My 9 year old is on 50 mg Focalin XR

[mikedx]

Gang,

My daughter is currently taking 2 x 20 mg Focalin XR in the morning, and 1 x 10 mg Focalin XR at 11am. From what I've seen on the internet, the maximum for child or adult is 20 mg per day.

Is 50 mg too much? I am divorced, and my exwife has her put on this medication. I'm not happy about it, but I don't see what I can do.

She just sits there and plays her game boy or watches tv or something. Whatever one thing she does, she is totally absorbed by it and if I try to talk to her she gets upset that I am distracting her.

Thanks in advance...
Mike

[Ravyn8]

What is Focalin XR? I never heard of it. Is it a generic? New med? It sounds like the meds are working a little too much for your daughter, maybe she needs a lower dosage.

[addprogrammer]

Mike,

Overfocus as you described is usually a sign of too much stimulant med. I don't know what the recommended max for Foculin is. It's kissing cousin, Ritalin, is usually maxed at 60mg.

This med stuff is very tricky business and really, really, really should be left in the hands of a trained brain physician - a shrink.

For your daughter's sake, get an appointment for her. Any other solution is going to be a bad solution.

Bob

[KissAmeGal]

hey Mike,

i don't know what will be good for your daughter........but i've been through a major ordeal with my 13 yr. old son. we've been through #$%@ to get him where he is right now. Just be very careful on what is prescribed for her. my son has tried Strattera and Concerta, they seemed to work in the beginning, but it was like he got immune to them. then, thinking he was depressed, they put him on Zoloft....and NOPE to that too. he was also on Depakote!!! and that put him in a MAJOR outrage, i had to have him bakeracted to a behavioral center....BROKE MY HEART!! but that is what finally helped him......they took him off ALL his meds, and started him on Abilify ONLY! it started at 5mg @ bedtime, he is now on 15mg @ bedtime......that has made a world of a difference!! he still has moments, but i think they are the normal teenage moments.........LOL
he was finally dx'd with ADD/ODD. and put on the right medication.
make her an appt with a psychiatrist.....she will be properly d/x'd and given the proper medication, which that too, is usually trial and error. Hopefully won't take long to find what she needs.
my son was about 7 when all this started, way back they mis diagnosed him. but as he got older, he got MUCH worse! so nip it in the butt now.

I wish you all the luck!!
take care
Shellie