The Goose & Carrot Pub

[RedRegular]

A thread for all who have DC with SN. The thread is deleted in 90 days and doesn’t show in active. The season is changing and the bar is well stocked.

@FrostySunRun that's awesome. The ADHD meds have made such a difference to DD3 & DD2, also. I think they say that they can be almost diagnostic in a sense - if they work, it was ADHD. If they don't, it wasn't.

DD2 is revisiting the college that we turned down today, because now that she's medicated for ADHD, she's so different. She stayed the full day at school again yesterday, and she hasn't complained about going to school since term recommenced. It's so different.

@Zeonlywayisup a lot of change but it sounds like you're in control. I hope DS settles soon.

You are right @RedRegular it reminded me of receiving ds’s dx finally (he was 10!!! And it was not a surprise). Just sort of final and heavy. I don’t know why really because EHC has been utterly awful for us and an annual torture.

I’m having a thought. (Apologies I know this is not always good news for the pub as I launch into another “thing” and make you all listen to it. Ignore if silly). Ds’s new drug will increase his appetite and is likely to lead to weight gain. This is difficult because he’s overweight already. It’s supposed to level off after a settling in period though I suspect that was wishful thinking rather than fact. Would it be bonkers to harness the greed and use it to focus much harder on expanding his restricted diet? I’m not quite sure how to create a syllabus to get from where we are to normal eating but I could try?

Yes it is appearing so @Lougle i hope the college visit helps DD decide. Have you been able to reduce the AD as well? I’d really like to see if we could reduce the Sertraline dose but I’m not going there until exams have passed. We’ve found the local sixth form potentially offers a course combination at post16 that DD is interested in it would be walkable which for me is big bonus and much smaller cohort as most kids leave to go to the big college. However it’s attached to the massive secondary she didn’t attend. It’s partially separate & they do wear joggers own clothes etc. but I’m not sure if DD can get past the initial “environment” to access the provision. One of the subjects she’s interested in literally had 4 kids studying it last year if they keep running it that size group is perfect for her.

@Zeonlywayisup its worth a try offering things alongside stuff he’s into. I’m not sure how restrictive his diet is but if it’s any consolation my DH eats quite a restrictive diet not particularly healthy mostly the same dinner 4-5 nights a week but runs ultras is mega fit. He’s definitely AuDHD just not officially diagnosed but fits all the traits to a tee and has just learned to accept who he is.

@Zeonlywayisup I really rate an online nutritionist called Thalia Snack Nutritionist who specialises in picky eating/restricted diets. She started out doing toddlers but now has lots of success with older ND children. She talks about how to use appetite to your advantage.

I’m fairly confident I can introduce new foods. We’ve had lots of success in the last 12 months particularly. It’s more what next I’m pondering. It like a path, one type moves to another.

Oh wow ADHD meds are doing some great work. Brilliant.

@FrostySunRun so happy for you both that it was a good day. I lived in London for 35 years and when I visit now it’s a massive assault on the senses.

I can’t answer your question about restricted diet, because DD1 has been obsessed with food, since the day, she was born! We have spent most of her life, trying to keep her appetite under control, because she’d eat practically anything!

However, when she went on sodium valproate, the regional head of paediatric neurology said to me:

”It can increase appetite, but the tablets themselves don’t magically produce weight gain! It’s what they put in their mouth! “

The third round of chemo killed a friend of mine recently. They had estimated she had two or three years left in January. Chemo can be a double edged sword imo.

@FrostySunRun that’s amazing. I’m glad ADHD medication has had such a positive effect on DD. You too @Lougle . It hasn’t as much of a positive effect for DS2 and I as I had hoped, especially DS2’s impulsive behaviour. I have wondered whether it is because we are both on non stimulants.

@Zeonlywayisup I'm sorry to hear about your friend. Have you looked at food chaining? Do the community nurses communicate via text? Then you can reply whenever you are free and DS doesn’t have to listen. Some of DSs’ specialist nurses text and depending on what needs to be discussed, I prefer it.

That's a shame @scoopofmintchocchipicecream . Yes, DD2 is on methylphenidate XL, and DD3 is on dexamphetamine.

DD2 visited the college today. She had her teacher and me there to accompany her, and she was met by the SEN lead and a LSA. She decided to look around without me (amazing!!) and she even made a bracelet with the LSA. She's decided to go there in September.

@Lougle Wow! That is a huge turnaround.

DS2 started straight on non-stimulants because of concerns about how stimulants would have a negative effect on his weight, but I have thought about asking again for DS2 to try stimulants. He is going away this summer with his best friend and his family and then his girlfriend and her family, so probably after that since I won’t be there to keep an eye on how much he is eating and nag.

Oh that's good news about college @Lougle.
Trying to get a time for the possible new English tutor for Sept that works with the fact that it's 30 mins from DS school but 45 mins from home in the same direction so coming home first won't work. Why is nothing ever simple?
I have to go and see my mum, she's still in hospital with an infection, brother is there but he's the golden child, also mum listens to DH but brother doesn't! But I think DB is also aware that I don't have the flexibility he does as his DCs are grown up.

lougle that is great news about the college.

drspouse sorry your mum is still in hospital - yet another thing to juggle.

@Lougle Go DD2!

@drspouse plate spinning for a loved one when you are at the bottom of their totem pole is extra hard. Honk honk.

I’m in bed early after a good run and wordle.Yipee!

Oooo @Lougle thats a really big step forward. Yay!

ds had a better day yesterday I think. Nothing huge just a bit less flat. I slept a little last night which is a relief. The older I get the more my sleep is impacted by worry.

honk honk all

Wow @Lougle that’s great news I really hope it works out ok for her.

@scoopofmintchocchipicecream woukd self medicating with caffeine help for you or try with DS as many adhd adults do this instead. Even if they don’t realise! My DH has two strong coffees in the morning it works for him. The meds DD is on is stimulant lasts 6-8hrs, she isn’t hungry in morning but makes up for it with larger evening meal and her weight has stayed stable. It’s actually been positive for her as she had been constantly looking for sugary treats in the house prior to this and the meds stopped this need and stabilised her more.

@drspouse sorry to hear your mum is still in hospital it’s very hard juggling loved ones & family dynamics.

@RedRegular whoop for sleep

@FrostySunRun Yes, DH has always lived on coffee; but then he denies he has ADHD! He’ll ask me what the symptoms are. I read out a list of 9 symptoms. He agrees he has all of them, but then adds he hasn’t got ADHD, even though he’s hyperactive and he says he understands exactly how DD2 thinks, because he’s the same. IMO, he’s been less credible since DD2 and DGD were diagnosed!

@drspouse I am sorry to hear DM is in hospital. It’s another layer of stress, isn’t it, in between running around after DC with SEN!

So sorry about your friend @BlueandWhitePorcelain

Glad your birthday went well @NoHaudinMaWheest

Glad London went well @FrostySunRun

Encouraging on the college @Lougle

Sorry about your Mum still being in hospital and having to deal with difficult relationships @drspouse

DH just got his classic car part repaired back yesterday whilst I worked on planning application, nearly there now though was annoying it linked to a tree mapping thing to map trees, it wanted every tree of about 6 properties and 2 roads and every tree type, height and how big trunk was at 1.5 metres and exact placement and there are loads of trees here and I don't go round measuring them. Got to the end of that after about an hour and then it said you can have this now for £150 and we expect the council will ask for a full tree report red flag but they may accept this. So I abandoned that. The planning only asks for trees within falling distance which there are 3 and 1 is ours are fine, 1 is dead we think and other one is small and not protected. We aren't altering base and it must have been there since 1980s / 1990s so hopefully will get through. Shed company has got back confirming final details and has now offered to do a scaled drawing for us. DH is going to see neighbours about 2 trees, they are lovely but don't know what reaction he will get as it'll be £1,000-£1,500 of work they will need to do but you can't leave a 12 metre dead tree where it could fall into several gardens and possibly houses including our house. Its stable for now. Going to do gardening and mini beach hut tool stores today. Its so good having DH around all week. My 26 red patches I presume must have been insect bites at least aren't growing and itching is improving, anti-histamines work but make me drowsy. They are all on one leg - we are going out for afternoon tea and house visit tomorrow and its 30C not sure what I will wear but they are on the back of one leg so maybe I will just need to stand at the back. At first was nervous could be shingles as one sided but just insect bites.

DH brought back a Toby carvery yesterday for DS and us and went upstairs to wash hands and in that time DS took his so he was very happy with that.

@Lougle I’m sorry your DM is still in hospital.

@FrostySunRun I already consume a large amount of caffeine. It helps, but I thought ADHD medication would help on top of that more than it has. Because of DS2’s medical condition, there is more concern than average about stimulants having a negative effect on his weight. He maintains his weight OK now without ONS, but if something caused him to eat less than he does now, it would quickly become a problem. I haven’t tried DS2 with caffeine. He doesn’t like tea, coffee or hot drinks at all, really. I would rather not start a caffeine heavy energy drink habit. The ones that are very caffeine heavy can cause issues with the condition DSs have if drunk in larger quantities. We have discussed ADHD a fair bit with his team because there is a higher prevalence of ADHD in people with DSs' main medical condition.

My understanding is that caffeine isn't more helpful than placebo in improving ADHD symptoms.

Research shows mixed opinion, I believe. Some studies show no benefit beyond a placebo effect. Yet some studies have concluded there is some benefit to improved concentration, although not as effective as medication.

I’m hyper sensitive to caffeine and it really helps lift my brain out a fog and into hyper focus if I’m having a bad day. I don’t consume a lot but by accident had a paracetamol with caffeine in and it and wow I had a very productive hours work. I’m a caffeine before noon person and nothing after now or it messes with my sleep.
like everything I think it’s very specific to the persons hormonal & dna make up. Way too much scientific research is and has been carried out on white young men in the past that I think there’s lots we don’t understand yet in particular how drugs impact females and ethnicity minorities.