I'm curious if my son needs to take his meds daily or if he can have a break on the weekends. He's on ritalin LA 40 mg.

Is it a use as you need it med or more like an antidepressant where the full effect is seen in a few weeks?

With summer coming and being home I really am curious if I should keep him on it or not.

I've come to realize he truly needs it to function well in school. He' s been doing much better since we moved him to this dose. At home, it's not as much as an issue.

Thoughts?

confuzeled,

I hope that addprogrammer will chime in here -- he's written about how he chooses to take the meds only for work. He takes "vacations" from meds on weekends. When I was taking Ritalin, I took only one per day to help me get my day organized, and rarely took another when that wore off in 4-5 hours. I didn't take it every day. If it were easeier to get here in Germany, I'd do the same thing -- I'd take it only on days where I HAD to be organized. If I were still a student I'd take it only on school days as well. Hopefully someone who knows more about the workings of these meds will chime in here.

--Rheanna

Ritalin and the other stimulants do not have to be taken on a daily basis. They do not build up in the blood. Straterra, like the antidepressants, requires daily dosing.

There are pros and cons to "holidays" from the stimulants. There is not a general consensus in the medical community. It would probably be best to discuss your son's particular situation with his doctor.

The argument *for* med holidays is the hope of delaying the development of tolerance. Patients also hope that holidays will help prevent addiction.

Now, arguments against. There has been some evidence the effectiveness of stimulants increases with consistent use. Also, it is argued that learning doesn't only take place in school; learning takes place every day.

The other factor to consider is social. You've said your son is manageable at home. How about friends? Will other kids play with him when he's unmedicated?

So you see, there is no clear answer. Again, I would discuss your situation with your son's doctor.

Good luck!

Absolutely, your son can take med vacations. I believe these meds should only be taken as needed. I've used Ritalin as needed for 10 years. It's very powerful, has really helped me, but has some really bad side effects that I would not want to deal with every day.

I also recommend that any parent who medicates their children with a stimulent like Ritalin or Adderall try the medication themselves to fully understand what the side effects are. I think it would give you a very helpful perspective on the drug.

When I was a kid I took ritalin durring school or when I needed to do homework only. I didn't have a problem with hyperactivity and unless I really needed to concentrate it wasn't an issue. I wouldn't have wanted to be on it all the time. It made me feel like a zombie and I wasn't able to eat. What I did worked best for me.

I would not recommend taking a prescription medication, especially a stimulant, without a doctor's prescription. There are reasons why these drugs are prescription only as well as triple-controlled to track who's prescribing them.

One of the biggest problems is addiction. I realize that "taking only one pill just this time to see what its effects are" is not going to addict anyone. But if you have an addictive personality or a chemical affinity for this particular drug, and you find that it's a pleasant experience, it is too easy to rationalize "just one more". It's medicine. A powerful medicine. For the right person at the right time it's a big help.

Another problem is the side effects that lots of people on these Boards report. You'd be subjecting yourself to unknown side effects, which probably are not going to be the same as someone else's, in this case your son. How HE reacts to the drug is individual to him. How YOU react is not going to tell you anything about how HE is reacting.

I know I sound like an old fuddy-duddy trying to keep people from trying drugs. I grew up in the age when lots of people were experimenting with lots of drugs. I even tried a few myself. But I was informed about which ones were safe to try and which ones were not. The stimulants that are used for ADD are wonderful drugs, but they really should be respected.

Just my opinion.

Rheanna

Thank you everyone for your input. I have been giving him vacations on weekends and holidays.

His problem isn't being hyperactive, it's inattention. He does have friends who will play with him, one on one. Larger group activities, like a classroom or team sports he becomes lost.

I had so much guilt over medicating him to begin with. My push with his school is that he's slightly behind socially (he's in 3rd grade) and disorganized and the medication only helps him pay attention better. They have to help him along to be better organized and get his work done well. His teacher keeps saying "other kids can": pack their books, write their homework, have a neater desk, etc. Well now he can pay attention better, he needs to learn it again when everyone else learned it a year or so ago.

His teacher was the one who suggested his do the medication all the time too.

Sorry for the babble. He's been doing better on the current dose he's on. His teacher has remarked on his latest progress report that he's enjoying school and has friendships there.

My next concern is trying to determine if it's lasting him all day. :dizzy: It's been a long year.

I also recommend that any parent who medicates their children with a stimulent like Ritalin or Adderall try the medication themselves to fully understand what the side effects are. I think it would give you a very helpful perspective on the drug.
The side effects can vary greatly from person to person, and a person who takes these mds and doesn't have ADHD can and will have the exact opposite effect that their child might have.