ADHD medication that doesn’t suppress appetite. Straterra? Qelbree?

[Anonymous]

My 11 year old son has been on different formulations of Ritalin for about a year. His ADHD symptoms are well managed by Ritalin but his appetite is completely suppressed. Because of this he really only takes Ritalin for school or on evenings when he has practice for his competitive sport.

He does so much better when he is medicated and would benefit from more medication coverage during the day but he can’t live his life with no appetite and he’s already very skinny. Has anyone had success with non-stimulants controlling ADHD symptoms without suppressing appetite?

[Anonymous]

The only way to know is to try. There are people who have had success with both of those. My kid didn’t and recently stopped Qelbree because he couldn’t stay awake.

My started a different stimulant and even on a very low dose, it’s been a struggle to get him to eat anything the past few days.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried adding cyproheptadine?

Also, is he maintaining his curve for height? Neither our psychiatrist nor pediatrician was concerned that my child seemed to exist on air and was very thin -- as long as she was growing. As the pediatrician said, she has her whole life to gain weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried adding cyproheptadine?

Also, is he maintaining his curve for height? Neither our psychiatrist nor pediatrician was concerned that my child seemed to exist on air and was very thin -- as long as she was growing. As the pediatrician said, she has her whole life to gain weight.

+1 especially if the stimulant is working.

[Anonymous]

Op here - He is growing. He actually jumped from the 60th to the 70th percentile in height but fell from the 40th to the 30th percentile in weight. He was skinny before but now he’s even skinnier and it’s so hard to get him to eat.

[Anonymous]

Jornay is effective for my kid and does not hamper appetite.

[Anonymous]

We’ve had a good experience with Qelbree.

[Anonymous]

Straterra suppresses my DC’s appetite.

[Anonymous]

We are in the same boat. Had to quit qelbree within a week due to very bad insomnia. We haven’t tried strattera. My son is currently on Guanfacine which we pair with a short acting stimulant, and we also don’t medicate on holidays or weekends unless necessary. Sons appetite is much better off of stimulants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here - He is growing. He actually jumped from the 60th to the 70th percentile in height but fell from the 40th to the 30th percentile in weight. He was skinny before but now he’s even skinnier and it’s so hard to get him to eat.

I have a child who stayed on their growth curve (50%) but dropped in their weight profile after starting a stimulant (from 15% to 3%). DC stays on their stimulant and we have had DC work with a nutritionist and feeding therapist to focus on eating. We have increased the dose twice, as needed.

We tried both Guanfacine and strattera and side effects were intolerable. I will say with current stimulant appetite almost disappeared for first month but then came back a bit - assuming as DC adjusted - so we don’t take medication breaks since that seems to trigger increased loss of appetite for a bit.

DC is 1% for BMI, but doctors say not to worry as long as growth is fine. I take DC in every three months to get weighed and measured. DC three years into this, and I’ve come to realize that there is not likely to be a perfect solution. What works for DC right now is a stimulant, therapy, and support for eating. DC is 10, so I’m sure this will change over time.

YMMV, but my child could not function without their stimulant (on the rare occasion they miss a dose they tell me they have very bad days) so we muddle through the eating.

[Anonymous]

My DS is on an stimulant that suppresses his appetite. That said, he has been on it so long that he eventually just worked it out. He has a very large breakfast before he takes the meds, he basically skips lunch, and eats a large dinner and then a big "extra dinner" late at night - maybe 10 or 11. At first, it drove my DH crazy but this is just what works for him. His diet is pretty healthy and good - as long as good food is available when he is hungry - and really he doesn't eat much between 10 and 6 -- and if so, it's just preferred or junk food. But the rest is fine and he is skinny but normal - not too thin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is on an stimulant that suppresses his appetite. That said, he has been on it so long that he eventually just worked it out. He has a very large breakfast before he takes the meds, he basically skips lunch, and eats a large dinner and then a big "extra dinner" late at night - maybe 10 or 11. At first, it drove my DH crazy but this is just what works for him. His diet is pretty healthy and good - as long as good food is available when he is hungry - and really he doesn't eat much between 10 and 6 -- and if so, it's just preferred or junk food. But the rest is fine and he is skinny but normal - not too thin.

Same. DS lost a bunch of weight when he first started Vyvanse, but it leveled out now that he has been on it for years. Like PP, he eats a gigantic breakfast (this morning 4 eggs, 3 turkey bacon, 5 pancakes, strawberries and milk at 6am) but he probably won't eat again until 5-6pm tonight. He does carry a protein bar with him in case he gets hungry.

Other DS lost a ton of weight on Concerta but it has also leveled out. He isn't much of a breakfast eater (will typically have a protein drink and fruit), but will get hungry at 5ish - eat a ton then...and then again around 10p.