sons felt weepy on ritalin | ADHD Information

hi i was wondering if anyone else has experienced this.  my son is 10 and just started ritalin in january. At first it was 10 mg in the morning and 10 after school.  It was then increased to 20 mg sr in the morning then 2, 10 mg after school.  it really is helping with his concentration and "bouncing".  I never really noticed how many times i said "caleb settle down" until i stopped saying it.  It was a bit of a shock to me when he was diagnosed with adhd as he has never acted out at school, has and keeps friends and other than the constant bouncing and insessive talking their was no problem.  He did say he couldn't concentrate at school ,he had 50 thoughts going through his head all the time. I went to his teacher and he told me how often Caleb blurted out things, was always in motion, jumped from topic to topic etc.so we started testing and the doctors came up with adhd.   When he started the ritalin he was very weepy and said he felt like he had to do good things.  He made me a sunday (god bless him with lemon pie, a banana and starwberry syrup ick!) while i was in the tub one night so i could just relax.  About an hour after the need  to please, the weepiness set in.  He would cry easily and say his head felt funny.  This eventually wore off but it bothered me to see him confused in a different way.  Has anyone else experienced this? He also said he feels so happy for about an hour after taking his "concentration pills" as he calls them.

My son sounds very much like yours, but he is only 5.

We have tried Adderall,Focalin,Ritalin La,Short acting Ritalin  with similar side effects of what you are saying and some with additional side effects like the Adderall with loss in appetite, Focalin did nothing, Ritalin was very up,down, inconsistent.

We have had lots of luck with Metadate Cd 20 mg 2 times a day. He metabolizes fast.  He is Wonderful with it. Absolutely no side effects. I learned about this med. in another ADHD board and lots of people there use it for their children.  When I was having bad luck with the othe stims. I actually was the one that suggested this one to the Doctor and he said..sure..lets try it.  And  BINGO !    I really dont know why Doctors do not prescribe it as much.. Probably it has to do with SALES REPS!!

  Just wanted to tell you about our story.  My Son has been on it for about 3 months now.  A big difference in his behavior. I never thought that it could be like this !   And it has been consistent.

Good luck to your family !

 

my son was whiney, grumpy and irratable on ritalin /concerta and focalin....these are all basically the same medication..my son is now on Adderall and seems to be doing ok ...

My 8 year old son cries very easily, for small little things and issues that most kids would not cry over.  He has been taking generic Ritalin for almost 2 years.  I have noticed a definite change in his mood patterns and emotions since taking meds.

Your son sounds precious!

If he never had behavior problems, are you sure he wasn't misdiagnosed and doesn't even have ADHD? Sounds like a person's normal reaction to speed---up, down, tears, moodswings. Just being bouncy doesn't make a child ADHD. Any type of speed will make any person, with or without ADHD, focus well. Kids in college take it before final exams. The thing is, if ADHD, the child calms down, doesn't speed up. I'd be loathe to give my child anything that made him moody. I trialed Ritalin. It would shoot me to the moon in a high for about 1 1/2 hours, then I'd crash and feel very deprssed. Obviously, that wasn't the reaction you should have if you are ADHD. There are alternatives for ADHD, if you really think he has it. If you want a second opinion, you may want to see a NeuroPsych. He could diagnose ADHD and beyond.

Our neurologist told us Ritalin can cause depression as a side effect.  Is the weepiness always occurring when the Ritalin is wearing off, or at other times, too?

What kind of doctor diagnosed your son and what kind of doctor is treating him?