ADHD / ADD Support Group

Please do not take him off the meds. If you have to, give him healthy but HIGH calorie supplements like have him drink a can of Ensure (or protein shakes) in between meals as a snack or drink.

My sister's doctor also recommended over-the-counter Prilosec (i have no idea why) last week when she complained of losing 6 pounds over thanksgiving holiday (no exercise, just loss of appetite).

But i'm sure the community members here will have much better advice for you. I just know how my husband gets when he stops taking Aderall. Not good.

Well, when I was on ADHD med's I drank Boost Plus.I added about 4-8oz more of whole milk, and Hersey syrup to it, and that was my drink with my breakfast. After a while my body adjusted by its self and I no longed needed Boost to counter balance the weight loss.

Just a suggestion....

My stepson is on Adderal XR, and is going pretty well. Appetite is an issue with him as well; it doesn't help that he is paranoid about being fat. He is most definitely NOT fat; even our doctor said he needs to put on a few pounds.

I forgot; don't take him off the meds. that could cause more problems than keeping him on. Best to keep him on, maybe cook more of his favorite foods, offer seconds, let him exercise to convert to muscle. Yeah, Ensure is a good idea. A second opinion? Absolutely! There are plenty of meds out there; just be careful and check them out.

www.nih.com

Scroll to the bottom of the page, and go to medline plus.

My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD, ODD and IMPULSE CONTROL DISORDER. that was on March 22, 2006. She was 5 and weighed 48 lbs and was 46 inches tall. She started her drugs with 1mg of adderall and 1 mg of Risperdal. the doseage had to be increase every 4 wks or so because the drugs would just stop working. By oct 1 she was taking 20 mgs of adderall and 3 1/2 of risperdal. when they were now longer working(she would have rages that would last 3 or more hours) He switched it to focalin xr 20 mgs and 40mg of geodon he said it was milder and it wouldn't make her gain so much weight. that made me laugh, she did not gain 1 lb on the other drugs and she eat very sparingly, she actually has be come obsessed with her weight, she tells me is fat. She stared the new drugs on nov. 1 with in days she stopped sleeping and stopped eating. her behavior worsened at school and the after school rage grew more sever and longer sometimes last 5 to 6 hrs. on nov. 30 he switched back to the 20 of adderall and up her geodon to 80 mgs. she was able to sleep again but nothing else changed. I finally had to call her therapist she had not seen in months. By the way I lost my job because she got kicked out of the only 3 daycares in town, so no insurance and I've been told by several of the large insurance companies they will not give her any insurance even though I can pay for it.Last friday I took her off the adderall all together. I had to my now 6 yr old daughter is now 48 inches tall and breaks the scale at 41 pounds, I literaly can see all of her ribs thru he skin. Since stopping the adderall she has started eating again I give her anthing she says see wants. Her rages stopped. and her behavior at home is much better and at school it has'nt changed to bad and it not worse. I told the dr's. I don't think that is really what wrong I really think that their is some thing else. I want her evaluated by them or the school and have told them all. they all think the drug are the only answer. I don't and I am not going to kill her to make them happy. Because they are defintly hurting her. There is something wrong and something will help her I just don't know where to find the answer

My seven year old is also eating and sleeping now that he is off the meds, he is also no longer zombie like or as down on himself. I agree drs do tend to think meds are the only answer, there are alternative approaches that are safer, there are also foods that can make the symptoms of adhd even worse. I f you to to a health food store they should be able to help you find safer alternatives to those meds. Meds do not always work for everyone. My sons therapist and school just told me that if I dont want thier meds there is nothing they can do for him. I have heard that self defense classes can help with confidence and focus so I will be putting my son in a class it may also work for your child. I know how you feel . Im struggling with what else to do to help him. Only you know your child and effects the drug has altough it may not be showing to the outside world.

I have heard that Foods with Omega fatty 3 acids are vey good for children with adhd. I have also heard thatof course sugar is very bad as well as anything with red food dye that includes brown coloring as well as purple and anything else with red dye in it. Although welchs concord grape juice as healthy alternative to those added preservatives and dyes etc. drinks

Thanks, I to have read something the other day on omega 3 and other fatty acids. I'm going to try it over the christmas break. She has discovered that she like fish, especially tuna and she loves boiled shrimp. and I know that sugars and thing do make some kids
act up, I've already tried removing that from her diet and it did not affect her at all. I only found that like some Mentally retarded people that I've worked with, sugar actually has a calming effect. It kinda made sense to me, you give kid basiclly "speed" to slow them down, sugar is kind of a natural "speed". I don't know, Tell me if that make any sense or am just grabing at straws. See the real problem is that not paying attention is not the problem. She is hyper, but the problem is her anger and violence is. You never know what will set her off. She's like a light switch- one minute she's happy and loving, the next she's screaming and threating to kill you. the sad part is the violent out of control part is the the dominant side of her. I want to have her tested or evaluated for other problems but I don't know if I should find another psychiatrist or leave it alone. But I just have that feeling that their is something else there. I've read so much about the things they say she has and they are symptoms of other mental disablities.

RE: Sugar/caffeine

Both are STIMULANTS just like most of the ADHD meds (Ritalan, Concerta, etc), so yes they often appear to have a calming effect. The reason is related to what is believed to be the cause of ADHD. With out going in to alot of medical detail, the issue with real ADHD (as opposed to other conditions that cause similar symptoms and are often mis-dx'd such as Anemia, CD, etc) is under stimulation of the frontal lobe of the brain. That part is the "human" part, where your intellect and control are stored, when that is under stimulated you loose your ability to focus, and keep control. When you take a stimulant ALL functions of the body are increased, including stimulation to that frontal lobe giving the patient greater control so it seems to calm them.

IMO, there are some cases where meds are NEEDED, some cases where they help, and some that should not be medicated. Each person needs to evaluate their situation and make a call. I always suggest at LEAST TWO independent verifications of a dx like ADHD because it is so easy to misdx these things.


I hope that helps more then it confuses :)

My five year old takes Metadate CD for his ADHD and his appatite is same as ever, When he was on Addrall, he too wouldn't want to eat, that and it didn't even slow him down. Don't be afraid to change meds, if need be,