ADHD meds | ADHD Information
Has your son been diagnosed with ADHD? Or is it something else? How did you manage to get through going through all of those meds? I'm already frustrated with just this being his third and it not working either. I guess I am asking because I am wondering if this med. is for ADHD. Thank you.
I personally wouldn't try anymore stimulants until you see a new Child Psychiatrist for another opinion. It makes not sense until you know for sure that he has ADHD. Bipolar kids are more extreme, behavior-wise, than kids with ADHD. They tend to rage, swear sometimes, even get violent. That is not part of ADHD. Stims exaberate cycling of childhood bipolar. Get another opinon, then talk about meds. If these meds are not helping him, it won't hurt to hold off until he is evaluated again. It often takes a while to get the right diagnosis. Good luck and don't panic--if he's off meds for a few months, it wont make him worse, and stimulants MAY. Get advice from the Conduct Disorder site. Those Moms are aware of ALL childhood disorders, and many have been thru diagnosis hell! :)
Ask your Doctor to give you a trial of Metadate CD.
My son 6yrs old. does very well on it. We also tried Adderall, Focalin, Concerta, Ritalin La, Tenex, and Metadate did the trick. He takes 20mg. It lasts about 6 hours, sometimes we give it to him 2 times a day depending at what time we gave it to him in the A.M.
During the school year I only give it once in the morning because I do not want to deal with school nurses giving it too him, so far so good. The evenings are a little tuff around here but so far has been manageable.
In the next appointment before school starts I want to ask the Doctor to give us a trial on the Patch. (Daytrana) I hear thru this board that has worked for some kids and It lasts all day pretty much.
Good luck
My son has been on three different meds for his ADHD. First it was Adderall XR. That made him worse than he already is. He lost weight and his heart rate went sky high. So, then it was Concerta which I thought had done the trick. But, after upping the dose over and over again, our doctor has now changed the meds because it just seems to be wearing off sooner and sooner in the day even with the dossage change. He was having a hard time sleeping and wasn't eating very well at all. Now it is Focalin XR. I don't see it doing anything at all. Besides his appetite being back. It seems to me that we are back at day one. I just hate it. Never know what to do. He doesn't listen, runs everywhere he goes, screams, hits, can't sit still. Just like it was in the beggining. My question is....After being on all of these meds, is there anywhere else to go from here? Has anyone had this same experience? I'm in desperate need of any help at all.
This is where I feel I'm going to go at times. Sometimes I just have to go to a room by myself. I feel as if I'm going to explode or just start crying. Please, any help would be great. Thank you
He sees a councler twice a month. I have been told he has ODD but, the councler does not agree 100% with that. I have been looking into early onset bipolar. I found a web site with the description of the typical things that go on. My son falls into most of the characteristics. I'm beginning to be very worried that is the problem. His psych doctor is having a case manager come into the house to evaluate him in the home. He won't talk to the doctor. It just breaks my heart and I'm not sure how much more I can take of this. I've been trying to get him diagnosed since he was five. He is now 8. I also read that early onset bipolar is usualy not properly diagnosed for ten years. Is this true? I thank you so much for the reply and it was exactly what I was looking for because that is my fear....that he has bipolar. Thank you so much.
Bipolar is getting diagnosed RIGHT a lot more now. Unfortunately, when it's diagnosed wrong, it is usually called ADHD and the child is given stimulants, which make it worse. A Psychiatrist has an MD and much more training, including medical school, than a non-MD therapist, including a Psycologist. Sometimes it can take ten years for a proper diagnosis, but, imo, this happens less and less now, as long as you take your child to a Psychiatrist, and not just a Psycologist (they tend to be ODD happy). ODD is not a very useful diagnosis. It describes defiant behavior, but not WHY the child is defiant, and they can't recommend treatment. ODD rarely travels alone. I know bipolar sounds scary, however, imo, it's better to know the demon you face than to keep treating ADHD when it isn't. ADHD isn't progressive, but bipolar can keep getting worse if the child isn't put on a mood stabilizer to stop the rapid cycling. I dn't think a Case Manager has the credentials to diagnose either. I would stick to the Child Pyshiatrist and not settle for anything less. (((Hugs))). I have one more site you may want to post on. Smart moms there--they've seen it all and are very comforting.
Well, right now I'm not happy with our psychologist. I'm gessing that's what she is because she prescribes the meds. I just always get the two mixed up. Sorry. I'm hoping to find another one real soon. She only spends fifteen minutes with us at a time and that is once a month. Yes, I'm not sure why my son is so defiant. I was very suprised when I saw what similarities there are in the two....ADHD and bipolar (early onset). His moods can change more than a mood ring. lol It's just heartbreaking. We also have a 2 1/2 old daughter soon to be three and she is picking up so many of his traits. It scares me. They say children learn what they hear and see. That is what she is doing. I had this fairy tale image that he would always be the great big brother to his baby sister and that isn't the way it is happening here. If you saw them together, you'd think they hated each other. Is it too early to think that maybe she has a real problem herself and not just her imitating? We were told to wait until she was five to have her tested. Thanks for the hugs. i needed them.
My Ds is ADHD, he was always very aggresive, super hyperactive, impulsive.
I was going to give up trying meds last year, nothing seemed to work well or long enough. I did a lot of research and came across another board and I found that Metadate CD has work very well on some children, I asked the Doctor about it. He never mentioned this med. before. He said...well..we can try it !... And It works very well.
I think the reason Doctor do not use this med to much is because it does not have too many sales reps bugging the Doctors like others.. I do not know...But if I did not asked the doctor probably we would have never used it.
Welcome to the board. {{{hugs}}} If you think something else is going on with your son, by all means, find a child psychiatrist (with MD) and get it checked out.
FWIW, it really is not at all unusual for ADHD patients to try many different medicines to find the ones that work best. So try not to feel so frustrated about that. It's par for the course. I think if you get the right med on the first trial, you are a rare case and extremely fortunate!! It's a roller-coaster ride, so try to mentally prepare yourself that there are going to be ups and downs. Good luck! You've found a good board.
Mom of J and E,
Your son's behavior sounds very much like ADHD to me. The hitting is very typical of impulse control problems many adhd children have. They frustrate easily and act out by hitting. NIMH says,
Impulsive children seem unable to curb their immediate reactions or think before they act. They will often blurt out inappropriate comments, display their emotions without restraint, and act without regard for the later consequences of their conduct. Their impulsivity may make it hard for them to wait for things they want or to take their turn in games. They may grab a toy from another child or hit when they're upset. Even as teenagers or adults, they may impulsively choose to do things that have an immediate but small payoff rather than engage in activities that may take more effort yet provide much greater but delayed rewards.
I think it's very understandable that adhd kids can display anger...we all display anger now and then. And these little people are always being told to stop, sit still, be quiet, concentrate, focus, etc. They think that they're doing all right, but then they get corrected...that's got to be massively frustrating.
As far as the meds go, it seems to be a process that is sometimes unavoidable. All of us here have experiences to draw from, but none of us are giving out licensed medical advice. Take the anecdotal advice here and use it for what it's worth, but stick to professional advice for what really counts, the mental health of your child.
I thank you all for the info. It means a great deal to me to hear fro other people who are going through this also. I feel like I am alone at times. Now I know I'm not. I deffinatly don't want to try any more meds before I get a second oppinion. I was not happy about trying the third but, i guess I felt like I had no other choice. But, I've realized that I DO have a choice. This is my child and noone elses. I have to protect him. It's difficult when you feel you can't trust doctors. Thanks again for all the support!
[QUOTE=MomWI]Until you're sure your child has ADHD, don't medicate ADHD. Aggressive, hitting, violence is much more common in early onset bipolar, especially if there are moodswings (devil/angel child) and raging (I don't know if your child rages or not). The DSM for ADHD does not mention violence. I posted the DSM once. Bipolar is the disorder where the kids REALLY act out.....A Psychiatrist sounds like a great idea.[/QUOTE]
I agree with waiting to medicate until you know for sure. A good psychiatrist will not only have the academic credentials, but they will have plenty of experience and actually SPEND TIME with you and your child. My son's doctor usually spends between 30 minutes to an hour (with the average being about 45 minutes) at each appointment.
While ADHD does not have the violence, Oppositional Defiance Disorder does. If your child is exhibiting aggressiveness, rudeness or violence towards anyone, most notably adults, this may be worth looking into. If your child is having moodiness, part of that can be riding the line between the hyperactivity of the ADHD and combatting the affects of ODD. Part of this can just be your child's makeup, depending upon when your child was born. I say this because my child is a Gemini (twins) and Gemini's are known for displaying behavior that is on opposite sides of the pendulum. I know some people aren't into astrology, but believe it or not, things centered around the birth month of your child DO have an affect.
However, if the behavior is just way too extreme, Bipolar could be a factor. I agree that it is worth looking into; especially if the family has a history of mood disorders.
Finally, yes - many psychiatrists do take the State issued medical card (medicaid). You just have to check with your state's benefits plan to see if they cover the services you are looking for and who offers services in your area.
Hope that helps!
I have a question is any of the doctors your talking about take Medical Card?
Hey Mom!
Before you go, I wanted to tell you about something. My 6-year old son was recently diagnosed with ADHD, with ODD overtones. I waited to get the diagnosis until this age because many children are mistakenly diagnosed as ADD or ADHD when they are little.
Because I've worked in many psych clinics and have witnessed the downside of medicating various "DisOrders." I was very apprehensive about treating my son with any medication. However, my child's doctor is absolutely fantastic and an ADHD Specialist (my primary care doctor's husband - they just opened their own clinic together). He introduced me to a NON-STIMULANT medication that I had heard about last year, that was tested in a Harvard study. It is called Guanfacine.
Because it is a NON-STIMULANT medication, your child will not have a druggy affect or always be knocked out from feeling too drowsy. What's more, if your child misses a dose, you don't have to worry about any overbearing side affects or withdrawal symptoms.
Lady, I can tell you that this medication has been a serious blessing to us! I mean seriously, it is a night and day difference in both impulsive and/or violent behavior and hyperactivity. My son takes half of a 1mg tablet twice daily and honestly, at times we get away with only one dose because he's mellowed out A LOT! He STILL has his glowing personality and I am so grateful for that because I was worried about whether or not this medication would take "a piece of him" away. But no such thing has happend and he's been doing fantastic!
I also have him on a behavior modification program I have designed. It is a ticket system in which he earns so many tickets for various goals we are working on, so he can "buy" the things he likes; things such as extra computer time, special outings to places like Chucky Cheese or the Science Museum (which he loves) or a favorite food place outside of the home. He can also buy a special outing to the toy store where he will not only be able to get a new toy he likes, but will also buy a toy for a child who may not have toys. He can buy tv time, time on the "music station" I set up for him, extra special snacks, kids cooking/baking time, school supplies, etc....
We have a whole system set up and it is really motivating for him. The system addresses behavior both inside and outside of the house. For instance, one of the goals we are working on is doing what he's supposed to do the first time he's asked to do it. If he does it the first time, he earns so many tickets. If he doesn't, he must pay me so many tickets, leaving his ticket pool for buying the things he likes, short. His earned tickets for positive behavior are less than his tickets he needs to pay for negative behavior, which motivates him to do his best to stay away from the negative behavior. However, if he's having a hard time, he can actually earn back some of the tickets he lost, by self correcting negative behavior.
When we are in public and/or working on homework, his earned tickets for positive behavior are increased, while his tickets he needs to pay for negative behavior are doubled. Again, this motivates him to practice self control when we are in the general public.
This is working so well for us, that I've actually added this system to our business structure and have been designing behavior modification constructs for others. When I am completely done with the new design, I will be posting this construct on my website.
Hope this information helps!
Savvy!
Savvy38918.0605555556I think you made a good decision regarding meds. We rushed to medicate our son, and tried all the ADHD meds, but they all made him aggressive. Until you're sure your child has ADHD, don't medicate ADHD. Aggressive, hitting, violence is much more common in early onset bipolar, especially if there are moodswings (devil/angel child) and raging (I don't know if your child rages or not). Substance abuse or mood disorders in the family tree are red flags for bipolar disorder. The DSM for ADHD does not mention violence. I posted the DSM once. Bipolar is the disorder where the kids REALLY act out. Since stims have made him worse, or not improved him, and he's tried many, I would wait--no harm in that. He may need to trial a mood stabilizer. A Psychiatrist sounds like a great idea. Things will improve, once you get the right dx. and treatment (((big hugs)))