Mood Swings / Irritability ADHD Medication.

[Plro]

DS has been on 5mg of Medikinet XL for the past week, we are due to up the dosage tomorrow to 10mg. The only observable side effect, positive or negative, so far has been more teary and irritable.

Has anybody else experienced this? Did you just plow on?

[135137A]

Hi I wonder what you decided to do? We are in the same boat and just about to up the dose and wondering if this irritability subsides?

[noideaoffuturenow]

We're starting tomorrow. On 5mg...our SN advised to continue as these SE usually subside. She said if we come back to r/v in 8/52 and have just stopped at the first hurdle we have may have to restart same medication all over again instead of moving to the next. So I think I'll be continuing and watching carefully unless it's a v v big issue. Hope your DS is ok.

[Crazycatlady79]

Crikey, my daughter started on 20mg last Monday and goes up to 40mg next week.
Is it more usual for a child to start on as low a dose as 5?!

[noideaoffuturenow]

We're now 3 days in on 5mg. DS is v small for his age, (10) though. If your DD is normal weight & height that's possibly why she's on a bigger dose.
We're supposed to increase to 10mg after 1/52. BUT: they did say that we could take it slowly if we felt there were negative SE. DS top dose will be 15mg daily (after 3 weeks going by the prescription, but could take longer as per verbal instructions). What age is your daughter? Have you noticed any changes? Has she? My DS feels generally warmer. Was most definitely calmer day 1 but had big explosion 30 mins after dose wore off; didn't notice much day 2 (Easter Sunday, though). He did find getting to sleep harder last night too-but no melatonin given & lots of treats had.

[Crazycatlady79]

@noideaoffuturenow thanks very much for your reply.
My DD is very tall for her age (6), but has a very slight frame.
She's felt warmer, has found it a little harder to sleep and has felt nauseous, but actually seems slightly calmer a week in.
Her frantic stimming and relentless hyperactivity have definitely subsided a little within the first week.
She's due to increase tomorrow.
She does have a fairly extreme presentation of ADHD - as I did at her age and in my teens, although I wasn't diagnosed 'til I was an adult.
I'm keeping a close eye/making notes on how she is each day and we have a review later this week.

[noideaoffuturenow]

Yes-DS has definitely done less stimming; his crusted upper lip has healed for the first time in weeks! He's calmer for sure. He's also autistic and it's hard to know which symptom is which, but I'm noticing subtle changes already. Are you being seen privately? We're being seen by NHS Specialist Nurses so probably v protocol driven and probably more cautious than doctors when prescribing.

[Crazycatlady79]

@noideaoffuturenow my DD is also Autistic, so will be interesting to see whether some of her Autistic traits become more salient (as they did with me (I'm also AuDHD).
Her pathway has been via NHS Right to Choose pathway.
Her lip and skin around her fingernails is starting to get better, too.
She was very irritable and off this morning, but otherwise has seemed happier. But, it's the hols and I keep things low demand at home, so she's always more chilled without the pressure of school.
I'm actually going to call the clinic tomorrow, as I don't want her to increase yet - if at all. 😬

[noideaoffuturenow]

Yes-low demand days work well here too. DS struggles with school, and by the end of term is always like a tightly coiled spring. We've kept Easter v low key: Oodie and iPad/Playstation days with v few trips out. But even how the devices are being used has differed a little. I'm note-taking too, otherwise I'll forget! Good luck with the clinic; our next appointment will be at least 8 weeks away-though they have said to contact with any issues.

[noideaoffuturenow]

@Crazycatlady79 wondering how things are going for your DD? Hope all is good.
My DS moved up to 10mg Medikinet yesterday. He had a noticeably reduced appetite, was calm and happy all day; but approx 30 mins after it wore off he had an ALMIGHTY screaming reaction to my DD saying no to a gaming request from him. WE all managed to stay calm, (except DS) bu he was able to recognise that this was medication related & it was all over in 15 mins. BUT; feel like we need concrete strategies for if this happens when I'm not here. I regulate him-his dad makes him worse (either because he joins in the shouting or doesn't acknowledge/empathise & the situation escalates). I'm worrying as in two days it's Nursery time/pick-up time & he HATES nursery as it is...and I won't be there as I get home later.
Yesterday he was super angry-escalated so fast- I offered football/trampoline/anything physical I could think of, plus headphones/dark room. He couldn't engage at that stage as he was too far gone. Eventually, as I sympathised and empathised he settled & I gave him ice to chop/chewing gum/platter of crisps/breadsticks/and he gamed. And then he was fine-but his energy was way more evident for a few hours and he didn't sleep until 1am...
Have you noticed this S/E, employed any useful strategies?

[135137A]

Hi so my DS has gone up to 15mg 2 days ago.
Appetite seems ok and sleep too. We did have some bad nights last week when he was on 10mg but not sure if that was due to the changing of the clocks and it being lighter at bed time.
he had a tantrum yesterday over nothing and it did escalate quickly. I took him away and he went and played by himself for a bit. He calmed down quite quickly.
Will keep you posted on any other side effects.