Artane

We’re adding a new drug. I’m torn up over this, but I don’t know what else to do for Kevin at this time. Here’s a small amount of information on Artane from: http://www.drugs.com/mtm/artane.html

What is Artane (trihexyphenidyl)?

Trihexyphenidyl alters unusual nerve impulses and relaxes stiff muscles.

Trihexyphenidyl is used to treat the stiffness, tremors, spasms, and poor muscle control of Parkinson's disease. It is also used to treat and prevent the same muscular conditions when they are caused by drugs such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), fluphenazine (Prolixin), perphenazine (Trilafon), haloperidol (Haldol), thiothixene (Navane), and others.

Trihexyphenidyl may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

I just read that one of the side effects is dry mouth. Here we go again with excessive drinking. Another side effect is decreased sweating, so you have to be careful not to get over heated. As you can guess I’m not thrilled about starting a new medication with Kevin. The reason for the new medication is called Tardive Dystonia. It happens with medications that are dopamine blockers or neurotransmitters. Kevin seems to be able to handle Risperdal for 2 years only and in the past we have switched him to another medication. Unfortunately, those medications didn’t last long with him, which means that there is nothing to switch him to anymore. My biggest wish is to take him off the Risperdal, but we have no idea if he can do that one at all. Right now his nerves are as fried as mine and I’m just going to do what I can to get him back to where he can go back to school. He misses school that I do know, so it now Prozac, Ativan, Risperdal and Artane. I pick up the new medication later today, so prayers are needed that this helps him.

Thanksgiving

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I have to say yesterday was the most stressful Thanksgiving I’ve ever been through and I hope it’s the last one. Kevin is going through Dystonic Reactions with his Risperdal. In other words it doing the opposite of what it’s suppose to do for him. With his doctor on vacation right now, until Monday, I’m doing everything I can think of to help him. Today unfortunately I have to work. I’m opening the store by myself while my boss watches her grandchildren today. If it weren’t for the fact that we need to be open and I need the money I’d stay home with Kevin. Jeff will be here and I know he can handle Kevin, but it doesn’t stop me from worrying about him. On the up side my Turkey got rave reviews from everyone yesterday. It was the first time I’ve ever injected an apple juice mixture into a turkey. The gluten free stuffing came out great. I added an apple to the stuffing mix for a little change on that one, too. Most important Kevin got his turkey and I got one moment where I could get a good picture of him. I’m tired, Kevin’s tired and I’m sure Jeff is tired. Wish us luck today and keep us in your prayers please.

Too Soon

I did the Happy Dance a little too soon. Kevin has been having some problems the past couple of days, so I'll go back to his normal dosage for the Prozac and hope that is the problem. I'm hoping I don't have to go through another medication change with him as far as the Risperdal is concern. I know she will put him back on Geodon to replace the Risperdal and that one is not fun at all. That's how he ended up on Prozac and Ativan in the first place. This is stressful and depressing, but I can't let Kevin in on what I'm feeling. If I get stressed out in front of him that can make things worse for him. He does pickup on what's going on around him in that fashion, too. At least I got him on the bus this morning. He wanted to go to bowling practice today at school and I really need to go to work today. This is a short month for me due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Everyone keep your fingers crossed please.

Happy Dance

I’m doing the happy dance! It may be too soon, but I’m still doing it. If you’ll remember a couple of weeks ago I had to add ½ a Risperdal back into Kevin’s daily medications. The reason I did was because of two things. He was still having issues with the sugar imbalance and there were a few Mom’s in my discussion group that had problems for 2 months with their child after a gluten infraction. After looking over the calendar I realized that it had only been a little over a month and half since that happened. So, for 2 weeks I had Kevin on the high dose of Risperdal. I never had intentions of leaving him at that dosage either, so after the two weeks were up I started reducing it again. It’s only been 1 week mind you, but his teacher called today to say he was such a happy young man this morning. I also went a step farther and took out 1 Prozac every other day for a week. Prozac is one of those meds that you have to go very slow with when reducing it. My goal is to just take out the one for now and leave him at the 2 Prozac a day for a while. During this past week I noticed that on the days he got the 3 Prozac’s he was very tense and clucking his hand tighter than on the days he didn’t get the one dose, so today was his first day of missing the morning dose of Prozac two days in a row. I didn’t realize I’d been holding my breath all morning waiting for that phone call that he was stemming way too much today. It didn’t happen! It was the opposite. As for the sugar issue he doesn’t seem to be as bad as he was with it, since the medication changes. I do think he is sensitive to his sugar dropping just a very small amount, so I still do the 3 meals with the snacks in-between those meals just to help him stay balanced. When I do the snacks I try to make sure he has a balance between the Carbohydrates and Proteins. It not easy, it’s expensive, but it seems to be helping.

Pumpkin Pie

Before I write about Pumpkin Pie I have news about Kevin’s thyroid test. Everything is normal with his thyroid! Thank goodness! Now about Pumpkin Pie Kevin's favorite pie if you ask me. I had gone to the health food store in search of a couple of different flours for bread and pie. They had the flour, but not the potato starch that I was looking for, but it just so happened that I was at the new store they opened for the Healthy Home Market. Everything thing seemed so organized in the freezers and not crowded. I took my time browsing and thinking about having to order flour online when I saw the gluten free pie crust. I had looked at their other store for it and never found it. What a find! I was worried about how long it would take me to get the order if I did it online and then testing the different recipes. I tested this pie crust yesterday without waiting and I cannot tell a difference myself. Kevin was so happy when he saw me dish it up last night. He sat right up off the sofa and said Pie!