Valium Vs Generic
November 10, 2010 
28 Comments
I recently answered this Valium Vs Generic question and thought it was worth sharing. Plus, it really got me thinking. For those of you Valium Vs Generic who do take medications yourself, or have children taking medications, what Valium Vs Generic experience do you have or see as a result?
It’s difficult to Valium Vs Generic say what you changes you might see in your husband without knowing which exact medication he is Valium Vs Generic being prescribed. There are different types, two primary to be exact (stimulants and non-stimulants) along with some “off-label” medications that Valium Vs Generic are for other conditions but have also shown to work with ADD / ADHD.
Depending upon which medication he is Valium Vs Generic prescribed, along with his particular type of ADD / ADHD, his experience of ADD / ADHD, and how his body reacts, there is just know way to tell.
In most cases, there are Valium Vs Generic generally side-effects, and I would encourage you to watch for Valium Vs Generic them, ask him about them, and then have him communicate with his prescribing physician if there is Valium Vs Generic any concern.
As for Valium Vs Generic how they help, the best way I can put it is Valium Vs Generic that the medications are said to improve focus, concentration, and attention so that Valium Vs Generic his brain or his energy can be focused on other tasks. The medication itself does not get rid of ADD / ADHD… It merely relieves symptom experience so he can dedicate “resources” to other tasks.
One friend of mine who has taken ADD / ADHD medication for different periods in his life (a young adult) has Valium Vs Generic shared with me that it allows him to better control his emotional reaction to Valium Vs Generic situations and deal with them more effectively.
Unfortunately, I can’t get you Valium Vs Generic a better answer right now without knowing more about your husband and Valium Vs Generic which medication he will be prescribed. But I hope this helps.
As for whether they work or not (the medications), biologically they do. But again, they are not a cure for ADD / ADHD. They do not suddenly make life miraculously better. There are Valium Vs Generic still lots of things to work on, and the medication is Valium Vs Generic supposed to help with that…but certainly not resolve everything.
I’d love to Valium Vs Generic hear your thoughts, comments, or personal experience with medication. Go ahead and share with us all what experience you have had. We’d also love for Valium Vs Generic you to share this with anyone you know who might find this Valium Vs Generic information or your comments useful.
Medication for my ADHD son has been a blessing! He was always getting in trouble in school and Valium Vs Generic had significant difficulty staying focused, writing, reading, etc. Very impulsive, trouble respecting other’s space. It was starting to effect his self-esteem and relationships. After a number of other approaches (behavioral, homeopathic) we tried medicine. It was transfomative! It has Valium Vs Generic given him the ability to concentrate in school, pay attention and Valium Vs Generic improve relationships. His handwriting changed comopletely while on medication — because his brain could slow down and Valium Vs Generic focus to match his hands. It improved his relationships and Valium Vs Generic our home life. Yet, he still has his wonderful outgoing personality. We did have Valium Vs Generic to adjust/try a Valium Vs Generic few different medications to find the best one, but it has Valium Vs Generic truly helped my son. It doesn’t solve everything, but he is Valium Vs Generic a much happier and more confident 4th grader. He has been Valium Vs Generic on medication for 3 years and is still healthy, growing.
My son, who Valium Vs Generic is now 13, has struggled in school for years and has Valium Vs Generic “classic ADHD”. After trying lots of herbal “remedies” and Valium Vs Generic supplements, I made the decision to start him on medication. He is Valium Vs Generic currently on 15mg of Focalin XR and it has enabled him to Valium Vs Generic focus much better in school and bring his grades up from Valium Vs Generic C’s and D’s to A’s and B’s the last two years. I do not give him the Valium Vs Generic medication if he is not in school, although, he “functions” much better when he takes it. Without the Valium Vs Generic med, he is extremely impulsive and constantly antagonizing his brother. Overall, I would recommend that Valium Vs Generic anyone who feels that they are just not able to focus, try a Valium Vs Generic very small dosage of ADHD medication. As resistant as I was to it, I now would recommend it.
I have Valium Vs Generic a client who was not responding at all to the methods that Valium Vs Generic had worked very successfully with many other students. Wea were attempting to Valium Vs Generic deveop word retreival and sentence organisation skills. After 18 months of not really progressing they agreed to Valium Vs Generic see the pediatriacian and the effect of the medication has been Valium Vs Generic extraordinary for him. He is learning, visually able to pay more attention amd generating longer responses in structured tasks. Still a Valium Vs Generic long way top go but he is not as restless and Valium Vs Generic his relationship with his brother is much better as well. We are Valium Vs Generic thrilled to now start making the gains that we expected to Valium Vs Generic see 12 months ago.
With regard to saying (Dr.Stern)saying he thinks medicine has Valium Vs Generic a place but would like to try other things first – I think that Valium Vs Generic by the time it gets to the point where a child is Valium Vs Generic diagnosed with ADHD – all the other things were already tried, and didn’t work, which is Valium Vs Generic how the child probably got diagnosed in the first place!
Both my 11 year old son and Valium Vs Generic myself responded very well to medication (Adderall XR). My son was taken off his medicine by his father, and Valium Vs Generic has problems – he is Valium Vs Generic older now, and gifted, so he can function without getting kicked off the Valium Vs Generic bus anymore, but he does not do NEARLY as well as when Valium Vs Generic he was medicated. Especially socially, and cooperating in the family, and Valium Vs Generic being happy – he was much better on the Valium Vs Generic medication. He knows this, and wants his medication back, but his father doesn’t ‘believe’ in ADHD, thinks my son’s problems were all caused by parenting (mine, of course), and Valium Vs Generic believes I fooled the doctors into diagnosing him and treating him. So the Valium Vs Generic child suffers. He wants to try other things (as though we haven’t been trying the other things for years). He is Valium Vs Generic short and is afraid our son will be short from Valium Vs Generic taking Adderall. Even negative reports from teachers saying how he is Valium Vs Generic not coping well after being taken off the medication don’t trouble his father. He just ‘knows’ that Valium Vs Generic medication must be bad. It is very frustrating to deal with this Valium Vs Generic kind of attitude – I know several people who Valium Vs Generic also choose not to medicate their diagnosed children – the Valium Vs Generic kids struggle on, have difficulty with friendships, and homework, and so on, and Valium Vs Generic their parents also think ‘medicine is bad’. My eldest son got A’s and B’s and some C’s – was very disorganized (also gifted) – he was treated with medicine and gets A+’s and A’s and is happy and functions well. People don’t get that Valium Vs Generic the brain is missing the neurotransmitter in the right places or Valium Vs Generic the right proportions, and giving the medicine takes them back to Valium Vs Generic ‘normal’ (sort of). I think it Valium Vs Generic is a mistake to think that just because a child does not struggle desperately every moment of every day, that Valium Vs Generic they would not benefit from medication. It certainly changed my life and Valium Vs Generic my perception of the world and my awareness of many social issues. I wouldn’t go so far as to Valium Vs Generic say that it is child abuse not to give a Valium Vs Generic child medicine that has been prescribed for him, but I do consider it Valium Vs Generic somewhat neglectful, when it can help a person cope with the Valium Vs Generic demands of their life and help them feel good about themselves.
It was a tough decision to try medication for our son! But, in 5th grade as I observed him in class as a Valium Vs Generic suggestion by his loving teacher, I could not believe how difficult it Valium Vs Generic was for him to move from one assignment to the next. He shuffled his papers endlessly, could not focus on one project and Valium Vs Generic easily distracted with anything. I started to cry. We started out with a Valium Vs Generic small dose of Metadate on a weekend so we could observe him. It was to Valium Vs Generic my amazement that I watched how he could actually follow through with a Valium Vs Generic simple instruction! In the past, I’d ask him to Valium Vs Generic take out the garbage and would not see him back at the Valium Vs Generic house for a long while and often had to go see where Valium Vs Generic he was. Playing with a stick or something. But after he took the Valium Vs Generic medication, he came back within minutes and asked “Mom, is there anything else you want me to do?” He is now a freshman in High School and still on medication. We have changed from Metadate to Vyvanse. He is still on a lower dose, but makes A’s and B’s in school. His creative outlet is Valium Vs Generic teaching himself how to play the guitar. We still struggle with some issues but he likes himself more when Valium Vs Generic he takes his medication and I see the benefits. We have Valium Vs Generic a knowledgeable Pediatrician and I have learned lots about ADHD and Valium Vs Generic how creative and inter-personally astute our son is. Sensitive, creative, intelligent and a sense of humor like no other! I try to Valium Vs Generic work with his strengths and hold him accountable in creative ways. ADHD has Valium Vs Generic taught this Mom a lot about myself and given me a Valium Vs Generic deeper understanding in ways I would not have had the opportunity to Valium Vs Generic know. It’s not easy, but a Valium Vs Generic learning process for us both. Mainly, keeping him going in the Valium Vs Generic direction of his interests!
Medication is Valium Vs Generic a personal choice and one will more often than not get the Valium Vs Generic opinion of those that recall the days of children seeming zoned out on Ritalin in the Valium Vs Generic 70′s
But…
Technology has Valium Vs Generic come such a log way and there are so many medications to Valium Vs Generic try to find a solution to help with ADHD behaviors
It’s a Valium Vs Generic disservice to anyone with ADHD to not support them trying a Valium Vs Generic few and seeing if one just happens to work!
Adderall XR in the Valium Vs Generic morning before school and a small dose at 2pm from the Valium Vs Generic school nurse before it’s time for Valium Vs Generic homework and family time has made such a BIG difference in our family life with my 11 yr son!
We can all tell the difference when my son hasn’t had his meds
He was 7 yrs and Valium Vs Generic in the 2nd grade by the time I finally got someone to Valium Vs Generic hear me and help identify the fact my son wasn’t just being overbearing to Valium Vs Generic bug people he really needed help chemically and behavorially
Spanking him was NOT the answer to our problem!
Between medication and Valium Vs Generic counseling to learn to relate to his being wired different (I’m ADHD too) and how to parent him in a positive way
I unfortunately didn’t have that benefit when I was a kid
I feel much better about myself as a mom!
I no Valium Vs Generic longer fall asleep at night thinking over the day and Valium Vs Generic of the dozens of times I said something negative instead of positive to Valium Vs Generic my son all day!
The first time a staff member at my son’s school told me she’d have never known he was ADHD if I hadn’t told her
I knew I had made the right decision to try medication
My son’s teacher has Valium Vs Generic another boy that is ADHD seated next to him in class
His family has chosen to not persue resources for his behavior
Poor kid is like Taz on speed!
He’s forever being hounded for being too
everything!
She uses my son as a Valium Vs Generic way to help his friend work on self management by taking ques from Valium Vs Generic his being on task when he’s loosing it
It’s a Valium Vs Generic nice compliment for my son after being reminding to get back on task for Valium Vs Generic so long himself
I would encourage parents to really look into the pro – con of using medication and Valium Vs Generic get information from their pediatrician if medication is a good choice for Valium Vs Generic their child
Being told “I like it that you don’t get mad at me anymore” made my heart glad with my son.
As for concerns about weight management that come with medication use
Both my kids get a Valium Vs Generic multi vitamin and calcium chewables each morning with their breakfast
For my ADHD son I found a Valium Vs Generic BIG breakfast before I give him his medication
Expect he’ll eat a small lunch while medication is at it’s peek
A snack after school and 2 plates made for dinner
1st plate he doesn’t eat allot as the medication has almost worn off
The next plate 2 hrs later he eats all of it Valium Vs Generic and often the leftovers on the 1st one I put in the Valium Vs Generic fridge for later
LOL
Mom’s Diner serves at all hours of the day!
I also serve dessert in my house to add a few more calories
It’s a Valium Vs Generic balancing act but can be managed once you get a sense of when Valium Vs Generic they are and truly aren’t hungry
The juggling is Valium Vs Generic worth it to have a calmer home and everyone feeling good about themself.
My son is Valium Vs Generic 12 and is on medication for 2 years. I was resistant to Valium Vs Generic medications as any Mom would be, but by the time he turned 10, I realised that Valium Vs Generic he needed help. So, we started medications from very small dose, increasing it Valium Vs Generic gradually. Medication definitely helps and my son feels now much better about himself. So are Valium Vs Generic we. He is off meds when there is no school, or Valium Vs Generic on a very small dose if there is other activity. It helps him with his social life and Valium Vs Generic he does not have to put extra effort into controlling his behavior.
My son is Valium Vs Generic ten now, and has been on medications since he was six. We started him just a Valium Vs Generic couple days a week, and eventually had to move to using them everyday. He currently is Valium Vs Generic taking a medication that is more of a cross-over medication and Valium Vs Generic it has been life-changing. He also uses a stimulant, but it’s a very low dose. His eating is Valium Vs Generic doing GREAT now, and he is able to sleep at night.
I can Valium Vs Generic say, in our situation, without medication, I feel that my son would have Valium Vs Generic seriously injured himself or his siblings, or even myself. He was SO impulsive and hyper. Now, with a Valium Vs Generic lower stimulant dose with the anti-anxiety medication, his joy is back, his sense of humor is Valium Vs Generic back, and since we got anxiety under control, his fears have Valium Vs Generic nearly disappeared. He was scared to Valium Vs Generic swim, scared to be with other children, scared to do anything, climb, play. Now, over the Valium Vs Generic summer, he is climbing, swimming, begging for friends to come play, desires going out and Valium Vs Generic about to meet with other children, etc. It’s been life-changing!
My sons are both 16, one bio and one adopted. The adopted son was diagnosed first with ADHD at around 6. He was so young for Valium Vs Generic his age, incredibly impulsive, hyperactive, and could not respect boundaries across multiple fronts. We might have Valium Vs Generic known sooner about his adhd, except he was in such a Valium Vs Generic supportive Montessori school at 5 that tolerated alot of things that Valium Vs Generic would not have been accepted in other schools; but disaster struck in public school in first grade. He lasted one month and Valium Vs Generic then we had to put him back in the private school at the Valium Vs Generic request of the principal of the public school. This son has been on Concerta for 8+ years now. He’s at the Valium Vs Generic maximum dose 3 days per week, and a lower dose on weekends and Valium Vs Generic Monday & Friday, but the Valium Vs Generic medication has been the single most influential factor in his ability to Valium Vs Generic cope and succeed in everyday matters. This is not a miracle story and it’s had some horrendous ups and downs, but right now, he’s got mostly As & B’s, he’s at grade level and he enjoys reading comic books, and enjoys art and dance.
My other bio son, well it Valium Vs Generic took much longer to diagnose him because his high intellectual ability actually covered up his ADD. He too takes Concerta and it helps some but it’s harder to notice the impact. He still struggles with organization and Valium Vs Generic remembering to turn in assignments, and he lacks a general awareness of his surroundings at times, especially if the Valium Vs Generic interaction is not something critical or that would draw his interest. He also really hyperfocuses. This boy is Valium Vs Generic more rigid emotionally and socially, unwilling to try new things very often, or Valium Vs Generic take suggestions. Thankfully, he’s a pretty easy going boy, loves computer games and D&D and Valium Vs Generic identifies himself as a highly capable teen among his friends. But he rarely reaches his potential, always testing in the Valium Vs Generic top 5 to 1% of students on standardized tests, yet maintaining under a Valium Vs Generic 3.0 gpa in his 6 honors classes. He’s always been in accelerated programs and he’s ambitious in his goals. But his willingness to Valium Vs Generic work and study does not match his ambition. And his unwillingness to Valium Vs Generic critique his own academic weaknesses and do something about them (mainly organization, studying for Valium Vs Generic tests, planning in advance, tracking homework completion and turn in in a Valium Vs Generic more detailed way). He’s not willing to go to after school tutoring, and he’s unwilling to work with an add coach (which I think he could benefit by incrediby). This boy should be Valium Vs Generic going to a prestigious college and should be offered scholarships, such is Valium Vs Generic his gift, but his narrowmindedness is curtailing his own future. My other son, well, I just want to Valium Vs Generic get him through high school and go from there, probably community college.
As a cognition therapist, I’d rather work with an unfettered brain.
It’s difficult to Valium Vs Generic distinguish attention-deficit behaviors from other behaviors the client may have developed to Valium Vs Generic cope with underlying learning deficits if there’s a layer of pharmaceutical gunk masking the whole thing.
A lot of behaviors assumed to belong with ADHD/ADD are Valium Vs Generic really just coping behaviors related to auditory-processing deficit, for example. I don’t give much credence to a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD before I get a Valium Vs Generic clear look at what the brain does, because I know from Valium Vs Generic experience that auditory-processing deficit is by far the most common deficit out there today–and it is absolutely fixable.
It’s easier to fix if there’s no Valium Vs Generic dope in the way. And it can be fixed in the Valium Vs Generic presence of ADD/ADHD behaviors unless those are Valium Vs Generic very severe. So I usually ask parents or the client to Valium Vs Generic try going off the drugs for the 38 hours we plan to Valium Vs Generic work together on re-training the brain. So far, no problem–and great results.
A suddenly well functioning auditory processor often has Valium Vs Generic remarkable effects on what was assumed to be ADD/ADHD.
A deep-seated attention problem is Valium Vs Generic the hardest kind of learning deficit to fix, mind you. It takes more time than Valium Vs Generic the other deficits, and sometimes even that doesn’t completely eliminate the Valium Vs Generic symptoms. But, even if a magic wand waved the attention problems out of existence, a Valium Vs Generic remaining auditory-processing deficit or other deficit would still make the client pretty miserable in the Valium Vs Generic average learning environment.
So, my philosophy is, Fix the Valium Vs Generic fixable stuff first; work on the attention problems by empowering the Valium Vs Generic client/parent to Valium Vs Generic address nutrition and lifestyle issues. Those boil down to this: stop putting electronic gadgets in front of still-developing brains and Valium Vs Generic stop putting processed foods into the mouths attached to those brains, and Valium Vs Generic miracles might well happen.
After going through all the Valium Vs Generic stimulant medications with my son who is now 10 in the Valium Vs Generic last 3 years – and having initial great results – no hyperactivity – no ODD – ability to Valium Vs Generic concentrate in class and behave etc. each one we tried stopped working. Our local kids hospital told us that Valium Vs Generic was it nothing else to try – except parenting courses and Valium Vs Generic maybe a good old fashioned behaviour modification program.
We ultimately went to Valium Vs Generic the Amen Clinic in Virginia, and our son was put on Lamictal as an Valium Vs Generic off-label use – to calm down his overactive brain – it Valium Vs Generic worked he became happy, affectionate, cooperative still hyper but a Valium Vs Generic pleasure to be around. Now the psychiatrist has added Vyvanse and Valium Vs Generic his concentration has improved dramatically – Our child is Valium Vs Generic certainly much happier and he would still be suffering if we had Valium Vs Generic not found another route to go. Kudos to the Amen clinic seeing the Valium Vs Generic brain scan was a real eye opener – our son had Valium Vs Generic Type 6 -ring of fire ADHD and it made perfect sense why the Valium Vs Generic meds didn’t work.
My son was 9 when Valium Vs Generic he was officially diagnosed and classified in school. We strated medication then Valium Vs Generic also. It made a tremendous difference. As he got older, he didn’t take it Valium Vs Generic on a daily basis, mainly on testing days, which also worked out. Now he is Valium Vs Generic in high school, active in sports. He does not want to Valium Vs Generic take any medication. School is still a challenge,we accept that, but at this Valium Vs Generic age when teens may experiment with drugs & alcohol, I am glad he doesn’t want to Valium Vs Generic take it.On the contrary, his guidance couselor and case manager suggessted trying new medication.I was very surpised.My son is Valium Vs Generic very adamant about not taking meds & I applaud for that. We’ve modified his diet and added supplements w/ omega3. Being physically active in sports definitely helps. My son is Valium Vs Generic a runner & swimmer, he said that working out clears his head.
ADHD like symptoms are Valium Vs Generic only one piece of my 9 year old adopted twin girls challenges. They have a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and a Regulatory Disorder (secondary to the FASD). They do not have Valium Vs Generic a medical diagnose of ADHD. They have an unclear diagnose of ADHD by a Valium Vs Generic neuropshychologist and they only gave this label to help get school support. They recommended a Valium Vs Generic trial of medicine and the school would like them to take medicine. A couple other professionals recommed it too. I am in the process of getting another evaluation done by a neuropsyhchologist.
My girls pediatrician says no Valium Vs Generic to medicine for them because they have so much sensory problems. The ADHD medicine would work for Valium Vs Generic neurotransmitters such as dophamine and he does not think that would work for Valium Vs Generic them. Every sensory input that goes to affected areas of the brain (from the alcohol) and the medicine won’t change that. Fifty percent of kids with the Valium Vs Generic FASD who take meds it can help but it won’t work for my girls.
I was relieved that Valium Vs Generic my doctor said no to the medicine for my girls. I am Valium Vs Generic scared of the side effects particularly the ones about suicide. One of my daughters has Valium Vs Generic some emotional outbursts which I read that the medicine can Valium Vs Generic make worse. My other daughter has some complaints which inlude a Valium Vs Generic fast heartbeat which I am concerned how the meds would effect that. They both have had heart issues when infants (before adopted at 15 months old) but have had two healthy heart check-ups in America.
I am Valium Vs Generic trying to get all the support my girls can possibly get at school. I am doing my best to educate them to see all their needs. They have occupational therapy and speech therapy at school. They have Valium Vs Generic a sensory diet which includes balls as chairs and a Valium Vs Generic trampoline in the classroom. (This support was not easy to get.) They are suppose to have an Adult Assistance as needed (to assist with understanding directions, task accuracy and organization).
I am Valium Vs Generic working on comparing symptoms of Central Auditory Processing Disorder and ADHD as well as the Valium Vs Generic FASD. They have Valium Vs Generic auditory challenges and I think auditory processing problems need to Valium Vs Generic be addressed at school. I have Valium Vs Generic been consulting with the school audiologist who is relucant to do testing because ADHD needs to Valium Vs Generic be ruled out first…
My girls have the school behavior therapist involved now. They have displayed some inappropriate self-stimulation in class… which has Valium Vs Generic recently stopped with support. My doctor agrees that this is for Valium Vs Generic regulation. My girls say that it helps them to think or listen.
I have provided numerous alternatives for my girls at home. These include Listening Techniques. They are Valium Vs Generic currently doing The Listening Program with Bone Conduction. My girls have Valium Vs Generic the added benifit of mom being an occupational therapist but I consult with other therapists. They have also recieved Feldenkrais with physical therapists.
Yes, my girls show ADHD symptoms, one more than Valium Vs Generic the other and I have listened to others about the meds. I don’t think the risks are worth the benifits. However, I am especially concerned about one of my daughters. One is Valium Vs Generic progressing better than the other one who seems more affected. I plan to Valium Vs Generic continue to get more answers about their disabilities.
Fri. I get to go to a conference on Auditory Processing Disorders. This seems to be just another piece of FASD. I don’t want my girls to Valium Vs Generic take medicine for ADHD if their problems are related to Valium Vs Generic auditory processing and not the ADHD even if they did not have Valium Vs Generic the FASD…
Our granddaughter is 8 1/2, has Valium Vs Generic severe ADHD, verbal apraxia, and learning difficulties in math, and is Valium Vs Generic on Focalin. Medication has Valium Vs Generic been a huge gift for her, and for all of us who Valium Vs Generic love her. It allows her to Valium Vs Generic order her life for a period of time, and to focus enough on things she isn’t interested in to Valium Vs Generic progress in school. She is mainstreamed in 2nd grade, and has Valium Vs Generic a sign language interpreter. I don’t know how her family could have Valium Vs Generic managed without her medication. She has Valium Vs Generic also been in therapies of one kind or another since she was two. The Focalin wears off after school, and Valium Vs Generic she marches to her own drummer. She continues to Valium Vs Generic amaze and delight us, even while we are all working to Valium Vs Generic help her in every possible way. Betsy
My son was diagnosed at the age of 5 with ADHD. We had Valium Vs Generic been dealing with his behavior issues since the age of 3. After going through two different couselors for Valium Vs Generic behavior modification we had him diagnosed with ADHD and started with medication.
It wasn’t our salvation, but with additional behavior modification programs and Valium Vs Generic working with different meds, 7 years later we are great.
Meds are Valium Vs Generic not always the answer but in our case they were part of the Valium Vs Generic answer. We have Valium Vs Generic had our issues with the side effects but have found the Valium Vs Generic right dosages along with combination of different meds to help my son grow into the Valium Vs Generic wonderful young man he is today.
He is a straight A student with a good group of friends. He is Valium Vs Generic thinking about running cross country in junior high next year. That is Valium Vs Generic quite a jump for him since his sports experiences were a Valium Vs Generic disaster!
Putting your Valium Vs Generic child on medication is a difficult decision for any parent and Valium Vs Generic should not be the only treatment they receive. However it can be a very beneficial part.
We put our son on concerta in 2nd grade and Valium Vs Generic it worked like a charm for him right away- in school, at home with concentration, impulsive behavior, even hyperactivity. The Dr gave us a Valium Vs Generic few weeks of samples, and when they ran out, we went to Valium Vs Generic buy them. Through our insurance, they’d have cost $150.00 monthly which we couldn’t afford, so we was switched to Valium Vs Generic ritalin, tgaking it twice daily. Worked just as well. But by the Valium Vs Generic 4th grade, he was suffering the side effects with twitching, loss of appetite, loss of sleep, heart rate raising. We tried Vivance which is Valium Vs Generic suupposed to be less stimulating, but that didn’t help. We took him to Valium Vs Generic a naturalpath dr. who steered us in a more natural direction as we took him off the Valium Vs Generic med. Things in school became a disaster; back to square 1. We put him back on the Vivance, but now it seemed like he wasn’t reacting as much to it as before. We switched him to Valium Vs Generic concerta, since my insurance changed and it only cost $45. By now, we switched him to Valium Vs Generic higher doses little by little until it finally waseffecting him. But the Valium Vs Generic side effects were horrible for him, by last Feb., in 6th grade, I took him off altogether. He has Valium Vs Generic been having a hard time in school, socially keeping new friends, and Valium Vs Generic responsibiliies at home. BUT HE’S GROWING PHYSICALLY! It is Valium Vs Generic so sad to feel like we have to make a trade off- mental gelth for Valium Vs Generic physical health. School is retesting him now, another PPT mtg. 11/30 (his 12th b-day) All I can say is it’s a Valium Vs Generic great bandaide, but you have to keep checking the wound, and Valium Vs Generic dont’ expect it to heal just by covering it up. The teen years are crucial times for the body’s growth. He’ll just have Valium Vs Generic to wait it out and hopefully maturate to deal with some of the Valium Vs Generic symptoms as most teens do. Also, we work w/ a metronome, and mind flex at home, but we’re new at it so no major results yet.
Wow.
I must admit I was a Valium Vs Generic little upset when I saw the title of this post: “How Do ADD/ADHD Medications Really Work,” because NO ONE really knows how any of these medications work. We’ve all been Valium Vs Generic told about the medical theory underlying ADHD, i.e., that ADHD is Valium Vs Generic the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain involving certain neurotransmitters and Valium Vs Generic that the medications help regulate such neurotransmitters.
However, this is only a THEORY. No one really knows what Valium Vs Generic causes ADHD, and NO ONE really knows how any of these medications actually work. As most of you Valium Vs Generic certainly know, ADHD is a symptom driven diagnosis – if you Valium Vs Generic check off enough behaviors on the Conners sheet in enough environments, you Valium Vs Generic will be diagnosed with ADHD regardless of what is actually causing the Valium Vs Generic behaviors.
If you do the research, you’ll find studies that “prove” inattentiveness and impulsivity can be traced back to many different “causes” — overexposure to media (including television and video games), poor diets and food allergies, nutrition deficiencies (including essential fatty acids), sensory integrations problems, sleep problems or Valium Vs Generic emotional issues, to name but a few. I noticed that some of the previous posts mention such issues.
But, to Dr. Stern’s credit, he did not try to Valium Vs Generic explain exactly how these medications work, nor did he take a Valium Vs Generic stand on their use. The subject of medication is Valium Vs Generic near and dear to me, and I have blogged about it Valium Vs Generic extensively in the past. While I am Valium Vs Generic certainly not a proponent of medication, I do realize that for Valium Vs Generic some people it is a life changer. I only urge that Valium Vs Generic you try other therapies and approaches, and use medications as a Valium Vs Generic last resort.
Without getting into the Valium Vs Generic gory details, our son was diagnosed with ADHD, borderline ODD, and Valium Vs Generic PDD by the age of 7. We reluctantly tried medications, and Valium Vs Generic unfortunately for our son, he got hit with nearly every side-effect you Valium Vs Generic could get, from wild mood swings, to hyper anxiety, to facial tics. One med led to Valium Vs Generic another, and to another, as his doctors tried to medicate his side-effects away and Valium Vs Generic get his behavior under control.
He was a Valium Vs Generic mess, and the cocktail of ever changing meds was only making him worse. When we mentioned trying alternatives ranging from Valium Vs Generic dietary changes to homeopathy to sensory integration work, we were told by every professional that Valium Vs Generic meds were the only proven therapy and the rest was a Valium Vs Generic waste of time and money. However, our son’s downward spiral on the meds, the doctors’ insistence on more meds, and Valium Vs Generic our desperation drove us to explore the alternatives.
We did, and we have never looked back. It took time and Valium Vs Generic a lot of effort, but by the time our son entered sixth grade, he was completely off all medications and Valium Vs Generic you would never have known there was ever an issue with this Valium Vs Generic child.
Over that Valium Vs Generic time, we learned a great deal about meds that the doctors never shared with us. First, nearly all studies show that Valium Vs Generic over the long run, these meds lose their effectiveness. Second, these meds almost always have side-effects (although some may argue that the benefits outweigh the side-effects). Third, while rare, there are Valium Vs Generic some serious issues with these medications that have led some to Valium Vs Generic be banned in other countries. Fourth, the effectiveness of such meds is greatly over sold. You see, it depends on your definition of “effectiveness.” If you define “effectiveness” as having some “effect,” then these meds are very effective. If you define “effectiveness” as satisfactorily alleviating the Valium Vs Generic issues for which the medication is given, you’ll find that these meds aren’t nearly as effective as promised.
In fact, during a Special Education PTA seminar, less than 30% of the parents who tried medications to regulate their children’s behavior thought the Valium Vs Generic meds did what they were supposed to do, and 100%(!!) experienced side-effects. This number was interesting since a Valium Vs Generic psychologist writing on the subject of the effectiveness of psychotropic meds, made a Valium Vs Generic similar distinction, and stated with authority, that such meds had an Valium Vs Generic “effect” 70% of the time, but only really worked about 30% of the time!
So, I was truly shocked to Valium Vs Generic see how many people responded that their children were helped by meds. I was even more shocked by the Valium Vs Generic apparent lack of those who had awful experiences with medications, like we did. I can Valium Vs Generic only say to those who responded by saying that meds were life savers, I am Valium Vs Generic truly glad that you were able to help your children, and Valium Vs Generic be aware how lucky you are!
My son was diagnosed in 1st grade,and that Valium Vs Generic summer started with a low dose of adderall. He was so excited at soccer camp that he could understand coach!
Alas, within two weeks, he was terrified to Valium Vs Generic go outside, because there were monsters. Even in bright daylight. So we changed to Concerta.
Same thing. A great beginning, with terrible side effects blooming in a Valium Vs Generic few weeks. The Psych that Valium Vs Generic prescribed this stuff said the medicine would wear off in 8 hours or Valium Vs Generic less. Unfortunately, the terror and anxiety plagued our family for a year!!
Meanwhile, I had Valium Vs Generic tutored an autistic kid who was on a wheat- and dairy-free diet. On a whim, I started to feed my son this way.
His behavior is MUCH BETTER on this diet. We avoid most processed foods, which is Valium Vs Generic cheaper in this economy anyway.
The diet significantly enhanced his ability to Valium Vs Generic concentrate, to read and write. I see pictures of him as a Valium Vs Generic toddler now, and realize the red cheeks and chapped lips are Valium Vs Generic a result of food intolerances! They profoundly affect his learning ability. I WISH EVERYONE KNEW ABOUT THIS.
He also had OT because, it turns out, he only had 1/2 the normal grip strength for his age! His behavior in school reflected his discomfort holding a Valium Vs Generic pencil, not a bratty attitude, but he suffered discipline and lost recesses for Valium Vs Generic not writing. His kinder teacher said he could write–look at the first letters on the page–but that he was lazy/easily bored, and wouldn’t continue. His letters got sloppier and sloppier.
DON’T LET A TEACHER DO THIS TO YOUR KID.
He also had Valium Vs Generic vision therapy for a year to help him with tracking. He reads for pleasure now!
The long and Valium Vs Generic the short is, he is a creative, vibrant, kind soul. His need for Valium Vs Generic meds was really a combination of environmental and physical issues.
I home-school him now. He has Valium Vs Generic a standardized test administered by an independent proctor every year, and Valium Vs Generic tests very high.
He is currently in 4th grade, social, musical, and unique. He is self-confident and kind.
I REGRET medicating him profoundly.
my son has Valium Vs Generic only been on meds less than a yr. there is a Valium Vs Generic signifcant difference in his school life. He doesn’t get in trouble anymore. His grades have Valium Vs Generic improved. I have tried other herbal remedies; they some what worked.. they calmed his mood swings but they didn’t change his hyper-activity. I do have Valium Vs Generic a problem when he is coming down off the medicine. The littlest thing that Valium Vs Generic goes wrong will send him into a crying fit.(he has always been sensitive) I still have mixed emotions about having him on the meds. I don’t rely completely on it, no Valium Vs Generic medicine will cover all the bases to ADHD (a multi sympton problem). I limit his sugar intake. exspecially during the Valium Vs Generic school week. It Improves his mood swings. I have recently changed my disipline method..which so far helps with his behavior at home. He tries to Valium Vs Generic test me alot…this new method stops the Valium Vs Generic testing in it tracks, but still gives him respect and me less stress.
As for Valium Vs Generic symptoms his appetite is somewhat suppressed. I make his lunch for Valium Vs Generic school. I Give him healthy food that I know he will eat. He has Valium Vs Generic trouble sleeping only when he has had a rough day. He loves music..I play a Valium Vs Generic calming CD when he goes to bed..It definately helps his mind to Valium Vs Generic slow down. He can be easily irritated. It is less when Valium Vs Generic the sugar level is kept down and he has a Valium Vs Generic good nights sleep.
Yes they do work, my son is not able to focus with out it. We have Valium Vs Generic tried all the meds you can imagine and have settled on focolin xr. When taken with stattara the Valium Vs Generic side effects from the focolin have subsidded, the eye blinking, and Valium Vs Generic head nodding. He still does have Valium Vs Generic problems in school getting his work done but no behavioral problmes. He is Valium Vs Generic in second grade and his teacher is now letting him bring his work home that Valium Vs Generic he doesn’t finish in school which has heldped. For now we are Valium Vs Generic sticking with the school system and home schooling is not an Valium Vs Generic option at the moment.
We have had mixed success with Strattera and Adderall. We are Valium Vs Generic trying the Adderall again but this time with the addition of something for Valium Vs Generic anxiety and depression. We have Valium Vs Generic had side effects with the medication for anxiety and depression so that Valium Vs Generic has been stopped for now. The Adderall will start again this week. My daughter is Valium Vs Generic 16 so I am now counting on her to let me know how all of this Valium Vs Generic is working. When asked, she could not really explain how the Valium Vs Generic Adderall works for her but she did say that it Valium Vs Generic really helps her in school. When she realized that Valium Vs Generic she was going to start school without it she was not so sure it Valium Vs Generic was a good idea. She did well for Valium Vs Generic a while and then as work began to pile up she just stopped working all together. We will see how the Adderall works this week. She is Valium Vs Generic now seeing a therapist she likes and we have hope that Valium Vs Generic this will help us turn a corner with her. So as you Valium Vs Generic can see we are still working to find the right balance for Valium Vs Generic her. One thing that Valium Vs Generic has really helped her in school is that I have explained everything we are Valium Vs Generic trying to do with her to her teachers and they appear to Valium Vs Generic be responding. Another thing that Valium Vs Generic I think is very important is that learning more about ADHD is Valium Vs Generic essential. I thought I understood it until I read “Driven to Distraction” and “ADHD and Me: What I learned from setting fires at the dinner table”. I realized that Valium Vs Generic there was so much more that I just chalked up to Valium Vs Generic her being a kid who wanted her way and was intollerent of any discomfort. I am Valium Vs Generic not sure how to use all of this information yet on a Valium Vs Generic daily basis but it sure gives me a new perspective.
So for Valium Vs Generic me, the bottom line in regards to medication is that I believe that Valium Vs Generic it can be helpful when the right balance is found and Valium Vs Generic any co-existing conditions are addressed.
No question that ADHD meds. have worked for me for over 20 years.
I am 59 and have taken stimulant meds. (Adderall) for most of that time. I started with Ritalin …. then tried Dexedrine …. and finally settled on Adderall.
When I first took stimulant meds, it Valium Vs Generic was as if my eyes opened for the first time. All of a Valium Vs Generic sudden I felt “grounded.”
I medicate myself ( 30 mg. ) the Valium Vs Generic first thing in the morning to go to work and then Valium Vs Generic if I have an evening meeting or something social that night, I will take another 15 mg. around 4pm.
Weekends too …. Adderall allows me to Valium Vs Generic function around the house and to converse with my wife.
I would be Valium Vs Generic hard pressed to live fully without stimulant meds to treat my ADD ( more dreamy, spacey type than hyper type. )
Aloha from Hawaii!!
Robert on Maui
I’d have to agree with the majority of posts. My 10 year old has Valium Vs Generic been on 3 different ADHD meds over the last 3 years. The latest, Datrana Patch, eases him on and Valium Vs Generic off meds which avoids the mood swings. He takes a Valium Vs Generic sleep aid and his appetite is suppressed. We feed him a Valium Vs Generic big breakfast early and try to get the patch off early enough for Valium Vs Generic a big dinner and bed time snack. He is quite small for his age. But school would be Valium Vs Generic nearly impossible for him especialy as he has mild dyslexia and Valium Vs Generic processing problems as well. Off meds, his behavior is Valium Vs Generic very impulsive and makes home life very unpleasant. I’ve tried summers off meds using amino acids and Valium Vs Generic vitamins and watching sugar. His behavior really makes most of the Valium Vs Generic days unbearable for all of us including his 13 year old sister who Valium Vs Generic thinks we are the most upset family in the world. I’m not sure what we would do without the meds as much as I don’t like drugging my child.
I was intersted to hear Linda’sexperience with Amen clinic. It seems if you Valium Vs Generic can get any more information about the individual childs issues it Valium Vs Generic can only help them!
My son was diagnosed with ADHD in 2nd grade. He takes a very low dose of Focalin XR. His behavior in school and at home improved immediately. He is Valium Vs Generic less agitated and now if he does lose control, he knows it Valium Vs Generic and apologizes for his behavior. His focus has improved tremendously. He has good grades and with extra help his reading skills have improved.
He doesn’t have Valium Vs Generic a good appetite for lunch, but he makes up for it Valium Vs Generic at breakfast, dinner and in the evening.
My son also goes for therapy in addition to the medical treatment.
Both my son and Valium Vs Generic I have ADHD. My son has had success with slow release ritalin (Biphentin) right from the beginning.
My own experience with medication didn’t get off to a good start. I was first started on fast release ritalin 10 mg three times a Valium Vs Generic day. It made feel “on edge” and drastic weight loss. Then the Valium Vs Generic doctor tried me on dexatrine which made me stomach sick, loss of appetite and Valium Vs Generic more weight loss. Finally, I’ve been on slow release (Biphentin) for 2 years.
Great post , I’m going to spend more time reading about this subject
When I was three a large log fell and hit me hard on the head. I’m not sure if that wa the beginning of my problems but
growing up school was difficult. Unable to Valium Vs Generic retain any information. Classes like creative writing, p.e. , Photography I would excell in. However math, history, languages were in possible. I haf never been Valium Vs Generic able to read a book cover to cover in my life.
As a Valium Vs Generic young adult 24. I was thrown at high velocity into a Valium Vs Generic brick wall from an army humvee serving oversees. Both my knees were shattered, jaw broken, shoulder broker along with ribs, fingers and Valium Vs Generic some other fractures. The worst was my head. I impacted the Valium Vs Generic wall with no Kevlar on my head. My skull was crushed above my right eye. After cutting ear to Valium Vs Generic ear and pulling my face down they removed a Valium Vs Generic largecircular flap from the front of my skull to remove the Valium Vs Generic damaged right frontal lobe of my brain and allow
room to swell. I survived. Barely.
After two years of learning to Valium Vs Generic talk and walk again I began noticing the differences missing my frontal lobe. My ADHD went off the Valium Vs Generic charts and Obsessive compulsivity took over my life. Loosing keys, wallet, phone daily. Punching floors breaking my hands because I was so upset At who Valium Vs Generic I was. Last month the va ran a battery of tests with ADHD as the Valium Vs Generic prime culprit. The doctors believe I always had traits of ADHD my entire life do to Valium Vs Generic the extensive struggles I had In school. They weren’t sure if the Valium Vs Generic blow as a toddler affected me but without a doubt the Valium Vs Generic severe traumatic brain injury has handicapped me and made my ADHD one of the Valium Vs Generic highest cases ever obseved.
I’m writing this, sharing this Valium Vs Generic story. Because up untill two weeks ago I thought this I’d what I am and all I’ll ever be. Unable to Valium Vs Generic read, be around crowds, and just an ass to my family in general. And everyone just turning another cheek because they say well that’s Regan for ya.
As I write this Valium Vs Generic next paragraph tears are rolling out of my eyes litterly. After all the Valium Vs Generic tests that the Docs were sadly amazed by, they put me on Dextoamphetamin. I’m free. I read my first book ever. Huck Finn. I haven’t missplaced a Valium Vs Generic thing. Procrastination is no longer part of my life. The rouminations of worry that Valium Vs Generic cloud every minute of everyday And night are gone. I feel like I could do something with my life now. I feel like maybe I could even go back to Valium Vs Generic school at 33. I’m most thankfor however for Valium Vs Generic my mood. My poor wife has been so patient with my disabilities. Panic, upsetness, irrability and Valium Vs Generic pure meanness are gone.
If your Valium Vs Generic child, young adult, grown man, needs help please seek the medication. Because they deserve to Valium Vs Generic live a life that’s so much easier. Thank you for your time.
Regan S.
USARMY Purple Heart Recipient
I am Valium Vs Generic 52 years old and was diagnosed with ADD last year. I initially started with adderall, had Valium Vs Generic an allergic reaction to it, then put off for about 6-7 months before trying medicine again. I’ve been Valium Vs Generic on 2 additional different medicines since mid-November with limited success. The 2nd one I tried (Ritalin) caused me bad psychotic side effects. The Concerta XR (generic) I’m on now helps me focus a bit better (until it wears off – about 7 hours). Also it winds me up so much I can’t get to Valium Vs Generic sleep until midnight, then have to get up at 6:15am to Valium Vs Generic make sure my son gets off to his voc-rehab program.
I am Valium Vs Generic at this point very discouraged, because I feel I am very close to Valium Vs Generic losing my job. Within the last 3 years, we work with a Valium Vs Generic different type of computer program (hotel reservations), which is Valium Vs Generic so totally more complicated, I have a lot of difficulty remembering things. Also I don’t make very good decisions lately with even seemingly simple work projects. It’s gotten progressively worse within this last year. When I’m off the meds though, it’s even worse and I can’t keep my concentration at all.
I feel like I’m at the end of my rope (I also have chronic depression too). Any suggestions I’d appreciate. I’m really miserable right now, and I don’t know what to do.