Flounder wrote on Aug 14^th, 2008 at 5:45pm:


I dont have any answers for ya, bro.....but I have a shit load of vibes heading your way from the Boston area!!!!

Thanks for the vibes everyone!!!!

OMG Helen, I am scared no I'm terrified at the prospect of running into you on the roads or should I say you running into me. Sorry I haven't spoken up in a while but I do stop by and see what's up.

Come see me at the CB's convention in Oct.!!!!

Interesting that the doc says the Concerta is not the cause.  Concerta is generally not recommended with tics and tourettes.  I do know some children who have had very bad ADHD and due to tourettes had to come off the stimulants.  It's a tough call, and my personal belief is that it depends on how bad the ADHD is off the meds.  Has he tried Strattera?  I can't remember if that one is a bad match with tourettes, but it is not a stimulant, so I didn't think that it was.

I, personally, have been taking Concerta for ADD (not ADHD) for about 5 years or so.  I know one time I was out the med for a week, and it wreaked havoc on me, so the one thing I can recommend about concerta is to wean off slowly unless he is on a very low  dose!  Also, depends on how long he has been on it, and on what dose.  I have tried hard to come off Concerta a few times in the past, but when I do, the ADD and memory loss becomes so problematic that I end up having to go back on.  I came close to losing a job because I tried to stop the Concerta once, so I do understand that coming off Concerta (or any of the stimulants) when one is facing very disabling ADD/ADHD can be a very scary thing.

I guess the question I have for you is how bad is the ADHD and how badly does it interfere with his functioning in life?  Was he having trouble with grades or was it more behavioural?  Also would want to know if he has tried the Strattera.  If the ADHD is bad and he really is benefitting largely from the Concerta, then it may be worth adding another med to control the tics in order to try to stay on the Concerta.  If the ADHD is not so severe as to be causing great life disability, then it might be worth it to have a trial off the Concerta and see if the tics go away.

Keep in mind - this is all just my personal opinion and not to be taken as medical advice.  I just think it is something you have to really weigh out before making a decision.  You can always come on or off meds again if they are stopped or added, depending on what happens.  I would maybe check with another physician about the concerta not having anything to do with the tics - but that's just me.

Vibes for ya!!
Hugz,
Carrie

Lizzie2 wrote on Aug 15^th, 2008 at 12:17am:


Thanks Carrie,

His ADHD is mostly the H and in a big way. It is behavioral and emotional. He can't really function in the classroom, although he gets good grades, he completely disrupts the class and is always getting in trouble. Since the concerta he has been doing great and received all A's for his entire 3rd grade year and that was in behavior as well.

We haven't tried Strattera because our pediatrician says she hasn't had much luck with it, especially for the hyperactivity problems.

The Nuero explained the concerta warnings and he says they have found that it doesn't cause tics. He told us about a recent study that shows the concerta isn't likely to make things worse and we should keep him on it if it's helping with his ADHD that much. I don't buy it though. I'm going to revisit the Strattera and other options. The bummer is that school is starting in a week and that's not enough time to play around with meds to see what works. My biggest concern is his social situation and what will happen when he goes back to school with these tics. Kids can be really cruel at this age and I'm concerned about his self esteem. He has always had tons of friends and never been afraid to socialize. This could have a huge effect on his life and it scares the hell out of me.