Side effects | ADHD Information

I know what you mean about how difficult it can be to describe behavior that no one else sees!    My son is different at home than he is at the therapist's office, when visiting our family, or at school.   That makes it so difficult for the "professionals" to get a full picture.  I try to carefully consider the professionals' suggestions, but ultimately they're not in your home while your child's behavior is out of control.  I think that Mom (and dad) know best.  I suggest you tell the doctor what you'd like to do so the doctor can advise you how to safely adjust the dosage. 

My psycoligist didn't seem to think it was the Strattera, but mainly behavioral.  I can't imagine that.  My Son and I had a disagreement about the fact that he didn't do his homework at the afterschool program because he made a New Year's Resolution to himself to play soccer with a friend and if he broke that promise he would be a "horrible person"  and did I want that.  I thought of recording one of our disagreements so that the dr. could see/hear what goes on and what he is actually like, but the Dr. didn't like that idea!  I'm calling his Pediatrician to discuss options.  I sent him to school today without taking the medication this morning.  I'm so confused!

 

My son is 9 and we are having a real issue with what med to try next.  My son started at age 7 with focolin.  He was better at school but his eating and sleeping was far from acceptable.  When he finally was able to swallow pills, we went to vyvanse.  What a mistake, I thought he was going to knock himself out with his tics.  We moved to Concerta but only until the summer so we could get him on Strattra 25mg.  I was told it took 3 weeks to get Strattra working.  He has been doing very well at school, but since Oct his temper has gone thru the roof.  I can't correct something he's done without him thinking I've called him a name.  He won't go in his bedroom without someone there her is completely afraid of it.  He keeps hearing noises that aren't there.  He has started yelling that he is such a bad boy that he should just die.  I have talk to his psycoligist, but he never sees this part of him.  Only my husband and myself.  I know I need to take him off Strattra, but should I try the concerta again?  The Dr. isn't convinnced it's his Meds, he thinks it's a minipulative aspect of ADHD.  Any ideas?If these behaviors are new with a medication change,  my instincts as a mom, would be to discontinue the medication (though I'd ask your doctor first) and see if the behaviors went away.

I'm very skeptical of the psychologist saying he thinks it's behavioral???    I doubt it! It sounds like a side effect of the medication to me.  My son is on day 16 of Strattera and when the dose was too high he got VERY emotional and clingy and acted a lot like you're describing.  When we redused the dose it got much better.  My son also has anxiety issues (which sounds like what you're describing) and he takes Tenex along with the Strattera and it works VERY well to calm him. 

I would recommend going to a psychiatrist or pharmacologist.  They specialize in these medications and they work out these problems much faster and much more efficiently.  It would be a shame if one of these meds is "the one" for him but your doctor missed it because he isn't willing to try other options like Tenex or he thinks it's just behavioral...

My son had depression on strattera, he wanted to kill himself when he was 8. He said it and we stopped immediatly, called his prescribing doctor and he said fine. We didnt' even slowly wean, we just cold turkey stopped.

I also question this doctor. WE see a psychopharmacologist for meds, he is brilliant with ALL of the, and there are many choices.

How was concerta? We have been using that for our son for over 5 years with much success. We also give him guanfacine for anxiety, and overstimulation. That works for him as well. Like I said earlier, he has been on this combo for over 5 years and it is successful.

He tried adderall xr also at the beginning so we could open and sprinkle before pill swallowing but it was horrible to him as well. The only reason we added strattera in addition to his concerta was that my son is very hyper, impulsive and we wanted a med in his system 24/7. But what a disaster.  

Strattera is primarly successful for those who are not hyper or impulsive, more innattentive. Why strattera?

BETHANN40185.1585185185That's good news vjwaller!  I think you'll get better results quicker if you see a specialist.  Good luck and let us know how it goes...

I think we need to get into a combo.  I spoke to my pediatrician and he said to stop strettera cold turkey.  He has recommended that I go to a psychiatrist and gave me some ideas on how to find one in my insurance plan.  So here we go.

 

Your pediatrician may also be able to direct you to a psychopharm, they are psychiatrist as well.