Scared to get meds for DS-- UPDATE

flmommy

Wed, Jan 30 2019, 10:15 pm

I was totally freaked out the first time I gave my son his medicine as well. As soon as he swallowed the pill I went crazy inside my head thinking I was destroying him. BH the doctor started with a very low dose and then we worked up to the proper one. My son was totally fine. I even kept him home from school that first day. Now if he needs an adjustment I ask a trusted teacher to keep an eye on him but BH all has been good and it really has been the best thing for him. Wishing you amazing and healthy success.

amother

Cobalt

Thu, Jan 31 2019, 7:12 am

amother wrote:

Op, did your pediatrician prescribed Ritalin or was he evaluated first?
I’m asking because I am dealing with something similar now.

A psychiatric nurse practitioner. I told him a lot of info and he diagnosed adhd.

We are also completing a second psychological eval now too, but we don't have the results yet.

amother

Forestgreen

Thu, Jan 31 2019, 7:33 am

amother wrote:

A psychiatric nurse practitioner. I told him a lot of info and he diagnosed adhd.

We are also completing a second psychological eval now too, but we don't have the results yet.

Don’t want to hijack but I’m looking for someone who can evaluate and diagnose my ds. His behaviors make him so difficult and we might be ready to medicate too.

I don’t think you should be afraid of Ritalin. Hundreds of thousands of kids are on Ritalin. It’s either going to work or not.

May you have much hatzlocha and nachas from your son.

melbee

Thu, Jan 31 2019, 2:27 pm

seeker wrote:

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.

I agree with this 100%. Talking openly to DS's teachers has been an amazing asset in our medication journey.

FranticFrummie

Fri, Feb 01 2019, 4:26 am

OP, please keep us updated.

Something I hear over and over again, is "I wish my parents had started me on meds sooner." Many teens could have gotten scholarships to the college of their choice if they could only have gotten better grades. ADD has very far reaching consequences.

I also know of many marriages that were saved by ADD meds. Either one spouse or both were not doing well, and everything turned around when things got back on track. DH can't focus at work, DW is overwhelmed with kids, ADD makes life SO much harder for everyone. B'H we have different meds to try, so that people can find the right fit.

If you can manage it with supplements, diet, chiropractors, acupuncture, or therapy, that's great too. Just don't wait for it to resolve on it's own. Not everyone grows out of it.

seeker

Fri, Feb 01 2019, 8:33 am

FranticFrummie wrote:

In addition to divorce, ADHD is statistically strongly associated with depression, suicide, addiction, and a lot of other things you don't want. If side effects are managed well, I believe that medication can help reduce these risks. Not sure if I've seen studies about anxiety and depression but I have definitely seen about addiction, that it comes from a need to self-medicate (as well as impulsivity, no doubt, which is also helped by meds.)

amother

Honeydew

Fri, Feb 01 2019, 9:58 am

seeker wrote:

How do I know if I have it? I went through so much therapy have seen 3 psychitrists but I was never treated for ADD. I barely got meds (wellbutrtin) for depression which the doctor still thinks is situational.

I am still losing interest quickly hate to focus for too long and always want the easy way out. I never stick to routines hard for me to coordinate things house always a mess closets not organized am addicted to my phone distracted easily and I have new ideas and new moods every day.

I wish I can change any of that.

mha3484

Fri, Feb 01 2019, 11:06 am

We had some success initially using natural supplements but at the end of the day they could not be sustained in the bloodstream long enough to really make a difference. DS would start the day so well and crash a few hours later.

Now, we still give them but along with two other non stimulant medications and have seen significant progress. I think combing traditional medication with natural alternatives has been great and we have been able to push off a stimulant so far.

You are welcome to PM me for more information if you want.

seeker

Fri, Feb 01 2019, 11:10 am

amother wrote:

That's really a question for another thread, if any. Were you ever evaluated specifically for ADHD? Did you have these issues already when you were a child? Depression can cause all the same symptoms sometimes.

anonymrs

Fri, Feb 01 2019, 11:32 am

amother wrote:

Can it be trauma or anxiety?

amother

Lavender

Sat, Feb 02 2019, 11:29 am

Ritalin has been a lifesaver for my DS.
He doesn't take it on shabbos and it's a really hard day for us. He is not hyperactive but he gets so impulsive, hurts his siblings, can't calm down and is just wound up and ready to pop all day.
During the week, he is a normal child who is now at the top of his class (which is crazy because he couldn't read until he started Ritalin!), he has friends and is helpful and sweet. He reads books for pleasure and is brilliant in math - it's a world of a difference and I feel so bad for all the years he struggled in school academically and socially, while we first tried out all the alternative treatments, none of which helped.

heidi

Sat, Feb 02 2019, 12:17 pm

amother wrote:

Very similar to my story.
I have had 3 kids on Ritalin. None are hyperactive. They are all scattered, some have social issues. None struggle academically. But none do brilliantly on tests, either bcz. they forget to study or bcz they can't really sit to study.
OP, before my first started Ritalin I sat on the edge of my bed and cried all night. I couldn't believe my perfect baby needed medication.
Within a week I was thanking Hashem that if he had to have something it was something that could be so easily treated.
We have had our ups and downs over the years. One kid got tics and had to go off and restart a few years later, with no side effects except diminshed appetite. One kid got aggressive on too high a dose but does brilliantly on the the lower dose.
One kid outgrew the need for Ritalin by the age of 17.
Good luck OP.
For our family it's been a miracle

amother

Bisque

Sat, Feb 02 2019, 10:43 pm

Personal story of DS.
He constantly got into trouble in school, he had no friends, doing crazy stuff all the time. Me and all kids were a wreck at home due to his constant fighting with siblings and misbehaving...
I didn't want to go with meds, I wanted to avoid it at all cost, we tried every natural alternative. We spent thousands on promised vitamins, natural remedies, therapies. Just not to go onto medication. Nothing worked long term.
Until I came to my senses and started him on Meds.
He is a new child!!! Our home became a fun serene place to be in and we spend great quality time together.
He still couldn't read and we tried many tutors, therapies, professionals and excersizes that promised results... without luck. He was sitting quietly in class but really had no clue what they learned.
Until we upped the dose of medication. Boom!!! This child reads, he understands, he is part of class! He opened up and is a changed kid.
We can only Thank Hashem for this amazing invention that is our childs lifesaver.
For those who hesitate, learn from my mistakes. Do it for yourself and for your childs benefit.