ADHD medication

[ktgrok]

If you have used them will you share which ones and your thoughts? I'm meeting with the doctor on Thursday and will be discussing with her, of course, but need Hive input :)

Ritalin/Concerta are slightly safer when breastfeeding as only about 0.2 percent of it pass into the milk, versus Adderall/Vyvanse where it is more like 3 percent I think, but both are very low amounts and given that I'm nursing a toddler not an infant probably not a worry. Dr. Hale says to just watch for any agitation, loss of appetite, or insomnia in the baby but that it's incredibly unlikely. No issues with weight gain/growth with the amount the baby would get (and again, he was talking infants...my baby is a year old and eats solids well). Please don't say "just wait until you wean" because the earliest any of my children weaned was 3 1/2 years old, lol 

Anyway, if both work about as well, it makes sense to use the Ritalin/Concerta family, but if most people do better on Vyvanse I'm okay doing that. My son has taken Vyvanse without side effects and with good result, only complaint was it wore off more quickly than it should. My sister also takes it and loves it. So genetically the may be a good match. 

Straterra is NOT ok while breastfeeding, so not an option. 

Weight loss/loss of appetite would be a bonus, not a problem, so no worries there. 

Thoughts?

[edelweiss]

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[Ravin]

My DD is on generic Focalin, which is supposed to have less side effects. I think it's helping, it's hard to tell with her other issues.

[gardenmom5]

I would start with a non-stimulant rx first.  (they have the benefit of not being controlled.)

amantadine

guanfacine.

there may be more.

 

there is a genetic test by genomind which is supposed to detect the most effective rx treatments. we're currently weighing doing it - but my insurance is limited and for all dh's proclamations we're saving   $XXX a month so we can pay out of pocket .... I'm having to come up with the information on why this would be worth it.  (or not.)

[ktgrok]

11 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

I would start with a non-stimulant rx first.  (they have the benefit of not being controlled.)

amantadine

guanfacine.

there may be more.

 

there is a genetic test by genomind which is supposed to detect the most effective rx treatments. we're currently weighing doing it - but my insurance is limited and for all dh's proclamations we're saving   $XXX a month so we can pay out of pocket .... I'm having to come up with the information on why this would be worth it.  (or not.)

Unfortunately amantadine lowers prolactin and can kill milk supply, and guanfacine is readily transferable to milk so not advised when breastfeeding. I may look at that genetic test, I think I have a friend that works for the company that makes it actually. 

[Tap]

My kids/usband have taken numerous ADD/ADHD meds but their effectiveness for them won't be of help to you.  Everyone is different.  I live with 4 people who have various forms of ADD/ADHD. One uses stimulates daily no matter what.  One takes a non-stimulant. Two take them as needed for academics. 

Unless I absolutely had to have ADD meds (ie would forget the baby is in the car due to distraction etc), I personally wouldn't take them while breastfeeding.  The benefits have to outweigh the risks, and as long as I was a functioning adult ( with common ADD issues), I would just deal with my normal coping strategies until baby weaned (Or wean baby early). So much development is happening every day in a babies brain, I wouldn't want anything to interfere with that.

Just to name a few

Non stimulants Wellbutrin, Strattera, Clonidine, Guanfacine etc

Ritalin, 

Concerta

Vyvanse

Daytranna

Methylphenidate CD

Adderal

Adderall XR

[Pink and Green Mom]

I myself did not care for Vyvance.  I have inattentive type ADD and really needed the "kick" that some of the others offered.  Vyvance was slower to start working each day and it didn't do it for me.  I had the best luck with Adderall, with Concerta a close second.

Good luck - it is so hard to find the right meds/doses and then have them become less effective over time and have to start the processs over.

[ktgrok]

22 minutes ago, Tap said:

Unless I absolutely had to have ADD meds (ie would forget the baby is in the car due to distraction etc), I personally wouldn't take them while breastfeeding. 

 I haven't done that, but I did accidentally leave the dog in the car a week ago. I only remembered because I went to look to make sure he wasn't outside, then remembered he was still in the car. 

My bills are paid late, I'm almost always late on my deadlines with my publisher, my house is a disaster, and I have started refusing to commit to any events/outings/etc due to not wanting to worry about forgetting them or being late. I also have impulsivity issues, although those are less of an issue. What's one more pet or another 3 kinds of coffee, right? 

All of this does effect my marriage as well. 

[Ottakee]

Two of mine take Dexedrine spansules.  It is a longer acting med.  Works very well for them but I don't know about use on nursing moms

[wendyroo]

We tried Peter on many different non-stimulant meds, and then progressed to many different stimulants.  We did not see any positive effects from any of them, though we did see negative side effects from many.

Then we tried Focalin (generic; immediate, not extended, release) and that was the silver bullet.  It has done a world of good for both of my older boys.  The only side effect we have seen is loss of appetite, and we have been able to manage that successfully.

Wendy

[Lady Florida.]

Ds has been on a number of different medications, having been diagnosed at a young age. Concerta worked best until it stopped working. At the time a higher dose wasn't recommended for his age and weight. 

He didn't like Vyvanse and said it made him feel tired.

Daytrana was wonderful because we could decide when to put the patch on based on what his day would be like. Unfortunately the adhesive drove him batty.

He's been on a generic version of long acting Adderall since he was 16 or 17 and it works well for him. That doesn't seem to be an option for you though because of breastfeeding. 

Ones that didn't work at all - focalin, strattera. 

As others have said though, everyone is different. You will likely need to try different medications and different doses until you find the one that's right for you. Focalin worked very well for a friend's kid. Concerta didn't work at all for that same kid. A friend who wasn't diagnosed until she was an adult does very well on Vyvanse. It really is different for everyone. 

As for appetite, nearly all of them reduced his appetite though Concerta did it least. Currently on Adderall he doesn't eat much during the day. He eats quite a bit at night though after it wears off.

Editing to say he has combined type ADHD.

[kbutton]

2 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

 I haven't done that, but I did accidentally leave the dog in the car a week ago. I only remembered because I went to look to make sure he wasn't outside, then remembered he was still in the car. 

My bills are paid late, I'm almost always late on my deadlines with my publisher, my house is a disaster, and I have started refusing to commit to any events/outings/etc due to not wanting to worry about forgetting them or being late. I also have impulsivity issues, although those are less of an issue. What's one more pet or another 3 kinds of coffee, right? 

All of this does effect my marriage as well. 

Concerta (generic but same release system) seems to help with impulsivity in one of my ADHD family members. We have two that tolerate it, and one that does not (he takes short-acting Adderall--generic).

I think it's great that you are going to try something--just start and see how things work for you. 

Best wishes for finding a med quickly and for finding a doctor that is knowledgeable about adult ADHD and flexible about treatment options!