STARTING ON ADDERAL XR | ADHD Information

Until the xmas break my son was on Adderall XR 15 mg.  He definitely had the loss of appetite and the week or 2 before he stopped taking it he had trouble falling asleep.  I had to give him a tsp of benadryl most nights just so he could relax.  I also noticed he picked at his fingernails and toes a lot which people on this board told me was probably a side effect of the stim.  We did a conners rating scale (parents and teacher) while he was on the meds and there really was no difference in his behavior while on the meds.  We're trying Tenex now but it is very early to know if it will help with his activity levels.Watch for mood changes.  Our 5 yr old son started out on Adderall.  His first day was great and each day after that he got more & more irritable until the final day his aggressiveness led to us having to pick him up early from school.  Total time on that med was about a week.  I don't want to discourage you, Adderall works well for some, it just wasn't the right med for us.  You  know your child best, listen to your gut.  I hope it works well for you Finally I feel like I have gotten somewhere. But now I am scared- of the unknown. My daughter has been diagnosed with ADHD
She is going to start on Adderal XR- not sure of the dose yet- I was told it was going to be a real low dose.

I would like to hear good and bad stories about this med. The two things I was told to watch out for was appetite decreases and trouble sleeping. Anything else?mom of one there is no way to know how anyone will react to any med. Please know Adderall is widely used and tends to be one of the first choice meds to try. A lot of people are very, very successful on it. We have used several different stimulants and the MOST common side effects ARE appetite suppression and insomnia. Keep a journal and document times  and amount of meds, activity levels what has been eaten, mood level....everything for a the first few weeks, then it's easier to look back and see how thigs are going. Anything seems "off" to you ask, ask, ask!!!! It's amazing the experience on this forum. Diane V39466.2876736111

This is a great thread because I spoke with my son's doctor last night and we are going to try Adderall FX next! We'll start this weekend so he'll be on it two days at home, before going to school, so I can see how he is for the entire day.

He was on Metadate CD first, and had halucinations, which only 1% of people experiance on Metadate. So, the dr suggested a different type of stimulant, a different "family" so to speak... Adderal FX !  We are starting at 10mg, and we'll see how that goes.

DS is very excited to be starting a new medicine after a week being off meds. He really feels a difference and has been asking for medicine. The only side effects we had with Metadate was the halucinations, he was doing so well at school, and being off the meds for a week he (and I!) could really tell a difference! He was bouncing off the walls, couldnt focus on anything, it would take him so long just to get his thoughts in order to say a sentence!

So, I think I read that Adderall is the strongest ADHD medication??? I need to do more research on it!!

my son is on it and has been for one year. 

works great with him.  5 mg for about one month then we increased to 10 mg and been there ever since.  Yes weight loss and loss of appetite was a huge side effect for him.  We just made sure he increased his food at night when meds were worn off.  No problem sleeping either.

Now we are seeing some issues arising at school again (impulsive in afternoons) and eating a TON at nighttime.  the whole night he is eating.  and trouble sleeping.  So I am thinking he went through a growth spurt and probably needs to increase or add a low dosage afternoon pill on top of adderal XR. 

But the addreall XR has drastically changed my son's life.  More friends, more confidence, As instead of Fs at school, overall feels good about himself.

Thanks- bug girl. I really needed that today- after seeing her psychologist and talking to her about it. I cried pretty much all day in debate whether to do this. The med is filled and at the pharmacy for me to pick up- I just haven't had enough nerve to do so- also I wanted to start on the weekend so I could watch her closely the first two days.

the weight loss is a really big concern for me considering my daughter is already thin so any suggestions are welcomed. Thanks again for the encouraging news.

 

mom of one--this "transition" period can be very trying...especially since all the info coming at you and your daughter is probably all focused on the "problems", the "deficiencies"... all the negative stuff and how to address it.  Try not to let all this dwelling on the shortcomings get you down... hopefully the psychologist you and your daughter see is also identifying and discussing your daughter's strengths--her "gifts" and talents.  It's important not to forget those strengths, not only for your sake (and sanity) but also to help your daughter build confidence and self esteem in doing what she likes and does best, along with working on those things she (and you) want to see improvement in. 

My son is on Dexadrine (generic Adderal), very low dose, and we saw improvements IMMEDIATELY with his impulsiveness and hyperactivity, as well as ability to focus. To me it's been a GODSEND!

We do have issues with his appetite, but I learned to load him up before and after, so in the morning, he eats peanut butter toast, banana and Carnation Instant Breakfast with whole milk. Then he doesn't eat much throughout the day, but we do keep offering him healthy snacks. Once dinner comes around, his meds have worn off and he's got a reasonable appetite. We do the Carnation Instant Breakfast in place of milk ALL the time now, because it adds loads of vitamins and loads of calories. Plus, he loves it, so thinks he's getting a special treat!

As for sleeping, we had issues BEFORE the meds, so I'm not sure how much of our situation applies. But if you really have problems, your doctor/psychiatrist should be able to help. We tried melatonin first, but in our case, that made things WORSE. So we are now on a teeny tiny dose of clonidine in the evenings, which has helped the sleep and also keeps him more even tempered when the meds wear off. I think it's helping the appetite, too.

Anyway, don't be afraid to TRY the Adderal. It's one of those things that if you don't like it, you can just stop. And in our case, it completely changed our lives!

GOOD LUCK!