concerta/tics

my son has be on concerta for about 8 months. Yes he focus  better but his grades are know different for 2 terms now.
He also has been diagnosis, actually the first diagnosis was a learning disability. He also get awards showing compassion and caring etc. on and off meds. His teachers have loved him in their class from jk. He plays travel sports and gets award again on and off meds.
O and yes he is very mean on and off meds with his sisters but calms down better on the meds. Can family tell when he is on and off meds, yes they can.
With this all said
When I look at him mostly at night I see him blinking alot and rolling his eyes when someone is talking to him and he also does look at you. I believe this is tics and I don't want it to develop anymore. I am scared to keep him on just for the little improve their is. My son doesn't even know he is doing it. Please help me with understand if I should keep him on or taking him off.  The one thing I keep thinking is every guy on my side of the family has went downhill with drugs and self med in the teenagers yrs and never gets back to reality. I don't want to make the wrong move here.

[Sandman2]

   I highly suggest that you buy the book, "The ADD/ ADHD Answer book," by Susan Ashley.
You need lots of different kinds of information and this book will give it to you.  
   The book as well as any research study will tell you that stimulant therapy does not lead to drug usage in later life.  In fact, the percent of kids who do abuse drugs is much higher for those children who were not on stimulant meds (if they have AD/HD).
   I don't see ticks listed as a side effect of concerta.  But that doesn't mean that it could not happen.  This certainly should be discussed with your doctor.  However, I would think that the tics would be present while the drug is still in his system.  At night, the drug is pretty well out of the system.   I would have his eyes checked, I think that would be more of a logical reason why you are seeing this problem.  
   I do hope that he is getting more help then just the medication.  The pill alone is not the answer.  The book mentioned above will give you very important ways to help him in conjunction with his meds.  And these are as important as the medication.  
   Best wishes!!

[sammy3440]

My son is also on Concerta and his tics started after he was put on this medication. There is so much negative information about what happens to these kids when they come off of these meds if taken for a long period of time. I have put my whole family on a very natural diet. We take high quality fish oil and have removed all sugar and processed foods from our diet. It has taken a little time but it is well worth it. My son was on 45 mg of concerta a day and he is now down to 10mg and he is doing fabulous. We did not inform the school or any family members outside of the home of our changes. None of them have noticed a difference. We have also spent a lot of time in prayer over this. I don't believe any medication with meth in it should be give to our children.  Best wishes and God bless

[allmymarbles]

Behavioral therapy is a healthy alternative to dangerous medications.

[dollyn]

I have heard many times what you are both saying about your children and being on Concerta. and I want you to both do this for your child . Get them an EEG and don't take no form your childrens Doctors. I know this because my son started to have seizures once he was on these drugs and it could be from the drugs or because he never had ADD OR ADHD it was Seizures witch can look like ADD OR ADHD  OR BOTH.

And also please read and also take a look at these two sites below.

http://www.drugs.com/concerta.html      

  http://www.drugstore.com/ask/what-is-an-mao-inhibitor-and-what-foods-do-i-need-to-avoid-when-taking-one/qxa1272  

I know my son Doctor never told me that my son should stay away from these foods that they talk about.

And if you want you can send me a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

There is a big Difference between Seizures and what that can do to a person and what ADD and ADHD can do and wouldn't want any child to go threw what my son and Family have in the past years.