The Dark Side of the Moon...part 2

Well things have been super hectic. I've finally found my way out of the funk I was in and am moving in a forward positive direction.  It's hard to come out of such a dark hole when it's so much easier to not do anything about anything.  But the show must go on. 

I think we left off with Brandon seeing a new ARNP and a different practice.  Rick and I really liked this man.  He felt like Brandon's ADHD symptoms have not been properly addressed.  He recommended a ADHD stimulant patch call Daytrana.  The trouble was we couldn't find it and when we finally found a pharmacy to order it, it wasn't covered under insurance.  We discovered that his insurance only covered 3 ADHD type medications.  He prescribed generic Concerta which turned into another visit at the doctors office because Brandon couldn't stop moving, even when he wasn't moving.  The universe rewarded us with my father offering to pay for the patch and we soon felt a renewed sense of hope.  We started the patch April 4th and things have gone down hill rapidly since then.  Last week he had FCAT testing and his point sheets were coming home with 80's and 90's.  We were so elated!  Maybe the rapid decline was just his body adjusting the meds.  Woot Woot!  I expressed my excitement in an email to his teacher letting her know how proud I was of him for pulling it together for FCAT testing and how I hoped he kept up the good work.  I then I got shot down, she popped my balloon.  She replied to my email stated they were taking it easier on him because they knew it was a medication issue and he's been horrible in school.  This prompted me to make yet another appointment with the new ARNP for help once again.  Wasn't I surprised when this man I thought cared and was here to help ended up being dismissing and almost belittling in a way.  We were rushed though the appointment.  I brought all the documentation from the school, emails, referrals, hand writing samples to show his decline.  Mr ARNP informed me that there was no pill for handwriting, increase the dosage of the patch to 20mg and told me not to come back for 4 weeks.  I left there fighting tears.

We gave him the increased dose of his patch yesterday.  The school called that afternoon because he got in multiple physical and verbal altercations on several different occasions.  He was moved to the timeout wrong where he got physical with the school staff.  They called the school resource officer to assist in restraining him and keeping him safe.  His violence escalated and the school resource office almost had him arrested for Battery on a school board member. 

I called the doctors office yet again (I didn't want to) and left a message with the nurse.  I'm still waiting for her to call me back. 

He's lost 19 lbs since we've started with the stimulant medications and he's hungry but when he goes to eat finds that the food smells bad.  He's hyper, doesn't stop talking, doesn't sleep well, explosive, and so on and so forth.  I think the use of stimulants has triggered in some way his mania, but what the fuck do I know. 

Not sure what to do.  Rick's mom said I should call Dr. Phil, my step dad wants me to file a complaint against the doctor and write a letter to congress, my mom wants him to see an actual doctor in the Punta Gorda office.  I just want help.  I'm not some crazy mom that wants attention from their kids psych doctor because I'm bored.  He's not okay and he needs help.  If I get in my happy little car and drive him to the crisis stabilization unit and he's not bat shit crazy, they send me home. 

I wish people had some real answers for me instead of all the wacky stuff they think I should do.

Some assembly required. (written 3/16/13)

My home life is quite a mess.  My house is a mess, my son is a mess, my daughter is angry, I'm depressed and get through my day with Xanax.  We are all broken pieces in our own little world of disfunction.  But it's my family and it's my life.  And we know it.  We know how we look to others, we just don't care.  We laugh about it, we crack silly inappropriate jokes about mental health and crisis stabalization units, and meds.  And we keep trying to get through the day so we can recharge for what the next day will bring.  Whomever is stronger that day deals with the current crisis while the other adult deals their own way.  Rick and I are good like that.  I'm strong, I deal, he's strong, he deals. It works for us.  So what happens when we are both deflated and beaten down?  We got a little taste last week.  I decided I needed some pharmacutical assistance with my depression in which I had a severe allergic reaction.  I was useless for about a week.  Rick had to pick up my slack and had to deal with it all.  It was rough.  Things are getting back to their messed up normal and I'm stepping back in with crisis intervention or what ever title you want to label Brandon's whatever you want to call it.