new and confused | ADHD Information

Hi there, I have a quick question about concerta. I am wondering what you mean when you say you maxed out concerta.

My son is also 10, soon will be 11. He is taking 90mgs of concerta, 1 54 tablet and 1 36 tablet. Before the 90 he was at 72mgs for 3 years, 2 tablets of 36 to get to 72 mgs.

If concerta was working for your son until he needed an increase, this is how a doctor should assist you with the increase.

I am just wondering how high he was to have "maxed out" concerta.

thank you!!

henner2 when we had problems with school a few years ago my daughters psyhciatrist wanted us to be careful with punishment at home for grades. We were doing the same as you guys taking things away for not doing work and for failing. She ended up depressed and miserable. You're right that they cannot make that connection. So he's not really getting it that working on his homework or studying for spelling tests is in any way shape or for related to his playstation. This year we went about it differently. I know reward good grades and tests. We use cash (my daughter is older 13). So she gets .00 for every A, .00 for every B. She does not get punished for for lower. you could have him "earn" video game time. Say so much time for passed in holmework and so much time for high grades. Our aide at school suggested not punishing for low test scores as it's not fair to punish them for not knowing work. It has really helped her motivition this year. She's had tv taken away on school nights at different points during the year for not doing homework and saying she did, when she lies about homework or gets a ntoe to me saying she didnt do well on a test and it was obvious she didnt study (and told me she did and understood it) she would lose tv on school nights unti I got a good report back, not a whole quarter though waiting for a report card, too long for them. Just a thought, it's hard to give consequences that are directly related to school work.  Try to get school on board to help reward completed work and passed in homework.

Thanks for the input.  I am going to see what they say about behavior therapy and see how it works.  Can't hurt.

As for the Concerta maxed out he went up to 72mgs and it did not work.  I assumed it was the max. 

I am curious, I have read other posts and some have replied to extensive testing for ADHD.  What kind of test?  The Psychiartrist we are currently see only did a computer test and I answered a questionaire.  There was no input from the teacher at school and no other testing.  Should there have been more done?

Kenner2

We had an extensive test done by a pediatric neuropsych. I don't have all the details, but it went on for hours, along with a question/answer package that we completed.

It took the doctor over a month to complete the results. It was quite extensive.

We did not use the school, I don't find them to be as thorough, or accurate. I feel that they do not want to assume any responsiblity.

Back to his meds, do you think what he is taking currently is working? If the concerta was working, would you ever go back and just up it??

have you tried adding guanfacine to help with overstimulation? Have you heard of it??

If thepsych only did a computer test ( the TOVA I am assuming) then he really needs a Comprehensive evaluation. You could be dealing with more than ADHD, or somethng else entirely.

When my DD was evaluated the Neuropsych did extensive testing, bloodwork, observations , he met with DD , Us, and all of us together,etc. The entire eval took 4 visits over a 2 week period, and the report was 89 pages long.

Have you had him to a counsler.  I was reading in an adhd book and kids that have alot of rage/non complient/wants to hurt him or her self has depression or bipolor.  You might want to ask you doctor about this.  My son goes to a place called the Hamilton Center its a behaivior center with kids that have adhd/autism and other behavior problems.  See if your doctor can recomend a place like that. 

Yme! and Kenner2,

First off - Yme!, you're totally right, and I love what you wrote.  I completely agree.  Since my son's (13 y.o./ADHD) diagnosis I've been educating myself about his condition and found one book particularly helpful.  It's called "ADHD & Me" by Blake Taylor, who has ADHD and started writing it when he was 17.  It gives you a peek into our special kids' brains and how they function differently, and after having read it my whole approach to raising Sawyer changed completely.  With understanding comes compassion, and all the stress I'd been under trying to figure out why on earth he would throw his dirty clothes on the floor RIGHT NEXT TO THE HAMPER, for the five hundredst time no less, just... disappeared! 

Once you understand that your child CANNOT HELP a lot of his behaviors, and that he's not OUT TO GET YOU when he does certain things, life becomes (almost) peachy.  I have come to appreciate his strengths, which are enormous, and which I could never replicate (out-of-the-box thinking, discerning patterns, making electronic circuit boards do all kinds of stuff and coming up with great inventions, among many more).  I've learned to not sweat the small stuff so much, even if I have to pick up his clothes for the n-th time or justify lost papers with his teachers just about weekly. 

Our kids have the potential to become great leaders in fields they are passionate about, because they see things from a different perspective and are able to come up with new solutions.  I've said this here before, but I'm not going to be surprised if the remedy for Global Warming will spring from the mind of one of our children. 

My son and I share a special bond now that he sees that I finally understand and support him 100%.  We have no issues with tantrums or disrespect or attitude, but are working together to find his path.  I want to stress two things: first, don't sweat the small stuff (and, really, it's ALL small stuff), and secondly, quit trying to shove a square peg through a round hole!  Who says that our current educational system is the only way to go??  I truly believe that future generations will look back at the early part of this century and weep.  We are in the Dark Ages of formal education, if you ask me, but I know a Renaissance is coming and our kids are the first harbingers of it.

Really, what have we got to lose??

 

Use rewards. Read the Marbles thread. For consequences read 1-2-3 Magic -- quick immediate consequences that are fairly light. Sounds like the heavy consequences are fetching you some serious opposition and resentment.

Well I have spoken to the dr. again and I am meeting with a psychologist Tuesdays to discuss my son and then we will set up an appointment for him to attend.  I hope this works.  He is have a great day today. Yeah!  We dont get many of those.I think you need to reread your original post and realize just how often you compared your child to his siblings.  If your other children do not have ADHD, and he does, YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR HIM ARE WAY OFF.
(I might have missed it somewhere if you mentioned their status.)

You need to research ADHD and see how debilitating it is for kids.  THEY CANNOT DO CERTAIN THINGS--- NO MATTER WHAT.

I have offered lots of cash, and things my son enjoys to SIMPLY DO WHAT, TO ME, SEEMED LIKE A REASONABLE THING.  He never got the money because even though he tried, he couldn't.  IT IS LIKE ASKING MY 100 POUND BOY TO LIFT ME OVER HIS HEAD-AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.

The more you know about this, the more you can help him.  But just as when someone disappoints you over and over again, you must change your expectation level of that person so as to avoid being angry all of the time, so too will you have to adjust what you can expect of your son.  Just as life wasn't fair to him in giving him something extra to deal with, so too will it be unfair when it comes to what he should be allowed to "get away with" and what his sister can't.  How you explain that to them both without him feeling badly about himself and her feeling superior-I don't know.  I only have one child and haven't had to have that talk.  I am sure someone else here has though, and perhaps they can chime in.

These kids do not have the filter you or I do.  They do not have that thing in us that takes a moment to think about our actions before they act.  My son has been embarrassed more than once for things that came out of his mouth--just moments after they came out!

My son who is 10 was diagnosed 7 months ago with ADHD.  He was first put on concerta.  We maxed that out and it did not work.  Now we are on Vyvanse and Dextramphetamine(pharmacy name).  When he first started on Vyvanse it was wonderful, my loveable caring child was back, but after six weeks on just the Vyvanse, we had to increase it.  The max was too much for him so the DR. reduced the dosage and added the Detramphetamine.  It worked for a while but he is once again mean, vicious and wants to hurt himself, he has low self esteem,  wonders why his dad and I even keep him.   When we correct him he takes that we are being mean to him and we dont care.  I have tried many times to explain that there are consequences when you do something wrong.  He is failing spelling and english right now so he lost his playstation and computer time.  He asks every day for them back and everyday we explain that he cannot have it until we get his report card.  I don't think he understands what punished is.  Any ideas on how to explain it? 

Everytime we correct him he blows up into a rage.  He does many things well and is told all the time when he does good things.  I believe that I give more praise then correction.  So why the rage.  After he blows up,  he will come to me and tell me that he loves me and he is sorry.  These things happen when on the medicine and when it wears off.  He also says that we don't correct our daughter like we do him.  She only has to be told once or twice to do things.  My son will tell us no, many times before you can get him to do anything. Its like begging to get him to do things.  I have tried the marble system it did not work, i have tried time outs, that doesnt work I have physical hold him in the chair.  I

He is focusing better in school, and follows the rules there.  I am glad to know that when he is away from me he is respectfully and nice, but why not do that at home as well?

I spoke to the dr this week explained to him what was going on and his response was that if he is behaving in school that he should be at home as well.  Instead of changing the medicine or trying something different, the dr thinks we need behavior therapy so they can teach me how to discipline my child.  I did not have a problem with discipline until school started this year so why do I need to be taught how to discipline.  My seven year old has no problem listening or following directions so I must be doing something right.  Even my 15 month old follows directions to a certain point.

I realize I am rambling, but this is very frustrating to me.  I feel that I should find another dr.  but am not sure.  I feel there must be something else going on.

I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.

 

I'm sure your parenting style is great (especially with all the challenges us ADHD parents have to deal with); maybe your doctor is just trying to suggest some extra help to give you more tools that may work as he is getting older, becoming more aware, etc. He's at the age where there's starting to be more understanding, reasoning should be more effective, etc. We received some excellent tips more appropriate than what we'd been doing with our son when we met with a child psychologist. She suggested several different things, some of which we'd done some version of, and helped us personalize them to our son. My thought would be why not give it a try? If you find it's nothing new or still not working, then press your doctor for more. Then again, if you're feeling uncomfortable with your doctor, let them know that. I question everything and appreciate the fact that my doctor is responsive to my concerns, criticisms, etc. If you don't feel you're getting the same, then maybe you should look for a new doctor or a second opinion. Best of luck!

After re-reading my post, I can understand where you thought I was comparing my son to his siblings.  I don't compare them, each one is different and they have to be treated as such.

I have done more research, and bought a few books on ADHD and yes, I am under educated on this problem.  But have realized that a calmer approach is better than being frustrated, my son is frustrated enough and I don't need to complicate his life anymore. 

My husband and I saw a psychologist this week and she feels that she will be able to help.  My son will start behavior therapy on Friday of next week and she will bring us into his sessions when she feels he is ready.

Yes, I am still reading and researching and get much information from the post I read on this board and don't feel so alone.

Kenner2