ktgrok Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I've posted before about how he has been utterly resistant to meds. But today, at a physical with the family practice doctor he brought it up, on his own!!!! He's frustrated with his inability to study and concentrate, and with taking more dual enrollment courses in the fall he's worried. I am SO proud of him!!! That said, the family practice doctor blew him off a bit (I wanted to scream!) and then reluctantly prescribed wellbutrin, which I don't think is necessarily the best idea. So I'm calling his regular pediatrician now to get an appt there, his pediatrician has a lot of experience with ADHD and I know will work with us to get the best treatment. And not just say "well, if you can manage without meds that is better." Listen, Doc, we've BEEN trying without meds for years, and it is NOT working! 27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I've posted before about how he has been utterly resistant to meds. But today, at a physical with the family practice doctor he brought it up, on his own!!!! He's frustrated with his inability to study and concentrate, and with taking more dual enrollment courses in the fall he's worried. I am SO proud of him!!! That said, the family practice doctor blew him off a bit (I wanted to scream!) and then reluctantly prescribed wellbutrin, which I don't think is necessarily the best idea. So I'm calling his regular pediatrician now to get an appt there, his pediatrician has a lot of experience with ADHD and I know will work with us to get the best treatment. And not just say "well, if you can manage without meds that is better." Listen, Doc, we've BEEN trying without meds for years, and it is NOT working! That's wonderful news! It's strange to me that the FP prescribed Wellbutrin. I didn't know that is a useful med for ADHD. The pediatrician will be able to get him going in the right direction though! When he starts, remind him not to get discouraged if he has to try more than one medication to find the right one. It's just the nature of the way the meds work. Also, after a long period of time, the medication may become less effective and a switch might be the fix for that. I'm sure the pediatrician will review all of that with him, though! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I really, really hope you find something that helps him out!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeepa Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Our pediatrician was wonderful! Yes, they have lots of experience treating ADHD and I was impressed with his willingness to take it slow to find the right medication and dosage for my son. My ds started taking meds as a teen too after years of trying to just cope. It's made all the difference! He has so much more confidence in his abilities, and experiences significantly less stress/anxiety when working through challenging material. I hope you have a successful appointment with your pediatrician! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Definitely pursue the best options for him. That is great news! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Glad to hear he is advocating. Welbutrin is more for depression and can help ADD but unless he is also depressed I wonder why he didn't try a stimulant. You can't just start and stop Welbutrin like you can a stimulant so don't let him skip days or take it only on school.days, etc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 He has an appointment for one week from today. They schedule these consults for end of the day and an extra long amount of time to really make sure they are getting the best treatment program in place. She made a point to say that the medications are a big deal and he takes this very seriously, etc. She's emailing me some forms to fill out before we go. And wants a copy of the physical he had done at the family practitioner, to be sure he's healthy before putting him on anything. All in all, sounds good. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 Glad to hear he is advocating. Welbutrin is more for depression and can help ADD but unless he is also depressed I wonder why he didn't try a stimulant. You can't just start and stop Welbutrin like you can a stimulant so don't let him skip days or take it only on school.days, etc We aren't going to do the wellbutrin, we are going to consult with his pediatrician instead about a better choice. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 We aren't going to do the wellbutrin, we are going to consult with his pediatrician instead about a better choice. Glad to hear it. I am not a doctor, and don't even get to play one on TV but I would not have used it :-) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 Glad to hear it. I am not a doctor, and don't even get to play one on TV but I would not have used it :-) Nope. and my son googled it before we left, and said he doesn't want to take that. He would prefer something short acting, that he can take when needed. He is very wary about having his personality changed, and an antidepressant is not what he wants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I'm surprised at Wellbutrin as a starting point, wonder if the dr. picked that because stimulant meds fall into a higher regulation category and he may not have wanted to go that route for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Wellbutrin is also for anixety. Half my extended family takes it with great results. No personality changes but maybe it will help your son with his anger issues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 (edited) That is good news. We resisted meds for a long time but finally took the leap and it has been so helpful. Edited July 7, 2016 by marbel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 I'm surprised at Wellbutrin as a starting point, wonder if the dr. picked that because stimulant meds fall into a higher regulation category and he may not have wanted to go that route for some reason. You know, that may be it! My husband actually went to him asking for help with ADHD and he precribed the same thing. Now I'm thinking that may be why. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 You know, that may be it! My husband actually went to him asking for help with ADHD and he precribed the same thing. Now I'm thinking that may be why. If it helped your husband and he did well on it, that might be why the doctor suggested that first as responses to meds tend to run in families so if one family member responds well to a med, it is likely that another one will too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 If it helped your husband and he did well on it, that might be why the doctor suggested that first as responses to meds tend to run in families so if one family member responds well to a med, it is likely that another one will too. Except it didn't work for my husband, and they aren't biologically related...step father. But a good idea, lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 You know, that may be it! My husband actually went to him asking for help with ADHD and he precribed the same thing. Now I'm thinking that may be why. It also has low dependency and side effects compared to some other ssri class drugs. I'd think he wanted to deal with depression and anxiety and see if that didn't improve the attitude issues along with the focus issues as a way of eliminating a possible cause of what is bugging your son. If it didn't help much after three months he could check that off the list as contributing factors, IYKWIM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 It also has low dependency and side effects compared to some other ssri class drugs. I'd think he wanted to deal with depression and anxiety and see if that didn't improve the attitude issues along with the focus issues as a way of eliminating a possible cause of what is bugging your son. If it didn't help much after three months he could check that off the list as contributing factors, IYKWIM? Except we hadn't talked about depression and anxiety, at all. Just attention issues. I honestly wasn't expecting this to come up at all, and had forgotten to bring a copy of his neuropsychologist's report. My son brought up the ADHD issues and the doctor first said "it's better if you just learn to deal with it" then "well, lots of coffee is a fine strategy" then wellbutrin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 This is just a little advice from personal experience, but dh and a male relative of mine were both on ADD/ADHD meds and they had, well, male-specific side effects that were NOT appreciated. In a relationship or not, it mattered. lol That's all I'm gonna say but ASK if you care about that!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Hm... Maybe he just wasn't taking your experiences and your son's perspective seriously then. That is a bit odd if nothing was brought up in detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 8, 2016 Author Share Posted July 8, 2016 This is just a little advice from personal experience, but dh and a male relative of mine were both on ADD/ADHD meds and they had, well, male-specific side effects that were NOT appreciated. In a relationship or not, it mattered. lol That's all I'm gonna say but ASK if you care about that!! Yikes! No sure if I want to google that or not, lol. His pediatrician is a man though, and not hesitant to bring up uncomfortable subjects, so hopefully will keep that in mind. (although his main perspective on teen sex was to tell my son that girls (other than his mother and sister) are crazy at this age and to not get too involved with any of them. I have a feeling he says the same to the girls, that boys are crazy and to stay away.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Except we hadn't talked about depression and anxiety, at all. Just attention issues. I honestly wasn't expecting this to come up at all, and had forgotten to bring a copy of his neuropsychologist's report. My son brought up the ADHD issues and the doctor first said "it's better if you just learn to deal with it" then "well, lots of coffee is a fine strategy" then wellbutrin. ?! :blink: in response to the doctor. Yay for your son!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outdoorsy Type Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I'm not saying that he should take it, but that is a good choice for some people with ADHD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 The use of Wellbutrin is becoming more popular for ADHD. I have 3 kids who use stimulants, and my husband use Wellbutrin. I was talking to one of my kids doctors about it. One of the ideas behind using it, isn't to 'stimulate' focus like most meds, but to decrease the irritations or agitation they feel which causes them to lose focus in the first place. We were given the chance to try it for dd17, but since we already knew it wasn't going to be a good fit, we turned it down and stuck with stimulants. Stimulants are hard to get right though. My son had a few that made him depressed (dropped him too low) and some that just flat out weren't effective. The one that works the best for him, also kills his appetite and gives him insomnia. He uses it on rare occasion now, so he can force himself to eat. He makes sure to take the med ASAP when he gets up and absolutely makes sure to exercise during the day, to combat the insomnia. DD17 has had two that gave her bad headaches when they wore off, but made her feel great when she was on them. A couple that weren't effective enough. One that made her irritable and depressed. Two that killed her appetite to the point that we had to monitor her calorie intake and weight. The problem with this is that the less my older kids eat, their stomach shrinks and they start eating smaller servings even when they are off the med. This could create some serious health issues if they drop too low. (my older two are naturally very thin) DD9 had a couple that didn't do enough. and one that works pretty good. It is the same on that causes my older kids to lose their appetite, but she has none of that effect on her. My husband does ok with Wellbuturin but he has to stay on a fairly small dose. If he takes a normal size dose, he gets really agitated on it. His blood pressure is borderline high, and the stimulants tip that scale for him. So he tries to avoid them. They work good, but not at the cost of his health. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Just beware mood issues such as anger (violence) increasing on the short-acting meds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 It also has low dependency and side effects compared to some other ssri class drugs. Wellbutrin is not a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. It's a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor. They are separate classes of drugs. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 (edited) Honestly, I would take him to someone who specializes in ADHD for medication consultation and med managment. My husband sees an MD who has ADHD herself and it's a night and day difference for him compared to the general med folks he saw before. Sometimes it's best to go to a specialist. Also, someone who won't make pat pronouncements about him just dealing with it. That's my two cents anyways. Edited July 8, 2016 by LucyStoner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Honestly, I would take him to someone who specializes in ADHD for medication consultation and med managment. My husband sees an MD who has ADHD herself and it's a night and day difference for him compared to the general med folks he saw before. Sometimes it's best to go to a specialist. Also, someone who won't make pat pronouncements about him just dealing with it. That's my two cents anyways. I'm inclined to agree especially because of his reluctance to take meds at all. He might be even less tolerant of the suitability/non suitability process than the normal patient because he is skeptical of meds anyway. Hitting a good combo, fast, is very important. Plus I think it shows a response to his acquiescence that is equally thoughtful and serious, you know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 8, 2016 Author Share Posted July 8, 2016 Honestly, I would take him to someone who specializes in ADHD for medication consultation and med managment. My husband sees an MD who has ADHD herself and it's a night and day difference for him compared to the general med folks he saw before. Sometimes it's best to go to a specialist. Also, someone who won't make pat pronouncements about him just dealing with it. That's my two cents anyways. Agreed. The pediatrician does a LOT of ADHD. I can't say it is all he does, but he has one appointment slot (a longer than normal one) set aside every day just for ADHD consultations. It's a special interest of his. And at the same time, he doesn't push meds on kids that don't need them...when we had other issues with our son he was quick to refer him out. So I don't feel he will overstep his bounds, but does have a lot of experience with it. I would not be surprised at all to find he has it himself, and I'm pretty sure I remember him saying one of his son's does. The family practice doctor....I was not impressed with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted July 8, 2016 Author Share Posted July 8, 2016 I'm inclined to agree especially because of his reluctance to take meds at all. He might be even less tolerant of the suitability/non suitability process than the normal patient because he is skeptical of meds anyway. Hitting a good combo, fast, is very important. Plus I think it shows a response to his acquiescence that is equally thoughtful and serious, you know? Yup. I talked to DS and he definitely wants to go to Dr. Rich, our pedi, instead. I was worried he thought he was getting too old for a pediatrician, but he made it clear he likes and trusts Dr. Rich, so that's where we will go. I'm now feeling dumb for even trying the family practice doctor. Seems everyone prefers our old doctor's office, even with the long wait times. Oh well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I'm now feeling dumb for even trying the family practice doctor. Seems everyone prefers our old doctor's office, even with the long wait times. Oh well. Not dumb at all, how do you know until you try? I've tried out lots of different doctors over the years, only occasionally stumble onto one that I really love (and then we end up moving LOL) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 (edited) First, let me say I'm glad he's willing to try medication. I know it's been an issue for a long time. I hope he understands that it can take several different meds and doses before finding the right one - that he doesn't give up if the first one doesn't work. I'm both surprised and not surprised about the Wellbutrin. ADHD and depression are often co-morbid. Sometimes treating the ADHD will treat the depression, sometimes it won't. I'm surprised the doctor started out with Wellbutrin instead of an ADHD stimulant medication. I agree about seeing the pedi or a specialist that deals with ADHD. Ds' pedi treated a lot of kids with ADHD, and is on some national boards relating to the disorder. When ds left the pedi his new family practice doc wanted to take him off meds. (He could have stayed until he was 21, but I foolishly talked him into switching to an "adult" doctor.) Um, no. BTDT and the first year in college is not the time to try it again. Anyway, he found a psychiatrist who treats ADHD and he is seeing her now. He'll stay with the family practice doc for other medical treatment and let the psychiatrist handle his ADHD treatment. Edited July 8, 2016 by Lady Florida. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I honestly wasn't expecting this to come up at all, and had forgotten to bring a copy of his neuropsychologist's report. Take a copy of the report to the pediatrician as soon as you can - hopefully he will have time to read through the recommendations and relevant findings before your son's appointment. DS' pediatrician always appreciated it when we got information to him in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I am surprised that the doctor didn't share his reasoning for prescribing what he did. It is more typical to try a stimulant first. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freesia Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 This is huge ! I am so glad to hear he's willing to try meds. Praying this will be a game changer for all of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I've posted before about how he has been utterly resistant to meds. But today, at a physical with the family practice doctor he brought it up, on his own!!!! He's frustrated with his inability to study and concentrate, and with taking more dual enrollment courses in the fall he's worried. I am SO proud of him!!! That said, the family practice doctor blew him off a bit (I wanted to scream!) and then reluctantly prescribed wellbutrin, which I don't think is necessarily the best idea. So I'm calling his regular pediatrician now to get an appt there, his pediatrician has a lot of experience with ADHD and I know will work with us to get the best treatment. And not just say "well, if you can manage without meds that is better." Listen, Doc, we've BEEN trying without meds for years, and it is NOT working! I'm glad he's willing to try something new! That's progress in and of itself, for sure. To the bolded, let me just say how much I dislike the attitude that it is always better to do without meds if it is at all possible. It is not automatically better to spend a tremendous amount of your time and energy just being able to manage when they are safe and effective medicines that can help, whether the issue is ADD or anxiety or depression or whatever. I think that some people who do not have first-hand knowledge have no idea of just how much it can take out of a person to constantly be working to 'manage.' Yes, some can do it, but there are other things that are not getting done because so much energy is going into basic management. I hate it when people are made to feel that managing without meds is somehow some kind of superior moral choice, that there's some reason you shouldn't take meds if your life isn't an utter disaster. /end rant 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 My freshman begged for help, she was having so much trouble in school focusing. It was never a problem when we homeschooled because time wasn't a factor. Her primary gave her adderall and she is doing so well with it, it's changed her life. I hope you find something that works for him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SproutMamaK Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 I'm so happy for you that he's come to the conclusion on his own that meds could be beneficial! That's excellent progress for him. Here's hoping that you find a good med quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted July 10, 2016 Share Posted July 10, 2016 My daughter has been on meds for several years now (adderrall primarily). This year we had to add Wellbutrin to the mix around lunchtime. Without the Wellbutrin, she was becoming a frustrated ball of anger when her meds wore off, especially if her school wasn't done for the day. We like adderrall because she can skip it on non school days without issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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