ADHD Medication, Help Please

God I hate people that say it isn't real, no it is not a product of the pharma industry! It is real and ignorance like that is hurtful! Clearly they don't have ADHD because if they did they would realize how ignorant they are.

I went on Adderall when I was 38 because I knew I could not make it through college without it and I could not fail because my kids were depending on me! I was scared to death even though I knew my kids already took Adderall. I was scared because I liked who I way and I didn't want my personalty to change. I also knew that my intelligence is firmly rooted in the disorder, in other words I would not be a smart as I am if I was wired properly.

I knew stimulants are in and out, they have no lasting effect on you. I knew because that was the only reason I was willing to let my kids take them. So I started and the difference was so subtle that if I didn't know my mind as well as I did I probably wouldn't have noticed. It didn't change my personality or my intelligence, I could still think faster than everyone else. What it changed was my ability to be selective about what I pull out of my brain, it made my thinking more targeted. It made my listening more targeted. The really cool thing was I could still cast a wide net if I CHOSE to cast a wide net.

What I am saying is on meds *I* had control of my mind, not the other way around! If you lived my life you would understand how amazing that is!

Imagine if you had something implanted in your brain that controlled your decisions, made you impulsive, made you do things without thinking them through and to make matters worse you didn't know it was there! Imagine you thought you were making those decisions, you thought you were a bad person for not being able to control them, you weren't trying hard enough to control them. You can't control it! Something else is controlling your brain!! So someone comes along and tells you that you have this thing and they can remove it, would you hesitate to have it removed??! That is the meds!! pure and simple the meds remove this device and allow you to control your own mind!

I have a question....

If he were diagnosed with diabetes, would you resist medicating him?

I realize this is different, but in a way, it is not that much different.

He has a problem with his brain, and there is medication that can help. It may take a couple of different tries to get it right, but work with the doctor, and see what you can do.

Putting your child on medication for ADD/ADHD is NOT a failure... it doesn't indicate that you've done anything wrong. If anything, you are doing something right, be seeing a need that can be helped.

I don't understand why parents question if their children need medication for a biologiacl illness. If your child was having seizures would you be writing this same question? What if they were diabetic? You would accept it and give them the medication.

It is no different. ADD and ADHD are medical issues where their brain is firing off randomly and they have no control over it. It's like them deciding they want to have red hair when their hair might be jet black. There is nothing they can do to make that hair root start growing a different colored hair strand.

It's the same with ADD and ADHD. They cannot control how their brain is functioning. They cannot control how it is firing off and if they pay attention or not.

Ritilan is a miracle drug as afar as I am concerned. His teacher, us, the principle, etc...can all tell when his Ritalin is leaving his body.

First AMEN Jo W! How hurtful for people to say its not real, they must have perfect kids and be damn perfect themselves. And YES there are kids in Europe how have ADHD, my friend is from overseas and she was diagnosed OVER THERE. Back to the question, I would try the meds but still have her checked for dyslexia. As someone who has ADHD I can tell you I struggled in high school to get my work done and when I finally started meds it was like a switch went on! And as a mother to an ADHD child I know how scary it can be to put meds in your child.

My daughter didn't give her son the medication for a couple of years but when nothing else helped she tried helped she gave in and tried it. By this time my grandson had been seen by several specialists. The medication helped. It does take time for it to begin working. At first your son may feel somewhat tired and have less of an appetite but once his body gets used to it he won't notice anything different except that he'll be better able to focus and understand and get things done.

The change will be gradual. Even after a month you won't notice a major difference but you should notice some difference. Be sure to let the doctor know if the side affects are too difficult. My grandson did not do well on the first med but did on the second. I don't know which ones he tried.

Once he's used to the medication it will take him awhile to catch up with skills. He has to learn things that he's missed up to this time. And he'll be feeling better and will likely need time to adjust to the "new" him.

Medication is nothing to fear. It helps a lot with many kids. My grandson has been on medication for 3 years now and he's better able to focus. He also has other issues which have needed attention along with the ADHD.

My granddaughter is on Concerta and found that she was better able to focus. She went off it over the summer and had a really difficult first quarter at school, earning mostly Ds. Her doctor has put her back on it. Too soon to tell if this will help. If it doesn't she'll try a different medication.

My granddaughter's doctor is in a clinic that has a psychiatric nurse practitioner who works with families who are dealing with ADD/ADHD. My granddaughter is waiting for an appointment with him. He will prescribe and monitor medications as well as provide support. The doctor said that kids with ADD/ADHD can also learn different ways of dealing with the way their brain works. For example, my granddaughter who is 12, has to keep a calendar listing her assignments and when they're do. The psychiatric nurse will help her figure out ways to manage her ADD as well as manage her medication.

What is it you fear for the medication? Giving it a try does not mean he'll be on it forever. If it doesn't help there are other meds. And if it helps him focus and learn it is well worth taking it. I have not heard of any one suffering long term negative effects from taking it.

I've never had a regular pediatrician diagnose add/adhd. I've always taken my son to a child psychiatrist or developmental neurologist of some type. The way add/adhd is diagnosed is mainly by filling out the forms - one set for the parents, one set for the teachers.

He should start out on the lowest dose of Concerta (that's the one my son takes) and he needs to take it early! My doc says before 8am. The only side effect we see in my son is loss of appetite.

Here's my two cents - if you don't feel completely comfortable giving your son this medication, go get a second opinion. I medicate my son, but that's because I've taken him to lots of doctors and my husband and I agree that this is the best decision for him to help him function and succeed. I am not anti-medication at all. Some parents are, and you'll probably get their opinions as well. Concerta has helped my kid and I don't regret giving it to him. Without it, he would not be able to be in a regular classroom in a regular public school.

My son was on Concerta for awhile and it did help him focus at school. It took a couple of days for him to adjust to it, and it did have side effects. It suppressed his appetite for lunch and dinner, and made it harder for him to fall asleep at night. Now he's on Focalin, which is in the same family but seems to wear off sooner.

I recommend that you try to work with the teacher to get more detailed feedback on whether it's working, especially if you have to try different meds to find the best fit. For my son(who was bouncing off the walls) , the teacher was able to give us a comparison of his behavior with and without meds. Before, he was being sent to the office and having meltdowns several times a day. After, it was less than once a week.

Also, you might want to have better testing done if the diagnosis was made by a regular pediatrician and just based on parent and teacher surveys. Even though I already knew my son had ADHD, the tests helped my husband believe it. We went to a pediatric neurologist but there are other specialists that can test for ADHD. For one detailed test, my son looked at a computer screen that had different numbers flashing on it. He was supposed to press a button when he heard or saw one number, but not for a different number. This tested for concentration(did he miss pressing the button because he was looking at the ceiling instead of the screen) and impulsivity (could he stop himself from pressing the button on the wrong number).

I agree with you on a second opinion - no sense trying this if you're not 100% on board with a medication trial. I would consult with a pediatric psychologist - not to say that your pediatrician may not be right, but with a young child, I'd be cautious to check with someone who deals with nothing but children's brains and behavior.

That said, because this is potentially something you'll be dealing with for many years, I wanted to point something about using the terms ADHD/ADD and distinguishing between the two. There is only one diagnosis, and that's ADHD. There is no "ADD" anymore. Within ADHD there are three subtypes: h (primarily hyperactive), i (primarily inattentive), and c (combination). As far as medication goes, stimulants work the same for all types. So there's no point in thinking "well it's only ADD so because he's not hyper, he doesn't need medication." I would question the expertise of any doctor still using terminology that was outdated 15+ years ago.

FWIW, my oldest was diagnosed 7 years ago with ADHD-i. He also has learning disabilities and is now on an IEP for those. We chose to do non-medicinal treatments and we did see some improvement in symptoms, but nothing earth-shattering and doing "alternative" treatments takes a level of time, money and consistency that we just cannot sustain. Anyway, he has expressed an interest in trying medication so that will start in December and we'll see how it goes.

If your pediatrician didn't do an EKG, I would ask that they do one before you start medication. Although rare, there are certain heart abnormalities that can make taking stimulant medication dangerous. This should be covered by insurance and it's a quick, painless and cheap test. My son's psychiatrist is very cautious and prescribes EKGs for all of his patients. We had his done and it came back with an abnormality to our surprise, so that was reviewed by a cardiologist who cleared him.

Best of luck to you and your son. This can be an overwhelming time, so just take your time, absorb what you can, and take a break from it too. I remember reading book after book, as if I could read the diagnosis away. At the end of the day, your son is how he is, his brain works the way it works, and the more you know, the more effective you can be in working with him and advocating for him.

have him checked for dyslexia.
and give him his meds.
Medications behave differently in different kids.
different medications are better for different things.
ADD is ADHD. It's called ADHD - I or inattentive type.
ADHD is an actual medical condition , like diabetes or sickle cell.
It's about the chemicals in the brain, they aren't talking to each other at the right speed, at the right time.

Sunshine, you have no clue what you are talking about. Don't spout rhetoric do some actual research and talk to some ACTUAL Drs. You think it's not real , spend about a month with a child dx with it. I have ADD please I'll trade you any day. It's like having 4 TVs and 6 radio stations turned on all at the same time playing in your head all at the same time. EVERY little thing takes me off track of what I am supposed to be doing. My house is a mess, and I've got homework that I'm behind on. It's not imaginary it's not all in my head it's REAL. Trade you any day.

My son just started a generic Concerta 10 days ago. I am overall anti-meds however, after 10 years of trying EVERYTHING under the sun, there were just some issues we just couldn't get past. 4th grade presented quite the challenge for him, grades were falling, frustrations rising, rejection by peers for being "different", getting in trouble at school for not doing his work properly etc.

The medicine has worked beautifully. I've been in constant touch with his teachers and they all agree, he's done a remarkable turnaround.

He is happier with himself, grades are improving, peers are starting to notice and becoming more accepting. I'm very happy with the results.

Wishing you the best of luck in your journey....

We are just starting this route with my daughter, she is in third grade as well. By all means, get a second opinion if it makes you feel better. But do not believe for a minute that this is a made-up problem.

I have struggled with this my whole life, except when I was a kid back in the 60s and 70s there was no name for it. I was labeled as an underachiever, even though I always tested above grade level on standardized tests. I learned to deal with it and compensate the best I could. Unfortunately, as I am aging, it is getting significantly worse. It's like being in a constant battle with yourself. When I am at work, I can be walking to go do something and I'll see something on the way and move in that direction. I find that working at night helps because I'm a lot more focused since there's nobody at work and it makes it easier for me.

People who don't have it simply cannot understand what it's like. My husband just doesn't get it and can't understand what it's like for me. If my daughter has it, I want her treated now so she doesn't have to deal with the things that I have.

I dunno, from what you described, I think you should get a second opinion, from a pediatric neurologist/psychiatrist, or a developmental pediatrician. I am currently in the process of having my son evaluated, and he has 3 scheduled sessions with a pediatric neurologist. His regular pediatrician DOES have an interest in ADHD, but would never do the actual diagnosis by himself (even with paperwork from my son's teachers).

Sunshine Mom, you are sorely mistaken. Please educate yourself with something other than your video before you encourage someone into harming their child because of your advice.

I am not against ADHD meds at all but a pediatrician and/or a teacher can NOT diagnose this condition, let alone recommend medication!
Please get your son evaluated by a psychologist or psychiatrist who specializes in this disorder before you do ANYTHING!!!

Our son has taken ADD medication for three years. It helps him a lot; when he doesn't take it, you can tell because you have to tell him things repeatedly and he still forgets, because people with ADD are so distractible. Our son is 12 and even he will report to us that he is less distractible with the medication. We did not require it over the summer, and one day he actually asked if he could take it because he needed the help to focus on cleaning his room.

I understand your concerns and by all means you should investigate whether your son really needs medication. But if in the end you find that he does need the medication, consider how unfair it is to him to withhold from him something that will help him succeed, feel better mentally, and feel better about himself!

Our son has experienced no side effects whatsoever in 3 years. One side effect is supposed to be (very slightly) stunted growth; well our son has grown 11 inches in 3 years, so that is not an issue. He sleeps well, has a fine appetite, and is happier with himself when he takes the medication.

Good luck finding the right path for your son!

sweetie we are going through the EXACT same thing - although i am a little jealous that you've had your consultations and all, we are waiting for my hubby and teacher to fill the forms out (i want it done YESTERDAY!). my son sounds like a little more extreme case than yours - he is only in kindergarten, and getting "in trouble" every day because of the fidgetyness and wiggliness and being a distraction to the other kids. anyway. my advice to you, and i can't believe you haven't done this - EDUCATE YOURSELF. there are SOOO many great resources and sooo many options besides medication, to try first. for example, we have gone this whole week with him watching NO tv. "I" personally think it has helped some (not maybe solving ALL the problems, but helped) and am waiting to hear back from his teacher. only watching tv on the weekends is looking like a real possibility for us right now. educate yourself and you will feel better about your options. i too reached out to the mamas here, and they are awesome! but you can ALSO learn a ton just by googling. my work has programs for "healthy living" that have helped - even just reaching out to coworkers and family has helped because you might not realize it but this is SOOO common. learn all you can and take charge. good luck mama! i know you'll figure this out just like i am going to!

I would get a second opinion. My son is 4 and while, they have not specifically said it is X.. we are in the evaluation process. He is more sensory, which overlaps with the ADD/ADHD secnerio. Please read the Out of Sync Child and get a second opinion. Just make sure that the speckled mouse is a speckled mouse..

Right now we are doing OT.. with him at school. he gets sensory breaks etc.. See if you can get some OT for him, before meds (since you are uneasy about them, I feel the same way I will take every other road first).

Your mommy gut is VERY powerful. Do not let ANYONE tell you to go agianst it. Clearly you do not feel every other avenue was appropriatley covered, hence you have the feeling of unease for the meds. and you are researching. You are a good mom, keep up the good work.

Get a second opinion. What you mentioned H. is not always ADHD related.

I can completely understand your apprehension about medication. My son has a reading disability (the school won't say the word dyslexia because it is not in their special ed vocabulary legally and I refuse to pay $3000 for an official eval to know what we already know--the school said they would be supporting his reading issues the same way regardless of the official label) as well as ADD (not hyper or impulsive, just the focus and attention issue). We tried diet (still try to be gluten and dye free), exercise (Brain Gym is one for you to look at), supplements (Omegas).

Eventually, we decided to give Concerta er 18 mg a try and he has been on it since April. Homework is going so much better. It is a time release med, so you need to keep that in mind to do what you have to do before it wears off. Biggest side effects we have seen is appetite...a little less than he used to have but not major difference. Getting to sleep has been the biggest issue...he is a bit wired at night. We are using a small dose of melatonin to help him relax and get to sleep.

You can try the med, and stop it whenever you want to. It's out of his system when it wears off. When we first started it, think as he was adjusting to it, we did find him to be really talkative, wired, and somewhat emotional. That was just for the first 2-3 days though.

It was a hard choice, but I knew when we made to go the medication route that we exhausted every other possibility and we had to try it to see if it made a difference. Some parents don't use it during the summer or on the weekends, just during the school days. We do use it every day, we have found it to be more effective to be consistent.

Does your son have an IEP in place?

Good luck!!