Methylphenidate caused my teen to break down

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP here. I want to be clear that I am not forcing him. He told me he was struggling. We spoke to his dr who recommended Vyvanse. I called everywhere and cannot get it so we decided to try methylphenidate again since we had low dose pills we could start slow. If I could get Vyvanse, I'd try it but I cannot.

He is up until 3am studying. He has extreme anxiety. His ADHD is very bad and he wants to get better. He's not taking an active role in his meds I agree but he's open to help. He does have a 504 and an ADHD coach. It's just not enough. He has never really been on meds except to try them out. We stopped 6-7 years ago because nothing seemed to work. I always felt like I failed him but he was getting through school so I let it go. Now he is seriously struggling and I assume college will be the same so I want to find help.

We did the GeneSight test and while it shows some interactions, it shows many meds he should respond well to. It's frustrating that it just isn't happening for him. He always seems to get all the side effects and stops before we know if there are any benefits.

Op, you don’t have to justify yourself to the trolls on this board who imply that you have anything other than your child’s best interests at heart.

[Anonymous]

I hope things go better. I would suggest dialing down the school expectations if possible.

My kid also had bad reactions to ADHD meds, but I would keep trying and discuss side effects with your son. Wellbutrin can also help with ADHD, although it primarily an anti-depressant.

[Anonymous]

My cousin had a psychotic episode from methylphenidate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP here. I want to be clear that I am not forcing him. He told me he was struggling. We spoke to his dr who recommended Vyvanse. I called everywhere and cannot get it so we decided to try methylphenidate again since we had low dose pills we could start slow. If I could get Vyvanse, I'd try it but I cannot.

He is up until 3am studying. He has extreme anxiety. His ADHD is very bad and he wants to get better. He's not taking an active role in his meds I agree but he's open to help. He does have a 504 and an ADHD coach. It's just not enough. He has never really been on meds except to try them out. We stopped 6-7 years ago because nothing seemed to work. I always felt like I failed him but he was getting through school so I let it go. Now he is seriously struggling and I assume college will be the same so I want to find help.

We did the GeneSight test and while it shows some interactions, it shows many meds he should respond well to. It's frustrating that it just isn't happening for him. He always seems to get all the side effects and stops before we know if there are any benefits.

OP, you really have to gently investigate why he is up until 3 am studying. He may be carrying too heavy a load. He may need a subject matter tutor. (I am
a tutor and I see ADHD kids impacted in 4 different areas - math, reading, writing and general planning of work). Is he struggling in particular subjects? Is his reading rate slow or does he have difficulty with comprehension? Does he make a lot of mistakes in math homework? Does he struggle with writing? Is he a perfectionist?

Medicine is very helpful, but it is not necessarily going to help him to be done at 10:30 instead of 3 am if there are other issues contributing to the lengthy work.

What accommodations does he have on his 504?

FWIW, college may not be the same. Kids have more control over their schedule, can choose classes they like and don't have as much class time.

[Anonymous]

You don’t know what will work and keep trying if he’s open to it. My 16 yo had bad reactions to a few different stimulants and Qelbree. Now he refuses to try anything again and is unmediated. It’s not good but neither were the side effects. I know others who had success with each so you never know.

[Anonymous]

What are you doing to manage the anxiety? Stimulant medication often exacerbates anxiety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP here. I want to be clear that I am not forcing him. He told me he was struggling. We spoke to his dr who recommended Vyvanse. I called everywhere and cannot get it so we decided to try methylphenidate again since we had low dose pills we could start slow. If I could get Vyvanse, I'd try it but I cannot.

He is up until 3am studying. He has extreme anxiety. His ADHD is very bad and he wants to get better. He's not taking an active role in his meds I agree but he's open to help. He does have a 504 and an ADHD coach. It's just not enough. He has never really been on meds except to try them out. We stopped 6-7 years ago because nothing seemed to work. I always felt like I failed him but he was getting through school so I let it go. Now he is seriously struggling and I assume college will be the same so I want to find help.

We did the GeneSight test and while it shows some interactions, it shows many meds he should respond well to. It's frustrating that it just isn't happening for him. He always seems to get all the side effects and stops before we know if there are any benefits.

Which methylphenidate med is he trying? There are many, each with different delivery mechanisms. Some work better than others. Try something different.

Is he working with a psychiatrist?

[Anonymous]

Searching trying to find out, how many days are enough for a trial?

I thought 1-2 weeks but as side effects aren't lessening and kid is a zombie on lowest dose available, reasonable to end sooner?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These are strong drugs OP. Just let him
be unmedicated. He’s 17 and old enough to decide for himself. Many adults report they do not like the experience of ADHD meds and that stimulants do not actually help with producing work.

I’m sorry but this is really misleading.
The drugs are not ‘strong’ per se - the right adhd drug at the right dosage should make a person feel ‘normal’. And in fact better than they typically would.

Op - the process of finding the right adhd mediation at the right dosage is onerous and often requires up to 7 or 8 different attempts or more at different meds with different dosages. Additionally, some rebound will happen with most or all of them and may be ameliorated with a booster. Are you working with a psychiatrist? Speaking as the wife of someone who went unmedicated as a teen due to parents who ‘didn’t believe in it’ - untreated adolescent adhd has lifelong negative ramifications. Don’t be that person

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Searching trying to find out, how many days are enough for a trial?

I thought 1-2 weeks but as side effects aren't lessening and kid is a zombie on lowest dose available, reasonable to end sooner?

A few days are enough for a trial. You should switch to a different family of medication (Eg if on Ritalin family try adderall or vice versa)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Searching trying to find out, how many days are enough for a trial?

I thought 1-2 weeks but as side effects aren't lessening and kid is a zombie on lowest dose available, reasonable to end sooner?

My kid was like this on focalin but adderall hugely different

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are strong drugs OP. Just let him
be unmedicated. He’s 17 and old enough to decide for himself. Many adults report they do not like the experience of ADHD meds and that stimulants do not actually help with producing work.

I’m sorry but this is really misleading.
The drugs are not ‘strong’ per se - the right adhd drug at the right dosage should make a person feel ‘normal’. And in fact better than they typically would.

Op - the process of finding the right adhd mediation at the right dosage is onerous and often requires up to 7 or 8 different attempts or more at different meds with different dosages. Additionally, some rebound will happen with most or all of them and may be ameliorated with a booster. Are you working with a psychiatrist? Speaking as the wife of someone who went unmedicated as a teen due to parents who ‘didn’t believe in it’ - untreated adolescent adhd has lifelong negative ramifications. Don’t be that person

Well this kid found the meds so strong that he refused to take them.

[Anonymous]

OP hugs to you. There is a lot of good advice on this thread, so ignore the trolls. My ADHD kiddo with anxiety did quite well on Strattera (atomoxitine). It is not a stimulant. It looks like you are doing a good job walking your son through this- just remember that much like depression, anxiety is a liar. Try to push through the defeatist thinking he has.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Searching trying to find out, how many days are enough for a trial?

I thought 1-2 weeks but as side effects aren't lessening and kid is a zombie on lowest dose available, reasonable to end sooner?

A few days are enough for a trial. You should switch to a different family of medication (Eg if on Ritalin family try adderall or vice versa)

Thanks. These med trials are much more difficult than I had anticipated. I'm worried about our kid refusing for the same reason as OP.

[Anonymous]

OP, you mentioned your ds has extreme anxiety, but if you mentioned an anxiety medication, I missed it. Is he medicated for anxiety? Stimulants can increase anxiety. Both issues need to be balanced.