Please someone offer me some good advice...

My son is 10, was diagnosed by a LCNS 3 years ago, wrote a letter to his family doctor about the diagnosis and started medication.

He never really had academic issues until recently (4th grade). It was always about his behavior, not following directions, talking back and being argumentative.

We finally found that a combo of Staterra and Concerta was working for him, he had been on it for about a year. Then we moved and I had to find a new doctor. His new doctor referred me to a psych who did not presribe Straterra so he went off of it. I started to notice a difference in him behaviorly, but then I also noticed a positive difference in his self confidence. My son is very active in sports and is playing basketball. The first month he was doing okay, not very agressive and lacked self confidence. Once he went off of the Staterra it started getting into the game a lot more. Smiling and being happy, but also being a goof off. Talking back was becoming more of an issue and focusing wasn't as good. So we went back to the pscy and I mentioned what I was seeing and she upped his dosage of Concerta.

Then the grades started dropping. He started to forget to write down quizes. He started looking really confused and it was very strange. So I went back to his new doc and explained what I have been seeing the past couple months and she put us back on lower dose of Concerta and Straterra.

Sorry for the long post...but today was first day of Staterra, he might as well have slept on the bench during his bball game. I couldn't believe the difference.

So....the question is....am I doing the right thing? Maybe I should just take him off the meds and have him evaluated by an ADHD specialist? But I don't know what his grades will do, and SOL's are coming up....

Totally Confuse!!

You've raised a lot of issues that others will certainly address more effectively than I would be able to, but I really doubt that the Straterra, the first day, would cause that kind of sleepiness. Straterra takes a while to be absorbed by the body before it can reach any type of effective dose. Not sure it's to blame but I also think once you get meds that are working effectively, your physician was silly to change them.

Strattera could be causing the sleepiness, actually. Side effects for reuptake inhibitors usually start immediately and subside in a week or two.

Relief of symptoms, though, could take a few weeks.

Hang in there & see what happens would be my advice. If you don't see some positive changes in 2 months, I'd consider a specialist.

Good luck!

As a mum with ADD and a son with ADHD all I can say is I feel for you. It doesn't feel right to medicate our children but when it is neccessary, we are faced with having to do it for thier own benefit and possibility.
I would hang in there and give the reutake inhibitors some time. I would also suggest doing as much research as you can. When I was on Strattera, it made me very tired and sleepy for a few days but did settle. I didn't see any effect for over a month.
I wish you luck, good on you for being such a caring mum!! He's a lucky little boy.

Have you had him evaluated for learning dissabilities?

No I haven't. I did take him to a learning center last week and they tested his visual processing and perceptual skills. They noticed that he has a delay in his visual processing. I was thinking of enrolling him in the program but it would be pretty expensive. I could pay $200 to have a written cognitive exam done but I wasn't sure if I should do it just yet.