Who is prescribing/monitoring the meds? | ADHD Information

I am so frustrated with our ped right now...he is the one who wrote the script for the Adderall XR.  I gave my son the meds for the first time over the weekend.  The first day, he experienced very decreased appetite and insomnia, and I didn't really see any behavior changes.  The second day the side effects were worse.  He complained of his stomach hurting all day long, wouldn't eat or drink unless I forced him to take a couple of sips or bites of something, and then he would throw it up.   Still had insomnia, and I still didn't see any behavior changes.  So I vowed I would not give him the pill this morning so he could go to school without feeling sick.  How sad is it to look into your little boys eyes as he asks you "Please Mommy, don't make me take my pill."  He was afraid to eat anything this morning because of what happened the last two days.  So I convinced him to have a little something, and he said his stomach was better.  So I took him to school, and called the ped.  The ped actually said to me "It's very rare for kids to ever vomit while on this drug, so he probably had the stomach flu or something."  Um, I'm sorry.  I know my kid.  This was not the stomach flu, it was a side effect from the medication.  A side effect that is listed on the freaking medication as a not so common one, but it's still there.   He told me to keep giving the meds, and hopefully within a week the side effects would decrease, and within a month I should see behavior changes.  How on earth can I send my son to school when he's vomiting, and how can he function when he won't eat or drink anything?  I have no faith in the doc now, and I am thinking he is not very experienced with these drugs.  So I need to find someone else to prescribe and monitor them, and who is willing to listen to me when I tell them what is going on with my son, not just brush me off.  Who do your kids see?

My daughter sees a child psychiatrist.  The first medicine she tried made her stack cups all day.  The next medicine worked like a charm.  She has been on it for 1 1/2 years and is doing fantastic.  She has a few friends, doing great in school and most of all is happy.  Good luck to you.

My son sees a psych MD who prescribes and a ped who monitors his growth and heart/blood pressure. Adderall XR was the WRONG med for my son, so we agreed to one switch. We started on FocalinXR and have usewd it for about 5 years. You have every right to r5eject a situation that you feel is unacceptable for your child. Good luck in your search for what works for you all.A child psychiatrist. Behavioral pediatricians can manage meds also. Not only do they have the training, they have tons of experience. Stear clear of the regular old peds. Sounds like yours is off on the wrong foot with his advise already. Follow your instincts on this one.

My child sees a developmental pediatrician.

I agree that sometimes side effects occur for the first few weeks on a medicine and then go away as your body adjusts to it.  However, if the side effects are too unpleasant, there's no way you should keep using the medicine.  I think you're doing the right thing.

Just tell the ped that a referral to a child pychiatrist is the way that you want to go. You need to do what's best for your son, and that means bypassing all of this garbage.Thanks for your replies, glad to hear reassurance that I'm doing the right thing.  I actually just spoke to another ped in the same practice this morning and told her what was going on, and she agreed to take him on as her patient and we will go consult with her on Friday.   I already like her attitude much better, and feel that she actually listens to me, which is great.  But if I still don't feel like we're heading in the right direction, I will ask to be referred back to a Dev. Ped.  (our insurance has a lot of psychologists in it, but hardly any child psychiatrists who could prescribe meds). Holy crud, nothing is easy, is it?
Just got a call from the ped's office, she wants a copy of the notes from the consulting neurologist who thought meds would be a good idea.  She wants those notes before she'll see my son.  Problem is, it's not his regular neuro, it was a one time consultation thing, so they are saying that I have to go through a whole medical release thing and pay to have his whole record copied and this can all take about 3 weeks.  I am so frustrated I want to pull my hair out. 
It's finally all settled, after many phone calls and emails.  The consulting neuro sent a report to the regular neuro, who then faxed it to the ped.  Now to see what she has to say on Friday.

We see a psychopharmacologist. He has been prescribing DS's meds since this journey began.

Our pediatrician referred us since he doesn't specialize in this field of medicine, which they do not.

mommyto3, would the ped. accept a short fax or email from the neuro that a full eval. has been done, ADHD was diagnosed, and medication is recommended?  Or, didn't the neuro. give you a copy of the report?  Could you photocopy it and give it to the ped.?