ADHD meds stress

[Ricecakesaremyjam]

My ASD/ADHD son 5yrs has been on 10mg methalphynidate for a few months and honestly it’s barely taken the edge off the hyperactivity and his behaviour has been appalling particularly in school. We are about to now begin 20mg and while I’m hopeful it will give better results, I’m also worried - will a higher dose just make his behaviour even worse if it’s the meds that’s affecting it?
I am so worn out. School don’t allow him to attend for more than 2hrs a day, no alternative provision despite recently alleging they were putting some in place, no family to help me, I just need it to stop. I don’t get a minutes peace from this constantly hyperactive, million miles an hour child of mine, as much as I love him I am finding it so hard to cope with, as well as the never ending advocacy on his behalf that never seems to get us anywhere, housework that never gets done, life admin, small matter of having another child to care for. I just need the paediatrician to finally prescribe him something to manage his adhd symptoms without turning him into a raging bull.
probably the wrong place to post this I know but if anyone who has experienced similar could help I would appreciate it, thanks

It will get better. 100% consistency is part of it. Rx at the same exact time every morning. Try not to react because that gives him “supply.” Give yourself credit for all you are doing! You will make it😘

methalphynidate Did nothing for my kid either ( adhd and other conditions) we tried a few doses and it just didn’t touch him.

there are other drugs out there and it’s a case of working through them to find one that suits.

but eventually we found moving from mainstream to specialist indi school via an ehc plan was what made the major difference. Having a calmer learning environment that suited his sensory needs and learning style was life changing.

some kids the meds just don’t touch but some it is life changing.

it is exhausting and takes so long to sort out.

challenge school and LA - they should be providing full time school - that they can only manage him for 2 hours at a time proves it is not the right environment for him / he needs more to support.

School have said they can’t meet needs and a change of placement to specialist is being requested. I’ve also requested a specialist independent but I’m expecting it to be hard to get a place 😭
What meds did your child switch to that did help? And how long did you give it?

@Ricecakesaremyjammy DS is 6, and has been on methylphenidate for 3 months, we are seeing good and bad effects.
He also has ASD so I feel it enhanced his fixations and meltdowns, but it does calm his ADH. But when the meds wear off we have a huge rebound, 4pm until bedtime is a nightmare.

How long has your son been on the medication? What behaviours are worse than before?

Atomoxetine Helped a little but needs to be taken regularly and takes a few weeks to build's up in system to help - unlike Ritalin which is meant to be more instant release (but did nothing for mine!!!)

we trialled the Ritalin at a couple of doses for a few Weeks each but neither us nor school saw any difference and stopped as only thing it did was stop a very skinny little boy from eating and made him lose weight that he didn’t have to lose!

He has started lashing out in school which he had never once done before. He is quicker to anger generally and while there is a brief period in the morning where he is less hyperactive it really is brief and he is back to being a tornado by lunchtime. The paediatrician has upped the dosage rather than give a lunchtime top up.
I really need this to just work, it’s been months now and I am starting to wonder if it was worth starting meds at all.

@Ricecakesaremyjamis it on the instant tablets, or slow release?

Gradual release

Can he do some intensive exercise before school. Is there time for a parent to run or cycle with him?

Just sending my support and sympathy. I’ve got a 16yr old girl with combined ADHD. No official diagnosis until she was 11 but I’d been fighting since it became obvious when she was 3 that something was up. (usually her … at the top of a tree/lamp post/telegraph pole - I kid you not).

DD is on 40mg Medikinet after years of titrating up, and I think she may even need to go higher. It’s a long old process getting the ight level - and it sounds like you’re quite early in that journey, so don’t lose hope, and do make sure you’re feeding back to his team if you’re not seeing improvement.

OP the medication is a little hit and miss at first. My DD16 started on meds at 11 and it took a while to land on the right one. Elvanse worked well for her in the end but specifically also I wanted meds she only had to take on school days etc. Sorry this is hard, see how the higher dose goes and if it’s not working go back and ask to try an alternative.

Every day I pick him up the headteacher is there to inform me of what he’s been upto in the short time he’s been in (at their insistence he is only in for 2hrs a day with a 1:1, meaning I have had to leave work placing massive financial pressure on the family, this is another story entirely 😕)
He has been on meds for 5 months now; surely he should have settled down by now? He started on 5mg, then very quickly 10mg which is now being doubled to 20mg…. I am praying this just works and calms him down because I am quite literally losing the will to live, I am utterly miserable living in this chaos.

How long do you give it before deciding methalphynidate isn’t the one for him and trying something else? And what else is there?

I’ve also heard some say that treating the adhd makes the ASD traits stronger - is that what I’m seeing here, when he is becoming angry etc in school?

Im nor sure the school/LA are acting legally by only accommodating him for two hours a day. What is being done to put in place alternative provision? Is there an ehcp in process? The school can apply for funding for a 1:1 to enable him to remain at school for the entire day but he is legally entitled to a full time education that meets his needs and parents s should not be driven into financial hardship because schools and local authorities won’t meet their obligations.

Oh God don’t get me started - he has an EHCP, he has funding for a full time 1:1 but because his behaviour is disruptive they only allow him for 2hrs. No alternative provision has ever been put in place despite asking literally over and over again. I wrote to the director of children’s services to complain 2 weeks ago and the next day was told AP was being arranged but since then radio silence. It’s disgusting ☹️
school have said they can’t meet his needs and an annual review has been held where I have requested a change of placement.