Did you medicate for adhd? Any regrets?

amother

Sun, Mar 17 2024, 9:38 am

amother Almond wrote:

How much is the ADHD affecting her life? If it's severely, it's almost a no-brainer. Try to find a medication that works. Once she finds one that works, put time and energy into teaching her habits and methods to cope. That way she will be able to transition off the medication in time and still function.

It is severely. But just the diagnosis has had such a positive impact on her life. Her teachers are easier on her which has a snowball effect of making her feel less pressure and shame which is empowering her to do better and having a huge impact on her behavior. She's a different kid. I don't want to rush into it if she'll be fine without it but when I watch her struggle on her more difficult days I wonder if that's not fair to her. She's only six. It's so important to me to make sure we address this properly. I want to hear pros and cons that other people have experienced with medication.

amother

Offwhite

Sun, Mar 17 2024, 9:39 am

Yes. 2 kids.

One DD and one DS. DD we started end of 2nd grade and DS in middle of first grade.

I do NOT regret it at all. It has changed my kids life for the better.

These have been the pros:

For DD (now 10), it has helped her so much socially. Night and day BH.
Her teachers love her and she does very well in school.
She is way less impulsive which makes her much easier to parent.
She's much more mature which makes it easier for us to have a good relationship.
She moves more quickly (getting dressed or ready).

The cons:
She has a small amount of anxiety that she never had before.
She doesn't have an appetite until the meds wear off and then she is starving
On days she doesn't take it, sometimes she has a harder time than she used to before she started.
She says she doesn't feel like herself. (Herself is wild, crazy and bouncy.)
Her organization still needs help. Meds definitely caused some improvement but not completely.
Still completely an entirely worth it!!!

For DS 7.
He started sitting in his chair and actually listening to the teacher. He became teachable.
He started to get along with other boys and make friends.
He can actually work on things he enjoys without having to deal with hyper spells.
He was saved from special Ed because before meds the school couldn't handle him. (I'm not against special-ed, but I feel a regular classroom is really where he belongs.)

Cons:
Lack of appetite. He wasn't a big kid to begin with.
When he doesn't take it, he's less manageable than usual.
He can't swallow pills so we have to get a little bit creative.

amother

Offwhite

Sun, Mar 17 2024, 9:40 am

amother OP wrote:

Is she hyperactive?

amother

Blue

Sun, Mar 17 2024, 9:41 am

It doesn't have to be a long term commitment. It's something you can try and see how it goes. My daughter ended up needing to try many medications until we found something she did well with. Some people are good with the first one or 2. If you can't find something that works or you don't like the way it makes her feel or act, you can always stop. Not a commitment at all.

amother

Honey

Sun, Mar 17 2024, 9:54 am

amother Blue wrote:

I was going to say this. My son always had anxiety, which got worse over the years, but I was hesitant to try medication because he was a great kid otherwise and I didn’t want to mess with side effects. But when he was in 3rd grade, his academics started seriously becoming a problem and everything else like social and behavior seemed to be unraveling.

It took us 2 different doctors and over 8 months to get the medication right, but bh its made a difference and he is doing much better in all areas. The anxiety is still there but much much better. The other areas are night and day. If we skip or miss a dose, it’s very noticeable, he is a wreck.

But yes, you aren’t married to the medication, and if you don’t see a positive chains , or the net gains aren’t worth it (the side effects are a bigger issue than the original problem), you can always go off of it.

But best to set your child up for success by giving it a try.

amother

Offwhite

Sun, Mar 17 2024, 10:13 am

amother Blue wrote:

This.

And to add, the ADHD meds (at least stimulants) don't stay in the system the same way other meds do. After a day, it's just about gone and within a few days, completely gone. And you don't have to cut down slowly. Just go up slowly.

But I will tell you to give it a week or two to decide if it's helping because it can take the kid a little adjusting.

amother

Ebony

Sun, Mar 17 2024, 10:21 am

Yes. DD 10 is on guanfacine/intuniv. She's inattentive and hyperactive she also has tuarettes. But this works for both.

Was the first thing we tried bh.
She's still a couple of handfuls. Is still is struggling in school and at home.
But she's teachable. She is reachable. She inporved in so many ways.

We are now thinking of increasing her dosage from 1 mg ER to 2 mg ER. Becuase we think there is more She can benefit from it.

LovesHashem

Sun, Mar 17 2024, 10:22 am

amother OP wrote:

Has anyone dealt with longer term negative side effects?

Someone else here said her dd doesn't feel like herself. I felt that way, no one cared. Flat personality is a real thing and it trut does hurt to minimize that. Many people lose their spark, creativity, motivation, and are low energy on pills.

As a preteen I stopped taking medication and there's Ling term side affects of having your hunger suppressed and not knowing your real personality. Self-esteem issues as well. Also when medication is thrown on without adressesing anything else or tools when you go off it you are left with nothing.

It's easier to change the neuropathways and learn tools and get into certain habits younger. Medication is a great tool, but it's not a cure. You need to get other tools

Some other things to start with:
- diet
- sleep
- excersize
- ADHD coach
- skills and systems

Learn to work WITH her brain before rushing to take a pill that does have side affects.

amother

Ebony

Sun, Mar 17 2024, 10:29 am

LovesHashem wrote:

This 100%
We tried to do that with DD. But at some point we realized she doesn't have the ability to focus enough and absorb enough and learn new habits when her brain is in a constant loop of chaos and hyperfocus.

She's learned so many new amazing habits this past year.
Shes finally able to brush her teeth on her own! AND floss! And get dressed within a reasonable amount of time without me being there handing her things and giving her instructions how to do it.....

So now is the time to get her into proper habits and routines and teach her skills so that when she weans off eventually she should stay with those.
Her neurologist also said, that sometimes these children don't even know what they are working towards. They never felt "normal" and at ease.
Giving them that feeling and then weaning them off with give then incentive to work towards that sense of peace and equilibrium they so despairately need.

amother

Offwhite

Sun, Mar 17 2024, 10:32 am

LovesHashem wrote:

The other way (not medicating) can also lead to a similar outcome. I didn't take meds as a child and I ended up with tremendous self-esteem issues likely caused by the fact that I was extremely impulsive. At a certain point, I decided that I had to squelch myself and put on a facade or I wouldn't make friends. I did that and succeeded, but it took me so long and lots of damaged was done.

And I wasn't myself in any case and I didn't even know what myself was.

(I don't respond well to medication. My parents did try a little bit. And I tried again in recent times and couldn't find a single one that got along with me.)

I wasn't going to do that to my DD. I do give her breaks whenever possible. Shabbos, YT, vacation etc. even if it's hard on me at home.

amother

Jade

Sun, Mar 17 2024, 2:03 pm

amother Hunter wrote:

Dr Huberman says that if a kid is on their proper dosage of ADHD meds for many years, it helps rewire their brain so they have less ADHD symptoms as an adult.

(My DC didn't do well on the classic ADHD meds, so we've been doing the the clonidine patch successfully for a few years.)

I have heard this as well. The brain will get used to the new behavior and it will continue with it even after going off medication.
My son is 9 and has been on meds since he was 6. In the beginning we tried 2 meds that had side affects. He has been on Vyvanse for at least two years and is doing amazing. He has no side affects at all. In first grade I thought that we needed to transfer him to a special needs school. He was out of control. Now he is at the top of his class. He loves to learn. His confidence has grown. He has learned social skills and has alotvof friends. His personality is still there but he is much less anxious because he is in control. In addition to meds he is also in therapy. I am do happy for him that he is on medication.