Vyvanse anyone?

[butterfly31972]

My difficult child is on Vyvanse for ADHD. He has been taking it for a week and a half. I am already seeing an improvement in his behavior at home and at school. He has been getting all greens --which is good--on his behavior chart and I am shocked to say the least that this has happened so quickly.

I am curious if this is normal for an ADHD medication to take effect so quickly? I expected to wait at least a month for it to take effect. His defiance has dramatically improved and he is now more -pardon the expression-"normal" in the way that he reacts to discipline. He used to throw himself in the floor in anger or say rude and inappropriate words and now he just still gets agitated slightly but accepts it and goes on instead of freaking out every time. I wonder why this medicine helps with the defiance also. Was his brain just mis-firing all this time?

Anyone else have any concerns or info about taking a 12 hour medication for ADHD? I really just wanted to get him through the school day; but I am not the doctor or the expert on medications.

Thanks in advance.

 

[smallworld]

Stimulants like Vyvanse work the very first day you give it, provided of course, it's the right medication and the right dose for that particular child. Stimulants are in and out of the system the same day.

I've been told that kids who are quick to fly off the handle sometimes have cognitive impulsivity. Stimulants treat impulsivity (as well as inattention and hyperactivity), which is why you may be seeing a decrease in defiance and meltdowns.

My son took Concerta, which also works for 10 to 12 hours, for 1.5 years, and I had no problem giving him a medication that lasted that long. It helped him focus in school and then it helped him focus on homework. While your difficult child may be too young for homework now, that day will soon be coming. In addition, Vyvanse may help him negotiate after-school activities and home life better.

Glad to hear your positive news. Enjoy!

 

[butterfly31972]

Thank you smallworld. I just am so leary about going the medication route but we really could not
get him to listen at all and focus at school. As far as home went, he was getting more angry and we could not get him to come away from the ledge-so to speak. He was just so defiant that he came across as ODD to alot of people. But now that he is able to calm himself and not fly off the handle, we feel we can improve his behaviors. Whereas before he would just throw down the gauintlet and not listen to anything.

Things are looking up!

 

[TerryJ2]

Hi Butterfly,
yes, we use Adderal and it worked the first day. In fact, in the first half hour! It was truly amazing.
We were very anti-drug, too. My husband still is but he's been seeing the light ...

 

[Wiped Out]

My easy child is on Vyvanse. She used to take Adderal but was very angry as the medications wore off so the dr switched her to Vyvanse feeling it would help more in that area and it has.

 

[maril]

Vyvanse is the first stimulant medication that has worked well for difficult child (currently taking 30 mg in the a.m.) He claims it helps him stay focused in school and is tolerating the side effect of some appetite suppression. In addition, he has difficulty getting to sleep at night and has headaches but both were present even when he was not medicated. HIs doctor suggested trying melatonin (but he won't use it...don't know why).

 

[bran155]

My nephew just started taking it about a month ago. He is doing GREAT!!! His attention and focus in school has improved tremendously. He went from forgetting things, being late to class, talking out of turn, being disrespectful to the teachers at times to being a wonderful student. He feels more confident and he is happier. He took Strattera for a bit and it irritated him terribly, but this medication seems to be working without the mood change, in fact his mood seems to be better. My sister was originally going to only give it to him on school days but because he is doing so well on it she gives it to him on the weekends as well. The doctor also said to give it to him on the weekends, it will help him with life not just school. So far so good.

Good luck.