Tenex | ADHD Information

kjh1234,

My heart breaks when I see you say you feel like you've failed your own son. I completely understand the aggression comment, though. I think it has to do with the fact that ADHD is directly linked to norepinephrine, which is the precursor to adrenaline. I like to think that if my son had been a hunter/gatherer, he would have been the cream of the crop!!!

I don't think our society has room for those outside the norm. It is just too difficult to fit them into the nice boxes they have created. Do you have an alternative middle school in your area? It might just do the trick. I am way behind you as my son is only 6yo, but I'am already thinking that middle/junior high might not be a bad time to homeschool. LOL.

I really hope you see some positives from the tenex. Keep the rest of us posted. I've been wondering about tenex myself, as some stims really turned on the aggression for my son, and the others sent him into an intense depression. Good luck. I don't feel like you've failed. If you're only starting tenex now, then you've just begun again!I have an 12 year old boy that was diagnosed with ADHD when he was in the 3rd grade.  Tried several of the standard medications and they all seemed to cause aggression...So we have gone for a while with no meds, but school is just so hard for him that we have to do something.  This past weekend we figured out that the aggression was not from the meds but just from him....He got upset with us and I have never seen him so angry, it was scarey.....I think he is so frustrated cause he is in trouble all the time, everyone is always telling him to sit down and be quiet....Teachers tell him he is stupid!!  The day the anger came out, I had been to the school cause he was going to fail a class and we were trying to get done what needed to be done.  I think he feels like he can not win no matter what.  He told me, "mom, you have no idea what it is like for me, I can not focus, I can not be like the other kids"  I have failed my own son at this point.  We are starting Tenex today.  I hope this helps him....

DS, age 6, taking Tenex and did have the manic response on about the second day.  He was absolutely running around the house the whole day.  Dr told us to hang in there and it resolved itself after a day or so.

DS's experience with Tenex has been somewhat of a mixed bag.  He was placed on it because of bad reactions to stimulants.  But, after about 6 weeks he became very aggitated and had a couple of rage episodes (not common for him).  He came off the Tenex, we tried stimulants again.  He had some success on the stimulants, but developed tics.  While waiting for the Ped Neurologist consult, he went back on Tenex.  This time we kept to the most minimum of doses.  It does have some calming effect, but doesn't have any impact on impulsive or focus behaviors.   Starting today DS in going back on the stimulants and staying with the Tenex.  Minimum dosage of each.

My son too has a very high "fight or flight" response.  We homeschool and he is in a very protected environment most of the time, but oh boy he takes off running at the slightest provocation. 

Hope everyone gets some answers..or at least survives the day.

Sandy

 

 

My son also has a high "fight or flight" response and the stimulants aggravate it.  The problem is that stims are the ONLY thing that really helps his impulsivness/hyperactivity.  Soooooo....after lots of experimenting he's on Tenex which allows him to take the Ritalin that he so desperately needs!  and he's also on Strattera, which doesn't work by itself, but works just enough so we don't need as much Ritalin.  Bottom line is that it seems very complicated but it's working very well! Logan'sMom - I was wondering when u first put him on it - was he all over the place at first? Like full blown ADHD? My son was on it for 2 days and he was a mess so we took him off of it and 2 days later he was ok again. Wondering if he is the only one...
We didn't have that reaction when he first went on it.  But he was also on a stimulant at the time so it's hard to say how he would have reacted without the stimulant.  Tenex has always been calming to him. We've never had the experience where it makes him worse but I have read others on this board have had similar problems with it...Tenex has worked VERY well for my son.  It's not enough by itself but without it he couldn't take stimulants at all.  Stims make him aggravated and aggitated...not really aggressive but definitely "upset".  The tenex smooths that out tremendously!  It takes several weeks to really take effect so hang in there.  Also, once the Tenex takes full effect he may be able to take a stimulant to really help the focus.  Tenex may allow him to take it where he couldn't before.  Good luck! Keep fighting for him!

Thank you all so much for your responses!!!  We have now been on the Tenex for a couple of weeks.  There is something different about him but I can not really identify it, if that makes any sense.  He has started to get very upset since on the Tenex but he has then reckognized it and was able to stop.  So that is good, however it has not been any help with the AD/HD focus issues.  We go back to the Dr. on March 18th, and I can only assume that we will have to add some kind of stimulant to the mix.  But I am really hoping we can find a "mix" that works for him...I will keep looking and trying to find something that works all they way around!  Reading these post gives me hope!

 

Krissi

Welcome kj......I would revisit the diagnosis to verify a diagnosis of AD/HD. Sometimes if there is a misdiagnosis and something else or something more is going on, stimulants could actually cause aggression, more anxiety or mania with certain disorders. Also extreme aggression off the med's is also a red flag but only a specialist qualified to make a differential diagnosis can determine that. Also, issues of low self esteem should be addressed and treated through counseling in combination with medication. Even if your child does have AD/HD, the years of esteem bashing he endured can't be corrected  through the sole use of medication. His issues of self worth or lack of need to be addressed in counseling. That could also account for his anger and frustration. When someone tells a child they are "stupid" eventually they start to believe it and I can't imagine a teacher getting away with that or not being held accountable

IMO, I wouldn't give another med until a confirmed and accurate second opinion is given by a specialist.

If your child is not under the care of a specialist...i.e.....child psychiatrist or neurologist, neuro/psychologist, I suggest that you get a referral from his pediatrician. He is now at an age where as an accurate diagnosis is critical because your also dealing with puberty issues. Please keep us posted and good luck