Monday, February 08, 2010

Searching for Wyken, Blyken and Nod

Tonight we are Clonidine-free. It took us essentially two weeks to wean Oliver from the medication that we had hoped would help us solve the ever-present sleep problem. The decision to try a sleep medication was a long time coming. Oliver is seven and a half now and has never slept well. To put it nicely. I suppose we always thought -- hoped -- he would grow out of it. But the impact of lost sleep for our whole family is just so great that the time had finally come when we were willing to try just about anything. We initially experienced moderate success. Two, three, four nights in a row strung together in solid ten hour blocks. But no matter how many adjustments we made in his nightly dose, it just didn't seem to completely solve the problem. Not only that, but it introduced a new problem. With every increase in the dose Oliver began to rebound to greater and greater effect every afternoon. It wasn't pretty and I won't describe it here because it remains one of the more difficult things that we as a family have gone through. What little sleep I was getting ultimately seemed to come at a pretty high price for my sunshine boy. And no matter how many apologies I make to the heavens the guilt remains.

It's hard, this business of parenting, isn't it? There are no for-sures and an awful many lets-sees and  maybes.

But we haven't given up. We won't give up. We've found a new developmental pediatrician (and only five hours from home!) who said all the right things when we met with her two weeks ago. We have an appointment at a sleep clinic on the horizon. And as always, Oliver himself gives us the most perfect incentive to keep on.

6 comments:

  1. Not sure what to say, but sending hugs to one of my very favorite families.

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  2. I'm glad you've successfully weaned Oliver off the clonidine but I'm so sad it didn't solve his sleep problems. I am very hopeful for you and the sleep clinic. But hey, no guilt! I know it's easier to say than feel, but we do all we can for the good of all - you are a terrific mommy.

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  3. Anonymous9:12 AM

    I hope you have more answers soon-- In the meantime, hugs.

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  4. Oh, geez, I am so sorry. You don't have to explain a thing...those of us who've experienced those kinds of rebounds can imagine all too well. Sh*t. :-((

    We've not hit on a magic bullet either. Did not wat to try clonidie bc of sedative effects (or potential for rebound). We're having moderate luck with Tenex. Not so much for sleep but for overall calmness. Makes the slep interruptions at least more livable. The adjustment took a while for Nik (about 10 days before he wasn't groggy during the day) but it's been pretty good.

    Fingers crossed you find some amswers and some sleep. Sending hugs and coffee...

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  5. Really hoping you find an answer... and share:) Does Oliver seem to be effected by the lack of sleep? Cotton does not seem to be bothered by the lack of sleep, so I was just wondering if Oliver's experience was the same.

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  6. Sleeeep.

    I hope you get some sleep.

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