Help, this is a roller coaster.... | ADHD Information

Where do I start?  My daughter has adhd innattentive type and has been on straterra for about 6 months now.  For the first 4 she was only on half the dose she was suppose to be on. We have since been to a different psychiatrist and had her reevaluated and he went to 80mg instead of 40.  She is 12 years old.  We have been taking 40 in the morning and 40 at 3pm after school.  He wanted us to eventually work into taking all 80 in the morning but it just seems to drag her down.  I am a bit confused because one minute I think eveything is great and then the next day we have an emotional roller coaster.  I know we probably have female issues going on also which just add to the mood swings.  I don't feel like I can correct her without a meltdown, so therefore, my husband says I tip toe around her while he just goes in head first!!   One day we will have no problem getting homework done, while the next she may lie to me and tell me she doesn't have any to keep from having to do it.  She is not a behavior problem at school, she is well liked by most of her teachers and she has decent grades.  I am just at a loss of where to go from here.  I want the best for her but I don't want to jump around on meds either.  We tried adderall and concerta earlier only to find that we didn't like the child they created.  I am wondering whether or not we need to start seeing a child or teen counselor to help with the other issues that may not even be related to the adhd. 

As far as school goes, her teachers say that I need to let her take care of it on her own and gain some responsibility.  I am afraid by doing that I won't be in control and know what is going on until it is too late to salvage her grades. I do get a little more involved than most parents I know.  I communicate with her teachers on a regular basis,  I always know when her tests are because I do not trust her to tell me and therefore I am afraid that she won't be prepared.  I really feel like her grades would not be near what they are if I wasn't in the picture.  Sorry I am rambling, I just have lots of concerns right now and thought some of you may be able to help!! 

Lynn, one of the main side effects of Strattera is mood swings.  In addition, I have to tell you that our docs have been underwhelmed at how Strattera treats ADHD.  They feel that the stimulants do a better job.  What was the problem you had with Adderall and Concerta?

 

SmallMom38784.3698726852She just seemed very gripey and had no tollerance for any of us, especially her little sister!  The Concerta was the worst!  However, we didn't give them much of a chance!  We only kept her on the Concerta for one week!!!  The Adderall was a little longer!

Are you seeing a child psychiatrist for meds?  I would recommend that because I think they have better knowledge of psychopharmacology.  You might want to go back to your doctor with the information about Strattera and see if he can come up with something else.

 

We see a child psychiatrist.  This is the second Dr. that prescribed it.  For the first 4 months she was on it. she was only taking 40 mg and at night.  Therefore, he concluded that it was wearing off by the time she needed it at school.  According to her weight she should have been taking 80 mg so he upped it.  We take 40 in the morning and 40 after school.  If she takes all 80 at once, it makes her very tired.  I hear of some people having lots of energy on it but most of the time she doesn't! bump,bump bump!!!

Lynnmc
First of all with the grades.  The first thing you need to do if you havent is talk to her teachers.  Why teachers all felt like total crap when they found out i had add after how they treated me.  Second make sure your daughter has a note book of somesort like a planer to write in every day.  All that goes in this organized very simple planner is her homework assingments and test.  She will be very forget full to do this at first but in time will get use to it.  Help her with it tell her how make it very organized.  I cant tell  you how many times I went to class and was freaked out about a test because I had no clue what so ever there was a test.  Second we adders will want to percrastinate and put off our homework untill the end of the day usually late at night.  Then when we start reading we get so tierd we couldn't think if we wanted to.  Set a time aside for home work help her get started but don't do it or we will let you and drift off to never never land.  Second she needs hobbies something to take up her time and keep her mind thinking.  Adders are very creative and very good typicaly in the arts.  Praise her constantly for getting better avoid stressfull situation stress can lock our brains up and take us hours to come down.  Don't force her to do things try to make her think it is her idea!  We dont like to be forced!   Second she probably hates reading but there is no better tool then reading a book to help adders learn how to focus, this will take a lot of patients and a very good serious of books.  I use to read something called The Three Investigators.  I loved them.  Adders like books that stimulate our senses, mystery, suspense, horror, anisipation.  Regular reading bores us out of our minds we drift off come back to reality to relize we read an entire chapter and don't recall a single word and we didn't even relize we did it.  I could talk forever but ther is just a couple of tips good luck.

 

My daughter is 11 and has the exact same thing/problems.  I use to go in head first just like your husband and realized I was butting my own head against the wall.  It did absolutely no good.  Although my daughter takes Concerta 40mg.  We tried straterra and she wanted to sleep all day and stay up all night and was very moody. The concerta for her has not changed her personality.  meds do work differently on different individuals.   As far as homework goes get an assignment book and get her to write down all assignments and the teachers have to sign it at the end of the day, and you have to sign it saying she finished it.   I went to the school counselor and she helped alot.  My daughter now has a 504 plan which allow her extra time to complete task and she don't have as much as she did before so it won't be so overwhelming to her.  Maybe this would help.  You can't give a child with this disability more and more responsibility.  Sure you want them to be responsible but in my case I have the same problem as you.  I just have to stay on top of it all all the time.  It is tiresome and time consuming but worth it for the child.  They appreciate it more than we know.  See if your child's teachers have email.  They may be willing to email you copies of study guides with the dates of the test on them.  For you child's education anything is helpful.  I know we battle it everyday.  It gets better or we go crazy one.  Angie 

Josh isn't trying to sell something on this post.  How refreshing!  Come back when you have an ADD child of your own.  Until then, go to the adults with ADD board. Just another suggestion, but you can read more about the benefits of taking Omegas on the Alternatives to Meds board.  They can typically be taken in conjunction with meds (usually, though you should always ask your doctor first!) and serve as a good mood stabilizer.  Good luck!