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Medikinet xl 20mg Side Effects

1 reply

Kezj · 07/06/2013 05:03

My son has ADHD, ASD, and Dysbraxia, diagnosed within the last 8 months. He is now 10 years old and this week started on medikinet xl 20 mg one per morning. Prior to this he had a couple of weeks on medikinet 10mg normal release twice daily. The thought of medicating my son to me was unthinkable, I only agreed to trial it after a request from the school, after a meeting in which they explained they felt that although he was intelligent he wasn't reaching his full potential due to his condition (the general disruption his behaviour could cause was underplayed) I reluctantly have complied with the wishes of the school telling myself that the school and his consultant were experts with experience in this field. At first with the normal release tablets slowly introduced I didn't notice much of a change, he is not only tall for his age (10 and wears 14-15 clothing) he is also well built and I have been made aware that it may take sometime to find the correct doseage for him due to this. He started the 20mg slow release just under a week ago, I give it to him with his breakfast @ approx 7.30-8.00 mornings, then obviously he goes off to school. Upon his return I have a completely different child, not a zombie like one as I had feared but rather a sullen, uncooperative child now seemingly prone to fits of aggression and rudeness where there was none. His behaviour in other ways seems worse and he has always had a proclivity towards making sudden unexplained noises these also seem louder and more frequent. I am going to the school in the morning to collect a booklet they were given documenting changes in his behaviour to see what they think. I am also waiting on a call from his camhs nurse with regards to an immediate appointment to review his medication. I do not want to continue giving him the medication until I have spoken to a professional. Am I taking the right course of action or is it possible this is some kind of settling into the medication? I have no idea and the school and everyone seemed so keen to medicate might they think my reaction is due to my initial bious? Not that I care in regards to that opinion I am after all an expert in the field of my son. Any thoughts, or indeed opinions welcome at this time as I am just so confused and overwhelmed and feel lacking in knowledge. I just want to do right by my son. Thanks

OP posts:
ToBeFair · 10/06/2013 22:45

A few questions for you:

  1. Do you see him when the Medikinet has 'kicked in', which is about 30 minutes after it is taken? Does his behaviour seem better, no different or worse?
  2. What do the school say about the effect?
  3. When you see him after school, has the Medikinet worn off? If he takes it at 7.30am, it will wear off at about 4pm.
  4. Does the new behaviour after school last all evening, or just for a short time?
My experience was that there were some short term side effects, noticeably stomach aches, and some lasting side effects e.g. trouble sleeping when the Medikinet was still active. But others will have a different set of side effects.

And that it was very noticeable, in terms of behaviour, when the Medikinet was wearing off in the day.

If I were you, I would:
(a) see what the school has to say and
(b) provided he isn't having a very worrying change in behaviour, I would keep going for a couple of weeks to see what it settles down to.

All subject to anything that the CAMHS nurse or another professional might advise - be guided by them, not some randomer on the internet!

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