Intuniv Anyone?

Fara - posted on 10/12/2012

Suzette,

I am with Amy, 1 mg to start always then after a week up to 2mg then after that up to 3mg. Watch her pressure and call her Doc back. If you read waaaaaaay back on this blog (about 2 years) I did post several things about all the meds my son was trying at the time & one of them was ritalin (may be under generic name)... It's starting back in 2010 somewhere (I just found them the other night so they are here) may help you somewhat. Just do your own research about these different meds & advocate for your child. Some meds work for others but may not work for you. Interestingly enough, I just brought my little one for a consult at the Dan Marino Center & the doc asked me "who put this child put on Remeron (anti-depressant) and why, it's a very strong med"? May be strong but it is the only one that has ever worked for him! He's not a zombie, he's happy most of the time & he is able to function in everyday life......

Good luck to you Suzette.....

Fara

Diane - posted on 10/11/2012

My daughter is nine and was just diagnosed with ADHD. ( Very impulsive) The psychologist who tested her wants to put her on a low dose of Intuniv. I'm worried because of how active she is (gymnastics) and the side affects with low blood pressure. One website also stated not to get overheated while taking it... Well you do in gymnastics... not sure what to do?????

Laquinta - posted on 10/10/2012

We haven't been told that our child has ADHD or ADD, but her doctor gave us Intuniv to start her on due to her behavior at school and home. Has any one else gone through this?

Micky - posted on 10/10/2012

My daughter is taking Vyvance and Intuniv. She is a gifted 17 year old with ADHD. The Vyvance was only partially working and she still struggled daily to focus on class work and homework. We tried everything else and this was the only option left. We've been very gradually adjusting her meds for quite a while, trying to get the right one. She starting adding Intuniv every evening, and with the combination, she is now able to stay focused. She took the TOVA computer test early this year, and then retook the test several days ago. It is a boring computer test to track your ability to keep focused. The first time she she took it she could not stay focused and scored very poorly. This time she tested in the normal range. she is also noticing that she can now sit and listen to a presentation and stay focused. For now we are very happy with this outcome, and we'll see if it is successful for the long haul. These meds do not make her feel funny, so that helps too. I hope this is helpful to others.

Amy - posted on 10/10/2012

Hi Suzette,

I am VERY surprised he STARTED her at 2mg! That can be dangerous, as Intuniv is a blood pressure medication and her BP can bottom out. From what two of my son's Pediatricians told me as well as his Psychiatrist, Intuniv should always be started at 1mg and only increased after a week. I hope your dd is ok and not completely zonked!



Let us know how it goes -

Amy

Suzette - posted on 10/09/2012

My daughter is 9 and has ADHD. She was started on Ritalin SR, 40 mg and was doing great, but had bad tummy aches. So, we tried her on Vyvance, that was bad! Tried her on Ritalin LA, it was okay, but not great. We went back to Ritalin SR with a instant release of Ritalin at 3:00 pm (10 mg) to pull her through the afternoon and evening for homework. the tummy aches got better with a medication for stomach pain md added.

She does get facial tics and some hallucinations (both auditory and visual). Today doc put her on Intuniv to see if we can get better results without increasing the stimulant because of the side effects. He started her on 2mg in the evening. Any thoughts for what to expect? I have not read anyone on Ritalin, but several on Focalin. I guess I am nervous because I am the first person our doc has used this on, at my request.

Susan - posted on 10/09/2012

My grandson in now 13 he has been on meds since he was 6 years old for his ADHD he is now on intuniv &. Zoloft he hates how it makes he feel and I as a grandmother worry every day about it. He hates taking it says he.s not himself and he is so sluggish he tells me all the time. When he is with me I do not make him take it and he does fine. I just don.t understand why they have him on both meds. I am so afraid that in time he will like the feeling he has while taking it and become a Pill popper Im not sure his mother is doing him justice by letting the doctors continue to give it to him. It can.t be safe they have to check his blood pressure all the time he is very thin for his age and we have to make him eat. Have always heard your food is your fuel well no food no fuel sluggish, thin, can't make it thru the day without falling asleep where's the sign. If the teachers cant deal with a child being a little hipper than get out of the profession I think they like a room full of zombies that's what's wrong with our world. I could go on forever but I want I just want someone else that feels the same way. One Worried Grandmother" HELP

Amy - posted on 10/08/2012

Hi Anna,

Is your son on anything else now besides the Intuniv? Did you stop Concerta?



Amy

Anna - posted on 10/08/2012

We just switched to Intuniv also, my son started Friday morning and he is complaining of headaches since yesterday morning. I'm waiting for the doctor to call me back. The only good thing I found with it so far is he goes to bed now without any problems or arguments, he is completely exhausted by 7-730. Which was not the case before when he was taking Concerta.

I will keep you posted on what the doctor says. :)

Thank you, Anna

Amy - posted on 10/05/2012

Hi Kimberli,

Sleepiness is definitely a side effect of Intuniv! My son has been on it for a year and a half. Every time I would increase his med (he's on the 3mg now), from 1mg to 2mg, then from 2mg to 3mg which I did just a week ago, he says "Mommy, I'm tired." That is totally normal. His Pediatrician says it takes 3 weeks for the side effects to start to diminish.



Good luck,

Amy

Kimberli - posted on 10/04/2012

My son just started kindergarten last month, and it's been one upsetting note home from school after another. He is most definitely ADHD and possibly has aspergers or mild autism. I had him enrolled in Child Developmental Services for preschool last year. About 3 weeks ago, his pediatrician and I decided to start ADHD medication- Folcalin. I have to sprinkle the tablet in his breakfast before school in the morning which is challenging, because he doesn't always like to eat before school, and he could taste it in his yogurt, applesauce etc, and would throw it up. Now I put it on peanut butter english muffins, and have success, as long as I can get him to eat it before the bus comes. Anyways, last week, his pediatrician wanted me to start him on intuniv too, after school. Well, he had a stomach bug all weekend, so I just started him on it Monday. Anyways, he's exhausted! I don't know if he is still recovering from being sick, but, the school nurse had me come pick him up Tues, and today, his teachers said that he was laying down all day acting fussy and tired. He's not eating at school, but that isn't a side effect (I dont' think) I can never get him to eat when he is around a lot of people. But tonight, he fell asleep at 6:50pm! I don't know what to think, if he's still recovering from being sick or if this is a side effect. Its kinda freaking me out. I don't know what to think.

Amy - posted on 10/02/2012

I love it Fara!

We also have our FIRST IEP meeting of the year this Thursday for my second grader. He is in a regular classroom right now, and I am not happy about it. I e-mailed the principle yesterday and asked her WHY he was not put in an inclusion, or "team taught" classroom. He has an IEP for goodness sake! He really needs the extra teacher in the class re-directing him and keeping him on task. He is doing AWEFUL so far this year in a class of 21 kids and ONE teacher, not to mention his poor teacher that is completely overwhelmed. I knew that was disaster at open house when we found out, but I was just gonna let it play out for a little while until that teacher had had enough and then I called a meeting. He will now be moved to the team taught second grade class, with the extra teacher. Sometimes they just have to learn things the hard way, that parents know best...at least most of the time. LOL



We'll see how it goes. Hopefully my meeting will go as smoothly as yours did!



Good luck -

Amy

FARA - posted on 10/01/2012

Amy,

You are a girl after my own heart!! Loved your post & your spunk!! Stick up for your child's rights just as I do. That's right, they need to deal with it & if they can't they need to find a really wonderful school that can. Just had our IEP meeting last week for one child & thank goodness it went so well. They know him already since he's been in this school for a year now. And, they also know not to call me for nonsense because I am not having it!!!

My other child's 504 meeting is this Thursday & I hope it goes just as well. They don't realize yet that we'll be changing his 504 to an IEP because he just started Middle School & things are a little different now. Six teachers & six different classes to deal with. All of his teachers are awesome so far, working with me & understanding what he needs. Except for one, and she is in for a rude awakening come Thursday. Going to that meeting armed with the "pissing contest" emails that have gone back & forth between her & I. Hope she comes prepared too....... ;)

Fara

Amy - posted on 10/01/2012

Lucinda,

I know headaches are not common, but a possible side effect of Intuniv. Maybe you should give it a few more days for her body to adjust. My Dr. says it takes a few weeks for them to adjust to the med.



Good luck,

Amy

Lucinda - posted on 10/01/2012

I daughter complained about headache on day 4, so I don't know if I should keep giving it to her.

Amy - posted on 10/01/2012

Hi Fara, Micki, Ronelle, and Lauri!



I have been reading all your posts and feel like I already know you gals :)



My son has been on Intuniv for a year and a half, and it is an ever changing thing. Some days are good, some days are bad. My ds started on the 1mg for a week when he was 6, then went to 2mg a week later. We stopped at the 2mg dose. He has been on 2mg ever since. Well, since the beginning of this school year, we have struggled with his behavior, and the bitching and complaining from the school resumes once again. This happens every year and I hate it. I tell them every year, he has ADHD, there is no cure. It is a huge school district, you have endless resources, and my son has an IEP. DEAL WITH IT. And they do.



Over the past year and a half, my ds has had many days where he is paranoid. Not quite sure if it's the Intuniv, or his personality. Maybe a mixture of both. I usually try to downplay it, not make it a big deal...get him to laugh and he forgets all about being scared. Sometimes I cuddle with him and he feels better. BUT...I tried to wean him off the Intuniv a few weeks ago, because silly me, I thought "does he really need this any more, is it still working, maybe he would be fine with out it??" OMG. After 2 days, he was SPRINTING through the house, bouncing off the walls, and grinding his teeth, saying "Mom, I feel like I'm going crazy! My mind is going a million different directions!!" So, back up we went to the 2mgs again. In fact, I think now we will be increasing it to 3mgs, as he is almost 8 now and weighs almost 13lbs more than he did when he first started on it..



I empathize with all of you. I KNOW how hard every day is. I DREAD seeing the bus come down the street and opening my son's book bag to read what I call the "nasty grams" from his school. They don't care about my son, they are just annoyed with him and don't want to deal with him. But guess what? I'm no dummy, and I KNOW that because I got my son an IEP, he can NEVER legally be expelled from school. So I WIN! and so does my little boy :)



Good luck to you!

Amy

Lucinda - posted on 09/30/2012

My daughter is on day 4 with 1 mg of Intuniv. I give to her about 4 pm every afternoon. What's the best time to give the medicine? She has headache today. I don't know if I should keep giving her Intuniv.

Heather - posted on 09/29/2012

Isabell - There is a 4mg Intuniv.

Isabell - posted on 09/29/2012

My son has ADHD and has been on Intuniv (dose at night) since he was 5 and he is now 7. He started at 2mg which was working good for kindergarten. The first approx. 2 weeks he was tired, but then he was ok and was able to learn in school and he had all his personality. We were glad that it worked since we tried concerta first which turned him so emotional...he cried and felt alone, it just depressed him. At age 6 in first grade the meds wore down and we bumped him to 3mg. He did good and is in 2nd grade now and still does really well at school, but we have noticed that near the end of the day the meds wear off now. I was told there is no 4mg. Not sure what we will do if the meds arent strong enough to keep him focused for after school homework. I also notice that if he misses a dose you can definitely tell. And if he missed two or more after giving him one he would be sleepy. The sleepiness leaves after being on the meds regularly. I recommend it.

Fara - posted on 09/28/2012

Rosemary,

Your child sounds exactly like mine, with anxiety being his worst... The Dr. finally went in a different direction & put him on an anti-depressant (Mirtazipine ~ generic for Remeron) & he is a whole new child. Does nothing for his ADHD, but he is finally happy!!! We are thinking about Clonidine for the ADHD as he is now in 3rd grade & there is more work & he is starting to frustrate over it. Want to catch it before he freaks... I am so happy to read your post about this med as I was on the fence about it. Do yourself a very large favor get that child off every stimulant medication & never put them on again... The stimulants are poison for kids with anxiety. I only tried them because they work fast & you can tell in a couple of days what they are doing. Good luck to you & your family....

Fara

Fara - posted on 09/28/2012

Hey Brooke,

I haven't been on in a long time, however, I read your post & it reminded me of when my son was taking Intuniv. Have you had her blood pressure checked within the past couple of days?? If she doesn't look right to you go with your Mommy instincts... Take her to the Dr. We got to 2 mg & it was a struggle the whole time. He was miserable!! Dr. wanted me to go to 3mg. I kept hoping it would get better, it didn't... Never went to 3mg & took him off. You know your child...

Deborah - posted on 09/27/2012

we just switched to intuniv and my son has been doing nothing but sleeping, he goes to school and will fall asleep and has been a little more emotional, i really hope this medicine works, could be the withdrawals from the vyvanse, i really don't know. 1mg and he fell asleep right away, i hope it goes away

Val - posted on 09/25/2012

My daughter has taken inuniv for about 4 months now and we have seen no side effects. For the first time she eats, she is not having any OCD symptoms as she did with vyvanse, and many other drugs, more of her personality shows through the medications. She also takes less of her medication for hyperactivity. I like it so far. Good luck! I hope your child's results are as good.





Valen

Brooke - posted on 09/25/2012

My daughter has been taking Intuniv for 2 weeks today. Last week she was bumped up from 1mg to 2mgs. In the last several days I have been seeing her not be able to sleep because she is having horrible nightmares or she will fall asleep but then wake up from nightmares that seem to be very vivid? Has anyone else gone through this and has it subsided with time? I also will notice her face being very pale which makes me think her blood pressure is dropping. She has never had problems with sleeping before and is taking Intuniv for her inability to concentrate not hyperactivity. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Tracy Scott - posted on 09/18/2012

This med was added to my sons (8) medications. 30mg focalin & at 3pm he gets a dose liquid 1 1/2 tsp of ritalin to help with after school & homework. He hasn't been on it quite a week yet. What do you guys think about his meds? He also has ODD & NF1 thanks.

Melany - posted on 09/15/2012

My son has been on it for two years now. 1mg, 3x's a day. Just last week it got changed to 2mg, once a day due to his growth spurt. (7inches in one year, and 25 pounds)

It is excellent. WE had tried about 12 other medications in a 5 year period. Give it time. The only side effects my son has went through was headaches due to him not having his medicine for two weeks while waiting for the new medical to kick in. Follow the dose exactly. IF he was even late on a dose, his demeanor changed and it instantly reminded me to give it to him right away. What is your child on it for.

Val - posted on 09/13/2012

My 8 year-old daughter has been taking intuniv since May, and it has been a dream. We have experienced no negative side effects and more of her sweet little personality shows through. This medication combined with focaline (not sure of spelling). Allows my daughter to really do well in school, make friends, and just be an every day kid. I hope that your child reacts to this medication as my Lauryn has. Just a side note, we found the drug that you combine it with does makea difference, when combined with Vyvance it was a mess, when combined with focaline it was wonderfulf! We had to change doctors (and drive to a different city all together to get this change to happen, but it was so worth it).





Sincerely,





Val Ford

Stephanie - posted on 09/12/2012

Oh my, some of these posts sounds so much like what we've gone through :( I wish all of you the best of luck finding the right medication and path for your children. It is so hard when they have problems.

Stephanie - posted on 09/12/2012

This is an old post, but thought I'd reply. My son has been on Intuniv for about 2 months (he's almost 7) and it has been SOOOO much better for us than Vyvanse. I think the root of his problems lies in anxiety so a stimulant was NOT the answer. Intuniv caused him to be overly sleepy for about 4 days but then he adjusted and has normal energy, not hyperactive, not sedated. His personality remains largely unchanged except he laughs more and is generally happier, I think because it has calmed the anxieties. Good luck to all of you!

Patrick-Charla C. - posted on 09/08/2012

My daughter age 6 started Intuniv last month and now is on 3mg for tics.....no other dx at this point as to why the abrupt sudden onset of tics. MD looking at PANDAS vs Touretts. Anyway I've been giving her the med every afternoon after school because thats usually when tics were worse but she's tired all of the time now, even before her med is due to b given. She looks pale, her personality seems more inward and secluded which isn't like her...... most recent she's had a couple of nightmares and today said she felt like a snake or something was crawling in herhair that she couldn't get out !! The med has reduced her mult tics but not completely BUT I'm wondering if I should discontinue the med

Colbi Marie - posted on 08/22/2012

My son is almost 8, been on meds for 3 yrs now. Same probs. but they went away in time.

Colbi Marie - posted on 08/22/2012

My son is 7, 8 in Oct. Diagnosed (for lack of better word) w/ Adhd. PreK yr. but I had thought so long before. So started on lowest dose. Like 5mg. or something. Then, each yr has had to increase little by little each beg of school yr. by minor amounts. @ 15 mg last yr. his first grade yr I noticed he started to be irritable, sleeping less, not thru the night, then being WAY grumpy in the am. I started thinking (my husband and a litte 9yr old girl I babysat both have adhd; so getting insight from them on how the different meds made them feel I looked in on my son to compare.) maybe too much at night, then started seeing ads on tv for a nonstimulant (for pm, my thinking)adhd meds. Told my sons Pediatrician/Dr my concerns and asked about what he thought, He said we could try Intuniv if I wanted. W/ very little info I did it. Started 1mg, nothing so after 3-4 wks he was gradually increased to 2mg of Intuniv little better, 3 mg seemed to be ok.. Due to income reasons he was out of the Adderall for 5 days. I started giving him the Intuniv in the place of the adderrall, my husband was out as well. Wow. I didnt know if we were all going to make it cause he doesnt take the intuniv. Lol. I would ask my son how the Intuniv (afternoon pill, lol) made him feel; if he still felt so yucky and bad. He said no mom, it helps me feel better. I said well do you still feel tired, yeah, just not so mad, and bad. I said ok. So when he got the adderall (his am pills to curb hyperactivity, etc for school) back, and started the Intuniv (afternoon non stim to curb mild moodiness and end of day affects of adderall only days) he seemed better. More like the old him when his meds didn't nd to be adjusted. That's all the insight I have.

Rosemary - posted on 07/29/2012

I have had my son on intuniv at 2 different times, and both with no luck. The first time he was SUPER hyper active, and the second time it did nothing for him. He has ADHD, ODD, OCD, and anxiety. He is now on Adderal XR, risperdal, and clonidine. The only med I have any faith in is the clonidine. The adderal does not work longer than 2 hrs., and I believe he is even worse now on the risperdal. He has anger outbursts the minute I ask him to do anything that he does not want to do. I am pulling my hair out at this point. He was on vyvanse for over 2 yrs., and we just used to adjust the dosage. But it just seemed as if it stopped working for him also. I don't really know any of the side effects of intuniv, as he was not on it long enough to know. Sorry I could not be of more help. Good luck to you.

Sally - posted on 07/29/2012

My 6 year old son has been on Intuniv 1 mg for 5 months with no side effects. He tried the short acting Guanfacine and was sooo sleepy and moody on it. Switched to 1 mg Intuniv taken at bedtime and is doing so much better. He was also on a very high dose (for his height, weight, and age) of Strattera and thank goodness we switched Dr.'s or I never would have known it. Anyhow, over the past 6 months we have lowered his Strattera dose by 2/3 of his original dose and he is a whole different kid- for the better. His last main obstacle is still ADHD focus, & attention. We are about to try him on 2mg of Intuniv and see if it helps (this is the highest safe dose for his height and weight). He has tried ALL the stimulants with no success- they make him moody, irritable, cranky, cries a lot... a mess.

Kirstin - posted on 07/28/2012

I agree with you on the Non- GMO, no dye, 'food like products' The human body needs food and nutrition, like real veggies, real fruit, and very little meat or fish. Organic is the way to go, and keep the processes food out. Our kids are one more reason ALL foods should be labeled if the are produced from GMO products, we have the right to know. More people know what's in their mattress than their food.

Kirstin - posted on 07/28/2012

We tried this for our son's ODD, possible ADD and it made him soo tired, slured peach, and grumpy. He tends to have a short fuse and the Dr thought this would help. Now we are giving him concerta, he still has the same personality, didn't hype him out, and is having great days in summer school. So far Concerta is great, but so expensive. Is Ritalin SR or extended release the same as Concerta?

Val - posted on 07/26/2012

We made a switch to intunive about 8 weeks ago. So far all is well, and we have had a lot of medication woes. I hope it goes as well for you as it has been for us. School of course will be the challenge, right now we are on summer break.


Val Ford

Nicole - posted on 07/25/2012

My son is 6 and Intuniv worked great as an addition to Concerta for my son in the beginning. Our pediatrician told us the process was to gradually add on 1mg every 1/2 weeks. After about 3 months he was on 4mg of Intuniv on top of his Concerta and it just wasn't working. He was very aggressive and still very hyper, unfocused, yadda yadda. We had been going back and forth with the pediatrician for a couple years so I decided to seek out a specialist and once we got to a Child Psychiatrist it was found that my son was on 4 times the amount of Intuniv his body could handle by weight guidelines. Please be careful with any medications and always seek a specialist. Long story short, we had to ween him off ALL meds (VERY grueling process) and started him on Straterra and non-stimulant. He is also on an all-natural no dye, no preservative or GMO, or artificial flavor/sugar diet. Good luck!

Jean - posted on 07/12/2012

Hi Kari, I use this for my son managing his tourette's/tics. my biggest issue is sleepiness. a good web site to check for side effects is webmd.com or mayoclinic.com
My son has been on this medication for the last year and it has been amazing for him.

Evie - posted on 07/11/2012

My daughter has been very sleepy and also having very light sleep. She wakes up very charged up but looking tired.
She has also been very sad and serious. She cries and does not know why. I am stopping the medication. Please watch
http://www.cchr.org/videos/making-a-kill...

Sheryl - posted on 06/28/2012

I'm new to this site and grateful to be able to learn from all of you. My son is 9 and started Intiunive for ADHD/impulsivity 10 days ago. We noticed a mellowing on day one. His outbursts have decreased and he is better able to try things that he doesn't normally do. However, he has been complaining of headaches and stomach aches. He also keeps complaining that everything tastes wrong. So he's much more picky about food and isn't eating well. Do these side effects go away?

Alysson - posted on 06/16/2012

I agree with you Tracey 100%. That doesn't sound anything like ADD or ADHD, that's a behavior problem or something completely different. My son's ADHD was terrible from age 3 on and my doctors didn't even suggest considering meds until he was school aged. At age three we sure did a lot of time outs though and it kept him in line enough. Meds aren't a cure for behavior. Even with the Intuniv (which we just started last week and we are entering 2nd grade now) we also accompany the meds with weekly one on one therapy sessions and a weekly group behavior class. I agree 1000% there is no reason to ever give a 3 year old meds. Sounds like he needs behavior modification and is perhaps not ready for school just yet.

Amanda - posted on 06/12/2012

My son (5 years old) has had issues for years now. For a period they thought he was autistic, then they diagnosed him with PDD-NOS at age 3 and put him in ppcd classes in school to help him start talking. He talks nonstop now. After he was in school for about 6 months his behavior got a ton better. He's had a developmental therapist and speech therapists, and I'd always thrown around the idea of a behavioral therapist. But after a recent move (daycare and school and home all changed) he flared up again. It was worse than it had EVER been. I got daily phone calls from school and daycare. (sometimes it was one, then the other. it was daily though.) I started looking for a psychologist and ended up with a certified child counselor. But he couldn't stop jumping around, he couldn't eat, he couldn't slow down, couldn't slow down, hurt his little sister because he was too rough, couldn't go to restaurants...no punishment or discipline made anything better. NOTHING WORKED. I reached my breaking point and had to find him a new daycare and found him a psychiatrist that prescribed Intuiniv. He started at 1mg and has been on it a week, tomorrow starts the 2 mg. The difference was amazing right away. He goes to sleep, he sits down to eat, he can listen when I tell him to do something. Fits went from 45 minute long fiascos to a few minutes. He's done so well I'm hoping it continues.

Susan - posted on 06/12/2012

my daughter and my brother are both on intuniv. for my daughter it works great she is better focused and she has no aggression, for my brother it works great but he just turned 13 and now is aggressive.

Stasa - posted on 06/11/2012

We used 1mg of Intuniv as an add-on to 10mg Focalin because we did not want to increase the stimulant. It helped in school, but his sports took a turn for the worse. He became lethargic and weak physically. (I know, BP medication, but at 1mg, I could not believe it made such a difference). He is off it, and the effects were gone at about 7-8 days after stopping it. We are now looking at Straterra.

Val - posted on 06/11/2012

So far we have had luck with intuniv with my 7 year-old daughterl. We have only had her taking the medication a few weeks though. I found out it was a blood pressure medication that they found worked on people with ADHD, (how that was found beats me cause kids do not commonly suffer from hypertension). Valen Ford

Jennifer - posted on 06/11/2012

Has anyone tried k ok kiddies calmer? If so ...does it work?

Val - posted on 06/08/2012

Kari,
We just started with Intuniv, after we changed nuerologist (the other one would not take her off of Vyvance and it was causing some serious problems it seemed, he also had her on prozac OMG how bad was that). So far Intuniv has not caused any problems with her. Mira as far as QT syndrom and Intuniv I plan to look into that because that sounds like a problem that I did not expect. I am not sure but thought QT syndrom was genetic, but I plan to look into that since Intuniv was originally a Blood pressure medication. Right now we just started the combination intuniv and foculine. So far so good, but it has not been a week yet. I will keep posting about these meds. Valen

Ppowers513 - posted on 06/07/2012

hello i just found out that my son had long QT syndrome after he has been on intuniv can anyone tell me if this med had a hist of causeing this problem.

Val - posted on 05/31/2012

One more thing! People in South Central Texas (Austin, and San Antonio), you have to see Dr. Seele in San Antonio, he totally has a new approach to this crazy ADHD/Autism OCD thing. My daughter is on one maybe two meds now and is eatting and not crying or having episodes of out of controlness (hope that is a word). OMG my life is so close to being normal for once in several years.

Val

Lisa - posted on 05/25/2011

From the WebMD Intuniv reviews, I decided we would not try it. As I read along and see all the postings, especially from frustration, I have to ask, who has tried adapting thier childs diet? You have to completely eliminate artificial food colorings, eat as much organic fruit as you can, especially if you eat the skin or it does not have a protective skin. ($ this helps with cost of organic). All organic is probably best, like those veggies without a protective peel as well. Anyway, before or while you are intruducing medicines, please work on diet. Look into a great resource I have used...3 Steps to Conquering ADD/ADHD. website is www.3stepsadd.com, I believe. Kids with ADd/ADHD need to watch thier diet, and get good vitamins. I am just a mom, who has had great results for my son, with a variety of diet changes. Look up the Brain Balance Center, or the book by Dr. Robert Melillo, Disconnected Kids. I continue to find ways to help my son, without the medicine. Though I understand it is needed, and a must sometimes, but youshould try to do all the other things too. You might find you dont need meds as often, or as much. I have read about Intuniv side effects including "accidents". Many kids wet themselves and do not even know it. Blood pressure, all of those listed are important to watch for. Can be so stressful, good luck, and report your experience.

L - posted on 05/06/2011

Why in the world would you agree to giving your child a medication without thoroughly researching it?



Intuniv side effects are MAJOR and can be easily found on the manufacturer's website or by simply reading the prescribing information that comes with this medication.



I am truly amazed when a parent doesn't do due diligence BEFORE any medication change.



Really????

Lori - posted on 03/30/2011

I just found this fine, fine print Intuniv review on the internet. I guess I have my answer:

"Intuniv Side effects



Different studies show different side effect profiles for Intuniv. Some say that it has about the same rate of issues as placebo, while others show that around 10-15% stop using it because of some side effect. As far as psychoactive drugs, a 10-15% discontinuation rate due to side effects is on the lower/medium range.



The side effects of Intuniv also depend on its particular use. When used in combination therapy with stimulants, for instance, it has much less rates of sedation and sleepiness, and users seem to report less problems. This is probably because its sedative effects that lower blood pressure are counteracted by the stimulants effect of raising it.



Some of its side effects take time to start showing up, with sedation in particular starting after 3 weeks of treatment.

Most common:



30-40% report sleepiness



25% report headache



17% in one study reported upper respiratory tract infection



10% report sedation



Other common side effects include dizziness, nausea, irritability and reduced salivary flow.

Concerns



In one study, 5 participants out of 262 who took Intuniv experienced syncope, or “temporary loss of consciousness.” In layman’s terms, they fainted or blacked out.



The clinical trials dedicated to exploring safety did not have such incidences, and it’s possible that the syncope events were environmentally based. One of the sufferers, after all, had a history of such issues. And guanfacine has a long history of use. So while those numbers are alarming, they are explainable.



Other possible side effects that may be an issue: head injury, suicidal ideation.



Like with all psychoactive medications, people using Intuniv should be monitored for anything abnormal like increased feelings of depression."

Lori - posted on 03/30/2011

My 9 year old son started taking Intuniv 1 year ago after becoming increasingly impulsive. He had an evaluation & EEG & was diagnosed with (their words) a sub-catagory of ADHD with an emphasis on impulse disorder. At first it really helped him but slowly lost effectiveness over time. It was the 1st medication we tried after 1 1/2 years of trying everything else. We slowly increased his dose until we reached 4mg. About a month ago he threatened suicide (was on 3mg at the time) & his emotions were all over the place. His pediatrician did not think at the time that it was a side effect of the medicine so we increased his dose to 4mg. For 2 weeks he did awesome then his emotions tanked again. He was never depressed before. He is being picked on & we have been dealing with that. This past Friday he wrote out a plan for suicide so we ended up in the ER for a psychiatric evaluation (5 hours). They determined that he was not a threat to himself & discharged him saying that they believed it was an Intuniv side effect. In some rare cases it does cause depression & mania. We were advised to stop taking the Intuniv. Tomorrow we are going for another full scale psychiatric evaluation. You just never know how a medication is going to affect your child. I did not ever dream that it would cause this depression. Good luck to everyone. It really is a journey.

Teather - posted on 03/21/2011

My daughter is almost 9 she was on Vyvanse and that was a HORRIBLE experience. So the doc. put her on Intuniv, it was going well for the first 2 or 3 months but now, it is hard to get her of the couch and play she is gaining wait, she is just to tired, falling asleep in class. She is constently complaining about stomach pain and headaches, She's not eating as much either. We dont give candy, extra sugars, our pop. We have a very well rounded diet. We are going in to change meds due to Intuniv side effects.

Renee - posted on 03/19/2011

My 9 year old has ADHD and I am sure he is ODD as well, I believe they go hand in hand. He has been on Adderoll, and Concerta since he was 7. I tried all of the behavior Mods out there. We went to UB and went through their ADHD program to avoid meds, but in the end, he ended up on Adderoll. We did not like this med, so many side effects. It controlled his hyperactivity and focus, but his mood swings were horrid and he tantrummed constantly. Then we went to Concerta, which is what he is on now, and it has worked better than the first. But I hate the fact that he is on a stimulant, he's still so scrawny and his focus is beginning to fall apart again. he still has major melt downs and it is so frustrating for us. His teacher tells us he is one of her brightest kids but he can't focus long enough to take the tests, he rushes through and makes careless mistakes. When she verbally asks him the questions, he knows the answers but cannot sit long enough to put the correct answers down. We are frustrated with his behavior, his lack of caring, his nastiness and aggression. I am always looking for non-stimulant meds, someone told me about Strattera and then the doc said they didn't like it. So I am wondering about Intuniv because I just saw a commercial for it. I just don't want to put him in unnecessary risk of heart problems. So far, all sounds great with the Intuniv.

My son's behaviors started early too, actually by 2 or 3. I had him in the ADHD UB study at age 4, and we went through all of the behavior and indepth positive behavior reinforcements and by age 7, it was clear that he had to be medicated because he could not control it. In the beginning, the behavior issues and hyperactivity issues were controlled by the positive reinforcements and IT was a LOT of work, constant reinforcing the behaviors we wanted to see and giving kudos and prizes when we saw them and then consistently blocking the ones we did not want. I believe you may not be able to diagnose a child early, but with two boys three years apart, you can definitely tell at age 2 or 3 that there is a problem. They go beyond normal terrible two and terrible 3 behavior and hyperactivity. They do everything to the extreme and their tantrums are unbearable. We chose not to medicate because he was too little and when we did medicate him at age 7, it was the most difficult decision I ever had to make. I am a teacher of 2nd grade children and I know and see the side effects first hand and I vowed to never medicate my child, until I had one with ADHD. Let's not judge people, we all know how devastating, demanding and taxing it is to have a child with ADHD. We should just help one another deal with what God gave us. So I am going to talk to my doctor about Intuniv reviews and try it before the summer, because I do not medicate him in the summer. I just let him be a boy.

Kristi - posted on 02/10/2010

update...we went to the dr yesterday and the intunive is causing my sons blood pressure to drop and his pulse. We left him on it as its not too alarming to remove but we were not able to increase it. This is something you must monitor when your taking it.