It could be that he just needs to get used to the medication or perhaps the dose it too high. My son takes this medication and we did have a few quiet days but he is ok now and able to follow directions and complete his school work. Like one of the above posters my son will also get a headache if we stop and start the meds.
Hi. I would say his reaction is kind of a classic case of the dose being too high. And I agree that he needs time to get used to it, also. Ask your doctor how long he needs to acclimate to it. Otherwise, reduce the dose. My dd also had a reaction like that, and it is heartbreaking (she was on concerta). We tried to get the dosage right, but ultimately changed meds because her personality turned very antisocial and mean. It was very scary at the time because of course we weren't sure if it was the meds or something else going on. Anyway, good luck in getting the right med combo for your son. It may take a while, don't get discouraged if the first one doesn't work!
Cheesehead.... What dose of Adderall XR is your child on?
My child is 5 and we took our 1st dose of Adderall xr 10 mg this past Saturday. We used to be on Focalin XR but it was not lasting long enough and he was getting a little tolerant with it, so we decided to try something else.. Any way, my child seemed a bit sleepy after he took it. The 2nd day was not that bad, but still a little tired. The 10mg seems to be working ok, but I think there is room to improve. The test will be today....(his 1st day taking the adderall and going to school. I'll see what the teacher says after school. I could possibly go up to 15mg, but I'm not sure about 20mg (he used to be on 20mg of the Focalin XR). As for zombie like, we have not experienced that at all with Adderall. (thus far) If I have to up the dose I'll be looking for that.
How many mg is the adderall xr ? My nephew was like that the first few days, not so much like a zombie but tired.(He started on 5mg is now on 10mg) I'm sure you know your child best so just let the Dr. know of your concerns. Another side effect of the adderall I noticed in the first month was the "boohooies" well he seemed very emotional. As all children react differently maybe adderall isnt the medication for your child. Best of luck to you and your family!
Hi Cheesehead,
I am new here as well and my son is just started taking meds in February. He has been on Concerta and Adderall. Concerta works better for him than Adderall.......except for sleep issues. He took Adderall for a few days and said that it made him feel funny and very tired. He says that Concerta helps him pay attention. I know there are many different kinds of meds out there and kids react differently to different ones so you may want to talk to your Dr. about switching to a new one. It's worth shot! Good Luck!
Stacey
My son saw a child psychiatrist for the first time on Friday. Going into the appt we suspected that he had ADHD. After sharing all of the clues we had from the school testing, horrific summer school, and kindergarden testing, etc. He agreed that it was indeed time to medicate.
We gave him his first dose of Adderall XR on Saturday morning. By Saturday afternoon he was a totaly differnent child!!! But I gave it to him again this morning...and I had zombie child all day....He didn't talk at all!!! For a constant talker I was a little relieve the first half hour...but by mid-day I was feeling guility for doing this to him. He went with me to a baby shower where there were tons a kids to play with and he just watched them with his hands in his pockets and a sad look on his face. After we got home he told me that he was sad and tired today. It broke my heart. As much as I knew he needed meds...I didn't expect a zombie!!! Tommorow is picture day and I already called his teacher and told her that I would not be giving him his meds because I couldn't stand to look at a zombie picture all year. I will call his dr in the morning. Just wanted to know if anyone else had a zombie after starting meds!!!
The downside to stims are the side affects. My normally easygoing son had the opposite reaction to Adderral that yours did--he became aggressive and mean. Maybe it's not the right med for him. Meds, if taken, should help function, not make the child moody and spaced out. There are many meds. Ask about them. My 9 year old daughter has successfully taken Adderall XR for about 21/2 years. However, she did appear very quiet, with the zombie like appearance that you describe for several days after she first started taking it. She also had headaches during this time. After this initial adjustment period, she was fine.
Please do not beat yourself up like that. Your trying to do what is best for your child. It is hard to find the right medication and the right dose. I for one, and i'm sure several others on this board, have learned from trial and error. It's not fun and sure can make you feel bad. (Beleive me, I've been where you are.)
I can tell your truely trying to help your child. You know your child better than anyone.... just take your time... follow your heart.... Soon you will find the right thing for him, and when you do... you will see your child excel at everything in life.
Thanks to all of you who have responded. My son is on the 5 mg dose. Problem is he is VERY small for his age. He will be 6 at Christmas and only weighs 38 pounds. I think the dose is too high!!! I called the doctor and he said to stop it for now and he has to wait for his notes to be transcribed before he will switch to something else. He didn't mention that this might only last for a few days. The zombie came on day 2 and I stopped before day 3. Part of this is that grandma & grandpa don't agree with meds at all!!! Even though they say that I am raising a monster. Grandma & grandpa were with us at a baby shower and they show him as a zombie all day and boy did I get an ear full!!! When the doc calls back I will have to ask him if there is an adjustment period that the sad, quiet period will pass. I felt like the world's worse mom. I got a migraine and direaha and could sleep just thinking what have I done to my little boy!!! Deep down I know that he needs meds but to see him just watching others play while he watched with his hands in his pockets just broke me heart!!!!