Posted by Essence on August 17, 2003, at 18:45:19
In reply to Re: Concerta, A Worried Mom! » Essence, posted by Simcha on August 17, 2003, at 16:15:32
Simcha: Thank you very much for your responses. Your support,without knowing the whole story was heartfelt. To Everyone else, so many to name, thank you for your input as well, including Lou's. Lou, I have read all those sites and many books, this decision has not come lightly as you will read on.
My son's ADD is not a "NEW" diagnoses so this is not something new to me, medicating him however is. He was 'diagnosed' at age 2 as probable ADHD, but I was told through mental health that they could not put a disorder on a child under the age of 5. Despite that, my son and I went bi-weekly to mental health so I could learn how to raise my son without meds using counseling and behaviour modifications. We continued this until he was age 9. He was doing well in school, was a happy young boy and the hyperactivity aspect of his disorder was minimal at the age of 9 compared to where it had been. I somehow felt that perhaps he had outgrown his disorder, I had read that this could happen,his therapist agreed so counseling was discontinued. What I didn't know, was that ADD/ADHD could change to different types. Once he entered Junior High, his life fell apart. His grades fell dramatically, with each failure he felt worse and worse about himself. He began many distructive behaviours, running away from home, smoking, drinking, being verbally abusive, etc. The list is too long to post here. I tried several times in the past 5 yrs to get him to go back into counselling, he wouldn't participate so was told not to come back. Back in the winter, after being told he was failing his 5th yr in junior high school, I demanded that he go back and be tested for a learning disability. To my shock, it came back as ADD - innatentive. I was floored, I had really felt he no longer had this disorder. I always hated medications, and vowed when he was younger to never put him on one. Now I see the damage that decision has created. After his testing back in the winter, he agreed to try Wellbutrin. Well that failed and he dropped out of school after turning 16 in April and became a father in May. This decision to go back to a psychiatrist was his decision, he now wants an education and realizes that he can't do it alone. I am heartsick that such a young man has such a heavy burden to bear. But I am even more heartsick to think of what might happen to him if medical intervention isn't taken.
I asked about Concerta because it's once a day dosing and appears to not have the peaks and valleys of Ritalin, etc, so I wanted to hear people's experience with it and mostly, the psychotic side-effect. Adderall and Straterra are not available here yet and Concerta was just approved. Sorry for the long post, but thanks again everyone.
Ess
poster:Essence
thread:251524
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030812/msgs/251692.html