My eight year old daughter was diagnosed, by a psychologist, with ADD in the fall of 2005. She is also dual exceptional (gifted with a learning disability). We started her on Concerta last year which was prescribed by our pediatrician. We were amazed at the change in her school performance once she started the medication. She literally jumped five GRADE levels in reading from October to February. The teachers said they have never seen anything like it. So, obviously, we are happy with the results of the medication and have since put other supports in place to help her continue to succeed. The problem we are now having is that she has grown and needs a larger dose or to try a different medication. We had her to a psychologist in the beginning of October who did a battery of tests which confirmed our suspicions. In the mean time, we switched pediatricians. Our new pediatrician, although she had a copy of the psychologists report which recommended a change in the dose, refused to do so. I had to beg to get the prescription at the dose she was already on although I had the bottle, with only one pill in it, with me which showed the date the prescription was filled (twenty nine days ago). Now, she says that she has consulted another doctor in the practice and I need to see him to discuss the issue further.
Has anyone else has similar problems getting ADD medication? I would love to go back to my old pediatrician, she was wonderful and treated me like an equal in my child's care, but we moved and live an hour away. I have been making the trip for all three of my children for two years now and just can't continue doing it due to their school schedules.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do? Thanks for taking the time to read my long post.
Thank you all for your advice. We have started looking for another pediatrician. Thanks again.
doctors are very scared of perscribing adderall, concerta . i take adderall and it had to get perscribed by a physcologist first.. once a physcologist recommends it the doctors feel like the pressure is off them and will con to fill perscribtions good luck
I work in the field. You may want to take your child to a child psychiatrist. They specialize in this. Many family docs (pediatricians)are uncomfortable prescribing psych meds. The psychiatrist keeps up with the latest research and deals with this stuff every day.
J.
You need to find a pediatrician that is a little more human. Evidently, they've never had to watch a child with ADD struggle to do even the basic tasks like getting dressed and undressed for school. I have to fill out the behavioral guide each month when I pick up my daughter's prescription, and we just had to change her dose with no trouble. Check your area for other MD's,or have your old MD and phych MD email records to this new yahoo. Good luck! W.
I would ask your psychologist for a referral to a good doc s/he has worked with before. Putting your child on meds is a tough choice, and you obviously made the right one, as it has helped your daughter, and its wrong for the doc to refuse those meds now. She might have her own personal biasis about medicating for ADHD, so I would definitely find a new doc.
I would get in touch with your old pediatrician, explain what it happening with your new and ask her opinion/advice as to what to do. In my opinion, you should change pediatricians. Find one who is more willing to deal with you as an equal in your child's upbringing.
The reason I feel so strongly about this is that we have a child with ADHD and we were advised to put him on Ritalin when he was 2. We refused and finally at the age of 4 put him on medication. As with you, the change is incredible!! He is currently on the highest dose of Concerta (72mg) and has never suffered any side effects. His prescription had to be increased as he grew as well. Our pediatrician has been a God-send...without her we would not have known what to do for him (he was also diagnosed with autism).
I am a big believer in that you know your child better than your pediatrician ever will and they need to respect that. If your old pediatrician can't refer you to a new practice, start shopping around. Try getting in touch with the psychologist who diagnosed your daughter and see who they would refer you to. I hope you find someone you can work with again. We've had so many people look down on us for medicating our son, but until they live our lives, they'll never know, right?
Good luck to you.
B.
My stepson has ADHD since very small (2 or 3) and medication is very controlled because it is a habit forming drug and will not be called in to any pharmacy or filled by any pharmacy until the exact amount of days has passed. I can suggest that please do not emphasize medication and remember to always make your child aware that she is different from other kids in the way that she concentrates, etc, but that it is very important for her to know that medication is not the total answer, she must learn to control and adapt on her own also. My stepson is now 15 and very troublesome because his whole life he has been told to rely on medication and now the doctor refuses to give it because he uses it as an excuse all the time. I know it's great when you can see a big difference in their work ethic and attitude, etc, but its very scary when they get older and have been on the medication for so long and then it becomes their way of life, they don't see any other reason to try to do anything for themselves because everyone sees such a "big difference" when they take their medications! Concerta is the medicine he's been on for years.
Is there any way you could keep this peditrician just for your one child, and go with the other pediatrician for your other children? You wouldn't have to go as often that far, then. My only other advice would be to change the practice you are in now.
My son has had a lot of problems the past few years. First I can say this from experience....Pediatricians either don't feel qualified to prescribe or they hesitate for other reasons. I had a doctor send me to a Child Psychiatrist because his meds needed to be changed. I had to drive 1 1/2 hours for 2 years. I was financially broke and saving for weeks for the gas money...I was a single mom and full time student with three little kids. I know it is hard but it is a sacrafice that is almost a necessity....the schools were great about excusing him for the whole day we had to be gone. Recently I moved and now drive 5 minutes to a doctor but I remember those days...they were horrible but my son was in better health. Also...a suggestion...if you tell your doctor that it is such a long trip...he/she may (though I don't think they are really supposed to) mail you a prescription every other month to cut down on your visits. Hope things work out for you!
Wow sounds like you are having a time. Can I ask what area you live in? My son is also 8 and has add, it cause alot of problems with his school. He was taking stratara but it made him throw up every time he took it. The new school we are in is good but his teacher clearly doesnt know how to deal with children like him. I think she views him as a problem child. He to is very smart but has trouble with work on paper and his writing somewhat. But he can tell you things that amaze people. They cant believe the things he knows. We are sorta in the same boat. Our house burnt in aug, we now live a least an hour from our old dr and we just started with a new one but she hasnt seen him for the add, I am scared to try him on something else for fear it will make him sick as well.
I don't know how to help you but I can definately feel your pain. We are a military family and just saying that can tell some people that things can be difficult. My son is 9 almost 10 years old and has been diagnosed with ADHD since the age of 5. He is currently on Adderall XR. He has gone from 5mg to now 25 mg. He is still VERY difficult to deal with. The medication has helped him to focus in school but when it comes to everyday tasks-like just picking up the bath towel after bath and hanging it up becomes such a chore. I constantly have to be "on top of him" as though he were only 3 or 4 years old. It get's very OLD.
Like I said I don't know what to tell you to tell your current pediatritian. Has the ped had any questionaires sent to your daughter's teachers and for you to fill out? Just wondering. That helped with my son to see that he needed his medication "uped". Good luck.--Mom who feels your pain.
Wow! Everyone gave such great advice and now I really don't have anything to add :) But, I definitely agree switching doctors. There are alot of good ones out there and sometimes it's like shopping for anything else, the first fit might not be the best for your situation. Also, are you located near Philadelphia? CHOP has a program just for AD/HD. The doctor's are fabulous! My son is seen by a developmental pediatrician there (we also maintain and "standard" pediatrician for "regular" visits). His prescriptions get mailed to us after I call to let them know it's running out. We see her every 3-4 months as follow-up.
Good luck!!!
