New to Everything Need advice and Help | ADHD Information

I'll give you a little background. Alex is 10. He is in 5th grade. He just got diagnosed with ADHD early this year. ( it's a questionable diagnosis in my opinion) He was on Concerta for a few months and the side effects were too much. Now he is on addarall. He has always made A's and B's in school. But he has always been extraordinarily hyper. Always moving etc...

He told me he was having trouble focusing and my husband thought maybe he had ADHD and then we got the diagnosis.

My problem is this. On the new medication he doesn't have the side effects, he can focus better, eats and sleeps good now. But he hates the way it makes him feel. He says that it just drains all of his energy out and he feels super lazy. He was crying today saying the only reason he needs to take it is for everyone else because he feels better without it.

I just don't know what to do.I want him to be able to focus in school and life to be easier for him but he is so opposed to taking it.

Is this a problem anyone else has had? I'm considering alternative ways to deal with his problems any advice, comments etc.. would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Jackie- welcome to the forum. You will receive a lot of support and good info here. Your son has been dx'd adhd--- who diagnosed him? One of the lesser known side effects of adderal is depression. Reader's Digest has an article on meds and withdrawal symptoms this month and adderal is on the list. another side effect they list is tiredness. So it seems as though your son may be experiencing this. Perhaps you can make another appointment with the doctor and tell him/her what is happening. If your child is 10 and has been doing well in school then it doesn't sound as though he is AD.

You might want to modify his diet: no high fructose corn syrup (found in a lot of foods, cut way down on the sugars, give him more protein and start him on Omega's (3-6-9's) plus a multi vitamin.

One other sign that something is not quite right: on stimulant medication sleep and eating goes way down.....

Good luck and let us know what happens.

meds should NOT make your child feel bad. If they do, change meds, there's no reason for this. There are a LOT of med options out there. The purpose of medicaiton to releive with symtpoms with minimal to no side effects. If he is drowsy, feeling lazy and not happy, IMO, those side effects are not ok. You're trying to make his life better.Who did the diagnosis and who is managing his medication?That's a tough one.  We tell our 9 yr old that school is his 'job' and the meds make it possible for him to do well.  He sees his dad go off to work, so he understands that part of it. We also see a wonderful behavior doctor who specializes in treating children with adhd.  This has made a huge difference.  Unlike with other behavior doctors, I am in the session with him.  My son is also expressing curiousity about 'do other kids have to do what I do?"  It has become important to know that he is not the only medicated/IEP kid at his school.  Super drag that he is having these side effects, is it possible he is starting puberty?  I also give me son a coke drink, a new thing for him.  THis can pep him up and enable to do homework, instead of giving him a low dose of his extended releasee med (focalin).  You may want to consider keeping a log of what is going on with him.  Be on the lookout for depression and mood swings.  Wish I could offer more help. 

I would recommend getting a complete behavioral pediatric eval if you haven't had one yet to truly know for certain whether your child has ADHD so there is no doubt...Then if you are comfortable with the diagnoses, work with a psychiatrist to make sure your son is on the right medication. I am sure there are many fans of Adderall but we called our son an "Adderall Monster" on this drug. It worked fabulously well during the day but he'd melt down emotionally in the afternoon. I've also found with my own kids that it can sometimes take a while for the "newness" of the med to fully wear off. Sometimes stomach problems, mind fogginess, etc. fade after a few weeks...

I thank that introducing a child to any behavioral medication at a pre-teen level is hard. Your son may pick up on your own doubt, or even hear from others that he is a "bad" kid because he has to take ADHD medication. I see more resistance as kids get older. Sometimes you just need to be patient with them. Let them vent but make them have a fair trial on the medication. Maybe if he starts seeing results and feeling better about himself, he'll be open to staying on it. Best of luck!