Adderal XR Side Effect | ADHD Information

This is not a post to be viewed as totally against medication for treating ADD/ADHD.  I am writing to make sure people are more informed about the seriousness of these drugs and a very serious side effect that we experienced.  My son's physician prescribed Adderall XR 8 months ago for an ongoing focusing problem.  I had been trying to avoid a narcotic type drug but our doctor was so relaxed about the prospect of my son trying it that he talked me into it.  He made it seem like it was no big deal.  He mentioned the typical side effects of sleep and appetite problems but that was it.  The medication seemed to be helpful for the last few months of the last school year but then over the summer, my son, who is 14 became almost like a hermit, never wanted to do anything or go anywhere.  He's always been the type to need alone time so I just thought it was worse because of puberty.  Then he seemed to be showing signs of depression and obsession over things like anarchy and the need to enlighten us.  We had him see a pyschologist who just thought he was being a typical teenager.  My son then began rants that would continue on for hours with us, his parents, never really understanding what he was saying.  He began to says things like he had to be a sacrifice like Jesus.  His thoughts were completely circular, never really going anywhere.  Let me tell you it was scary.  We began doing research and discovered actual clinical studies where Adderall and other similar medications used in treating ADD/ADHD were in fact causing patients to have manic and psychotic episodes.  We got our son back into the pyschologist who diagnosed him with the beginning of schizophrenia.  We kept telling him that we felt it was side effects of the adderall but I don't think he really believed this and had us make an appointment with a psychiatrist so anti-psychotic drugs could be prescribed.  Of course we had taken our son off the Adderall during this time and within 3 days of being off it, he was back to his old self.  Our family doctor has not once had our son come in for a follow up to see how our son was doing on the Adderall and our psychologist was ready to have our son put on yet another drug and possibly hospitalized when all along it was being caused by the Adderall.  Again, I want to emphasize that I am not saying for everyone to take their children off these drugs but since this side effect can show up even after years of taking it, you need to be aware of this.

My son who was still 6 at the time was prescribed the same med, by our pediatrician.

DS had a psychotic episode in school - the teacher told me he was getting in other students faces, he was agitated, he would melt down and cry, he basically freaked out. During the few days leading up to this, our son's eyes were dialated red because he was high and he looked stoned out of his mind, and his nose wouldn't quit running like a faucet.

When the teacher told me of what happened in school, I drove to our pediatrician who he was already scheduled that day to see, and showed him. DS proceeded to melt down in his office, the doctor stopped that med immediately and referred us to a psychopharm for his meds, which has been a god send.

Your post is helpful for those deciding on medicating and who to write the prescriptions.

How is your son today? My son is 13 and on concerta and doing wonderful!

Thanks for your story.  This is a very recent event in my son's life which is probably why I feel so strongly about it.  He is 14, almost 15 and back to his normal self after being taken off of the Adderall but of course has problems with focusing at school.  The school system is definitely not set up for children who don't respond to 1 1/2 hour lectures and/or reading from books.  So now, there in lies our dilema.  I'm terrified to put him on another medication.  A couple years ago we tried Strattera which is non-narcotic but he started having thoughts of suicide on that.  My son has now had an adverse side effect to two out of two medications.  I'm going to try an herbal supplement, monitor his diet for dyes, additives and preservatives to see if this helps.  And pray that he can at least pass all his courses at school in order to get his diploma.  It's going to be a long 4 years as he has just started his freshman year of high school.

dyehl,

Please keep me posted, even PM me if you would. My son is successful on concerta. BUT we also tried strattera, when he was 8, and he too had suicidal thoughts!! Our boys are very similar, have you tried concerta?