Re: Re: 6.5 y.o. started Strattera - reply from Ruthie

[Guest guest]

One thing we were told once about our now 16 year old / ASPERGERS PEOPLE / is that is you take something away, you have to give them

something else. My son was a toe sucker and we gave him other things but he might as well chew his fingers off! He has NO NAILS just about literally-he chews them down to literally maybe having an 1/8th inch of a nail (about the moon); don't know HOW HE CAN STAND IT; I would be bawling in pain.

REMEMBER: MEDS ARE TOOLS NOT CURES!!!! I would highly suggest implementing an organizational system; always puts her coat (and where that is going to be----); shoes, books, etc. THAT IS WHAT I DO: I HAVE ADHD and medicated I remember nearly everything (it wears off, and even I can't remember where I put my shoes so I just put things in the same place---it's been years in the making but the first 26 years were med and diagnosis FREE so I had learned the traits to help me in my world before the meds. Good luck, and it's worth a try!!!!

Ruthie

From: andie6294@...Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:41:40 +0000Subject: ( ) Re: 6.5 y.o. started Strattera - anyone else on it? - Update

Thanks for the reply, Ruthie.Just an update: I thought I was seeing an improvement at home, but she had a bad day at school today. The teacher said she kept chewing on things (duh.. she is a sensory seeker! This is exactly why I send her to school with chewy tubes on her pencils. SO aggravated that it hasn't sunk in with that woman yet!), didn't get her work done, lost her math packet (organization is a HUGE problem for her... if only these people would listen to me and notice that all this means SHE NEEDS EXTRA HELP!), and her handwriting was a mess (HELLO?!).Although the impulsivity seems to have improved somewhat, she's still highly distractible. Of course at home, if she can control her impulses somewhat better, it makes for easier living for the rest of the family, but it's a mere drop in the bucket.I'm so frustrated. Guess we'll push on with the trial. I seriously wonder if we're trying to treat the wrong thing though. Could it just be that until she learns to meet her sensory needs properly that no medication will help?> >> > > > Andie,> > > > I just got a handout from my own therapist about strattera...I don't know much about it...but it doesnt seem like shes been on it long enough to get its full effect.. And everyone reacts different to meds....I know this is no help but I was wondering about it for my own son. I will be following your letters to see how it is going...good luck I hope it works out for her and you.> > > > Marcia> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ( ) 6.5 y.o. started Strattera - anyone else on it?> > > > > > > > > > > > She doesn't seem to be benefiting from it in the least right now. We started very slowly with 10 mg every other day for 15 days, then 10 mg every day, then 10 one day, and 20 the next, and soon we will be up to 20 mg daily.> > > > She was on Adderall 5 mg extended release, which seemed to at least help with impulsivity, although her mood changed from an almost manic happy (spaztic at times-seemed to have no control and made loud noises or banged on things, or hit or poked at people-but never in a mean way) child, to an aggressive grump as the meds wore off. She even seemed to be more cooperative than she is now. Now that we're up to alternating 10 and 20 mg, she's showing signs of anxiety more so than usual. Wondering if it's the med, or some other variable. Her appetite is definitely starting to decrease, which I know is a side effect, and I'm having to bump up her melatonin slightly so she can settle down and go to sleep. She's been getting up saying she's scared, and she follows me around the house a lot lately, which in uncharacteristic. > > > > FYI she's about 40 lbs (tiny girl). I am on Strattera for inattentive-type ADD - or whatever you want to call this issue - but one thing I notice it really does for me is it stops the tornado of thoughts I usually have bouncing around in my head so I can better deal with external sounds. I do feel more sluggish on it though.> > > > All I really want to know is if anyone has had experience with this med and how it worked. We are taking it slow, as I know we should, to try and avoid side effects as much as possible. Of course this means that until we finally reach a therapeutic level (IF we do!), she's pretty much on her own to deal with the impulsivity, distractability, being unable to complete school work, annoying friends, family, and classmates to the point of no one wanting to be around her, sensory issues are compounded (lots of spinning and chewing and sensory seeking in general - but irritated by noise and freaking about having her hair brushed again), the list goes on.....> > > > I'M GOING NUTS! PLEASE, SOMEONE TELL ME WE'LL SEE SOME IMPROVEMENT SOON!!! Lie to me if you have to! Just kidding, of course I want the truth. > > > > The psych said the next step is to go up to 30 mg, and if that doesn't show improvement, we'll go back to Adderall and throw an SSRI on top of that. *sigh*> > > > Thanks for listening~> > Andie> >>

[Guest guest]

My 13 yo ds chews his nails off as well, Ruthie - totally down to stumps. I can't imagine how he stands it either. Seems like it would hurt.

Roxanna

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." E. Burke

( ) 6.5 y.o. started Strattera - anyone else on it?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > She doesn't seem to be benefiting from it in the least right now. We started very slowly with 10 mg every other day for 15 days, then 10 mg every day, then 10 one day, and 20 the next, and soon we will be up to 20 mg daily.

> >

> > She was on Adderall 5 mg extended release, which seemed to at least help with impulsivity, although her mood changed from an almost manic happy (spaztic at times-seemed to have no control and made loud noises or banged on things, or hit or poked at people-but never in a mean way) child, to an aggressive grump as the meds

wore off. She even seemed to be more cooperative than she is now. Now that we're up to alternating 10 and 20 mg, she's showing signs of anxiety more so than usual. Wondering if it's the med, or some other variable. Her appetite is definitely starting to decrease, which I know is a side effect, and I'm having to bump up her melatonin slightly so she can settle down and go to sleep. She's been getting up saying she's scared, and she follows me around the house a lot lately, which in uncharacteristic.

> >

> > FYI she's about 40 lbs (tiny girl). I am on Strattera for inattentive-type ADD - or whatever you want to call this issue - but one thing I notice it really does for me is it stops the tornado of thoughts I usually have bouncing around in my head so I can better deal with external sounds. I do feel more sluggish on it though.

> >

> > All I really want to know is if anyone has had experience with this med and how it worked. We are

taking it slow, as I know we should, to try and avoid side effects as much as possible. Of course this means that until we finally reach a therapeutic level (IF we do!), she's pretty much on her own to deal with the impulsivity, distractability, being unable to complete school work, annoying friends, family, and classmates to the point of no one wanting to be around her, sensory issues are compounded (lots of spinning and chewing and sensory seeking in general - but irritated by noise and freaking about having her hair brushed again), the list goes on.....

> >

> > I'M GOING NUTS! PLEASE, SOMEONE TELL ME WE'LL SEE SOME IMPROVEMENT SOON!!! Lie to me if you have to! Just kidding, of course I want the truth.

> >

> > The psych said the next step is to go up to 30 mg, and if that doesn't show improvement, we'll go back to Adderall and throw an SSRI on top of that. *sigh*

> >

> > Thanks for listening~

> > Andie

> >

>

[Guest guest]

It is all due to stress....I beleive. What about stress balls...i see it work for one of our students.

And breathing techniques....and she loves to read...so we give her a break and let her read...

And ...learning tricks is good too...like putting things in the same place every time...my husband loses everything...one time he went crazy looking for his belt...almost tore the house apart...and then i looked at him and said..."You are wearing it" ...LOL

Jan

From: Roxanna <MadIdeas@...> Sent: Sun, February 28, 2010 9:20:13 AMSubject: Re: ( ) Re: 6.5 y.o. started Strattera - reply from Ruthie

My 13 yo ds chews his nails off as well, Ruthie - totally down to stumps. I can't imagine how he stands it either. Seems like it would hurt.

Roxanna"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." E. Burke

( ) 6.5 y.o. started Strattera - anyone else on it?> > > > > > > > > > > > She doesn't seem to be benefiting from it in the least right now. We started very slowly with 10 mg every other day for 15 days, then 10 mg every day, then 10 one day, and 20 the

next, and soon we will be up to 20 mg daily.> > > > She was on Adderall 5 mg extended release, which seemed to at least help with impulsivity, although her mood changed from an almost manic happy (spaztic at times-seemed to have no control and made loud noises or banged on things, or hit or poked at people-but never in a mean way) child, to an aggressive grump as the meds wore off. She even seemed to be more cooperative than she is now. Now that we're up to alternating 10 and 20 mg, she's showing signs of anxiety more so than usual. Wondering if it's the med, or some other variable. Her appetite is definitely starting to decrease, which I know is a side effect, and I'm having to bump up her melatonin slightly so she can settle down and go to sleep. She's been getting up saying she's scared, and she follows me around the house a lot lately, which in uncharacteristic. > > > > FYI she's about 40 lbs (tiny girl). I am

on Strattera for inattentive- type ADD - or whatever you want to call this issue - but one thing I notice it really does for me is it stops the tornado of thoughts I usually have bouncing around in my head so I can better deal with external sounds. I do feel more sluggish on it though.> > > > All I really want to know is if anyone has had experience with this med and how it worked. We are taking it slow, as I know we should, to try and avoid side effects as much as possible. Of course this means that until we finally reach a therapeutic level (IF we do!), she's pretty much on her own to deal with the impulsivity, distractability, being unable to complete school work, annoying friends, family, and classmates to the point of no one wanting to be around her, sensory issues are compounded (lots of spinning and chewing and sensory seeking in general - but irritated by noise and freaking about having her hair brushed again), the list goes

on.....> > > > I'M GOING NUTS! PLEASE, SOMEONE TELL ME WE'LL SEE SOME IMPROVEMENT SOON!!! Lie to me if you have to! Just kidding, of course I want the truth. > > > > The psych said the next step is to go up to 30 mg, and if that doesn't show improvement, we'll go back to Adderall and throw an SSRI on top of that. *sigh*> > > > Thanks for listening~> > Andie> >>