ADHD medication

[adhdmeds]

Hi all - looking for some friendly advice. My 7 year old son has recently been diagnosed with ADHD and possible ASD and the clinical psychiatrist we saw has recommended that we trial him on Methylphenidate.

I'm really unsure about this - we collected the prescription in anticipation of starting and then I read the info leaflet. The magnitude of side effects and how common they are has got me really scared.

He is struggling a bit at school - with the social side not the academic side and school are finding it hard to manage his impulsive behaviours during play times.

Does anyone who has trialled this medication have any advice? Is it worth the risks?

The biggest part of me thinks it's not but my husband is concerned about our sons self esteem/social interactions/ability to make friends and thinks that if we don't do something now, he may develop mental health concerns (increased anxiety, depression etc) as he gets older and finds social situations increasingly difficult. We are also both concerned about his vulnerability as his lack of friends and unawareness of social situations has made him a target for bullying which we think will only get worse as he gets older.

Thank you for any advice you can give.

Hi @adhdmeds

I understand your concerns, have you looked at alternatives such as diet/supplementation? Not suggesting that this is an easy or guaranteed alternative but just wondered if you had considered it.

I’ve used Nature Doc Clinic for my daughter and they have been very helpful. I suspect she is neurodivergent as I recently discovered that I am. They support children with autism/ADHD and look at gut function/nutritional deficiencies etc.

Meds might still be the best option but if you’re hesitant and wondering about alternatives I hope that gives you something to consider.

The good thing about this medication is that it has a very short half life, so if there are any side effects the solution is simple - wait for it to wear off, and don't take it again until medical advice has been sought. The side effects will stop as the medication leaves the system. If it is an instant release, this will happen within about 3-4 hours. Apparently, high dose vitamin C should also kill the effects of it instantly so you can get a vitamin C supplement and keep that on hand just in case, but this is not really necessary.

The doctor should have explained this to you (probably not the vitamin C part) and gone over any concerns that you have. Have you been advised to try it on a weekend day so you can observe rather than just give it to him and send him off to school? This is what they suggested for my DS.

It might be possible to contact the doctor and make another appointment or have a telephone call to clarify any concerns here.

The diet/supplemental treatments are not really evidence based unfortunately. I wouldn't try those unless you've exhausted all avenues with medication. They may be good to look at if you can't access medication for some reason, but the evidence for the medication is much higher than other treatments.

My experience is that stimulant medication is very helpful and does help me rein in impulses that I would usually struggle with. It also seems to lighten the load in some way in the background, which helps me not be so exhausted all the time.

Are there any side effects you are particularly worried about?

This is a really excellent channel with a good overview though can be a bit overwhelming: https://www.youtube.com/@russellbarkleyphd2023/playlists

I've also heard very good things about the book "The Parent's Guide to ADHD Medications" by Peter Hill.

I would try this thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/special_needs/4800866-starting-adhd-medication-and-staying-on-it-ongoing-support-thread-for-newbies-and-experts-including-medikinet-equasym-concerta-strattera-and-others

as it’s in sn children, so more specific to 7 year olds. Adults (which this section is for) may have a different experience if meds.

Thank you for mentioning this. I would like to find out more about this for DS as he had severe gut issues in childhood and also has autism.

There are some quite well established links aren’t there? It was how I came to realising I had autism actually, realised I had all the gut health issues and nutritional deficiencies that would be associated with a neurodivergent person.