ADD meds and experiences.Help please!

[jmcewen]

My 8yr old was just diagnosed this summer but we knew all along it was ADD but she also has some anxiety and OCD tendencies. We started our first med Vvyanse which is supposed to be more mellow. We tried 10mg and got up to 30mg.

It was like she was on speed. She would talk non stop never letting anyone get a word in edge wise. I dont feel like anything improved. I know it is a trial and error but we only have 1 week til school starts. Her anxiety seemed a little more heightened as well which I was aware could happen.

Any ideas on what to try next? Dr had also recommended Zenzedi as a mellow one. I have had heard horror stories on kids coming off of Adderall. THanks so much!!

[DJKJ]

I'm sorry I have no recommendations for you but just know you're not alone. My son was also diagnosed during summer and he's 8. He's on guanfacine 1mg and it's not helping any. I'm at a loss and so stressed because school reopens 8/22. It's just so hard knowing how bad last year was.

[Elijah1]

Sounds like the Vyvanse aggravated the anxiety and OCD. This can happen. Ask your doctor if it may be better to first try an short acting medication (tablet) so, if she has the same response, it won't last as long. Some people have said that a methylphenidate product (Ritalin or Focalin) may be better tolerated than an Adderall product (Zenzedi is in the latter category). It may also depend on how the medication is taken - a pill is more rapidly absorbed into the body than a patch (such as Daytrana). Also, watch her and decide if the behaviors you are treating are caused by the ADHD or by the anxiety/OCD so you can decide what needs to be treated first.

Years of experience (he is now a young adult) have taught me a lot about this question.

[jmcewen in reply to Elijah1]

Thanks so much!! Zen was another one the dr recommended. We were trying to start with the more mellow ones but it’s not working. I was afraid the anxiety would get worse. And hate to even think about having to go the Antidepressant route. That just scares me

[Zaneasher in reply to jmcewen]

My 7 year old son has been on 5mg ritilan (methylphenidate) for some time now and has been tolerating it fairly well. Helps with focus, not impulsiveness tho. It’s short acting so doesn’t effect his eating meals. We tried guanfacine (also wanted to start out with a more “mellow” drug. The guanfacine turned him into a terror. We tried twice (months apart) bc I thought I was perhaps overacting the fiery time around. Nope. It was a terrible drug for him. Maybe ask his doc about methylphenidate (lowest dose/ short acting). You’ll notice a difference right away. Btw it doesn’t seem to exacerbate his anxiety. Good luck

[Elijah1 in reply to jmcewen]

If anxiety is affecting her daily functioning more than the ADHD, consider treatment with a low SSRI dose and gradual increase. The claims of suicidal thinking/actions are greatly exaggerated (heard this in a great talk by a child psychiatrist and confirmed in an article that was later published in a medical journal) and likely related to the disinhibition (wired behavior) that some kids can have (so they say inappropriate things that would not be said if calm..but then, so do we). If ADHD, then a methylphenidate (or Focalin) product may be less 'stressful'. You have to decide whether you want her the way she is now on no medication or whether a change/improvement is necessary and in her best interests.

[vickimad in reply to Elijah1]

We use a long lasting Ritalin then a short top up, for the first 20 mins he doesn’t stop talking but then it kicks in and is great

[anirush]

It is all such trial-and-error. My grandson got very angry on Vyvanse, does better on Strattera which is a non-stimulant, but even on that if we get the dose too high he gets agitated.

It can be really frustrating when all you want is the best for your child and for them to do well.