help im at wits end | ADHD Information

hi i have a son with adhd he was diagnosed 2 yrs ago, he was on ritalin for a year but it did not agree with him. he is now on strattera he has been on it for the past year and has been ok but these past few months have been like living with a monster a living nightmare, im at my wits end and dont no what to do he has became violent angry and its like walking on egg shells with him, i live in the uk and not alot of people no about adhd evn me, every think i no has been off the internet and books we see his psychologist every 6 months i writing this because i just dont no what to do any more im scared in case he hurts himself or someone else. he has threatend to kill his self 2 weeks ago he wanted me to get a knife so he could stab his self he also through a pair of scissors across the room at school yesterday and when i explaind to him i could of hurt him or somone else he smiled and said so what, help i dont no what to do, do you think it could be his medication.  I definitely think it could be the medication!

My son was on Strattera too for a short while, and one of the side effects is thoughts of suicide. I would call his doctor right away and tell him about this, it's serious! Tell them it's an emergency! He might really try to kill himself! I don't know if you can stop taking Strattera cold turkey, or if you have to wean off it slowly. It doesn't sound like this is the right medication for him. There are others to try.

thankyou for that reply its nice to no there is someone to talk to im, phoning the doctor now to tell him, thanks So, what did the doctor say?  Keep us posted.  Sounds like the medicine to me too. hi me and ds are still waiting for a appointment to see the psychiatrist and doctor at the adhd clinic, they are usless over here, you have to wait weeks untill he can see someone, i dont no wether to take him off them untill they can get me appointment, what do you think ? all as i want is a happy boy and at the minute he is so frustrated and angry all the time, and i have no one 2 talk to about it thanks for your replys  xx I don't know the right thing to do. When my son was taking Strattera and we decided it wasn't the med for him, I weaned him off by opening the capsule and dumping some of it out.  For 2 days he had about 3/4 of it, then for another 2 days about 1/2, and then 2 days about 1/4, then none.  But the doctor didn't advise me on this, I just decided on my own. He wasn't having any big problems, it was just making him so weak and tired that he hated it.

But if he was having suicidal thoughts, I'd probably either stop it altogether or give him only 1/2 for a day or two and then none. I'm not a doctor, though, not at all. If it were my son, I'd try either none or just 1/2 and then watch to see how he was. You could always go back to the regular dose if he reacted badly to cutting it out altogether. You really need a doctor to guide you, though.

I'd give him plenty of milk if he'll drink it and he's not allergic. It has a calming effect, at least on my son. Magnesium supplements might help to calm him, too, and they're available over the counter.

I hope it goes okay with him and that you can get in to see the doctor soon!