which meds for ADHD work for you?

April May - posted on 11/18/2010

Both my kids and myself take concerta. It really helps even a low dose. im not big on the meds thing but i have to take it myself. My kids have taken it since they were 5 and 6.they are now 13 and 14.

Tammie - posted on 11/11/2010

my daughter is 11 was diag with adhd,odd recently she was put on intuniv, less side effects, and my daughter is doing well on it

Gina - posted on 11/11/2010

My son is also small for his age. One of our biggest concerns is that the medication will stunt his growth. He's only 49 lbs and has been difficult with eating since he was born! We tried fish oil but he refused to take it! It does taste nasty (I tried it. lol). We are very new at this, he's only been on concerta for 4 days. lol

April - posted on 11/07/2010

my son is 8 also hes on intuitv 1mg and concertta 36 mg they seem to work well over the summer we tried vyance(spelling not right) he slept the whole day and he was on the lowest dose so we went back to concerrta Im greatful that we didnt have to to bounce from meds to meds and he was good with it. I know of other children that its a trail and error effect

Laurie - posted on 11/04/2010

I went through the same thing with my son. I knew something wasnt quite right and took him to numerous psychologist etc. Finally when our family was at its wits end we took him to one of the famous AMEN CLINICS and actually had a brain scan done. He has RING OF FIRE ADHD. We discovered it would be more of an injustice not to help him train his inflexible brain. His school work suddenly came together and yet he was a bit too aggressive. It was then determined to give him a secondary medication to allow some flexibility that the stimulant was actually making worse. Just know that you may have to change them around a few times. As the childs metabolism changes and with their age. Stay with it and dont lose hope. I am now tryign to change my sons meds due to his body changes and i am scared all over again!

Tina - posted on 11/03/2010

My son who is now 26 was a ritalin child. It was the only drug available and unfortunately it was at a time that the school board said if I did not medicate, he would be suspended from school. The ritalin worked well....as far as I was concerned at the time. He was medicated from grade 3 to grade 8. Once he went to high school the doctor gave him the choice. He said no. However, my son got involved in football, rugby, basketball, baseball.....that saved him. He finished school and is now a manager of a restaurant. However!!!! my son tells me that he hated the ritalin. He said he was like a zombie....at times he was completely zoned out and could not concentrate. Now I feel bad because I forced him to take it for so many years.

Trudi - posted on 11/03/2010

I have three kids who have been on various meds.... one was on concerta for 5 years... switched to Vyvanse when the concerta stopped working. My youngest has tried ritaloin, concerta, strattera, adderall and now vyvanse. My middle is on Biphentin. It depends really on the child and their challenges. Because each child is so different, it is trial and error until you find the right one. Keep a log or diary of some sort to help you keep track of the behaviour changes so you know if it is working



There are a few sites you could try looking at also:

www.caddac.ca

www.addadhdblog.com



hopefully these sites can provide you with some insight

Tami - posted on 11/01/2010

My son has been on Adderahl (sp) since he was 7. He is now 12. It has worked wonderfully for the most part, but like with all medications they stop doing their full job eventually. When he was 10 that's when it happened. Refusing to up the dose any more than it already was we turned to a Naturopath. We started a gluten free and organic diet along with a fish oil supplement from Nordic Naturals. The change we saw in a month was astounding. We haven't had to change a thing with the meds and for the most part everything has been perfect! I can't enough about going gluten free and starting a fish oil regimen. It is a complete life change and can be expensive but to us it was well worth it to not have to medicate our son more. Hope this helps. I don't know anything about any of the meds you list as we have always used Adderahl (sp)
Take care

Valerie - posted on 10/22/2010

My seven year old son (on meds for two years now) started on Adderal XR (loss of appetite and sluggish) then Vyvance (no sleep for three days and wired) now on Focalin XR 5mg. We tried to bump him up to 10 mg but that resulted with sluggish and tummy aches so we backed down to 5mg.
School he does all right, other learning disabilities take over, but by 2:30 he's ready to go again. Also a bed-wetter, we just moved and am looking for a new specialist with a new angle to look at things.
A never-ending journey that's for sure. My husband was on Ritalin as a boy so our views are a bit different-he sees the more strict/no flexibility side of things while my mother was a Special Education teacher so I experienced 'that' side of learning disabilities and that every child is amazing. *sigh*
Suggestions?

Christine - posted on 10/14/2010

concerta worked for my son the best with the lest side affects. but his body got used to it fast and i am at the point of finding something else my self but for know he is on nothing i dont like having him on a pill. i have noticed he is calmer when he gets his coffee with proten mixed in to a shake in the morning and less sugar i also give him a sleep aid that is all natural its called melintonin or something like that my mom got it from walmart after researching it and asking lots of doctors about it.

Jennifer - posted on 10/13/2010

my son has tried all of them most can have side affects like impolse control this is what we have trouble with onn these meds , We now uses vyvanse this is one med. the use after trying all the others. The best thing i can tell you is now the side effects to each meds, have your doc. on speed dial and start trying one at a time to find the right fit. this doesnt sound good but it is the way it works.

Susan - posted on 10/13/2010

For those Mothers out there that are having a time with your child falling a sleep at night, my son also has to take Melatonin to help him fall asleep which was also recommended by his Dr. He would stay up all night and didn't want to get up the next morning and would be so tired, so she suggested we get some Melatonin to help him fall asleep, non habit forming and you can get it at Walmart, and its natural, and IT WORKS!! Hope that helps those who are having a hard time falling asleep at night it really helps my son to fall asleep and sleep all night!! I also have some that I use sometimes, it really does help you to fall asleep!! Susan

Susan - posted on 10/13/2010

Hi Jen, I have an 8 year old son as well with ADHD, he is on Vyvanse its new and it is great for him. He has been moved up to 50mg as of right now, but it helps so much! I was not happy to have him on meds but it has made the biggest difference in his school work, that he made the Principals List last year, for all As & Bs, so that to me was pretty awesome!!! This med as been a life saver in his school work and his attention span, before he wasn't doing well at all in school because he could not focuse on his work, he wanted to play & run aroun, couldn't be still, up all the time, interuppting the class, so something had to be done and his Doc put him on Vyvanse, she was very good at checking on him and having him in every 2 months to check his progress and wanting to see his report cards and notes from his teachers. But Vyvanse has been a great med for him! Thanks for listening, Susan

Nicole - posted on 10/11/2010

well one of my son classmate mom said that there are two good meds she suggested and its concertra and strattara she said one work good at night and work work good doing the day so look into them and my a good choice for your child because i know i will.

Laurie - posted on 10/10/2010

My son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 4 years old! His father and I did not see eye to eye on the medications. I tried everything with my child before I placed him on medication. My son had a very hard time in school and I hated seeing him struggle. The Dr. and I talked and he was placed on concerta.It works great for my child but what works for one may not work for another but I have only heard good things about concerta. Like all meds there are side effects for him it was loss of appeitite and unable to sleep. I have now come up with ways to get him in bed at night and to keep his weight gain up. When I get up in the morning he is starving so I make him a big healthy breakfast and then give him his meds in the morning. At night he starts to get hungry right before bed so I would make him pb&j sandwich. My son is in the 5th grade now and we have adjusted his meds this past month....he now take 2 36mg of concerta and it has worked great for him.

Jackie - posted on 10/08/2010

the meds that my son is on where helping at first also now the school calls me every day telling me he has lots of trouble in school on a daily basic and he cant foruc on his school work and even at home he seems not to stay still hes always running around touching or diging looking for something..one minute hes fine and the next his a different kid..i dont know he drives me insane but im trying my best to have patients just for him as well for my other kids...what can i do next im already taking him to different places and i know it takes time but i want help right away for him and our family

Jackie - posted on 10/08/2010

ive used adderall for my son and it made him lose so much wrieght he was a size 10 now hes a 6 now im taking him to see different doctors and so on to see whats best for him i heard concertra is the best..i want to see and try it but i want is the best for my son and get him better

Tonina - posted on 10/08/2010

my son daughter and husband are all on adderall and they wrkd wonders 4 all 3 of them! the dosing had 2 b regulated and adjusted bcuz it was eithr 2 strong and caused stomach upset or was 2 low and didnt wrk very well but once they got the right dosage they all 3 hav made drastic improvemnt my son n daughter went from Ds n Fs 2 As and Bs my husband went from jerk 2 darn near angel :) good luck hope it all wrks out im sure it will!

Heather - posted on 10/08/2010

well I can tell her and so would my 17yr old son it takes about a week or so to get used to the meds. Just like getting used to any med. But once you do, it is fine, if the med is the right one for you. Yes there are differences. But that is why she is taking it. And the benefits are so huge. And once they get to a point where they can function without them they do come off as my son has. It is very important to keep a running dialogue with your child about the med and it's effects. And when they feel it is losing its effectiveness and so on. It makes them feel like they have more control an d after all only they do know what and how they are feeling. I would recommend an extended release if it is available and they can take it. That way there is no stigma at school with having to take med every day and not the sharp peaks and valleys when the med kicks in and subsides therefore not the loss of appetite

Marion - posted on 10/07/2010

I made an post in Jan. and well new update daughter is going to be 14. After time she said she did not liek the way the meds made her feel and really who I am to disagree with that. So now she is doing it without meds. It is hard because she is truely stubborn and school has been a huge struggle, but I keep telling her if she is choosing to live life without meds then she has to learn how to deal with those things that make her feel unstable. She is trying harder this year to listen to us (her parents) and I think we have better teachers this year who she is also trying to do better with.

Mary - posted on 10/07/2010

My daughter is on concerta it helps my daughter she hasn been other 2 medications.The reason for the change my daughters body built tolerance after about 2 years of more My boyfriends daughter was on strattara honestly it didn't work very well for her. My daughter has ADHD since she was 8

Heather - posted on 10/07/2010

I agree when you find the right med for you child and you see how they help your child it is such a relief. And you feel soooo...well it is hard to describe. But there is such a stigma against the meds because they are way over perscribed. By drs who just want to appease parents who don't want to deal with their kids and teachers who want all kids to act the same. But for people like me and my kids who have an actual problem, the chemical imbalance in the brain, which is in fact what it is. It is a chance to function and learn how to function on a normal level. Because left untreated it does increase. In my youngest son we only gave him his meds during the school year and not on the weekend, unless something was going on where he really needed to concentrate. He is now 17 and has been off his med this whole year

Nell - posted on 10/06/2010

my son was 3 when he was put meds for ADHD we tryed all of them and nothing worked.when we tryed ritlain that has worked the best he is going to be 16 my daughter has ADD and she takes it also it seems to work for her also. It's so hard when you find out something is wrong with your kids, and they need to take meds for it. but once you see how it has help them you know it was the right thing to have them take the meds.

Marcia - posted on 10/06/2010

There are 2 types of meds for ADHD that I have found....stimulants and non-stimulants. You need to see which type works best for you and take it from there. I think that both straterra and concerta are nonstimulants. Dexidrine is a stimulant for ADHD and has a calming effect. My son tried just about everything out there and the stimulants worked best for him. Good luck and hang in there.

Sarai - posted on 10/06/2010

ADHD meds are a trial and error thing. What works for one isnt always the best for others. My daughter started on Strattera and had a bad reaction on it. They put her on Concerta next and she started to do really well but then the meds started to make her constipated and so we are know on Vyvanse and it is working awesome. Vyvanse according to my dr and psycolgist says that it is the drug of choice. It works well for most. You are going to but you child on somethings that might not work but dont get frustrated and talk and communicate with your dr. Let them know what you see and talk to them and your childs teachers. Good luck!

Michelle - posted on 10/04/2010

I love the Daytrana Patches.. My son is 8 and the other meds turn him into a zombie and would alter his moods and emotions. On the Daytrana Patches my son can sit down and concentrate. We put the patch on in the morning and take it off at dinner time and he sleeps like a rock. It is wonderful!!!!

Keytasher - posted on 09/29/2010

After reading a lot of the responses I think i need to try the Vyvance! My son is 10 years old and was diagnosed at 8, although the school has info on him and his diagnosis he is getting very out of control with his anger as he gets older. I tried the concerta and he started having heart palpitations; he also has asthma and has to take meds for this as well. I'm so tired of the medicatio0ns and had stopped giving them to him. He also had lost his appetite with the first dose of concerta as we continued to try it he began to have sleep deprivation and was up all night. After a couple of days of this I just took him off. Now that he is older the anger is more prominent and he keeps getting into altercations at school. It only seems problematic at school because I'm not there every minute of the day telling him when to calm down or stop some behavior. I have been to meeting after meeting trying to get some help and I think I finally found it i the responses that are being given. I appreciate all of you moms who are trying to help your children cause no one seems to really understand what ADHD really is and the different mood swings of a child going through this. I wish you and your children much success in life and will definitely let you know what my results are when I get going with this new medication for my boy!

Heather - posted on 09/29/2010

i took ritalin from kindergarten thru 9th. I am now 43. I chose to stop taking it. I have wished for numerous reason i didn't but hindsight is 20/20. My son now 17 just recently stopped taking meds. He started taking ritalin in 1st then in 6th we started with adderall xr. We really liked the adderall xr. he took only one pill in the am.It didn't have the peaks that the ritalin had and it didn't depress his appetite. He didn't have the dosage increases either. Now we have never given him his meds on the weekend or when he was out of school. And for as long as he was able to make an informed decision he has communicated with us and his docs about his meds. This is very important because he is taking them and he knew how he felt

Bonnie - posted on 09/27/2010

1 mg of Intuniv and he responded almost from day one, which is unusual. He was 6 and only weighed around 44 pounds, maybe that's why. He's now 7 and 48 pounds, but still on 1 mg and it's helped so much. Took him WEEKS to no be so sleepy, but it was worth it, he's doing much better at school (and his school is totally over the top with the zero tolerence rules). It helped him mostly with being more calm at school, not as feisty with the teachers.

Jen - posted on 09/26/2010

My daughter Dianna is on Concerta for about a year now and this seems to work well for her. She had been on Ritalin in the past and I did not like the side effects for her, plus it did not seem like it was helping. She just turned 12 and takes 54 mg in the morning before school, it lasts 8 hrs, so she takes a 10mg booster when she gets home from school. This helps her stay focused and on task for homework and chores. At night she takes Seroquel to help with the anger outbursts. The medication combined with art therapy has been tremendously effective with her. Her grades and behaviour has dramatically changed.

Jennifer - posted on 09/23/2010

my son is 6 and also ADHD and he was taking Concerta for awhile and then all of a sudden had an allergic reaction with hives...not severe but bad enough to take him to ER....he's been on a few different kinds and now been on Vyvanse 30mg once in am for over 6months and seem to be working well... good luck and remember you know ur kid better than any1 else so dont let them drs over dose his meds i feel so bad that my sons gotta take the meds im really looking into alternative measures....DIET is #1 member that....good diet really helps! :)

LISA M. - posted on 09/22/2010

FOR MY SON IT WAS DEPAKOTE THAT WORKED BEST FOR HIM WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER AND THE ADHD WAS MORE DOMANATE IN HIM NOW THAT HE IS OLDER THE BYPOLAR HAS SEEMED TO TAKE MORE CONTROL OVER HIM AND HE HAS HAD TO BE PUT ON LITHIUM AND HE IS OFF THE MEDICATION FOR THE ADHD AND HE IS DOING GREAT.. HE IS ON THE HONOR ROLL IN THE 11TH GRADE NOW AND WAS ON THE HONOR ROLL ALL YEAR LAST YEAR TOO IN THE 10TH GRADE... THE ONLY PROBLEMS THAT I NOW HAVE WITH HIM ARE THE NORMAL TEENAGER STUFF ... AND YOU WOULD THINK THAT WITH ALL THAT I HAVE DELT WITH IN THE PAST WITH HIM THAT THIS STUFF NOW WOULD BE A BREEZE .. YEA RIGHT AT LEAST I KNOW HOW TO CONTROL THE OTHER PROBLEMS... LOL... THIS TEENAGER STUFF IS FOR THE BIRDS.... MY DAUGHTER WAS EASY IN HER TEENAGE YEARS.... THEY NEED A BOOK JUST FOR BOYS AND THE LIFE OF THE TEENAGE YEARS SIMPLIFIED...LOL....

Rachel - posted on 09/22/2010

my son has been on vyvanse for almost a year. I swear by it. His self esteem is amazing, his concentration level has improved tremendously. It works well for my son, who is on the higher end of the activity level of adhd according to the pediatrician. He did say that their growth can be slowed by the vyvanse but not stunted. Good luck

Melanie - posted on 09/20/2010

We used Daytra Patch, it was the lowest dose for his age & weight and it only lasted 9 hours a day for school hours, worked great for our son, no dazed looks or meds issuses. easy to use and something we didn't have to force down him or trick him into. peeled it off and stick it to his hip.

Dana - posted on 09/17/2010

Jen, I have been introduced to Intunive!! It is a nonstimulant and is half organic!! You might want to ask and research this!! This is my first time dealing with this so I am not experianced with it! But I do like the fact that it is a nonstimulant and is half organic!! My son is 4 and has been having problems for 2 years!! We just started this med cause I was reluctant to start him on meds so young, however, he was very close to being kicked out of school! He is such a sweet little boy but could not control his impulses and was aggressive at times so we have to do what we need to for our babies!!

Kari - posted on 09/16/2010

I am the proud Mom of a wonderful boy. I'm also a Nurse. My son is 14 now & he was diagnosed w/ ADHD @ 4 (although I knew it MUCH sooner!) We tried everything, diet, vitamins, "Natural" remedies, etc, etc! We tried Adderall XR, Straterra, Concerta, & now we are on Vyvanse. The stimulants work better for him, and for me too. Unfortunately he got it from me! My best advise is to give the meds a try. You can always go off of them if you don't like the side effects. As far as stunting his growth, that didn't occur in his case. My son is generally tall & thin anyway. I just fed him when he was hungry & let his eat anything he wanted. I STUFFED him on the weekends! I also found with ALL the ADHD kids I personally know & one's I've seen in my office, the single BEST thing you can do for your ADHD child is keep them as organized as possible! Make lists & have the child "check off" items as they are finished. Even as simple as "Put Bike Away" or "Brush Teeth" or "Make Bed." Check off chores too: "Feed Dog" or "Dust Furniture" It takes a little more time, but it will pay off in the end! Remember, Positive Reinforcement & Patience are the key. Your ADHD kid will be a great Multi-Tasker & can excell as a Physician or Lawyer because they can think quickly & manage several different things at a time. Find his/her forte' & nurture it! Good Luck!

Autumn - posted on 09/16/2010

My son just recently got put in Intiniv. It is actually working so well. He comes home from school SOOO happy with himself that he didnt get into any trouble and learned new things. He was very sleepy at first, but that wore off when his body got use to the meds. They are also a non-stimulant, so they should affect him the rest of his life like they say stimulants do.

Every child is different, so certain meds will work while others dont. Its trail and error, hit or miss kind of thing. Good Luck :)

Clarissa - posted on 09/15/2010

doctor put my son on Vyvance worked for a couple monthes but then he uped it to 50 mg and it caused his heart to go too fast his blood pressure went up and every time he went to PE at school he would pass out, We looked it online and said if any of the symptomes we saw to stop taking we saw alot nasty behavior ect all was listed we stopped it cold turkey called his doctor and he got mad we I have since changed doctors and he is on other meds and doing fine, watch all the symptoms research them all because it can kill or almost like it did my son, doctor is lucky I have not sued him I was told to but not worth the headach but if it had been worse I would hope no child has to go thru this it scared him and us

Amy - posted on 09/03/2010

my two sons are on adderall xr. my oldest son is 17 years old and he has been on it since he was about 6 years old. he is an ab student thanks to this drug. my middle son is 13 and he has been on adderall xr for a year now. he failed 6th grade but after they put him on this med. he is also an ab student. and they only have to take one pill a day. i really like this med

Vicky - posted on 09/03/2010

i was the same as you , wanted help but did not want to turn my son in to a zombie or change who he is my docter prescribed him with methlphenidate so far hes great still the same kid but less figity and more able to concentrate the have been a god send

viki x

Jessica - posted on 09/01/2010

I am a champion for Vyvanse. It has worked wonderfully for my daughter for 2 years with very little dosage change. Vyvanse works different than most of the other meds because it only has 1 salt (your doctor can explain all that to you). It gives a consistent coverage throughout the day and last around 10 hours for us. It's a once-a-day dose that's taken only in the morning (before school) and has very few side effects. The only one we had to deal with was appetite supression. But after a few weeks of taking it every day, that goes away because the body adjusts to the meds.

We have tried Daytrana, which is a patch, but they can take them off and then you don't get results they need. The good thing is that once they are removed, they will not stick to anything else, so they can't try to put it on someone else for a joke. We also tried Metadate, but had a horrible reaction of uncontrolled verbal outbursts (Turrett's like outbursts).

Jonie - posted on 08/30/2010

Vyvanse works wonders for us.. but it does cause stomach cramps at times... Does anyone get any of these meds in generic form ?

Jonie - posted on 08/30/2010

Hello, does anyone get the ADHD meds in Generic form... They would much cheaper for my budget if you could ???

Heidi - posted on 08/29/2010

I have tried everything for my son and nothing worked so I took him to a different doctor and he put my son (7) on 40mg Vyvanse and 1/2mg risperdal in the morning and 1/2mg risperdal at night and he has don a complete 360 and school has been sending home wonderful reports. I even told my friend who just started his son on it and he was amazed also. It is a stimulant but, not an addicting one.

Melissa - posted on 08/24/2010

My son who is now 17 was diagnosed in the 2nd grade. He has taken adderall(that one made his belly hurt), ritalin la( did absolutely nothing for him), concerta( the one he took the longest and worked wonders for him) and finally now he is taking Vyvanse which is also working really well. Since he is older we needed to try something different to give him a little bit longer results. The vyvanse is awesome. I'm not sure if they give it to younger kids but it mite be worth looking into.

Christina - posted on 08/22/2010

My oldest son Quinton was on adderal, but after a few years, seemed to get more violent.. so now he is on intuniv.. once a day, 2mg extended release pill... it works VERY GOOD, bc he has an appitite and is finally gaining weight after 4 years of being on meds..
My other son Travis, takes focalin.. it works, but not as well.. he has to take it 3 times a day, but he is NEVER still and is VERY violent, busy, hateful, and then loving, caring and sweet all rolled in one... if that makes any sense LOL he has two sides to himself everyday.. but I am working with him and learning to cope with everything... It takes alot of patients and work, but its worth it, to finally get them right.. and I couldnt do Travis without meds... I tried during the summer... doesnt work, he gets worse.. so the best advice I can give, is trial and error, some of them work, some dont, dont give up.. it took about 15 different tries with Travis, but he is finally where we need him to be... but as they get older, and gain weight.. it changes.. so its something you have to pay very good attention to.. and change whenever needed.. You will be fine.. Just work with everyone... yourself, your son, and your dr...
Good Luck
Christina

Pam - posted on 08/22/2010

Every child is different and unfortunatley it is a trial and error process. There isn't a formula.
There are other classes of meds other than the 3 you mentioned. So Ritalin has many forms.
We had some success with Vyvanse and I know others that liked it too.
We are on Focalin extended release and really like it.
Hang in there. It can be frustrating. If you feel like your pediatrician doesn't offer you enough information or options, then look for a psychiatrist that specializes in ADHD. They are trained in this!

Tynissa - posted on 08/21/2010

Jennifer, my son is eight too and has been diagnosed with ADHD since he was five. He started out with Dexedrine and it had horrible side effects. He started taking Vyvanse when he was seven and he had very little side effects and they did not last but a week. He only has to take it once a day, in the morning before school, and it lasts all day. He takes a 30 mg capsule. I was against the meds at first til I relented and let him take a dose. He was a totally different child! He could concentrate, he could write, he bench marked in all his classes within three months! The key to the meds is to find the right one and the right amount. You may have to go through one or two before you find the right combination for your child. Don't get discouraged! It all seems very overwhelming at first but then the pieces will fall into place the more you learn about ADHD.

Lori - posted on 08/21/2010

jennifer,
well my son takes ritilin and it does really well for him so far .

Jessica - posted on 08/20/2010

my son has adhd we have tired everything but we found a pill that works great Vyvance but then on the weekends we dont give it to him.its the only med that i have notice that works and lwets him eat more then once a day.just do what you think is right and go by the meds that work best as for being calm and eating good luck