Our son is 6 (mild autism with hyperactivity and impulsivity issues) and has been on Focalin XR (a stimulant) for 6 mths. It worked wonderfully once his system adjusted, but after about 2 or 3 mths it didn't seem to be doing the job, so his dose was upped from 10 to 15 mg. That still didn't give him the coverage he needed, and he had been appearing kind of "flat" in his normally exhuberant personality. He was also growing increasingly anxious, so his psychiatric nurse practitioner prescribed a very low dose of tenex (in addition to Focalin) which was a complete disaster! He was terribly emotional and sleepy to the point where we could barely wake him up. So.... she then wanted to change the Focalin to Vyvanse and add both Risperdal (risperdone) and Prozac. She assures us that she had success with this combo with many of the kids she treats who have Aspergers or are on the autistic spectrum to some degree, along with hyperactivity or impulsivity problems. After researching Risperdal, we have decided that we do not want to give him that medicine. I think if you have a child who has uncontrollable outbursts, or is violent, then maybe it might be an option. But not in our case. In fact, we are not going to be seeing her any longer because she keeps pushing this combo of meds and we are not comfortable with it. By the way, one of the side effects of Risperdal is substantial weight gain. My advice would be to do ALOT of research before you consider such a strong medication as Risperdal.
What about trying a nonstimulant ADHD medication along with the tenex? Good luck and keep us posted!
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