Need encouragement | ADHD Information

My son has been on Vyvanse for 10 months. I am very pleased with it. It is long lasting and has very little rebound for my son. He still has his personality and he still easts well. He has continued to grow and gain weight at a good rate.

We are just starting the refusual stage, doesn't think he needs his meds. We are try to figure out some system to get him to take his meds. I wake him up to give him his meds and let him go back to sleep. He is up about 30-60 minutes later.

Is school out yet? See if he will try it after school is out so you can watch for the side effects.? I think the idea of getting the doctor to stress the importance to him is good. Does he participate in his doctor's appointments or just sit there and you do all the talking? Maybe the doctor needs to start addressing all the questions to your son. Talk to the doctor about it. 

Thank you all.  Your contributions and support are very much appreciated.

Mom2ADHDboy:  I've been trying to get DS to hook up with this board and read some of the posts to gain some insight into what others experience; I get the feeling he sometimes feels isolated with regard to ADHD. 

BTW, good point you made about methylphenidate.  It is probably the problem here.  He has had reactions to two methylphenidate meds -- hallucinations with one, rage with the other.  Other diagnoses have not been ruled out at this point and I have brought that up to the specialists (for example, bipolar disorder).

spamula:  I am glad to hear that Vyvanse works so well for your child.  It gives me hope, also.  I have told him about others who have had success with medication to try and encourage him.  

Hi, reruho.  I am happy to hear of your son's success with Vyvanse!  It gives me hope for my DS.  It's a big plus that your son's personality and appetite are not affected. 

Your point about school being out soon and being able to watch for side effects was well taken.  We may have more of an opportunity to do this; although, he will be working more once school lets out and, also, likely, spending more time with his friends! 

Speaking of school being out soon, maybe not having to worry about the demands of school may give you a little more room to figure out a plan to help DS with refusal to take medication and to help him get back on track?  In the past, has your son taken his medication on a daily basis in the summer?  Obviously, I'm not a good one to give advice about strategies for being consistent with meds!  LOL.  Also, I'd just like to note:  Through the years that I've worked in the medical field, I have learned that there are adults, too, that have trouble with medication compliance (psychotropics and otherwise).  So, I suppose it's just like any other ongoing venture in life - it requires regular commitment and self-discipline.  However, helping to get our kids on track while still in the nest surely has to be an advantage.  That's why it is so important to me (even though DS is already 16 and not too far from adulthood) to attempt to continue to communicate with him and lend a hand when it comes to the struggles he faces with ADHD, etc. (Even though it can be exhausing to do this, at times!) He is somewhat immature for his age, too, but quite a bright kid and a hard worker. 

Omigosh!  I did it again - I rambled on.  Please forgive me, as it's part of my nature.  My family members (jokingly) remind me that I could easily get my point across with less words!!! 

Thanks, again.

It's been a long road.  I've posted on these boards many times about DS, 16 years old.  I'm really, I guess, just taking an opportunity to vent but could use some sane responses in my insane world!  (Just a little tongue-in-cheek there...but, hey, maybe a bit of the truth, too).

Somewhere in that foul-mouthed, manipulative, impulsive teen there's a sweet, loving, and sensitive guy.  I'm just ready to ship him out right now, though. 

ADHD-wise - over many years, some success with interventions in school.  He ended up having to transfer to an alternative school when his grades crashed this year and, believe me, we have been on board with the school for many years; but asst. principal said if he stayed on at original school there was little chance to catch up in order to pass the 10th grade; hence, we reluctantly switched him to an alternative school with MINIMAL requirements to pass 10th grade with hope of being accepted in adjoining votech school in the fall.

ADHD Meds - 3 have been tried, 4th (new one) has been sitting on top of my computer desk for awhile.  He avoids starting it because he had a reaction to Daytrana earlier this year and thinks it's going to happen again with Vyvanse (the one he has yet to try). 

Friend-wise (including and especially girlfriends) over the past year - OMG - this has been a nightmare.  It would take me too long to explain all the crazy and out-of-control situations he's come up against EVEN with having us, his parents, both there, double-teaming him (multiple friends of his have little or no supervision or rules in place - have lots of freedom.  He tries to follow their lifestyles).

Since January, he's been to a psychiatrist (for med checks) and, in addition, has been receiving therapy from a counselor, who approaches things slowly and methodically, but this just really does not seem to have benefitted DS much; plus the fact that he now won't try his new med.  Maybe I am impatient?  Maybe I am too patient? 

After all these years of trying to help him, I thought things would look up for him/us but unfortunately, it does not seem that way.   

If I'm totally honest, I can find positives that have come about as a result of intervention and communication with him, but right now, negatives outweigh the positives.  Maybe I'm just going to have to ride out these teen years and keep my chin up!

Have his doctor talk to him about the new prescription.  If his doctor prescribed it then he needs to take it.  If he knows what to expect and how the doctor feels this one will be different it might help him to try it.

oh boy, I feel for you. It is SO hard once they have a say about meds. My daughter also hated Daytrana. She, thankfully wasnt against trying something else though. we tried SO many different meds. Although not perfect right now, at least we're not overmedicated or seeing any side effects.

Does he like his new school? Does he have any positive interests that you can really foster? Like music or art or sports?

It really is so much better when they will take meds and the meds work. I'd keep encouragin him to try them. Can you bribe him to give it two weeks? .

Thanks, Corrina, for the suggestion.  DS and I do need to get the doctor in on this.  At my son's last session, he told the counselor he was ready to start the med; obviously, he has not.

Diane V:  Good for you and your daughter for hanging in there through the different meds and the trial and error.  It's good to hear others' success stories and is encouraging, too!

He seems to have a huge sense of relief, academic-wise, now that he is in this school.  He went out of his way one day to tell me just how helpful the teachers are/how much there is one-on-one there (small classes, limited curriculum).  Plus, he is looking forward to vo-tech in the fall.

He was in football for 9 years, as well as had been involved in other sports, did relatively well, and all-in-all, we think it was good for him BUT he seems burned out on football now (I can understand that, including the fact his dad was there all those years in an assistant coach position - sometimes a bit overwhelming to DS as far as that goes).  Hopefully, he'll keep active in the future.

Oh, and the bribing ... yeah ... there's an idea!  I'll have to come up with a plan.  Thanks so much.

i can attest to the fact that the vyvanse is nothing like the other meds. for us, it has worked well. he is also on zoloft for moods. he was a zombie with everything else but the vyvanse has really kept his personality.

You've had a rough time lately.  You have every reason to feel down. 

Hopefully hearing about others' difficulties w/ different meds but then their finding success will convince him to try the new med.  Also, I am a believer in rewarding someone for doing something that was really hard for them.  W/ my child's various anxiety issues, I find that it helps to shift his attention to what he gets for trying vs. his continuing to focus on what he finds stressful.  Maybe you want to treat him to something special immediately after he tries the Vyvnase?  Also, what was his reaction to the Daytrana that he fears happening again?  Since Daytrana and Vyvnase are totally different meds (methylphendate for Daytrana, and amphetamine for Vyvnase), maybe the potential side effects are different.  Maybe it's not a risk that it would happen again?