is trained to manage meds. (I love his developmental delay specialist but medications are NOT her specialty. 'Nuff said)

Two weeks ago I was in a panic about AB. His rage was escalating so bad, his mood so flat, I felt like he wasn't there, that my sweet little man had dissolved into a primordial ooze of anger. I phoned my friend who has a spectral son and cried "Uncle!" and her astute hubby said, "stop the Trazadone!'

done.

But AB's speed has exponentially returned, his stimming too. He's bright eyed and happy but wow. He's fast. Painfully fast. So last night I gave him 1/3 of his prescribed dose of Trazadone thinking that would be OK.

nope.

Poor kid woke up with a headache and tummy ache and he's just ... dull. Gray. Lifeless.

Conclusion: I'd rather AB be higher than a kite (provided he's sleeping!!!!) and stimming so hard he's knocking over my lamps than this blob of bones. 9/13/10 can't get here soon enough. I'm going to beg for Elavil or Imipramine.

What the pharmacist says about Trazadone: It's a very old drug, it isn't even classified as tricyclic, dopaminergic, neurotransmitter or selective seratonin reuptake inhibitor. It was created as a blanket drug to address a multitude of mental health issues.

Just say no to Trazadone!