proof positive

threebabygirls

New Member
that the Concerta is working. Yesterday morning, in the mad rush to get out the door on time, I forgot to give difficult child her pill. If I ever doubted that it wasn't working, I got my answer yesterday when I picked the kids up after school. She literally could not sit still on the bus. She was flopping all over the place, driving me crazy (not to the point of distraction, just getting on my nerves). When I commented on my regretting forgetting to give her her pill, she said "yeah. I don't know why I can't sit still."

Am I naive to hope that this is it?? The answer to prayer and that everything will go so much easier now? I actually just snorted out loud. I don't like to consider myself to be a pessimist; rather, I call myself a realist. I'm trying so hard to just enjoy "the calmer her" without waiting for it to all come apart at the seams. But how do you change your habits after 6 years of walking on eggshells?
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
Yes, it will help. A lot. It will help you communicate with-your difficult child so that she can learn new behaviors. Once the medications are working and she's still picking at her face or tapping her foot, then you can focus on one behavior at a time.
It's a Magic Pill in that it will help calm her and you can use your real parenting tools. It is NOT a Magic Pill in that she is who she is.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
I remember the amazement and hope and joy that came with Wiz' first trial of a stimulant. It was truly incredible. I gave it to him just before a soccer game on a Saturday. He was able to do exactly what he was supposed to do, had a LOT more fun, and even parents on the OTHER team noticed how different he was.

We used concerta for many years with much success. It was truly magic, esp at first. It didn't solve all the problems, and we DID have to learn new parenting skills to deal with Wiz' new behavior abilities.

It takes time and patience to develop newparenting skills and how to use your parenting tools. I STRONGLY recommend the Love and Logic books - they were amazing for us.

I am so glad you got to really SEE the changes the medications can make. Most medications don't give you the immediate gratification of the stimulants - they take weeks and weeks to work, and the change is gradual.

Enjoy the new behaviors of your difficult child, and talk to the psychiatrist or a local therapist about parenting groups or classes for parents of a child with ADHD.

And you are not naive to hope that this is it. You are a Mom. We moms MUST hope that whatever we are doing is "it" that will help our kids learn and grow and be as "normal" as possible. If we didn't have that hope we couldn't handle all that we do.
 

DazedandConfused

Well-Known Member
I still remember when Son first started Risperdal. We had tried a few stims for him, to no avail. All the focus had been on the hyperactivity.

He was so angry and irritable all the time. We could never go out as a family because he would ruin for everyone.

Then, he began taking it. What a difference. He could actually play with the neighborhood kids without a complete meltdown because he didn't want to follow the rules. I still remember other kid's perplexed looks when he would go into a rage over some silly thing.

Then, we actually made it through a dinner out without him being nasty, grumpy, and yelling. It was amazing. I felt kinda like we were a regular family.

However, it's been far from perfect. There are days when I want to wring his skinny little neck! Now he's twelve and acts like a complete jerk sometimes. Other times, he wonderful and sweet. He's still hyperactive (never been able to find anything for that), but it's managable.

There have been days when he lied about taking it, or I forgot to check to see if he took it. OMG! Horrible! It is a way of reminding me to stay on top of it.
 

crazymama30

Active Member
I am glad you have proof that the medication works. I hope this continues for a long long time.

It makes me nervous when really good things happen too, especially when the good thing is difficult child's behavior.
 
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