Ever tried medication on a need basis? | ADHD Information

I take Adderall, 5mg, short term, as needed.

Like your son, I had some bad side effects with meds. When it builds up in my system, it only gets worse.

I do ok without meds, but my honors English course is what got to me... I tried to take meds pretty consistently for that. I'm a senior in high school.

My mom tried me on natural supplements before, but they were hard to keep down. I eat (mostly) gluten free these days, which helps. Combined with meds sometimes, I have ok success.

I mean, it doesn't show in my grades when I don't take meds full time, but it helps me where there are big projects, and weeks like these, with finals.

Good luck!!

:)
This is kind of what I do during the summer. I'm not a
big fan of it though because when I'm not on meds my
productivity plummets like a rock haha. That and I get
tired if I don't take it.

Keke_13 wrote:
When it builds up in my system, it only gets worse.

Thats not correct. Stimulant medication is not a blood level medication. It flushes out of the system very quickly so there is no build up. Just setting the record straight as misinformation can confuse and mislead parents who are trying to make informed decisions for thir children.

[QUOTE=MightyMom]

InspiredByMusic, I only tried PS only once last year for him. I gave him 1 pill only as Sparkli (the PS thread starter) suggested and did not make any noticeable change in my son. So I never tried it again. Did you see a difference in your daughter rightaway?

[/QUOTE] No, I didn't really notice a dramatic difference right away. I think when kids have inattentive-type, it's hard to notice a big difference right away because they don't have the obvious, in-your-face symptoms. My daughter felt like it helped her focus, so I kept giving it to her, two capsules a day. She has really improved as far as being able to get work done independently, remember things (like turning in homework), etc. I don't want to make it sound like everything is perfect, though, and of course I don't know for sure if the PS is responsible or not. But my gut feeling is that this is something her body and brain need (along with the omega 3s) and that it is helping her.
Hi All,
I have a 14-year old DS who will be a sophomore in High
school this September. He has inattentive type ADHD. He
has managed OK till now without the use of stimulant
medication. I have him on fish oil/Mg/B-6. They seem to
help him with focus and I have this board to thank for
them. We also tried Cogmed that also helped him with
focus. But he is going to be in some Honors course next
year and I am thinking he might need medication next
year.

Ok, I guess my question is has anyone tried medication
only on certain situations like tests/exams or social
events? and managed without medication on regular days?
I know it sounds insane but if this is something that
may work I want to talk to his Dr. and get a
prescription and see how he will do.

We did try medication for him a few years ago which
helped him very well but with horrible side effects. My
son is yet to go through his growth spurt and already is
quite small for his age. That is the main reason why we
do not want him on medication at least for now.

Please do share your valuable insights. Thank you all
for your time.
MM

MightyMom wrote:
Ok, I guess my question is has anyone tried medication
only on certain situations like tests/exams or social
events?

While I don't recommend this simply because ADHD is not a situational disorder, if the patient has recently been on effective med's they will work for the reasons you mention but as you stated your child hasnt been on the meds for quite a while. Stimulant medication is not a blood level med so it doesn't have to build up in your system to be effective. When the child is going through puberty the med and dose might have to be changed. Response to medication is very individual so you just cant give someone a pill who hasn't discovered the right med and dose for them individually and expect it to work correctly. When med's are not taken consistently, that even flow of feeling in control of ones life is always interrupted because ADHD affects every area of life but I know that's not your question. The only med that has to build up in your system is Straterra as its a non stimulant. Many are concerned about growth issues but the child eventually catches up. However, this is a very personal decision and its best to discuss it with your child's doctor. Good luck!

Luvmykids0239965.799375

Hi,

Thank you all for responding to my post. Yes, i see your point. But for someone with ADHD and not being on medication, a little bit of stimulant even if it is too low should make a difference, right? Of course, it has to be the right kind of stimulant for the child. I plan to bring this up when I meet with his Dr next week. May be try and pick out what will work best for him over the summer.

I will keep you all posted after my meeting with his Dr.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

I'd recommend against it, because depending on the med, it won't work
like aspirin. They usually take a while before they build up.

An example - I taught an SAT class and we had a practice test the first
day of school after a week of vacation. One of my students tanked the
test even though she doubled up her dosage (don't even get me started)
because she hadn't taken her meds for the whole week before. She was
really upset about it until we figured out what was going on.

You could talk to his doctor to see if there is something that might work.
I just have never seen a case where an ADHD kid could pop a pill before a
test and have it affect them correctly. And, as you pointed out, kids grow
quickly, so if they don't take the medication regularly you don't know if
it's still the right dose.

If you hear about something that works on a case by case basis please
post about it so we can learn about it, too.

Good luck!Hi, sorry I don't have any advice about taking meds "as needed," but your situation caught my attention because my daughter also has inattentive-type and we've so far managed without meds and I also wonder if she might need meds at some point in high school or college to manage the heavier reading and studying.
Right now my daughter takes the high-EPA omega 3 fish oil and Phosphatidyl Serine (PS). Have you ever tried the PS for your son? There are a couple of long threads about it in the "Alternatives" forum.
Let us know what you end up doing and how things go for your son with the honors classes. Good for him that he is taking honors classes!
(Also, my son was always on the small side too, but he is turning 17 this summer and is getting close to 6'; it happens!)