Scared about decreasing dosage | ADHD Information
Wanted to give you guys a quick update...This is weird, but having her on the smaller dosage is actually better! Who would've thought? The thing is, I kept getting reports from people at her school (her teachers) that she wasn't focusing, was impulsive, distracted, so the doc kept upping the dosage. She of course was not eating at all (still an issue, she's forcing down a bowl of mac and cheese as I write this). I never thought there was a problem, but I'm not her teacher. Now that I have her during the day and can see her, I think she is doing great. Of course I'm not teaching her and she doesn't have the distraction of other kids. But I'm really happy on the 10 mg, I've used 15mg too and I can't really tell the difference.
Plus, chasesmom, her pediatrician did some research on the periactin and when she discovered it was prescribed to stimulate appetite in kids with cystic fibrosis, she didn't have a problem Rx'ing it. So I will get that filled. Her Rx is for 4mg 3 times a day though. I may just start with twice a day, like Chase is on. If that doesn't work, I guess I can push it up to 3 times. It scares me to put all these chemicals in her.
Finally, on the lower dose, she's gained 4 pounds! That's a lot! Thanks for your support and advice.
[QUOTE=chasesmom79]Have you looked into the tenex/guanfacine as an augment to the stimulant?
It not only gives some coverage for impulive/defiant/hyperactive behaviors, but helps the child feel like eating more and gain weight./QUOTE]
I was going to suggest the same thing. Since starting guanfacine, my child eats a good sized-lunch! During camp, he's also been eating snack, too.
Also, with the added impulsivity/hyperactivity control that guanfacine gave him, we were able to decrease the stimulant dose (actually, we had to decrease it b/c he was getting too mellow on the higher dose). We saw the appetite gains before decreasing the stimulant, so I know the appetite increase was due to the guanfacine.
Mom2ADHDboy39279.8864814815Serequel helps incredibley with increasing appetite and gaining weight. I've put on 50 lbs over the past 10 months since going on it. Went from 190LBs down to 118LBs in one year (went manic from Zoloft, slept every other day, ate like a bird and took 120MG of Adderall everyday) and now back up to 170Lbs since going down to 60MG of Adderall and starting on 50mg Serequel (I actually just take it for sleep.) It makes you crave carbs...P.S I'm a male, but it has the same side effects on both men/women.
Took my daughter to see Doc today. She's 9 years old, 49 inches and 48 pounds. She takes 30 mg of Daytrana. Doc said because she has not officially slipped below the 5%tile, she wants her to decrease the dosage to 10mg over the summer to gain some weight. In my experience, when dd was on Concerta, decreasing dosage did not increase appetite, but did increase behavioural issues. Scared, scared, scared. I'm home with her during the day (work at night) and I don't know what she'll be like. We went right from 72mg of Concerta to 30 mg of the patch. The doc says we can always increase dosage, but at a crack (which is a lot of $$ to us right now with me working p/t) it's not that easy. Words of wisdom, anyone? DD's ADHD (combined type) is pretty severe.
Have you looked into the tenex/guanfacine as an augment to the stimulant?
It not only gives some coverage for impulive/defiant/hyperactive behaviors, but helps the child feel like eating more and gain weight.
Since starting this med in December, Chase has gained at least 8 pounds....he was 52-53 pounds in November, gained a little when the periactin was added (appetite stimulant), then once the guanfacine came on board, he is up to 64 pounds at last weigh in a few days ago.
http://www.adhdnews.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24770& PN=1
I don't know, that's one of my questions, I wanted to ask that one but figured I'd go the the meds section and do a search on cutting the patches. Of course, the doctor said the rep said it wouldn't work, but they kind of have to say that, right? Anyway, doctor is very reluctant to put dd on an appetite stimulant. She's worried about the side effects. Thanks for your responses.Can you try to cut the patch in 1/2 or 1/3 for a trial run to see the effects. This would not require a different prescription, would actually extend the number of days for the current prescription and provide information on how a reduced dose would work (or not), without commiting to a full prescription of a dose you may not use.vickie39225.6172916667I have to agree with you. We never noticed much of an appetite increase with a dose reduction. You may want to ask what your other options are. A different med, or as chasesmom says maybe adding a med to increase appetite.My son took the periactin also and it is important to give it at night...I gave him the med once during the day ( he did not have his stimulant that day) and he was one loopy boy....it looked like he was drunk. I have decided that when we go back to the periactin we will cut the dose in half and see if we still get the results with the appetite.Because cutting the patches was not a formal part of the clinical trials, the drug company cannot recommend doing this. A doc can recommend things that are not on the label as part of the practice of medicine, but if the doc is not comfortable with this approach based on thier experiences, then they will not recommend it. What kind of doc is this (pediatrician or psychiatrist)?
vickie39225.7196643519The appetite stim chase is on is the periactin.....the only side effect he has had from it, is that he has an appetite...it is only an older antihistamine that has the side effect of appetite/weight gain.
I would say it is relatively safe as it is prescribed to anorexic patients and to the elderly, both of these groups are pretty fragile, so I don't think anything would be prescribed to them unless it was pretty benign.....but I am not a doctor, sooooo.....
The doctor is a child psychiatrist.
CM, yeah I can't imagine they would put frail elderly pts on something with lots of side effects. The stimulant she suggested was apparently an anti-psychotic? She didn't even give me the name. She wants to stop/decrease meds first over summer to 'catch up." I must've sounded like a whiny, lazy mom, wanting her kid to be on a med that makes her easy to deal with. I love this doctor, don't take this wrong, I am just wondering what it will be like. I'm overweight, i don't think I can keep up with a hyperactive 9 year old and a 2 year old. I will look into the periactin. I rembmer I mentioned it to her once, and she didn't seem to think it seemed familiar. I will do some research on my own. Thanks
you dont sound like a whiny lazy Mom, you sound like one who wants to help their child in the best way she can.......................Do you think the doc would be willing to keep her on 30mg and just have a couple days off it each week to get her eating a little more? I know my son eats like a horse on days we miss a dose- they do tend to be hellish days though.
If a lower dose patch doesn't effect her behavior but still supresses her appetite than it's just not worth it for either of you- I'm sure she feels terrible if she's getting in trouble all day cause she doesn't have her meds.
Hmmmm, Chase is never loopy on the periactin either...and he gets a dose morning and evening!
Just like the stims, it must affect every one differently. 