anxiety problems | ADHD Information

I teach school and am home this summer with my 10-year-old daughter who has been diagnosed severe ADHD and mild Asperger's Syndrome (social issues & high sensitivity to noise & touch).  She also has a lot of anxiety and is afraid to walk from one room to the other in our house.  For example, I have to walk her to the bathroom when she wants to go.  I thought Focalin was causing her anxiety so we got off that and she has been on Intuniv for over a month.   When she started, the 1 mg didn't seem to do much.  When we moved up to 2 mg, the anxiety went completely away but she got very sleepy and kind of "out of it" in the afternoon.  This did not go away,  so we have moved back to the 1mg.  The 1 mg still doesn't seem to do much and the anxiety is coming back.  During the day she seems pretty calm, but is still "all over the place," going from one thing to the other and unable to sit and give her attention to any one thing for any length of time.  We do not go back to the doctor until the 2nd week in July, but I plan to call and see if we can get in sooner. 

I was just wondering if anyone else had issues with this anxiety and what works for you.  I just hate for her to be so afraid and I also have a three-year-old so sometimes it can get rough when I am home with both of them all day.  And when we try to go somewhere, they usually misbehave.  (My husband believes the little one is ADHD too!)

Any suggestions would certainly be appreciated!

Magnesium helped us with anxiety, it is a relaxer.  B6 seemed to help with OCD.  Do some research and good luck.

Thanks!  I will check it out.

 

Sensitivity to touch and sound may be as a result of Sensory Processing Disorder.  My son has SPD in addition to ADHHHHHHHD and anxiety.  The stimulants work very well but aggravte the anxiety and SPD.  As I posted on the other thread, Tenex has helped tremendously with the anxiety but it also helps with the SPD too.  The other thing is that you should get an evaluation from an Occupational Therapist to see if you are dealing with SPD and if she needs therapy.

Thanks to everyone!!!  We went back on the Focalin today and had a MUCH BETTER day today.  She is starting Tenex 1mg tonight in addition to Focalin for sleep and anxiety.  I really hope she will sleep tonight.  I really believe the Focalin increases the anxiety, but I am hoping the Tenex will help with that.  If not, I will mention Zoloft to her doctor.

To Logan'sMom and babygonz:   She also has been diagnosed with Asperger's due to sensitivity issues and "social awkwardness." Doesn't really have many friends.  We have just got her into counseling, which I hope will help also.   She used to have bad anxiety with bugs, but that has seemed to have gone away, thank goodness.

 I am so grateful for this message board!  I don't like for others to have a hard time, but it gives me solace to talk to others who are going what I am going through!

Hi,

My ds is on Zoloft. Works very well. We took him off about a year ago to see if he really needed it. He does!!!

 

 

Does he take anything else in addition to the Zoloft?

My son has been on guanfacine/tenex for 7 years in addition with his concerta. It helps him to relax. He is on 1 mg once a day. We never have had to increase the dose and his prescription allows him to take an additional dose in the afternoon, if necessary, but we never have.

I hope this helps.

Hi,

Yes, Ritalin LA 40mg. Doesn't last as long as other meds so he gets an afternoon dose. He does really well on this combo.

 

 

My ds is on Concerta and Zoloft. He used to have really bad anxiety with
bugs, but it has gone away with Zoloft and maturity. He is a perfectionist
and does have anxiety, however it is mild now with medication. Ask your
doctor about it. You might want to try therapy (ds did that as well) and/or
some non-medication supplements from a health store.Thanks so much!  We started Tenex at night to help with sleep and with nervousness/anxiety, but she was up most of the night and I saw no difference in the anxiety.  We go back to the doctor next week and I am going to ask him about something else for anxiety.  The Focalin works great for behavior/concentration, but she is just as nervous as a cat on it!   She wants me to walk her from room to room and always wants to be in the same room with me.  I just hate for her to feel so nervous all the time.  What exactly does the Risperdal do?  Does it help him sleep, also?  If my daughter didn't take anything to help her sleep, she would literally be up all night.  My dd is 13, has ADD and anxiety also (with anger issues with family). She is
very reluctant to go upstairs to her room if it is night time and no one else is
up there. The biggest issue is that she refuses to sleep alone. This has been
going on since age 8. I have to lay down with her every night. If I get up to
leave after she falls asleep she wakes up and wants to know where I'm
going. (nowhere, now).
Since she has a recurring tic, we are headed back to the ped. neuro. soon.
The ped. suspects tourettes. I'm not sure where the anxiety fits in all this,
but I do sympathize with what you're going through. Others don't
understand what we go through in the privacy of our homes, so I am so glad
for this forum!I have to admit, I was a little surprised at the Asperger's diagnosis, but everything the psychologist said described her perfectly.  It is hard to know, however, if it is Asperger's or the ADHD.  When her psychiatrist, who we have not been seeing for too long, saw the report, he said he thought the Apserger's was mild.  She just started see a counselor who mentioned sensory integration, and I have wondered about this before.  I am going to mention this to her doctor and counselor.  She doesn't have an IEP at school because up until now she has been doing OK, but last year she started failing math.  So we got here a new psychological eval, hence the Apserger's diagnosis.  So we will be working to develop an IEP at the beginning of next year.  She is such a special girl and it breaks my heart to see her struggle.  I am hoping as she grows older, the social problems will change.  You have given me hope!  Thanks for the input and the encouragement! 

Jenng,

My son has sensory integration, was diagnosed in Early Intervention when he was 2. An OT helped him through elementary school, as it was on his IEP.

Was sensory ruled out for your daughter?

He too didn't have many, if any, friends in elementary school. He was also sensitive to certain things, as with sensory, they learn to adapt to these "sensitivities", however, new ones arrive.

A lot of ADHD'ers have trouble socially. Our son's social life has just begun this past year. He turned 13 last Sunday and boy what a difference. My son does not have aspergers, but I did "wonder" about that, A LOT.

I hope as your daughter gets older, that things change for the better in her social life, as did for my son.

Are you comfortable with the aspergers diagnosis or is it still being contemplated? Aspergers is hard to diagnose. For her to have few friends is a success. I know those with the condition but have no friends.  

Having what our children have makes things tougher and takes our children longer to find success, but they can do it.

Keep doing what you are doing and I am sure you too will find success for your daughter.

And please keep us posted. This is such a wonderful place for us mothers who have no where else to go. You find friends, understanding, and compassion that you don't find any place else!!

jenng,

My 12 year old son has ADHD, OCD, anxiety and Asperger's.  He was just diagnosed with Asperger's about 4 months ago.  He's been treated for ADHD for the last 6-7 years.  Like you, I was a little surprised by the diagnosis, but the more I read about it, the more it was my son.  He is being treated with Focalin XR for the ADHD, Celexa for his anxiety and at night he takes Risperdal for the Asperger's and he is doing very well.  We've been thru a handful of different ADHD meds and a couple of anxiety meds and this combo really works for him. 

Best of luck to you! 

Jenng,

For my son, the Focalin XR and Celexa have worked well together.  We originally had him on Vyvanse and Prozac but that didn't work too well.  The anxiety at school was still interferring but since we got on this combination, he does pretty well.  I don't know if it was the OCD or the Vyvanse or a combination, but he would constantly pick his cuticles and make them bleed and even pick the skin off the bottom of his feet, but I was looking at his fingers the other day and they are completely cleared up so that is well under control.  The Risperdal helps with the symptoms of the Asperger's.  Where he seemed to "not care" or basically lacked any social skills - he really seems to be improving by taking that.  I am not sure really how to explain it, but we notice a big difference in how he responds to things and situations.  He has to take it at night because it causes drowsiness.  He still doesn't have any close friends, but that will be a work in process for a while.  Another thing that's been good on this Risperdal for my son is that he was under weight because of taking the ADHD meds and no appetite, but now he eats so much better.  He was doing good when we changed him to Focalin XR, but now he eats all 3 meals plus some snacks a day so that's been an improvement too.  When he was 10 he weighed 60 lbs for the longest time.  He's 12 now and weighs over 80 lbs. 

Some of what you have posted reminds me a lot of some of the things my son has gone through over the last several years.  Our biggest "challenge" now is school.  This year (6th grade) has been the most challenging with his teachers, but we keep moving forward.

I hope the Tenex works for your daughter and you both starts getting some relief.  I've suffered with anxiety all my life and not until about 3 years ago did it finally get bad enough that I finally got something for it. 

I really wish you all the best.  I love this forum because when the days would get where I didn't know what to think - I post something out here for advise and I'd feel so much better after I saw that my son was not alone. 

Please keep us updated on how your daughter is doing.  You're in my thoughts and prayers. 

 

 

My son was formally diagnosed with Tourettes, ADHD and OCD two years ago.  The district psychologist evaluated him and they placed in Special Ed primarily due to behavioural problems.  After just under two years on our vitamin/mineral regiment, they opted him out of special ed in February.  They said he was an "exemplary student" and that "what you accomplished as parents is nothing short of a miracle". 

Whatever, we found what worked.  Everyone should research and investigate.  It won't help all kids, but it will help some.  Good luck to all.

vitaminsworked40369.4010763889

May I ask what vitamin/mineral regiment did you have him on?  I'm just curious.  We had done the fish oil for a while and kind of got out of it but really need to get back to it and stay with it. 

 

Thanks.

 

Thank you so much!  Your son sounds so much like my daughter.  We are back on Focalin XR and had to switch back to Clonidine for sleep because she was up all night when taking the Tenex.  We go back to the doctor today, and I am going to mention Celexa and Ripserdal and see what he says.  She still has a lot of anxiety and I would love to find something so that she is not so nervous and jumpy.  I am so grateful for the support.  I hope your son continues to do well on his meds.