My son is ADHD and has been on the Focolin XR medication. He was on it for over a year and has always done really well on it. Very focused, minimal loss of appitite, didn't alter his personality, Grades improved. All really good. We go to the Dr. regularly because this medication can cause high blood pressure but we have never seen any signs of it until right before school started. At first the Dr. said that it could be an isolated time so we monitored every week and the blood pressure would not go down. So in a nut shell, we have to change medications. The Dr. suggested the Daytrana patch. He started on 10 as of this last monday and here we are on Friday. My baby doesn't eat. The school tried to make him eat and he just kept saying he couldn't because his stomache hurt. He can't tell me what he did at school. He acts depressed and is wishing he didn't exist. I called the Dr. on Wednesday and she said this was normal and he just had to get used to it. I have been communicating daily with the school nurse and teacher and they are telling me he has just shut down at school. The nurse even suggested that he might need therapy and thinks he is having suicidle thoughts. He is not the happy boy anymore and they are really concerned as am I. So first of all I made the decision, he is off of this medication. I want my child back and this has been just a horrible week for him. I'm waiting for the Dr. to call me back this very minute. Have any of you experienced this and what medications are you trying that seem to work well? I know he needs something but this is not for us. Please Help with any information
I would like to thank everyone for your opinions and information. This is not our first rodeo and unfortunately, we have been thru the adjustment period with a medication. It is horrible for my son and It is very difficult to see him go through it. Since having him tested, I have done everything I can to further my knowledge of it. I totally get that this med change thing is a hit & miss. This is a new Dr. for us because his dr. moved to California. I wasn't happy about that and dealing with that too. This Dr. is thru Texas Childrens and her specialty is ADHD. I do agree though I am not very happy with her. So I will be shopping again for that specialist. Before taking him off the Focolin XR we did look at different things that could be causing is blood pressure to rise. Diet, Stress, Routine, etc. It really came down to the medication. He just came off the Focolin last Friday and he is scheduled for a blood pressure ck next week with the Dr. but I work at a hospital and the nurst at school is an RN so we have been checking his blood pressure everyday and it has been normal so that is not an issue. Diet and vitamins are so important but also routine and rest. of course we all live in the real world and things go nuts sometimes and we just have to take them as they come. The Dr.'s nurse just called me and they are going to see him this afternoon so hopefully we will have a new plan and I really think I am going to shop for a new specialist. Not feeling all warm & cozy right now. Thanks Ladies......You really re-assured me
I'm not an expert on this topic but I'm glad you took him off the medication. "Normal and get used to it?" I don't think so.
Are you seeing a psychiatrist who specializes in children? It's really important to be seeing someone who understands and works with the complexities involved when prescribing psychotropic medications in children.
When changing or adjusting meds, it is necessary to have much more monitoring and communication with the Dr.
While some lesser side effects do remit in a short time, if he is having suicidal thoughts, this issue must be addressed immediately. If your Dr. is not responsive to the potential suicidal thoughts or your concerns, please seek a referral to another specialist.
Wishing you and your son the best with this.
J. F.
I just want to give you my opinion without the intention to offend anyone. It is just my opinion and what I have seen in the field.
ALL medications have side effects, bad or bothersome. ADHD medications are a "trial and error system", which means that it can take multiple attempts before a child and her parent find the right match. Medications work differently with each child and takes time (and money) until the medications actually works no without serious side effects. As the kid grows, the medication will need to be adjusted. Honestly, all this sounds awful to me and I wouldn't ever put my child through a situation like this. It is NOT like having diabetes or other disease (medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs) and deny a medication; this is totally different situation and I am very glad that you decided to stop the medication. Clearly, it didn't do any good.
Find another doctor, and get a second or third opinion; keep your child on a nice routine (meals and sleep time), exercise and lots of nutritious snacks and meals.
"He acts depressed and is wishing he didn't exist." The symptoms your kid shows are dangerous. You will rather to deal with his ADHD symptoms than with a boy who doesn't want to exist......This is NOT normal under ANY circumstance. It is not normal to accept a "trial and error medication" for a child just because a doctor says so. It is known that there have been sudden deaths of children, who were taking stimulant medication (those for adhd) or serious/permanent side effects that for many are just normal side effects. ADHD medications might work..... for a period of time, and then...you may never know what it is ahead.
Doctors now days are so many and most of them want your money. There are good ones, for sure, your homework is to find them. I have done it, and I have saved my child's life (I mean by finding the right doctor).
Doctors DO KNOW about other alternatives (cognitive-behavioral therapy, nutritional adjustments, etc), find the one who actually will help you and your child.
Take care, I wish you the best,
A. :)
You made the right call. Not OK side effects. Our son had some horrendous ones with Adderall and Vyvanse and I wish we had given up on those earlier. Things got worse over time, not better.
There are so many other medication options, you don't have to settle for bad side effects. Daytrana isn't a good match.
Our son does great on Concerta, but that doesn't mean anything for your son. Everyone reacts differently to medications. I'm with the others ... if you're not seeing a psychiatrist about medication, make the change now.
Good luck!
We have not yet gone the medications route, so I have no suggestions for you in that regard. All I want to say is that I am proud of you for seeing that this is not the medication for your child and taking him off immediately.
Regarding the doctor, I may find a new one. If I called with the symptoms you called with and my doctor said my son just had to get used to it I would probably be seeking out another doctor. Every medication comes with its own adjustment period, true. What you son was experiencing is exactly what all of our "So You're Starting Medication" pamphlets and informational sheets say to call your doctor immediately and stop using the medication about.
Many of the ladies here have had their ups and downs with medications and I am sure you will get good info from those who have gone that route, again I just wanted to congratulate you on seeing the signs and acting accordingly. Adhd parenting comes with it's own rollercoaster and you seem to be handling the ride well.
ADHD meds are hit and miss. Clearly, Daytrana was a miss. So try out another.
Don't stick with a medication that has bad side effects. There are many meds out there, and one of them will help your son without making him miserable. If your doctor says otherwise, he's wrong.
My son is on Strattera (sp?) and it seems to work very well for him. If he likes the food that is for the meal, he will eat more than I do.
Medications are so individualized in terms of effectiveness and side effects, it's difficult (and unwise) for us to suggest one over the other. If he were just not hungry or a little moody, I'd say it's the adjustment. But "shut down" and "suicidal thoughts" - no that's not okay and not something to just get used to!
There is some great work being done nutritionally with safe supplements (safe for children, pregnant moms, etc.) and it doesn't conflict with medication but often renders it less necessary. I'm working with people who see kids with serious issues (bipolar, Asperger's, sensory issues, PDD/NOS, ADD, ADHD, ODD, all of it) who are turning around fairly quickly. The whole science of epigenetics is well researched with scores of scientific papers from so many scientists, and it's turning food science around. Have you seen any of this on Dr. Oz and the major news magazines or news reports? It's giving hope to a lot of people.
Is this a psychiatrist prescribing the meds? Because if it's not then you may want to make an appointment with one so you can have the chance to visit with them about a possible med.
Our grandson takes Ritalin and it's wonderful. He responded to it well and I'm very happy with that. I hope we don't have to go through this with him at some point because they build up a tolerance to meds taken over an extended period of time.
my son cant use traditional adhd meds, because of him being bipolar and having bad reactions...with that said he had success using a clonidine patch, until he started taking them off, rendering them useless...now he takes nortriptyline, or pamelor...hes had good success with it and hasnt had the side effects of the more mainstream meds like focolin, concerta, intuniv,ect...
edit: i dont buy into the diet changes, i tried that with my son when adhd symtoms first came out, and diet changes only made him worse...and ive had MANY drs tell us that true mental issues cant be "cured" by diets, yes there are people who may be sensitive to certain things, but those people shouldn't be confused with ones who actully have these conditons. they have found a common gene among those with autism, adhd, bipolar, and schizophrenia...
