i was checking up on the meds, and they seem like just brand names. one of them is the same basic chemical compound as ritalin
Hi Jimbo......Your correct and I would just like to add that Ritilan, Concerta and Metadate are the same thing except they have different formulations. The different formulations create a different delivery system.
Rae70... dont be too p***ed.. i was checking up on the meds, and they seem like just brand names. one of them is the same basic chemical compound as ritalin. it may be like a longer lasting version or something, im not sure. but even so, one pill a day is better than sending your kids to school with a pill at lunch. although i was only diagnosed out of school, i saw the stigma that was put on the "whackjobs", "basket cases" and "speed freaks" (and any other name under the sun) who had to take them at lunch. i felt for them then, and i feel for them even more, now.Thanks for that LuvmyKids - I am so cranky now. I have been told that my only choices were dex and rit. GRRRRRRR - now I should go back to the venting thread - lol.
I totally understand Rae70 so when you need to vent.......vent away as we are all here in support of each other
[QUOTE=Luvmykids02]In australia (or W.A at least) there is only two available medicines - ritalin or dexamphetamines
Actually, two more medications have been approved in Australia which include Concerta an Straterra. Please click on the links below.
New Once-Daily ADHD Medication to Help Reduce Ups and Downs of Short-Acting Stimulants
[/QUOTE]
Thanks for that LuvmyKids - I am so cranky now. I have been told that my only choices were dex and rit. GRRRRRRR - now I should go back to the venting thread - lol.
Maybe it is approved here - but not used due to expense or something - my ped will have some explaining to do.
Jimbo - are you aware if concerta & metadate are available? I thought perhaps it was because of all the government stuff. You know we will support this drug company and not that one and we will subsidise this drug but not that one and if you want to use that one that we dont subsidise then you can pay 0 for it.Rae70.. no im not sure if they are available. all im aware about is dex and ritalin. my phych hasnt said anything about it. most likely it IS all the government crap, as per the norm. oh well, we have an election soon, and im finally old enough to vote. :P
plus centrelink is screwing me around. im still waiting for my health care card, so i can get my dex PBS, as opposed to full price.
Folks,
I'm sure that most of you are aware of the the two basic types of ADHD drug groups....if you are, then let me ramble. There's the amphamines (speed) that work the opposite on kids and folks with ADHD by slowing them down. They are controlled substances that require a 'triplicate' from the Doc with no refills. Basically there is the short lived stuff (Ritalin) and the time release (Concerta). Of course there are other variations/formulations depending upon the manufacturer and apparently, country that you reside.
Now, there is a new class of drugs that work on balancing the dopamines in the brain call Strattera. It doesn't have the side effects (surpressed appetite and sleep problems) that amphamines. It should be noted that the effectiveness of the Strattera (as with amphamines) probably depends upon the type of ADHD being treated (Focus vs hyperactivity vs impulse control), age, etc. The other good thing about Strattera is that teenage siblings are'nt tempted to 'borrow' their kid brother's Ritalin for a quick and easy high. Strattera takes about two weeks for optimum effectiveness.
Hope that helps.
Paul
thanks paul - it does - but I guess it is just a factor of trying to identify exactly what type of ADD/ADHD ones child has. I cant quite figure my son out
I dont consider him ADHD. he doesnt seem hyper enough but his mind does seem to run a million miles per hour but he doesnt express a lot.
The Ped considered him ADD but he really has not assessed him properly. My son just went nuts in his room, pretending to swim on the floor and jumping all over the place and he medicated him.
But my son expressed that he believes the dex makes him angry, but his school work has improved out of site. It is so hard
Rae70, after thinking up some alternatives, maybe you should listen to your son and take him off the meds. I just want to let everyone know that its wonderful to be on, but being 'on' it only lasts several hours. being off it lasts the rest of the day. and coming down is hard. it was always reasonably hard to get to sleep before, but now it takes me about 3 hours of laying in front of the TV at night to get to sleep (God bless foxtel :P) and thats just too long. the 'downer' is probably the worst feeling ever imagined. however, i have no major alternatives due to my workload, and the nature of my problem.
if your son is anything like me (you suggested he had ADD, not ADHD), then he needs to be taught in a one-on-one basis to absorb/retain any information. in a classroom situation, there are too many distractions, and not enough questions asked. maybe you could arrange some after school extra tuition with his teacher (not during school time, since the crap he would get from the other kids would be horrendous. we know what kids are like.). i had a tutor for maths for a few months in year 10, and i came from bottom of the class to getting the top mark in the major test at the end of the year. unfortunately, having a tutor per subject twice or more a week (as is what i would need now) would just be impossibly expensive.
there are alternatives in most cases. maybe try him off the meds for a while (and for the love of God reduce his dose slowly if you want to keep your expensive crockery :P), and DEFINITELY try some sort of tuition program. when i was 12, i got kept behind at school EVERY DAY for half an hour (the longest they could legally hold me after school) for almost an entire term until i got reasonably caught up. apparently i was front runner for dux of primary school, until year 6 when i just stopped doing any work. try something new, and your son may be top of the school.. :P
RAE70, My son had the same reaction to the meds and as a result had to be put on an additional one (Risperdal) to control the anger and hostility. We are sort of in a dilemma, in that the ADHD med (in our case Strattera) is necessary to control the hyperactivity and more important the impulse control issues. Without it, he cannot effectively function with other human beings (including my wife and me). So he's on an ADHD med with a mood stablizer to deal with the anger. The result.....we've got a kid who is exceling in school making friends and is not so angry at home. No, it's not perfect but the meds provide a palette to enhance behavior through positive reinforcement and reduce the amount of yelling and family hostility.
JIMBO, Welcome, I hear what you are saying about the amphamines and their short lived effect and negative side effects. I would strongly suggest exploring the other class of ADHD drugs including Strattera (god, I sound like a commercial). Anyway, no appetite problems, no sleep problems, but for those beyond puberty, the label suggest there might be problems with sex. But the same applies to the amphamines. Oh yea, the dopamine meds are not addictive (theoretically).
Paul
hello new member, i am seeing a doctor and i am currently taking ritalin. My doctor said i am only taking 20mg. I weigh 230 and we are looking to increase the dose. has anyone had to add or take something else.In australia (or W.A at least) there is only two available medicines - ritalin or dexamphetamines
Actually, two more medications have been approved in Australia which include Concerta an Straterra. Please click on the links below.
New Once-Daily ADHD Medication to Help Reduce Ups and Downs of Short-Acting Stimulants
Hmm.. reading these posts, i've seen that in other countries there is an abundant range of medications for ADD and ADHD. In australia (or W.A at least) there is only two available medicines - ritalin or dexamphetamines. the key word here is OR. i've seen people say their child is on drugs X,Y and Z at the same time. is this necessary? do they have different effects? are they for different symptoms? im really not sure about the specifics, and any feedback would help..I recommend a book entitled Straight Talk about Psychiatric Medications for Kids by Timothy E. Welins, MD who is a professor at Harvard Medical School if your interested in learning about different medications for childhood disorders.
Jimbo, I also being australian question the amounts of meds available in the US.
I have many many doubts and thoughts on why some children are on XY&Z.
But I believe that judging by the the people on this forum that they have researched them and believe that they are doing what is best for thier child.
I am sort of glad that we dont have so many choices here - as we dont have to make so many decisions.
I would rather look into Occupational Therapy and Support Groups and just treat the child for the one disorder and helping them to deal with their other behavioural problems through parental guidance and counselling. Drugging them for ADHD, then a different one for Depression, then a different one for anxiety etc etc is really confusing for me.
I think maybe their children are not being diagnosed with the correct condition and that perhaps the Doctors are just giving everything a try.
I know here that Doctors are hesitant to suggest any type of medication without ongoing counselling and check ups and referrals to phsychologists/pyschiatrists.
But America is a lot more about freedom of choice I believe rather than restrictions by government before proven tests are completed.
No offense to the Americans, just an outsiders opinion.