hey | ADHD Information
maybe your daughter cries ove revery little thing,because she is uncomfortable.Kids usually don't intend to play victim.Add meds cause super sensitivity it is one of the side effects as well as hyper alertness.I am 37 and on these meds and though I notice a big difference in concentration it is no picnic.I cannot imagine being 8 and having to cope with meds. My daughter has add symptoms,but there is no way after my experience with this I would ever,put her on thing.We just treat her extra special because she is,at 8 her brain is not even devoloped yet,I do not want to introduce her to stimulants.Also when I was 6 my parents put me on ritalin,it had the opposite effect.Kids are our gifts our shot at making a difference,my daughter is 8 years old and her doc wants me too start her on dexedrine b/c concerta seem not 2 be working... she cries over ever lil thing.... Has anyone heard about dexedrine?My 10 year old son was on 10 mg DexedrineSR for a short time when he was 7. The side effects were bad for him. Usually he wouldn't eat anything from after breakfast until bedtime. His stomach was very sore. He lost weight so his doctor took him off meds for awhile. That is my experience but it may work for your daughter. Everyone is different.hey rose , ritalin can create as a side effect schizophrenic symptoms,I think your step son is lucky to have found you.I do not know about your son;s dad, but just knowing one person likes you and values your company as a child makes a world of difference. So often children are our chores and not delightful ,growing little humans we can find additional purpose and joy in. good LuckI agree with "Been There" I am a step mom to a 13 year old. he's been on Ritlin since he was about 8. Now, we've been told by a child phychologist that he may not even be ADHD or ADD.... But she said if the Ritlin is helping to keep him on it. she also gave him a series of tests (to include the INK BLOT) we were told that he displays similar attributes of Schizophrenia - or - "thought disorder" I'm blown away. I've been doing some research ever since we went to talk w/ her about the tests. I've found increasing numbers of reports that children are displaying non-social behavior and this has left me wondering, if the phychologist doesn't really think that he is ADHD or ADD, could the Ritlin be causing a "false positive" on the tests or could the meds themselves be causing this behavior? Also, I read on another sight by a Dr. Breggin that he perfers to call this disorder the "DADD" Dad Attention Deficit Disorder. I'm starting to wonder if this isn't true, in our case anyway. I'm talking about a child whose mother was a crack head and went to prison and whose dad, my husband, in not very affectionate. DOn't get me wrong, he is a wonderful guy, hard working and all, but his own father was the same way - Children should be seen and not heard. what are your thoughts?Good luck!
Stim meds can, in VERY RARE circumstances, cause psychosis. Usually, though, it is accute psychoses, episodic in nature, not persistant "disordered thoughts." Everyone's different though. Have you tried giving him a break from the rit to see how he does?We have, but just over the summer. My concern is that he doesn't really need it. We still plan to take him to see a child psychiatrist and won't do anything drastic until we've learned more. Thanks for your input!!
been there,
thanks for the thoughtful words and well wishes. I love him dearly and it breaks my heart that he's suffering, as I'm sure he is. But I'm determined to figure this out. I think the best thing we can do is take him off the meds (gradually - which we were never told we should do....) and have him retested in about a month. Thanks again. I'll keep you posted (no pun intended) 
[QUOTE=been there]shakespeare ,I take adderall as I previously mentioned .Yet,I struggle with what is enough for me. I have not tried the XL,What is that like? Also as a former coke user,which I used to self medicate for years, I am having a hard time with comparing the feelings.I felt normal for a long time on coke.I just realized it was not worth it.The adderall helps with the focus but it feels so jagged after what I experienced with coke. This may be a taboo topic.Just wanted some input.[/QUOTE]
I can relate on soooo many levels. I also used coke, as well as pretty much every other chemical substance on the planet. 
That was back in high school. When I was diagnosed ADHD at 17, they put me on wellbutrin to help me out a little and made me stay clean and sober for 6 months before they would prescribe stim meds. The therapeutic dose of Adderall, of course, is different for each individual. For me, it's important not to compare it to the coke days, because Adderall in prescribed doses is a much more subtle drug. I personally think the XR is a good choice for people with a history of substance abuse for a couple of reasons. First, you are limited to 30 caps per month which makes it harder to abuse (if you have the inclination to do so). Second, while it's pharmacokinetic profile is identical to immediate release Adderall twice daily, some people psychologically experience it as smoother. The less of a jolt you get, the less it is reminiscent of coke. Start low and go slow... just my feedback! 
BTW, the new experimental med I mentioned a while ago, NRP104, has received fast-track designation by the FDA for cocaine dependence. It's in phase 3 trials right now for ADHD. It is an amphetamine molecule bonded to a lysine molecule. The lysine is chopped off through a hydrolic reaction in the intestinal tract releasing the active amphetamine. The idea is that since it has to pass through the stomach to work, it can't be snorted or injected. Also, since you presumably only have a limited amount of the enzyme needed to chop off the lysine at any given point in time, you can only achieve a certain blood concentration of amphetamine regardless of how many pills you take. When it is released (planned launch in 2006) it should have better scheduling by the DEA. Imagine not having to get a new script each month and having refills on our meds! I'm excited by the prospect! Since it can't be abused they are speculating that it will be helpful for recovering cocaine users.
I won't be able to watch him as I'm at work. Can you tell me what is discussed? Thanks!!
[QUOTE=been there]Rose,watch Dr. Phil today,should be interesting.WED.,28th...Hey Shakespeare,thanks for the adderall tip.[/QUOTE]
No problemo! What time is Dr. Phil on? And what will they be discussing? Not a show I usually watch, but if it's interesting...
I'm not sure. "Been There" ? Actually, I just went to his website www.drphil.com and the topic is "Overmedicating America: The Cruise Controversy" Seems like it will be a good one!!!Okay, now I'm not sure what to do. I also have custody of my 9 year old nephew, who is currently taking 15 mg of Adderal XR. I hadn't noticed last year, but he seems to be CRASHING in the afternoon and from other posts I've read, that seems to be the norm. Do I keep him on it and see if it improves. I don't know, I'm second guessing having either of them on meds. What if they do permanent damage?Methylphenidate has been used for ADHD (though it wasn't called that at the time) since the 1950's and dextroamphetamine (the major active component of Adderall) since the 1930's. Despite the controversy surrounding them they are very safe drugs. They are two of very few drugs that have that long a track record and are still being prescribed. Permanent damage is not something I would personally worry about.
As far as the rebound goes, yes that is very common. I have the same problem. I've said this about a hundred times on this board, so people are probably sick of hearing it, but the easiest solution to that problem is adding a dose of immediate release medicated in the late afternoon. So he could take a dose of Adderall after school or whatever to prolong the action of the Adderall XR. It works for me and many others who are in the same boat.
[QUOTE=1968Rose]Okay, now I'm not sure what to do. I also have custody of my 9 year old nephew, who is currently taking 15 mg of Adderal XR. I hadn't noticed last year, but he seems to be CRASHING in the afternoon and from other posts I've read, that seems to be the norm. Do I keep him on it and see if it improves. [/QUOTE]
BTW, without adding an immediate release dose the "crash" isn't likely to improve, although it may get a little better over time as his system adjusts to the medication more. For some it does, for others it doesn't.
Also (then I'll shut up) some people find that Concerta is smoother and has less of a crash in the evening.Great, I'll take all of this to my DR. Thanks soooooo much!!!Good luck, and keep us posted! Talk to you later!!thanks for all the info,ShakespeareThe Nrp104,I don't understand how often you take it and how? Is it comparable to adderall?Will it be used primarily for cocaine dependence and secondarily for adhd? I am not at all cocaine dependent (for several years at least)Who qualifies? More info please?It seems like other people have posted the same thing about this medicine.
YEAH I GOING WITH THE ADDARALL SHE WILL START IT ON MONDAY.I am not sure which made him lose weight. During the summer, he only takes the strattera and he hasnt gained. My opinion is that most or all meds for ADHD have weight loss or loss of appetite side effects. You have to weigh the pros and cons, and see if you are willing to use the meds with the negative side effects or use alternative meds (natural) or behavior modification, ect. For us, we have 2 kids ADHD, and our daughter we took off of meds and use behavior modification, vitamins, envirnomental modification, and such. But our son, was TOO hyper for all of that to work well will him, we tried. And we decided we would have to deal with the weight issues to allow him and us a somewhat normal producrive life.
Good luck
what made him lose weight? the straterra or the dexadrine? if u dont mind me asking that is....my son takes 25 strattera and 2.5 dexadrine, he does really good on the combo. The strattera helps with the hyper and the dexadrine with focus. He has loss of weight but still eats like a horse. I think it helps burn his calories quicker than usual. But i think it works good. [QUOTE=1968Rose]bump up what? the meds?[/QUOTE]Hey Rosie,
Bumb up means this thread had gotten lost and was worth still following. So Auntie found it, and bumped it back up in sight.
David
David,
Thanks!! I'm new at this...... 
been there - it will be a while before that med hits the shelf. It sounds great - the fact that right now it can't be abused like some other amphetamines. But then - who imagined that people would take cold medicine and alter the molecules with lithium, etc. and turn it into crystal meth? I sure didn't!
The time release pills on the market are safe - the capsules can't be either snorted or injected. They can be abused (everything can be - non-smoking prisons are finding nicotine patches abused by being turned into makeshift smokes - go figure!!) but as the system stands the MD is supposed to limit the access to it to a non-addictive amount each month.
I carefully watch for the new meds - and wait in hopes for even better help with the ADHD - I'm so good now - but hell it can always get better!
bump up