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teen compliance
Sun, 10/04/2009 - 21:08Comments
Re: teen compliance
Submitted by ankemp on Tue, 2009-11-03 - 16:47
I too am struggling. We don't have a diagnosis yet but my 17 year old daughter is experiencing the symptoms of Absence seizures. (Staring straight ahead, not responsive and then her eyes roll back in her head - after I shake her she is fine - but doesn't remember) We have had the MRI and EEG and are supposed to see a neurologist later this week. However, I am very nervous. Just this week alone the seizures are increasing. As a side note, she has been on Prosac for a while now. She was taking 20mg and we increased it to 40 mg just recently because she had a set-back when some stupid kids at school decided to play a prank on her. I asked her pediatrician if everything that we have been going through over the year or so (dizziness, trembling, depression, shortness of breath) could have been leading up to this and the answer was yes - that is a possibility. I was hoping that we might be able to take some seizure meds and get off the Prosac - but after reading everyone's stories - I'm not really sure about that yet. I read about VNS Therapy and that sounds great - no side effects. But it also strangely sounds like shock therapy. And that is kind of creepy.
They had a pep rally at school where they used strobe lights and she had 3 seizures within 1 1/2 hours. Halloween was no fun for her...she has a 10 year old little brother and we had to make her ride in the car with dad while I walked my son around the different neighborhoods. She couldn't go into the spook house at a friend's house and has to cover her head anytime there are strobe lights or even lights from police cars.
She is in the band...and the school buses have those flashing lights on the top and they are escorted by a policeman with their lights flashing....she is having to keep her head covered during all the bus rides to away games and competitions.
She is supposed to go to college next year. Can't drive...can't me by herself. What am I supposed to do?
She is very bright - straight A student - high ACT score....she WANTS to go to a 4 year college and she deserves to go and have a great life.
But it seems that this is a major curve ball and I just don't know what do do right now.....I know I should be patient and wait for the neurologist to call - but it is getting the best of me right now.
I too am struggling. We don't have a diagnosis yet but my 17 year old daughter is experiencing the symptoms of Absence seizures. (Staring straight ahead, not responsive and then her eyes roll back in her head - after I shake her she is fine - but doesn't remember) We have had the MRI and EEG and are supposed to see a neurologist later this week. However, I am very nervous. Just this week alone the seizures are increasing. As a side note, she has been on Prosac for a while now. She was taking 20mg and we increased it to 40 mg just recently because she had a set-back when some stupid kids at school decided to play a prank on her. I asked her pediatrician if everything that we have been going through over the year or so (dizziness, trembling, depression, shortness of breath) could have been leading up to this and the answer was yes - that is a possibility. I was hoping that we might be able to take some seizure meds and get off the Prosac - but after reading everyone's stories - I'm not really sure about that yet. I read about VNS Therapy and that sounds great - no side effects. But it also strangely sounds like shock therapy. And that is kind of creepy.
They had a pep rally at school where they used strobe lights and she had 3 seizures within 1 1/2 hours. Halloween was no fun for her...she has a 10 year old little brother and we had to make her ride in the car with dad while I walked my son around the different neighborhoods. She couldn't go into the spook house at a friend's house and has to cover her head anytime there are strobe lights or even lights from police cars.
She is in the band...and the school buses have those flashing lights on the top and they are escorted by a policeman with their lights flashing....she is having to keep her head covered during all the bus rides to away games and competitions.
She is supposed to go to college next year. Can't drive...can't me by herself. What am I supposed to do?
She is very bright - straight A student - high ACT score....she WANTS to go to a 4 year college and she deserves to go and have a great life.
But it seems that this is a major curve ball and I just don't know what do do right now.....I know I should be patient and wait for the neurologist to call - but it is getting the best of me right now.
Re: teen compliance
Submitted by disneylover123 on Sat, 2009-10-24 - 23:41
you have to almost step back and see what your son is going through. being a teenager myself, i absolutely hate having to take meds that make me sleepy, and, quite honestly, i am VERY upset about my lack of driver's license. my mom actually suggested getting on epilepsy message boards to help me cope.
about the forgetting doses, maybe ask him to set an alarm (possibly on his cell phone if he has one, just so a sense of independence might come through, that's what i have anyways). and possibly talk to the Dr. about changing meds to find some w/o many side effects (that's also one of the adventures i'm on right now.)
You basically have to tell him, though he may not want to believe it, that this is the hand he's been dealt, it's the reality that he has to deal with, whether he wants to or not. he can embrace it and try to live his life the best he can, or he can sit around all day and let it control him (believe me i've gotten that lecture MANY times!!!)
hope this helps!!!
you have to almost step back and see what your son is going through. being a teenager myself, i absolutely hate having to take meds that make me sleepy, and, quite honestly, i am VERY upset about my lack of driver's license. my mom actually suggested getting on epilepsy message boards to help me cope.
about the forgetting doses, maybe ask him to set an alarm (possibly on his cell phone if he has one, just so a sense of independence might come through, that's what i have anyways). and possibly talk to the Dr. about changing meds to find some w/o many side effects (that's also one of the adventures i'm on right now.)
You basically have to tell him, though he may not want to believe it, that this is the hand he's been dealt, it's the reality that he has to deal with, whether he wants to or not. he can embrace it and try to live his life the best he can, or he can sit around all day and let it control him (believe me i've gotten that lecture MANY times!!!)
hope this helps!!!