lylajean's Journal

Journal Entry for April 21, 2008 Mood

Monday, April 21, 2008

I've been told that often after beginning a stimulant medication for ADHD the first time there is a noticeable difference and that if there are side effects, they would be right away. We began Concerta with our son Saturday morning, and wow! He's calmer and more patient with his sisters. Believe it or not, he seems to have more of a personality in that he seems to be able to put his thoughts together and express them better. We also can definately tell when the meds. are wearing off! He had a small emotional spell (possible "rebound") in the evening of the first day, but over all our experience with the entire medication thing is going well, I'm just sad that we didn't get this help for him sooner. The loss of appetite is a struggle though. I am able to get a good breakfast into him before his meds. but then if I can't seem to get much else into him by early afternoon he says he feels really dizzy and not well. Once I get food into him, he feels better, then later I seem to be able to get him to eat a good dinner. I checked his heart rate last night and it was normal but I will check it more often with his dizziness complaints. This is the 3rd day and today he goes to school, I'm nervous, but this is the true test...

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Comments

Keep an eye on it. You are doing good.

smileymom
thats great lylajean!!!! I'm glad things are doing so well! :D watch the eating tho- he needs to eat plenty to keep growing and help his consentration xx

musicblonde
hey sweetie that is great...yes he will have side effects..just keep an eye out..and yes not wanting to eat is a big thing..but in time that and the dizzie spells will go away..if not make sure and call the doctor and let them know about it..i am so happy he had a good day, but remember even with medication he can still have a bad day..but we all can

robinbird21us
So glad it's working for you.
I too found that Randall was more himself on the meds too. Not a zombie like everyone else would say he would be.
The appetite is a hard thing to deal with. The psych told me to give him a glass of Sustagen every day. That was at least he was getting all the vitamins and minerls he needed. So we made it a habit that after school he would have his Sustagen and his tablet. Luckily he loved the taste and would switch between the vanilla and chocolate flavours.
Hope everything continues to go well.
Thinking of you.

BecciS
Never let anyone tell you that putting your kid on ADHD meds will turn him or her into a zombie... it's a load of anti-medication crap. If your kid is on meds and acting like a zombie, it just means the dosage needs to be adjusted. Keep in constant communication with your doctor, other than that it sounds like you're doing exactly what you should be.

Hats off to you, you're doing well... enjoy the benefits!

ArmchairDeity
That is great that concerta is working for your son. We struggled with the food thing on concerta also but we just let him eat as often as he wanted to at night. He would eat a good breakfast also and then not much lunch, a good dinner, and a few after dinner snacks - healthy ones=) It just goes to show you that the right meds are out there. We just switched to focalin and the difference is amazing - he likes being on the meds.

BunnyWatson
gr8 new sweety my thoughts are with you and your family and im sure everything will be ok and there will be a really good ending to this the eating thing can you just give him little ansd aften that might work xxxx bye pat

happychick99