Falling apart and no where to go | ADHD Information
I am glad that he has friends. I also hope he enjoys swim team. He will meet friends elsewhere besides where he lives.
I would concentrate on getting the med issue under control. He must not have been this emotional before the meds for you to come here and post.
I would definetly change meds!! And maybe even doctors!!
He started out a bit emotional and having meltdowns in preschool...and we couldn't figure out why. A lot of it was frustration I think. He's not ever been like he's been the last couple of weeks...
I took him off his meds today (focalin is not one that builds up and has to be weaned off...as a matter off fact his dr had suggested yesterday that over fall break (Thurs and Friday this week) we go off his meds...for a break from them. He's pretty wired and not very focused but there were no problems on the bus or at school.
I'm doing a little better..having somewhere to vent helped...thanks for listening !
Considering the new dr. believe me
hugs
Vicky
Your son's weight doesn't sound abnormal or on the tiny side, to me at all. My own 6.5year old son is lucky if he weighs 46lbs on a GOOD day and he's 48in tall (he's not ADHD, but is very high energy and constantly on the go....)Anyways, it sounds like the meds aren't agreeing with your son and you need to try a different one. I know currently we've seen some EXTREMELY erratic behavior from my Autistic/ADHD son and I think it's because we were trying to adjust his meds (the Risperdal) and I think the change has him all messed up. I'm going back to dosing him the way we were prior to his appt with the specialist last week; 10mg of Focalin XR in the AM, 1mg (the full dosage, instead of splitting the dose like the specialist suggested) of Risperdal in the AM and then we'll continue the 5mg of Focalin (short-acting) in the afternoon. Unfortunately, Risperdal is something that builds up in your system so it'll probably take the rest of this week to get my son back on track. Thankfully his teacher is WONDERFUL and puts such a positive spin on his behaviors that I dont' feel overwhelmed.
Good luck to you! *HUGS* and definitely, try a different doctor if the current one is not working out!! :)
asdkidsarecool39742.558275463
I can totally empathize. I too have been dealing with issues regarding meds and drs. My dd is on Vyvanse 30 mg, and it seems like it suddenly has stopped being as effective as it once was. I don't know if I just missed the signs of it wearing off sooner or what. And of course, we just had our 6-month check-up where I told the doc it was working fine.
Hi guys,
I've been in a few times...but not a lot. My life is crazy and sometimes I don't know wheher I'm coming or going.
To give some background info--my 5 year old son Jamie was diagnosed with ADHD, primarily hyperactive and impulsive in June of this year. He was started on adderall xr 5mg then upped to 10mg. At first it was amazing...focus and playing with his toys and starting to make friends and being a happy energetic little boy. School started, and so far no issues in the classroom which I find amazing. Then out of the blue he started having 6-8 meltdowns a day..big ones...just crying and screaming..but we couldn't refocus him, couldn't reason with him, ignoring it didn't stop it...it just had to run its course. This went on for a couple of weeks and then had an appt with the psychiatrist--who changed his meds. Jamie sees a therapist, a psychiatrist, and has a case manager...yet I get very little support--as far as ideas for working with him, when to intervene in his interactions with other kids (so as to prevent outbursts and violence) etc.
Anyway, about 6 weeks ago, when we were in the psych's office he changed his med from the adderall 10 mg xr to focalinxr 5mg for two weeks then upped it to focalin xr 10mg. At first, it was amazing. The meltdowns stopped and he was focused. Then, I started noticing things. Before diagnosis he would make noises with his mouth...a lot. That started up again when it had been gone on the adderall...and if you ask Jamie why he will tell you it makes him happy. His appetite is down...he's only 45.5 lbs...and like 45 inches tall...and in the afternoons we have no focus and bounce of the walls and is really loud. Now about 2 weeks ago or a little less, he started getting very emotional. Not like the meltdowns (which could happen because he didn't get his way or because his shoes felt funny or because things didn't go the way he thought they would) This is usually because he gets his feelings hurt or something isn't done the way he wants ...he's sad. A lot. And it breaks my heart.
Today he had an appt with the psych again. I'm not happy where we are...but I dont' know where to turn. They weighed Jamie and said he was teh same weight and we need to watch his appetite. Then we discussed all the changes. The psychiatrist believes the sadness is not a major depression but a side affect of the medication...yet in order to get us through the evenings he has prescribed a booster dose of 5mg focalin xr. He says that he could try him on Tenex instead of focalin but Tenex does nothign for focus...just for the impulsivity and hyperactivity. And that it has contra indications for low blood pressure and that jamie's blood pressure was low the first time he took it.
I want him off the focalin if it's causing sadness not add more....Tenex scares me....becasue of the heart issue...and the sadness concerned the psych. I just dn't know what to do anymore...I don't know where else to take him--don't want to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire
I think that tomorrow he will be going off meds until I get this figured out. I don't feel like it's fair to him to give him no focus at school but I also don't like him being sad all the time...he's always been such a happy little guy. I can't exchange one for the other...it's not flipping fair to him.
Suggestions welcome
Vicky
I have completely felt the same way as you are feeling right now!!! During the summer I took my son off his meds for the same reason. Everytime we saw the doctor, or doctors his meds would be raised, tics would stop and we would have a 3week period of bliss. Then it all started over again. I am a sahm so it was bearable for the summer. During august we saw the doctor and started him back on the meds. Well in late september I was feed up with the crying, depression, impulsive control and all of it. So I told the doctor I wanted him off his meds until the could do some extensive test to find the right meds. Well 2 weeks after I took him off I was back at the doctor begging him to put him back on. I was at school everyday!! He even tried to hurt another class mate really bad. I really have no solution to your problem. I just wanted to say be careful about taking him off. As of now my son is on vayvanse 70mg and a nerve pill. The crying is still there, tantrums, but school work has came up in grades. He is still getting in trouble though. His focus is else where at all times. I am in the same boat as you! I really hope someone gives you great advice so I can have it too! Sorry not to help.Hi and Welcome,My son (10, adhd) has been on focalin xr for a couple of years now. What your experiencing in the afternoons is commonly referred to as "rebound." As the meds wear off you see the symptoms return full force (plus some, it seems like). The "booster dose" that your doc gave you for the afternoons is exactly what my son's doc gave us for him when he was having trouble with rebound. It helps to ease to transition as the meds wear off. It worked wonderfully for us.
If the emotional stuff you're seeing is happening mostly in the afternoon/evening then it is most likely tied in with the rebound. Think of it from his perspective. All day (with meds) he's been able to follow the rules and stay out of trouble and generally "keep it together." Then as the meds wear off, he's no longer able to slow himself down and keep it together even though he's trying really hard. That must be incredibly frustrating, and most 5 year olds would not even begin to be able to verbalize that so he can't even tell you why he's sad.
If the focalin is working during the day, why not try the booster dose and see how he does?
In regards to weight, how long of a time period is it that he's gone without gaining? Sometimes it seems that they watch the scales a little too closely. My son only gained 4 between his 7th and 8th birthdays- and that was BEFORE meds. I did point that out to his doc when she mentioned his lack of weight gain in a 2 month period right after starting meds. I just tried to give my son a big breakfast before he has his meds and pushed dinner time back an hour so that his meds had already worn off.
crazy4horses2...It's ok...at least I know I'm not alone
hoosiermomma239741.5075What you are experiencing is common with any stimulant medication. My
son is on Vyvanse, and has similar issues later in the day. We also use a
booster dose whenever he has a lot of homework, and it does tend to
smooth out the "rebound" the only downside to doing a booster later in the
day for my son is that he doesn't usually eat very much at dinnertime. It's a
toss up, because either scenario has pros and cons.
Hang in there, you are not alone in this!
Are the emotional times just in the afternoon or all day once he is medicated? If it is in the afternoon, his meds are leaving his system (rebound) and he is bouncing off the walls due to no meds in his system.
If it is all day once he is medicated, then his meds are making him depressed.
If it is the first one, I would up the dose.
If it is the second one, I would try a new med.
We have been successful with concerta and guanfacine for 5 years now. Son is now 11. He was depressed with adderall and strattera.
We did have rebound at first with concerta, but once we got the dose right, it all leveled out.
Hang in there, we are here for you!!
It's all day...happened in the doctors office while we were discussing how sad he was...I looked at him and he was ready to cry. I said, you are sad a lot..and he said yeah and started crying and came over to me for a hug. He calmed down..said he's sad because of our old dog that died (three years ago). He's also been emotional in the classroom. I know he gets his feelings hurt when the kids near our apartment don't want to play with him and he says they are mean. We have social issues, I know he's not always the most fun for the kids but I've also caught them (and jumped them) for truly being mean to him.
For whatever reason the psychiatrist has not mentioned putting him on concerta or anything other than focalin xr for now. He was on adderall xr...and he acts like the only other option right now is Tenex(?) and said that it could cause heart problems-because he had low blood pressure the first time we were seen. Jamie also complains of his lower back hurting daily--I don't know if this is a med thing, a kid thing or what-O did mention it to teh dr and he didn't seem concerned.
Anyway, I do appreciate the input.
hugs
Vicky
You need to tell his doctor that you don't like the med he is on and want to try another. You are his mother and know best. I don't know why a doctor won't budge, nor that he/she doesn't get that he is depressed due to the med!!
Tenex will NOT help any ADHD symptoms. You were correct in your post when you mentioned that it will help with overstim and inpulsivness. Obviously try it you have nothing to lose, but don't let him suffer if he really needs a stimulant.
I really have had such great success with my son since using concerta. Each person is different, but I can't say enough about our combo - concerta and guanfacine.
I feel bad for your baby. We too have social stuff, but it does get better. Any friends at school?
What I want is a new doctor...new psych that is. His ped won't prescribe though she knows what is going on and is willing to refer us wherever we want to go...but has made no recommendations. I'm just tired ofi t...his therapist is on maternity leave and so we will be seeing someone new..I'm hoping she will be more helpful--we see her on Wednesday. Tomorrow his case manager will be here...the place he goes provides all kids with ADHD who are on hoosier healthwise with one..but so far she's not been much help either.
Am I really expecting too much in wanting someone I can sit down, discuss our issues with, decide whether it's ADHD, med, or just being a kid? Someone who will help me weigh the pros and cons, who I can call mid month if things are falling apart instead of waiting two weeks to fix meds, tweak plans etc.? I don't expect perfection...but I'm drowning here and I feel like I get nothing from him except for yet another prescription.
He has a few friends at school...but so far it's been just at school He just started swim team last week and we haven't had a chance to make friends there...I wasn't sure it was going to even work. We go to church but havne't been there long enough to really know anyone...we just moved here a little over a year ago and had been going back and forth to our old church part of the time. He has a best friend...a little boy who is about a year old than he is...but he has his own issues. they play well together most of the time and occasionally they will spend the night with each other or we get them togehter to play. Talking on the phone isnt' something either of them do very well.
We live in an apartment. There are a bunch of kids. And he plays with them fairly regularly..but something generally happens and they decide they are going to the park (playground)-which he can't do on his own. Sometimes his sister will take him...and sometimes we try...but mostly he is stuck here and that upsets him. They do come and play over here...he'll take his legos or playdoh out and they'll congregate on the porch. But not always...and no one is really close or "his" and mostly they are older...2nd grade a couple 1st, a couple 3rd. When they leave he falls apart and cries and begs them to come back or hollers he wont' be their friend...it's tough..
The dr didn't write the Tenex...he wrote 2 scripts for focalin xr-10mg for all day and 5mg for boost...but if he believes (and he said he did) that the focalin is the cause of his depression then why give him more?
Sometimes I wonder if he's just so frustrated with life that he falls apart...Sometimes it seems like his wildness in the afternoon is just the fact that he's managed to hold it together and behave in kindergarten for 2.5 hours. I don't know what's right...and that scares me.