what does effective medication look like?

[Zentime]

We’ve tried so many stimulant and non stimulant medications for my 11 yo son with ADHD and anxiety. Even on medications he continues to make frequent noise, have difficulty remembering directions, limited attention, gets lost in his thoughts and continues to experience sensory overwhelm. I’m not sure what a “well medicated” child is supposed to look like? Can you please share what the main differences you could observe in your child when you found the right medication? Thank you so much!

[Onthemove1971]

Just curious are you guys working with a Child Psychartist? If not this team member made a huge difference in our lives for many years. Since children grow and change medication does also. We were told that when it's the correct type of medication, correct dose of medication and it is given at the correct time 60% of the symptoms go away. For us it was more like 80-90% of the symptoms are gone and well worth it.

It was very.. very hard for me to accept pur child needed medication and on top of that 2 types was even harder.

Here is what helped me: stimulates help stop impulsive behavior ( excessive talking, moving and not stopping to think before he acted). Non-stimulants help with miod and focus. That is why both for use were needed.

We also during COVID around Wellbutrin and that with Guanfacine was the best for our son. This took years to work out but once stable it was hard to tell he had ADHD and we are very thankful for the team that support us. We were told Wellbutrin works the same way as a stimulant. It has also helped with anxiety.

One last thing.. all of the trials of different medications took more of a tole on us than our son. He now doesn't know any difference than the medication he takes.

I know how life changing medication has been, we also can tell when he has not taken it.

Hope you can find what works and it is also life changing.

[Littleme2000]

Not sure if this is the case with your son, but ours has ADHD and characteristics of ASD. The issue is that stimulants were not a great fit overall w my son because of the ASD. The lack of appetite and increased ticking really outweighed the benefits, and they dulled his personality, which was not helpful with him growing socially. Adding Intuiv did help w ticking. Academically he was doing great, but was wasting away, so we had to take him off. We did Genomind, which helped us find the right ADHD meds without a lot of trial and error, and was also helpful in providing guidance for any other meds we may consider in the future (mood stabilizers, SSRI/SNRIs, also found MTHFR variant). From my understanding, stimulants can be a game changer with ADHD, but having ASD can complicate the picture. We are currently working with a functional practitioner to balance any nutritional deficiencies (he was really low on zinc and glutathione), are utilizing supplements and Intuiv. Things are definitely balancing out, so it’s a fit that works for us. Wishing you the best for your kiddo!

[Zentime in reply to Littleme2000]

Thank you! During the diagnostic testing when he was diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety they said that he just barely also scored in the ASD range s well but that they would leave it to us to determine if we wanted to add that diagnosis as well. At the time we were so overwhelmed that we decided to not include ASD but I’ve always wondered if it’s still in the mix. All that to say maybe that’s why stimulants have not been working well. Like you the lack of eating, sleeping, and increased tics have made it not a good option for us. We’ve done genesite and it said he was compatible with all stimulants so I’m not sure I take much stock in that test. We have not tried a functional practitioner yet so maybe that should be our next step. I appreciate you sharing your experience! Wishing you all the best.

[arrh121]

With my son, it was a subtle improvement in mood and self control after we found the right dose of guanfacine ER and atomoxetine. He is still extremely challenging and different from other kids, but he is able to do well in a school environment and the house is more peaceful (though still gets a little crazy at times almost every day) and we can enjoy his company a good amount of the time. Before that, the tantrums were overwhelming and life was constantly stressful.

[Zentime in reply to arrh121]

Glad you found some relief. I think I’m just searching for some miracle drug and it doesn’t exist. Little improvements are what I should be looking for. Wishing you the best!

[anirush]

Sometimes you need to keep trying combinations. Welbutrin and Guanfancine worked well for my oldest grandson in high school when his stulimulant stopped working in 8th grade.Younger grandson could not do stimulants at all. He has been on Straterra for years with addition of guanfacine and now an antidepressant Sertraline which made a big difference when he was in high school.

If is frustrating finding something that works.

[Krll]

echo the person who said 60% of symptoms are resolved. We knew it was working because when we’d forget meds or take a break, things escalated back to completely unmanageable for us. Our on meds is still impulsive and hard to redirect, has trouble hearing what we say and following directions. BUT! He’s no longer melting down or breaking glass in tantrums, we don’t fear for our safety and his teachers aren’t pulling their hair out.

Stimulants helped us calm the behaviors enough that he can participate in class and an antidepressant helped manage his anxiety so he is more thoughtful, reflective, and interactive with peers. He still drives us nuts and parenting is still exhausting ! But we *enjoy* him more because we’re not in constant damage/safety control.