Advice for medication for my superhero - CHADD's ADHD Pare...

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Advice for medication for my superhero

TiffanyLorene profile image
12 Replies

My son is currently on intuniv and is still struggling with aggressive behaviors. The next medication that is suggested to us to try is Kapvay. Or trileptal with the intuniv. Have any of you tired or use these medications for your children? If yes what do you like about it and what side effects you see from your child taking it? Please let me know

Just a mom trying to help her superhero!

Thank you!

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TiffanyLorene
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12 Replies
Doglady28 profile image
Doglady28

I’m in the same boat - superhero 7.5 year old son taking intuniv. Today is our 4th day. No changes in impulse control or aggressive behavior. How many mg’s is your son taking? How old is he? Thx.

Ldydy24 profile image
Ldydy24

These also didn’t help my son with his impulse control. He was never aggressive We tried both Intuniv and Kapvay. He got severe stomach aches/diarrhea on Kapvay so we immediately stopped. The only meds that have helped. my son for both impulse control and focus is Focalin. He’s been taking Focalin for 5 years. Every child’s body chemistry is different so my advice would be if you don’t see any positive effects on the meds don’t wait too long before trying something new.

CKariya profile image
CKariya in reply to Ldydy24

Hi! I have had the same experience with my son. Both Intuniv and Kapvay did not work. Straterra did not work either. He has been on focalin for 10 months now. Is your son on Focalin XR? How long does it work? For my son focalin works so well but lasts only 3 hours

Ldydy24 profile image
Ldydy24 in reply to CKariya

Hi we’ve tried the XR but it leaves my son with a flat personality and he still chews through it in 4 hours. Plus he doesn’t eat lunch! He has a very high metabolism so we have found he does better with several small doses of the short acting Focalin. He gets it 3 times a day as it only last about 3-4 hours. We overlap the doses so it doesn’t completely run out of his system during school.

CKariya profile image
CKariya in reply to Ldydy24

This is exact same issue with my son! The long acting lasts only 3 hours. He also does not eat lunch. But it works well for him and he is ok at school. But I felt it runs out too soon. Does your son get it 3 times a day during the school hours only? If you don’t mind me asking when they give it to him at school? If I give the short acting afterschool he has problems sleeping

Ldydy24 profile image
Ldydy24 in reply to CKariya

Our day starts early do he gets a dose at 7:30 before school, 10:30 and 1:30 during school. He eats lunch at 12:30 so he has an appetite between doses. If he has sports at night we give him a small dose to help him. Even without the late afternoon dose of meds my son has had problems shutting down his brain. He take a melatonin gummy (1.5 ml) 1 hour before bed and this helps. I buy at Walmart or amazon and dr approved. He’s almost 14 now. Someone told me about a longer acting med called Mydayis that’s supposed to last up there 12 hours. I’m going to ask my sons dr if we could try it during Christmas break. Focalin is the only thing that has helped him over the years.

CKariya profile image
CKariya in reply to Ldydy24

Thank you so much. This is big help. I think my son is very similar in metabolizing the medication. My son is only 6 years old. But seems it wears off same way. I will ask the doctor if we could try this schedule.

Cjkchamp profile image
Cjkchamp

My son doesn’t do well on Guanfacine alone either. He is 5 and has done well on a combo of 5 mg Focalin XR and Guanfacine ER 3 mg both given in morning.

CKariya profile image
CKariya in reply to Cjkchamp

Hi... was wondering how long does the Focalin XR work for your son?

Cjkchamp profile image
Cjkchamp in reply to CKariya

Hmmmmm that’s a hard one for me to answer. I think the school would say early afternoon. He recently started having trouble and the psychiatrist has added a dose of short-acting Focalin at noon during the week. That is a 2.5 mg dose.

CKariya profile image
CKariya in reply to Cjkchamp

Thank you very much. Same for my son. He needs a 5mg short acting At 11am. I wasn’t sure if this was too soon for long acting to wear off? Otherwise it works well. Thank you for your reply!

anirush profile image
anirush

My middle school grandson is on intuniv but also on Wellbutrin because he has problems with depression in the Wellbutrin helps with his ADHD. He's still struggling some. At least he's not hitting us or tearing things up

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