Petrified about starting teen on ADHD medication

[Neurotic1000]

Son is 13 and really struggling with the work secondary school brings
Getting sent out of class for silly things like laughing when another pupil pulls a funny face etc
I am a primary school teacher so aware how distracting it can be but equally think humiliation is never the answer
He asked to trial medication to see if it meant he could concentrate more and now the appointment is on Monday and I’m really struggling with worrying about possible side effects - the heart in particular as my dad died of a heart attack suddenly aged 30 with no warning signs.
Can anyone who has been through this guide me a little? Thanks

Now having to pay for a private ecg as the doctor won’t do it as he’s under 16

Yes I forgot my DS saw a cardiologist too before starting meds. No family history though

Was that just an ECG?
As I’m having to go private Im not entirely sure what I should be booking

Can I ask if it was only an ecg your son had?

Please see the threads on the SEN section. Many of us share our experiences there.
It has been life changing for my son. He has LD and ASD as well as ADHD. Since taking the meds his vocabulary had increased by at least 80%, now using sentences, toilet training, doing puzzles, drawing , following instructions instead of just the odd word, lots of throwing, not responding to instructions at all. The good by far outweigh the bad, the only bad effect for us is a lack of appetite for lunch , which is not fully down to the meds. It's definitely worth a try.

I was diagnosed with ADHD in my 30s and have been on Elvanse (stimulants) since December 2021. It has been absolutely life changing for me and my heart rate and blood pressure have both gone down - on account of the medication finally curbing my lifelong binge eating so I lost 4 stone

They took a detailed history and when I mentioned that my paternal granddad had had two heart attacks, they requested an ECG before I could start medication. The waiting list was six weeks so I paid £80 to have a private one two days later, and I got my prescription for Elvanse two days after that.

Don't worry about fear mongering around dependency. The medication isn't addictive and, in fact, having ADHD means I often forget to take it I'm on six-monthly check ups and they keep a close eye on my blood pressure and any side effects (pretty much none, btw! Just some dry mouth for the first few weeks but that has passed). I'm also very open about my medication as I see it as natural as using glasses to correct my vision, or antihistamines for my hay fever

So you would say an ECG is all that’s needed really to go ahead and start the starting dose?

I don't have any medical expertise so all I can say is: a detailed verbal history followed by an ECG was all I needed to be put onto the starting dose. I felt considered, listened to, and taken care of, so I started the medication with no concerns.

Thank you, it was the mention of a possible echo IF I wanted by the private doctor who did the ecg that threw me

Oh you could be us op except we have been NHS, discharged in primary as no meds and stepped back in in secondary. I read the NICE guidance which was useful. It's made a big difference - had the ecg at the GP and regular blood pressure and appetite monitoring. I let dc do the talking with the appointments because it's his choice and I want him to express how much it's helped, so I'm sure they would reassess if any concerns.

I’m a recently diagnosed adult who takes medication. It has honestly been life changing, I would never have believed the effects would be possible. It feels like the noise in my head has been turned down, I can focus and I’m nowhere near as impulsive - all massively positive!

Once the heart issue is resolved please let your son try, if it works he would feel the difference in the first few days. It could really allow him to access his potential and achieve his goals, his self esteem would benefit too.

Thank you - I’m kicking myself for getting so worked up about the need of an echo as reading lots it’s seems only an ecg was needed after all

‘

Kids don't generally need an ECG. It's life-changing. you will be kicking yourself that you didn't start it earlier.

Have you started?

It’s understandable that you are nervous.

I started ADHD medication as an adult - 6 years ago - and haven’t looked back.

However, one of my DC is starting next week, and I still feel nervous even though it’s the same medication I take!

It’s natural as a parent to feel that way. My DD really wants to try it though, and I am happy to give her the opportunity as she wants to succeed in mainstream school, but can’t concentrate on formal learning for more than a few minutes so it’s really hard for her.

“The noise in my head has been turned down” - this was exactly how I felt! I walked around in a sense of wonder for weeks, at just how different I felt.

In the years that I have been on the medication, I have been described as “a calm person” by several people (they didn’t know me before and knew nothing of my diagnosis or meds)

I am always a bit taken aback and still think - “Me, calm?!”. I was full of nervous energy before and bounced about and was always tapping at things, and no-one had ever used the word calm
to describe me 😂

The first couple of weeks at least there can be side effects. Both DS and I get tension headaches/shoulder pain and lose our appetite completely on the meds, which has never gone, and I get a bit of underlying anxiety from mine sometimes. We're both on methylphenidate. But the impact on focus and impulse control is noticeable. We're about to ask for a review for DS as he's experiencing mood changes since his dose has gone up. He's a lot more irritable, and snappy than when he's not on the meds. But it has made a huge difference in school performance and behaviour.

My 16 year old son started Equazym the week before his first gcse exam. It made a huge difference to his concentration and focus. Only side effects have been a bit of a reduced appetite and nausea if he hasn't eaten before taking it.

He is now in 6th form doing A levels in physics, maths and history and with the medication is doing really well

My DS was on an ADHD med for 5 years (a stimulant) He came off it as he was getting nose bleeds and increased blood pressure (at age 15) They do/should check blood pressure every 3 months when on it. They have said he could go back on it and monitor his blood pressure more often, but when I asked him if he wanted to, he said he felt better without it and it never really helped him anyway. I'm relieved. I never actually saw any benefit to it and I sort of regret him ever having it. School have said they see no difference in him at all from when he was on the medication.

Anyone have experience with Delmosar and Medikinet?