20th May 2006
That's a lot of us ADDer's problems. we don't think about the consquences. We act and THEN think. My son is 14, and he used to do that not on medication. I would treat my boys during the school year and then not treat them during the weekends and holidays and summer season. I've come to realize that a mistake. They need that little bit of help from the meds.
But anyways, what I wanted to tell you is I am not a professional, but I am 36 year old ADDer with two ADHD boys. Life, is NEVER dull. :p
Anyays, My John (14 year old) always had problems with the old meds, the ritalin, adderall and even dexedrine. We tried him on everything. And he had the insomnia so bad that we had to treat him for that. And he got to the point of where he looked like one of those poor little war ethopian kids you see on TV. You could count his backbone. I would feed him cookies for breakfast, chocolate for lunch and french fries for dinner. The Dr. said he would eat when he was hungry, but you know he was scaring me. He was getting skinnier and skinnier.
Well, what I am really getting at is, that the Doc put both of my boys on Concerta here a few years ago and this is different from all the old meds. This concerta has a slow release pump ( a hole in the pill) that makes the medicine (methylphenidate same as ritalin) come out much more slowly and helps in the reduction of the terrible side effects of amphetimines. I was extremely afraid to put John back on it because of all that he'd been through on the others, but it was true and it does help..... And the side effects still come out but not pronounced enough to bother him. He might eat less of a dinner than he would if I had skipped his dose, but he does eat and he's finally years later starting to put some weight on. He's been ok on the stuff. And he's doing well in school, he's actually a quiet child where he used to be the kid in the class that couldn't sit still. He was always trying to get up and move, not paying attention. Where he's actually made honor roll a few times this year!
I know I am not a doc or nurse here, I just got my experience to give you. I hope that it helps. Good luck to you and your Johnathan!
Hugs,
Tammyshell
But anyways, what I wanted to tell you is I am not a professional, but I am 36 year old ADDer with two ADHD boys. Life, is NEVER dull. :p
Anyays, My John (14 year old) always had problems with the old meds, the ritalin, adderall and even dexedrine. We tried him on everything. And he had the insomnia so bad that we had to treat him for that. And he got to the point of where he looked like one of those poor little war ethopian kids you see on TV. You could count his backbone. I would feed him cookies for breakfast, chocolate for lunch and french fries for dinner. The Dr. said he would eat when he was hungry, but you know he was scaring me. He was getting skinnier and skinnier.
Well, what I am really getting at is, that the Doc put both of my boys on Concerta here a few years ago and this is different from all the old meds. This concerta has a slow release pump ( a hole in the pill) that makes the medicine (methylphenidate same as ritalin) come out much more slowly and helps in the reduction of the terrible side effects of amphetimines. I was extremely afraid to put John back on it because of all that he'd been through on the others, but it was true and it does help..... And the side effects still come out but not pronounced enough to bother him. He might eat less of a dinner than he would if I had skipped his dose, but he does eat and he's finally years later starting to put some weight on. He's been ok on the stuff. And he's doing well in school, he's actually a quiet child where he used to be the kid in the class that couldn't sit still. He was always trying to get up and move, not paying attention. Where he's actually made honor roll a few times this year!
I know I am not a doc or nurse here, I just got my experience to give you. I hope that it helps. Good luck to you and your Johnathan!
Hugs,
Tammyshell