Our 3-1/2-year-old was out-of-control. He had been kicked out of THREE daycares for explosive behavior. I had to take family leave from my career to stay at home with my emotional disturbed little boy.
My heart was breaking! We finally made the difficult decision to see a pediatric psychiatrist. Maybe this is the help we need. On the day of his appointment, he was running through waiting room in his underwear – just screaming.
The doctor prescribed Tenex to help calm him down. His explanation is that it was the most conservative treatment to begin with.
Our son adjusted well to new medication after a period of adjustment; however, after nearly two years, and with the beginning of all-day Kindergarten last month, the doctor decided it was time to try a stimulant for his ADHD behavior.
I was hesitant to begin giving my 5-year-old little boy a psychotropic medication. However, after a month on the ADHD stimulant, Vyvanse, it appears that he sees the world in a whole new way.
Check out the top photo of Spiderman – brown scribbles is how our little boy colored before.
And then all of a sudden, as if Dorothy opened the door from her home into the colorful land of Oz:
Our son’s mind has now been opened to the world of color. Even monkeys and mice are a RAINBOW OF COLOR!!!
AND…
our son has had twelve days of perfect behavior at school!!!
I am giddy, happy, thrilled with the transformation of my little boy!!!
Vyvanse is a stimulant – amphetamine – so it is highly regulated. Every month, we have to travel to the psychiatrist to pick up a written prescription to be filled within seven days.
The best quality of the Vyvanse: slow time-release – it doesn’t give the feeling of euphoria that other stimulants do so it doesn’t have the same addictive effect.
Noticeable Side Effects (besides a colorful world):
- Our son doesn’t take naps anymore. Good in that there is no more naptime for Kindergarteners; however, sometimes he can get quite grumpy in the late afternoon without a nap. (But when I say: “Oh, it looks like you’re grumpy since you didn’t have a nap” – he straightens up immediately, afraid he will have to take a nap)
- Our son has a severely decreased appetite. He won’t eat breakfast, and will eat only 2 bites of his lunch. He will eat during school snack time (but that’s not enough of the food we want him to eat). He will then eat a late lunch after school but then won’t be hungry for supper. Frustrating!!!
But even given these side effects, we are thrilled with Vyvanse (so far) and the transformation of our little boy!
Disclaimer: This is our personal experience with Vyvanse, and you should not take our experience as advice from a physician. I am not a doctor, and haven’t even played one on TV! I was not compensated for this review because the makers of Vyvanse don’t know we exist, and we paid the out-of-pocket deductible for the prescription Vyvanse ourselves.
