Off stimulants for the weekend?

: Is this medication working well for him during the week is one question I’d ask. The other is if he is unusually thin?If it is working, and if he isn’t unusually thin, and you see that he has trouble adjusting to his medication, I’d consider keeping him on it through the weekends as well. He just went to 10 mg. 3 days ago and it may a bit soon to worry about the effect on his appetite. You might think about giving this new dose a little time to see if there is a signficant change to his appetite.Have you talked any of this over with his prescribing doctor? I’m sure the doctor will have had other patients on this medication and answered the good question you’re asking before.I am concerned that we may be jerking my 11 year old son around by
: giving him stimulants for school days and then not on the
: weekends. He has been on just Effexor for several months, but when
: that wasn’t enough help for middle school, 5 mg. of Adderall was
: added and then increased to 10 mg. just three days ago. I really
: don’t want to give him the Adderall on weekends and school breaks
: because it affects his appetite, and school is his major problem.
: But, I worry that he is going to have to adjust to it over and
: over again each week. Any opinions?

Hello Sara, my son seems to be doing much better in school on the 10 mg. versus 5 mg. of Adderall (which didn’t do much at all…). He is not unusually thin, but on the slim side. My main concern is that, when he was taking Ritalin in the 1st and 2nd grades, he lost quite a bit of weight. I already see his appetite decreasing on the 10 mg. and don’t want to see him start losing again.You’re right, it hasn’t really been enough time to judge. I did ask our doctor, and he basically said what you just did, that the side effects will probably decrease in a week or so.Thanks again for your good advice…

EMAILNOTICES>noPASSWORD>aaetA44bKITAII have two sons on stimulant meds. One has been on them for 13 years and the other has been on them for 8 years. Yes, their appetite decreased while on the meds at the beginning. It seemed to take a few weeks to months before their bodies became accustomed to the meds. Then their appetites were back to normal. During the time that their bodies were adjusting, we gave the meds during the day, but tried to keep them off of the meds in the evenings unless there was a lot of homework to do. This seemed to give them time to eat later in the day. It really didn’t effect their growth at all. My 19 year old is 6 feet and 160 pounds. My 15 year old is 5 feet 4 inches and 140 pounds. As you can tell, their weights are fine. Give your son nutritious snacks and let him eat smaller but more frequent meals until his body adjusts to the meds. He should do just fine.ps. Remember, that learning just doesn’t go on in school. Every day, every minute can be a learning experience. If the meds help your son in school, it could also be helping out of school. Your son might need it when involved in sports or activities with friends on weekends and vacations.: I am concerned that we may be jerking my 11 year old son around by
: giving him stimulants for school days and then not on the
: weekends. He has been on just Effexor for several months, but when
: that wasn’t enough help for middle school, 5 mg. of Adderall was
: added and then increased to 10 mg. just three days ago. I really
: don’t want to give him the Adderall on weekends and school breaks
: because it affects his appetite, and school is his major problem.
: But, I worry that he is going to have to adjust to it over and
: over again each week. Any opinions?

What does your son think? Currently my 9 year old is on meds only during school time (ritalin two times a day) as his problem is inattentiveness. Periodically I ask him if he feels he would like to have meds on the weekend, but at this point he doesn’t feel like he needs them. We are very open about his use of meds (i.e. there is no reason to be ashamed that he takes them) so it’s not like he doesn’t want to take them because he’s embarrassed, but at this stage he feels he doesn’t need them. Of course, as with all things, I know that this could change tomorrow!!!! His pediatrician is also fine with us using meds only during school time.

:Sorry for any misspellings in advance ,as it it my weakness !!!Hi there, I have a few cents from our experience, if your intrested.Our 11yr old son takes 5mgs. of ritalin 2x a day during school (morning and noon) and we do not give it to him on weekends , holidays or vacations. Not that we haven’t been tempted (mostly out of nerves being trampled)the thing with him and the meds that is most noticable is his attitude. When he’s on the meds his mood is way, way more positive and easy going. Off the meds he’s very negative about most everything, he gets bored real easy and real fast, he has no patience and everything SUCKS! in his mind. Nothing we try to do to devert this attitude really helps,It is met with more negativity. He is resistant to any ideas we come up with , to get himself stimulated, which he pretty much always needs in order to be satisfied within his own skin.He is also unusually thin , he’s weighed 55 lbs for the past 2 or 3 years and has only been on the meds scince the end of the school year (april) and then off for the summer and now back on for school days, scince September.He has never asked for it on weekends ever , but he was the one who asked to try meds in the first place , I had been quite against it until the day he asked if we could see about getting him medicine to help him get his work done at school , like everyone else. He also has Dyslexia which makes school that much harder for him to deal with. so it really depends on what works for HIM (your son ) . Good luck and bless you and your son. GaladrielIf it is working, and if he isn’t unusually thin, and you see that he
: has trouble adjusting to his medication, I’d consider keeping him
: on it through the weekends as well. He just went to 10 mg. 3 days
: ago and it may a bit soon to worry about the effect on his
: appetite. You might think about giving this new dose a little time
: to see if there is a signficant change to his appetite.: Have you talked any of this over with his prescribing doctor? I’m
: sure the doctor will have had other patients on this medication
: and answered the good question you’re asking before.: I am concerned that we may be jerking my 11 year old son around by

My opinion is that each child is different. My 16 year-old needs her meds 24/7. I wish they made a patch or an IV drip! (Kidding!) But my 12 year-old does just fine without hers meds on the weekend. Do what you think is appropriate for your child’s needs.