Hi,
Just wanting to find out any of your stories on medication breaks. Our son had his first break this weekend even know he was good he was a 1000 miles an hour and there no way he could be like that in school. But today he back on them his mood his low. And I just feel so bad for him should I stop the medication breaks?
hello,
Why are you having him take a medication break? Did your son’s doctor recommend that due to low weight problem? I don’t think medication breaks from stimulants are universally recommended as they might have been previously. Some use them to help catch up on weight and growth. Others use them to assess developmental growth and the continuing need for the medication. There may be other reasons for breaks, but many experts recommend not taking them if possible.
Talk to your son’s doctor about the need for breaks. If they are necessary for your son, let the doctor know about the change in mood. A change in medication, dosage, or timing may be recommended. If the break is needed for weight gain issues, there is a medication called cyproheptadine that may help increase appetite so that breaks are not necessary. (Cyproheptadine is an antihistamine; it can also can help with sleep if taken at night.)
My son has been in Ritalin or concerta for 5 years. We have taken some breaks for several weeks during the summer. Initially, I did have him take breaks during the weekends because I thought he would be better off by giving his body a break (part of this was Medication Guilt which resolved as I learned more about adhd treatment outcomes and saw first hand how much the medication helped my son.) . His doctor has said he is fine to take the medication daily without breaks, and I have believe this to be the most beneficial for him. It creates consistency for him which means he feels better about himself and has more control over his behavior. The difficulties he has do not take a break, so since there is no medical reason for him to take a break, I am glad to provide him the help he needs every day..
He just doesn’t eat anymore he always complaining about a bad stomach and am soo worried. But I don’t want to stop the medication because he really needs it for school there no way he would focus or learn with out it ☹️
We do a break on weekends and when he doesn’t have to be somewhere that his concentration is necessary, mostly bc his stimulant isn’t extremely effective for long but is appetite inhibiting, and THAT effects his mood. I’ve found though, that I need to watch him bc his digestive system isn’t prepared for all the food he takes in when he’s not taking the meds and it can cause stomach problems. Cyproheptidine is great and should be used continuously for maximum effectiveness, I’m so glad other people know about and are using it!
It depends on the time of day the med is typically given, and the dosage. We can do weekends without it now, but son is 13 and it took a while to be able to do that. Mine is on 3 meds, we only take a break from the Vyvanse. The other two stay on full dose.
We take breaks on weekends and non school days including holidays. My son just takes it for school or any activity where he needs to be focused or not hyper we base it on our judgement and activity and if it will benefit him or keep him safe. For instance we usually go hiking without meds but I'd the trail is steep and narrow we give him meds for his safety otherwise it would be very difficult.
We take these breaks to help him catch up on his weight. He takes extended release and he does not eat all day with it. He is underweight and we made this decision with the doctor.
How old is your son, what medication is he on? Also how is he when he start taking the medication again on the Monday? X
8 years old. He's on Focalin ER. It took some time to adjust when we switched to focalin. At the beginning he had upset stomach. He's better now
Thank you, my son dose seem to dull his personality even though it great for the hyperactivity and he would never be able to focus on school about it. Maybe considering dropping a bit to see if that helps x
How old is your son, what medication is he on? Also how is he when he start taking the medication again on the Monday? X
My teenage grandson periodically "forgets" to take his medication on the weekend. On Monday he is a bear and does terribly in school. I try to stay on top of things more now.
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