Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Equasym xl Vs Medikinet

Hi I am new to this board but wondered if anyone can help. My son is just 7 and was diagnosed with just ADHD a few months ago. We have just done a trial of Equasym xl. The 20mg was definately too strong as it made him extremely emotional and all over the place. On the 10mg emotionally he was ok, but he was having problems getting to sleep - usually he's asleep by 8.15pm, but on the days of the medication it was nearer 10pm. We didn't see any improvements in his behaviour over a couple of weeks, but it's hard to tell if it was because he was getting less sleep and therefore unable to concentrate or control his impulsive behaviour - he was exhausted.

The Dr has now given me Medikinet and told me to trial 2.5mg, 5mg and 7.5mg over consecutive weeks once a day. The theory is that as he is only taking one dose it will have less impact on sleep. Has anyone else done this? I am concerned that 4 hours within a full school day is not enough. Has anyone had less sleep problems taking Medikinet twice a day than taking one slow release tablet? My Dr wouldn't give me anything to help the sleeping.

Thanks for your help
6 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
757137 tn?1347196453
Sorry. I seem to have answered this twice without realizing it. At least I was consistent.
Helpful - 0
757137 tn?1347196453
All medications have side effects. You have to decide if the good outweigh the harm. Has your doctor at any time tried behavioral therapy, or did he move directly towards medication? To put it another way, was medication a first or a last resort?
Helpful - 0
757137 tn?1347196453
There are alternatives to medication. Has your doctor discussed this with you? The pill route can have serious physical and mental consequences, whereas behavioral therapy does not.
Helpful - 0
189897 tn?1441126518
COMMUNITY LEADER
    Oh tough call.  I would think that something like facebook would normally be good for someone with Aspergers.  I do understand your concern however.  Maybe you could use facebook as a learning tool to teach correct behavior.  She can use it, but only under certain conditions.  One nice thing is that facebook is very easy to take away or restart.
    Being curious - is she on any medication to help control her impulsiveness?
    And there are good video games (even something like "Words for Friends" that have educational value that would help the boredom.  But I would think that you really want her outdoors and interacting with other kids.  Any school clubs she can get involved in or activities like Drama (or even working on the stage crew)?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hi my name is terri i have a 15 year old daughter that has adhd aspergers odd mood disorder learning disability  she made a facebook and she was obsessed with asking kids to buy her stuff  and is obsessed with boys well that really worries me more about the boys i was wondering if you think she has ocd  so now i deleted her facebook account and now she gets really bored because she has no friends to hang out with all the kids say my daughter is no annoying how do i deal with that too she gets bored very easly  and there is no programs in my area for her to go to im lost i dont know what to do anymore hopefully you can help me thank you terri
Helpful - 0
189897 tn?1441126518
COMMUNITY LEADER
    I would assume thar these are not the Medikinet XL.  If so they should be out of the system in "3 to 4 hours".  From there it is just trial and error to see which dose works the best.
    I do want to stress that these pills are not magic.  they will help him concentrate better and hopefully think twice.  They will not change learned behavior.  That will be both your and his teachers role.  I highly suggest you get the book -     by  Susan Ashley on Adhd found here -  http://www.amazon.com/ADD-ADHD-Answer-Book-Professional/dp/140220549X
         The book will really help ALL of you deal with this.   Best wishes!
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the ADHD Community

Top Children's Development Answerers
189897 tn?1441126518
San Pedro, CA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Fearing autism, many parents aren't vaccinating their kids. Can doctors reverse this dangerous trend?
Yummy eats that will keep your child healthy and happy
What to expect in your growing baby
Is the PS3 the new Prozac … or causing ADHD in your kid?
Autism expert Dr. Richard Graff weighs in on the vaccine-autism media scandal.
Could your home be a haven for toxins that can cause ADHD?