Kapvay

[kellyh]

Long time no see!

Well...I don't know where to start...so here goes. I'm sure this will be a thread that could be on many different boards, but I'm picking this one...because we started a new med...

It's going to be a cheaper Christmas if something doesn't change soon...because I just may have to kill her. And I say that only half jokingly!!! She's a tween (will be 12 in January). So toss in those hormones. She started middle school this year. So toss in some gray hair for me. She's got the nastiest, rudest tone in the mornings that she's lucky my foot doesn't go up her ass. Did I mention that as I get older, I have less and less patience for this crap? Sigh....her lying (about stupid stuff...so that's PROBABLY age appropriate) is pissing off her father and I...she got caught (though she SAYS she didn't...she was just sitting beside the kid (insert eye roll)) smoking with the 8 year old next door...and it was his 3rd (!!!) time getting caught his mom said. They don't smoke. She says she's going one place and may end up at another. She doesn't have a phone, and doesn't think to call. (Toss in a bit more grey hair here). She's been stealing. (Oh, this calls for an ulcer.)

So...we have her psych appointment yesterday (usually it's only every 3 months for med checks) and I left a voice mail for him last week detailing some of the crap I'd like him to know about. I don't know how your appointments go, but I really wish he would see us separately...because sometimes I'd like to talk about her without her in the room. But anyways....he kept asking her questions and she did her famous shoulder shrug and "I don't know". AAAAHHHHH!!!!!

She kept whipping me dirty looks as I went over the list of stuff bugging me. And the psych suggested counselling. Which, up till the last month or two, I hadn't really thought we'd needed. But we do. We ALL do. Her father and I have to learn how to not flip the eff out...which we both do. SHE needs how to learn how to not flip out, too. I let a lot go before I flip...but I still have a boiling point. Her father's is much faster. And of course...she kept shaking her head which means she doesn't want to do therapy.

So...off to Kapvay. I hadn't heard of it before, but I guess it's along the lines of as Intuniv is melatonin, Kapvay is clonadine. She's already on 70 mg of Vyvanse (after 2 years at 72 mg of Concerta...it just wasn't working anymore as she was metabolizing FAR too fast...by noonish!), and since this is a non-stimulant and we hadn't had great success (other than in the drug trial we were in) with Intuniv, he suggested this. So...we'll see how this goes. But from what I see...it's going to take 3-5 weeks for it to really kick in. Her thinking is that if her behaviour gets better by then, we don't need to do therapy (well...I'm going regardless because I have to learn how to cope better)...so we'll see how I let that go....but has anyone else tried this yet? I'd never heard of this...but it's geared to ADHD according to their website.

And the disorganization has already kicked in at school. Great. It was pretty easy keeping up with one teacher...but now she has 7. (Add in a raging migraine to my grey hair and ulcer now).

Oh, and on a haha funny note...after almost 5 years of her being on meds...it finally happened. I accidentally took one of her pills. The full 70 mg of Vyvanse. Let's just say...I'm 100% sure I don't have ADHD now. I was as wound up and jittery as a chihuahau on 100 cups of espresso. And talk about long lasting...that stuff was making me jittery till almost 10 at night. I tossed and turned ALL night...barely slept...and still wasn't tired the next day. But it sure works the opposite on her. COMPLETE opposite...so if I EVER had an INKLING of doubt about her ADHD...it was completely wiped away.

[charliegirl]

Wow Kelly! Welcome back!

I've never heard of that med so I hope it works. As for the attitude problems, its the age. You still need to address it but as (I think it was) John said, remember, its not about you. You're just the parent.

If you think your family needs counseling, then go for it. Tell her she can't hang out with the little smoker and drag her to counseling.

I'd ask the psych point blank if I could talk to him alone and then he can talk to her. If he says no, I'd find a different psych. Any I have ever dealt with made a point to talk to each of us alone.

Good luck! The tweens were a nightmare for us here.

[amom2two]

My dd (10) is on Kapvay. We have been on it 3 weeks and are up to 1 am and 1 pm dose. Tomorrow evening we increase the evening dose and then the morning dose next week bringing her up to 2 am and 2 pm.

So far, I am not happy with this medicine. She seems angry, uncooperative, mouthy, and mean. No improvement yet in focus or organization or getting her classwork done. In fact, this medicine may have put the school over the edge with her refusal to do her school work and now talking back and saying I'm not doing anything and you can't make me. She is not welcomed back at this private Catholic school next year. She has been here since K and is in 5th grade.

Staying with the program but not feeling hopeful about this. Intuniv did not work well either. Did nothing for focus and impulsively and made her gain allot of weight. The only stimulant she could handle was the Vyvanse but that caused her heart problems.

Hope this is working for your child.