My son is 13 with ADHD. He was dx when he was 4. We've been through many med trials over the years. He developed tics from stims as well as strattera. He was given clonidine and tenex at various times for tics, which helped some but caused alot of nosebleeds. He began Strattera last Sept. for school (after 3yrs of no meds due to complications described) and he developed a very noticable tic that was constant and frustrated him. Dr. stopped that and started Adderal XR and he developed 6 more tics and began nosebleeds again! Argh! We stopped the Adderall and all 6 tics have stopped except for the tic he developed from Strattera (which is still going strong). Really wierd! The Ped Dr is at a loss and is referring him to a Child Psychiatrist.
Has anyone experienced this also? If so, what med routes have you taken?
Thanks!
My son is on Dexamphetamine and his nosebleeds have become chronicHas he been on any other meds that have also done this? What does your dr say about this?With you not taking meds now, how are you coping?What meds are you able to take to help you then? I am hoping to come across something to help my son. yes i have had the same experiance i was diagnosed with adhd at 8 and now to think about it i ad a nervouse tic and had chronic nose bleeds will be back later class overat that time i was taking ritalin stratera and concerta (all different times) and when i was on the ritalin it made my tics and nose bleeds the worst i one time got a nose bleed that lasted 45mins when i switched to stratera the tics seemed to lessen alot but were still there and the noose bleeds also then i started concerta and they came back full force by the time i was fed up with taking meds (at that time i didnt think it was because of the meds) so i quit meds completely (i was on ritalin at the time) and the tics, noose bleeds, and all other things (dealing with the meds ) went away it was like i was born again i had never felt better im not trying to tell everyone to take there kids off meds but when i stopped taking them i felt great lol i still have little tics here and there and i have been off for a couple years it dosnt relly bother me so much as my mom im just very glad the noosebleeds stoped those sucked badThat's exactly what my son has gone through. After a 3 year absence from meds, I can't believe I had put him back on meds again only to suffer the same side effects that were worse than ever before. I am giving him fish oil, magnesium, Vit E, Vit C, Multi Vit now. I know it takes about 4-6 weeks to see the full benefit of the fish oil and he cannot miss a dose. He seems to do better. I just wish that the few serious tics he got from Strattera would subside. Hopefully they will soon. Never experienced tic like that with him that hung on so long now.Wow, Taximom! It sounds like you are in the same boat. Yes, Tourettes has been dx after he started meds initially. I have read/heard that a child may have had Tourettes all along and it was laying dormant, so to speak, until a "trigger" comes along to bring the Tourettes syndrome "out of the woodwork". I have also read/heard that stimulants will also "cause" Tourettes Syndrome.
From the time my son was born until he was 4 (when he began meds) and during the 3 year absence from meds (until this year), I never noticed anything in the form of Tourettes at all. I also never noticed OCD during that time either. Once he began meds, it opened a whole can of worms! Strattera was the worst of them all as far as the increased Tourettes, OCD, anxiety and depression. He is flicking the light switch off and on repeatedly, has to press on things continuously, raising his right hand to his right eye like he's examining his hand or examing whatever he is holding in that hand, etc. He has increased fears with that med as well. What really frightens me is the fact that these things are hanging on and showing no signs of letting up! It's been two and a half months! It would be so bad if these things were mild and barely noticable, but he has to stop what he is doing and it interferes with his daily activities. He gets frustrated and asks me why he is doing these things and why can't he stop.
My son is like yours as far as having taken all the meds you've mentioned and then some. My son seemed to do fairly well in school without the meds for the 3 years off of them "if the teachers worked with him". I have noticed, and you may too, that my son continues to improve each year as he gets older and keeps learning more coping skills. He discovered books on CD's this year (on his own-don't know why I didn't think of it before) and was zipping through books big time and got higher scores on his AR tests! He still has difficulty writing down his assignments without prompting from teachers, forgets to hand in completed homework, has trouble with notetaking, feels the teachers are talking to fast for him to keep up, etc. The school says no to an IEP which he had before. They say he needs to "try harder"?! They said to put him on meds and he will be fine. I told them of his difficulty with meds and they brushed it off.
So, yes, I do homeschool until they decide to put him on an IEP to help him. I now have an advocate to help us. I feel the Psychiatrist will just keep trying med trials to see what works and I fear that things will only get worse for him.
On 60 Minutes last night they had a CEO of a company on there that found out he was ADHD. He said he would not take meds as he feared it would hamper his ability to create new ideas and inventions. While he would not tell others whether they should medicate or not, he chooses not to. He felt he would not be as creative on it. Einstein was mentioned and ppl wondered if he would have made the inventions that he did if he had been medicated. Don't know. This is all very interesting.
lifeisajourney38327.2796643519in coping around people i suck btu i am getting better lol i just get relly bad headaches alot they seemed to happen more when i was on the meds but i have less now but when i do get them f*ck the hert hella bad
I am currently working with a child that sounds identical to yours. He is taking three medications (Adderol, Strattera, and Clonidine) and suffers from terrible tics. He also is very skinny and is having a difficult time in school right now. He shows symptoms of Tourettets, OCD, ADHD, and generalized anxiety. I have been researching the net all day looking for the right medication and course of treatment for him that hasn't already been tried. I feel so sad for him and so helpless. Its hard to admit, but I actually felt comfort in your story and knowing that someone else is also going through this. I know that is very selfish of me but I'm sure you understand. Have you had any new luck in balancing your son's medications? Or, do you have any new treatment ideas or insight that you could share that may be helpful?I am 39 years old and recently dx with ADHD and have suffered ALL OF MY LIFE. I've gone through 2 hospitalizations for depression and have been treated for that since I was 20. However, when I started the ADHD meds I developed tics with ALL OF THEM. My doctor recently put me on Cymbalta, a new medication treating both depression and ADHD. I have seen results insofar as my depression and a little with respect to my ability to focus and concentrate on one thing at a time. I am trying to be mindful of doing one task at a time and really, really concentrating but it can be very hard at times. I do believe, however, that the Cymbalta is helping. Ask the psychiatrist about it and do your own research. Don't give up, you will find the right med.lifeisajourney,
Hi, I've been off the board for awhile, exploring other "issues". But I saw your message and had to reply. My son is 8 years old and we tried every alternative treatment out there (except Neurofeedback) with some positive effects. Especially the Holistic Allergist. But not enough and we eventually had to try meds.
My son has ADHD, OCD, tic disorder. Every med he has been on has caused a tic. Adderal XR, Concerta, Risperdal, Clonidine, Wellbutrin, Straterra(Yes, even that one). I think there were more I forget. He can take a very small amount 5mg of Adderal and have a very slight tic. But only once a day. Whenever the meds are stopped the tics go away. And he really needs more to concentrate.
Well, anxiety increased this year at school and the Neurologist decided to add Prozac. Small dose but at 4 weeks BOOM horrible tic. I thought he was choking, almost took him to the ER. Called the Neurologist and he calmed me down. My son was breathing! Anyway, we had to slowly wean him off that and it's been 2 weeks since he has been on ANY med ( I stopped the Adderal as well) He has a slight tic still but only noticable to me. I'm hoping it will go away. The first time he tried AdderalXR 10 mg he developed a wierd tic after 3 weeks and it took 10 days for it to go away.
The Neurologist wants to try other meds. But like you I am very apprehensive. And really don't want to tke the chance right now. I'm going to clear his body of all drugs. He's back on all his natural supplements, EFA's, digestive enzymes etc...
I'm sorry you are going through this. I totally understand what you are going through. I pulled my son out of school 2 weeks ago because the teacher wanted him to sign a "contract" stating he would stop a behavior ( a tic) he couldn't control. Unbelievable! Even after explaining everyting to her. There were other reasons as well. I knew he couldn't concentrate without the meds so I didn't want to increase his anxiety. So I am homeschooling till we figure things out.
Let me know how your doctor appt. goes. I'm very interested. By the way has anyone brought uup Tourettes to you? I've thought about it and I'm not ruling it out. There is a "triad" ADHD,OCD,Tourettes And research how these three are comorbid. But then again there are so many other disorders on these spectrums.
taximom
[QUOTE=Rae70]
ultrafast - my pediatrcian said he will need to have some blood vessels in his nasal area quarterised to stop the bleeding.
He is not malnutritioned, he eats heaps. But maybe the vit K is interesting - where do you get vit k from - I thought that was what they injected into babies at birth.
What foods is it in?
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I think they do supplement babies with vitamin k to prevent hemorrhaging and disease. However, it is definately needed by adults as well.
Here's what i dug up on sources of vit k:
Vitamin k is found in leafy vegetables, cheese and liver. It is also found in asparagus, coffee, bacon and green tea.
Hope this helps.
>>> Lee <<<<
I think there is a connection between stims and tics and nosebleeds and then high blood pressure meds and nosebleeds. I am just wondering if anyone has experienced these issues. During the 3 years he was not on meds, he did not have nosebleeds or tics at all. There have been times on meds that we've had to take our son to ER because the nosebleeds were excessive and would not stop. [QUOTE=Rae70]My son is on Dexamphetamine and his nosebleeds have become chronic[/QUOTE]ultrafast - my pediatrcian said he will need to have some blood vessels in his nasal area quarterised to stop the bleeding.
He is not malnutritioned, he eats heaps. But maybe the vit K is interesting - where do you get vit k from - I thought that was what they injected into babies at birth.
What foods is it in?
I am getting a bit leary about the upcoming child psychiatric appt for my son. It is mainly too se if there are any other meds my son can take to help him in school without developing more tics and nosebleeds! Perhaps there isn't anything. I feel like my son will be a guina pig and will have to suffer more ups and downs as we try this or that. I don't think I can do it to him any more. I do give him vitamins and minerals to help him naturally. Gee, I don't know about the meds. The tics, nosebleeds, anxiety and the increase in his OCD that developed from taking the Strattera for 3 weeks is very alarming. He's been off it for 2 months and this still hasn't let up. This is horrible!!