Newly Diagnaosed, would love opinions | ADHD Information
Hello all. My 5 year old kindergartener was just diagnosed with ADHD a couple of months ago. I have held out on medication until now, but time is up, his teacher is severely recommending it. He is learning well in school, but he just cant concentrate or sit still. He fidgits constantly and gets super embarrased about it when he realizes that everyone is staring at him. He is anti social in the sense that he will not participate in class or even talk to the teacher without whispering. He has a super hard time making friends due to his backward nature. When the doctor diagnosed him, she told me to give her a call if I decide to try him on meds and she will call him in some. I know that there are so many different kinds out there and so many not so fun side effects, so I am just wondering if there is any one drug that you all would recommend that seems to work better than others? This is just his regular pediatrician treating him, so I'm pretty confident that she would be open to any suggestions on medication that I give her, if it is acceptable to give at his age.Thank you all so much. I am really enjoying reading through the posts and discovering that I am not alone in this. We have dealt with this for years without any treatment. A different pediatrician tried to tell me he was ADHD at 3 years old and i just wouldnt hear it, my goodness, he was a toddler. So basically, I have been ignoring his behavior and pretending that he is normal until now. I always told myself that I would dig deeper into this if and when it affects school, and we are at that point now....any advise would be so appreciated!!logancaud40127.870775463
I wish I had started my son on meds in kindergarten. I waited until 1st grade, but then everything came crashing down. He too was on target with learning, but it was what he couldn't control, his adhd.
No of here can recommend any one drug. We can tell you our experiences but they will be different. Every person's body is different. What works for one may not work for another, or maybe with a different dose.
My son couldn't handle adderall xr (time released) it made him aggitated and he would get in the kids faces - the teachers had never seen that before! This med leaves the body completely once worn off.
Concerta works best for him, but he takes a higher dose than others. This wears off and leaves the body completely. We also have him on a med that helps relax him and control impulsiveness. It is called guanfacine.
He also tried strattera, this helps those who aren't really hyper just more inattentive, but it builds up in the blood over time, never leaves the body unless you stop taking it. BUT it has side effects that did not like my son. It depressed him and he wanted to kill himself at age 8. We stopped this med.
All have side effects, like trouble eating - loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, etc. BUT for us, my son adjusted to it and the postives ALWAYS out weighed the negative. We dealt with him being skinny and still eating and staying up late. We gave him lots of calories that after a while, his body adjusted and he started gaining weight. Now he looks normal.
He also uses a psychopharmacologist for prescribing these meds. Our ped. referred us. He told us this was not his specialty and wanted our son seeing a specialist in the field.
I hope this is of some help - but you will have to try the meds and try different dosages before you know where you are at.
I wish you well and praise you for starting in kindergarten, i still suffer guilt for what my son went though and sufferred due to it my fear and ignorance and waiting. He was diagnosed just shy of his 5th bday and started meds just shy of his 7th bday. A lot happened in those two years that could have been prevented with the help of meds.
BETHANN40128.470150463Thank you all so much for your answers!! I am going to wait until Saturday for sure. I'm sure I will be back for more questions once we start.Bethann is right. The meds act VERY differently with each individual child so it's hard to say what works best...I know that the docs tend to prescribe Adderall to the younger kids because the label is for younger kids than some of the other drugs. I think it may be 4.
My son was 3 when he started meds so they started him on Adderall. It had an immediate positive effect on his hyperactivity and impulsiveness but made him angry and aggitated. We ended up switching to the Ritalin family and he does much better with that. His doc said that she has better luck generally with the side effects of Ritalin vs Adderall-but that's just in general. He's also on guanfacine (generic Tenex) to help couteract the annoying side effects of the Ritalin and it works very well for him.
Good luck on the medication journey! It can be frustrating and tiring but if you keep fighting to get it right it will all come together and you'll be soooooooo happy you did it! Keep us posted! 
Great question and again, this is a personal decision.
My personal opinion is I would start it Saturday then you can observe how he is handling it and feeling. I wouldn't like it if he went to school and had a reaction. I would want it in the privacy of my own home.
This way between both Sat and Sun, you will know how your son is doing.
Also, this dosage is probably the lowest. He may need an increase. You will find if there is no change in anything, then he needs an increase.
Please post as to your observations and questions because again, every one is different. He may have rebound, he may not eat, sleep, etc.
We are here if you need us.
I agree, I would start it on a day that you can be with him. You may want to keep him home from school or hold off until Saturday.
Also I recommend keeping a journal of any behaviors that you see or side effects and when they occur in relation to when he gets the medication. This will help you (and the doc) identify what adjustments need to be made. And watch for rebound. If it's going to happen it will usually be as the medication is wearing off. It can make him angry and emotional. Usually it can be avoided by changes in timing or dose. The first time my son got rebound I didn't know what to think! I thought the medication was making him that way, when really it was the fact that it wore off!
Good luck and feel free to ask questions. This site is a wonderful place for information!
I am new to this discussion board but have read many posts and there is alot of support on here!!! My son who is 6 and in kindergarten was just recently diagnosed with ADHD and like many others I was dead set against the medications just something about the word ritalin scared me!! Up until last Friday I thought my son was just 120% boy until I got his first parent teacher conference and heard the dreaded words I didn't want to hear or accept. While I was sitting in the conference I had to control myself and not let the tears flow, because I was feeling very selfish for not doing this for him sooner. I took him to the doctor and got him put on Concerta 18mg this is now the 2nd day with him taking this medicine and I notice a change in him but some not as good as others. I notice him being very emotional (not sure if this is suppose to happen)! I am keeping a journal with all the effects it may have on him because I know that medicines need to be adjusted to fit the person. I am just so new to this I am worrying myself and second guessing myself if I am doing the right thing!!! Now tomorrow we just have to see if the teacher sees a difference in him and that it will help to keep him on track with learning!!duffek82240132.7045023148Felt like I was reading my post!! The parent teacher conference last week is why my kindergartener just started on meds too! This is his second day and he is experiencing emotional problems as well. If anything does not go his way, he is crying, hard. Thats so like him. I'm hoping it will get better with time. I am also keeping a journal to show the Dr. when we go in 2 weeks. Glad to know that there are other families going through the same thing....
Hang in there guys (gals! ) This is the most nerve racking part! When everything is so new and you're not sure what to expect! If the diagnosis of ADHD is correct there will be a helpful medication for your kids...it's just a matter of being patient and keeping your cool while you're trying to find it!
Getting emotional is a common side effect of stimulants. One of three things will happen:
1. You're son's body will get used to the med and the emotional part will ease up by itself
2. The hightened emotions are because the dose is too low and once you increase the dose it will get better OR
3. The medication will either need to be changed or supplemented with a medication like Tenex. My son is on Tenex to counteract the emotional issues he has with Ritalin.
Stay in contact with your doctors on a regular basis. Good luck and keep us posted!
duffek822,
the problem is the dose is too low. Do NOT wait, call the doctor and ask for the next dosage. He is emotional because of this.
Please, please don't just keep the journal. Call the doctor. They will write you the next mg. dosage up of this and then you will see if that is better.
My son took almost 6 months to level off with concerta. BUT once we did he stayed on those MG's for over 2 years.
Please don't wait and just write in the journal. The doctor can help him now.
You can tell whether he is at the right dosage that very same day. It will not change tomorrow or the next day. It is also very hard on his little body.
Call his doctor ASAP!! Please!
Thanks so much for the advice I will call today!!! I don't want to do more harm than good...Even though it has only been 2 days I am already a wreck...I am so glad I found this message board now I don't feel so alone. My husband is dead set against this always says well when I was little they had no medications for this and everything turned out fine...well I don't want my son to be just fine I want him educated and happy and succeed in life! Thanks again will call his Dr. today! Hi this is my first post. I have been looking around.
My son is 6 years old and was diagnosed this morning with ADHD-Inattentive type. He was given Focalin XR 5 mg because he cannot swallow pills yet. The Dr said she knows he will need to go up most likely but since I was a tad nervous about stimulants she said she would start him out at the lowest dose. He has an appointment in 1 week so she can check to see if he needs moved up or not. I plan on trying the applesauce way. Crossing my fingers.
Hello and welcome wvmom722!
Many here have been in shoes, so keep reading and posting. I remember it as if it was today!
We are all posting from experience, me as a mom, to help you with any questions. Ask away!!
Glad you found these boards, they will help you through thick and thin!!
Thank you, it was so helpful just to read this thread and know others are as nervous as I am about the meds. This is my first post as well!My daughter is 12 and on 36 mg of Concerta. She was previously on 27mg and approx 6 wks ago was when the dose was increased. Her condition is much worse since this last increase. She has been complaining of increased headaches but the doctor said it was from dehydration. I have seen the doctor twice in the last 6 wks and the doctor said everything is fine and come back in March sometime. Yes, it is a family doctor. My child psychiatrist "dismissed" us because of a difference in opinion of how my daughter needs to be treated. The psychiatrist had her on 18mg of Concerta for approx 9 months and I kept saying there is no improvements something else must be prescribed.
I understand everyone's frustration. It has been years fighting to get help and I just don't seem to be any closer to getting that help.
Thank you for all of these posts. Sure is great to hear of some people's successes so you know to always keep fighting even though some days you just want to give up.
My five year old was on Focalin XR too and took it fine with applesauce. I would put the applesauce on a spoon, sprinkle on the medicine and then cover it with some more applesauce. He did really well on this medicine but after a couple of months he started picking his fingers to the point of bleeding, which he had never done before. We ended up switching to Adderall and its working well too. I know its hard to put your child on meds, we are new too. He's only been on them for 2 1/2 months now, and it was a struggle for me. If the medicine works, you will see a different child. Having him on medicine is changing his life, for the better. Good luck! And don't hesitate to call your doctor if you see a side effect that you dont like.
Hi wvmom,
Hope my post eases your mind a little. Our son will be 6 on the 19th, and started Focalin XR 3 wks ago today. He was on 5 mg for a week, and then we upped it to 10 mg because the teacher said she didn't see any difference in his behavior at school even though he was much better behaved at home. I was nervous to do that, but from all my research on this particular medicine, I saw that this was the standard dose after being on 5 mg for the first week. Here's what we've seen so far: MUCH better in school, he listens, plays well with the other kids, isn't nearly as impulsive, his handwriting has improved, and on the weekends he is great at swimming lessons and in Sunday school (plus I can now take him out and have an enjoyable time!). Now for the negatives: decreased appetite (Carnation instant breakfast in his milk a couple times a day is a good calorie builder), occasionally is a little more emotional at school but we don't see that at home, and goes to bed about 45 minutes later than he used to. We got this medicine because he couldn't swallow a pill either, but the applesauce didn't work with him, nor did yogurt because he said he could "see the sprinkles" and it made him gag. So now I just put it on a small spoonful of vanilla ice cream. I know all kids react differently, but we saw an instant improvement, literally within hours! It takes about 45 minutes to kick in, and lasts close to 8 hrs. The 5 mg. only last about 6, and he did have "rebound" with the 5 mg. which means he just acted crazier than normal when he came down off the meds! I would definitely suggest keeping a diary the first week, and write down everything...what he eats and when, bedtime and wakeup time, and of course, how he is behaving at different times of the day. Good luck and please post to give us an update. Just one more suggestion, post under "new topic" so it will be easier for us to find, rather than at the end of an older post.
Thanks Logan and Kathleen! Yes I am going to try the applesauce but the icecream is a good idea for a change. I will keep the carnation in mind too. He is a skinny butt anyway.Brownie,
If you daughter is having headaches on concerta and hasn't had any positive days yet, I would stop that med and try another.
Call the doctor, this isn't the side effect you want to stay with this med.
Plus there hasn't been anything positive in the outcome. It may be too strong, still too low, or just not the right med for her.
Have you tried any others?
The statement about staying at 18 mgs for 9 months without the doctor helping you, that is horrible. He should have increased the dose, as you have done and then made the decision to change meds.
I believe you may want to find a new psychopharm. There are good ones out there that know what they are doing and really do care.
I am not happy with your family doctors decision. This is not good.
Keep in mind as well, that 12 year olds are in puberty. This also gets in the way of our meds.
I have never heard of a psychopharm. This forum is so helpful because now I can ask about this. Also, the various options of medications will also provide me with knowledge to "arm" me with.
Great to have found this forum. So comforting reading the stories and to know I am definitely not alone.
full name is psychopharmacologist. They are psychiatrists who prescribe. We don't 'talk since we are young, but he knows the meds unbelievable!
Ask any questions, please!! 
duffek822, definitely switch doctors! You shouldn't have to wait "a few weeks" to increase the dose! 18mg is VERY low! In order to be successful with the medications you need a doc that will make changes daily if necessary!
logancaud, the "beads" inside the capsule come in two forms. The first one has a coating that disolves right away and lasts for several hours. The second has a coating that keeps them from disolving until after several hours. This all happens in the stomach so it won't hurt to put them in applesause for a few seconds before they get to the stomach acids.
My son takes Tenex to help counteract the side effects of the stimulants. The stimulants help a lot but make him aggitated and aggravate his sensory processing problems. The Tenex makes him calmer and helps those problems.
He also takes Melatonin right before bed because it makes him drowsy. Otherwise his stimulant is wearing off and he gets hyper.
He takes fish oil also. It's supposed to help with the ADHD symptoms. I've never noticed any benefit but they are good for his body anyway so I don't mind giving them to him!
I am from Ohio, does everyone else have to pick up the prescription from the Dr. office every month, or is it just my state? She cannot call it in, ever! Such a pain since we travel 45 minutes to see her, ugh!!
My son was diagnosed and is being treated by his pediatrician...should I go somewhere else? All she based the diagnosis on was the Vanderbuilt survey. I just wonder if I should have him checked out a little further. I never really thought about it until reading that most of you have your children seeing specialists. What kind of doctors specialize in ADHD? Psycologists? I'm clueless....Logan - True. You can not get refills or call ins on stimulants. I'm not sure exactly why but I think it has something to do with the high incidence of abuse or something or because it's a controlled substance. But my prescriber wrote me three scripts with post dating so I wouldn't have to come back each month. That may be an option for you. Check with your prescriber.
There really isn't a lot that's involved in evaluating and diagnosing ADHD. You don't need specialists unless you think there's something else going on. Sometimes doctors use other tests to rule out other conditions. Child Psychologists are the best professionals to diagnose and treat ADHD - even for adults.
I see a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (who diagnosed me and engages me in Cognitive Behavior Therapy - CBT). I see a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner to get my meds ("Prescriber" is easier term).
Good luck to you. I think the main thing to have success is to have an open line of communication with your child's doctor and teachers/school. And if at any time you feel like something isn't working or that you aren't being heard, then that's your que to move on to someone who WILL listen.
:)
The main reason my son sees a psychiatrist is because we were having a problem getting the meds right. A pediatrician can be just fine if you don't have a lot of problems getting it right. But if your pediatrician makes you wait too long for med changes or doesn't really know what do to then I'd see a specialist. You'll get it right much quicker.
As for the prescription itself, I live in Florida and it's the same here. The doc can't give more than a 30 day prescription at a time. I think that's a federal regulation. But she usually gives us 3 seperate prescriptions for 30 days each post dated. Also, if there are no changes to the dose/timing she will mail us the prescription.
I've never heard of a liquid form of these meds, but my son takes Methylin Chewable (a form of Ritalin) because he started them before he could swallow a pill and there wasn't a capsule available in this type to sprinkle on food.
Logan'sMom40134.7845138889Thank you all for your replies. I am learning so much here! We upped my sons Focalin XR from 5 mg to 10 mg and it made a world of difference today. Teacher said she noticed improvement at school and there was absolutely no rebound this evening! That in itself is amazing to me. I didnt know if I could handle the crying and tantrums too much longer when he came home from school each day! I'm starting to see light at the end of the tunnel now, things may just be ok in his little world and thats all that matters to me!My issues are my son is on Concerta 18mg...I am not seeing much of a difference in him. I contacted my doctor and he tells me be patient we will see how he is doing in a couple of weeks. It is my understanding that Concerta works immediately this is not a medication that has to be taken over a period of time for it to work??? So why do I wait and medicate when it is not working!!! My thoughts are I NEED TO FIND A DIFFERENT DOCTOR!!! Any insight to this would be appreciated...very concerned!!
I am sorry to tell you this, but you will never see a change in his behavior because he is not on the correct dose.
And yes, you are absolutley correct, you need a new doctor.
Tell me, are you using your pediatrician to prescribe? Remember they are NOT mental health doctors. They can prescribe the meds, but they do not specialize in the field.
This doctor should help your child. It is not even worth giving your son the meds.
Is the doctor the pediatrician?
He is a family practioner...and yes I am trying to find someone who specializes in this field. I am on public aid for medical and it is very hard to find a doctor. I have felt very uncomfortable with this whole process because he does not specialize in this, but when I asked does he do evaluations for ADHD they said yes. But after me doing the research reading about this medicine until I cannot see straight I seem to know more than he does. I am calling the doctors office for a referral to a specialist and take it from there. Let me pm you a link to see if this can be of any help for you with your son!I am so glad to help. I am just a mom, but he is now 12 and I have been around the world and back, several times. I wish I had these boards back when we began the med journey. We have a great doctor, thank goodness!! 
You are an awesome mom, and we will be here for you every step of the way!!
I would up it now. We did that and our son was fine. He was better. He was in second grade at the time we were doing this. The teacher would tell me if he had a good day or if he was not where he should be. We upped the dose and she would tell us he was where he needed to be.
My son levelled off at 54mgs of concerta in 2nd grade. he stayed there until into 4th grade. He also takes guanfacine to help him self regulate, calm down and sit and attend, it also helps any impulsive behavior and for him to relax if there is any anxieties.
My son has not had any bad side effects from concerta or guanfacine. He did take strattera and adderall xr which both were not good for my son. Bad side effects on both.
my son is successful on the concerta family. He did get thin, but ate and then his body adjusted and he has gained and is fine. He is 5'4, 120lbs. He is 12.
Are you able to discuss with the teachers? Some will help, others may not.
Oh yeah his teacher is great we communicate so no worries there. She almost cried during our parent / teacher conference and I was also holding my tears from falling!!! He is a GREAT kid very caring and thoughtful (at times he is a little boy!! LOL) I have seen very little side effects just the over emotional part of it. He is still eating fine so far definitely not as much but he still has some appetite. I have read lots of things and the bad side effects from strattera and adderall hopefully we hit the nail on the head with starting out with Concerta and just have to stay on that and just adjust the dosage part of it. The good thing about stimulants is that you usually know right away if they're working or not (or if the dose is working). They don't have to build up in the system the way Stratera does. Each dose is completely out of their system in a few hours. So that means if there are any scary side effects it's easy to stop taking it and it will be out of his system within a couple hours. It's also just as easy for the doctor to raise the dosage and know right away if it's going to work. Good luck!Does anyone know if any of these medicines come in liquid form? Also, my 5 year old is taking Focalin XR and I have to open the capsule and put it in applesauce. Seems to defeat the purpose of being extended release...does doing this make it last shorter? I just don't know how in the world I am supposed to teach this little boy to swallow pills!Also, I see a lot of you are giving your children Tenex, Melatonin, and Fish Oil, along with the stimulant, what is this for?
Our son has been on both concerta and tenex (guanfacine) since he began meds with the help of a psychopharmacologist.
Our son is severe adhhhhhd. We actually tried the combo of concerta and strattera, which this psychopharm. told us is very common. This combo has the child with a med in their system 24/7. However, strattera's negative side effects were too much for our son. So we stayed with just concerta and guanfacine.
I have to tell you, without the guanfacine, concerta alone does NOT do the trick for us. He needs both. It really smooths things for him.
I have no experience with the others, especially fish oils, but I read the posts here, and I have to admit, I am curious.
Oh and lastly, I have not heard of liquid forms for anything. Have you googled that question?
Logancaud - This is just my opinion from what i've read. I think that those little granules in the capsule of an XR drug are what makes it an XR. Some of those granules are composed to release sooner and some later. That's a very rudimentary explanation. I think that's why it's okay to open them and put them in applesauce. You could google it or ask the pharmacist.Some people use melatonin to help with sleep issues. I'm not too familiar with these "alternatives". I promote tested and proven treatments. :)
Your son will eventually learn how to swallow pills. You can try with candy first. It just takes a lot of patience and practice. My 21 year old daughter STILL has trouble with pills and she's not even ADD or anything! But she has made improvements so when she is sick and has to take a pill, she can but not without effort.
I am glad you found these message boards - they have been a godsend to me.
My son is 7 and was officially diagonosed about 2 months ago. We suspected he was ADHD since about age 4. I, too, was very resistant to medications for him. We tried behavior modification techniques, special reminders at school, attempts to refocus, etc., etc.
This year, second grade, it became apparent that these techniques were not sufficient. A little more than a month ago he started taking Vyvanse. My only regret is not doing it sooner.
As far as his behavior goes the medication has given him the ability to sit still, stay focused, and interact more positively and confidently with other students. It has made his life easier. I got so caught up in adjusting my behavior and making modifications for him that I never thought that medication might make his life easier. He enjoys school now and shines.
The medication (Vyvanse 20 mg)has been good so far with little to no side effects. The first day he started taking it (a Saturday so I could watch for effects) he vomited twice and said he felt queasy all day. I was reluctant to give it to him on day 2 but with the doctor's recommendation I did and he has been fine since. We are increasing the dosage now which I understand is not uncommon.
Take care and trust that you will make the right decision for you and your family. No one knows your child like you do.
coffeebean
Oooh, and one more thing. . . the pills can be dissolved in applesauce and it doesn't effect the extended release at all. The pharmacist can tell you what you can (and can't) dissolve the pills in.
Also, there is a patch available - Daytrana. I haven't used it, but read lots of reviews online. Might be worth looking into.