[angelkisses0102]

Momatlast~
Hello! Here's the note I got from DD's teacher on Wednesday...day five of being on the meds:

"A is doing a really remarkable job this week. I do see a difference especially with focus. I'll write or call again next week. OK?"

I think that says it all. She is truly doing so well...she is still herself...just better. I am so happy we decided to try the meds for her.

She is having a significant issues with decreased appetite...but hopefully that will come around after she gets used to the meds. She is down about 3 pounds already however...luckily she was not super skinny to start...so for now she is OK. But she goes back to the pedi in December for a weight check...fingers crossed this levels out.

K

And hello from older A!

[momatlast]

Sounds like a good start!

[manon]

About the appetite suppression - be sure to give her a big bedtime snack if she'll eat by then. My dd's pediatrician also wound up prescribing Periactin (an antihistamine) for her to take at night, to help her sleep and to boost her appetite. It has helped her to be hungry more during the day despite her ADHD medicine (she's on Concerta now, was on Vyvanse to begin with), and I notice the difference in whether she'll eat or not depending on whether she had the Periactin the night before. Her first 4 months on ADHD med's, she lost from 50 pounds down to 42 1/2 pounds, which seemed like an awful lot to me. That was before we tried the Periactin.

Best wishes!

[angelkisses0102]

Thanks Manon...DD is petite to begin with (now under 50 pounds again) and at age 7...we were almost to size 7 pants. Today I have to take back her size 6/6x Christmas pants to get either a 4 or 5. YIKES! I told her she must eat a bowl of ice cream tonight before bed....she eats a very good breakfast...then almost nothing until dinner...which she eats OK. She was a dessert eater after dinner but now...not really. But maybe the before bed ice cream will work.

On a another positive note...we have always had a difference of opinion (LOL) on what a clean bedroom looked like. Not now...she has cleaned and reorganized her entire room...closet and dresser drawers included. She couldn't stand how messy it all was. Amazing...just amazing because she did it on her own...without being asked. She even volunteered to clean her brothers room.

Thanks again all!
K

[qs mom]

When Q started ADHD meds, his doc suggested Hi Protein bars for him at lunch time. He liked it and it helped him maintain his weight. He only lost about 1 -2 lbs his first month.

He is a bit of a daytime grazer. He really eats very little at lunch. He will drink chocolate milk and loves soup! So I try to get him to eat a hearty soup with lots of stuff in it! Since he loves veggies it works for him.

If she liked peanut butter, I'd try to give her peanut butter and jelly sandwich after school. Or something like that.

[lovestruck]

Hey Karen,

Long time since I've been on the boards, and I haven't read all the responses, but I wanted to tell you that my older spirited son was officially diagnosed with ADHD a few months ago.

We decided to try several medicines even when one seems like it is working.

We did the fast acting ritalin which he it was out of his system we saw rebound effects.

Now we are trying one of the long activing ritalins and it is working very well. The first two weeks his appetite reduced, but now it's back to normal.

Even though it is working well we are going to try one or two more over the next several months just to see which one really is working the best. Sometimes you can think you found a great medicine and then try something new and go wow, this is working so much better.

I haven't talked about it a lot publicly yet, because I just needed time to digest it. The first couple of people I told gave me a hard time and I just didn't want the negativity and it has helped my son and our family a lot. Especially with the outburst.

Okay, I'm afraid it's going to time out. Good luck!

[momraine]

You might also see if she will drink boost plus (it has more calories than the other brands) either with a meal or between meals or bedtime to help boost calories. It also adds nutrition.

[qs mom]

I understand the negativity. People really don't understand. My mother thought I decided to medicate my son so that it would help me. Make MY life easier.

The difference is amazing.

Ritalin was too powerful for my son. Adderall & Risperdal is the perfect combo for my son.

[angelkisses0102]

Geesh...I thought I responded to this yesterday!

Lovestruck! HI...great to 'see' you again. Boy your DS and my DD are so similiar. I have already gotten some negativity but I am honestly not surprised...so sorry you had to deal with it. You are much braver than I with the meds...DD is doing so well there is no way I would be brave enough to switch her meds. She has no rebound and no problem sleeping...and she is her just 'better.' DD seems to have stabilized the weight loss...and we will be at two weeks tomorrow. So I'm too scared to mess with anything else...LOL! She's moved up a level in math and reading in the past two weeks as well.

Good luck to us all.