need more info on adhd meds?

Question

my child 5 yrs old has been diagnosed... i have not put her on meds, there are some days where im like...ok she really needs help... poor thing tries so hard, the real quistion is if i go that route, id like to know any ones experiences with all the different drugs out there, i heard some are so strong they turn your kid into a zombie... i certainly dont want that...just wanted to know other peoples experiences for research sake...

Answer 1

Regarding the person who's post is just before mine...about 5% of people diagnosed as adhd actually have food allergies. It is something definitely worth looking into, but it is NOT a cure-all, and she may not respond to it. Before you do meds, look over the following links, and try the dietary changes they suggest. If she's in that 5%, she'll respond within a couple of weeks. If you don't see a change, then it's not the food allergy issue. Start looking into meds.

http://www.oneaddplace.com/adhd-diet.php

http://www.adhdhelp.org/diet-adhd.htm

At the age of 5, medicating is a tricky business. Usually, good doctors will recommend that you wait until she's older before starting meds, unless she's really severe.

Also, there are so many different kinds of adhd meds because different people respond to these meds in different ways. You have to balance positive responses with any sensitivity to side effects. Don't judge all adhd meds by her response to one.

If her behavior is really interfering with home and school, I would suggest you ask the doctor to start her on something light. One thing you really need to constantly be aware of, is that a growing child will have continually changing dosage and even need to change the medication type... and the dosage/medication type can go up and down in intensity need.

My son has inattentive-type ADHD (among other conditions). We started him on Wellbutrin at about the age of 7, then moved to Concerta, and now are using Adderrall (which is a very strong med that you should NEVER start with).. but he is very severe and is older (aged 12). Each time we started a new med, we tried a couple of dosage strengths before finding what worked. Then, he would be stable for a few months to a couple of years, and then start having increased symptoms to a point where we had to change things around again.

If your daughter is relatively mild in her symptoms right now, there are some short-acting meds and over-the-counter herbs (do those under a doctor's supervision too... don't just try to figure OTC stuff out on your own) that you can use for "just those really bad times."

The "zombie" effect occurs when a doctor does prescribes too strong a dose, the wrong type for her, or your child isn't really adhd (some gifted kids, kids with anxiety or depression, etc. act hyper). If she "zombies," on a medication/dose level, don't freak out... let the doctor know and get an immediate change in dosage level and/or medication. If she seems to "zombie" on many different adhd meds and dosages, and her unmedicated symptoms continue to be a problem, then she might be misdiagnosed. Get a second opinion, preferably from a specialist (pediatric neuropsychologist).

Because of the changing needs of a growing child, you can go for months with something working really well, and then suddenly she'll be either bouncing off the walls or "zombied" -- immediately call for a change of meds.

We have our psychiatric nurse practitioner on speed dial... but like I said our kiddo's got some other issues besides adhd.

http://www.addresources.org/article_dosing_rabiner.php

http://www.adhdnews.com/adhd-medication.htm

http://addadhdadvances.com/

http://add.about.com/cs/medications/a/blmedfactsheets.htm

Some herbal info:
http://www.healing-arts.org/children/ADHD/herbal.htm

http://add.about.com/cs/othertreatment/a/herbal.htm

http://www.primary.net/~gic/herb/healthnews_6.htm

IF you go herbal, make sure your doctor supervises... herbal remedies are just as serious as prescription medication, and are not as well regulated.

Answer 2

any of the meds can turn your kids into "zombies" if the dosage is not correct. There are a lot of different drugs out there, but only one that is not a controlled substance: straterra. A lot of people have success with it, but I have not so far. Your physician probably has one or two that he has had the most success with and will probably try those first. Find a GOOD ADHD doctor and stick with him. Don't be afraid to ask questions/voice concerns. My daughter was on a good med, once we got her dosage adjusted, but then she started losing weight on it, which can be typical of some drugs. Just have to find the right one... You could be surprised the difference in kids if their dose is adjusted properly.

Answer 3

I am a 16 year old girl who has been diagnosed since i was 7. I have tried Ritalin and Adderal. Ritalin is what i started off with and it helped me a bit. Adderal XR has helped me so much. I don't feel like a zombie, I can concentrate very well and adderal has helped me be able to manage my time wisely. I would set aside time to play,do homework, watch T.V, and all that stuff. They most likely will start her on Ritalin which is a good one to start off on it works good for focus but i would say adderal is much better. In middle school i used to get bad grades like F's D's and C-'s not that i am on adderal i have been able to focus more and my grade's have came up so much more i am a A' and B' student now. with a GPA of a 3.75. Adderal also helps with the walking in circles as my mom would say. Also Stratera did not work for me what so ever!!!! I really suggest the Adderal Extended Realize

Answer 4

thank you to the above man or woman for incredibly speaking approximately eating regimen. My step son has been on ADHD drugs in view that he advance into 2. Who places a 2 year previous on med for that??? He advance into being a typical 2 year previous who's mom might permit him drink each and all the pop he ought to drink and candy he ought to consume. I completely agree that approximately ninety p.c. of upload or ADHD circumstances may be controlled with eating regimen and pastime ameliorations. Too many video games and television getting used as babysitters in recent times. Now, the son that's been on the meds for the previous 15 years right now, he's now 17 has and is on much greater meds for Crohn's ailment, colative ulcers, he's bi-polar and is likewise now on meds for anti-rigidity and melancholy alongside with persevering with the ADHD meds, which at 17 i've got faith must be nicely below administration. He has on no account supply us behavioral issues whilst we've our visitation days. he's variety of a zombie and extremely incoherent from the meds. His mom even tried to have him on meds for bedwetting. definitely obsured. he's have been given a tough street forward, yet i think of healthcare expert's ought to truly look into the homelife of the youngsters until now they hear to hypochondriatic people who want their teenagers sedated because of the fact of ways they chosen to advance them and now won't be in a position to deal with and self-discipline them the stable previous style way. Now, that being pronounced, I do have faith there are circumstances the place meds ought to take delivery of and delivered on universal foundation. I also have a pal who's son might pass berzerk and start up punching partitions and a crew of alternative stuff even however they made pastime ameliorations. I trust them on the meds for his or her son because of the fact there advance right into a one hundred% difference interior the new child. My propose is to objective selection techniques and use meds as an absolute purely final motel. I without a doubt have not got faith they comprehend each and all the effects of long term use of those meds and are purely commencing as much as scratch the exterior on discovering it.

Answer 5

No meds -

change her diet COMPLETELY - no white sugars or unnessiary carbohydrates. Make sure she burns her energy through massive amounts of enjoyable exersise.

She will need to learn how to cope with her disability instead of medicate it, so that she will be successful thorughout her life. ADHD doesn't go away after school is over.