ADHD meds

[mamaturtle]

I am just freaking out that DS's ADHD meds are a controlled substance and can be habit forming. I am scared now even though they are helping him be his best self.

Are all ADHD meds this way?

What does it mean?

Thank you

[auntie]

No, not all drugs for ADHD are Schedule II Controlled Substances. Strattera and the repurposed antihypertensives (Tenex, Intunive, Kapvay) are not controlled substances. For most people with ADHD they don't work as well as the stimulants like Concerta, Adderall, Vyvanse or Focalin.

I don't understand your other question.

[miranda]

Edit to add: the above picture is what medications looks like. If my son hadn't been medicated, he wouldn't be sitting there resting his head on his BFF, concentrating on the Wii puzzle game. He'd be racing around the room driving everyone nuts.

I'm sorry you're in a bad place. I don't love the fact that DS has to take these drugs (he's on Focalin). But I do love the way he behaves while on them. I believe in a few years DS will be mature enough to admit he prefers himself medicated. During the school year we had to start dosing him at school in the late afternoon; otherwise he was unable to do his homework or play appropriately with his peers after school. This summer we've taken a break from the afternoon "bump" as we call it; logistically it was too difficult with his summer school schedule and busing. In the evening he's practically rabid; we cut off playing with his friends at dinnertime because he just gets too wound up. I bought one of those giant lovesacs which has been the best. purchase. ever- he will sprint back and forth in our basement crashing into it. When he's on his meds he'll sit quietly and watch a movie with us. Tonight we have National Night Out so I'll be dosing him when he gets home so he won't be so wound up around all the activities. The upside to him not having that second dosage is that he falls asleep right at 8:30, which has been a godsend because we have to wake him at 615 for summer school.

My point is- try to look at it from a biological perspective. This is what his psych tells me all the time. He doesn't look or feel happy or comfortable when he isn't medicated. His peers don't want to be around him when he isn't medicated because he's combative, rude, and feral.

We've been on a stimulant for over a year now; I won't be going back. DH has been complaining that he wants to wean DS off- I told him to take it up with his psych. She said she expects him to be medicated until at least 18.

[akafred]

It basically means it can be abused and is therefore "controlled" by the government in hopes of reducing misuse. Like when you have surgery and get pain meds, they are "controlled" because some people abuse them. In the case of pain meds it is a drug similar in some ways to heroin (both opiates); in the case of ADHD meds they are drugs similar in some ways to methamphetamine (both stimulants). It doesn't make the drugs "bad", it just makes them a tool that the government wants to make sure is not abused. Unfortunately there are probably parents out there who will take their kids' ADHD meds and sell them. By putting certain limits on when you can refill them and having to get physical prescriptions vs electronic, they hope to limit the abuse.

As auntie said, the non-stimulants aren't controlled. DD appears to be stimulant-intolerant. Stimulants make her anxiety worse. She is currently on an antidepressant plus an anti-hypertensive. I would like to report that it is working great but the truth is it is just an improvement, not a vast improvement. But the stimulants were the opposite of an improvement. I still have some focalin; we may re-introduce it once school starts to see if the combination helps the ADHD without spiking the anxiety. She was on Strattera for a year; it was great at first (really seemed to help the anxiety while incrementally helping the ADHD), but she needed dose increases quickly and she needed more dose than allowable and had to discontinue it. I hate this though. Multiple meds sucks.

[auntie]

Aug 1, 2017 8:01:31 GMT -5 akafred said:

As auntie said, the non-stimulants aren't controlled. DD appears to be stimulant-intolerant. Stimulants make her anxiety worse. She is currently on an antidepressant plus an anti-hypertensive. I would like to report that it is working great but the truth is it is just an improvement, not a vast improvement.

Even with meds, mamaturtle, a big piece of the tx plan is going to be behavior mods- teaching new skills and providing structure as akafred, does. Setting a child up to be successful as miranda, Maturity is also a factor in ADHD, depending on the kind of presentation and the lifestyle the individual leads, the need for meds may be less critical. 

[mamaturtle]

Thank you all for your responses! I am glad I asked!

I feel much better. DS is taking the lowest methlyphenid.

I know I asked the doctor what it meant but she was in a hurry to get to the next patient and I was in a hurry to do the next errand for DS and I that day.

I don't expect the ADHD meds to be a cure-all. DS will continue with OT, ST, PT and SW at school and we are doing ABA at home.