SHOULD I CALL THE DOCTOR????????

I'm at wits end with mt difficult child! He is absolutely intolerable in the mornings. I had to spank him this morning because he left no other option for me and I had to listen to him crying "you hurt me".

I don't know that I can hold out until testing to change his medications. I'm not saying all of his behavior is from the Vyvanse but he is so irritable & his teacher (bless her heart) is having trouble with him.

He wakes up and wants to swat at me. (After he's been up for a little while) He is extremely stubborn and his outbursts are enough to make a grown up run for a glass of wine!

The teacher called me yesterday and said that difficult child has figured out that he gets special attention when he acts out in class.

This morning he ate breakfast....I watched him....then swore up and down that I didn't feed him. Started crying and telling me I'm lying. I asked him if he wanted seconds...he said no! He didn't want seconds...he wanted firsts!

It's so much more than I'm writing. He is wearing me down. I'm dreading the weekend because I know he's going to be difficult!

So....should I call the doctor and explain all the emotional & aggressive issues I'm noticing. (So....much more the last two months he's been on this medication) or hold out until testing the end of the month.

I don't know that my sanity can hold out much more.....
 

SRL

Active Member
I would call his pediatrician--ask to speak to the nurse. See if they can get your testing moved up. If s/he isn't the prescribing doctor for the Vyvanse then you'll want to call that doctor too.

Hang in there--the wait is tough.
 
His peditrician gives him his medications. Childhood Development does his intake. I've been told that his pediatrician. will handle his medications.

intake is just testing and suggesting to the doctor. It's difficult to get into Vanderbilt for much of anything.

I know times have changed drastically since the early 80's but my little brother exhibited some of the same things that my sons does. He was put into Vanderbilt child & psyc unit for months when he was little to get his medications regulated.

I don't want that to be an option for mine but I wonder if my brother had Aspie/ADHD. Not just ADHD.

It is almost identical (except my brother was very hyper).....
it's driving me nuts.

I'm going to make a list of things he's doing so when I call the doctor I won't forget anything he's doing!
 

smallworld

Moderator
If his behavior is worse since starting Vyvanse, it could very well be the Vyvanse. I'd definitely call the doctor ASAP and report what you're observing. You don't have to wait for the testing to request that the doctor either decrease or discontinue the medication.
 
I know....but most people keep telling me that it's the aspie that's making him act that way not the medications.

I know my child....it has to be the medications. Last time I called & complained they changed his dosage.

I just didn't know what to do.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
I would take him to a neuropsychologist. That doesn't sound like Aspie behavior to me (I'm no doctor, but do have a son on the spectrum). If he IS on the Spectrum, you can get guidance from the neuropsychologist. The medications for ADHD could be making him worse, not better, in which cause I'd question the ADHD diagnosis. Kids are so often diagnosed wrong, especially when they are young. It is kind of worrying in my opinion that he may not remember he ate after he DID eat. Maybe that's the medications. THere is nothing Aspie about lying. Spectrum kids tend to tell the absolute truth, unless they are unaware of what they are doing--they are compulsive rule followers (of course, all Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) kids are different, but that's a common trait). Something else may be going on with your son. NeuroPsychs can be found at University and Children's hospitals and they do intensive evaluations. Good luck and hugs!
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
So sorry. It could be a combination, but you need quick results to deal with-this. Definitely call and be very clear about the symptoms. A list is a great idea.
In the meantime, you're going to have to play mind and word games, aka if he hasn't had seconds and he insists he hasn't had firsts, just say, "Okay, I'll get you your first serving" and don't worry about splitting hairs. Life is too short.
Good luck!
 
he only lies in the mornings at breakfast time.

This child is so honest it's embarrassing sometimes. (out in public is awful) This is a new behavior. I don't know if that was his way of trying to get more to eat or if it's his medications messing with him.

I don't know.....

And I explained to the child intake that this behavior was terrible and I'm concerned and it was still a 3/4 month wait. Which is now within sight.


Everything is a waiting game......
 
I didn't think about it this morning. I usually indulge him and let him have it. Most people think that giving in is a sign of wekness and letting the child win.

(Believe me I've had comments when we're out in public) but some battles aren't meant to be won. Everything in life is give and take.

I was just trying to get him to get dressed before he ate more so we could get out the door on time. (we were still late....)

I'm just tired....people around me can't understand or see what I'm going through. They just see this bright little child, that's a little spoiled and sweet as can be. It's hard when husband doesn't do much to help out.

I just wished I knew what was going on with him. You can't ask him what's wrong or if something is bothering him because you get the reaction "Don't ask me that, or don't talk to me about it" then he's in a bad mood.
 

busywend

Well-Known Member
OK, deep breaths! In.....Out.....In.....Out...

There - feel better?

No, huh? If only it were that easy! LOL!

Yes, you should call the doctor. Go with your instinct that is telling you this is the medication and not the way your difficult child typically acts.
You do need to try more patience since it is not in his control if this is the medication causing him to be this way. I know, it is hard to do.

Hopefully you get some answers soon!

HUGS!
 

jannie

trying to survive....
Hi--sending hugs

I think 50 mg of vyvanse is alot. How big is your child??

My child is 10 and weight 90 pounds...I have yet to give him a full 30 mg capsule of vyvanse. For the past two months...under the direction of the doctor have been opening up the capsule and pouring out half...so he's been getting about 15-20 mg.

I'd call the doctor...was he doing poorly on 30 mg?

Also..I take concerta..I've been taking either 36 mg or 54 mg....and I tried the vyvanse to see what it was like and I must say...that 30 mg of Vyvanse seemed strong...it actually seemed to work much better for me than the concerta...although it did make me a bit overfocused and slighly obsessive...so I'm wondering if he's just way to overstimulated with 50 mg....

My child has had a terrible week as well...just more irritable and anxious....Hang in there--
 

busywend

Well-Known Member
You can apologize and explain what you could have done differently. This can go a long way the next time he reacts inappropriately and you are refer to this.
 
he's 4'2 & weighs a wopping 52 lbs.

He is extremely tiny for 8 years old!

30 mg doesn't even phase him. his attention span was that as if we forgot to give him his medications. Terrible.
Then they doubled it to 60 mg.

now he's taking the 50mg capsule. he will not swallow a pill so I pour the powder into a little bit of liquid and he drinks it!



He was on adderall which worked but we had to keep upping the doseage. The doctor said we can always switch back to adderall if we need to. He didn't have an attitude with it just inattention.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
I know it is hard. I think your instincts are telling you he is having problems with the medication - so cal lthe doctor and TELL them you need a medication switch. Asking isn't usually the right answer, from my experience. If your gut is speaking this strongly, LISTEN to it.

Call your pediatrician every day or two with the problems. You will get an appointment with a child psychiatrist made by the pediatrician. The testing at Vanderbilt will likely lead to an appointment with a developmental specialist. Or a child psychiatrist.

Take deep breaths, and try to read some things on the love and logic website. http://www.loveandlogic.com I find the "broken record" technique to be a very helpful one. In response to the constantly repeated XYZ they are saying I end up saying, "That is so hard." After a while I realize I am still calm.

I know you don't like spanking. Do you realize that it only makes things worse? With our kids especially, spanking only gives them something else to complain about. It reallys stinks.

I hope you can have a better weekend, maybe by trying to have everything low key?

Hugs,

Susie
 

gcvmom

Here we go again!
Just my 2 cents on the medications...

My difficult child 2 used to need A LOT of whatever stimulant he happened to be on to get the same results most other ADHD kids (like his older brother) got on lower doses. Over time, the stims stopped working and his symptoms got worse (emotional tirades on top of attention issues), plus some new ones popped up. We know now that there's more than just ADHD at work in his case.

I'd call the doctor now -- don't wait becaue it's not going to improve with time. With the ADHD medications they either work or they don't, there's no build-up time like you have with other types of medication.

Good luck and hope you get some answers quickly!
 

Marguerite

Active Member
On the breakfast thing - I'd give in and give him a second breakfast without insisting on calling it seconds. It doesn't matter. Keep it cool.

I wonder if there is a lot of anxiety here - he might have been hungry and reluctant to admit he knew he'd eaten already, in case it meant you would refuse to let him have more. If he learns that he can eat more if he wants, then he is more likely to feel safe and less anxious about possibly going hungry.

difficult child 3 eats a lot and we wonder where it goes. He's long and thin, looks like a twig. And people think we don't feed him. We had the same problem with difficult child 1 - he would eat as if he had been starved for a week.

He also may not be 'lying' fully, which involves inventing an elaborate alternate reality, he may simply be absent-minded and letting his tummy dictate the 'truth' as he perceives it.

He's got an Aspie diagnosis - from my own experience, a large amount of this behaviour could be laid at the Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) door. The medications may be making things worse, but I see ALL of this to connect to Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). Certainly call the doctor, because you know your own child, but I've seen reactions like this with difficult child 3 when a medication disagreed with him - it was Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) behaviour, but made worse by the medications. A matter of degree, really.

Marg
 
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