changing medicine all the time ! | ADHD Information

My son has had ADHD since he was 5 years old. He is now 13 years old. He was on Ritalin and that was a big mistake . He did not eat , did not sleep and was very moody. Then he went on Adderall for the day and Imprimine for night to help him sleep . It seemed to work a little bit for awhile then Then they took him off of Imprimine and changed the adderall to Adderall XR and it seemed to help a little bit but he could not concentrate very good and he would talk all the time -non stop. My son is very good with video games and computer games. Every since he was a little boy he could read very well . He is reading college level at age 13. He can finish a play station 2 game in a few days. He can read a 700 page book in one day . He seems to concentrate but not really. He is always moving around . He can't sit still. He is now on Adderall XR 20mg in the morning  and stratera 80 mg at night . He just started the stratera 80mg . He was on 60mg before and it seemed to work a little bit . But I can't find anything that will help him concentrate on everything . He is a little moody and never wants to do his homework but then I get him to do his homework . He is barely getting by in school because he forgets to turn in homework or he forgets to do his homework . He never writes anything down . When he gets home , he forgets what is due or what needs to be done. He talks alot but all he talks about is his games. He's afraid of bugs , he's very silly and goofy . I'm not sure if he takes after his dad that he never saw or if it's part of ADHD . He's a very smart boy but he can't concentrate very well . It seems that Adderall xr and stratera has been working better for him now but he has headaches and is dizzy . Will this go away , does anyone know ?

Gizmo,

I can simpathize/  My son is eight and sounds alot like yours.  High IQ, fast learner, expert on video games but hyper and silly/  Most of the time we are afraid for him to be unsuppervised.  We too have been through the multiple drug program.  So far we have had very similar results, works for a while but in our case he starts to have shakiness in the hands and  dialated eyes. ( possibly the first sign of a toxic reaction.)  In additon to ADHD he had  depression  that is treated with prozac.  Now we are back to the drawing board trying to find something that will help. Let me know if you have any success,

 

Mandy 

Hi there.  I'm 21 and am the type of kid that you all described that you have.  However, because of my high IQ I wasn't diagnosed until much later in life regardless of being hyperactive.  I'm very interested in what medications work for your kids and which ones don't because I'm having a lot of trouble finding one that works well for me.  I've been on Effexor, Zoloft, BuSpar, Lexapro, Dexedrine, Ritilan, Adderall XR, and now short-acting Adderall.  The regular Adderall does some good, but it's very short acting (just a few hours for one tablet) and I have to take a lot to get me through the day.  The thing about having dialated eyes and being a sign of a toxic reaction is scary because I have been having very dialated eyes and mood swings on top of that.  Anything to relate to this with from your past experiances?My son always has dilated eyes on Adderall XR and Ritalin . The doctor said it's a reaction from the  medicine . She doesn't make it sound like it's bad or anything. I would talk to your doctor. It's hard every day with my son. This weekend he has 8 English assignments to do and 6 Math Assignments to do . He waits all week and then he has to do it over the weekend and he hates that because he loses game time . But he knows it has to get done. His medicine is not working that good for him . He goes back to the doctor May 7 , so I hope I find out something else. It helps his hyper part but he can't focus or pay attention to his work . He plays his games good but when it comes to paperwork , it's a challenge for him .  My son is on medicine all the time , weekends, holidays . All the time. He could not concentrate or think straight if he did not take his medicine .  It's not that strong anymore , so I hope the doctor has some answers. Take care every one . Dear Gizmo...your son is so just like mine and especially when it comes to school and the teachers..And I did meet with them on the 12th...Here's what I did..I met with the counselor and all the teachers and told them "my story" from the beginning...How I was there to help my son, and why is he being treated like an 'annoyance"..They (not one) were not even aware (except for guessing) that he was actually diagnosed with ADD/AhDD and all what I was going thru with doctors, meds, moods, etc..(altho the nurse at his school at one time administered his meds during the day)...So, I shared with them about everything from beginning to end and how because of all of this his low self esteem from being yelled at (I blamed myself as well..for not totally understanding what ADD is...) and I informed them that I knew now that this is considered a learning disability that comes with special considerations when doing school work...the information is on a website someone shared here..www.wrightslaw.com, explains the 504, IEP, etc..So I wanted this implemented with my son...I was angry because he supposedly fell through the system, yet all i ever got from the school were notes about "not on task, no homework turned in, no supplies on hand, etc.." I even went so far as to address the very teacher who talked down to him in front of the whole class and told her I wanted his seating arrangement changed...I also wanted this to all be considered with homework, tests, etc..and into high school..and gave them my phone numbers to call me, my email, etc..The idea here being I had to go in and fight for his rights...and maybe you should too, because maybe he is not getting his fair shake in this..which just makes things worse because my son had no good reason to go to school anymore...It was like, why try when nothing works? Now, he is treated with respect and consideration (I know he is a handful and I told them that as well, to discipline when necessary...) but he deserves the right kind of education without the being condemned, ya know? I still battle with the homework issue, but now he realizes I am fighting for him and he has to step up to do his part...and the meds are still a 'practice' of finding what works, how much, when, etc...but start with his teachers and all and see if you can't find out some things that may help him there to start...Hope this helped, I know exactly what you're feeling and going through...feel free to email anytime...!

Hi mariann,

Thanks you for your help. I will talk with the school and teachers . He needs the help . I want school to be easier for him . Thank you again .

Kim

Gizmo,
You just wrote MY story. It is amazing. Everything you said is my story. My son is 11 and is now taking 54mg of Concerta and 60mg of Strattera. This seems to be working for now. Everything seems to work for a while. I cannot believe all the similarities in all these children.
Best of luck to you.All of the above describes my son as well...The homework part is a nightmare. He is 15 and he is gets angry for me for getting on him but then he's so nervous the next day about a test that he didnt' study for and then I try to explain to him and we go round and round again...We're off to the dr's tomorrow to up the dose...either it's not enuff or too much that he is sick, but I think that the side effects do go away..Sometimes I wonder, is it ever just going to be smooth? And get this, he told me his science teacher told him "when your in my class, it's an uproar, and when your not, everything is perfect: She also told him "if you ask the same question more than one time again, you're outta here.." How is that fair and right?? I'm meeting with the school on the 12th to deal with all of this and see some kind of results...I'm soo very tired all the time these days..I also hear for every ADD/Ahdd child the school receives $ for them, and they treat our children like 'annoyances"...Sorry, I'm just venting, but I keep trying to hang in there...It's the money thing too, all of it is so expensive between doctors and meds...a nightmare...My thoughts are with you all and I will try and be open to all things..GOd bless.I understand about the teachers. I deal with the teachers all the time. It's like they don't understand that were trying with our kids every night to have them do there homework and turn it in but the teachers think the kids are bothering them . My son's teachers will not give him a chance. My son reads alot and his English teacher now told him that if she see's a book in class she will suspend him from school . I know he should not read in class but come on . When he forgets to turn in his homework she doesn't give him a second chance to bring his grade up . She feels that if she does it for him then she would have to do it for everyone in class. But not everyone else has ADHD . It's like the school doesn't want to help him . My son is doing so so in school . He is passing in a few classes but baely and other class like math he's got a F . He can't take test very well . I don't know what to do with him or the school . He has a Washington D.C. trip with school teachers and friends right after school ends June 4th and it's a week long . But if he has to do summer school he can't go on this trip . The school doesn't seem to want to help him pass. It's like they dont' care.