ADHD Predominately Inattentive type

[lauradia]

Hi! It is soo good to hear from other mothers going through similar stuff.
I am the mother of seven children. Two of my boys have adhd. One has Autism Spectrum Disorder(high functioning) with add symptoms(common I hear with ASD. I was one of those mothers that was reluctant to even lean towards that diagnosis with my older boy(15 yrs). Why? Because he seemed to be just like me and having all the same problems I had when Iwas his age. And since I blamed myself because thats what everyone told me( I'm lazy, I'm not smart enough, I don't show "inititive", Not working to potential, not motiviated, etc. etc, etc )I tended to not even think his problem was ADD. Yet it didn't jibe with the effort I saw him putting into everything! He WANTED to do better and worked SOOO hard but just COULDN'T. So finally after a couple of teachers recomendations we went to a p-doc. Who after numerous tests I thought would never end he was diangosed with ADHD. Still reluctant, I said ok.We'll see. Our P-doc is one of the leading research doctors in the US and suggested we try the Modafanil(aka Provigil) Research. So we did. Within a month of being on the meds he went from F's to A's. I was in awe! During one visit the p-doc asked why it had taken me so long to get my son some help. I explained.(see above) He suggested that I myself get tested and referred me to a p-doc whom he thought was knowledgeable enough in this area to treat adults.
Lo' and behold there IS a genetic connection! He put me on Stratterra which was excellent for awahile. For the first time in my life I was able to be organized and motivated and competent. I thought I was a failure at being a mom because things that seemed to come easy to some moms.. I was flying by the seat of my pants and trying to cope. I hear it now... yeah but you should feel that with seven kids! The problem is a felt that with one child! For 4 months it was great and then I started feeling really nauseous and throwing up all the time. And lighteaded... wow! I almost past out when I was shopping at WalMart! So I've been taken off of that and next week I start Adderall XR. This is very frustrating. To see such great response/results and then not be able to take it anymore. Not too mention that in the end there is just pooped out and wasn't working at all.
I sure hope this adderall will work. I really don't want to keep tryin g different stuff. Its so disapointing. I tried to get the doc to prescribe what my son is taking since he has had such excellent results on it but since it is still in research and not officially approved for ADD my insurance won't cover it.
Yikes sorry about the rambling!!!!! Part of ADD I hear. Any way. Thanks for posting guys! Its very encouraging.

Laura

[nickkaylee]

Originally Posted by InsaneMom

Does your daughter with inattentive ADHD tell you that her meds help her concentrate if you ask her? Because mine says they don't do anything.. She tells me that she can't tell if she took her medicine unless she remembers taking it.

No my daughter doesn't seem to really be able to tell if they are working. The only thing she really judges it by is if at the end of the day she was able to do her work without much trouble and she finishes it all. It doesn't seem to make her "feel" any different. Maybe that's the case with your daughter? Like I said, she went from lower grades to honor roll because of the meds. She still has trouble with organization though. Her desk is always a mess and she loses library books and forgets to bring home her homework sometimes. Luckily in my kids' achools they give the kids agendas at thre beginning of the year and make them write their homework assignments in them. My daughter's teachers actually make the parents sign them at home so they know the kids have shown them to the parents and in the morning they check and stamp them if they've been signed by the parents.

[InsaneMom]

My older daughter who has ADHD (with the stress on the H) went from almost failing to straight As when she strated medicine, but my younger inattentive daughter has pretty consistant Bs & Cs with or without the medicine, she seems to be able to do things some days but others she seems to not get anything done. I am having a really hard time deciding what to do. She can't tell a difference and I can't either. I am going to have her take them to start the school year off and see what happens. Maybe she will have better teachers this year that will work with me more (getting her to actually write things down and sign in when she does). I am also going to get started with the school counselor early this year to make sure that she is evaluated properly instead of letting her slip through the cracks. She should be able to give her some sort of special help with organization and things like that.

ADHD definately runs in families... I have it, my mom has is and both of my DDs have it.

Thank y'all soo much for the advice and just talking about your experiences. I have had a really hard time dealing with this for a long time.