adhd medication

High School and ADHD Meds: Our Story

The high school secretary and I had a special friendship. If Joe or I discovered that he had forgotten to take his Strattera, he could go to the office and she would give him the missed dose. Over several months, it became increasingly obvious that Joe wasn’t taking his meds, and it wasn’t because he forgot. He didn’t want to.

So why didn’t he want the medication? The bottom line was that they made him feel ‘weird’. We’d tried several types, combinations, dosages, and they would work for a while, but Joe felt that they all altered the way he felt. They altered his personality, his appetite, and he hated the whole hassle. Yes, we could have forced him to keep taking them. But we didn’t.

My husband and I discussed this at length, and realized that the moment that Joe left home, he was going to quit taking ADHD meds. At that point, although we did have a 504 in place, we were really leaning heavily on the medicine to help Joe focus.

For us – and that’s just for us – we decided that we would take him off the medication totally, and try to teach him to focus and pay attention and remember his homework and track shoes and bus stop without the help of anything else. Our rationale was that if he wasn’t going to continue to take medication, we were doing him a disservice by not teaching him to manage his symptoms in other ways.

As a side note, we had already gone through the same thing with Ron, but Ron’s ADHD symptoms weren’t so pronounced. And interestingly enough, Ron went back on medication in college. So did Mike, for that matter.

In any event, our last years in high school for all the boys were spent without the tool of medication. (And that’s when I finally wrote Focus, Pocus.) Is that right for you? Only you can decide.

New Research Regarding ADHD Medicines: Guilt-Free News

Do you medicate? Or do you hesitate to medicate?

As expert opinions swing from one extreme to another, parents like you are making decisions daily in the best interest of your child or teen.

While there’s no such thing as guilt-free parenting, a recent study conducted by the University of Florida should encourage you. The latest research confirms that children who take Ritalin and Adderall (stimulants for ADHD-I) are not more inclined to have cardiac problems during treatment.

The study published in British Medical Journal in August decisively answers a ten-year debate regarding treatment and its effect on children.

So if you have a child who’s taking Ritalin and Adderall, here’s something to make you feel better, at least for a minute. 🙂

Read more about the ADHD Medicine Research in the University of Florida News.

Traveling with ADHD – Back on the Road

Last week we posted five tips for traveling with ADHD. Here are five more, plus an addition to #5…Thanks to those who sent in their hints!! And we’ll take more. Add them in the comments, reply to the email, or post on our Facebook page.

And – before we get too far down the road, please allow us a moment to express our thanks to God for His many blessings. We count you – our readers and our friends – among those blessings.

Even if you’re not in the United States, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! And may we all remember to make every day Thanksgiving day.

Brock and Kayla

5. Finders Keepers, part 2. Traveling (or just going to school, color guard or whatever) teach your kids to do a head to toe assessment so that they won’t forget anything. This works most of the time, if they remember to take the backpack that has everything packed in it…

6. Packing list. Make a list and check it twice. Kayla’s list is so compulsively organized that she’s ashamed of it – and so old it has ‘Gameboy’ and ‘film’ on it. Let’s just say Kayla has helped me pack many times…There’s a great list to get you started at About.com . Perusing, a couple of things stood out: medicine, lip balm, zip lock bags and Sharpies, and sanitary products – whether you are expecting a ‘visit’ or not.

If you forget something – don’t panic. Pharmacies can usually transfer prescriptions, the hotel will give you a toothbrush, and if all else fails – there are WalMarts EVERYWHERE.

7. Eat right. It’s so tempting to stop at the fast food places, but your kids need better fare than that. Pack a lunch and snacks or simply stop at a supermarket and grab a meal. A loaf of bread, peanut butter, squeeze jelly, apples, a bag of carrots, a bag of pretzels and a 6 pack of juice is easy to grab and go. Tuna now comes in individual servings, too. Don’t forget plasticware, wipes/paper towels, and plates or bowls. And you’ll save money, too!

8. What are you afraid of? Open a dialog about what your child may be worried about. Wetting the bed? Getting lost? Aunt Gert’s bad breath? Cousin Essie’s tomcat? Not knowing what to say? Tell them about the times you were afraid traveling – or how you had a crisis and survived to tell the tale. Assure them that you’ll be there for anxious times – and maybe arrange a way for your child to silently signal “I’m uncomfortable. Help!”

9. Look up! As you travel, point out the things that your kids might miss while they aren’t paying attention. Joe seriously missed noticing the Saint Louis arch one day. Offer a reward for the ‘first one to notice…” a streetcar, a Biscuitville, a South of the Border sign, Bruco the caterpillar. And if you’re in a city, remind your kids – and yourself – to look up! You’ll see beautiful and interesting things on rooftops, signs, ceilings, and even in the sky.

10. We Need This Every Hour. If you have a long drive or flight, pack a small bag full of surprises that will be doled out at intervals. Ideas for this: A new dollar toy, a CD, a special snack, a photo album, a camera, a puzzle book, playdough, an easy craft, travel games, markers and books, string for cat’s cradle…

Today’s God Sighting

Brock: Like Kayla, I’m from the deep South, but you may have gathered that our family lives outside of the United States. I can’t say where, but let’s just say that it’s a place that takes bureaucracy to a new level. I just got back from picking up Lesley’s prescription. I’m stunned because I actually have a 3 month supply. The way prescriptions work here is usually — we see the locally born doctor who is approaching retirement. He clucks and can’t believe Lesley’s not put on weight. (Evidently the study of genetics never enters his mind.) He’ll ask a few questions — he can’t understand Lesley. Then I’ll re-state what she’s said, but mostly he just doesn’t get us.

He’ll prescribe one month’s worth of medicine. Before you know it, we’re out — and then the renewal process begins. I call. No one answers the phone. This may go on for a day until I wise up and try again at strategically different times. Then the receptionist will tell me I should try another number — which I know from experience has no voice mail or anyone who’ll answer the phone. After telling her I’ve had bad experiences with that number (which I have, believe me) she’ll reluctantly take our employee number, Lesley’s name, the doctor’s name and our prescription renewal request. Another day passes. I drive to the doctor’s office and pick up the paper prescription. Because this is from the psych. dept., nothing is done electronically.

My next step is to tightly clutch my prescription and drive from the psych dept. to the clinic’s pharmacy. I stand in line, the only western customer around. Eventually, the que shortens, and it’s my turn. Once I relinquish my precious prescription paper, I’m given a sticker with a number on it. 192.

I glance to the board where these words are being run across the top: “Average waiting time is 15 minutes.” The most recent number is 188. Sounds promising, but I’m not so easily duped. This time I have a book to read.

20 minutes pass. I glance at the board…and the sequence is 188, 189, 190, 191, 193, 194, 195, 196.

I think it’s time to ask a polite question. I stand in line to do that. “I’m just checking. I’ve been here about 25 minutes and there are other prescriptions ready that came after mine.”

“Employee number?”

He’s scanning a computer screen. I offer, “It’s for Lesley Myers….” and I name the doctor.

“What’s the medicine,” he asks.

“Concerta” (Is there no information on that computer screen???)

More waiting, but it paid off. I got 6 little bottles of 30 18 mg. Concerta tablets. SIX. If she takes 2 a day (which she hasn’t been lately), that’s a 3-month supply. I’m simply stunned.

The difference? We had a different doctor today.

He was young — meaning younger than I am. He was polite, businesslike, and he understood Lesley perfectly. We told him about the panic attack, and he didn’t flinch. (The other doctor would’ve clucked, I just know it.) He asked specific questions to clarify various things we were telling him — an active listener — imagine!

“How is your sleep pattern affected?”

“How long does it take to do homework on average?”

“What extracurricular activities are you involved in?”

We told him how she had been taking 18 mg rather than 36 for the past couple weeks. He asked her how she decided when to take 18 and when to take 36 and what she felt was the difference.

He encouraged the lower dosage; however, he told us he would prescribe enough 18 mg. that she can double the dose as she feels she needs it. We were in and out of his office in record time — and felt like we’d had a better 2-way conversation than we’ve ever had in that building. He wants Lesley to come back in and weigh in before she goes on summer vacation. He noticed that Lesley didn’t gain any weight over last summer when she was completely off the medicine.

I’m truly marveling at the whole incident, one of our “God-sightings” for the day.

ADHD Medicine Melodrama

I would like to tell you that medicines to correct ADHD-Inattentive are great, and that once our daughter started meds that she immediately began feeling focused, organized, confident, and successful. Yet if that’s all I told you, it wouldn’t be the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Although Lesley was initially diagnosed in fourth grade, we survived without medicine until she was in sixth grade. Because Lesley’s my third child and not the first, I wasn’t overly concerned. I just knew that she would outgrow her ADHD tendencies soon enough. Unfortunately, the outgrowing didn’t happen by sixth grade, and it was obvious that the next step would be prescribed medication.

At this point in her budding middle school career, Lesley’s self-esteem was lagging. She felt stupid, she felt embarrassed and she hated school. A new 6-day schedule added to the confusion. Lesley often went to school without required assignments, not because she didn’t do it but because she didn’t realize that she would have that particular class that day.

After consulting our doctor, we were given a prescription for Lesley. The results at our house were almost immediate. She could focus. She could finish her homework without being nagged. Her grades improved drastically.

Yet it wasn’t all good. She wasn’t sleeping well. She wasn’t eating well, and she was already a tall, lanky kid. Bedtime went as late as midnight, and her classes would start by 7:30 a.m. She might eat a half sandwich at lunch and a couple carrot sticks.

Although she started her menstrual period in the summer after 7th grade, once she started the medication in the fall, she didn’t have another period until she stopped the medicine for summer. Was it related to the medicine? Or was it related to the fact that she was in the 19th percentile for her weight?

Her doctor wanted her to gain 10 pounds. I felt she was as likely to flap her wings and fly to the moon. When she was off the medicine on the weekend, she would eat everything in sight – and being a teenager with a fast metabolism, she didn’t gain weight. Even after being off the medicine for the entire summer, she grew an inch and gained exactly one pound. One pound!

I don’t have a tidy ending for this because we’re still living this one! We’re experimenting with cutting her medicine in half to see if that’s strong enough to keep her focused yet weak enough to not affect her appetite.
She likes to choose certain school days and not take her medicine. When she knows the material, she has no problem taking a test without taking the medicine. The days that she really wants to have a full dose is when she knows new material will be covered in the classroom.

So far, this is what I’m learning about these medicines:

1) The same medicine may not always work the same way for Lesley. Talk to your doctor about making changes to the prescription medicine or simply to the dosage of the medicine.

2) It’s best for us, at least one day a week, to make sure we have a medicine-free day. Note that this will NOT work for all meds; Straterra and SRI’s must be taken consistently. Consult your doctor!
3) I need to become familiar with the possible side effects of the meds Lesley was on – things the doctor didn’t tell me or that I didn’t process when he told me.
4) A journal of how the medicine affects Lesley has been invaluable. When you have a doctor’s appointment, it’s very helpful to pinpoint what happened when.
5) Meds are only one tool in the arsenal that has helped Lesley.

There’s more to this story – that I’ll mention next week.

ADHD – Can’t Do It Alone

I get lots of feedback from newsletters, which I appreciate – and enjoy – very much. One reader, an ADHD mom, had read about my mixed feelings when our oldest son Ron decided to go back on medication. (Ron is in college.) She sent me the most interesting thought. Like Ron, she is on medication, which initially made her feel very guilty. She wrote that she now considers the ADHD medication, “a daily reminder that I can’t do it on my own, I have to leave it to God.” Cool thought, which I immediately passed on to Ron. By the way, Ron says the meds continue to make a HUGE and important difference for him. His grades reflect that difference.

Our decision about putting one of our sons on medication is chronicled here.