The feeling you have when your ADHD child | ADHD Information

Okiemom,

We have an appointment this afternoon and I'm going to talk to her about the anxiety.  I'm thinking an anti-depressant might be a good thing.  Diane V suggested we just try a new ADHD med, but he is doing so good on it I don't want to stop.  He finishes school next week and then will start a new summer program.   I dont' want to make a med change right in the middle of everything.  I had to get a statement from his doctor that his ADHD was under control before they would even accept his enrollment.

I too have bi-polar on both sides of my family.  I have taken medication for over 15 years.  I had severe post-partum with both of my boys.  I am now on a combination of Wellbutrin and Prozac and hardly ever feel depressed.  Stressed yes, but depressed no!  I did try to not take them while pregnant with my ADHD son, but after about two weeks I knew I needed them.  I've accepted the fact that I will most likely take meds the rest of my life. 

Thanks sharing.

Connie

I am glad to hear you have had a good couple of days. Its so hard to see the light when you are so tired and frustrated. My daughter is getting ready for a med change starting tomorrow, and I am pretty nervous myself. Hugs!

Tina

has had a great day.

 

I just wish I could remember this when I am at my breaking point.  We have had a dose change and it has been rough.  The past 2 days have been great.

 

Oh yeah we are in the midst of a med change. I feel everyone's pain .

At the moment he is on 12.5mg Quick release Ritalin 6:30am then 54mg concerta at 8:30am then 4:30pm  10 mg QR Ritalin.  Plus 25mg zoloft and omega and magnesium supplements.  He has trouble sleeping and does rebound at night but there really is no alternative for this.  If let to sleep naturally he will go to sleep at mid-night and then sleep through to 10am the following day.  Sleep definitely helps.  Unfortunately it doesn't help with his school attendence!

He has an average IQ but is failing in many areas.  Recent standardised testing show that his levels are 4 years below his chronological age and have in fact slipped.  When the pressure is on to get things done for school we have huge melt downs.  His way of telling us it is all too much.         & nbsp; No meds are going to touch this.  We thing QR is much better but unfortunately the school nor our son are happy with having to go to the office for meds twice a day.  

He is happy at the moment - no bullyng and seems to have 3 friends.   The teachers though are dreadful and even though it is a small school with less than 20 children per class they will not make accommodations and believe he is just naughty!  He has an IEP and government funding which gives him 5 hours aide time a week.  So the teachers believe the aide is the only help that is needed.  We actually have a small school across from us so I am going to look into it - but he is happy which is a real shame.

His specialists are telling me to homeschool again but I just can't go through this again - such a power struggle.  They then suggested having a tutor for his work - sure I can affort 3-4 hours of tutoring a day!!!!!  So we need to reassess the school situation. It is difficult to decide between a situation where he has social connections but no academic benefit to another  where the social connections may not exist.

 

happyrock

    what is he taking now? Why the struggle? Side effects? Not working?

Diane what are you switched too?  We are seeing a new doc tomorrow so a med change may be ordered.   I would like to get him off of stimulants for the summer. Well you probably dont want to go by us. We have had quite the time with stimulants . We are going back to the tricyclic antidepressants. This is the method of treatment used prior to stimulants and still used for people (like my daughter) who just cannot tolerate stimulants. It is a medication that takes time to build your blood levels though and takes several weeks to even take effect. It also must be checked by EKG and lab tests to be sure you are in a therapeutic range. She has taken Ritalin, Ritalin SR, Ritalin LA, Concerta (twice), Adderall, Adderall XR, Focalin, and all kinds of combos with these to counteract side effects which we got form every single one. Our longest stretch with her the "healthiest" in my mind was Nortriptyline (a TCA), but it was sedating and she was WAY too tired. We went back to stims for 6 months, bad idea, so here we are again going with a TCA, this time Desipramine. She has co morbid anxiety disorder and the stims generally make it worse, she loses weight develops tics. Soooooooooooo wish you hadnt asked???? Sorry, but it is complicated. So anyway short answer we are switching to the Despramine, but as she is so sensitive to meds and side effects we are going VERY slow, we do our first lab EKG check today (thank goodness becasue this dose just cant be enough). She is all over the place right now. VERY moody, very disorganized, unfocused. Her impulsiveness seems to be in check as we kept her on her Guanfacine for now. I was prepared for all of this as I knew it would take a while to get the dose right, hopefully it's going to work.

I feel like you diane!  Constantly searching for the right meds.  Nothing seems to work!  As a teacher, I have helped so many parents have their kids diagnosed and then work through to find the best meds for learning.  I've helped everyone but my own son!

I know. I know I am helping her though.  It is just so frustrating all this work and we just cant seem to get too far. I really hope we get somewhere with the Desipramine this time, I do think she needs 24 hour coverage.

The counseling will be great. Has he been evaluated by a psychiatrist who could pick up on anxiety disorder? My daughter has anxiety and ADHD and it complicates treatment. So many meds exacerbate anxiety.

Your poor little guy has had such a rough time...............I wont go into our saga, but I hear you!

Diane,

Just writing it all out and seeing it in black and white has lifted my spirits and given me new resolve.  Yes Jojo has been through so much and I hope your daughter is doing well now too.

He has not yet been to a psychiatrist.  I will get a referral today from his counselor.

Thanks Diane!

Connie

 

 

good luckConkyjo....... just a note to send a hug to you.  Your little guy is struggling and it sounds like you are doing your best to get him help.  Hang in there.   What you are describing sounds like classic anxiety in my opinion....of course I'm not a professional.  But I do have a son dx'd with generalized anxiety.   He actually was so bad in 4th grade (he just finished 8th grade), he had to go on Zoloft for the anxiety.  And he remains on it today even.  There is a lot of anxiety on both sides of his family tree.  Zoloft was like a miracle drug for my son.   He still has the anxiety.....but not the most severe form with the resulting behaviors.  Of course.... I'm not suggesting your son needs an antidepressant.  But I do encourage you to continue seeking a correct diagnosis and treatment. 

Oh........ and there was a period of time a couple of years ago where I myself also had to go on meds just to deal with the anxiety of trying to deal with all this.  I weaned myself off of it after my son's treatment was going well and stress was reduced, but for the 18 mos I was on the meds....they really helped me.     Okiemom

First of all I live in West Jordan, Utah not Afghanistan!  I've tried to change it but cannot figure out how.

To Happrock and everyone else, I'm sooo sorry you're school doesn't assist you.  I'm very lucky in that my son's teacher, school counselor and principal have all been very positive in my son's ADHD/ODD diagnosis.  They've guided me along the way as to where to go and whether or not they felt he was improving on the Adderall XR.  I don't know if I could have gotten through all of this the past year if it weren't for their support.  The school district has agreed to pay for 6 counseling sessions.  We went today for our first visit, and she's telling me not only is my son ADHD/ODD but she also thinks he is bi-polar?  Is this even possible?  I don't know if I can keep going through this.  It's tearing my marriage apart (he thinks all we need to do is spank him), I'm missing a lot of work, and not sleeping because he isn't either.  The doctor put him on Clondine to sleep, but then I can't wake him up in the mornings.  How do you all cope?

 

Conkyjo we all certainly understand.

I've given up my job, my friends and I'm sure me in order to find an answer and to just survive.  My husband has a very high powered business and is under enough stress without me adding to it.  People say "Get your husband to take more of an active role".  Sure and we'll go bankrupt!!!!  How old is your son?

I don't know about bi-polar.  This has been mentioned to us as well, but I believe that it is severe anxiety.  The more environmental  /  external pressure placed on him the more the pressure builds up inside.  It is like he is a rabbit that has been forced into a corner. 

Ihate how everyone is expected to conform.

So many times I have thought about just walking out on my marriage.  Hang in there.  No one understands the pressure these kids put on a family.  It is huge.  We have found by decreasing the pressure  on him, he's alot less defiant and oppositional.  It is like his way of coping with everything.

Last week he ran away at night with a karate stick and kid in the park.  He doesn't even normall go out side after 6pm.. He was screaming and yelling and wielding a stick.  It was awful. His cup was just too full of stress and he had to escape.

Hang in there!

 

Diane,