caffeine question | ADHD Information
I know there have been posts about caffeine before, sorry if I'm rehashing. My daughter is sturggling to stay awake in school coming off her stimulants. I am thinking of giving some caffeine until we get to optimum dose of her Desipramine. I was thinking to give her a cup of tea with breakfast and let her take a can of soda (which of course she is ALL for) for her lunch. Immediately after lunch seems to be when she is struggling. I'm not sure if is when the Guanfacine starts to "wear off" or just her with no stims. Any thoughts/advice? I will try this today, but hate to get too in the habit of her drinking coke with lunch, although she'd LOVE it . She doesnt have much stamina anyway so it could just be how hard it is for her work at focusing all morning, but we've always run into this when not taking stimulants, but I just cannot subject her to the stimulants any more. Her doctor says the Desipramine shouldnt make her tired, but we're just building that and it'll be 2-3 weeks before we get to the correct dose.My son always told me that after lunch he felt tired at school. So, I started to give him a can of Coke to have with his lunch. He said he felt more awake the rest of the day.PROBLEM: the school called me and told me that they didn't think it was a healthy drink for him to have-too much sugar and will make him too hyper.??? I personally think that it is none of their business what I choose to give my son, but they told me they would take it away if they saw it again. I told the school that he will continue to get soda or else they can start paying for additional meds & that they would be responsible for any health issues that come up. Mind you my kid is in 5th grade, weighs 80 lbs. and is one of the smallest boys in the grade. So weight is not an issue with the Coke.
I asked the Dr. what he thought about it & he said he doen't believe that sugar makes kids bounce off the walls. He said if the Coke worked for my son for the afternoons, keep giving it to him and we'll deal with situations as they arise. my thoughts too. My daughter is 12 and only weighs 75 pounds, if weight is an issue it is that she in underweight. I am sure they'll tell me it is unhealthy. They sent me a not becasue I let her take brownie for snack one day. But for this I will just tell them I am doing what I have to do, but thank them for their concern
.Please check with the doc or pharmacist on caffeine with these meds.
Before meds we tried caffeine for both kids (short trial). It worked for about 1 1/2 weeks with the youngest before lessening effectivity. The oldest used it for about 6 months.
I know you only plan to use this short term so the long term warnings are probably not needed (but here they are anyway).
Carbonated drinks (phosphates) reduce calcium absorption and can affect bone density over time. Tannins in tea affect iron absorption (iron in foods eaten around the same time).
thanks Vickie, I am thinking just for a few weeks though.Okay let me get this straight because I am not "getting it".High school cafeterias sell food not fit for human consumption but in grade school a parent can't send an undersized kid to school with ONE can of coke or ONE brownie without a federal case [teaching the child that treats are okay, only in moderation]
Then the schools wonder why the kid turns 12 then goes wild eating 42 twinkies with a side order of french fries for lunch in the cafeteria? Junk food that they're selling?
Something about this has me completely confoozled
Actually my daughter is in middle school. they have pulled all the soda machines out. She does participate in a program jump up and go which does a fitness program 2 days a week before school, and they felt the brownie didnt fit with the jump up and go program. Guess it doesnt, but neither does the boxes of cereal and chocolate milke she eats at lunch because obviously in 6th grade she's going to eat (or not eat) whatever she wants. I have always made sure she got her fruits, veggies, proteins in at breakfast and lunch becasue you give my kid any stimulant in any way shape or form you are applauding her even wanting a brownie! As I said when you are 5'1" and only weigh 75 pounds, just EAT! I was more thinking in terms of the caffiene not the nutritional side, I know she should have milk or water....................but.................adolescents are adolescents ADHD or not. So I am also trying to be real. Again balancing side effects with syptom reduction. If the world were perfect she wouldnt have ADHD or fall asleep in school and I wouldnt have to worry about any of this
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[QUOTE=Diane V]Actually my daughter is in middle school. they have pulled all the soda machines out. She does participate in a program jump up and go which does a fitness program 2 days a week before school, and they felt the brownie didnt fit with the jump up and go program. Guess it doesnt, but neither does the boxes of cereal and chocolate milke she eats at lunch because obviously in 6th grade she's going to eat (or not eat) whatever she wants. I have always made sure she got her fruits, veggies, proteins in at breakfast and lunch becasue you give my kid any stimulant in any way shape or form you are applauding her even wanting a brownie! As I said when you are 5'1" and only weigh 75 pounds, just EAT! I was more thinking in terms of the caffiene not the nutritional side, I know she should have milk or water....................but.................adolescents are adolescents ADHD or not. So I am also trying to be real. Again balancing side effects with syptom reduction. If the world were perfect she wouldnt have ADHD or fall asleep in school and I wouldnt have to worry about any of this .[/QUOTE]A school that provides only two exercise classes per week [and I suspect there are kids living in apartments that have minimal 'run around and play room"] thinks it's providing optimal health for children by telling them not to eat a brownie?
2x exercise per week is supposed to put some 200lb 4' high kid on the road to health?
If I'm sounding incredulous in this one--I AM!!!!!
Good heavens--no wonder parents are cracking up. They're drowning in the insanity of mixed messages!
No you're misunderstanding, she also has physical education as part of her curriculum. This twice week progem is voluntary it is before school. We thought it would help jumpstart her day and she loves it. This sounds like a pretty creative idea to me. I would do it. Aren't there other drinks with high caffeine that are not soda-pop? I agree about the food thing at lunch. My only goal is to get my son to eat something. I just cringe when I open his lunch sack and see the entire lunch still there, or most of it. I know if I question too much, he'll just throw it in the garbage.exactly she will just not eat. Although we went of the stims this week and she is STARVING. Falling asleep on her desk, but STARVING. I am not sure what else has a lot of caffeine except pepsi, mountain Dew (both soda) coffee, which she would never drink, or tea. She can get tea at school for breakfast but not lunch, they dont sell soda I would have to send it. You could always get a generic caffeine pill (the are 200mg) and disolve 1/4-1/2 in a water bottle or bottle of juice. You would have to get one without a coating so it would disolve. There would still be some filler that will not disolve. [QUOTE=Diane V]exactly she will just not eat. Although we went of the stims this week and she is STARVING. Falling asleep on her desk, but STARVING. I am not sure what else has a lot of caffeine except pepsi, mountain Dew (both soda) coffee, which she would never drink, or tea. She can get tea at school for breakfast but not lunch, they dont sell soda I would have to send it. [/QUOTE]
Have you considered liquid breakfasts or ENSURE? Sometimes people with apetite problems can get a great deal of their nutrition from these sources. Also, "weight gain" for body builders can help.
Just some ideas
metisrebel, many, many times we have a box int eh cabinet now, we use powdered so we concaoct our own "smoothie".
Vickie thanks that's a great suggestion we could pour it into a bottle of water and just give it a shake! Thanks.
[QUOTE=Diane V]
metisrebel, many, many times we have a box int eh cabinet now, we use powdered so we concaoct our own "smoothie".
Vickie thanks that's a great suggestion we could pour it into a bottle of water and just give it a shake! Thanks.
[/QUOTE]Wake ups taste major barfy
Crush it between two spoons. In the past, I have gone this route for an afternoon boost for my oldest.
I may have the solution....I have a drink mix that I bought at walmart I think. It is called ' Morning Spark'. It is a caffeinated powder, you know those little tubes that are just enough to mix into a water bottle? It comes in 4 flavors Ruby red grapefruit, cranberry, orange and apple. It is sugar free, unfortunately ( I bought it for myself), but you could buy the orange flavor and mix it in orange juice, or the apple and mix it in apple juice and no one would be the wiser. It ahs twice as much caffeine as a cup of gourmet coffee.
The only 3 places I could have bought it are Meijer, Walmart, or Kroger. If you cannot find it in your area, PM me. I can buy some and ship it to you pretty cheaply...it is lightweight....there is also a web address, if you want that, PM me and I will provide it, you may be able to buy it online, or find a store near you.chasesmom7939219.5824305556
Thanks for the heads kup on the Morning Spark. I looked it up:
http://www.energyfiend.com/caffeine-content/morning-spark
They compare it to other things containing caffeine including Hershey's dark chocolate and chocolates called "rocket chocolates" "turbo truffles" or "buzz bites". I never knew anyone would spike chocolate, but it seems so natural once you think about it.
Well my daughter would be even HAPPIER if I sent her to school with chocolate. Chocolate trumps Pepsi every time!
Well needless to say she had a great day, tea with breakfast tried the coke with lunch (she only drank half a can she said) and she said she did great and her feedback form said she had a really good day.
[QUOTE=Diane V]Well my daughter would be even HAPPIER if I sent her to school with chocolate. Chocolate trumps Pepsi every time!
Well needless to say she had a great day, tea with breakfast tried the coke with lunch (she only drank half a can she said) and she said she did great and her feedback form said she had a really good day.
[/QUOTE]Well that's a good start
What about sending a chocolate covered expresso bean and telling them it's a pill?