Tell me about your good ADHD meds experience

[Anonymous]

We are on the verge of medicating 7 yo DC for inattentive ADHD that is really affecting him academically and socially. We know it is the right thing to do, but it would be helpful to hear some encouragement from those who have been down this road. If your child benefited from medication under these circumstances, can you share your experience and explain what changed for the better?

[Anonymous]

My kid is older (12) but meds were like flipping a switch. His issue was mainly inattention and that affected his grades. First quarter on meds he made honor roll. I used to have to literally sit with him to get any work done and cajole/bribe him through assignments and now I am very hands off. It’s a totally new world.

[Anonymous]

I agree with 12:31 that it was like flipping a switch for my inattentive DD when she started at 8. Total gamechanger in terms of ability to focus on tasks/instructions, lose things a little less, be more engaged socially with us and with others, etc. I used to think that we wouldn't want to medicate to make our child "compliant" which is how that prior sentence of mine would have read to me a few years ago. What I was missing though was how much her inability to do some of those things really affected her confidence and self-esteem to the point that she was exhibiting some minor signs of depression already in elementary school. She could feel at some level that she was different, that work was easier for other kids than it was for her (even though she was quite bright and felt like she should be able to do more). Learning that her brain worked differently and that we could do some things to help that really made a difference. The medications are not magic - we still a lot on the therapy, tool-building side with her - but the medications leveled her own playing field a little better so she could participate more at school and socially in ways that are satisfying and confidence-building for her.

[Anonymous]

My DS was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 8. He started taking Vyvanse and the beginning of 3rd grade. The difference was instant. He was able to slow down, stop being impulsive and think before he did things. Academically, he was ahead in every area except for writing. His handwriting was awful and illegible. Once he started taking medication, he could write in complete sentences with proper spelling and punctuation. He stopped getting in trouble every day and no longer needed a behavior chart. He is 16 now and still on Vyvanse. It works well for him. I'm so glad I ignored those who said he would grow out of it. Yeah, maybe by his mid 20s but who wants to live a life where you cannot control what you say and do?

[Anonymous]

I agree with what everyone is saying that meds are a game changer in a positive way. I am so grateful that they exist for my child and that it's as easy as just taking a pill every morning to get such a huge effect.

I used to think... why would I medicate my child with a brain altering drug just to get him to sit still and focus? Shouldn't the teacher just give more movement breaks or more interesting work? I was so wrong. Having the symptoms of ADHD made my child feel different than the other kids and impacted his self esteem, ability to learn, and social skills in ways I hadn't realized until after he started meds. Once on the right meds, these things changed in ways I never thought possible.

Unlike other posters, it it took us a while (maybe a month or two) to find the right med and dose, and improvement didn't happen overnight. However, we eventually got where we needed to be with no negative experiences.

I have heard anecdotes of people whose parents didn't believe in medicating, where, once old enough, the person sought out their own diagnosis and ended up going on medication once they were in college or in their 20s. In these cases, there is a sense of regret, missing out, and lost time. Can you imagine being nearsighted but never actually wearing glasses until you were an adult?

OP, rest assured you are doing the right thing.

[Anonymous]

This thread is very timely for me, thanks OP! DS is 7, diagnosed inattentive, and a psychiatrist prescribed Ritalin. We've yet to start. I'd appreciate any thoughts about Ritalin, as well as any thoughts about whether your kids only took the meds as needed, or did better taking it every day. The psychiatrist suggested we skip the weekends unless DS has something big and could benefit from the meds.

Also, were your young kids able to perceive and comment on whether they found the meds to be helpful?

And finally, what did you tell your kids about the meds and diagnosis? My DH is concerned about mean kids/parents and has suggested we tell DS that he's taking extra vitamins for now. We haven't shared the diagnosis widely.

THANKS!

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP with the 12 year old. My son's first drug was Ritalin and it made him extremely volatile, weepy, moody, etc. It worked beautifully for the ADHD but the side effects were too much. Next we tried Focalin and that has been much better. There are still some negative side effects like decreased appetite but no emotional side effects. We've experimented with only giving it on school days to allow him to have more appetite and eat more on non school days. But then he sometimes (not always) has stomachaches/nausea on Mondays after not taking it over the weekend. And every kid is different so unfortunately it's trial and error. Ritalin may work great for your kid.

With my 12 year old we were honest about his diagnosis and what the medication was. I definitely wouldn't lie and tell a 7 year old that you are giving him vitamins. I'm sure there's an age appropriate way to have that conversation.

[Anonymous]

To OP - Yes agreed with all that has been said about an instant positive change. But . . . finding the right medicine and dose took months for us. Not only do you need to see changes at home, you need to take into account teacher feedback, side effects, and have monthly med checks. Other therapies and strategies still need to stay in play as well. It's all worth it but it's not quite a light switch or panacea IMO.

To PP with the 7 yo. I would NOT suggest taking it on an as needed basis until you are well along in finding a dose / med that works. I think for the younger ones this causes worse side effects, which would have lessened or disappeared if you stayed on it day to date. Also the kiddo needs to get used the routine and the effect as well.

[Anonymous]

it was like a switch for us in the sense that our child was differnt all of a sudden. wish we found medication sooner. its not the only thing though, years of therapy is helping too.

[Anonymous]

Working in finding the right medication for our daughter, age 9, who has inattentive ADHD. We’ve tried Adderall and Ritalin but haven’t found the right fit yet. What worked for your inattentive kid?

[Anonymous]

Untreated adhd can cause self esteem issues and fear. Dc has expressed he is worried he will blurt things out inappropriately, he can't pay attention in school and he over eats. He makes people around him angry when he isn't medicated and has a hard time transitioning off non preferred tasks.
All.of those things disappear when he is medicated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP with the 12 year old. My son's first drug was Ritalin and it made him extremely volatile, weepy, moody, etc. It worked beautifully for the ADHD but the side effects were too much. Next we tried Focalin and that has been much better. There are still some negative side effects like decreased appetite but no emotional side effects. We've experimented with only giving it on school days to allow him to have more appetite and eat more on non school days. But then he sometimes (not always) has stomachaches/nausea on Mondays after not taking it over the weekend. And every kid is different so unfortunately it's trial and error. Ritalin may work great for your kid.

With my 12 year old we were honest about his diagnosis and what the medication was. I definitely wouldn't lie and tell a 7 year old that you are giving him vitamins. I'm sure there's an age appropriate way to have that conversation.

NP here, I have a 11 year old and we’ve been dealing with the emotional side effects of Ritalin because it was a lot better than the seriousness/no personality of Adderall. But now you make me want to try Focalin. Thanks!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Working in finding the right medication for our daughter, age 9, who has inattentive ADHD. We’ve tried Adderall and Ritalin but haven’t found the right fit yet. What worked for your inattentive kid?

I wrote upthread about our DD who was diagnosed around that same age. She was on low-dose Concerta for over a year and it worked pretty well, but led to a lot of irritability late in the day when the effects wore off, and negatively impacted her weight (huge loss of appetite). We've had a lot of success now with Jornay which is a time release version of pretty much the same drug, dosed at bedtime and activated in the morning. It has smoothed out the emotional impacts and doesn't seem to have the same appetite side effects as Concerta. Not all pharmacy plans will cover it right away, but if you've tried a few other things already, it's worth asking your doctor about it.

To some of the other PP questions about taking weekends, vacations off, we did that more on the Concerta because of weight loss concerns so we needed breaks to get calories in. However, now that our child is older and can really express how she feels on and off the meds, we maintain dosing every day for consistency. She gets mild headaches on the days she is off and then coming back on and doesn't like those effects, and she feels more in control of her self and actions when she is on the medication in a way that she can understand and appreciate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are on the verge of medicating 7 yo DC for inattentive ADHD that is really affecting him academically and socially. We know it is the right thing to do, but it would be helpful to hear some encouragement from those who have been down this road. If your child benefited from medication under these circumstances, can you share your experience and explain what changed for the better?

DD was 7 when we medicated too. I regret not doing it sooner. She struggled with reading prior to it and had a number of behavioral/social incidents that she misinterpreted and escalated. She was crying all the time and unable to address her anxiety. Medication wasn't a silver bullet, but it was life changing for all of us, to the point where I actually medicated her the moment she woke up for awhile just so we could reset in the mornings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Working in finding the right medication for our daughter, age 9, who has inattentive ADHD. We’ve tried Adderall and Ritalin but haven’t found the right fit yet. What worked for your inattentive kid?

I'm immediate PP. MetaDate CD was the magic for us. The others made her hostile but the balance of the MetaDate release has been perfect. At 9, she began to request that we not take medication breaks, so your DD may be the same at that age, since there's a fair amount of self awareness.