Need Advice on Intuniv PLEASE!! | ADHD Information

We are on 3rd week of Intuniv 2mg. Doctor said that we couldn't really go up
much more. DS (10) also takes 54mg concerta and 50mg zoloft. The Intuniv
makes his sleepy (takes in morning). The doctor wants to try to lower the
stimulant (concerta) to 36mg now. I am afraid of course because I just can't
believe that it will be possible I guess. Here are the problems we have been
having. DS has anxiety, but it has been OK until the Intuniv. He is now
soooo anxious and "confesses" stuff all day to me and cries. The confessions
are "I watched an inappropriate video on youtube (cuss words)" or something
really not that big of a deal for a 10 almost 11 year old boy. Stuff his friends
did or said, etc. Do you think he is sooo anxious and nervous because of the
stimulants being too high now? It is so hard to watch a normally good boy
be so nervous and anxious. Anyone help? Need advice.I don't know the answer to your question, but I do know that we were able to drop my son's stimulant dose after adding Intuniv.  He was a much happier person and his tics disappeared.

As for not being able to go up much higher, the recommended max dose by the manufacturer is 4mg.  That's twice what your son is taking now.  My son is even taking 7mg and doing splendidly (with doctor approval)... just keep an eye on blood pressures.

Audrey

My doctor refuses to go up to 3mg intuniv. We are down to 36mg concerta,
but I have been having to add 10mg ritalin to get him where he really needs
to be. I know Intuniv works, but we are unable to go up. The doctor said
that if he gains weight we can go up. DS is 10 and 70 pounds. His max dose
of Intuiv is 2.5mg, but they don't make them in .5mg amounts. [QUOTE=epokey]  My question is, you mentioned that your children have been able to lower the dosage of their stim after finding the right dose of Intuniv, what indications did you have so that you knew lowering the stim was the right thing to do? [/QUOTE]

Mostly just instinct.  He was doing sooooo well, I tried it one day and it worked.

Audrey

So we've stopped Guanfacine & started Intuniv, 2nd day today.  Yesterday he said his tummy hurt off & on all day & finally threw up in the afternoon.  No other flu like symptoms, just threw up & then was fine.  I can't help but think it's his body getting used to the new drug?  I'm aware that ramping up w/Intuniv can take a while to get to the right dose and get the right effects...trying to be patient!  He's also on Daytrana 30mg but yesterday was so bouncy & talking non-stop!  It was as if he wasn't medicated at all, hopefully this doesn't take too long, I feel bad for him!

I have a question in relation to some of you mentioning that you've been able to lower your stim med dose after starting Intuniv...we just visited Doc yesterday & he is changing our DS8 from 4.5 mg Guanfacine to start Intuniv instead, hoping that because it's a longer lasting & extended release that DS8 won't burn through it as fast as he does w/his regular Guanfacine.  He is also on the max does of Daytrana at 30mg.  My question is, you mentioned that your children have been able to lower the dosage of their stim after finding the right dose of Intuniv, what indications did you have so that you knew lowering the stim was the right thing to do?  I'm just wondering what I should be watching for to know that his Daytrana needs to be lowered rather than the Intuniv being to high...hopefully that makes sense.My ds10 starting getting really nervous and emotional, so we lowered the
stimulant (54mg Concerta) to 36mg and even tried 18mg. Our doctor
thought we could get off the stimulant, but 36mg is the lowest we can go
right now. It is fine for summer, but I think we will have to go back up for
school unless our doctor increases the Intuniv to at least 3mg. The
Intuniv calms his down. He was pretty sleepy during the day for the first
few weeks, but it went away. Right now we are trying to get him to gain
weight so we can increase the Intuniv. He is 70lbs right now. I think
some doctors would increase the Intuniv, but ours will not for some
reason. He is really cautious. DS has lots of hyperactivity in his ADHD
and the Intuniv helps with this.

This is the first time in 5 years that we are trying a non-stimulant. DS
always burns thru his meds fast during the day and we wind up maxing
out on the dose.