Checking in, wondering what you all think | ADHD Information
tosca:Good job
Keep us posted this week!
I totally understand what your saying tosca and you know your child best
Please keep us informed and hang in there
Well I guess it's off to the doc's office for you and DD, toscaKeep us posted!
We didn't last but 1 day on 18mgs. My son went from the 18mg to 72mgs in 4 months. He leveled off there for 3 1/2 years. He was 7 at the time and lasted until he was 10.
I bet you need a dose increase.
We also take guanfacine/tenex - it helps with any anxiety, overstimulation, impulsive, etc. behaviors.
I hope this helps!
I just want to throw out there, EVERYONE I know has been having some sort of issues with their kids lately. Some of it is time fo year. School is in full swing, the season change and dont underestimate the POWER of the "holidays". Just a thought if you don;t want to up her meds and want to wait it out. January, IMO, is a good time to see how the kids are. My ADHD'er is actually doing GREAT, it's my younger daughter that's making me crazy lately................
just a thought, good luck at your appointment
I agree with what Diane says, however, I still think holidays or no holidays, school, etc. your daughter needs an increase. Why let her suffer in school for the next month until the Christmas break?
You describe a child who doesn't sound medicated. 18mg's is a waste. She will have positive days once she is on the correct dose. The next one up may not be enough either.
Our doctor was writing 2 scripts in a week at first, then we would level and within a month need another increase before we finally leveled off at 72mgs.
Just my opinion!
He's increased her dose to 27 mg. His take on it is that while she is doing well over all (academically & socially), there's still room to benefit on the hyperactivity end of things.
I so hope this helps her, fingers crossed.
Thank you both for your replies.
Luvmykids02: I have always kept an eye on dd's anxiety, mostly because I am far too familiar with it myself. It's funny- she does bit her nails, play with her hair, move around, but I truly don't believe it's driven by anxiety. She's very open and articulate with me about her feelings, and what she tells me is that school is fun, she's proud of her work, she likes her friends and activities, and LOVES her teacher. It's more like that classic always-has-to-be-moving thing, rather than somatized nervousness if you kwim.
Oh, and her teacher just today gave me the SNAP-IV questionnaire her doctor likes filled out before each appointment. The only characteristic (of 26) that she scored "pretty much" on was #10, Often fidgets with hands or feet. So this totally jives with my view that it's mostly the hyper element that seems to have flared up (or maybe never really was dealt with on 18 mg, hard to say, as you said). I totally get what you are saying by aiming for maximum benefit, and I would not be averse to bumping her up to the next dose (27 mg I think?).
Hi all-
My dd (8) went on Concerta 18 mg in July, just after the end of school. She had minimal side effects, and eventually even they wore off. She seemed to be doing better, although the effects were subtle. I watched her like a hawk over the summer, I was so worried about how the meds would go.
September, school started. She got off to a good start, both academically (she is also Gifted) and socially. Her reported all good stuff about her.
End of September, there was a school-wide reorganization of classes because of the cap in class sizes. Her class was dismantled, and she moved to a new class. She transitioned well (and transitions generally aren't a problem for her). Her new teacher and I worked on a good IEP for her, and we signed off happily. Dd is not a behavior-type kid, she mostly needs help in organization. She also is getting some enriched language stuff in her Gifted areas.
Now, an aside backstory: I have had a very stressful year- between dd's assesment and diagnosis, her old teacher who I found really unprofessional and stressful to work with, and some health scares I have had with regards to myself that are *mostly* resolved. I feel like I have just come up for air, finally, and it felt good.
This past weekend we were at a school event. Dd's teacher pulled me aside, discretely, and told me that she'd noticed some changes in dd. She seemed to be a lot fidgetier, unable to sit still on the carpet. She described her as being generally "out of sorts." But, she is doing very well academically, has no problems completing her work. And at home, homework isn't a struggle at all.
Today I went in for my usual monthly volunteer stint in the class. I saw for myself that yes indeed, she is more fidgety on the carpet, playing with her hair, etc. My heart sunk a little bit.
I like and respect this teacher. But it still felt like a 2x4 hitting me across the knees. Of all my worries of the last few months, dd wasn't one of them. I sort of thought (unrealistically perhaps) that the 18 mg was doing it.
Dh and I talked about what's been going on at home as well. I've been finding her to be more negative, difficult to let arguments go. There have been a few full-blown tantrums, which are *very* uncharacteristic for her.
So, when I put our observations together with the teacher's, I'm wondering what's up. Growth spurt? A change in how her body metabolizes the meds?
Fortunately we have an appointment tomorrow morning with her doctor. I will not be surprised if he suggest upping her Concerta- 18 mg is really low after all.
I hope we get to the bottom of this soon. I'm a terrible worry wart :(
tosca39777.4936805556
That is a starting dose for Concerta and so low that its rare that one sees maximum benefit from such a low dose. Sometimes the child is compensating for their limitations and in doing so, it seems like the medication is effective. The goal is maximum benefit, minimal side effects at the lowest dose possible and for most takes a while befor the right med and most effective dose for the patient is found. Don't get discouraged as every patient goes through a trial of medication as the response is very individual. Your dd could be experiencing anxiety which would account for her now getting so figety because as time progresses school work gets harder, expectations get higher and trying to compensate in the absence of effective medication will indeed casue the child to backslide and increase anxiety.
Please let us know how it goes at the doc and try not to worry as this can be remedied :)
Speak to the doc. DD is also growing and may need a larger dose.