Anyone else have on GROUCH on their hands | ADHD Information

Maybe it's the time of year?  My son's been a horrible grump lately too.  I know some of it is because January is when the teachers start talking about the science fair and MSAs (standardized test), but those are months away yet.

Mine doesn't get bossy, just argumentative.  He will contradict everything that comes out of anyone's mouth.  We actually don't go out as much as we'd like to because of how he can be about going places.  Between now and the end of April (when most of the school stress has lessened) he'll be nasty and we'll avoid doing things as a family.  We'll have a good month or so, but it starts up when school ends and lasts a couple weeks into summer break.  Another good couple of weeks, then he starts worrying about school starting again.  Then we actually get about two good months before he starts flipping because of the holidays.   

I'd like to tell you it won't always be this way, but obviously it's been this way so long I have the yearly "spaz pattern" down.  Also, my brother is still like this at 34.

They do develop a tolerance to the meds after a while, so it's entirely possible she needs a dose adjustment.  Is she having trouble with side effects?  Maybe she would tolerate a different med better?  When I did research about adhd treatment for a class I took a while back, one of the things I learned is that a high percentage of those who are medicated are actually undermedicated and would have much more effective treatment with the proper doseage.    

I had to place an emergency call to my daughters psych. yesterday afternoon.  She has been a basketcase these past two weeks.  Back to how she was before meds.  No change in anything so I don't know what has caused this.  She hit a supply teacher last Friday.  Refused to do gym this Wednesday and was sent to the office.  SHE IS 5!!   

I told him that I don't want to medicate my kid but if she is going to be on it at least make it the right damn dose!  (he didn't increase her at the last appt even though we hinted it was needed)  So instead of 5mg she is on 7.5 each dose.  He said that is the highest we can go most likely.  Today at her pediatrician he said you don't know how high she can go on this drug b/c it depends on the side effects vs. effectiveness ratio.

???  what to do when the docs disagree or one is likely to write a Rx for one when the other is not.

Is she getting 10-11 hrs of sleep?

RCmommy wrote:
???  what to do when the docs disagree or one is likely to write a Rx for one when the other is not.

A specialist is well versed on childhood disorders of such nature as well as med management so they are not so quick to raise the med's at this point if there is a question about a co existing bipolar disorder as such a circumstance could produce not normal side effects but very undesirable side effects. This is also true of an anxiety disorder as ADHD could increase the level of anxiety A pediatrician may be quick to write an RX because they are not knowledgeable enough to understand the bigger picture.

Adhd med's are not behavior pills. They allow the child to focus and give them the ability to make a choice. The choices may not always be good ones and no amount of medication will be effective if there isn't a good behavior modification plan put in place or if the child is feeling extreme anxiety. This applies if your strictly dealing with ADHD. As far as a tolerance to stimulant med's, they are not blood level medications so the patient doesn't build up a tolerance as they flush out of the system. The med's may have to be changed for some at puberty due to a hormonal change or if the patient was misdiagnosed with Adhd, the medication seems to stop working no matter how many are tried.

While your dd is only 5, I would get a second opinion and in the mean time speak to a psychologist who could assist you in devising a good behavior modification plan and also teach your child how to deal with her deal with her frustrations. Age 5 is young but a differential diagnosis could be made. The psych is leaning on the side of caution but what is being done is not working and her behavior suggests a cry for help :(

I know adhd meds are not behavior meds but honestly, when we put DS on concerta and now focolin XR 10 mg- he is a different kid.  Happy, not combative, not nearly as argumentative.  I think - at least for my boy- the arguing and so on he does when not on meds is because he has to "get a rise" to stimulate himself.  He can not help it.  or to stop it is very hard. 

 

Maybe see if the Dr will try a diffferent adhd drug.  Maybe that will work better. 

Also- my son is upset a lot- thinks the world is against him it seems.  It is soo hard because I think with this disorder it is so hard for them to do everyday things that we all take for granted.  Most things need some focus.  Also, the OCD has somehting to do with that also.  Our son is on clonidine and focolin XR.  The clonidine is for tics he has but it aslo has a calnming effect.  He has only been on it for 1 wk and we have seen a difference in him.  He seems happier. We just started the focolin 2 days ago.  So far so good.  He was on no meds for 7 months and it has been horrible watching him struggle at school and home.  Tics came because we think the frustration and anxiety he was having-  we thoought it was from the concerta he took last yr but nope.  He got them on no meds.

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Our daily communication log from the teacher  "XXX looked very sad and grumpy today......"  Any time she is spoken to about doing something (not getting reprimanded even) she turns sour.  Today she didn't want to take a toy for sharing day after our encouragement.  Nope, sat with a grouch on all the way to school.

It never lasts, other than long enough to drive me crazy!  I feel like it is an act sometimes. 

I feel like we are not just battling ADHD but a gigantic EGO.  You must come right when she calls or else.  You must play the game the way she wants you to.  Her brother must watch her play on the computer.  She decides she doesn't want to go out when the rest of the family is ready to leave.

We don't give in, but it always means we have a fight on our hands.  If I don't go to her right when she calls she goes straight into major frustration. "moooommmmmeeeeeee, why don't you come when I call you"  Tell me it won't always be like this.

I don't think her meds are at a high enough dose.  She takes Dex 5mg in the AM and 5mg at lunch.  We cannot give the 4 b/c it keeps her awake.  Now that she has been on it for awhile we also see that it seems to be wearing off faster!?  Does this sound right?

The psych doesn't want to raise the RX b/c it might increase the side effects.  We go to the pedi tomorrow so I will talk to him.