I don't know how to search well, but there was a thread a while back about ADHD medications and peoples opinions and experiences. I posted several times on that thread about my kids experiences. At the time, our kids had just been switched to strattera, and I gave it a reasonably good review.
Well, since then, we've had a really negative experience. I wanted to share it with you since I had given a positive review in the past. I know many people think that there is too much personal info on this board, but neither my daughter or I are embarrased by what happened to her, since it was truly a medical interaction, and if posting this helps any other parent identify warning signs early, then our experience wasn't wasted.
Here goes. About 2 weeks or so ago, DD's teachers had told me that DD was being pretty disruptive in class, so I asked her family doctor about increasing her medicine. DD turned 12 on Saturday, and weighs about 80 pounds. She was on 25 mg of Strattera, once a day. The normal dose for her weight/age is 40 mg, but when we had her at that level this summer, she was sleeping a lot, so we dropped it down to the lower dose. Doctor said that the higher dose was fine (DD had gained 7 or 8 pounds since summer), and we started the higher dose Saturday.
Tuesday morning, DD wakes up perfectly normal, but starts throwing up. She's had a lot of stomach problems this school year (warning sign number 1). I kept her home. About mid-day she woke up from a nap and said that she was seeing monsters (warning number 2). She wasn't very rational about it, but would calm down as long as I was with her all the time. DD can be a drama queen, so I thought she might be exagerating or making it up. She ended up falling asleep about 4:30 and slept through the night. She was still throwing up the next morning, but seemed better. DH gave her the medicine because we thought she might be able to go to school in the afternoon. A couple hours later, the monsters were back, and she was inconsolable.
When I got home from work, I took her to the emergency room. In leaving the house, the hallucinations got much worse, and by the time we were in the hospital, they had to restrain and sedate her. They basically knocked her out, then ran a number of neurological tests to rule out physical problems and referred her out to Children's Hospital in DC.
The final result (after a CAT scan, a spinal tap, an EEG, and 4 days on a psych unit) was that there is a rare side effect of strattera that is pyschosis, and she got it. Once the medicine left her system, she's just fine.
I want to make others aware that this is a potential side effect for strattera. Her school counselor said that she had had several students who had stomach problems related to strattera, but no one with this problem. I would recommend that if your child has stomach problems while on strattera, please consider it a warning sign and talk to your doctor!!
Many people on this board have been praying for us (I had posted a note on my cruise meet board, where I post most often), and I deeply appreciate the concern. I hope that our experience will help others.
Lisa
Well, since then, we've had a really negative experience. I wanted to share it with you since I had given a positive review in the past. I know many people think that there is too much personal info on this board, but neither my daughter or I are embarrased by what happened to her, since it was truly a medical interaction, and if posting this helps any other parent identify warning signs early, then our experience wasn't wasted.
Here goes. About 2 weeks or so ago, DD's teachers had told me that DD was being pretty disruptive in class, so I asked her family doctor about increasing her medicine. DD turned 12 on Saturday, and weighs about 80 pounds. She was on 25 mg of Strattera, once a day. The normal dose for her weight/age is 40 mg, but when we had her at that level this summer, she was sleeping a lot, so we dropped it down to the lower dose. Doctor said that the higher dose was fine (DD had gained 7 or 8 pounds since summer), and we started the higher dose Saturday.
Tuesday morning, DD wakes up perfectly normal, but starts throwing up. She's had a lot of stomach problems this school year (warning sign number 1). I kept her home. About mid-day she woke up from a nap and said that she was seeing monsters (warning number 2). She wasn't very rational about it, but would calm down as long as I was with her all the time. DD can be a drama queen, so I thought she might be exagerating or making it up. She ended up falling asleep about 4:30 and slept through the night. She was still throwing up the next morning, but seemed better. DH gave her the medicine because we thought she might be able to go to school in the afternoon. A couple hours later, the monsters were back, and she was inconsolable.
When I got home from work, I took her to the emergency room. In leaving the house, the hallucinations got much worse, and by the time we were in the hospital, they had to restrain and sedate her. They basically knocked her out, then ran a number of neurological tests to rule out physical problems and referred her out to Children's Hospital in DC.
The final result (after a CAT scan, a spinal tap, an EEG, and 4 days on a psych unit) was that there is a rare side effect of strattera that is pyschosis, and she got it. Once the medicine left her system, she's just fine.
I want to make others aware that this is a potential side effect for strattera. Her school counselor said that she had had several students who had stomach problems related to strattera, but no one with this problem. I would recommend that if your child has stomach problems while on strattera, please consider it a warning sign and talk to your doctor!!
Many people on this board have been praying for us (I had posted a note on my cruise meet board, where I post most often), and I deeply appreciate the concern. I hope that our experience will help others.
Lisa
to your daughter & your family. As I was flipping channels today Ricki Lake (whom I never watch) was talking to parents and discussing medicating vs not medicating ADHD kids. Everyone felt strongly that they were doing what was best for their child. One family had the most heartbreaking story. Their 10 yr old daughter was fine in the morning but "fell" at school. They picked her up & took her to the dr. even though the girl insisted she felt fine and just want to go home & play Nintendo. While in the waiting room at the doctor's office, the girl had a siezure & died. It was so sad. The parents were guilt ridden because they consented to the meds. The doc that perscribed them had spent a grand total of 45 minutes with that child prior to writing that perscription. Can't recall what she was on. I was in tears - I could so relate. We have had trusted doctors & teachers take totally opposite opinions on the need to medicate our one son. So far we have resisted medication. But there are days that are beyond challanging for all of us - especially our son. Other days, he is an absolute joy.
