Do meds just stop working??? | ADHD Information

My 7-year old daughter has been on Adderall XR since early October with good success. Her reports from school have been much better concerning her behavior.  (Academics isn't a problem - she's way too smart for her own good.)  Over the past week, her behavior has taken a nose-dive.  She's been in trouble every day..............non-stop talking, interrupting teachers, pushing, can't sit still, etc. 

What is going on?????  Thank goodness we have an appointment with the neurologist on Monday.  Something isn't right.  I sent the school counselor an SOS.  I've never felt so helpless in my entire life - and my life hasn't been all that dull.

 

 

 

The meds do get less affective over time but I really doubt that is the case for your daughter, since she hasn't been on them long and there has been such a dramatic change all of the sudden.

Maybe something happened at school to change her behavoir like trouble with friends or the other kids in the class. Maybe she's not taking the pill in the morning, do you give it to her or does she get it on her own. Also if you mix Adderall with certain things like Orange juice the citric acid will wipe all of the medicine out of her system.

She's basically acting like she did pre-meds (only worse at times) and nothing has changed that anyone is aware of.  Normally, she is a bubbly, cute, smart, popular girl - the kind who is the life of the party.  It's like she's lost total self control.  She interrupts constantly, talks constantly, can't sit still, challenges everything anyone tells her........................

My mom or I give her the meds first thing in the morning before breakfast - we open the capsule and sprinke the granules in a spoonful of pudding.  She hates the recommended applesauce. 

Her dose is low though - just 5 mg.  Gosh I dread tonight at home.  She'll have all kinds of wild excuses as to why she acted out so badly today - none of it will have been her fault and the excuses will all be very creative!  At least she doesn't have homework on Wednesday nights - that's one battle I can do without!

 

 

The same thing happens to me. The problem is she is not getting enough medicine and instead of helping her it's keeping her in a constant state of withdrawel. Either up the amount of medication or take her off it completely. well i dont recommend this your daughter's body is probly adjusted to the meds and the dont touch her any more and if u whant her on the meds then the dosage will probly have to be raised unless it is a school problame wich it could be and the school problam could have to do with the adhd one of the kids could have picked on her for having ithey does this same idea work for strattera too cuz it dont wrok at all for me

They do usually up the dose from 5mg to 10mg pretty quickly. Your body gets used to the small dose very fast. Didn't realize she was only on 5mg when i responded the first time. They usually up the dose from 5mg to 10mg after the first two weeks.

Ifiwasarishman,

I've heard that Strattera takes a really long time to kick in. I don't know if that is true. It sounds like your side effects may be outweighing your benefits. Check w/ the doc.

My favorite is when the doctors or other information sources say the medications are not addictive.

They talk about stimulants being addictive until your ears fall off, but they never mention straterra or similar depression drugs which are actually more addictive and take way longer to get out of your system.

I guess straterra is the new kid on the block so nobody wants to bad mouth it.

Here's my Straterra commercial:

Take straterra kids it's not an evil stimulant like Adderall or Ritalin. Some people can become psychologically addicted to stimulants you don't want that for your kids do you. Take straterra with no risk of psychological addiction. (and then of course the fast talking warning/side effect part of the commercial) You will become physically addicted to Straterra. Withdrawal symptoms will last at least a month, speak to your doctor for more information.

 OK I'm done can you tell I didn't sleep again last night woohoo talking to myself.

ok i seriously think though that strattera seems to be screwing with me badly. cuz its just been over a moth so the pills should be kicking in, but all i have are side effects. i mean no other drug has made me so dizzy getting up. the joint pains are annoying cuz my ackle was a lil meesed up with at the start.  with other drugs like adderal and concerta i kinda experimented with the dosages a bit without ne thing too bad happening.... i think. but anyways with this drug strattera it just seems to me like the politically correct drug. i mean they never seem to tell you everything about what they are giving you aside from the fact that it wasnt really suppose to have side effects..........  i think i will have to pay him a visit very soon  Apparently you cannot just stop taking Strattera.  You have to taper off of it.  Do not know why some dr. don't tell their patients everything they need to know about the drugs they are taking.  Especially for ppl that are at the beginning stages of taking meds.  They need to know what to look for, understand side effects, understand when the meds need to be bumped up more to maintain the effect, etc.  Many ppl don't realize that they can rebound when meds wear off.  Some ppl become depressed and axious or suffer personality changes, only to be given meds to treat the side effects.  Can you imagine the many ppl that may not be using message boards to learn more about meds and basically left to fend for themselves and struggle because some drs don't take the time to explain things.