Natural Medications?? | ADHD Information
Anggde -- check out the Alternatives to Meds section of this board.
My 9 yr old son was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 7. I, too would like to treat him naturally- the research I've done says this disease is result of lack of a chemical in the brain needed to make certain connections. I have found a few very helpful sites:www.nativeremedies.com
(excellent info and products. Unfortunately supplements are often 3 x day and I work full time= unable to give him a midday dose)
www.amenclinic.com
(Dr. Amen has been studying ADD/ADHD and similar disabilities for over 30 yrs. he uses brain imaging to help make diagnoses)
A natural food store recommended 'liquid health'. He has been taking it with good results (it has magnesium, serine, all the B vits; Omegas; phosphatidyls...)(www.liquidhealthinc.com). Have started my other 2 kids on it too.
But he is also on Concerta and has been for 2 yrs. About 4 months ago his school reports started to get bad behavior reports again, grades slipping, extreme moods and has been having headaches.
Am frustrated and scared- he won't (or can't) tell me what has changed. Medical and counseling assistance seems way to slow- school yr is ticking by and am afraid he won't advance to 5th grade.
Is there anyone else experiencing these things?
So relieved to find this forum! Only been on a few minutes and have learned a lot. Thanks to all for taking the time to respondI went to a nutritionist and she gave me two suppliments to start with my kids in addition to the B complex and fish oil. One was amino acids, gaba, tyrosine, 5-htp etc. The other was out of stock. I was about to e-mail her a question about serine when I looked on the order sheet and that is the suppliment that was out of stock.
This lady is an MD and a nutritionist. Is that an oxymoron or what!!! She also has had my sons tested for food sensitivities. I am hoping to hear about that soon.
I will call the company today to find out where my serine is!!! After I read about it I am all set to take it too! I feel alsheimers coming to get me!!! I just came across the site for Flayvay as well... does sound quite interesting! And it does contain Serine. It also looks as if it has most of the multi vitamins included in the Plus form. It's so hard to know what to try first!
Yea, I have seen Flayvay aswell! And yes it does contain Serine! Too be honest we have had so much success with Phosphatidyl Serine Complex that I am loathe to change ( see how ADHD I am, don't like change!).
I know though that I would not even be tempted to try anything else now that I have found this!
I am so glad and grateful that you all appear so open to Serine, I really hope that it works aswell for all of you as it has for us.
Good luck everyone and please let me know how you get on! Wouldn't it be just fantastic for us here on this forum to have discovered a diamond!
Thank you everyone for your posts and messages.
Omega 3? Yea we have done that and been there!! Only 1 problem I forget to give it to the kids and they moan when taking it as they do not feel the benefit!! I did try for about 6weeks and noticed a small improvement. Serine on the other hand is IMMEDIATE!
I totally take on board what others say about trying Serine with dr's advice etc etc. what I would say to those people is I completely respect your point BUT Serine is available without script and seriously you only need to try 1 capsule to see if it going to work, it is that instant! My son had blood tests but everyone else that has tried it has not. Blood testing for Serine levels is not available in many Labs although it is an easy test to take. it would appear to be as miraculous on adults as it is on kids! Oh and by the way Prof Clayton in London has discovered Serine aswell for waking a boy in a coma up!! google Timmy Bingham and see how the Mail and Telegraph have been writing about the miracles of SERINE!
Whatever your opinion which I totally respect, I am just the messenger and thought everyone should have the opportunity of seeing for themselves. I have been taking it for 5mths and I feel Grrrrreeeeeeaaaaat!! Honest!
Is this the stuff? Flavay? I may have spelled that wrong. It looks interesting? I get irritated at sites that go on and on about the dangers of stimulant meds as if we had just blindly given our kids poison at the advice of some ill informed pediatrician. I wonder if you contact the site would they give you some e-amil addresses of some of those testimonials.
Magic? Attend and Be'calmed make the same claims and just as convincingly. please keep us posted!!!
ms.mom39168.8161805556
Thanks for all the info on Serine! I had not come across that one yet, but am very excited to check it out!!
Are you/your children taking any other supplements as well such as Omega 3/6/9?
Please keep us posted on your progress with Serine, it sounds like you've found something amazing that has worked for you and your family!!
jcdove,
your child needs to see a Psychiatrist before using meds, and have a complete evaluation. Physical and psychological. Was blood work done? EKG's? EEG"S? If not then may be you should seek a 2nd opinion. Pediatricians are not qualified to make a diagnosis.
Synatpal contains sh*take mushroom extracts as the "main ingredient", and the other ingredients are questionable.
Attend contains alot of vitamins, minerals etc, BUT the ingredients in it that can affect attention are EPA, and DHA, the same things in Fish oil, and at a level that is not therapeutic.
Hi yeah I have seen Flavay although I have not tried it. Serine is really expensive and if you google it you will see there are many variations on a theme. I personally use the link I have pasted below. Forgive me if I have not done it properly but I am a new PC user and still a bit wet behind the ears!! I totally agree you cannot believe all their advertising hype but I promise you this is coming from someone with nothing to gain and nothing to lose! It appears to help ADHD hugely. None of my children or myself for that matter are on any other medication for ADHD now that we have discovered Serine. We combine this though with Melatonin to ensure a good natural nights sleep. My kids get Melatonin on script and it is invaluable. They are asleep ( aged 11 and 12) by 9.30 every night, this before was unheard of. it was a nightmare getting them to stay in their beds let alone get them to close their eyes!
If you decide to give Phosphatidyl Serine a go please do keep in touch. I am fascinated to see how you get on with it!
ms.mom39168.8168287037
Hi there, so glad to see this thread.
I have just posted a longer piece on ' deciding to medicate ADHD'.
I have just discovered SERINE, it is a non essential amino acid that is nothing short of miraculous. I am diagnosed ADHD as are 3 of my 5 kids ( the other 2 are aspergers). We have done ritalin, dexamphetamine, clonidine, strattera, concerta and uncle tom cobbley and all!!
Last year after seeking advice from a paediatric neurologist we received my son's blood test results. It showed that he has a very low serine level. Serine is a non essential amino acid, this is one of the most important building blocks in the body. I was amazed to find that it is the only non-essential amino acid not available in health shops. I sourced it from the net and received a pot of Phosphatidyl Serine 500mg 5 days later.
20mins after taking the first capsule he was transformed!! Calm, cool with no sweats, good attention span, good concentration, no anxiety and an ability to listen, no panic attacks or temper tantrums just SERENE!!! Not wanting to believe what I had witnessed I tried it on myself! I am transformed!! How long does it take? 20 minutes! Honestly, it lasts then for about 4-5hrs and has no rebound or nasty horrid kick back that is common with the amphetamines. Gentle, clean and available without prescription. No side effects but a maximum dose of 2gm daily. Noone can believe it here and now about 12 of my ADHD friends are taking it regularly aswell with amazing results.
I was due to have a total colectomy and have cancelled it now, my menopausal sweats are gone and that is just the cherry on the cake. Please do not take my work for it, try it yourself, it will only take 1 capsule!
I am just a single mum with huge interest in ADHD. I am working alongside world experts who are equally as fascinated.
Don't shoot the messenger, I am not wanting fame/fortune or blame, just passing on a diamond to those who want it. Google it and see for yourself
Hello Everyone! I'm new to this site and am LOVING reading all of your posts that are related to what our family has been dealing with as well! I have a 7 year old son who has just been diagnosed with ADHD. I'm still skeptical (or in denial) even though we've suspected it for quite some time. He's always been very hyper and impulsive, although he's extremely smart and his grades are spectacular. He has trouble sitting still in class and is noisy when he is supposed to be quite, etc. He's totally unruly at other people's homes, which is totally embarrassing and infuriating. He fits all the description of an ADHD child and we took the Connor's test and he's middle of the road, I guess.
Have any of you tried the natural meds route? I'm really curious if it works or not. I've read a lot about Synaptol and Attend and both sound great, but the few people I've talked with say they "know someone" who has tried them and they just don't work. Any info would be greatly appreciated! :)
We met with my son's pediatrician and RN on Thursday and they talked with us and they said he was a prime candidate for medication, so "let's try it for a month." That was it -- it baffled me, actually. No need to see a psychologist? I actually would like him to see someone else and see if medication is really truly necessary. Maybe I'm in the dark. Or maybe I've read TOO MUCH, which I tend to do. The meds really scare me, so I'm hesitant to even start him on anything. They prescribed Concerta and suggested we start it on Saturday -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!! Now I'm second-guessing myself, and my son! Are his out-of-control behaviors worth all of the side effects he may have to go through???? And not knowing what the long-term effects could be?? I'm so nervous about it.
My biggest confusion with him is that it's not a constant problem -- is that normal with ADHD kids?? He can go 2 weeks and have awesome days in school and at home -- totally focussed, on task, etc., then BOOM, we start sliding down hill at a rapid pace and he's a mess for a week or more. His doctor said that's normal, and I've read that's normal, but I don't get why. I know that parties at school or home or things that get him very excited totally get him out of whack, but I just dont' get why he'd be so focussed for a couple weeks, then lose it. THese are questions for a psychologist, I suppose, right?!
I appreciate any and all responses, as we are new to this adventure -- even though we've been dealing with the symptoms for quite some time now and just thought it was typical "boy" behavior and he'd grow out of it! (still waiting for that!!!) :)
Thanks!!
I would say that since his main issue is hyperactivity, I would look into a non stimulant route....there is a very good option called tenex (guanfacine). This is a blood pressure med that has been used quite successfully as an augment to the stims and alone when hyperactivity is the main problem and help with focus/attention is not needed. I will post the link to the 6 page thread in the medications forum that tells a ton of info on this med.
Shire is going to release a time release version of the med as a first line med for ADHD sometime later this year. It is worth a mention to a doctor, though a ped may not be knowledgeable enough to feel comfortable prescribing it. If you do not decide to go to a psychologist/psychiatrist (which you should to get the dx confirmed) you might at least want to print off some of the info and take it to the ped to look over, perhaps he/she will then let you try this med first.
My son has not had any side effects to this med past the initial drowsiness as his body adjusted to it the first few days. It has just calmed him down, mellowed him out, and aided him in social situations tremendously.
I will post the link in a minute.....
WElcome! You've come to the right place. I too am hoping not to medicate. My son just turned 5, and our pediatrician wants to wait and see how he does in school first. We have our son on o3mega joy, dynamic health liquid multi, concentrate, natural learning factors, and magnesium. He sounds alot like your son where he does great for a while, and then back slides. I started wondering if it was food related. I noticed things with lots of corn syrup or dyes do seem to hype him up. So, we've cut out those things. Some on here are on the feingold diet. I haven't went that far yet, but am trying to keep as natural as possible.
Where did you do the connor's test? Can I find it online?
http://www.adhdnews.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24770& PN=2
At the beginning of this 7 page thread, you will see that Chase had not yet begun taking this med. It is really a great addition to his stim (he has major attention/focus problems). The reason that I tried it for him is that the stim made his natural aggressive tendencies stronger and increased his anger. The addition of the guanfacine (generic for tenex) has been the perfect thing to counteract that and to aid in weight gain and sleep with him.
Thanks for all the replies! We got the Connors test forms from his teacher, but your pediatrician should have them as well.
I am definitely planning on going to a psychologist to get another opinion -- that is if my ped will ever return my call!
I am trying a few vitamins that I think are helping somewhat -- at least until this week. 
We had a rough week at school this week, after having a great couple of weeks. So not sure if they're working, but will continue giving them to him to see what happens down the raod.
I found an Omega 3/6/9 for kids in one small tab which I was really excited about. He's also taking a supplement called AttentiveChild, which has magnesium and DMAE, Zinc, and some other good stuff, and a good natural multi vitamin/mineral and a probiotic. UGH. I spent a small fortune at the health food store. I also bought as many wheat/gluten free, die free snacks and food that I could find.
I'm curious about the issues with corn that I've been reading about?!? Is corn bad for a child with ADHD?? And would that include corn-type chips?? And pasta made from corn rather than wheat flour???? Sheesh! I think wheat had a big part in making my son whacky, so I eliminated all wheat pasta, bread, etc, and found some pasta made with corn, but if that's bad too, then no pasta at all? He used to LOVE Wheat Thins and Triskets, which is unfortunate that I had to take those away as well, so he's been eating the baked Doritos, Cheetos, etc in his lunch, but those are made with corn! I'm so confused!
Just taking it day by day. Thanks for all the info!
You can get rice pasta and rice crackers.... plenty of substitutes -- especially if you have a Whole Foods nearby!If his grades are good, the school is not giving you a hard time about behavior, he is happy, and he has friends, I'm not sure why you would medicate. He's not being impacted. I suggest that you obtain a private evaluation, educate yourself, and then watch for any signs of struggle that may emerge in time. You could revisit the issue if he needs meds later.
[QUOTE=NoTellin]If his grades are good, the school is not giving you a hard time about behavior, he is happy, and he has friends, I'm not sure why you would medicate. He's not being impacted. I suggest that you obtain a private evaluation, educate yourself, and then watch for any signs of struggle that may emerge in time. You could revisit the issue if he needs meds later.[/QUOTE]
Yes, his grades are good, but that's about it. He is VERY disruptive in class and gets up and down contantly, bugs the kids around him, makes noises contantly, etc. He's constantly getting in trouble which is devastating for him, and humiliating. He does have friends, but they easily shy away from him when he's "out of control", but will play with him again the next day. The school has been giving me a hard time about his behavior since preschool, although we always dismissed it as him being bored. Even in Kindergarten, I spoke with his teacher EVERY DAY, and there was usually an issue to discuss, but she never mentioned ADHD, we both thought he was just bored. It wasn't until this school year, 1st grade that his teacher suggested taking the Connor's test, just to see, because he was having such a difficult time with attention, hyperactivity, impulsiveness, etc.
So, yes, I've done my share of research and quite a bit of reading up on the subject, maybe too much, because now that I actually have a prescription for Concerta in my hand, I'm affraid to give it to him and want another opinion or keep trying the natural path. It really scares me. I keep hoping that the natural way will work for him, but maybe it won't.
I was just looking for anyone who may have tried any of the natural alternatives like Attend or Synaptol before other stimulants because, no, I sure don't want to medicate him if I don't have to, but I know he needs something, natural or not. Just looking for any advice I can get.
Thanks!!
jcdove... many of us use alternatives to meds. We personally use a mix of diet mods and supplements (including Omegas, Magnesium, and a blend of amino acids). We have had a lot of success with them -- magnesium is a natural calming agent and helps our son immensely. There's a ton of info on the Alternatives section of this board -- including some folks who have tried Attend....