Pros and cons of ADHD medication

[MeanwhileTime]

Posting here for traffic.

Our 9 year old has just been diagnosed with ADHD and we've been offered methylphenidate for him. We had said that we didn't want to medicate him but I'm starting to wonder about it. Being stuck in lockdown with him and seeing first hand just how hard it is for him to concentrate on schoolwork without me helping him the entire time has really got me thinking about it. He literally cannot focus at all unless someone is there repeatedly explaining what he needs to do (and he is a naturally bright boy). That's not to mention the constant noise that he cannot seem to control and his total inability to listen when spoken to. That being said I'm still really nervous about the idea of medicating him.

I don't really know anyone in real life who has put an ADHD child on medication, so have no one to ask for their experience of it and with whether or not it's something they would recommend.

Is there anyone who could share their experience with it (warts and all)? I would really appreciate it.

[Katinski]

Ah, squeeky your child used the same 'concentrate' reason my niece did.

[Home42]

My niece (10) and my sister (38) both have ADHD and are both medicated. Advantages are an ability to fit in, complete some school work and focus enough to make friends. Disadvantages, makes my nieces appetite low so getting her to eat enough is tough. Not impossible! On the whole we are totally pro medication all round!

[Ilovemyhairbeingstroked]

Absolutely wonderful for my son - equasym Xl- also a form of methylphenidate. He was so sad as he was getting into trouble at school and he didn’t know why . He was becoming violent also . He began this and wow - the concentration improvement was amazing . We waited for a good couple of years after initial diagnosis, before we tried . We tried the diet change , reward chart etc but we decided to medicate . We tried medikinet first but we needed a capsule form for him to swallow . Your child would be monitored for negative effects . The only one we found is appetite, but come the evening he makes up for it . He has two days off on the weekend . I don’t seem the harm in you trying .

[Katinski]

My niece in the US is on Vyvanse 20mg,she was dx at school initially, and the testing took off from there. Her parents were worried about reduced appetite but that evened out. She's now 16, still takes it, still slim and energetic but not as scatty as she is without it, that's for sure! When she was younger she told me that "it helps me concentrate".

[MeanwhileTime]

allfalldown47 Sorry! And here's me talking about my son's lack of concentration!

NoRoomInBed that sounds really tough and is what I'm worried about. I hope you can find a solution that works.

[Squeekybummum]

Watching this thread as my 10 year old was recently diagnosed and has said he would like to start medication once back at school, he said he wants to be able to concentrate better in school 😢 he is so clever when he is focused on something he wants to do.

[allfalldown47]

@MeanwhileTime he's my dh, not ds but he is lovely! Fwiw, he struggled so much as a child/teen, he desperately wishes he'd been medicated from a young age. Adhd has blighted his life in lots of ways.

[NoRoomInBed]

So we have the other side of the coin my DD has been on various medications for adhd and I've felt awful about it. The side effects are bad for her as she never eats. She has had 1 slice of toast today and a slice of beetroot. Mealtimes are a complete battle everytime. she is underweight and her height growth is slowing (due to not eating not the meds if you get what I mean). It does work in terms of making her attention better and her behaviour better. It's like a different child when she takes it. Its unbelievable. We have tried many different tablets but they all effect her appetite. So we are at a loss just now.

[MeanwhileTime]

Oh allfalldown47 your son sounds lovely. Hope it's working for him.

That's reassuring about your son's growth HoldMyLobster as that's one of my main concerns. We have also tried wearing our DS out with exercise but it would literally take hours and hours of it a day and then he'd have no time left for schooling!

Interestingly enough he can concentrate on minecraft quite happily, but that doesn't help with anything else!

[Snowdrop30]

I would agree that it's been a game changer for our son

[MeanwhileTime]

That's really useful advice Pomegranatemolasses I will definitely look into combination therapies as well. And will check out Dr Barkley too.

I have to say it's really encouraging to hear so many positive experiences. I am so nervous about the idea of doing it but the more I think about (and the more I read stories like these), I can't help thinking it must be worth at least trialling it.

[allfalldown47]

My dh has been on it for 6 months, after finally getting his diagnosis.
The first day he took it he sobbed, he couldn't believe that this is how 'other people's brains must feel all the time'
It's been life changing for him.

[HoldMyLobster]

My son has been on methylphenidate for 2 years now, since he was 13. It has revolutionised his life, increased his sense of self-worth, improved his grades, helped him cope with life.

He has also grown about 10" in height during that time so it hasn't affected his growth. Initially it might have affected his appetite, but he has eaten like a horse for the last 18 months. He is very slim and sinewy.

He does struggle with insomnia and he has to be very disciplined about good sleep hygiene.

Initially he just took meds on school days, but we talked to his psychologist and doctor and they both agreed that it would be helpful for him to take them every day.

It's very obvious when he forgets to take his meds.

It is important to learn and understand how ADHD affects your child, and to adjust your expectations of them. It's also very important to work with the school on what accommodations they should make.

DS sees a tutor once a week who helps him with executive functioning skills, and generally helps him stay on track with school work. He also gets extra time and reduced homework load at school because his ADHD is combined with slow processing. He's currently getting A-B grades in all subjects.

Before meds we tried exercise - ridiculous amounts - he just ended up physically exhausted and feeling ill.

[Pomegranatemolasses]

And research combination therapies, especially if your DS is on the small side - Intuniv increases appetite and can help counteract this side affect of the stimulant.

[Pomegranatemolasses]

Medication has been a game changer for us with our son. However you need to research this really well to find the right type. Concerta is the go to, but after extensive research on my part we found that a combination of non stimulant (Intuniv) and stimulant (Elvanse) was the optimal choice.

We only give him the Elvanse during school times. It has absolutely transformed our lives, and I personally feel that not medicating your child with ADHd is doing them a gross disservice.

Look at Dr Russell Barkley on Youtube, he has some excellent talks.

[MeanwhileTime]

Wow, so many helpful replies, thank you all so much.

Bobbiepin it's really interesting to hear from someone who has personally been through it. Given your experience if you had your time over would you take it again? And how do you find life without it now?

Wasabiprawns We've gone through the NHS. I have been thinking that if we do decide to trial it that I'd want to try and keep him off it at weekends and school holidays to give him a break.

DS is small for his age and I do worry about the effects on growth. But then I see how much he struggles to listen and concentrate and can't imagine how he's ever going to get through school like this.

[KelpianCasserole]

My rd aged 21 was diagnosed at 15. She is currently on Elvanse.
Everyone is different but dont underestimate the effect of adhd on your child's life. It can be devastating.
Recommend Dr Russell Berkley lectures on you tube.
There is strong evidence that medicating children from a young age makes a positive physical difference to their brain development. Sadly too late for my dd.
But she is a university now because of medication.

[Wasabiprawns]

Op are you seeing an NHS consultant or seeing a private doctor?

[Wasabiprawns]

She only takes the medication at school, not weekends and holidays.

[Wasabiprawns]

My 11 year daughter has been on it for about a year. Her self worth has increased massively as she hasn’t got people constantly getting her back to work and focus. She can now finish her work in a reasonable time so that it can now be put on display. Previously she never finished any work and so thought it wasn’t displayed because it wasn’t good enough like other pupils. She would take 30 mins to write a couple of sentences and now can write a page in similar timeframes.

If there are any side effects then that medication isn’t for you. I can’t express how much her self esteem changed though which will be particularly important in the teen years.

[Itsnotalwaysme]

My son is on the medication you've been offered. He now shows no adhd traits when medicated however his appetite goes and he struggles to sleep.

We decided to medicate during school time only

[Fred578]

I’m in the exact same situation as you OP. My son is 8 and we were just at the stage of going to see the Paediatrician when this all happened. I’ve just had a letter to say it’s all on hold which is disappointing but understandable. I’m in two minds about medication, I just don’t know what to do either. He is very impulsive and loud (which I can cope with, however causes big problems in school) but his attention is awful. I have really noticed this now whilst trying to home school him. I’m amazed his teachers have managed to teach him anything! He is calmer than he was, I think school is a stressor for him!

[meowcatmeow]

Medication has been life changing for both my kids.
Their self esteem has rocketed, they can hold onto friendships, they aren't constantly being nagged by teachers, parents etc. Their confidence has improved no end, their school work is completed and is neater...and marks are great.
Side effects...some insomnia if they take the meds too late in the day. A bit of tummy ache initially (for about a week).
Both kids know how much better they function on it, DD says it's de-fogs her brain.

[hugglesfor4]

Forgot to say the consultant sees them every 3 months to check on their heart rate, height and weight. We've not had any issues so far but they will be taken off the medication if the consultant feels their health is suffering.

[MeanwhileTime]

Thanks so much for all your answers so far. It is so helpful to hear from parents that have actually gone through this.

MagicKingdomDizzy we started the process when he was in year 2. He's in year 4 now so it's taken about 2 years to get to this point.

ScrapThatThen Yes I do trust the provider.