Thursday, 09 July 2009
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To Medicate or Not to Medicate...
In May, my 8 year old daughter was diagnosed with A.D.D (she is also dyslexic). I have know since she was 4 that she had A.D.D, but getting a teacher to believe you is insane. That is actually how we found out she is dyslexic.
Finally we were able to get all of her teachers on board. They had noticed the problem, and I requested she be evaluated by the staff. We had to fill out a "questionnaire" as well. They were identical scores. Usually parents don't score the children as low as the teachers do. I guess we just want to think the best. A doctors appointment ensued. With more forms and tests.
So, by the middle of May, she was finally on her way to help. The doctor (who is just great) put her on Focalin XR ($154 a month w/o insurance). He said she would lose her appetite at lunch time, she would be more emotional, and to call if we had any problems. She was to take it for 4 weeks and then we would reevaluate her. She had 3 failing grades that came up to 2 Bs and 1 C in 3 weeks time. Something was different though. My dear daughter, who is a momma bird, started to become violent. By the end of the 2nd week on Focalin XR, she had thrown a board across the living room, and shoe at my face, and she was becoming very angry. 3 days into the 3rd week, I got on to her for not brushing her teeth the 6th time I told her. She held her tooth brush up to my eye, and you could tell by the look on her face she wanted to shove it into my eye. That was the last day she took Focalin XR.
The doctor suggested a therapist to make sure she doesn't have any behavioral problems (bipolar). We haven't had a stitch of trouble since she quit the focalin XR in early June. Read the Focalin XR side effects here. After the therapist is done evaluating her, we will be going back to the doctor. Do I try another medicine, or let her suffer through school? The medicine helped her focus dramatically. Her grades skyrocketed in less than a month. I know that it might take some time to find the right medicine, and not every one will affect her that way... but still... it is so scary. I don't want her growing up hating school, and failing because I didn't help her, but I don't want to give her a med that makes her crazy.
What do I do? Should I medicate or not? What would you do?
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- From: bravehsgirl@xanga
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Comments (39)
@RaisingEinstein - Actually, I have thought heavily over this. My husband spent most of his young adult life in Karate and has been dying for me to enroll the kids. Thank you for the Opinion (he literally just said "told you so"). lol. I will definetly try this! You rock!
well im 16 and ive been diagnosed with adhd for 7 years and i take the medicine adderall....it is very helpful...........you should ask your dr about it
Try a different medication, perhaps. That's not the only medication approved for ADD/ADHD...
I don't know about ADD, but I took myself off of my medication (for depression) when it started causing high levels of anxiety and I constantly thought about suicide. I'm fine now even though I'm still depressed, but I wasn't as bad as when I was on medication. But everyone is different, and hopefully you can find a type of medication that will agree with her. :)
I would say dont medicate, but I say that because of what alot of people I know went through withh ADD medication when they were young. It messed them up mentally. A lot. Yeah they got their school work done, but they werent happy and they didnt feel like people.
When I was in grade school the school wanted to give me meds I am sure I had ADD as a kid but my Dad said no. Thank goodness he did. Now as an adult of 21 I know how to control myself without drugs. My Dad helped me by talking to me that is all I needed. I found activies to enjoy such as walking, reading, music, spending time with friends. At the time my parents were going though a divorce no wonder I had ADD. I think I'm a better person because I didn't depend on the meds.
I was diagnosed with A.D.H.D when I was in second gade, I was about 7 or 8 as well, I have been on a few different types of medication. And the be perfectly honest, good old twide a day ritalin works best for me. I cannot function without my medication, if I don't take it one day I know and I feel gross. I go a mile a minute backwards but running forwards,ya know? I feel like I"m moving everywhere yet I'm going nowhere. I think being on medication is the best decision my parents ever made for me, it did take a while to find the right medication. I've been on a herbal remedy, once a day ritalin, concerta(worst choice ever) and I am back on twice a day ritalin and love it!:) Message me if you have anymore questions.
What would I do? First, speaking for myself (if I were 8), I'd be all over getting another medicine. I'd pester my parents until they were ready to throw me into the basement and throw away the key. Speaking as a 34 year old....it's different when you have to give the medicine to someone else. I think about the heart medication I was on, and it had the EXACT same side effects you mentioned with your daughter. Anger--serious, serious, wall-punching, ready to run over a woman in the parking lot because she had the nerve to not only jump in front of me in line, but be a bitch about it! Yelling at people because they dump their litter on the parking lot instead of trash cans. It totally scared the shit out of my parents--I can't imagine if I were 8 instead of 34 having those problems.....
That being said, the psych person in me says to keep trying. I'm not necessarily saying all pharmaceutical choices, but for some children, they work wonders, others...it takes time. Do NOT beat yourself over the head--take some time to calmly consider options (instead of having teachers, etc. pushing you toward what THEY may want to do).
Sorry for the long comment--but this (ADD/ADHD) and other drugs are one of my main focuses (foci?) Good luck!
I had similar issues with Focalin. I have ADHD, and panic disorder as well. The latter was diagnosed first, and once my anxiety issues were more manageable, I started taking Focalin and Focalin XR. Soon after I started taking it, thought, my aniexty was back with a vengence. I was doing wonderfully in school, mind you, but I was a wreck all day. I called my doctor and she wanted to increase the Zoloft I take for panic disorder to offset the side effects of the Focalin. I absolutely refused. I ended up switching to Adderall, and while I eventually had to increase the dosage of Zoloft for other reasons, I've had almost no side effects from the Adderall.
I'm generally not one to advocate medication, but I can't even begin to explain how positively it has effected me. Freshman year of high school, I was getting Ds and Cs because I wasn't able to focus long enough to finish a test or get my homework done. When I started taking Adderall the begining of sophomore year, I saw an astonishing improvement. I've been getting straight A's in honors-level classes ever since.
It takes some time to find the right medication and dosages, but I think that I would have had a very different elementary and middle school experience if I had been diagnosed earlier.
if you're looking for a cheap, side-effect free treatment for ADD, it already exists. it's called marijuana. don't believe me? watch here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj72e5q61Fs
Thing about medicating a child is that medications are not tested on children. If it helps, and your child is ok with it (some children think it changes them so much it makes them miserable) then try it, but I would re-evaluate whether or not it is necessary annually or something.
I would try every other option first, caffeine, diet, another education system...but some people just need medication, and that is nothing to be ashamed about but it is also nothing to take lightly (but it seems you are not taking it lightly). Good luck!
@jenn71490@xanga - Thanks for your opinion, but as a good parent I refuse to let my 8 yer old toke up! I will not codone illegal activity, and find it absolutely absurd that you would even suggest such an act. If you toke I hope you get arrested.
As a teacher, I have seen children that definitely NEEDED medication. We had one who we could tell as soon as he walked in the room whether or not he had taken his meds that morning! My opinion would be to try another medication for a couple of weeks since you already have seen the improvement in grades while your daughter is on the meds. They won't all have the same side effects. I also thought the idea of using meditation or martial arts was an interesting idea. Those do help with focus alot....
it seriously varies from child to child. some parents medicate their children only for school... but in the evenings and on weekends or holiday breaks, the children do not take meds while at home. other options would be to look into Brain Gym or ask the school if they have any teachers who use it. i use it in my classroom. i teach in an alternative school for kids with severe BD and ED. there is also a student in another classroom whose parents have just started him in a program called Brain Balance. i'm not sure as to how well this one works, yet... but the parents are excited and our staff is supporting it 100%. it looks to me like it is a wholistic approach to combating different disabilities.
i suppose my point is that if you or your child are uncomfortable with medication, you guys should be looking into other alternatives.