Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 1091

Shown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

info on sudden death with ritalin and clonidine

Posted by Lorie Todd on November 5, 1998, at 13:30:33

I have twin 5 year old boys. The have both been
diagnosed with ADHD. We started them out on Ritalin
and saw much success at school. However, the continue
to be overly aggressive to each other as well as me(mom)
Their doctor started them on Clonidine today to help
control the aggression. I was just browing around and
saw a lot of information on sudden death. My worries
are starting to escalate. I had another son die from
Sudden Infant Death Syndrom before they were born. I
don't know if that would have any bearing on this
issue and should I call and talk to their doctor about
this. Worried in Ohio!!!!

 

Re: info on sudden death with ritalin and clonidine

Posted by patricia O'kane on June 4, 1999, at 12:33:08

In reply to info on sudden death with ritalin and clonidine, posted by Lorie Todd on November 5, 1998, at 13:30:33

>I have an 8 year old son who has been on ritalin since he was 4. He was diagnosed at that age as having moderate to profound ADHD. At a later date the term moderate was withdrawn and hencefore he was treated as significantly ADHD. It was not so much malicious aggression as he just couldn't keep his hands to himself and others were pounding him. He also was extremely insomniac (with or without ritalin) He was put on clonidine as a bedtime medication and the results were a child that gradually got tired and then much like the other children in the house fell asleep at a reasonable time and slept mostly through the night. He still tended to wake earlier than the rest of the family but compared with only sleeping 1 and a half to 2 hours nightly and no nap I felt as though this was the right choice. As time progressed and he grew older I began giving him part of his bedtime dose around 5pm. I refused to give him any moreritalin than was absolutely necessary and the clonidine had some of the same calming affects that initially was seen with the ritalin. The ritalin controls my sons ability to concentrate however it does not control his impulses to reach over and grab someone's pencil or tug at thier shirt or any of the things that other kids would quit when told to. The clonidine and ritalin combination have worked exptremely successfully for the last 2 years. Other important facts were that as the school system like to call me everyday around 10:30 and say "Do you know what he did today" and my reply was always the same what did they want me to do on my end to help remedy the situation? Their reply was always the same "more medicine, or I should call our Dr. about seeing if he could get more medicine." Long story short, after doing consultations with other Drs. I began looking for alternative schools as our public school system refused and really didn't and shouldn't have had to deal with my son who took a little extra time. When my son last attended public school as a 54 pound kindergartener was taking nearly 70 mg. of ritalin in the half day of school he was attending. That lasted almost a month and I threw up the flag and said enough is enough. Now he takes less than 30 mg. of ritalin daily and takes a half tablet of clonidine with his morning and lunchtime dose of ritalin and then he takes a half tablet at 5 pm so that he can interact effectively with our family for the evening and then 1 and a half tablets at 8 pm for his bedtime dose. He falls asleep between 9 and 10 pm and wakes between 6 and 7 am. Ocassionally waking earlier, but still quite close to what the other children in our household do. My son is monitored by our family physician for blood pressure and weight gain and this is done regularly he has had absolutely no problems with this combination of drugs and between September of 1998 and April of 1999 he had a weight gain of 30 pounds. His father is 6'5' and large in build to boot and if my son isn't allowed to grow with what his heritage is then I would consider that a crime. He also grew 4 and half inches taller in the same time period. While he was on the ritalin alone his appetite was pathetic at best. I always fixed him a second supper at bedtime to insure he was getting enough nutrition. Now he eats withthe rest of us and as well or bettr than the rest of us He is proportionately at a healthy weight and I have felt very confident about the medication program that he is using now. I did not feel that good about it back 3 years ago when his weight gain was minimalat best and he looked like he was from a 3rd world country lacking food. I started to say earlier that I searched the area for that special school or teacher that would take him under their wing and make a diference in my sons education, and I found it but it was where I was looking. 3 years ago we decided that we would try homeeducation for him and have now ended up homeschooling 3 of our children. Our younger daughter was in 5th grade when she and we made the desicion to bring her home. It is truly the grreatest gift that I can give my children, but that's another topic completely. I'll close with not really knowing where this is being sent to and hope that this information gets to the right persons. Contact me if you would like further information.Patty

 

Re: ADD and insomnia

Posted by Kate on June 14, 1999, at 17:44:43

In reply to Re: info on sudden death with ritalin and clonidine, posted by patricia O'kane on June 4, 1999, at 12:33:08

PATTY--your kids are lucky to have such a determined mother.
With all your research have you read any specific relationship between ADD(little to no hyperactivity - diagnosed mild ADD with short- term memory and organizationalproblems) and
insomnia? My 16yr son has ADHD but only takes ritalin on school days; the insomnia occurs on and off the ritalin days. He's had a sleep study and found he has spontaneous arousals all night.
He also has restless legs and periodic limp movements. When he hasn't slept well, he gets dizzy all day when standing after sitting.
MD's haven't put it all together--I think it is all related-it all gets worse when he's tired.
But I'm stumped at what to do not? any ideas?

 

Re: ADD and insomnia

Posted by Carole on June 26, 1999, at 6:09:47

In reply to Re: ADD and insomnia , posted by Kate on June 14, 1999, at 17:44:43

Kate, I am jumping in here but first I want to say I am NOT a doctor and don't have children. However I am disabled from illness, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, in my case this includes symptoms very like your son's. A Sleep Study showed alpha intrusion (alpha-delta sleep pattern) and besides the exhaustion, multiple awakenings, I also have a schedule turned around (delayed sleep phase). Jumping muscles can be part of this as well.

In addition like your son, I am very dizzy when standing, particularly still; most doctors do not look for this, called orthostatic intolerance caused by different factors, in my case orthostatic hypotension. I am not diagnosing him but many young people his age do experience this disorder. At Johns Hopkins there has been a lot of research on neurally mediated hypotension in teenagers and they have related a subgroup of people with chronic fatigue syndrome that has this as just one of their symptoms. When I stand, particularly still, or even many times when I sit up, I become very dizzy, lose balance, can't focus well, am nauseated, have fever and other symptoms. It can be intolerable to just stand, going to the grocery, etc. have become a nightmare. With young people, if they don't sit down, they often faint. The tilt table test is the one done at Johns Hopkins and other places but a good physician can check for hypotension by taking his blood pressure lying down for several minutes, then having him sit up, take it again, then stand for several minutes, taking it right along. This may not be the exact method but you get the idea, it may give the physician a clue in what is going on.

Again, I am only trying to help, not to diagnose anyone. I am not suggesting he has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, just that hypotension or another form of orthostatic intolerance might be worth checking out. Just mentioning it might be a clue for a thinking, interesting and bright physician. Sometimes drugs cause hypotension as well just as does illness. I hope I am being clear as cognitive dysfunction and fatigue and pain, difficulty reading are all part of CFS. I wish better health for your son. Carole

 

Re: Carole-ADD and insomnia

Posted by Kate on June 26, 1999, at 14:12:56

In reply to Re: ADD and insomnia , posted by Carole on June 26, 1999, at 6:09:47

Carole--Thanks for your comments. You have strengthen my suspicions. I have Fibromyalgia- so I know alot about CFS. Yes, I have noticed the similar symptoms but didn't what the MD's to think that I was putting "my illness" on my son.
Thanks for mentions John Hopkins-I live 1 1/2hr from there. I've taken him to Georgetown U, they do work w/ CFS/FMS. He doesn't have the tender points of FMS. Did a sleep study, and that night he had no restless legs but had all the spontaneous arousals of brain wave (My sleep study five yrs ago, showed I arouse 90xhour!)They have started my son on 2.5mg flexeril trying to work him up to 10mg flexeril at bedtime. But that hasn't help his dizziness when standing,we will discuss that more in July visit-Georgetown may do tilt table test. But thanks for J.Hopkins info-do you have a particular MD name? But Georgetown is listening to problems and that is big help.
Doesn't make sense that if we have v.poor sleep, that it might show up as ADD-inattentive/memory problems in the classroom? Thanks for the great input -Kate

 

Re: Carole-another Question

Posted by Kate on June 26, 1999, at 14:24:07

In reply to Re: ADD and insomnia , posted by Carole on June 26, 1999, at 6:09:47

Carole- one more Question
You mention "schedule turn around (delayed sleep phase)" Can you decribe it for me? My son can be exhausted ( more than teenager fatigue ) in the day--then at midnight he is so wound up that he will go for a several mile jog and long hot shower and melatonin to try and go to sleep. He may fall asleep between 2-4AM and wake up at 6-7AM. Of course then he fades mid-day. Then late evening he's all keyed up again. I have weird sleep patterns too-but different from his. By the way, he has slept 'weird' since he was born.
thanks again-Kate


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.