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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cjb on May 26, 2000, at 10:32:34
I need to know if there are any parents out there who have been trying different medications for their children. I have an 8 year old who is now on ritilan (ADHD)and the doctor wants to add effexor to this. I am unsure. I have a 10 year old that was put on Paxil about 3 months ago for depression and I already have him off of it because of the side effects-and because of all that I had read about it. None of these meds indicate research in children which makes it so scarry to just do it however, the anger and outbursts that have been going on for so many years has been so exhausting for me I sometimes feel like I am the one with a problem and should be taking some kind of med.
I am reaching out to parents with children and their failures or success with their children on medication.
cjb
Posted by Noa on May 26, 2000, at 10:41:24
In reply to effexor,ritilan and children, posted by cjb on May 26, 2000, at 10:32:34
Has your child been on any other meds besides a stimulant before?
Do you have a good idea of why the doc feels effexor is the best choice to go with?
What are the symptoms that the effexor is prescribed for?
Is there another diagnosis besides ADHD?
Posted by Sara T on May 26, 2000, at 21:23:51
In reply to effexor,ritilan and children, posted by cjb on May 26, 2000, at 10:32:34
> I need to know if there are any parents out there who have been trying different medications for their children. I have an 8 year old who is now on ritilan (ADHD)and the doctor wants to add effexor to this. I am unsure. I have a 10 year old that was put on Paxil about 3 months ago for depression and I already have him off of it because of the side effects-and because of all that I had read about it. None of these meds indicate research in children which makes it so scarry to just do it however, the anger and outbursts that have been going on for so many years has been so exhausting for me I sometimes feel like I am the one with a problem and should be taking some kind of med.
> I am reaching out to parents with children and their failures or success with their children on medication.
> cjbYes, I am the parent of an 8 year boy old diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (a mild autistic spectrum disorder), ADHD, and LD and yes, we have been through several meds. We started on Prozac, then prozac with ritalin, then the prozac pooped out, then paxil with no results, then xanax, a distaster, and now he is on Zoloft and Adderall. He has been stable for quite awhile now.
It is scarey to medicate your child because NONE of these things have been tested for pediatric use. However, I know what you mean when you say that the anger outbursts wear you out. And as concerned as I am about the long term (and short term) effects of these drugs, I don't think we could live with him if he weren't using them. I think he is a happier and certainly more functional child because of the meds.
I don't know much about Effexor's use with children but I do know that it is the drug of choice for many dr's who deal with ADHD and that it is often used with adderall or ritalin. It has some side effects that you should be aware of, like raising blood pressure, and it is hard to withdraw from. Look on this site, or Dr. Koop pharmacy site and you will get a fuller description of Effexor. READ carefully and ask lots of questions.
Finally, I do know there is a message and chat forum on Compuserve on ADD, and there are other ADD listserves where parents are discussing the kinds of information you're looking for.
Good luck in this difficult decision.
Sara T.
Posted by cjb on May 27, 2000, at 8:28:06
In reply to Re: effexor,ritilan and children, posted by Noa on May 26, 2000, at 10:41:24
> Has your child been on any other meds besides a stimulant before?
>
> Do you have a good idea of why the doc feels effexor is the best choice to go with?
>
> What are the symptoms that the effexor is prescribed for?
>
> Is there another diagnosis besides ADHD?No he has not been on anything besides this ritilan and the doc said that since he was still somewhat having difficult days(anger,hard to get along with etc) that he usually prescribes effexor with ritilan to further help. The way I understand it is that the anger and difficult outbursts is looked at in children as a possible form of depression or that by having these difficult problems can lead them into a depression. Which i can understand if you are always onto them where can that lead.
Posted by Noa on May 27, 2000, at 10:38:54
In reply to Re: effexor,ritilan and children, posted by cjb on May 27, 2000, at 8:28:06
I would be curious to hear the doc's reasons for choosing effexor over other ADs. Not that I know effexor to be a bad choice, or anything. Just curious, because some docs give zoloft or another SSRI, while yours starts with effexor.
Posted by Sara T on May 28, 2000, at 0:07:42
In reply to Re: effexor,ritilan and children, posted by Noa on May 27, 2000, at 10:38:54
> I would be curious to hear the doc's reasons for choosing effexor over other ADs. Not that I know effexor to be a bad choice, or anything. Just curious, because some docs give zoloft or another SSRI, while yours starts with effexor.
Usually the pediatric pdocs start with an SSRI like Prozac because it has been used the longest and has the least side effects. There is a good site, http://www.ADDclinic.com where there is some info on drugs used for ADHD in kids.
Negative talk, anger and acting out are all signs of possible depression in a child. Does your dr think your son is depressed?
Sara T
Posted by cjb on May 28, 2000, at 14:57:25
In reply to Re: effexor,ritilan and children, posted by Sara T on May 28, 2000, at 0:07:42
> > I would be curious to hear the doc's reasons for choosing effexor over other ADs. Not that I know effexor to be a bad choice, or anything. Just curious, because some docs give zoloft or another SSRI, while yours starts with effexor.
>
> Usually the pediatric pdocs start with an SSRI like Prozac because it has been used the longest and has the least side effects. There is a good site, http://www.ADDclinic.com where there is some info on drugs used for ADHD in kids.
>
> Negative talk, anger and acting out are all signs of possible depression in a child. Does your dr think your son is depressed?
>
> Sara The stated that with the way my son has acted over the years and with all the acting out and anger that it can easily lead into a depression because of the stress that it brings on with the people around him and what probably to him seems like is being focused are the things going wrong or is doing wrong. The doc just said that since the ritilan did not seem to have helped every area that was a concern then the next step would be to add the effexor to this but that it was up to me to start it now or wait through the summer and then decide--which would put us at the beginning of the school year.
Most of my hesitancy is the experience I just had with putting my 10 year old on Paxil. His side effects were not good and just seemed to be getting worse as time went. I weaned him back down and off in just a few weeks and he had severe headaches but he's off of it now. I did this without consulting the doc and when I told him of this later he stated that he thought that he was just needing an increase in his dosage.
I read so much about Paxil and how hard it is to get off of it I was just getting confused.
I love my boys to death and I also hate them at times that it hurts and I seem to stay in confusion when trying to do whats right and best and finding someone who I can trust to tell me what might be right or best.
Thanks, I will check out the sight you listed.
cjb
Posted by Sara T on May 28, 2000, at 17:10:23
In reply to Re: effexor,ritilan and children, posted by cjb on May 28, 2000, at 14:57:25
> I love my boys to death and I also hate them at times that it hurts and I seem to stay in confusion when trying to do whats right and best and finding someone who I can trust to tell me what might be right or best.
> Thanks, I will check out the sight you listed.
> cjbOh Cjb,
I know where you're coming from. I look at my son and I wonder "what if?" He's so near normal, it is hard to see him when he regresses and his disability shows itself. It is hard to know if what you're doing is right. What other routes have you investigated? Is your child in therapy to improve his self esteem? One woman I know has 2 sons with ADHD and they have done extensive family counseling. After all, it doesn't just effect him, it effects the whole family.Sara T.
Posted by Jade on May 28, 2000, at 19:54:11
In reply to Re: effexor,ritilan and children, posted by Sara T on May 28, 2000, at 17:10:23
Hello Cbj,
I also had a son with ADHD but with the time frame and what was known, his situation turned out a little different, and it is still somewhat of a mystery. He is 21 now.
I feel that Sara has made an excellent suggestion of getting into a chat room and finding out the various experiences people have had with the medications you are dealing with.
Being the behavourist that I am, you also, may find comfort in trying behaviour modification approaches that can be very effective with children. No doubt, you have probably been introduced to these already, out of necessity. A good site for articles and resources that you might find helpful (if you are not familiar with them already) is www.samgoldstein.com. You will find a good article on treatment options to be wary of because of their unscientific methods. You will also find an article on childhood depression. Go to the section that says articles. Stanley Turecki has a good book to gain some information from, even though it may not fit your situation entirely. His book is titled, The Difficult Child. There are many resources on this site as well, if you browse the link and book sections at the top of the page.
I would also suggest seeking out a child psychiatrist if your sons are seeing a pediatrician. A pediatrician seems to be a little more spread out with his practice, and a child psychiatrist would be better suited to their needs. (It just seemed that ADHD was a trivial issue when the children before and after us were cancer patients.)
I know the anguish that comes with uncertainty, especially with children and these powerful medications. You are right to question what you are observing and to be afraid. You should be able to trust this doctor enough to ask about what you are observing, so you can gain insight on how to procede.
I too, had based my decisions on medication with asking myself, "Would he be better off if I put him up for adoption?" After some careful consideration, I decided that a change in family environment would have more of a negative effect on him. No one would adopt a child who operates on high speed any way, or love him despite his differences like I could. :)
I also asked myself,"Will he function better at school, with his peers and family on this medication, and will this impact his life in a major way?"
So, I based my decision on a No for Q.#1, and a Yes for Q.#2.
Just as it may be inappropriate to use certain medications for some children it is also inappropriate to NOT use certain medications for some children. Local ADHD support groups should give you insight into how others feel about the doctor you are using, so that you may feel able to trust this doctor. This is a very important step and one I would take as a priority.
Sorry Cjb, I have not had any experience with this combination of medications but hopefully you will find others who have. Good luck to you and my thoughts are with you.
Sincerely
Jade
Posted by cjb on June 3, 2000, at 15:51:55
In reply to Re: effexor,ritilan and children, posted by Sara T on May 28, 2000, at 17:10:23
> > I love my boys to death and I also hate them at times that it hurts and I seem to stay in confusion when trying to do whats right and best and finding someone who I can trust to tell me what might be right or best.
> > Thanks, I will check out the sight you listed.
> > cjb
>
> Oh Cjb,
> I know where you're coming from. I look at my son and I wonder "what if?" He's so near normal, it is hard to see him when he regresses and his disability shows itself. It is hard to know if what you're doing is right. What other routes have you investigated? Is your child in therapy to improve his self esteem? One woman I know has 2 sons with ADHD and they have done extensive family counseling.
> After all, it doesn't just effect him, it effects the whole family.
>
Yes, we have been through counseling we have had behaviour modification suggested. I was strongly interested in the 1-2-3 Magic and still am but it just does not apply to my two boys. It doesn't matter what I take away what type of punishment I give and enforce they both have anger levels that causes their adreniline to reach a high so fast that nothing else matters at the moments that they are mad.
With counseling, it seems that since I divorced their father when one was 4 1/2 and the other 2 1/2 that that becomes the first focus of attention as to what might be wrong. And I think to some point it is a factor but a very small point. My oldest son who is will be 11 in one week has had more counseling than my youngest but they all seem to think he's okay or alittle depressed from the divorce- which at the same time forced me to leave to go to work full time and we moved out of the childrens home and my sons cousin was killed by a school bus that ran over him---all of this happened within 6 months and it wasn't long after I began looking for counseling for my son but I don't feel like I have found someone that is really trying to do anything.
I can start rambling on and on and jump from one thing to the next when I am trying to talk about life with my boys. All I know is that they are not easy boys to raise and that their actions are not because I'm not doing things right----it may get so tough and so depressing at times that I might question my parenting abilities but deep down I know there is more to it than that and that I have to keep searching for what might help them and me.I want them to have a happy childhood and develop into happy healthy confident adults and I will always keep trying to achieve this goal.
I have not started my youngest on the effexor yet and am not sure I will. If I do I will do it before school starts again so that he is here with me and I can monitor how it is truly effecting him throughout the days. My oldest is not on anything right now and we still have our up and down days but its summer and that has eliminated some of the things that would cause arguements between us and cause his anger outbursts to occur. And we will keep going one day at a time.
cjb
>
Posted by Sara T on June 3, 2000, at 23:03:43
In reply to Re: effexor,ritilan and children, posted by cjb on June 3, 2000, at 15:51:55
Cjb,
Good thing to start any new meds over the summer, at least you don't have school stress to worry about too in case the meds don't work well. Do you feel you have an accurate dx on them?
My son has anger problems also and homework is a mine field. School is a major source of stress. How are your boys socially? Tried any social skills training?
Sometimes, also, having homework shortened or modified because of your son's attentional problems is helpful. Do they have IEP's? If so, get something like that put in. Or, get someone to tutor them so that you simply remove that conflict.
Believe me, I know about tantrums so I sympathize with you. My son's can go on for hours. Fortunately, the meds he's been on have helped and everyone in our household is helped by a calmer atomosphehre.
Sara T.
This is the end of the thread.
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