Bipolar - Fresno,CA

Hi N.-
So sorry to hear about that. What a bummer. My two suggestions are "Good Samaritan Hospital" for you, or a counselor named Russ Sempel. He actually came to my home and discussed meds with me verses therapy to see if I would medication free. Since my bipolarity is so mild, I ended up just having to really work on my self, and keeping myself from the things that depress me. Unfortunately those days will still come and I will be wild one minute and in tears the next. It happens. HOwever, there is help. If Good Samaritan will not take you, search for psychiatrists under your insurance. NOT a general practitioner or family doctor. From what I understand, one needs help from someone who specializes and studies the mind and mental health when treating mental health. As for your son, is he on medication for ADD? If so, that may be adversely affecting the mental health. While he may need it, you may need to find something that will work with the other issue as well. Have you tried diet and exercise or simple meditation to focus his energy? Possibly an herbalist to help with the changing mental state of a young boy? I will not say you should not medicate because I am married to a medicated man, and the mental health meds saved his life. I will say to try EVERYTHING, one bit at a time. And keep as few doctors on the case as possible. Too many cooks int he kitchen can cause a mess. This is what my husbands psychiatrist told us, and i believe it. One doctor working with you and your son until everyone is stable, functional, and eventually happy. Then, as you find stability, start adding healthy changes to your life for improvement. I swear by it.
I hope this helps and you and your son are in my prayers.
Good luck!
-E. M

I don't live near Fresno, so I don't have any specific recommendations for doctors other than contact your health insurance for psychiatrists in your area that are in their network. They will give you a list usually over the phone and / or send an email. I would keep knocking on doors for myself and my son to get the help I need if I were in your position.

I do highly recommend in the meantime a book called, "loving someone with bipolar disorder," by Julie A. Fast and John D. Preston, Psy.D. My mother has bipolar and I bought this book for myself and my father to help learn how to cope with it beyond just taking medication. I find it to be very thorough and helpful in tracking behaviors, triggers, and preventing getting triggered. I know you are dealing with a lot right now, and I am sorry that the professionals have been less than helpful. I know that feeling... I also know that with persistence you will find the help you and your son need.
Blessings to you both:)

hi, i don't have experience with your situation, but i have read an amazing article that you may be interested in. the author, McBride, believes many of the mental and physical health issues in our country are due to diet. basically, all the processed food that lacks nutrients. check it out, it's awesome. here's a link to an article and to purchase the book. good luck!

http://www.behealthy.org.uk/gaps.pdf
http://www.gutandpsychologysyndrome.com/

for tips on how to eat well and provide foods for a healthy and wise family, check out the Wise Traditions website at http://www.westonaprice.org/

Hi, I would start here: http://www.ndcounselingcenter.org/, perhaps ask for Ray Campton, he's a friend of my mother's. Also, the Contra Costa Crisis Center would help you find a provider or support group, you just dial 211. Take care and I hope you find the help you and your son need.

C.

I am not sure what advise you have already received, but I saw a news special a couple of years ago where they were saying that the diagnosis for bipolar is missed often and incorrectly diagnosed ADHD... your son could be one of the many misdiagnosed kids out there. Fight HARD!! call Central Valley Regional Center, they may be able to direct you to the right place. go back to your son's pediatrician and have him checked out again.

Get his pediatrician to recommend someone who can diagnose him and treat him. If you can't find someone nearby, take the bus. I don't know what you mean by getting the school district to "accept this reg my child," but it sounds like he needs help.

Hello N.,
I do believe there is something you can do for your son. There is a program called S.E.L.P.A that works with learning disabled children thru the schools. To be properly diagnosed, you can go thru Aspira, or Sierra Vista. They have counselling and a physician that can give you information.
As for you, there is services for parents also. Valley Mountain Regional Center can have your son tested if necessary. I don't know if you can find a doctor without counselling. There is a school called Reyn Franca that works with children like your son. Its a non public, non private school, Storer provides transportation.
My oldest son is adhd, a school counsellor told me my son might be bipolar but wasn't diagnosed by anyone else. If your son is having difficulty, maybe talk to the school to see what services they have for him. Many schools do have special classes. If you have further questions, I will see what information I can get for you. Best of luck, G.

You should journal your and your sons mood swings and then make an appt to see your regular medical dr. She/He can give you a recommendation to see a psychiatrist that could diagnose you and your son. I have blue shield and it does pay for psychiatric evaluations if you have been referred by your MD. My husband just finally got his diagnosis, took 10 years of journaling.... Bipolar is not something that is diagnosed immediately and the medication for it is not something you would want to take unless you absolutely have to, it's dangerous stuff and I wouldnt want my child on it unless there was no other choice. Be careful with this. I would keep seeing the MD until a diagnosis is made, don't give up on your child.

I would definitely take your son to a psychologist for assessment and treatment. My friend had the same issue w/her child and when she took her child to the doctor they gave him a test. The assessment was that he was not bi-polar because out of the 20 questions only 16 applied . I think that assessment is incorrect but I'm not the doctor. Anyway, the doctor gave them the tools they needed to deal with their son: the knowledge of what to do, exercises in how best to deal with his outbursts etc. If you can't get someone through BlueCross, I would google psychologists or psychiatrists in your area and call to see what their rates are. That way you could take the bus or get a ride to the appointment. I would also recommend that you see a different doctor for yourself to see if you get better help. Sometimes you have to go outside your health plan to get the help you need. You might be able to find some assistance through the county but the doctors may not be n your immediate area. Be proactive, try to get the help you need for yourself and your son and hang in there! I will be thinking positive thoughts for you and your family!

Has the school tested your son? Ask the school to do an IEP on him. With the behaviors you are describing, it is surprising that the school has not done an IEP.

Hello N.: I hope that you will have a better day today because you sought help and may find some through the good people of Mama Source, that have a wide range of experiances.
I have experianced bi-polor. It is an emotional roller coaster ride and when in control life is good, but when out of control life is swinging out of bounds so fast you can't keep up withit.
One thing we learned from the doctors, was that children that live with it are constantly taking on the symptoms of the person they see with it-- if they have it or not--. They just assume that this is natural because it is what they know. We were taught, that it is called " enviromental"" because it is learned from the enviroment they are in, vs actually having it.
Your child should be able to recieve help through the school distric medical services so talk to the principal or
someone from special services at the distric office. In the process they may be able to get you help as well. I can suggest that you go on line as you did with mama source, also think about contacting BlueCross directly and see who they have in your area that will help you.
As for the dyslexia. We haveseveral family members withthat and as frustrating as it is that on top of the other symptoms can be frustrating and frightening to a child. So it really sounds like you little one is screaming for help in the only way he thinks it can be found. At least he tried to reach someone he thought was a safe person or some one he believes you go to for the same kinds of help. There is help for the dyeslexia and my son has been able to over come that along with his Autism factor with medication, education, and lots of support. I hope that some of this information willhelp you. By the way I was hit by a woman in Patterson,CA. while she was talking on her cell phone,on a rainy day and she tried to hit someone that was trying to stop her from taking off since she was a coward and hit and run... didn't care that she hit a disabled van and we couldn't use the lift at all. So I do understand the situations that you are in.
I can tell you that with help it will get better. The medications that you need will help and keep you focused on the healing and ways of copeing . Good Luck, Nana G

I'm not from CA but if you can get a friend to take you or do they have people that offer for a small price to take you to do your errands. Here we have people advertise in papers and such. I would look for that too. Sorry to hear about your son. Don't give up, keep working at getting him a proper diagnosis. It may not be Bipolar. It's important to know at that early age what you are dealing with and therefore be able to handle it better.

Where is Herndon ave.? Which city? I can't refer unless I know.

Palo Alto Child psychiatrist

There is a support group at Parent Helping Parents in San Jose for families of children with Childhood Bipolar Disorder. You might want to check with them about resources. www.php.com

N.,
Anyone I know who has been diagnosed as bipolar has been done so by a pschiatrist. They are usually the ones to diagnose and treat patients for this particular disease/disorder. You probably won't like the way the meds make you feel at first, but you need to stick with them in order to see the difference. A friend of mine was recently diagnosed and she is almost 50, my other friend was diagnosed several years ago after trying to commit suicide.
She finally figured out that her life is much calmer if you
take your meds like you are supposed to. Good luck to you.
W. M.

For something like bipolar you should be able to get goverment help. Your son can be assest through his school, ask for an "SST" test to be done. By law they HAVE to do it. If they find he does have something going on they can put what is called a "504" in place, with this they have to accomidate him. You can look it up online, it is a law. I as well am bipolar and my son has something going on as well. Or with your ins company there should be a phone number on the back of the card for "mental health" and they can direct you to the correct place. Good luck.
From,
Someone that understands.

I went through the ADD and Dyslexia with my son. The school system does not know how to deal with a child that is not a cookie cutter kid. By 7th grade my son could not read. That year a new counselor came in and was appalled by how I was treated in an IEP meeting by the Principal, VP, teachers and resource staff. They were down right hostile. They blamed me for his inability to learn and said it was because he was tardy to school. (30 seconds late makes him tardy). The new counselor came to my aid and offered 20 sessions with a reading teacher (off campus, on my time) who taught a modified version of the "Linda Mood Bell" technique. This is non-phonics based and zings directly to the brain via touch. The sounds are relearned as touch by the tongue and mouth. T's are called Tongue Tappers because they tap the top of your mouth with the tongue. My 7th grade son learned how to read by lesson 3. It was a miracle.
All the school system wanted was to drug and sedate him or make him a discipline problem so they could expel him before this enlightened counselor came upon the scene.

A few days before the school trip to Great America my son and his best friend were banned from the trip. The Principal demanded that my son pick up all the garbage left in the quad and he answered her back and said I didn’t litter any of this. She said he was defiant and banned him from the trip. (More like just looking for an excuse so my son would not have fun.) Did I mention they were degrading and mean to my son also? So I kept my son out of school that day and took him and his best friend to Great America the day of the school trip and they had the wonderful time that they deserved. We kept in cell phone contact and they met up with their friends (on the official trip) and went on all the rides together as the teachers could not stop them in a public place.

My advice is look at your son with a different point of view. Help your child learn. Do not drug him to satisfy the system that wants drone kids. Let your kid express himself and teach him how to be appropriately angry. It is okay to be angry. Join PARENTS HELPING PARENTS PHP.com Learn how to help your child. I did. By the way the school teachers and administrators told me since my son was in the 6th grade (as they failed to fulfill his IEP of catching him up to his class) that he would not graduate high school and not to expect it. They were trying to cover their basis for failing my child and leaving him behind. My son passed the exit exams and graduated in cap and gown with one extra year of high school They were all wrong! I wish I had found PHP sooner that 7th grade. By the way I would not drug my son. I spent $700 at the Doctor and tried the medication before giving it to my son. It WAS DEADLLY. So I did not drug him. His friend was not so lucky. He was given all the drugs the doctors prescribed and all he got were headaches and failing to graduate High School. It did not help with his learning.
GOOD LUCK.
GOOGLE: Alternatives to Bipolar medicine.
here are a few:
The over-medicated psychiatric paradigm has got to stop.

Medicating childhood? like what? wiggling in your chair? speaking out of turn? too shy to raise your hand? wetting your pants? psychiatric medications do one thing: they stunt a child, in growth, brain formation and spirit.
Antipsychotics such as Risperdal, Abilify, Zyprexa are chemicals that affect growing brains and bodies, and what we will end up with in the next decade are boatloads of residential care facilities like the one my daughter resides, as a result of psychiatric medication damage. Dare to challenge me in thought, because I win. The worst war.

~ For each 100 students, let's say there is 1 who may need medication. The paradigm the pharma industry would have it for their bottom line is 100% of students need medication. For no apparent[or proven] reason. The same people who sell, pimp and promote the products probably wet their pants, peed on the playground, and were called bookworms, or quirky as kids.
~ Today, I took my daughter on a drive, unable to speak, and wrote me a note that she wanted ice cream; as a result of brain damage from psych meds.
~ Ritalin Wars: One person's opinion, Judith Warner-- November 2007. "I’m not willing — anymore — to sacrifice real children and their parents on the altar of ideology."- Judith Warner. NY Times Blog "Why did my stomach drop so quickly to my knees, why was I so quick to think it possible that, after countless interviews and lectures and hours of reading, I’d simply fallen for a hoax manufactured by the drug companies and wrested upon the innocent?"- Judith Warner NY Times Blog ~~ So, Judith finally fell into the trenches, hand carved and kept by parents like me, who were duped,--for 365/24/7 for 8 years. Welcome to your ideal world. Where pharamceutical companies do not take you to the alter to sacrifice your/a child. Or YOU.