My 10 year old daughter was just diagnosed with ADHD, we have started her on Concerta. I’m not sure how much of a difference I see however she lashing out at me in the mornings before school. Is anyone else dealing with outbursts of moods??
Same Struggles: My 10 year old daughter... - CHADD's ADHD Pare...
Same Struggles
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Yes. Irritability is a known side effect of stimulants. You may need to try a different medication, or you may find that the side effects outweigh the benefits. It can take months or years to find the right medication combination, unfortunately. Good luck!
Did your daughter recently get her period? If not, it’s something else to look out for later. I have a teen and I noticed she can be Jekyll/hyde with her moods and she hasn’t been on adhd meds for a while. (She refuses them because of the way they make her feel). Females with adhd can get severe pms- premenstrual dysmorphic disorder.
My son has experienced this on Methylpenidate- he has become unmanageable in the mornings and every day after school. His psychiatrist said it was a ‘rebound’ side effect and changed him to Atomoxetine which is non stimulant ADHD medication. He’s now more smooth 24/7. He still has sulking and grumpiness and rude replies to us or his brother here and there but it’s minor in comparison to what he suffered from on Methylpenidate. I’d say stimulant made him ‘on the edge’ all the time. I’d never give him again stimulant medication. We never looked back since we swapped to a non stimulant.
My grandson got angrier on stimulants. If it continues, I would discuss this with her doctor.
My 12 yr old daughter has been on concerta for a couple years. Give it at least a month, I know it is a stimulant and quick release but I've noticed from personal experience on this medicine and having my daughter on it it takes time. Honestly, some days I feel good on the medicine and some days I don't but you should give it some time and see if it helps make things more manageable. Focus on finding out what make the mornings hard for her and try to find the unsolved problems and what you can help her with. Is it waking up? getting dressed? eating? For example, My daughter has a hard time waking up in the mornings. If we keep asking her to get up it works her more up and most likely ADHD paralyasis has set in now. So we start the morning waking her up once and then let her be responsible for the rest. She knows what needs to get done and she actually does better with less time. I hear you, its hard, keep trying, it takes time to find out what works for YOU and HER.
My daughter was depressed on concerta. We switched meds and shes good with adderal. Just trial and error.
Mornings were rough for us and then we changed the routine. She now gets up and gets dressed while i make breakfast. I dont have to scream anymore.
Bedtime was difficult too until we made a checklist, in order of priority, that includes the time each task takes. Now she knows she can have sleepy tea only if she gets her other items done in time. Little changes make huge differences.