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06.20.08, 20:50 PM Preschool/Kids
31 replies
Anyone here w/ a dc on meds for ADHD? Has suppressed appetite / weight loss been an issue for dc? Our dc was already skinny and started on meds a few months ago. We're having a hard time getting dc to eat. Just isn't interested in food, we don't want to turn it into a big power struggle, but dc is looking even skinnier. We go back to the doc soon to check in so I'll ask for professional advise then, but I'd like to hear from other parents. [ Reply | Watch | Flag ]
Preschool/Kids 06.20.08, 08:50 PM Flag
 

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call your MD!!! it galls me that a doctor would put a kid on these meds and tell you to check in infrequently. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 08:52 PM Flag
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I did. We go in on Monday. We've been in contact with dc's ped and the neuropsych who evaluated dc but I feel like their advice has been useless. So far dc hadn't lost any weight but I think when we go on Monday they will find that dc has lost some now. I don't trust our scale 100% but I trust my eyes. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 09:01 PM Flag
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We tried meds for all of a week. The side effects were terrible. We stopped the meds and tried a special diet (no sugar, no wheat, no dairy, no processed foods) along with occupational therapy. It works for us. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 08:52 PM Flag
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We tried dietary changes and behavioral therapy to no avail. The meds are a last resort, but we're continuing with the behavioral therapy as well. I'm HATING this. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 08:57 PM Flag
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But if the meds are causing harsh side effects, you may not be able to continue. It is very hard, but you will have to try all the alternatives until you find a combo that works. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 08:59 PM Flag
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I know. I'm scared they're going to say we need to try a different drug and I just want to stop. I feel like we're poisoning our child, but I was also at the end of my rope w/ dc's behavior, and the behavior has gotten better since starting the meds. But at what cost? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 09:07 PM Flag
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we had a similar situation. felt the drugs were poisoning dc. felt there were side effects and worried about long term brain effects and development. decided to stop the meds. having tried them gave me new resolve to work on the problems behaviorally again. was hoping for a magic bullet, but it wasn't that [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 09:16 PM Flag
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How has the behavioral approach been going since you stopped the meds? Do you work with a therapist? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 09:27 PM Flag
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Did you try holistic route? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 09:00 PM Flag
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Sorry. I don't want to sound stupid but I'm not sure what you mean by holistic? We tried eliminating sugar, processed foods, preservatives, etc. and we've done therapy. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 09:03 PM Flag
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Eastern medicine. I have heard of kids who benefitted from identifying the child's constitution and derive treatment principles and methods (pressure, massage or other modes). One can also get herb formulas that might help. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 10:12 AM Flag
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I'm not really familiar with Eastern medicine or herbal formulas for treating ADHD. Have these treatments been researched scientifically? Are there any studies I can look at? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 04:12 PM Flag
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This is a relatively new field in the US, so I'm not sure if there are studies already. Having said that, there are numerous reasons why you couldn't construct scientific, double blind studies with eastern meds - each patient has to receive customized treatment but in scientific studies you have to treat same points for all patients which go directly against the principles of eastern medicine (won't work). Also, when I read some studies done, they were designed by MDs who really have no understanding of how TCM works. Anyway, if you are going to wait till "proof" I don't know what to tell you. However, you might be able to find from National Institute of Health or World Health Organization a list of diseases or syndromes that TCM has so far been found to be effective. Thing is there are many studies who show efficacy of TCM but it's not possible to show cause-effect in Western sense. I think physicists (medical) could probably identify Qi in the body and show the meridians in the future but we don't have the technology yet to show this in physical terms. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 04:29 PM Flag
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A quick Google search: http://www.healing-arts.org/children/ADHD/herbal.htm#Formulas and a very short article http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/cgi-bin/forum/showcase/pacific_college.pl?read=10 [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 04:36 PM Flag
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please don't go this route. in addition to weight loss, the dc's growth (height) will be affected, not to mention the risk for developing mood and substance abuse issues in the future. there are good behavioral programs out there. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 08:55 PM Flag
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Do you have experience with this? Can you recommend someone? TIA! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 09:04 PM Flag
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np: you might also post your question on the special needs board at the "other" UB (you know what I mean, right?) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 04:13 AM Flag
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Under the Stages category? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 01:04 PM Flag
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There a lot of different ADHD meds out there and not everyone of them suppresses the appitite. Madication unfortunitly is a lot of trial and error. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 05:14 AM Flag
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most do suppress appetite, and remember you are experimenting with your dc's brain [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 08:04 AM Flag
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Which ones don't suppress appetite? I have been doing a little research in preparation for our visit to the ped and every drug I've seen lists weight loss or appetite suppression as a potential side effect. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 04:06 PM Flag
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You're giving your kid speed. of course it's going to suppress his appetite. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 08:17 AM Flag
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np. i tend to be generally anti meds. but i also know that it's not easy to have a child with adhd. if your child really has it, the meds are beyond helpful for briniging a supremely chaotic household back to normal. don't judge unless you've been in the situation. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 04:08 PM Flag
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Thank you for posting this. (OP) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 04:09 PM Flag
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no prob. that poster clearly doesn't know what it's like. fwiw, i don't know first hand either. this is from my SILs experience with her son. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 04:11 PM Flag
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Then you've at least seen it up close even if you don't live with it. Please believe me when I say this issue was destroying our family. The meds scare the hell out of me but we reached a point where we had to try them. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 04:15 PM Flag
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you don't have to convince me. do i think there are people who give things to their kids (prob on a drs advice) bc they can't handle normal behavior? yes. I'm sure there are. But you know if you have your child's best interest at heart. what someone here says based on no infomration means nothing. you know if you're doing it for the right reasons and that's all that matters. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 04:18 PM Flag
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You're right. Thanks again. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 04:24 PM Flag
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I don't have a kid with ADHD, but it is astonishing, and astonishingly cruel, how judgmental people are. Why would you assume that someone giving their child ADHD medications is just a lazy parent looking for a quick fix? THOUSANDS of parents do this. Are they all lazy? Are they all stupider than you? Are they unable to perform even the smallest Google search? The poster above is right: medication is not a magic bullet. Like anti-depressants, apparently different ADHD drugs work differently in different people for reasons that aren't well understood. But then, I guess all those people taking anti-depressants are ignorant sponges, too. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 11:12 AM Flag
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Who are you responding to? No one here has called anyone else lazy or claimed meds are all about a quick fix? Are you just in the mood to rant or what? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 12:40 PM Flag
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i agree. my SIL and BIL finally decided to give their son meds for ADHD after trying many many other things. it was a last resort for them and it made a huge difference in their lives includinng my nephew's ability to function and their ability to function as a family (with another child too). and this is my SIL, so you know i'm not giving her any breaks on this. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 04:10 PM Flag
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