New and looking for advice | ADHD Information

My son was diagnosed with adhd at 5 years old. His current diagnosis is adhd and anxiety. He currently takes 36 mg. concerta and 1 mg tenex in the morning. The Concerta does not seem effective enough at the start of the school day (he has a very hard time concentrating). His doctor has recommended switching him to focalin xr or ritalin la to give him a 50% release in the morning instead of a 27% release. My only concern with this is the ritalin la or focalin xr running out in the middle of the school day since we need to give it to him at 6:30 am. Do any of you have experience with these meds and have any recommendations. We have an appointment tomorrow morning and are trying to find out all we can before then. I have read your posts for a long time and was a bit scared to join, but now feel a sense of relief that I did. Thank you!

My son takes ritalin LA at 8 in the morning, and it lasts him until at least 6 PM.  Everyone is different, but I love the ritalin LA.  Chase says that the med kicks in while he is on the bus..he gets on the bus at 8:15, and is at school at 9:00.  He is hungry at lunch (on concerta he was not) and he seems less anxious and moody on the ritalin as opposed to the concerta, but the guanfacine was added near the time that the stim switch was made, so I cannot be sure if the mood change is due to the switch or the guanfacine.  I like the fact that the ritalin LA wears off earlier than the concerta did, but some may want the coverage in the evening.

How old is your son?  The med could possibly last your son the whole day, even given at 6:30am, and if needed, you could give a fast acting dose of ritalin for homework.

 

Matt is 8. Just wondering do you give Chase the guanfacine in the morning with his Ritalin LA? As long as the Ritalin LA would last him through the school day that is our main concern. His appetite is much better now that he takes the tenex than it was without. He was getting too skinny for awhile, he is also less anxious and moody than when just on the Concerta.