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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Our Challenging Children (gifted, ADHD, sensitive, defiant)
14 year old and bipolar



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amother
OP


 

Post Tue, Feb 07 2023, 7:40 pm
I think my daughter is bipolar. She was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and put on Prozac last year. The meds either uncovered bipolar or are causing her to cycle as a side effect. She seemed to do well at first. Increasing issues have been more evident this winter. Of course I’m in touch with the psychiatrist. Meanwhile any chizuk would be appreciated. I don’t see a normal high school experience for her and definitely no seminary in Israel. When she is depressed she hates school, friends, life and ironically she can’t sleep yet she can hardly motivate herself out of bed. Then she is hyper for several days but she is not happy. I’m so sad for her.
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amother
Lily


 

Post Tue, Feb 07 2023, 9:56 pm
It's possible for meds to cause it too. Was she like this before?
Can you ask the doctor to change med?
Wonder why this was 1st choice
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singleagain




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Feb 08 2023, 1:59 am
You DD might have bipolar.. not she is bipolar.

That's the first thing.

The second is to make sure you have a proper diagnosis and not just speculation.

Third, get yourself and your daughter support. May I suggest the support group I go to

https://refaenu.org/supportgroups/

The founder of Refaenu is very open about her mental health journey and it all started for her in highschool https://blogs.timesofisrael.co.....rder/
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amother
SandyBrown


 

Post Wed, Feb 08 2023, 2:08 am
OP, it's a journey for her to find the right medication and the right dosage. Once that's done (and of course it can always change) she will be in a much better place. Please don't assume she can't go to seminary in Israel (yes medical insurance is going to be expensive) but there are plenty of girls with different challenges who go to Israel. It's a few years away and BE"H by then she will be stable and able to see what will be best for her. IY"H she will be able to hope and dream like any teenager and live a good life.
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amother
Daffodil


 

Post Wed, Feb 08 2023, 4:30 am
First you need a proper diagnosis, then proper medication, then therapy to help with compliance and identifying triggers. Once she's stable, I don't see why she can't be transferred to a psychiatrist in Israel and go to sem there.
However, it's possible you are totally jumping ahead. Hatzlacha
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amother
Navyblue


 

Post Wed, Feb 08 2023, 4:42 am
If it's any help, I know someone who had bipolar side effects from antidepressants, now totally stable and off meds.

There are plenty of others who do have bipolar, found meds that keep them stable, and have wonderful and happy marriages and lives.

These things are scary and it's easy to catastrophize but iyH your DD will do amazing and continue to be amazing.
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amother
Maple


 

Post Wed, Feb 08 2023, 6:19 am
I would test for Lyme and co with an llmd
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amother
Cherry


 

Post Wed, Mar 15 2023, 8:05 am
HUGS OP.
My daughter was diagnosed with a mood disorder (Bipolar II) at age 15 1/2. She suddenly stopped sleeping at night and experienced his and los.

Please don't start generalizing about your daughter's high school experience and seminary, etc...
Yes, it affected her experience but she still did great, it wasn't a disaster at all. (my daughter went to going from an A+ student - we used to joke that she had too many pluses on her report cards - to struggling for B's. It took time to get the dosages right and her concentration was affected. BH by the time she went to college she did great. And she didn't end up going to seminary in Israel, but not so much because of the bipolar which was under control by then. She also has Hashimotos, and her thyroid wasn't doing so well, and she opted to stay home, she wasn't ready to manage on her own so far away...but she had a great experience locally....I happen to have a relative whose child had other depression/psychiatric issues, and she went to Israel for seminary and did very well).

Remember that Hashem has a plan. Your daughter is a whole person. She can do great in life. My daughter got her degree and works in a therapy-services type of position. She's amazing. I hear from people all the time how incredible she is (they have no idea about her condition), she's a special girl with amazing middos and deep compassion. She will start shidduchim soon (yes I'm terrified).

take the time to feel sad because it's normal - I grieved for a long time. But also keep in mind your daughter is a great girl and can do really well. I see people with all sorts of challenges out there. I'm grateful, I have such an amazing daughter.

Likely your daughter just needs a mood stabilizer added to her regimen (something like Abilify...) speak to her psychiatrist about this. She can do really well and fully get back to herself once this is under control. Getting off meds isn't the goal. Living a great life and being stable is.
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amother
Cherry


 

Post Wed, Mar 15 2023, 8:07 am
amother Navyblue wrote:
If it's any help, I know someone who had bipolar side effects from antidepressants, now totally stable and off meds.

There are plenty of others who do have bipolar, found meds that keep them stable, and have wonderful and happy marriages and lives.

These things are scary and it's easy to catastrophize but iyH your DD will do amazing and continue to be amazing.


I know someone who needed the antidepressants, so the psychiatrist added a small dose of a mood stabilizer (abilify) and she did very well. this person is BH married and expecting her first child now. Doing great.
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