Methylphenidate (Medikinet) - Opinions?????

[HassledAndHarrassedMummy]

My DS has just started takin Methylphenidate and I'm wondering how other people have got on with this....
He was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism back in 2009 when he was 3 and a half and is now 6. I live on my own with him and my 3yr old DD and up until recently have managed his behaviour okay. Over the last 12 months he's become more agressive, uncontrollable and impulsive and just generally difficult to cope with. I have been on parenting courses, tried therapy, anger managment, cut out certain foods, you name it I'v bloody tried it..... After much deliberation, as I've always been so anti-medication, I have put him on Methylphenidate. He started on 10mg and he's on the ones were you take 1 in the morn and it slowly releases, so that all in all, it lasts approx. 8hrs. The first day, which was 2 weeks ago, he was led on the sofa complaining of tummy ache, had diarrhea and was just generally out of sorts. The next day he was much more back to his normal self and I definately noticed a change in his behaviour. He then went bck to school and the first 2 days back his TA said she too noticed a massive difference. He also didnt seem to have any of the side effects they mentioned. Day 4 and onwards were a different story altogether. TA said the Thur and Fri he had been the same as before the meds and when the weekend came round I agreed that it was like he hadnt taken anythng.
Took him bck to docs on Fri after 2 weeks and doc agreed to up dosage to 20mg. Yesterday was the first day. He didnt eat all day, but then stuffed himself silly once the meds had wore off, he complained of tummy ache and he didnt slp great either.
Today is day 2 and at swimming earlier I noticed a rash on his bck. I will be phoning docs first thing, but in the meantime, do I give him his dose as normal in the morn? He has seemed a bit "off" today, but then went to my mums before and he seemed like normL self.
Also i'v noticed that in the evening he seems to be more angry and aggressive. I dnt know if this is a "come down" from the meds or if he was this bad before and I'm just noticing it more or if it's because he's so good on the meds I notice his behaviour more when he's off them.
I dnt know what to do. My Mum is excellent and verysupportive in so many ways,but his Dad is the total opposite. He basically told me he was against the medication and that as DS lived with me was ultimately my decision. I think he thinks I'v just put him on the meds to give myself an easy life.....that however is a different story...
Sorry to witter on, but just wanted to see if anyone else out ther has any experience of this medication and whats ther thoughts/experiences.
Thanks :-)

It may be that the dosage is too high rather than too low. I've heard of a few children being started on 10mg and having effects like this. I'm also not sure it's always a good idea to go straight to the slow release version without trying the regular one first. With the immediate release you can stop straight away if there are problems and it's out of the system in four hours, which you can't do with slow release.

Ds's psychiatrist started him on 5mg (regular release) in the morning and at lunch time. Once we'd monitored and established that there were no side-effects we increased gradually so that now he is on 10mg morning and noon with a further 5mg about 5pm. Slow release didn't work for him at all and, as you've reported here, it was like he was unmedicated.

He now takes a combination of methylphenidate at the dosage above, with 18mg of atmoxetine (Strattera) in the mornings. This mix works well for him and he's managing well - loads calmer and much more focused and attentive (he's 13).

I don't know if it's worth mentioning but I found that my son's difficulties escalated dramatically a few months after he started school. Up till then he was pretty lively, stubborn and uncooperative and we certainly had our concerns, but the pressure of school worsened things dramatically. Perhaps your son would benefit from more support in school to ease the pressure.

DS taking is methylphenidate since he was 6, now 13. First started with 2.5 gram Ritalin (quarter of a tablet), then slowly increased to 10 mg. After a year or two moved to Concerta. Now on 54 mg. In our experience there are no serious problems or side effects with medication. The positive effect is spectacular and outweighs in my opinion the side effects. But in our case I don't see much. So it depends on the child maybe.
Yes it reduces appetite during the day and then there is raiding the fridge in the evening and week-ends. But my neurotypical DH has the same problem. LOL. Yes, in the evening hyperactivity comes back and he used to rage with the ball in the garden, now he goes to tai-kwan-do classes. The Psychiatrist told me that when the tablet wears out the mood changes, so he might became angry but we don't see it in our case. If he foreguets the tablet, the school calls me for an emergency dose as they can't cope with his hyper behaviour. So for me its' a strait set win.

@streakybacon - DS is fine at school. He has a full-time TA and specialist teacher that goes in for an hr a week to support him and also an occupational therapist that is starting weekly visits to help support him with his handwriting. The school aspect is not really the problem. He settled into school fine, is doing brilliantly academically and they have absolutely no problems with him. It's when he gets home the problems start. It's almos like he waits till he gets me on his own. Silly I know, but when he is at home he is like the devil child. Argumentative, aggressive, defiant......the list goes on. School tell me about this angel child... I'm yet to meet him, lol.
I think the reason he was put on the slow release tabs was to avoid him having to take medication whilst at school. However, just spoke to paedeatrician and he has told me to stop the methylphenidate and he will see us in 2 weeks to look at him starting on atmoxetine.

I'm glad I'm not the only one out there..........

DS is fine at school. He has a full-time TA and specialist teacher that goes in for an hr a week to support him and also an occupational therapist that is starting weekly visits to help support him with his handwriting. The school aspect is not really the problem. He settled into school fine, is doing brilliantly academically and they have absolutely no problems with him. It's when he gets home the problems start. It's almos like he waits till he gets me on his own. Silly I know, but when he is at home he is like the devil child. Argumentative, aggressive, defiant......the list goes on. School tell me about this angel child... I'm yet to meet him, lol.
I think the reason he was put on the slow release tabs was to avoid him having to take medication whilst at school. However, just spoke to paedeatrician and he has told me to stop the methylphenidate and he will see us in 2 weeks to look at him starting on atmoxetine.

I'm glad I'm not the only one out there..........

Glad the paed is talking about adjusting/changing medication. It can take a while to get the combination and dosage right - it very rarely works out first time and usually takes a bit of tweaking. You have to be on the alert all the time for signs that it's not working at its best.

I'm not suggesting that your ds does have problems in school, rather that sometimes the stresses build up over time and burst when they get home. Mine too didn't have too much problem AT school when he first started, though he was monstrous when he got back. Over time though the problems increased to the degree that he couldn't hold it back till he got home and he began to have outburst at school too. I'm not saying this is the case with your son, just that it might be a factor to consider as it's featured with a few children I've known, not only my son. It's a tough old life for kids like ours, but it does sound as though he's got some good support in school, whichi will obviously help. I've no doubt that my son's problems escalated to the extent that they did through lack of appropriate support so you've got advantages already that we didn't have, which should keep him off the slippery slope.

Ah yes about slow release and dosing at school. Ds was already out of school (home ed) by the time he started medication so we had more freedom to choose different drug options. Some schools will be happy to administer additional lunch time doses but others flatly refuse and parents have to go in instead. Not very convenient so I do see why you went for the slow release.

It shouldn't be any different in theory to the immediate release but it doesn't always suit. Good luck with the atomoxetine.

Docs hav now said to stop the methylphenidate and they'll see us in 2 weeks when they can "fit him in". Think there gonna try atmoxetine (is that right). Not heard of it.... Still feel bad that had to resort to this..... Good to know I'm not the only one.
And they suggested to me that he is holding in his behaviour at school and waiting till he is at home in his comfort zone to let loose...
I am literally at my wits end. Though I wouldn't have him any other way....

Hi. My son is on a trial medication for ADHD and it’s called Medikinet XL 20mg. Can I ask what exactly are they meant to do ?? Thanks

It should make your son more able to focus and be slightly less impulsive. But it's not a magic wand and it won't change his personality.

He was on 10mg but currently on 20mg. He seems calmer but very argumentative and loud so that hasn’t changed lol

It’s very common ime, for children with SEN, who struggle in school to react in one of two ways:

1. Act out in school with obvious behaviour problems

Or

1. Hold it all in at school, cos they know the script (ie you sit and listen to the teacher) and then go off like a firecracker when they get home - cos they know emotionally, they are safe with you, their mum!

DD always did 2. and whenever I talked about it to the school, when they were going on about how good she was in school, they said:

“Well, which would you prefer?”

It’s a compliment they feel safe with you!

DD was on Concerta. As part of her ADD (diagnosed at 20 after struggling all through secondary), she used to forget to take the tablets. She told me she felt dreadful when she did - headaches and she was aware of every heartbeat....She was much more able to articulate how she felt than a child; so it could be DS is conscious of the drug wearing off but cannot put into words how he feels, as a child!

Tell DS’ father, environmental modifications can improve behaviour; but only drugs can address the executive dysfunction problems, which are at the root of ADHD/ADD - and these problems come into play far more at secondary, where more independence is expected! The disorganisation, forgetfulness, etc become more obvious...The effects on self esteem can be dreadful!

He can be so lovely at times but he moment he is asked to do something there’s a huge kick off. Not only at home but also in school. There’s violence, bad language, threats etc etc. He’s awful to his younger sister and screams in her face and she’s only 2 and he is 8 so there’s an age gap there and try explaining to him he can’t do that he just doesn’t get it and she is now copying him. My eldest who is 12 can handle him but still unfair on them both. He is destructive too towards his own way Hobbs and others in the home and outside he home.

and try explaining to him he can’t do that he just doesn’t get it and she is now copying him

It sounds like emotional dysregulation (=emotional ADHD). Emotionally, they can go from 0 - 10 in ten seconds; there is no 3 or 4 out of 10, when it comes to anger, or many other emotions:

www.additudemag.com/emotional-instability-a-core-symptom-of-adhd/?tos=accepted

They can't control it, because as I said above, there are problems with executive functioning - which are a group of cognitive processes, that regulate, control and manage other cognitive processes. If the ability to regulate and control emotions is impaired, as is possible in ADD/ADHD, then its like expecting the sun to stop shining!

Hi there, did you find any result ???