Adderal XR | ADHD Information

She did have a sensitive reaction! No wonder you're scared of these drugs! If you'd rather have a stim than Strattera, I see no reason not to try Ritalin. I would, however, start with the lowest dose (5 mg) and start with the immediate release. She may just be hypersensitive to stimulant medication. If she were to respond negatively to the ritalin as well, why stretch it out for 8-12 hours with an extended release product? Then if the results are positive, you could always switch to Ritalin LA or Concerta for once daily convenience. Some people also experience Focalin as a smoother alternative to Ritalin, though I myself have never tried it. It's the active isomer of methylphenidate, which some believe reduces the negative side effects. It is available in immediate release (which, as I said, I would try first) and in an XR formulation. Hope that helps a little!

Thanks shakespeare, I thought I could count on you to come through with the goods for this desparate mama. I agree the Ritalin or as you suggested, the Focalin if I want to give the stimulants one more shot before giving up on them entirely. My kid is presuring me to try another one soon because she is getting desparate too. I just worry about her being able to sleep at night unless I put her on Melatonin as well.

Thank you again.  I've been reading your responses and you seem to know much more about this than any of the "experts" I've sought out. 

 

 

 

Thanks, scribe, for those kind words.  It's my area of study and I pay particular attention to these meds because it affects me personally. If you give her the short acting immediate release formulation you shouldn't have to worry about her sleeping. It's usually dosed 2-3 times daily, but I would definitely try it once in the morning for a few days to see how she responds. Maybe the doc could write you out a script for 60-90 tablets at the lowest dose (5mg ritalin, 2.5mg focalin) so you can play around with the dose a little once you see how she is doing.

And melatonin is extremely safe if she should have trouble sleeping. I've also seen Benadryl used frequently to treat the insomnia sometimes caused by stims. You would be amazed what benadryl can do. Know what they use in emergency room's for cocaine overdose patients? That's right, Benadryl! No wonder it carries a caution to avoid driving, huh?

And I can empathise with your daughter's desperation. I wasn't diagnosed and treated until I was 17, and suddenly the world came alive for me. As probably most people on this board know, living with untreated ADHD is hell, and does a number on a person's sense of identity and self-esteem. There are a lot of good treatment options available... she'll find the one that will open new doors of possibility for her. Like all things worthwhile in life, it just takes some time. Good luck!

Thanks Annidagostini (gee, I hope I spelled you correctly),

I was ready to give up on the meds and take her to a homeopathic MD that is nearby. I have been exploring everything I could think of. I was reading your post about Stopping ADD the exercises.  I have also explored Brain Gym for my daughter and I was wondering what the differences are.  She didn't start to walk until she was 17 months old and never crawled at all--she rolled all over the rooms to get from one place to another--quite creative but I have to say I never saw anything like it before nor has anyone else in my circle of family and friends.  Thanks again.

Thanks again shakespeare for those words of encouragement.  We BOTH appreciate it. (My kid picked the icon). I will let you know of our progress.

Good luck in whatever course you choose.

PS-Love the signature... every day is a fresh start.

If meds always give her side affects, you could try some herbs, or nutrition supplements.  There is a posting area for people who are trying those.

I also have had success with exercises from a book called "Stopping ADHD." 

I'm not on meds right now and these exercises are helping me quite a bit.

 

It took me a long time to convince my husband to agree to try meds with my daughter who we knew had ADHD for some time.  When she hit puberty at 13 the hormones seemed to exacerbate the situation.  He finally agreed to let me work with the MD on the meds.  He prescribed Adderall XR 10mg and she did poorly--scared the daylights out of both of us. She is moody to begin with but it magnified everything.  She was constantly in tears or on the verge, was extremely paranoid and the scariest part to me was when she forgot how to make the #7 (she made it backwards and couldn't remember if that was the correct way or not).  The first night of the meds she didn't sleep until after 3 a.m., the second night she was up for 24 hours.  My husband doesn't want her on anything else but I'm desparate and so is my daughter, for some kind of help.  The doctor said he had never seen such a sensitivity to the drug and suggested we try Stratera since it isn't a stimulant.  She has always had a tough time getting to sleep at night--bounces around for at least 1 or 2 hours a night so I worry about that with all of themeds as well.  Just looking for some kind of experience with this stuff.  I have read so much about the meds and realize there is a difference between the classes of drugs, with Stratera being the non stimulant, but I don't want to have such a scare again.  I was wondering if we should try a form of ritilin before we give up on all of the stimulants and try the Stratera.

bump Thanks for sharing that, scibe.
i dont know much about the meds for adhd as i have only been diagnosed with it for about 2 weeks now and i to am on adderall xr 10mg i am doing ok but dont sleep and have suffered with insomnia for as long as i can remember one thing you might want to try is an valerian root you can get it in some teas i get it at a natural store and mix it with tea it tase like crap but does work good luck saphire

Saphire Moon,

Celestial Seasonings now makes Sleepy Time Extra tea with Valerian already mixed in.  I give it to my daughter, it tastes great and it works great.

Scribe

Just an update on this end.

Since my total dispair in September regarding my daughter's reaction to medication, I went with annidagostini's and Tater's advice to try a different path to see if I could find some peace in our household and peace for my daughter.  I told her pediatrician that I didn't want to give Strattera a try (it was the same day the new warning was issued re suicidal thoughts).  Instead, I told him I wanted to start her on Omega 3s and have done so since. 

In the meantime, I called the Hallowell Center in Massachusetts (founded by Dr. Hallowell aka author of "Driven to Distraction".  I went in for a 90 minute interview and my daughter is due to go in next week.  Regarding her reaction to medication, much of the research I had done was corroborated by one of the folks at the Hallowell Center that she could possibly be bi-polar.  That was the last thing I wanted to hear.  Anyway, I told them I had put her on Omega 3s and was advised to keep that up (as long as it was pharmaceutical grade).

She has been on the Omega 3s for over a month now and her focus has definitely improved.  She's getting her homework done (including projects) pretty efficiently and has pulled up her math grade but her horrible mood swings and outbursts persisted. 

We went to see a pediatric naturopath last week.  We explained that all of this had been magnified since my daughter had reached puberty.  She prescribed Vitex/Chaste tree to balance her hormones, and said to keep on with the Omega 3s.  Because of her reactions to medications, she prescribed a low dosage.  She is testing for food allergies as well but we won't know about those results until December.  My daughter started on the Vitex the next morning and there was an immediate change.  I think the combination of the Vitex and Omega 3s has been quite amazing.  She wanted to clean out her room this weekend for the first time in years.  We was ready for school 15 minutes early and made her bed without being asked.  I hope I'm not dreaming.  Thank you Annidagostini and Tater.  I will also post this on the parents board, as well as the alternative.