Concerta and gastritis. Also question about Strattera.

[Freefalling]

Hi, my 12 year old daughter was recently diagnosed with inattentive adhd, and we’re starting down the medication gauntlet. She took 36 mg methylphenidate er, and about a week in got really bad gastritis. I stopped her on that, and am waiting until it’s better before starting her on anything else. From what I’ve researched, it seems like every doctor’s first choice is a stimulant. Is that because they have the best chance of success? I think something like Strattera might be a better choice for my kid, but I’m curious as to why it didn’t make the first round of options. Any advice?

[rtistics]

Methylphenidate is what I take and I have tried others and they did not help me (as an adult). I am 38, however, my parents had me try Methylphenidate (a low 5mg dose - before ER existed) when I was 15 years old. I did not like the stimulant feeling of it and it made me very anxious. So they stopped me after a couple of weeks. As an adult, I find it the only good option, but I am mature enough to understand the anxiousness and why I am taking the medication.

I am a little shocked that Methylphenidate is still the "go to" for children. While, it may end up to be the best solution for a child; I feel that other, less intense meds should be tried first along with therapy and a real education on what ADHD is.

I was shot off into adulthood with pretty much no understanding of ADHD and I pretty much dismissed it and wasted the first 10 years of my adulthood struggling blindly and on my own.

I feel that Methylphenidate (and the like) is too intense for a kid as a first course of action but I would not completely dismiss it, circle back to it after trying something lighter and ( I cannot stress enough) therapy to educate both her and you. She may have to deal with this her whole life and while it is a serious condition, if she understands it well enough she can adjust her lifestyle to work with it. With the proper education, it doesn't have to be hard, and honestly, sometimes fun.