curious | ADHD Information

My son takes Strattera and 10 mg Focalin xr.  Seems like he gets really grouchy about 30-45 min after he takes his meds.  He also takes fish oil and b-complex.  Has anyone else experienced this?  I am guessing it is the meds kicking in.  When he was on Strattera alone this did not happen, but started when we added the focalin.  With the Strat only he was not quite able to deal well enough

Hi crazymama,
How long have you added focalin to the mix?

Focalin XR made my son feel as if he had "butterflies" in his stomach.  We interpreted this to mean it made him feel anxious.  We stopped the Focalin.   You could stop Focalin for a few days and see if the grouchiness disappears.  Or you could switch to another stimulant.

 

My ds has been on strattera for 2 years and we never saw anything like that.  We added in Ritalin LA for impulse control and he did fine.  I'd say it was adding the focalin.  JMO

Ok, I will try to be brief.  At one time he was on Focalin xr 20mg.  That was too high, 10 was too low by itself.  At 20, he was having some OCD side effects.  We then tried Strattera, which was a little better than nothing.  then, about 5 days ago we added Focalin xr 10mg.  This doesn't happen every day, but close.  It only lasts most times for an hour, sometimes 2-3.  this is our 3rd or 4th  med change.  It gets old fast.  With each one I can see some positve changes, but the negative out weigh the positives.  Adderall made him moody.  Focalin xr 20 OCD.  STratterra alone not enough.  Now we are on the 10 of Focalin xr and STrattera.  I want something that will help.  We have been told there is a small chance he is bi polar, but the pdoc and we do not think he is.  We watch him really close, and so far he has some, but not the key symptoms.  Some symptoms of ADHD and bipolar in children overlap.  These are the symptoms he has.

I certainly sympathize that it can take a while to get the meds right.  My son was dxed with ADHD and anxiety 3 years ago, and now has a dx of bipolar disorder.  Not to be discouraging, but we are still working on getting the meds right!  I think you always have to weigh benefits vs. negatives and constantly ask yourself:  Is he better or worse on this combo of meds?  If the answer is no, you need to make a change.

 

Crazymama, did you ever try 15 mg Focalin XR?

Crazymomma,

I understand completly how you feel with trying the various meds...my son did take focalin and strattera together and he was a pain and grouchy .... I dont know which one was the culprit ( I suspect the strattera) but I took him off of both...first the focalin and then the strattera and he is now taking Adderall which is actually doing the trick....I have a friend who had her daughter taking focalin and she got irriatable and grouchy also...

did your doc have you try any of the others ...concerta, ritalinLA, metadate?

crazymama, what mg is your DS on of Strattera and what issues are you still seeing?

We supplemented my DS's Strattera (43mg) with Welbutrin to cut the irriability.

Smallmom- we haven't tried 15 mg Focalin.  I know 20 is to high, but 15 I am not sure.  graciepoints-he is on 60mg.  yes, that is a higher dose.  The pharmacist and I read the insert and that dose is on the higher end but safe.  Pdoc has brought up the possibility of Wellbutrin.  We may end up there,   right now I do not know where we will end up.  This is not a good day.We have tried adderall and the xr.  It caused major moodiness.