Thank you everyone. I knew I could count on some wisdom from the hive. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have been struggling off and on with anxiety and depression for nearly a decade, and now is the worst it's ever been. I want to try 5-HTP. Does anyone have a brand recommendation? Dh picked this up from Costco yesterday, but it only has 15 mg of 5-HTP. Dosage is two tablets/day. Also, when can I expect to feel an effect? Is it like an SSRI where I need to be on it for a few weeks before I can hope for some relief? Thx all. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Try a diuretic maybe? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I feel for you and I don't have any answers. I have a 16yo in grade 10 with HFA, severe anxiety, and type 1 diabetes. I have nothing to suggest for you, as I know you've tried everything! My son is exactly as you describe yours, and for him, it all stems from anxiety. He has an overwhelming fear of growing up and facing adult expectations. I have had to back off. It goes against everything in me to do so, but anxiety over school work resulted in suicidal thoughts early on in the school year. He has only done two courses this year, (math & English), and it has been a struggle to even get him to do that! Next year will likely be the same, and high school will probably take 5-6 years to complete. It is unbelievably difficult to watch. He is so smart. I mean really intelligent in his areas of strength. However, I know that he can't handle the stress of college, he probably won't ever be able to work full-time, and I need to re-align my expectations with his capabilities. This has been really hard for me because of the huge discrepancy between his intelligence and his functioning. Anyway, like I said, I have no suggestions; only commiseration. I just wanted you to know that you're not alone. Remember to take care of yourself. I always forget that one!

We recently acquired a basset from my husband's parents. They moved over-seas and we all agreed that the best thing for the dog was to live with us. So take this with a grain of salt, since she wasn't raised/trained by us, and my in-laws are not the best dog trainers. She is absolutely adorable, sweet, mild-mannered, and fantastic with the kids & with other dogs. However, she is also stubborn, unbelievably lazy, surprisingly stupid, and has little to no bladder control! After 10 years of sleep deprivation with our kids, we are now being woken in the middle of the night by a dog. She is also obsessed with food. We have had her for a year now and have finally trained her to not whine & bark in the kitchen, and to stop jumping up onto the table to steal food. She has peed/pooped in almost every room of the house, and seems to think that if she is in a new location, it is perfectly acceptable to use is as a bathroom. She needs re-training every time we take her somewhere new. Consider also, that many people think that a basset is a lap dog. She is not a small dog. She is a full-sized hound with short legs, and she weighs more than my husky/lab cross! This unfortunately means that she has a shorter life-span too. Again, I don't know how much of this is because of temperament or poor training in her first year. She has become a much better dog since we have had her, so she is trainable and, despite all of her annoying habits, we love her.

When my ds with ASD was 8yo and started having accidents out of the blue, it turned out to be type 1 diabetes. Is he drinking more than usual?

We rent space through Servercraft I think. We got it for my son for his birthday, and he loves it. I love it because it's a safe place for him to play with his cousin/siblings. I never like it when they are on public servers. I believe it is $7/month, and he can have up to 10 kids on at a time.

If I were to start out doing respite care, could I still choose a particular age range? I would still want to stick to the younger than my youngest crowd which I would think would limit the kids I could take quite a bit?

Wow. I am amazed at the wide range of experiences on this thread! If anything I am more conflicted than ever, but you all have given me so much to think about. In my heart I want to do it, but I need to decide if it's in the best interest of my family right now. Thanks everyone.

No, not rambling at all. Personal experiences are what I want to hear. Thank you for taking the time to post!

Piano. I have my grade 6 Royal Conservatory, and I was quite good. I sit down to the piano from time to time, but I am embarrassingly bad. Apparently it is NOT like riding a bike..... Horseback riding. I used to ride hunter/jumpers and was also quite good. We moved to the city, my horse got old and died, and needless to say it's been a decade since I've been on a horse. My saddle is sitting in the garage looking sad, and I can't bring myself to sell it.

Thank you both for your honesty. I need to hear these stories.

Can I ask why?

Thank you everyone for your replies. I have lots to think about. Dh thinks we should take the classes and then make a decision when we have more information to go on, so that will be our next step. I love hearing the personal experiences, thanks!

This is good advice. I know a couple that have been foster parents for many years,and we plan to get together with them to get the nitty gritty details from their experience. I've been reading anything and everything I can get my hands on. Do you have any recommendations? This is good advice too. I hadn't thought to ask the agency for references. Thank you for posting your experience. My oldest also has autism, and I worry about him the most. Here if a mother tests positive for drugs in the hospital, baby is automatically removed. Then if mom is working the steps, baby will go home. However, the impression I got from the social worker was that these babies usually remain in care their whole lives.