We started our 7 year old on Ritalin LA 10 mg last November since the Tenex. appeared to stop working. We mainly started because after 1.5 years of therapy, we needed a little bit more support.
About 1 month later, the Ritalin LA didn't appear to work as the dosage of 10 mg was too low. We are now on Quilivant XR since late December along with 1.5 mg of the Tenex. All seemed to be going nicely until the last two weeks. My son started getting moodier and his impulsivity is uncontrollable again.
Its so upsetting reading the emails from his team at school. It makes me so sad that with his Speech, OT and Social therapy outside of school, as well as in-school support, we are backsliding once again. I am so worried about his relationships at school, I am making myself sick. He is doing well academically but I don't want him to feel depressed with not keeping or building new friendships.
How many times have you all changed medicines? I feel like my son is a guinea pig but I want to keep trying because I saw what it can do to help in the short term :)
My 6 year old son has been on countless meds trying to find the right med/combination/dose! He had tics on stimulants (Biphentin, Vyvance and Adderall), and experienced gynecomastia (breast growth due to increased prolactin levels) with Risperidone - which ruled out all anti-psychotic meds that could impact prolactin. He is now on 3mg of Intuniv (slow release Tenex). It is not great, but balancing out the side effects and the improvements, this appears to be all we can do right now. I believe that the Intuniv impacts his emotional lability - maybe because he is so tired...?
Honestly, it feels awful to be 'drugging' your child - especially when you do not see results! I have my son on Omega 3 as well as magnesium (and he takes melatonin for sleep). I wish there was another way. My son is not performing academically (refuses to read), but since he is an athletic sort of kid, he has made a good group of friends playing soccer at recess and after school. We stay after school for almost an hour a day playing, and he seems to do quite well as the number of kids is smaller.
Don't have any advice to offer, but I understand how you are feeling. Keep your head up!
We have tried all of the forms of Ritalin, several dosages of Aderall, and combining Ritalin with Intuniv. My son is 12 and has had the most success with Quillivant in combination with short acting Ritalin and is actually having a great year so far.
Our only really terrible experience was with the Intuniv. He was on it with Ritalin for about six months and experienced apathy and extreme moodiness. He actually ran away a couple of times (just around the block) and climbed on the roof threatening to jump. I thought we had lost our little boy. After one week off the Intuniv he was watching a movie and starting crying for the character who was ill. The sympathy was so wonderful to see. After about a month off of the Intuniv he was himself again.
I was shocked that a little pill could cause symptoms so strong that I thought he was mentally ill.