Kristine
11-13-2009, 11:09 AM
I'm usually on the hydrocephalus board because of my daughter, but my son has just been diagnosed with ADD and I have some questions. He is a 1st grader, straight A student, but has a horrible time focusing and paying attention in school. We also have been battling this at home for several years, too, and I have been expecting this diagnosis for quite a while. We just started Concerta only a week ago and we have seen amazing results!!! Even his teacher has been thrilled with the results. Now, here is my question. He is taking 18mg of Concerta. Our pediatrician explained to me that there is a trial and error period with the medication in the beginning. He said that although he is going well on 18mg, he could be doing GREAT on a different dose, and we won't know until we try a higher dose. He wants me to try a higher dose and then if we see that the side effects are too much or if the dose isn't right, then we will back off and go back to the 18 and know that that is the right dose for him. I understand this in theory, but I have a very hard time practicing this trial and error with medication on my child. You see, my son also has moderate to severe asthma and takes a ton of other medicine daily, plus weekly allergy shots. I have been assured by his pulmonologist that the Concerta will not interact with the breathing meds, but I still have a problem with pumping more medication into his body as just a trial and error type of thing.
Is this the normal type of treatment with ADD meds? Is it really all trial and error? Since we have the 18mg pills, our ped is suggesting that I go ahead and give him two pills and try that. Well, that would be jumping straight to the 36mg instead of trying the next dose up which would be 27mg. Does that seem right? The 18mg pills seem to be doing great things for us the way they are. He is doing great in school, great at home, and is still able to sleep at night with no problems. I am just so hesitant to fix something that isn't broken. I'd love to hear what the normal protocol is for everybody else.
Is this the normal type of treatment with ADD meds? Is it really all trial and error? Since we have the 18mg pills, our ped is suggesting that I go ahead and give him two pills and try that. Well, that would be jumping straight to the 36mg instead of trying the next dose up which would be 27mg. Does that seem right? The 18mg pills seem to be doing great things for us the way they are. He is doing great in school, great at home, and is still able to sleep at night with no problems. I am just so hesitant to fix something that isn't broken. I'd love to hear what the normal protocol is for everybody else.