Adderall as a diet drug

[lsyorke]

Do you mind if I ask, how long they've had it? My son was started on Strattera, and became a basket case. The label listed "emotional lability" as a side effect. I did not know what the extent of that could be! He was practically bipolar! He'd be jumping around, happy, then crying and sobbing and not know why. When he said he felt like he'd like to "disappear"........that sent up huge red flags to me, being a teacher and trained to look for depressive/suicidal thoughts........and I immediately called his doctor. He said "Stop the strattera immediately, come in and pick up a new Ritalin prescription. I'm pulling all my boys off, I just hadn't called you yet." He said they were all having the same symptoms. Said he'd started them on it, as they were getting a "good deal" on it, and the drug rep had been convincing, but he wouldn't stand by and watch it "damage my boys".

Since then, I've met some parents who swear by it. Just always curious as to others' experiences. Plain ol' Ritalin works best for mine!

Stratter is an snri... similar to effexor(antidepressant in adults) It can have huge emotional problems in kids(and adults) and the FDA has put out new warnings. All of the antidepressants carry a black box warning for children for suicidality, violence, emotional disturbances... this drug has the same action as an antidepressant.
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/InfoSheets/patient/AtomoxetinePT.htm

 

[DisneyPhD]

Thanks for the info disneyphd, but unfortunately I was being stupid I do not need the drug for medical reasons. But that does make me feel better about my children taking their med's. I should have known better, but you know when something sounds to good to be true?

I got to admit, it sounds pretty good to me too. However I know enough to not try quick fixes like that. We actually had a few cases of people coming in with psychiotic behavior, caused by weight loss medications.

Now if I could just find a brith control pill that made me loss weight, increase my sex drive and keep me from getting pregnant I would be a happy person. As it is I am scared of them because I gained weight on it and well let's not go there with the rest of it.

5 pounds, 5 pounds is nothing! I loss and gain that from morning to night depending on how much I eat that day. !

Best of luck.

BTW my adult brother takes Adderall and it is very helpful to him. He is on other meds also for bi polar depression. I have seen medications significaly improve the quaility of life of many many people. (my friends and family members included.) I am not anti medicaions, just very causious about being sure they are the right thing to do.

 

[paigevz]

Sorry Paige I missed your post. They have been on it since the start of the school year. I have not really noticed any of those symptoms, but I do not think it is working at all for my DD. I will call my pediatrician tomorrow though, that is really scary. This whole post has made me wonder if I even want my children taking any of this. Has anyone found a med, that is not potentially harmful to them. I have not tried Ritalyn, is there a history to show it is not harmful either?

I want to be clear again, that I am not a medical professional. These are "mommy" knowledge and experiences.

Ritalin is an amphetamine. If the child does not have ADHD, the risk would not be worth the possible side effects. However, Ritalin has been in use for decades (I think 40 years?), and with the usual prescription in people who need the drug, there are very few problems associated with it.

Whenever a child (or an adult for that matter) takes any drug, it should be carefully monitored. My child is seen once a year for checks specifically related to his Ritalin prescrip. If we see any other changes ( like we saw with the Strattera), we call immediately. In fact, I plan to call tomorrow, as my son has been more emotional lately (could just be beginning puberty, but it's patterning now) and has lost 10 lbs in the last 4 months. He has always been on the maximum dose for weight, so probably needs an adjustment with that weight loss (again, may just be the onset of puberty with its increased metabolism).

I am a teacher in second grade.........THE grade for most diagnoses of ADHD, ED, LD and any other lable you can think of! It's the age when the "problem" really sort of sythesizes into an obvious diagnosis and the gap between them and others is finally pronounced enough. When I have a child start on a med, of any sort, we watch carefully. Any change in appetite, activity level or personality, I report to the parents so they can report to the dr. In the beginning, there are often adjustments to dosages or types of drugs.

All children are individuals, so treatment for each is individual. Your doctor needs to hear from you to help you. You absolutely need to let him know what is happening with your daughter.

 

[lsyorke]

About the drug rep perks, those are a thing of the past and very carefully monitored. The doc is not getting a kick back from the pharm company. If they are it is illigal and hardly worth risking his or her practice for.

There are billions of dollars spent wineing and dining docs/politicians by drug companies. There is NOTHING illegal about it... yet!

Very interesting article on this subject.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-01-02-medstudents_x.htm

 

[paigevz]

Stratter is an snri... similar to effexor(antidepressant in adults) It can have huge emotional problems in kids(and adults) and the FDA has put out new warnings. All of the antidepressants carry a black box warning for children for suicidality, violence, emotional disturbances... this drug has the same action as an antidepressant.
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/InfoSheets/patient/AtomoxetinePT.htm

Yes, this was two years ago, when my son started 3rd grade..........over 2 1/2 years, actually, and he was on it 3 weeks.................I was so upset to hear the findings later and realize what we'd put him through for those 3 weeks. Gotta be careful with those "new, miracle breakthroughs"!

 

[bcsmom]

Now if I could just find a brith control pill that made me loss weight, increase my sex drive and keep me from getting pregnant I would be a happy person. As it is I am scared of them because I gained weight on it and well let's not go there with the rest of it.

You are so right! When you find that pill, please let me know

 

[DisneyPhD]

There are millions of dollars spent wineing and dining docs/politicians by drug companies. There is NOTHING illegal about it... yet!

That has changed dramaticly. There used to be. There still are some perks and dinners done. There is a cap on how much they can spend, (a much more modest one) and what can be bought (food only, not gifts.) Dinners need to have presenations at them.............. It is very regulated now a days.

A few years ago it wasn't. I had some good meals myself and I can't even prescibe meds. It was the only perk my job ever had.

Times change.

 

[bcsmom]

All children are individuals, so treatment for each is individual. Your doctor needs to hear from you to help you. You absolutely need to let him know what is happening with your daughter.

I agree, I do take them to the doctor to monitor the med's every 3 months. She gives me 3 prescriptions, then we have to go in for a check. I take them off of their med's during the summer months, so I think I will wait until next school year to try something new. I have not seen any strange side effects, my DD is just still really scatter brained. My MIL teaches at their school, so she is there to constantly watch them . Thanks for the info on Strattera though, I have not heard that it was causing ill effects.

 

[bcsmom]

It was the only perk my job ever had.

You didnt like being a social worker? That is what I have always wanted to do. I was actually in school for that, (but with 2 children at the time) I got an offer I could not pass up so I quit school . I love hearing peoples problems, my friends are constantly calling me for advice. I have to look it up here first though .

 

[paigevz]

bcsmom, not to beleaguer (I can not figure out how to spell that word! Just changed it 5 times, but it's the word I want, so maybe that spelling is close enough!) the point, but if the med isn't working for dd, it would be best to report that. If it's not working, it may not be what she needs, and may be harmful for her, but more importantly, it's not helping her and if she's diagnosed, and still having trouble, she can be further harmed by not having her needs met.

ADHD kids who don't have their environment changed to meet their needs either through changing of their schooling, training of their teachers, or medication to help, can develop oppositional defiant disorder. That is no fun.

There's quite a bit of school year left, you may want to reconsider calling the doctor. Totally your call, of course, just conversating! (That one I deliberately misspell........I like that word!)

 

[bcsmom]

Theres quite a bit of school year left, you may want to reconsider calling the doctor. Totally your call, of course, just conversating! (That one I deliberately misspell........I like that word!)

You do have a point. I just do not think she is doing as well as she was in the past. She was on Metadate CD, but I thought Strattera was suppossed to be the mildest of them all. Her grades are good, but not honor roll as before. She is diagnosed as being ADHD & mildly dyslexic. I just hate to constantly change their med's. I wonder if there could be any harm in that? Like if one med is not out of their system, is it safe to start another?

 

[HaleyB]

bcsmom, I wanted to share something with you. You said you went on this because you felt drained. That is how I felt for a long time. I have three kids, and lose a lot of sleep. But I kept feeling worse and worse. I wanted to sleep in the middle of the day, had to drag myself out of bed. My sleep was not making me feel rested. It turns out it was my thyroid. The thing is it took several blood tests for it to show up. If you feel really drained and low energy think about asking your doctor to really look at thyroid function. (or your new doctor )

I take thyroid medication now and it is helping me so much. I feel better most days and sleep better most nights.

 

[Zoiebear]

In summary....................
Adderol............. generally a drug given to those with adhd, should not be used for weight loss or energy.
Wow, you should be thankful, even though it doesnt seem like something to be thankful for, but 5 lbs is not a lot. Some people could only wish to only need to lose 5 lbs. but then again when it is just 5 lbs, it seems like it should just as well be 20lbs, b/c it is hard to lose.

As for the energy, well there are all of those energy drinks, There is this stuff called Acai, i think that is how it is spelled, the company makes smoothy drinks too, but they make these caplets that are for energy, i have found those to be pretty good,................. and considering i am on coumadin ( which is a blood thinner, I have problems with blood clots, anyhow almost any drug or supplement usually effects the coumadin............. and this stuff doesnt) you might try it.

As for the adderol, i have a friend I went to law school with and he was on adderol and that was what he needed to be able to function. The ritalin, just didnt work for him................ I remember him telling me how in high school people would offer to buy the adderol off him, because it was a upper and made it easier for them to pull all nighters.
The reality is that for those who dont have adhd, this is a amphetamine and an upper drug, however for those with adhd, this is what makes them be able to be functional and live like a normal person.
Same goes with ritialin!!!
FYI.............. for the parents with kids on the ritalin, dont forget there a bunch of different kinds, SR and LA to name a few, so you can try one if the other doesnt work, also I find it comforting that like one mom said, she takes the summer off of taking the meds, you can also do that on the weekends
Stacie

 

[bcsmom]

bcsmom, I wanted to share something with you. You said you went on this because you felt drained. That is how I felt for a long time. I have three kids, and lose a lot of sleep. But I kept feeling worse and worse. I wanted to sleep in the middle of the day, had to drag myself out of bed. My sleep was not making me feel rested. It turns out it was my thyroid. The thing is it took several blood tests for it to show up. If you feel really drained and low energy think about asking your doctor to really look at thyroid function. (or your new doctor )

I take thyroid medication now and it is helping me so much. I feel better most days and sleep better most nights.

You know I am suppossed to get that checked, that is one of tests he sent me to take. You are right I think I will follow up with my new doc (once I find him). I do feel really drained quite often. It started a few months ago, I quit exercising & I basically feel like doing nothing. I never feel like I had a great nights sleep.

 

[bcsmom]

In summary....................
As for the energy, well there are all of those energy drinks, There is this stuff called Acai, i think that is how it is spelled, the company makes smoothy drinks too, but they make these caplets that are for energy, i have found those to be pretty good,................. and considering i am on coumadin ( which is a blood thinner, I have problems with blood clots, anyhow almost any drug or supplement usually effects the coumadin............. and this stuff doesnt) you might try it.
FYI.............. for the parents with kids on the ritalin, dont forget there a bunch of different kinds, SR and LA to name a few, so you can try one if the other doesnt work, also I find it comforting that like one mom said, she takes the summer off of taking the meds, you can also do that on the weekends
Stacie

Thanks I will check into that. I do take my kids off of their med's on the weekend as well, but once their doctor told me that I should not keep stopping the meds. I just do not think I need medication to control them at home. That is what the outdoors is for, they run out their excess energy (wish they could give it to me )

 

[paigevz]

My son only takes his meds when he's actually in school. Funny, he does lots of sports, swimming lessons, camp and such out of school hours and in summer, and we always get the same comment from every teacher, every coach and on any papers he gets, "S is a hard worker, enthusiastic and encouraging to others. S needs to work on listening to instructions and paying attention during group talks." Every time!

Just edited to say: That's how we know he still needs his meds, in fact. I have some students who are medicated in or out of school and I don't know how their parents figure out when/if they need meds reduced.

 

[bcsmom]

My son only takes his meds when he's actually in school. Funny, he does lots of sports, swimming lessons, camp and such out of school hours and in summer, and we always get the same comment from every teacher, every coach and on any papers he gets, "S is a hard worker, enthusiastic and encouraging to others. S needs to work on listening to instructions and paying attention during group talks." Every time!

That is funny, my DD's dancing teacher says the same thing. By the time she goes to dancing the med's have worn off & they always say she is so lost at tap, because it is to fast for her.

 

[nealymouse]

I've heard a lot about "perks" given to the doctors. that prescribe certain prescriptions. Concert tickets, ball game tickets, fancy dinners, etc.

Scary really.

How about a trip to Hawaii for 10 days, Thats what my DD doctor got from a drug company, she told me that !!!!

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

We were really confused when the dr first talked about Lauri taking a low dose of Adderall to help with the fatigue she was battling caused by the medicines she was on. (For the record, the dr wasn't sold on it, he wanted her to try it just in case it did help because at that point.. well, they were desperate). Lauri asked him how something that is prescribed to basically "calm" children could possibly make her have more energy. It seemed to be contradictory. He did explain that drugs like Adderall tend to have opposite effects on non ADHD adults vs ADHD children.

Its funny how one drug can do such intense things to one person and then the complete opposite to others. Poor Lauri has been living on a good sized dose of Morphine on a daily basis. Most people take that and complain how it makes them feels so high or loopy - or worse, they take it just TO get high or loopy, yet when Lauri takes it, there are no "high" side effects. It just allows her to get through her day as much as possible.

 

[Peanutsmommy]

My son was on Strattera for about two years, because of not knowing the side effects and a doctor that didn't IMO care. I also had to give him anti depression meds. So,I had him taken off it because the anti depression meds still didn't seem that they were working for him. Since he has been on Adderall he is back to his old self. The only thing I worry about now is the fact that Adderall is a stimulant drug. And the possible effects for the future. Has anyone been on Adderall for any number of years and successfully stop taking it?