ADHD Meds-Side Effects?

[Christine]

Well, your son doesn't sound truly ADD or ADHD but you still won't know until the tests are done. While he is doing well academically and socially, that could be the fact that he *is* so bright and he is getting by for now. The same was true with my son. He tested in the "gifted" range for IQ. Because of that, he was still able to maintain A's and B's despite fairly severe ADHD. This doesn't mean he shouldn't be treated. What it means is that since he is gifted he is able to get by rather well, but the ADHD is hampering *all* that he could be. As soon as he was medicated, he was able to go into the gifted program. Something that could not be done while unmedicated. Also, my son was never a behavioral problem (and still isn't) although he would sing while doing his seatwork which could be considered disruptive. He is also a HUGH fidgeter and the ADHD meds have done little to control that. They just keep him on task. He still chews his pencil, throws his body all over the place while sitting in his chair, etc. It is painful to watch and it is disruptive in the classroom to some extent.

My son's doctor did discuss adding in another med to help with this but we haven't done it yet. It was not Clonidine, although I know that works. It started with a "T" and I'm sure the doc told me that it was used as a blood pressure med? Go figure. So maybe you could address using one of these to calm the fidgeting. I really don't think there is any behavioral modification to control fidgeting. It is really a tough thing to handle.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Originally posted by Christine
He is also a HUGH fidgeter and the ADHD meds have done little to control that. They just keep him on task. He still chews his pencil, throws his body all over the place while sitting in his chair, etc. It is painful to watch and it is disruptive in the classroom to some extent.

I really don't think there is any behavioral modification to control fidgeting.

OK, this was upsetting to read. The whole point of possibly medicating is to "settle him down" and stop the fidgeting. If this isn't going to happen then there is no reason to bother with the meds.

Has anyone had success in using ADHD meds to control fidgeting/motion?

Also, unrelated question: Do the kids have to swallow the medication or can it be chewed? DS has never been able to swallow pills.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Originally posted by Christine
Well, your son doesn't sound truly ADD or ADHD but you still won't know until the tests are done.

What do you mean? What tests? Are there additional tests once you decide to go with medication?

We've already had him tested as I posted above:
We did have him tested extensively(privately by a psychologist) and the official diagnosis was: ADHD-NOS (the NOS means not otherwise specified). He didn't meet all the characteristics for ADHD but the ones he did meet, he was very high on. Thus, basically he's borderline ADHD.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Originally posted by Cindy B
gave him a very small squeeze ball (like a mini stress ball), and when he feels the urge to fidget, he plays with that.

We also took away some of the distractions that was making him fidgey (ie, no mechanical pencils.. he was always playing with the lead!).

Tried bot of these already! Thanks for suggesting them. The problem is that he'll play with anything at all so the removing distractions thing doesn't work.

 

[Dancind]

Christine, my DD took the "T" medication for several years. I think it's Tenex. She took half a pill, twice a day. It made a big difference for her in the fidgeting and sleep department. She's not taking it now, the Dr. took her off of it last year. She doesn't seem to need it anymore. She's 12 now. Diana

 

[Mishetta]

That's what the Clonidine is for (possibly that "T" med too)...it's for the hyperactivity. My DS also couldn't sit still to save his life but once he started on the Clonidine (also a Blood Pressure med), he can sit still & not tap his pencil on the table, swing his legs 100mph under the table, constantly hum, etc...Not to mention that we all get to sleep now! My DS couldn't sleep. He would just roam the house all hours of the night/morning. Then he'd wake me up "I can't sleep!" Oh...to think how awful life was before the meds!!

I'm so excited to read that some of your children no longer need the medication. The psychiatrist & neurologist both told me that some children outgrow the ADHD during puberty. (I thought they both just said that to give me some hope!) Then again, some don't but as they mature they learn to re-direct most of their energy to positive natures.

 

[Dancind]

Mishetta, my DD is still taking medication, just not the Tenex. She still takes Dexedrine. I need to really watch her for signs of the fidgets, and try to remember what she did before we took her off Tenex. She does snort, but it seems like she's done that for a while. I'm sorry, but I don't think that many kids "outgrow" ADHD. In fact, many still have it as adults. I think some kids learn to cope with their ADHD, if it isn't too severe. It's a lot easier for them with meds, though. You might want to do a search for "clonidine" and "tenex" on the internet. From what I'm reading, they do the same thing, but the Tenex has less side effects. Diana

 

[ducklite]

When Ritalin and Concerta, et al are taken after puberty or for an extended period, they can cause acute clinical depression as they affect the domapine levels in the body.

If your older kids are on/still on one of these drugs, you need to closely monitor them. A better option might be to speak to their doctor about other pharmacological alternatives.

Anne

 

[tkd lisa]

All the ritalin family have to be swallowed, not chewed or mixed up in food. My dd was only 6 when she started taking them, so it was the first time she had to swallow a pill. The ritalins were pretty small, so it wasn't a big deal.

The time released ones can't even be cut in half to make it easier to take, because the coating is part of the time release (that's what the dr. said when we thought about adding a 1/2 of the 18 mg concerta, since the next biggest dose was something like 2x as much and I didn't think she needed it!)

 

[Dancind]

Anne, I haven't heard that one. Where did you get that information? I have read that if your child has any bi-polar tendencies, stimulant medications can aggravate the manic episodes. Depression is a worry with any kid with ADD or ADHD, and with gifted kids. Double whammy. But I think that history and recent studies show that kids with untreated ADHD are more at risk for depression, and drug and alcohol abuse. And I can verify that with my own family history. Many of the "non-pharmacological" remedies actually contain stimulant type herbs that can be more dangerous than the ones approved by the FDA. I give my daughter EPA fish oil capsules, which really seems to help her with the anxiety and mood swings (hey, she's 12), but don't do a thing for her ADD. Sorry, if this sounds like a debate, I really am interested in where this statement came from. Diana (sorry, way OT)

 

[cruisnfamily]

Actually, Diana, I didn't think it was way off topic(and I'm the OP). I'm really interested to hear all the pros and cons of ADHD meds and their side effects.

What I don't want is a debate about whether you should or should not medicate your child. Everybody has to make that decision themselves based on their child, etc... I was so sure that somebody would jump on here and bash all the adhd meds and turn this ugly. I'm really happy that hasn't happened!

I'm just looking for any and all info related to adhd meds. Keep it coming!

 

[ducklite]

Methylphenidate is a dopamine reuptake inhibitor which works within the synapses in the brain. (Dopamine is a chemical messenger similar to adrenaline) Stimulants can temporarily increase the amount of dopamine in the synapse, or gap between one's nerve cells.

Long term use of stimulants ultimately disrupts the balance of dopamine in the nervous system, by desensitizing the nerve cells to what would be considered normal levels.

Suddenly the body determines that something is wrong and basically begins to fight against itself and dramatically change the Dopamine levels. This is what can cause the depression.

It's generally treated with an antidepressant, however you are then treating the side effects of one drug with another. At that point in time it's better to change to a different drug for the ADHD symptoms if the patient will tolerate it.

This is something you should speak to your doctor about, (like in I'm NOT a doctor and so don't take my information as medical advice) and it's possible that a pediatrician will not have this information, and you will need to get the information from a psyciatrist.

Anne

 

[cruisnfamily]

Thought I'd bump this up for the evening.

Thanks!

 

[Poohnatic]

Wow, great topic here.

I have a 7 yo son who, among other conditions, is severely ADHD. We have tried all the stimulant based meds (Adderal, Concerta, Ritalin and Focalin) with horrible results. Apparently, his other conditions short circuit the meds and it is a stimulant for him.

We just started with a psychiatrist in our town, as opposed to traveling an hour to DC for a specialist. She had him go through a complete physical, EKG and blood work before she starts him on any meds. He will be starting Strattera next week.

He never sleeps, either, so I am hoping that the strattera will combat that as well. He is a constant fidgeter and hummer, but I always attributed that to OCD. My son is easily distracted, and we find a controlled distraction helps. For example, when he's doing his homework, he gets to chew gum...it is a distraction, but in a good way!

My son also has food trigger ADHD problems. We have found that food dyes and nitrates exacerbate his symptoms, and I just had the pediatrician concur with me that this happens to a lot of kids. We can trace my son's bad days back and find that someone forgot his issues and gave him a starburst or m&m's or he had a hot dog!
It makes most breakfast cereals a no no in our house. Fortunately, he will point out before bleary eyed mom gives him something with dye!

I also agree with another poster that he can be brilliant and ahead now, but you should still get an evaluation, because you don't want him to fall behind...third grade is usually where that concentration becomes a major factor.

Good luck in getting your son evaluated, and kudos to you for doing all this research.

Suzanne

 

[Christine]

Originally posted by cruisnfamily
What do you mean? What tests? Are there additional tests once you decide to go with medication?

We've already had him tested as I posted above:
We did have him tested extensively(privately by a psychologist) and the official diagnosis was: ADHD-NOS (the NOS means not otherwise specified). He didn't meet all the characteristics for ADHD but the ones he did meet, he was very high on. Thus, basically he's borderline ADHD.

cruisnfamily--
Sorry, I guess when I was writing my post I forgot that you said he had been tested. Apologize for phrasing my post that way.

 

[Christine]

Originally posted by cruisnfamily
OK, this was upsetting to read. The whole point of possibly medicating is to "settle him down" and stop the fidgeting. If this isn't going to happen then there is no reason to bother with the meds.

Has anyone had success in using ADHD meds to control fidgeting/motion?

Also, unrelated question: Do the kids have to swallow the medication or can it be chewed? DS has never been able to swallow pills.

Cruisin-
The meds do settle him down a bit, but really, they do not stop the fidgeting. Maybe it is more manageable in some children; however, I have not noticed that much of a difference.

Whoever came up with "Tenex"--YES, that is what my doc talked about. I understand that it works REALLY well with fidgeting.

 

[momof2OH]

The only real way to see if a med is right for a child/person is to try it. What works for one might not work for another. There are so many factors envolved there is just no way to know for sure before trying it. There is never a guarantee!! It's really about trial and error. I feel like my son has been a guinea pig for many years, but in the end it has been worth it. My DS in particular has a very high/fast metabolism and has to take higher/adult doses of meds to be beneficial for him. He burns most of it up. He goes for blood work every 3 months to make sure everything is fine.

(DS has ADHD and is BiPolar- both severly, OCD, GAD, Immune Disorder, Hypothyroidism, Migraines, and has been on meds for almost 9 years) He has never been even close to being lethargic.

Sorry for rambling...but the bottom line is finding a good doctor or psychatrist who deals with children and these disorders is key to having success.

Good Luck to everyone, and I hope you find whats right for you and your child/children!!

 

[Pembo]

I too am following this thread with interest. The question came up of what kind of dr to see. Our pediatrician has been wonderful. However we've been lucky enough to find meds that work (Focalin) fairly quickly.

Like of momof2Oh said, the only way to know if it works is to try it. Start with your pediatrician, if you go through a lot of meds or feel you need someone with more knowledge then you may need to talk to someone else, like a neurologist or psychiatrist.

Good luck to you.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Ok, here I am again with more questions. Talked to the pediatrician and DS yesterday.

DS is ready to sign up and take the meds TODAY. He says that he wants the help in controlling his fidgeting/movement because he "can only control himself a little bit". DS and Daddy agreed to continue trying the behavior modification we are doing for "a little while longer" to see if he can get it together by himself. If he's not successful soon(read 1 week or less) we're going to try the meds. I feel like even if he can get it together, it will be an on again off again thing and am ready to go with the meds but DH really wants him to do it by himself.

Pediatrician said he thinks it's a good idea to try some meds. If we don't like what it does, we can always stop them. After reviewing the psychologists report he recommends Concerta. All we have to do is go in for a height/weight/blood pressure check and pick up the perscription whenever we are ready.

So, with all of that in mind, here are todays questions:

1)What are your experiences(positive and negative) with Concerta?

2)Are we required(Or should we) tell the school we are trying meds? We are inclined not to tell them(long story, could be another whole thread ) but want to do what is right.

Thanks for your continued patience with me!

 

[Mishetta]

It's amazing to see how many people have posted on this thread....& I thought I was the only one dealing with the ADHD issue!

My DS is on Concerta & Clonidine. The Concerta helps him with the Attention part, but the Clonidine helps him with his hyperactivity.

Side effects of Concerta for my DS , is he sniffles a lot. But out of all the side effects he's had from the other meds we've tried, this is the less of the evils. People think he has allergies.

Regarding letting the school know...that's a personal decision in my opinion. We did NOT let our son's school know. He's in a small private school & it's no one's business. We could have had all this testing done FREE if we went through the public school system but we chose to whip out the big bucks to pay for all the testing on our own just so we could keep it OUT of school records.

Now, our pediatrician disagrees with us & feels we should let the teacher know so she can help in giving feedback but the neurologist also said that it's a personal issue with each family. So....that being said.....think about whether you want him "labeled" & I hate to use that term but that's what I've "heard" happens to children in our son's school who are on record as suffering from ADHD. You can always "feel" around your DS's school to see if that is the case there.

Good luck to you. It surely is not an easy decision to make, is it?