Has ADHD medication been helpful?

amother

Tealblue

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 2:01 pm

amother Beige wrote:

Which Med are they on?

Focalin.

They were both originally on Concerta, but a couple of years ago our insurance stopped covering it Sad

I was terrified to switch meds, but we tried Focalin because our insurance did cover it, and B"H it worked just as well.

amother

Bluebell

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 2:05 pm

Can everyone please post the medication they found helpful? This thread is so so helpful for me. We tried adderral for my child and it was a disaster. Now on 1 mg of guanfacine and unfortunately see no difference in behavior so looking for other things to research and bring up to our psychiatrist at our upcoming appointment.

amother

Cerulean

Wed, Jan 04 2023, 2:44 pm

I found Concerta 27mg best for my hyperactive son.
For my ADD son, we've tried everything until we tried the concerta and it has the least side effects for him as well.

My doctor is a strong believer in 12 hour meds because he feels that a child should have positive experiences at home as well as at school. Focalin lasts 6-8 hours so by the time the child comes home, they are out of control and the family get frustrated with them. Attent/ adderal had depressive side effects as did straterra. Vyvanse as well.

Every child is so different. It's really trial and error. Some of the meds stop working after a few months as the body adjusts and you need to switch to something else for a few weeks and then switch back.

amother

Fern

Thu, Jan 05 2023, 5:46 am

This thread is good for me to read.

Currently waiting for Adhd diagnosis for my son and may be starting meds.

Is anyone in Uk and can tell me the names?

amother

NeonBlue

Thu, Jan 05 2023, 6:30 am

amother Bluebell wrote:

There's an adhd person I follow who never says the meds she's on because just because it works for one person doesn't mean it's right for another person, and just because something didn't work for her doesn't mean it's wrong for another person. Everyone's makeup is different and they'll react differently.

That's said, I've found that dextroamphetamine works great for me and I'm considering moving over to Vyvanse. (Vyvanse is the time-release version of dextroamphetamine). If adderal didn't work for your son I'm not sure dex would because I think they're both in a more similar family, but I'm not sure.

amother

NeonBlue

Thu, Jan 05 2023, 6:37 am

curlyhead wrote:

What if I am happy with their personality and do not feel the need to change it. Why would I want my kids personalities to be changed?

If your kid has ADHD then they're probably struggling in certain areas or will be struggling at some point. Their brain doesn't naturally organise things and isn't as regulated the way nt people are. It's not just how you feel about their personality, it's about how they can be their best selves. You might love them unconditionally, but the rest of the world sadly won't. Some ADHD kids suffer from years of being misunderstood, seeing that people think they're weird because of their impulsivity, the things they say or do without knowing how to think it through first, their outbursts because they may not have the skills to regulate themselves. This experience can follow them through life and affect their mental health, exacerbating the actual ADHD.

amother

Celeste

Thu, Jan 05 2023, 6:49 am

amother Bluebell wrote:

If the guanfacine isn't doing anything you might need a higher dose. My 11 year old takes 2.5 mg. We started at 2 at 7 years old. For her Ritalin did nothing at the lowest dose.

amother

Magenta

Thu, Jan 05 2023, 11:34 am

My son only started meds in high school, which is a big shame. He was never hyper and his case was not typical so he was not diagnosed correctly initially. The meds helped but as a teen he was not compliant so couldnt reap the full benefit. The year after high school was a disaster and he finally understood the need to take his meds every day. He didnt feel better once on meds and it took a year and consultations with a bunch of professionals to realize that the dosage was wrong. He was still taking the same dosage that was given to him as a young teen when he needed almost double the dose! He is bh doing really well now and I feel so sorry for all the wasted years.
So my advice is to give meds a try if your child needs it and make sure to update the dosage as he grows.
As an aside, my son doesnt have any side effect from meds. And supplements are really helpful.

amother

Blue

Sun, Jan 08 2023, 11:09 pm

Like many have said meds have been life changing for our 6 year old son. At the start of the year the rebbe was complaining that he was impulsive and bothering other boys. Over succos vacation I started him on long lasting ritalin and then by parent teacher conferences they said all the previous issues have disappeared and he’s doing beautifully!! I mean clearly he just needed the meds to help him control impulses and now he’s at the top of his class and socially doing so well which is a huge Bracha after years of behavioral therapy!

amother

Obsidian

Sun, Jan 08 2023, 11:20 pm

amother Celeste wrote:

If the guanfacine isn't doing anything you might need a higher dose. My 11 year old takes 2.5 mg. We started at 2 at 7 years old. For her Ritalin did nothing at the lowest dose.

My big 13 year old is on 4 mg in the morning and 2 mg at night. What is really helping in school (not at home) is the addition of aztarys- it’s a new sister drug to vyvance.