Emotional lability from all meds we've tried - help! - ADD / ADHD Message Board

weez · 08-02-2007, 06:57 AM

I'm not sure what my next step should be with my nine year-old son. We see a pediatrician who specializes in ADHD. For the past 4 years we've done one med after another and we ALWAYS have the same two issues. First, to get a high enough dose that actually covers all his symptoms he basically is an overmedicated zombie, and second after anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks he becomes an emotional mess and seems very depressed. He talks about how worthless his life is etc. When we take him off the meds, like we did this summer - he is a happy, cheerful little guy but he's so hyperactive that he's like a small tornado. Basically we've kept him on meds and somewhat depressed just so that he can function at school - but it's not a good long-term solution and of course as parents we feel really bad for him. Doc says keep trying meds. So far we've tried: Ritalin LA, Focalin XR, Adderall XR, Concerta, and now the "Patch" - same exact problems with all of them.

weez

mkgbrook · 08-02-2007, 07:33 AM

Just in case read my post linking ADD/ADHD to sleep disorders like sleep apnea.

[url]http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=485553[/url]

They tried labeling my son with ADHD but he was not. He could concentrate and was extremely smart, he just had to be interested in the topic.. he just refused to sit still, was loud, disrupted class. These things turned out to be his way of staying awake; because, he would fall asleep when he got still. This was all due to sleep deprivation induced by the severe OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) my son inherited from me. There is nothing scarier than finding out your child stopped breathing 30 times an hour, and that of the ten hours of sleep he was getting only four hours of it was true sleep.

I am not saying that your pediatrician is wrong.. I know ADHD is a valid and difficult disorder to deal with.. but if there is a sleep disorder aggravating things maybe my post will help in your treatment of your son.

Sincerely,
MG

rheanna · 08-02-2007, 07:49 AM

weez,

In addition to mkgbrook's excellent suggestion, may I also add that your son just may not be a candidate for drug treatments. If it turns out that there just isn't anything that he can take without such strong side-effects, there are a couple of things you might think about:

mkgbrooks's suggestion about sleep apnea, of course.

Food allergies (red dye, etc).

It may be that he just needs a really different environment than a traditional school classroom. He may actually need more opportunity to incorporate physical activity into his learning situation. If he learns how to channel all that energy, he may grow up to feel positive about himself, and be able to find a job that requires quick reflexes, creative responses, constant change and challenge to keep his active mind from becoming bored.

One thread that made an impression on me is by Dutches, "help what is going on with me?!" at [url]http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=509307[/url]

She talks about a life of traveling the world and dancing for a living. The wonderful thing is that she is able to live with a hyperactive form of ADD without having to force herself to fit into a corporate mold.

I appreciate that you have your hands full with an active child, and you are concerned about his health if he continues to take drugs, and his academic performance if he doesn't take drugs. Perhaps others will have more suggestions for you.

--Rheanna

weez · 08-02-2007, 08:51 AM

Thank you both for your suggestions. I did read the thread about Sleep Apnea but I really doubt this is his problem. There are certainly no symptoms that suggest it other than the ADD symtoms themselves. Also, his older brother also has ADHD but it's very easily treatable with meds in his case. we've already had him allergy tested and nothing showed up so I don't think that is it either.

I certainly have thought about keeping him off meds permanently. When he was young we worked with a private behavioral specialist but unfortuntely it didn't help which is why we turned to the drugs. My son is so hyperactive and innattentive that it's our opinion that he can't learn. We originally thought that he might have a learning disorder in addition to his ADHD because when he was younger he didn't know his colors, his ABCs, etc. until much, much later than his peers. Testing later showed that he's very smart - he's just not picking up much of anything from his enviroment. And it wasn't until we put him on meds that he actually caught up academically with his peers. Now he's doing fine except for his writing (but that's another topic).

I've looked at various schools around here, and my options seem quite limited. Most private schools only want cream of the crop type of kids and my son would need to be interviewed etc. There is one private school for milder special-needs kids but the tuition is so high it's not even a remote possibility. But I'd like to research this some more. I'm just not sure what kind of school would take a kid like mine unmedicated? He shows STRONG signs of being a good future engineer or architect and we were hoping that this would be something we could foster.

Thanks,

weez

addprogrammer · 08-02-2007, 10:08 AM

Weez,

It is a "mind" field worse than prescription drugs, nevertheless, you may find something usefull by wrenching your way through the labyrinth of alternative herbal and nutritional supplements.

I do fairly well on 60mg Ritalin during most of the day. ADHD rebound makes my evenings anything but relaxing. So I am always on the lookout for something better. I have been experimenting with DMAE and synergestic compounds such as choline with some encouraging results.

Let's call a drug a drug. We are talking about OTC drugs that can have some pretty nasty side-effects. Beware.

Your boy's hyperactivity and his adverse stimulant history may warrant a trek through the maze.

I know one thing for a certainty - channel his energy and nothing is beyond his grasp.

Bob