ADHD Medication Help!

Hi K.!
As I am not in your situation (my daughter is only 6 months), I am a mental health worker and am familiar with your issue... There could be other reasons for your son not wanting to take his medications such as, his friends saying things about him being on "meds", but I'm sure suffering with the many side effects of ADHD meds is not pleasureable either. You mentioned that he is becoming withdrawn and having problems with school... Does you son utilize a counselor as well as his medications? At the agency I work at, it's pretty common that meds are accompanied by therapy at least 1x a week (or as needed). I may look into that route only because maybe there's something else going on that your son may not be comfortable telling you about (because no kid is comfortable telling EVERYTHING to their parents). Another idea is talking to his prescribing doctor at his next medication check and letting them know about him not wanting to deal with the side effects anymore, and also about his social withdraw because that can be a sign of depression/anxiety and other medications will help with this.
I hope this helps! We see this pretty frequently in our office so don't feel that you guys are the only ones :)

1 mom found this helpful

I second the counseling.

AD/HD is for life. And while they are younger, kids may need the medication because it is more difficult for them to self-regulate.

But medication isn't magic pill that suddenly makes everything 'normal'.

If he doesn't want to be on medication for the rest of his life, and even if it is something that will always factor in for him, he needs to learn the tools to help him stay organized, on task(or at least be able to come back to a task a complete it) and to respond appropriately in social settings.

There are a myriad of other complications that go along with AD/HD'ers. I know, I'm married to one, but we all have our weaknesses that we have to learn how to overcome or manage to our benefit. I personally think it is better for children to come into adulthood with these tools already instilled. So when they get to college or get their first real job and they have interviews(Which AD/HD'ers usually aces b/c they're so congenial) and meetings, they know how to self-regulate in the best way for them.

Counseling, especially with someone who has experience with AD/HD'ers could be highly beneficial to him. Whether it is just to help him deal with the reality of his disorder, and the fact that it may require him to take medication indefinitely, or whether it is to help him learn to function according to the demands of life(school, chores, appropriate behavior, etc.) without medication.

Also, if you haven't previously, check out www.additudemag.com This site has a ton of great info. I find their forums especially helpful. Similar to mamasource, but for those dealing AD/HD issues in self, spouses, and children.

1 mom found this helpful

I once had a student in my class who would have a cup of coffee before school and his parents would bring him one again late morning before lunch and it kept him on track wihout drugs. Good Luck.

1 mom found this helpful

Hello,
I've have found success with my daughter using the following. A multi vitamin, multi mineral, digestive enzymes, and tyrozene 500 mg (this is an amino acid that with help with attentiviness) My daughter stoppe taking it because she realized she wasn't as fun. But I used this for several years. It does work! Your son is smart, the side effects are nasty and you need to work with him on this. A lot of times they outgrow it too. You could start conservatively and add to, but be sure to use the tyrosine. It sounds like he would be willing to do something different, and just because he didn't do well the last time, he now is not doing well on it. Try and help him with the adjustment too. Talk to him about the changes he might feel coming off the meds, and that you want him to be open and most of all be available to talk to him and listen. AN open dialoge is your best defense. It's very dangerous to put kids on mind altering drugs and the changes he is undergoing naturally at 14 don't mix well. I've done all this too, I've seen rage, depression and suicidal tendancies on these meds. THese just aren't an option. With your son's withdraw is he becoming depressed on these meds? Ya have to wonder. Good luck, I know my suggestion works.

L.

I beg you to go to amazon.com and buy and read the book "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics" by Dr. Bock. He is an MD, and has helped children recover from AD/HD. The info in this book can help you learn to treat the causes of his issues, not just medicate the symptoms. There is ALWAYS hope.
http://www.ritalindeath.com/

Have you considered putting him in counseling so that he can deal with his frustration for having to take a medication for his ADHD? I know adults that need help coping with the fact that they are taking medications for various things.

Sounds to me that he needs to learn some helpful coping skills for getting through this tough time.

My friend's husband was on ADHD meds growing up and is completely off of them now as an adult. So, your son can hold onto the hope that this won't last forever. Sometimes it is just hard to have that perspective when (1) you are a teen and (2) you are really frustrated.

Good luck to you both.

I have to say my advice does not come from personal experience either.However,from what I have read and seen in many people,ADD/HD can be controlled completely by better vitamins,not drugs.I shop at a wellness company that has been in business for 24 years now,and has experience remarkable growth,as people look to live a greener life.A lot of add is caused by chemicals,and toxins in our homes in the products we use.Do some research and you will likely be alarmed by what is in not just cleaning and laundry products but also shampoo,toothpaste,soap etc.
I would love to share some information with you to help your help lead a normal drug free life.
www.SwitchStoresForHealthyLiving.com
www.formykidssake.com

My son has been taking medicine for years for ADHD. He is 15. We have tried a lot of different kinds, with mixed results. He has been taking a low dose of Focalin (extended release) for several years. That seems to work well -- he has an appetite, has friends, and does well in school. He doesn't complain about side effects.

Hope this helps!
A. D

My family physician treats this with dietary and nutritional supplements! Her name is Elaine Hardy, RN, MSN, APN, C and her website is: www.holisticfamilyhealthcarepc.com If you don't live nearby she will do the initial evaluation, order some testing and then do phone/email follow-up consults! She is great and really listens to what you are saying. She has wonderful success rate too! She's also a mamasource member!!

This age is frustrating. My oldest is now almost 22 and he had ADHD and ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder). Pure hell. He was on meds until he took himself off them at age 13. I would give him his pill in the morning and assumed he took it. I'd later start seeing them in the garbage. So I started giving them to him and watched them go down his throat. I didn't notice his attitude get better so when I questioned him about it he flat out said he stopped taking them. I asked how when I saw them go down his throat. He said, "I got rid of them." How? He proceeded to tell me that when he got to the bus stop he'd go behind a tree and throw up to get rid of the pill, every day. So, that was that with medication. He was my problem child and we did EVERYTHING that was offered, and nothing helped him. Long story. But today he's a Marine, married and has a daughter.

I have a 13 year old who has ADD, no hyperactivity. His is a much more mild case of lack of concentration and organization. The meds help him. He's on Concerta. Every medication will work different on every child.

One thing you must be sure of is that your son is taking his meds every single day. These are controlled substances and if he takes it one day and not the next you will see mood swings and bad side effects. I just went through this with my 13 year old. So my husband has to make sure he takes his pill consistantly every morning. These pills must be weened off when they stop taking them, so suddenly stopping can cause a problem.

Also, your son at age 14 may not want to take pills anymore. This is the age when they want to quit them, so he may be exaggerating his side effects in order to get off of them.

Be sure to check all avenues. If his grades are down then go in connection with the school to have him evaluated and even put on an IEP for help until he learns methods to help him do things on his own.

I feel that it's important for a child with ADD/ADHD to see a counselor and psychiatrist on a regular basis, so any emotional problem is being addressed, and the medication is being thoroughly addressed as well.

When you use the parents, school, counseling, doctors and child in concert together, you'll get better results.

Good luck!

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HarrisburgPAChat
chat and events within 2 hour radius

My parents tried all different kinds and dosages of ADHD medications for me when I was a kid and I hated them all. I think your son is old enough to tell that he is not himself on the medication. You may want him to do well in school but is it worth changing the person he really is and him being unhappy everyday? My parents had success in atleast getting me to pass classes with appropriate rewards. Pick something that he would really like and use positive reinforcement instead of punishments. Use short term as well as long term goals and rewards. In high school at the end of every week my teachers wrote a review of how I was at school and how my school work had been. As long as I participated in all my classes and attempted all my school work I was allowed to go out that weekend. If I passed all my classes I got to go on an awesome vacation that summer. I got to be myself without all the unbearable side effects of the drugs and I was encouraged to do my best in school. Good luck and I hope your son is able to get off his medication soon.

Hi K.,

Has he tried Stratera? It is a medicine for adhd, but unlike the other medicines stratera does not have a stimulant in it. I do not know anybody that is on it, so I do not know how it may affect him.

L.

I am not sure that I have any advice but I feel for you. I have a soom to be 12 yr old daughter and sometimes (rarely) She will give a little struggle or just flat out states she hates taking meds. I don't know how I would survive without her taking meds. I guess I would suggest seeing a counsler and seeing if they can give your son some suggests or strategies on how to control himself to stay focused and whatnot without meds. Kind of put the responsibilty on him. And talk to the dr. about trying something new. My daughter is on Vyvanse and it has been working wonderfully. I know the struggles of having a child with this and it is trying and hard on not only the child but the whole family. A lot of time I ask myself how God thought I was strong enough. Everytime a change in med comes it is not something I look forward to. Good luck in what you decide.
J.

It depends on your goal, since you are in charge of him. If you intend to act as if he will beat this one day and not be medicated forever, then you need to decide when he will cease the meds. Why not let him try now? Or give him a to do list and a trial deadline, like improving all the other lifestyle factors that do aggravate this condition (you've seen them all listed) since many people overcome it when these are changed, and then letting him stop when he's doing better with these other things. Diet especially. Achieving good grades is not a good enough reason to continue if he is feeling depressed and unhappy with himself. The depression with himself over the meds will affect the grades sooner or later anyway. Eventually he will have to learn to accomplish work even with his added burden, and letting him try might boost his esteem. No matter what one believes about meds, it isn't good for a child (young man) to feel forced onto meds.

If you have already tried everything, and you have an immaculate toxin free highly nourishing diet, you've detoxed him from each med for a few months in between taking them, and you know he has all his sleep and structure and exercise in place and you know that his life (not just your life) is hell because he cannot function at all whenever he's off meds, then basically you're not intending to let him stop. Especially if you feel his condition is the same as his dad's and you trust your doctor completely that he will probably always need to be medicated. In that case, since he's not allowed to stop taking the meds, you need to act accordingly and get him help with accepting your decision by whatever means, and let him know in a few years he can make his own choices about it. A counselor may be able to help him not beat himself up over taking them.