adderall xr for children, is heart race a normal side effect for most kids?
437997
Hi, absolutely NOT. Seeing that it is a chemical stimulant the first person who answered yes would seem to be right, however, the intended desired effect on children is to increase attention and therefore side-effects such as tachacardia (heart racing or beating more than 100 times/minute) would not tend to produce this result. Also, recent studies have shown that sudden cardiac arrest (actual death !) can occur in some children and these symptoms should be brought up to your Doctor immediately. I am not trying to scare you but I have been in the pharmaceutical industry and these side effects have gotten alot of publicity lately. For most people adderall appears safe, but a rapid heart rate should be brought to the attention of the prescribing physician.
1187186
Abosolutely not!! As a doctor I would have to implore you not to take that action. First because all anti-histamines have many side effects that include: dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision, euphoria, uncoordination, anxiety, insomnia, tremor, nausea and vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea, dry mouth, and dry cough. Infrequent adverse effects include: urinary retention, palpitations, hypotension, headache, hallucination, and psychosis. And since your son or daughter is less than two years old this list is many times more likely to happen.\n\nAlso, The drug Chlorphenamine, has an anti-deppressant property that blocks that transmission of seratonan, because of that a Swedish company a while back, I think, marketed a drug harnessed from Chlorphenamine that was the first of its kind to block the reuptake of seratonan. In lamens terms that means it has the power to treat diseases such as: depression, anxiety disorders and personality disorders. Do you really want to give that to a two year old child?
132498
Most children in clinical trials who experienced side effects were not bothered enough to stop taking Strattera. The most common side effects were upset stomach, decreased appetite, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, tiredness, and mood swings. In short-term clinical trials with children and adolescents, a modest decrease in appetite was the most common side effect. Some children may experience a loss of weight when starting treatment with Strattera. As with all ADHD medications, growth should be monitored during treatment. Strattera has not been tested in children under 6 years of age. In rare cases, Strattera can cause allergic reactions, such as swelling or hives, which can be serious. Your child should stop taking Strattera. Call your doctor or healthcare professional if your child develops any of these symptoms. These are the reported side effects currently known.
436334
Angelinazmom probably didn't need a stimulant as strong as Adderall to start (dang doctors...). There stuff out there that's so much milder. After all, if you know what Adderall really is...\n\nAddreall, like most stimulant drugs, brings the less active areas of the brain more into alignment with the more active areas of the brain, reducing hyperactivity (when the more active areas control external behavior) and inattentiveness (when the more active areas control internal behavior). Because brain study is still in its infancy, they don't have clearly pinpointed areas/high-low brain function combinations that each drug affects, so finding the ultimate prescription that works for each patient is a hit-or-miss trial-and-error method. Unfortunately, IF the first guess or two is way off, and the side effects of improper dosage and medication scare parents, the child ends up without any medication, and in trouble in school and eventually in trouble at work as an adult. Prescribing this stuff is more an art than a science.\n\nMy son is on Adderall, and it works wonderfully for him at the proper dosage. They started him at too high a dose, he got the shakes, and his nose bled like Niagara. Now he's on 10mg, has no side effects at that dosage, and he benefits noticably from it. Without it, he's completely inattentive. With it, he has started learning to read, and can hold a conversation with us without totally spacing out halfway through.
479822
ADHD is a medical condition. Medication controls the SYMPTOMS of this disorder but it doesn't cure it. Some kids, like the one in my class with ADHD right now, actually do worse on the meds and have to be taken off. Then there are side effects. For other kids, medication has helped tremendously and worked well. The kind, dosage, and timing of the medication must be experimented and adjusted.\n\nWhatever you decide to do, medication SHOULD NOT be the only, or indeed the primary, means of intervention. You say he is not focused or organized. It is imperative that you find someone to help you teach your son skills and stratgies to help him cope with these challenges. You have the right as a parent to request special services for your son. That is, to ask under special education law or the American with Disabilities Act to have accomadations made for your son in the classroom.\n\nWhat kind of doctor diagnosed and prescribed medication? Hopefully you have the resources to take your son to a doctor who specializes in ADHD and related conditions. Other conditions mimic ADHD but do not respond to medication because they aren't the same medical disorder.\n\nYou may also desire to have your son tested for food allergens or sensitvities and monitor him for sleep disturbances. Also, increase the amount of physcial activity that he gets each day and limit the amount of computer games, video games, and television programs to less than 30 minutes a day. None of these things actually causes ADHD but in my opinion they may worsen the effects. \n\n\nTo sum up: it is not always necessary nor desirable to treat ADHD with medication though sometimes it is very useful. But medication should ALWAYS be paired with other interventions and therapy to work with the child.\n\nGood luck!
97396
I agree with LFGX3.\n\n\nRitalin affects a normal brain differently, and it can make you sick.  For the person with normal brain function, there are many potential side effects including elevated blood pressure and heart rate, nausea, agitation, headaches, and insomnia.\n\nEven for those people who do need it the side effects are a lot.  I am taking ritalin and have experienced many of it's side effects.\n\nHowever, even short term use can cause long term side effects.\n\nThis is a good book to read:\nAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Williams, J.(2001)
1102774
Yes - you will be overdosing on the iron within the pills.  This can be fatal, and is more common in children.
808040
The lightheadedness and difficulty breating can be side effects of the racing heart. If ur not having panic attacks, u should go to ur dr and find out what is making ur heart race.
740891
Unfortunately this is going on a lot.  My daughter was on Adderall for her ADD for years.  It's a highly addictive drug that is now being sold at school for about $10.00 a pill.  My daughter wound up miss using her Adderall, changed to speed and then would smoke pot to come down.  When I saw that her prescription was running out early I checked her into a hospital for drug addiction and she is clean now.  Adderall taken by a person who doesn't need it is like taking diet pills or speed.  It can get you into a viscous circle of highs and lows and lead to a serious drug problem.  I do not recommend it and tell you daughter to stay away from it.
236470
Absolutely bad. I was a pro. Try to tell your kid, it is not going to get him or her better, she still have to work, maybe 7 days a week. The side effects are dangerous, and it is not coming out right away, it takes years. But the kidney, the heard  etc... will suffer. Hard work it works better. We had a Doctor who told us the consequences, and told us to steroids not going to make you run faster or etc.. no easy way!! You have to be dedicated!!If you would like to know more, or want more info for your teenager you can write for me: angie45hu@yahoo.com
277755
Caffine is a stimulant. Too much can make your heart start to beat too fast, smong other things.
937296
Aderrall is an amphetamine - aka speed.  You're essentially overloading your brain with excess energy - your head is supercharged.  \n\nSome side effects of speed are, improved flight of thought, loss of appetitte, insomnia, diarrhea of the mouth (non-stop flow of talking stupidity), increased alertness and my all time favorite, the ability to drink massive amounts of booze (in a short period of time)\n\nThe effects are different for everyone, but for me, it delivers a similar speedy high like cocaine minus the euphoria.  This is mainly because most cocaine on the street is cut with some sort of speedy filler like amphetamine or ephedrine.\n\nI would recommend that you stay away from both (cocaine and aderrall).
537442
i felt the same way when i was on atenolol (very similar drug, both are beta blockers). you can feel cold, dizzy, and tired because it reduces the amount of blood your heart pumps. your body adjusts some to the side effects after a couple weeks. if you skip a dose or stop taking the medication suddenly, your heart can race, because your body adjusts to having the metoprolol in your system. when the metoprolol is no longer there, your heart rate and blood pressure increase. cutting the tablets into quarters and taking one in the morning and one at night may help, but ask your cardiologist before you do it. also, i know theyre little guys so cutting them into quarters might not work well.\n\nanyway, if you really dont like beta blockers you could see if he'll switch you to another drug like an ace inhibitor. dont just suddenly stop taking it or your problems can get worse. i didnt stay on atenolol very long bc i got too tired when i went jogging or swimming
93320
I have taken it for 6 months and I think it is great.  However there are times i suffer with insomnia like you and at times have heart palpatations.  But, I'm not tired anymore, get double accomplished at work every day, and am able to talk to people without wandering off.  I work with kids with ADHD, and I was diagnosed mainly ADD.  I do worry sometimes about side effects, but the benifits to me have been tremendous.  The only other way i know of to help you is to consider possibly changing diet, coffee has helped me pre-adderall years, and exercising to increase alertness.  Hope this helps.  Check www.drweil.com for further info. about natural ways to deal with ADHD.
517512
It is real, but people are being diagnoses who don't have it.  I heard one study that stated only 10% of the kids on drugs for ADHD actually had it!  Seems like everyone is just wanting to "fix" their kids with drugs.  Aren't they supposed to have a lot of energy? :)
291743
It can be dangerous, yes.  It can trigger a dangerous drop in blood pressure and resulting dizziness and confusion, plus it can cause heart palpitations, shortness of breath, convulsions, and a number of other bad things.  In high enough doses it can be fatal.  However, a small dose, like the normal amount a patient with a heart condition might take,  in a healthy person isn't particularly dangerous, and will probably have no noticible effects.\n\nMedical attention should be sought if the person feels dizzy, short of breath, or has a rapid pulse.
453898
There is a lot to find about adderall and its side effects if you google for it on the net. \nAlthough you can find a lot of info, i would advise you to consult your doctor who prescribed you the meds to see if the 'mixing' of the medicines you are taking can be the cause of the seemingly controlled blood pressure.\nFYI I've added a link to a very good page about adderall, the effects, side effects etc, but again, best advice i can give you, is consult your doctor.\nGood luck,\nTiff