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Post by mom on May 1, 2016 17:33:34 GMT
DS17 has been on Adderall 10mg for a couple of years for ADHD. He wants to enlist in the Army and they have a strict policy of you must be off Adderall 1 complete year before enlisting.
On Thursday, his Dr OK'd him to quit taking it cold turkey.
This weekend has been a freaking nightmare. His additude is horrible. Fighting his brother (way more than normal). Choking him, etc.
Do you think this is the withdrawls from the Adderall? Anyone have any experience with this? Holy cow...I don't know how long we can put up with him like this. He is being a monster. Normally he is level headed, good attitude. We honestly cant recognize him right now.
Now, I realize that its entirely possible this isn't related to going cold turkey off the medicine, but I really do think its connected.
Have you dealt with this? How long was it bad?
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Deleted
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Sept 29, 2024 4:23:58 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2016 17:38:17 GMT
I'd be on the phone with the doctor. It is possibly a result but maybe not.
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Post by lorieann13 on May 1, 2016 17:39:33 GMT
Wow, I dont agree with cold turkey unless there is a medical reaction to the medication and it must be stopped immediately.
Wy isnt the doctor weaning him off?
That is what we did with dd's meds (gabapentin, risperidone, tenex). We cut the dose in half for a few weeks, then halved it again for a few. Then stopped one fully at a time. It took about 2 months to be off the morning doses of her meds. No reactions.
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Post by mom on May 1, 2016 17:42:06 GMT
Wow, I dont agree with cold turkey unless there is a medical reaction to the medication and it must be stopped immediately. Wy isnt the doctor weaning him off? That is what we did with dd's meds (gabapentin, risperidone, tenex). We cut the dose in half for a few weeks, then halved it again for a few. Then stopped one fully at a time. It took about 2 months to be off the morning doses of her meds. No reactions. The Dr said since his dose was low, a taper wouldn't be needed. DS had met with his recruiter and for him to be able to enlist with the rest of the group going to basic training next June, he needed to get off the med now so the 1 year timeline was finished by his 18th bday.
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Post by crazyquiltlady on May 1, 2016 17:43:31 GMT
I took my son off of it cold turkey after several years and I initially didn't think it was a problem. But he was acting different and at the next dr visit I mentioned t to her and she said that even though it is a twelve hour pill, he had been taking it for so long it was in his system and his body was going through withdrawals. I felt bad as I had no idea. I thought since it was a twelve hour pill that it didn't linger. But when you take it for so long, it does get into your system. Fortunately, after a couple weeks he was back to his old self.
my son was 15
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Post by SabrinaM on May 1, 2016 17:44:00 GMT
My husband has taken it for several years. Adderrall is quickly metabolized. My thinking it's more related to the ADHD than the supposed withdrawal.
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Post by lorieann13 on May 1, 2016 17:44:38 GMT
Wow, I dont agree with cold turkey unless there is a medical reaction to the medication and it must be stopped immediately. Wy isnt the doctor weaning him off? That is what we did with dd's meds (gabapentin, risperidone, tenex). We cut the dose in half for a few weeks, then halved it again for a few. Then stopped one fully at a time. It took about 2 months to be off the morning doses of her meds. No reactions. The Dr said since his dose was low, a taper wouldn't be needed. DS had met with his recruiter and for him to be able to enlist with the rest of the group going to basic training next June, he needed to get off the med now so the 1 year timeline was finished by his 18th bday. Dd was only on 1mg of tenex or risperidone and 3mls of gabapentin. Extremely low doses but still weaned off. I would see if he can cut it to 5mg for 2 weeks then 2.5mgs for 2, then be off of it before June
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Post by refugeepea on May 1, 2016 17:52:46 GMT
DS17 has been on Adderall 10mg for a couple of years for ADHD. He wants to enlist in the Army and they have a strict policy of you must be off Adderall 1 complete year before enlisting. That sounds like a terrible policy. Would they take insulin away from a diabetic? I do not understand. ADHD is a medical diagnosis.
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Post by panda on May 1, 2016 18:01:01 GMT
DS17 has been on Adderall 10mg for a couple of years for ADHD. He wants to enlist in the Army and they have a strict policy of you must be off Adderall 1 complete year before enlisting. That sounds like a terrible policy. Would they take insulin away from a diabetic? I do not understand. ADHD is a medical diagnosis. I agree, that makes no sense. And why would they wanted an unmedicated recruit with ADHD? Poor kid! And na for the record, I have a 16 year old son who has been on and off Adderall for the last 4 or so years, and from my experience, from my doctor's advice, and from ADHD forums, Adderall does not require weaning. Your son's recent issues sounds like the ADHD itself.
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Post by refugeepea on May 1, 2016 18:04:12 GMT
I agree, that makes no sense. And why would they wanted an unmedicated recruit with ADHD? Poor kid! And na for the record, I have a 16 year old son who has been on and off Adderall for the last 4 or so years, and from my experience, from my doctor's advice, and from ADHD forums, Adderall does not require weaning. Your son's recent issues sounds like the ADHD itself. I agree Adderall does not require weaning. I can tell a HUGE difference with my daughter the few times her medicine isn't taken. Going cold turkey on something that takes a while to build up in the system like Prozac is a very bad idea.
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gsquaredmom
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Jun 26, 2014 17:43:22 GMT
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Post by gsquaredmom on May 1, 2016 18:30:01 GMT
That sounds like a terrible policy. Would they take insulin away from a diabetic? I do not understand. ADHD is a medical diagnosis. I agree, that makes no sense. And why would they wanted an unmedicated recruit with ADHD? Poor kid! And na for the record, I have a 16 year old son who has been on and off Adderall for the last 4 or so years, and from my experience, from my doctor's advice, and from ADHD forums, Adderall does not require weaning. Your son's recent issues sounds like the ADHD itself. The way it was explained to me by students stopping meds is that in a field or combat situation they would not be able to guarantee access to meds. They go in in unmedicated and stay that way. They have plenty of other recruits ghey can choose from. The Army is not about supporting people with ADHD. They want people wh can function without meds. It's like failing the physical. Call his doc.
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Post by mom on May 1, 2016 18:30:09 GMT
Thanks for ya'lls input. Its just been a long weekend. DS is exhausted, so he is sleeping now. I have a call into his dr, but I don't really expect an answer before tomorrow.
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kate
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Jun 26, 2014 3:30:05 GMT
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Post by kate on May 1, 2016 20:56:49 GMT
I would recommend a LOT of exercise for him, preferably outdoors, as he adjusts.
Poor guy!
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Deleted
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Sept 29, 2024 4:23:58 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2016 21:32:24 GMT
IMHO your doctor gave you some very very bad advice quitting cold turkey. I would think anything that is a stimulant and alters the levels of dopamine in the brain for a significant amount of time should be tapered off.
I would get on the phone to the doctor - today if possible - and let him know what is going on.
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Post by brina on May 1, 2016 22:18:21 GMT
DS17 has been on Adderall 10mg for a couple of years for ADHD. He wants to enlist in the Army and they have a strict policy of you must be off Adderall 1 complete year before enlisting. That sounds like a terrible policy. Would they take insulin away from a diabetic? I do not understand. ADHD is a medical diagnosis. The military doesn't accept people with many manageable medical conditions. Insulin is not an issue because they don't accept diabetics.
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Post by mom on May 1, 2016 22:19:39 GMT
I should say - I was somewhat incorrect when I said he would be enlisting in the Army. He is actually going Reserves/National Guard.
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Post by mom on May 1, 2016 22:20:31 GMT
IMHO your doctor gave you some very very bad advice quitting cold turkey. I would think anything that is a stimulant and alters the levels of dopamine in the brain for a significant amount of time should be tapered off. I would get on the phone to the doctor - today if possible - and let him know what is going on. I went ahead and called. Got his answering service. Ben has been sleeping since I posted this. I figure sleeping is better than being angry...
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Deleted
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Sept 29, 2024 4:23:58 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2016 23:01:58 GMT
Can I ask how he will be managing his ADHD if he gets into the Reserves/National Guard?
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Post by anxiousmom on May 1, 2016 23:32:27 GMT
I should say - I was somewhat incorrect when I said he would be enlisting in the Army. He is actually going Reserves/National Guard. My son is in the National Guard. He went to basic training last summer-it is the exact same training that all the rest of the Army goes through they just sort out at the end which direction they go in. From what I understood, they don't allow a whole lot of things. He had a torn meniscus in middle school and had to be rechecked before he was allowed to complete his enlistment papers. They are pretty strict about weight and fitness levels too.
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paget
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Jun 25, 2014 21:16:39 GMT
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Post by paget on May 2, 2016 0:59:22 GMT
Dd #2 has stopped adderall many times over the past few years (cold Turkey) with no changes in mood or other symptoms.
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Post by refugeepea on May 2, 2016 1:28:09 GMT
That sounds like a terrible policy. Would they take insulin away from a diabetic? I do not understand. ADHD is a medical diagnosis. The military doesn't accept people with many manageable medical conditions. Insulin is not an issue because they don't accept diabetics. I figured that was the case with diabetics. I just don't think it's a good idea to have that policy in place. I'm just speaking from my perspective but ADHD will not go away for my daughter. Either accept them and let them take the medication or tell them they aren't eligible.
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gsquaredmom
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Post by gsquaredmom on May 2, 2016 1:54:10 GMT
The military doesn't accept people with many manageable medical conditions. Insulin is not an issue because they don't accept diabetics. I figured that was the case with diabetics. I just don't think it's a good idea to have that policy in place. I'm just speaking from my perspective but ADHD will not go away for my daughter. Either accept them and let them take the medication or tell them they aren't eligible. But some of them quit meds and are very successful in the military. Of the four young men I know, all did their tours in Iraq and Afghanistan without meds and without issues. None stayed in after their commitments, but not because of ADHD. All are in jobs that gave them points for military service. When they were in the middle of firefights, keeping themselves and others alive, they were not waiting for meds.
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Post by mom on May 2, 2016 2:16:11 GMT
Can I ask how he will be managing his ADHD if he gets into the Reserves/National Guard? According to his doctor, he can manage his ADHD with coping mechanisms and because he has improved since he was put on the medicine, he shouldn't have much problems after he has gone through the withdrawal.
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Post by mom on May 2, 2016 2:18:04 GMT
I figured that was the case with diabetics. I just don't think it's a good idea to have that policy in place. I'm just speaking from my perspective but ADHD will not go away for my daughter. Either accept them and let them take the medication or tell them they aren't eligible. But some of them quit meds and are very successful in the military. Of the four young men I know, all did their tours in Iraq and Afghanistan without meds and without issues. None stayed in after their commitments, but not because of ADHD. All are in jobs that gave them points for military service. When they were in the middle of firefights, keeping themselves and others alive, they were not waiting for meds. Thank you for commenting on this. I know of two other young men that have quit Adderall (they were on it way longer than Ben). They have done fine and have been quite successful in the military and in life.
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vanessa
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Sept 15, 2015 4:25:10 GMT
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Post by vanessa on May 2, 2016 4:54:29 GMT
Please seriously consider an enlistment with this diagnosis. Our son has wanted to be a Marine like Dad for his whole life but a new diagnosis has made it medically incompatible for him to enlist. Please consider that 22 veterans and active duty service members kill themselves per day, and look at his actual medication requirements. Will being off of the this drug cause him to kill himself? It is a very real ramification of not being properly medicated and I know it all too well. I wish the best of luck to you. Sometimes what we want is not what we need.
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Post by christine58 on May 2, 2016 9:58:20 GMT
Can I ask how he will be managing his ADHD if he gets into the Reserves/National Guard? According to his doctor, he can manage his ADHD with coping mechanisms and because he has improved since he was put on the medicine, he shouldn't have much problems after he has gone through the withdrawal. Has he been taught these coping mechanisms?? If so, he needs to start using them now---choking his brother doesn't sound like he's managing at all.
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gsquaredmom
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by gsquaredmom on May 2, 2016 10:49:36 GMT
I think your son should be screened for other things that are sometimes found with ADHD like bipolar disorder, anxiety or depression. If he was choking his brother, what was he doing before that this is an improvement?
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Post by Scrapbrat on May 2, 2016 11:39:26 GMT
Had he been on it continuously for those few years? Because that is unusual. Most drs. have kids take "med vacations" from Adderall and similar drugs. Usually kids do not take Adderall on weekends, over school breaks, during the summer, etc. In other words, every chance they can be off it, they are. My understanding is that this both keeps the child from becoming addicted, and it also keeps the med working for the kid (because it becomes less effective the more the child's body gets used to it). That is why weaning off is not generally an issue. If your DS has been on Adderall with no breaks, I completely think that this crazy behavior could have something to do with stopping cold turkey.
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RosieKat
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Post by RosieKat on May 2, 2016 13:17:12 GMT
IIRC, 10 mg is the lowest dose of Adderall, and it's a capsule, so not like you can cut it in half or anything. Sounds more like the ADHD than withdrawal to me (though I only play a doctor on the Internet ). My son is younger and on a different med, but he acts horribly if we wait too long in the morning to give it to him. It's not just what people think of as ADHD behavior, like being wild and hyper, it's also just nasty ugliness - all basically rooted in a lack of impulse control. When he has the meds, he can better control those impulses. It's like taking the meds turns his filter back on.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2016 13:19:06 GMT
Some people here are misinformed. My husband takes Adderall for ADHD. It is perfectly fine to quit "cold turkey" - the dr was absolutely correct. It's not like going off of an anti-anxiety drug where that would be dangerous.
I believe that something else must be going on with your son. (((hugs))) and I hope you can get some help from your doctor today!
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