CBD Oil ....Maybe: My son was diagnosed... - CHADD's ADHD Pare...

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CBD Oil ....Maybe

LenaLoo profile image
38 Replies

My son was diagnosed with ADHD at 4. He currently takes Concerta, after trying others, and we hate the side effects. If he does not take the meds I’m getting calls from school. He was also diagnosed with a learning disability this past year at school. He struggles with anger and emotional issues, mostly in the evening when his meds are wearing off. We do not want him on other meds. He has also began being scared of EVERYTHING. Scared of his dad and I and his brother that we are going to die, or get hurt. When in the car he is constantly saying slow down we are going to crash. He has a rough time with his peers also. When I say it breaks my heart when another little kid tells my son that he isn’t their friend because of actions he cannot help it kills me. So we ordered CBD oil and before I give it to him and yes I have researched it, I would love to hear from other parents and their experience with CBD oil and children.

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LenaLoo
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38 Replies
Barb1025 profile image
Barb1025

We kind of went through this as well. I'm so sorry your going through it now. Have you thought about other medications? We never had to deal with the anger or fear issue. Ours was very impulsive though and he didn't have many friends. Look into naturopathic doctors. We found one and with his computer he found that he was missing two of the linings of his stomach. Replacing those made huge changes. I know not every kid is the same, but it might be worth the conversation. Good luck. Stay in touch!!

LenaLoo profile image
LenaLoo in reply to Barb1025

Your son was missing 2 of the linings in his stomach? And yes, our son is impulsive also. That is usually the first thing that comes up in parent teacher conferences.

Barb1025 profile image
Barb1025 in reply to LenaLoo

Yes It's more prominent in some than others. Our son Aaron was so impulsive. Kids were scared of him. He actually bit a kids ear in Kindergarten. It was AWFUL.. The naturopathic dr, took a hair sample and said he was missing the Peyer's patch and the Mucus membrane in his stomach and we took 6 months to replace them. Huge difference. This Dr is in Salem and I think he still does hair scans. Are you on FB I can message you his info if you are interested?

Barb1025 profile image
Barb1025 in reply to Barb1025

Or email? Whatever is allowed to be exchanged. LOL.. IDK..

LenaLoo profile image
LenaLoo in reply to Barb1025

Idk either but I just put my FB so we’ll see if it is allowed.

Momrocket profile image
Momrocket in reply to Barb1025

I want to know more about this. How can you tell about stomach lining from a hair sample? How did you achieve the stomach health recovery results? Can we talk?

LenaLoo profile image
LenaLoo in reply to Barb1025

I am in OH, but yes I’m on FB I will try almost anything to help my baby. It’s LenaLoo

Onthemove1971 profile image
Onthemove1971

LenaLoo- This is a lot for your little one to go through. Are you working with a Pediatric Psychiatrist (These really are the only skilled Dr.'s that know how best to give children the best medication with the proper dose for the whole day) ? Also is you son getting counseling or working with through some of these issues in therapy? I know for us it has really taken both medication and therapy to help our son deal with the issues he has.

Curious about the side effects?

My son did not do well on Concerta..

LenaLoo profile image
LenaLoo in reply to Onthemove1971

We had a genetic test done , a simple mouth swab, to see which medications works best with our sons genetics. We tried Ritalin, adderall, medadate, and Concerta works the best so far. But the side effects we hate !! When the meds wear off he becomes extremely irritable and whinny, then he literally bounces off the walls. He has never slept well either. We have also tried clonidine, and guafatine (sp) for sleep and anxiety. It all caused extreme nightmares and he would cry pretty much all day.

Yes we do see a child Psychiatrist at a children’s hospital that is rated number 2 in the nation. I also PRAY !!

Barb1025 profile image
Barb1025 in reply to LenaLoo

Praying is the best cure. I know the Lord has guided us as well. You have been through a lot. I never liked the side affects either. Trying to correct the problem is best. That’s what we did. Good luck.

ElinaK35 profile image
ElinaK35

It sounds like your son has severe anxiety. One of our boys with ADHD has it as well... he is very attached to his Mom and even had some vomiting and fainting episodes recently when away from us that we believe were psychological due to anxiety (we are going through all mandatory testing to rule out any physical/neurological causes). I'm currently giving CBD oil to our 5 year old who has ASD with some ADHD symptoms. I feel like it calms him down when at home but if we are out in a new setting he is still very hyper and difficult to control as always. We are now trying 1500 mg and I will tell you one thing from my observations - there are no side effects. I have taken it myself and it does calm anxiety somewhat although not as much as I would like. But at this point we are still trying to figure out dosage and stuff. I give about 3/4 of the dropper to my son twice a day... and again I see changes in his temperament so hopefully it will continue helping him (he is not as agitated as he used to be). Best wishes!

Onthemove1971 profile image
Onthemove1971 in reply to ElinaK35

Please do not mislead people and say there are "no side effects" (eveything we take into our body has a side effect) there have been studies that talk about the negative side effects of CB oil.

You mean you don't visible see any side effects when you give it, correct? Because you honestly don't know what is in the product you are giving him, it has not been approved and sold with standards by the FDA, which is really important for others to understand.

Yes, many parents say it is natural, yes many parents say it makes them calm, but you can't be guaranteed it is the product that they say it is and there is not other "things" being processed along with it. This is just from research I have done where studies have shown the product purchased was not always as "pure".

Onthemove1971 profile image
Onthemove1971 in reply to Onthemove1971

The known and studied side effects of taking CBD oil are as followed:

Inhibition of hepatic drug metabolism/decreased activities of p-glycoprotein and other drug transporters

Dry mouth

Increased tremor in some Parkinson’s patients

Low blood pressure

Lightheadedness

Drowsiness

elixinol.com/blog/known-and...

LenaLoo profile image
LenaLoo in reply to Onthemove1971

It can’t have as many negative things as the pharm meds.

ElinaK35 profile image
ElinaK35 in reply to Onthemove1971

Have you seen side effects lists in FDA approved medication? Lack of approval means nothing. Look into the corruption and law suits and driven by profit scams when it comes to FDA approved drugs and the medical system. I'm a lawyer and I've seen it... it's all about the money. Absolutely research is important but CBD oil at this point is all about word of mouth and from everything I have read and seen people are getting tremendous results in anxiety and pain treatment among other things. And when I consulted one of my son's doctors on the use of CBD oil she was incredibly supportive and confirmed the positive results she knows patients have been having.

Onthemove1971 profile image
Onthemove1971 in reply to ElinaK35

I'm not here to debate anything, but we must be honest because we influence many people. We choice what works for our child and the medication we choose has been produced in a clean factory, tested by the FDA and each pill comes out the same. You can not say the same for CB oil. Those are the facts and other parents need to know that. Our professions have nothing to do with this discussions.

We have the chose to give our kids what we want but we have to be honest to all parents so they can decide what to pick.

Thanks for the discussion.

LenaLoo profile image
LenaLoo in reply to ElinaK35

How do you cover up the taste ? And YES !!!! He is extremely attached to me.

ElinaK35 profile image
ElinaK35 in reply to LenaLoo

I don't cover it up. My son made a face the first two times I gave it to him and afterwards he just took it as part of the routine along with his seizure medication (also liquid). It's not a horrible taste... if issues arise with taste try apple juice maybe...

ElinaK35 profile image
ElinaK35

I also agree that therapy is necessary and helpful. Our eldest with ADHD sees a therapist to try and develop coping mechanisms for anxiety.

Baglady5353 profile image
Baglady5353 in reply to ElinaK35

I have been thinking about bringing my son to a therapist to help him deal with ADHD. I was thinking maybe it would help him with the school year and help him with all the stress. Do you think it helps?

ElinaK35 profile image
ElinaK35 in reply to Baglady5353

It's not a miracle quick cure... I think it's a lot of work and may take some time but ultimately yes therapy does help. It also provides tools for long term success. Definitely look into regular therapy sessions.

Baglady5353 profile image
Baglady5353 in reply to ElinaK35

Thank you

TYTT profile image
TYTT

What side effects did you experience with concerta?

LenaLoo profile image
LenaLoo in reply to TYTT

He gets really irritated and cries uncontrollably over everything then he literally starts bouncing off the walls. This is when the medication is wearing off. He is still impulsive while the medication is working. This is still better than the side effects he has had with other medication.

denak2 profile image
denak2

I don't have any experience with CBD oil; however, we we have tried different stimulant medications and some seem to result in more extreme emotional outburst and anger when the medication wore off. We had this with Focalin. I only mention this because it is possible that a different stimulant medication will not have the emotional and angry outbursts at the end of the day. We never had that with Ritalin but it had other side effects like upset stomach and headaches. I had no idea how difficult it would be to find the right medication. We're still working on it. The medication does help the ADHD so I keep trying to find the right one. Hang in there.

Janemariekathryn profile image
Janemariekathryn

My son is 14. He has ADHD, ODD and just recently started feeling very anxious. He didn’t like the side effects he felt from different forms of Ritalin & Adderal. I researched articles and read a couple of books on Cbd oil. I started giving it to my son back in April. Life and school was much better for him and our family! I recommend it! Talking to a therapist also helps my son to understand his feeling and why he reacts to situations. A healthy diet minus artificial ingredients and high in protein helps. I also take him to a chiropractor which helps him to relax. I think the less meds the better my son became. Good luck and God Bless!😊

LenaLoo profile image
LenaLoo in reply to Janemariekathryn

I totally understand the less medication part. I never thought about a chiropractor. Our son is 6, I will have to see if they have a child chiropractor. And we tried the diet with less red dye.

Baglady5353 profile image
Baglady5353 in reply to Janemariekathryn

I recently started this summer with a chiropractor for my 14year old. It's been helpful. I never heard of the oils before.

I will read up about it. Thanks for the information

boyworld profile image
boyworld in reply to Janemariekathryn

Does your son get ADHD meds in addition too CBD? We are looking into a CBD trial before school starts!

Janemariekathryn profile image
Janemariekathryn in reply to boyworld

The pharmaceuticals had too many negative side effects. He doesn’t take any. The CBD and therapy work best for my son.

dubstepMaul profile image
dubstepMaul

I don't have any knowledge about that oil but I can tell you from my son's experiences that Ritalin and concerta (which is time-released Ritalin) will cause increased anxiety in some kids. My son who is now 27 told me that he did feel anxious every time when the med was kicking in. He was not able to verbalize this as a child (he wasn't on it very long though as we switched him to something else). I would suggest trying a different med. Maybe a non stimulant like Stratera.

MamaPajama profile image
MamaPajama

I’m sorry to hear that you’re son is struggling, emotionally and socially. Have you reported the new anxious behaviors to your physician? I think it’s worth a phone call to see what he/she thinks as anxiety can go hand in hand with ADHD. Or, sometimes there is a misdiagnosis of ADHD when anxiety is the real culprit.

As far as the oil question goes, I haven’t used CBD oil but I have a friend who used to sell it. She told me it’s pretty much junk and that if you read their marketing material carefully, you will notice that they can not directly claim to treat or cure any kind of condition. They will tell you “my son/daughter uses CBD oil and now reports feeling less anxious”. Notice that they just report anectodals and they are careful not to use words or phrases that directly link the oil to any specific condition or use the words “treat” or “cure” in any of their marketing ads. And please be aware that the person you purchased the oil from likely made money off of you, as well as their upline.

Nla1 profile image
Nla1

I heard that CBD Oil is very helpful in relaxation.... I am going to get this for my son who is six.

The side effects of ADHD medication can be awful for children and they have yet to expose long-term side effects due to lack of data... it hasn’t been around long enough.

Look into Neurofeedback.

I am starting this with my son next month... painless, no side effects- physical therapy for the brain and trains the mind to build the ability to focus and concentrate. Amazing testimonials (across the board for brain development in people with Autiam, ADD, ADHD, etc). It also helps to reduce the medication dosage for people ADHD and often eliminates it altogether.

It is expensive $160-175/per session but amazing if you can help them to develop neurologically- the areas of the brain controlling their impulses, behaviors and lack of focus. My son is also aggressive and he IS his impulses. Medication is the last option for us... too many side effects and no long term damage data available, plus we will one day be entering the teenage years and I don’t want him Self medicating and experimenting with an already high tolerance to prescribed medication (worried about it all- as you can see..) Look into it.

Drake Institute

EEGinfo.com

Childteenfamilytherapy.com

Xo

LenaLoo profile image
LenaLoo in reply to Nla1

Thank You, we definitely will.

Momrocket profile image
Momrocket

Dear LenaLoo,

You are describing symptoms of severe anxiety and depression. These can be symptoms of an out-of-“favor” but common disease called Pyroluria. Pyroluria is a liver condition which causes your body to make too much heme, a component of hemoglobin. This results in a buildup of protein acids which must be evacuated from the body. The body gets rid of this excess using zinc and b6 stores, resulting in deficiencies in those nutrients. Without zinc and b6 you can’t make your neurotransmitters, so you will have low serotonin (depression) and low GABA (anxiety).

Treatment for this condition is prescription vitamins. It’s important to go to a doctor knowledgeable about using vitamins to treat mental health issues like this because minerals like zinc must be balanced. Too little results in depression and anxiety, and too much takes out your immune system.

You can read more about this in Dr. Bill Walsh’s book Nutrient Power. We go to Mensah Medical for treatment. They do outreach clinics twice a year throughout the country, so if you are in the U.S. chances are they’re not too far from you.

Treatment helped our son enormously. We also found eliminating gluten, dairy and dyes to be profoundly helpful. With these two protocols our son, who was diagnosed with high functioning autism at 4, lost his HFA diagnosis at his most recent assessment at age 13. He now has an ADHD diagnosis and I am continuing the search to see what will help him most with that.

KarenADHDWeekly profile image
KarenADHDWeeklyPartner

Hello LenaLoo,

If you are considering CBD oil, discuss this with your child's doctor first. There is no research evidence that CBD oil is helpful for ADHD. This is an unproven approach that is not medically recommended.

It sound like your son is also dealing with anxiety, which commonly co-occurs with ADHD. Asking for an additional evaluation for anxiety can also help you find appropriate proven treatment to help your son with anxiety.

Cannabis products have no affect on executive function difficulties, which is what ADHD is. Also, pursuing a cannabis product can make getting medical assistance for your son difficult in the future.

You may be interested in our article on cannabis products. bit.ly/nrcmarijuanaQA

Best wishes,

Karen

The National Resource Center on ADHD

LenaLoo profile image
LenaLoo

Thank You

Onthemove1971 profile image
Onthemove1971

I am curious, have you read the article in Time magazine about buying CB oil online?

Here is the first line:

A study, published this week in JAMA, found that nearly 70% of all products sold online made from cannabidiol — an extract of the marijuana plant also known as CBD — contained either higher or lower concentrations of the drug than indicated on the label. That could potentially mean those CBD products are ineffective or even dangerous.

Some CBD products examined in the study also contained significant amounts of THC, the chemical compound in cannabis that makes people feel high. Pure CBD should not contain THC, which is one reason experts say it has potential as a medical treatment, and is not something that can be abused. The presence of THC is especially concerning because CBD is sometimes used by children with seizure disorders, says lead author Marcel Bonn-Miller, PhD, adjunct assistant professor of psychology in psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania.

I strongly encourage you if this is the route you want to go you ask your doctor to give you a RX so that you know what you are giving your child. This is a new option that just came out and at least you would know your child would be getting the same amount with each dose.

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