The psychiatric hospital started difficult child 1 on Tenex

[nvts]

He sounds very different. He calls several times a day, but sounds different in a good way. Now I don't know if this is honeymooning or him trying to get out quicker, but he sounds more...I don't know - sure of himself? He says that he feels happier. He mentioned that there were a few fights and he didn't panic. He just wandered into his room and read rather than trying to head for the hills.

The counselor told me that they were going to try and attack the ptsd rather than use an antidepressant for the depression/anxiety. Their belief is that he needs to learn how to deal with anxiety/depression/fear and anger and that the tenex would curb the impulsivity which would allow him to be able to be taught HOW to deal with life in general.

Have any of you seen this sort of result from tenex? What is your experience as to how long it takes to work? He's taking it in conjunction with risperdal and trileptal.

Thanks for any input!

Beth

 

[HaoZi]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000057

 

[DDD]

Both gs's took Tenex for a few years as a supplement to their ADHD medicines. It was not standardly used as a means of avoiding tics but it seemd to have a settling effect for both of them. One friend has taken Tenex for years for Tourette's Syndrome. DDD

 

[busywend]

Yes I have! difficult child took Tenex for a couple months. She was taking it for her tics.

I saw a very big, positive change in her. It seemed to settle her enough so that she could be happier.

It is a blood pressure medication so is very important to give every day at the same time. difficult child was living with Dex at the time and they refused to be responsible for her taking medications and left it up to her. It was too dangerous to keep her on it without knowing how consistently the medication would be taken. I had to take her off it.

I swear it was the biggest positive change I ever saw in my difficult child.

Good luck! I hope it continues to be helpful for your difficult child!

 

[HaoZi]

Intuniv is the version they trialed on kiddo, and within an hour we knew it wasn't going to work - right back to the tingly foot thing, which on that one is an allergic reaction.

 

[Steely]

Matt took Clonidine, which is similar, for years and did extremely well on it. The minute he was on it I could tell a HUGE difference.
Somewhere along the way it started not to work as well, not sure why - but for 2 years it was awesome.

 

[gcvmom]

difficult child 2 takes Intuniv, the long acting version -- it has helped his focus and attention the most.

 

[4timmy]

difficult child takes Clonidine and Intuniv. He says it just makes him drowsy, but it does seem to calm him. Teachers still comment about him being off task a lot and he still can't organize his school work... OY