Scared to get meds for DS-- UPDATE

amother

Cobalt

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 12:24 am

He needs them. I think.
But I know it can be a long journey and I don't know if I'm up for it.

Does anyone have stories of success to share? Or did you not medicate and you were happy with that choice?

amother

Bisque

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 12:28 am

Yes. I too was hesitant for a long time and tried all different alternatives, with no success.
I Thank Hashem for this medication every day, they are different children bh. Calm, relaxed, well behaved, learning better, out of trouble.
It's really worth it.

amother

Goldenrod

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 9:03 am

Which part of it scares you? I have many success stories among my siblings and their kids. They're happy, functional, successful people today (all ages) whereas I shudder to think what their lives would look like it they didn't have this tool. To me, the worst thing is when a child is denied the opportunity of help to become the person he really wants to be. Sometimes the brain is just not able to be receptive to all the other techniques until it's brought under control with medication. And the biggest korban can be the person's sense of self worth.

amother

Cobalt

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 9:37 am

I'm also scared of the process of finding the right one. I tried with another child and we never found one that worked without devastating side effects. Now, these 2 children are very different situations so I do have hope for this one.

amother

Periwinkle

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 9:48 am

DS started a medication several months ago and the psych has been slowly raising the dose to find the right level. The lowest dose did nothing for him (except side effect of sleepiness), the next dose made a degree of difference, and on the current dose we (I, DH and DS) all feel like there is a big difference. He is much calmer and has more self-control. He definitely needs other interventions as well - we are on the waiting list for therapy - but the medication is helping him so much. I feel like he will be able to do the work in therapy now, because of the way the medication is helping him.

I am also a medication success story. I was working hard in therapy but not able to recover from depression. When I reached the combination and dose of medication that worked for me, I started to see the light. I continued therapy for several months - I think often it is a parallel process - and bH have been happy and stable for almost a year now.

amother

Periwinkle

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 9:52 am

amother wrote:

Worries about side effects are real, but there are people who don't have much difficulty and find the right medication and dose very quickly. I hope this DS will be one of them Hug

amother

Mauve

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 11:21 am

I just want to validate your feelings OP. Putting my DD on medication (for a mood disorder) was the scariest thing I ever did in my life. I cried all day the first day and was terrified that something bad would happen to her. I know though that I had no choice, she was exhibiting strange behavior and was begging us to get her help. If we hadn't put her on meds it could CH"V have affected her brain permanently. B"H she is doing well with meds, though yes, it is a journey and not an easy one at that.

oneofakind

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 11:33 am

Remember this is not a permanent decision. Things change, your child will change...it's not a commitment for life. You can always get off it or change it.

seeker

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 12:36 pm

Many many success stories among students and friends. Generally if there are side effects they are obvious more or less right away and they go away as soon as you stop, so even though it can be very aggravating there's no harm done. Dealing with it can be a big adjustment for some but these treatments save lives.

amother

Magenta

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 2:00 pm

Im not sure what your exact situation is, but like others have mentioned, you can always take him off of them. My son was prescribed medication for ADD as a kid. We tried and , aside from weight loss and developing weird ticks, it did nothing to help. We tried upping the dose.no change. So we just took him off of it and BH a few years down the line he improved tremendously without it. He may have just needed to mature and learn some concentration techniques.

melbee

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 3:55 pm

The first medication we used has been a success with very minimal side effects. DS went from being very behind in every subject to no longer needing remedial help within 3-6 months of starting the medication depending on the topic. It was a total change for the better for DS and for us. My only regret is delaying so long before accepting that he needed the medication. I hope you have results just as positive.

mha3484

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 4:09 pm

My son was medicated but not as much as he really needed and he had a disaster of a year in 1st grade and it has had far reaching consequences. I regret that I did not act faster to change things. DH was much more resistant to meds then I was and I think having a good Dr who really sits down with us and explains things well makes a big difference in making him less scared of medicating.

amother

Cobalt

Wed, Jan 30 2019, 9:42 pm

OP here

We got a ritalin prescription and I have to wait for the pharmacy to get it in stock. In the meantime, tonight I was looking into the side effects again and I'm starting to be really nervous about giving this to my son.

They told me that this type of drug is the most effective for his age group. He is pretty young. Can anyone talk to me and help me through this?

amother

Goldenrod

Wed, Jan 30 2019, 9:44 pm

amother wrote:

What are you nervous about? How likely is it to happen, and how long would the effects last if it did happen? How would you deal with it?

amother

Cobalt

Wed, Jan 30 2019, 9:50 pm

amother wrote:

What are you nervous about? How likely is it to happen, and how long would the effects last if it did happen? How would you deal with it?

Anxiety, tics, depression, the whole list. I don't know how I would deal with it other than stopping the medication. I don't want this whole thing to be a big mistake.

amother

Fuchsia

Wed, Jan 30 2019, 9:51 pm

amother wrote:

Oh, you poor thing. It can be scary to imagine those things happening to your ds but if I were you I'd stop reading about it on the internet. When we medicated dd we asked the dr what to look out for. Other than that we didn't read up on it on purpose. You will be calmer that way. Try to think ahead several months. He will be a calmer child and a better student. Hopefully his self worth will improve. He will thank you later. You're doing the right thing. Hug

amother

Goldenrod

Wed, Jan 30 2019, 9:54 pm

amother wrote:

Anxiety, tics, depression, the whole list. I don't know how I would deal with it other than stopping the medication. I don't want this whole thing to be a big mistake.

It's normal to worry about side effects and it's also normal to stop the medication if something like that comes up. It's ok. None of those will be permanent. This is not your one and only chance to help him- if the Ritalin isn't the right match, there are so many other options they can try. It might be a mistake, but if it is, it's most likely a small, temporary mistake. Not a huge, life changing mistake. You're doing good.

seeker

Wed, Jan 30 2019, 10:13 pm

Keep very open lines of communication with his teachers. Tell them that he's starting a new medication and that they should keep an eye out for changes. Follow up every few days at the beginning and once in a while after. That's the best way to figure out behavioral side effects and nip them in the bud. Some parents don't like to tell teachers their kid is on something, but as a teacher I promise that is a horrible idea. All kinds of telling behaviors can come out in school and everyone needs to be part of the same team. By the time a kid gets home at 4+ pm you can't tell if he's out of it because it's been a long day or because the meds are off key - just one example.