Howdy Folks!
I posted a message earlier this week and it mysteriously disappeared!! It was a pleasantly written - don't know what happened to it. Let me try again.....
My 12 yo 112lb dd has been on Concerta since Dec. We started at 18mg and she's now up to 45mg. She says she understands things better now in school. She is inattentive only - no hyperactivity at all.
I'm quite certain 45mg is still not enough. When she gets home from school it's like her mind has shut down. She can barely focus at all. It's pretty bad and worse in the evenings since she's started meds.
Called dr and asked if dd probably needed a new med. Dr said things appear to be progressing, she just needs a higher dosage. On Mon, I will start her at 54mg. The doc even said some of her patients my dd weight and age take 108mg per day! Now that's a high dosage
Here's my issue - she makes this HUMMING noise almost constantly! I've asked her to stop and she said most times she doesn't even know she's doing it.
I can't imagine upping her dosage with that weird behavior. She also does a stupid dance and other times stupid hand movements. Other side effects seem to be slight appetite decrease and minor insomina.
DH has adult ADD but he's able to function w/o meds. DD was diagnosed in 2nd grade (she's in 6th now) but was able to function in a satisfactory manner in school until now. I support medicating her now - we've tried all other methods.
Can anyone share their experience with meds and weird side effects? Talked to the doc and she said dd will more than likely stabilize and weird behavior will go away. Thanks for listening.
One of the side effects is tics. It could be that's what it is.My son developed tics when on concerta. He did this weird eye thing- we took him off and a yr later tryed only 18mg instead of 36mg. He started dodding his head. Well we took him off all meds thinking that is what caused the tics but he started doing this head thing again- on no meds. Took him to pd neurologist and she said he has tourette's and the med didn't cause it but just helped it surface. He is doing so poorly in school not on meds that we deceided to put hoim back on meds. She gave him clonidine for the tics and we are starting focolin XR for school days. He has been on the colinidine for a little over 1 wk. Tics have gotten better. He isn't nodding head but still does a thing with his eyes but it iosn't nearly as noticable.
Thank you sooo much for your reply. I researched and humming is a form of tics. This is something I will have to watch very closely.
It's so hard. One thing gets under control and something new happens!
It's hard to say if the behaviors you are seeing are tics or they're an expression of hyperactivity and/or impulsivity. My child used to make random, odd sounds. They stopped when we got the stimulant dose right.This is pretty classic tic development. Stimulant uselogitechx3 wrote: I posted a message earlier this week and it mysteriously disappeared!! It was a pleasantly written - don't know what happened to it. Let me try again.....
Your post was moved to the ADHD Medication folder as posting in the wrong folder will get you less responses and also makes it very confusing to other posters in terms of the topic. Refer to the rules. This post will also be moved. Welcome to the board :)
First day on Concerta my DD (5yr) licked her lips repeatedly ALL day long. It was weird! She is now on Dexedrine and no side effects. ThankfullyThanks again everyone for your replys.
On 54mg she's still failing tests. She got a 68 on a math test and thinks she didn't do very well on an English test. I am not giving her a higher dose than 54mg. Her doc even said she has gone as high at 108mg for some of her patients my dd weight. Even at 54mg she felt it was wearing off before the end of the school day.
She's been seeing a psychologists since last summer and has second appt with psycharist in about two weeks. Her practice specializes in kids with ADD.
I really wish my dd could see the results on her hard work reflected in her grades. She has a private tutor, goes to a wonderful supportive school and has a family that loves and supports her. She was so sad yesterday over that 68 she scored in math. She'd studied sooo much on Sunday. I even gave her a short practice on the way to school and she did very well.
I do believe it may be time to change meds. I read about kids who go from failing to receiving A's and B's. I don't really care about the A's and B's, I just want her to obtain a passing grade. Straight C's would make her happy and me as well.
I will probably have to 'demand' a different drug to help my dd. Her dr has said Concerta has always been her first choice. My good friend is a pharmist and I went in hoping she'd first prescribe that drug. The methylphendiate family has been around for so long that I was drawn to the 'tried and true' method.
Oh well. I know this stuff takes time. Despite how my posting sounds, I will be patient and continue on her regimen until the next appt. Thanks a bunch for listening.
Hi,
My children's doc said the same thing about Concerta being the "tried and true" good drug. No way, not with my kids. Both kids are on Ritalin LA which does not last as long but much easier on their minds. So, I give a short acting to ds upon waking and just before dropping him off to school give him the Ritalin LA. It's not perfect, I think it wears off too soon at school but it's the only one that works without major side effects. I give him an afternoon dose of short acting only if he has alot of homework. My ds has ADHD, dd has ADD. They are very different kids with the same inattention issues. Good luck.
Lets see, Ritalin given to me at age 7 for Hyperactivity, did the reverse. Instead of calming me down, it made me go Bonkers.If you are seeing tic's at that point I would ask myself is the benefit outweigh the risks?
My 10yr old DS has minor throat clearing tic and a lick smacking tic that are not too noticible. So for now we stay with Concerta 27 and that's where he will be for a while.
If the medication made you go bonkers then you were either on the wrong med, wrong dose or needed to get a second opinion to verify a diagnosis of ADHD. Also, for percentage of people, the med's just don't work. I don't want parents making decisions based on fear. ADHD medication is not supposed to calm you down. Its not a tranquilizer. It's function is to allow you to focus so that your thoughts and actions are not all over the map. When medication doesn't work or there are unacceptable side effects, it's not a black and white issue. There are a variety of reasons. Education about ADHD and medications for it is the key to making informed decisions parents. Write down all of your questions as things come up and ask your child's doctor as many questions as you need to. Also, do the research and remember, any research or statements that are made based on fear or geared towards scaring an audience are not accurate.. Informed decisions are made as a result of accurate information.
logitechx3, how is your child doing? Update us when you can :)