Stimlants and Tics | ADHD Information

it's a good question edbson has, most people dont give it long enough. This is our second try on Strattera. The first time it was prescribed by our ped right after diagnosis and we were having the regular sleep, eating issue on stims and she just gave her 10 or 18 (I forget it was years ago) and said try this for a month while you wait for the pscyh appointment. So needless to say we were not happy and we started on a path of other med trials for the next few years and now after different side effects have gone back to Strattera guided by a psychopharmocologist (and a more educated Mom) and have decided this is the best choice for us.....for now anyway. Now we are dosed correctly and have given it the time you need to see the effects. They are so much more subtle than stims it's hard to go from stims to Strattera and see that it works, it's just so different. The only way she can be tic free is non stimulant though. Although so me were less severe than others.  For her Ritalin LA and Daytrana caused the least ticcing. Concerta and Focalin were the worst.Thanks for responding. My son tried the Strattera but it didn't help with the ADD unfortunately.

I am new here and have an 8 yr. old son who was taking Adderall. He had a large increase in tics, the intensity of them increased as did the frequency. Pediatrician told us the increase in tics couldn't possibly be related to the Adderall, the neurologist said it could. He's been off the Adderall since last week and his tics have decreased considerably. They were so bad on the adderall that the neurologist wanted to prescibe Orap. I do not want my son on antipsychotics if it is not necessary.

My son is also taking tenex BID and clonidine at bedtime. I cut  it back to tenex daily and half the amount of clonidine at bedtime as his blood pressure was on the low side systolically this past Thursday. Is anyone using the clonidine during the day for the ADD with success? I am glad to have found this board as we are trying to decide what is best for our son and it seems there are many here with experience in these things.

my daughter also gets tics with stimulants. She is taking Strattera and it does not increase tics at all.

Clonidine is pretty sedating. Usually people take the Tenex instead of Clonidine during the day. This won't help with focus though.

How long did he take Strat? ALot of people don't give it enough time to work.

[QUOTE=edbson]How long did he take Strat? ALot of people don't give it enough time to work. [/QUOTE]

 

I don't remember how long. I would have to have it looked up in his chart. I do remember the teacher having to fill out a form before he began and after being on the medication for a period of time. I'll have to find out. His next appt. isn't for over a week though.

 

 

I take Adderall and I have tics.  Never had 'em to speakof before the Adderall. They are worse as I lay in bed and my body goes from alert to sleepy.  They are also present if I get hyped up about something...  Anyway, my doc's recommended nothing for me, but I did some reading (one of Dr. Amen's pieces on alternative ADHD treatments) and tried taking GABA as directed and "Voila!" my twitching was reduced significantly!  Not all gone, but much diminished.