Mom afraid of new meds: Hi My 8 year... - CHADD's ADHD Pare...

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Mom afraid of new meds

BevMack74 profile image
16 Replies

Hi

My 8 year old was diagnosed with ADHD in March and after a lot of taught and sole searching I started him on meds, it has been life changing for him and he has been doing great in school. But I'm still nervous about the meds especially when they have to change them. He is starting on Methylphenidate 20mg tomorrow. Just wondering if anyone has any info or experience with this medication.

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BevMack74
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16 Replies
Eryxsmom1201 profile image
Eryxsmom1201

My son has been on it for almost two years. It has been very effective for him but the only downside is it makes him pick at his skin obsessively. He sometimes has sores on his arm. I’m hopeful that it will go away with time.

BevMack74 profile image
BevMack74 in reply to Eryxsmom1201

Thank you I will look out for those signs

Kmr0505 profile image
Kmr0505

My daughter took this the last 2 years of school. She was on 36mg. I liked it because of the obvious help it offered her but it only stays in the system for 12-13 hours. I liked not having to take something every day. She got a break on the weekends, unless she had a project or needed to concetraste on school work. It last for the day and through her homework and then she was able to fall asleep with no problem at night. Unfortunately meds are a balancing act, you can find the right one on the first try or third. Keep your head up, eventually tthings will fall into place. Good luck!

Boymom3 profile image
Boymom3

My 8 year old takes it. 20 mg. He is still talkative and active, but more productive. It’s out of his system by the time school is out. Slight decreased appetite at lunch, but eating plenty throughout rest of the day.

Disneyfam profile image
Disneyfam in reply to Boymom3

What type of medication is he taking?

BevMack74 profile image
BevMack74 in reply to Disneyfam

Methylphenidate 20mg

jennijen profile image
jennijen

My 8 yr old is on 20mg a day. One 10mg tablet in the morning and one 10mg tablet at lunch time. It is normally out of his system by about 4p. Homework is tough to get through but we are working on self control. I do help a little more with guiding him through homework. He does have a decrease in his appetite but when he comes off his meds he eats non stop...and we let him. He does get very quiet while on his meds but he is able to concentrate better.

Disneyfam profile image
Disneyfam in reply to jennijen

My son is 8 yrs old he was diagnosed in the spring we are still trying to find out his right meds. In the morning he takes Xr I believe that's what it's called and after lunch Adderall 10.

Danseuse profile image
Danseuse

Yes, we've done Meditate and methylphenidate. Actually I think they're the same. There is a question above yours that is similar. Many of the answers are applicable to you too.

Elijah1 profile image
Elijah1

It is likely that methylphenidate is older than you are (it was first used decades ago) so we have years of experience with it.

donjonson profile image
donjonson

my 4yo son just started on methyphendiate 3 days ago. 5mg fast acting 2x daily.

Sorry I don't have any advice for you but may I ask what medication he was on and why they are switching it to Ritalin? it sounds like it was working for him?

Adhd-mom profile image
Adhd-mom

I believe methylphenidate has been around since the 1960’s and is likely the most prescribed and most studied drug for ADHD. So there is plenty of info out there for this drug. However keep in mind that what works well for one person may not necessarily work well for the next. It’s really trial and error until you find what works best for you. The key is having a doctor that has vast experience in adhd medications. You stated that your son was doing well. Is there a reason the doctor is changing his medicine? If he doing well why change or increase the medication?

Hi, just wondering how the methy... worked out for you and your son? My daughter was on it for three weeks and it actually seemed to really help,her but she would break down emotionally when it wore off. She would cry every night at 5pm so we discontinued. Then we tried ritalina and did not have any success with that. I am wondering if I should have given the methy.. more of a chance.

Crunchby profile image
Crunchby in reply to JoyousExpectation

Wait, those the same drugs. If it didn't work, there r loads of others out there. Adhd magazine has a great med guide

Bimbirat profile image
Bimbirat in reply to JoyousExpectation

My 7 yr old son just started methylphenidate last week and the first day he did well at school but as it started to wear off at home he cried and cried about everything and really nothing. So emotional and so unlike him. He let me hold him for an hour. The next day he didn't cry and seemed mostly normal but I didn't know that crying non-stop was a side effect. I can't do that to him. I'm not in favor of long term medicine in general but I am tired of watching him struggle so hard every day. I wish something else worked.

Snaizy profile image
Snaizy in reply to Bimbirat

Our son had the same crying/emotional breakdown reaction at first too. Once we switched him to an extended release that lasts 10 hours he never had that “crash” happen again. I would look into an XR formulation if I were you. Apparently “crashing” can be a common side effect but if they are able to keep the medication in their system for a longer period of time they don’t seem to experience that up/down cycle. Either XR or a top-up dose at 2/3pm could be a solution.

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