Intuniv Er And Sleepy (Top voted first)

Hello there,
My son has been on Intuniv ER 1mg for four days. The Dr says give it time, but how much time he didnt say. My son takes it at 8am, and at 2pm each day he is tired. after a nap, still tired for the rest of the day. Anyone know how long this might last?
Thanks

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To Always Optomistic and others that must deal with an ADHD child-My oldest son has just started on Intuniv, after physical problems with other medications. I have read your comments for him, but seeing the difficulty people have experienced, I wanted to discuss my second son's individual experience with ADHD. He is now 22 years old, and was diagnosed with ADHD at 6 1/2 (I knew at 3 1/2). He has a brother 18 months older and a sister 18 months younger. I went through the behavioral problems, his problems with siblings and others, and the things you have all mentioned. We tried various medications until we got it just right (and medication for anxiety depression for awhile). I also took him to a wonderful child psychologist that helped him deal with the difficulties of life with ADHD and OCD, even anxiety over having no friends (the counselor also talked to me each time, helping me cope). I would just like to encourage you to go the distance, discipline firmly and consistently, explain the reasons for your actions, go to support groups, and remain as patient as possible (difficult to do!). My son Jeff is now a junior in collge. He became disciplined, with help from the medication(s), and has the highest scholarship his university offers. He was not only a distinguished scholar, he was a distinguished service scholar in high school. He still takes non-stimulant medication with a small dose of stimulant to get him through evenings of studying. He still has to study longer to compensate for focus issues. He still has issues to deal with (don't we all?), but I couldn't be more proud of him. He is still on the combative side, although his faith causes him to apologize for this, but he is strong and will always help a friend in trouble (he has many friends). More than one person has told me that he is probably the most wonderful young man they have ever met, including their own! I know how difficult it is to raise a child with ADHD and other complications, so take heart, and remember that the values you teach them and the consistency in applying those values, will always be the most important factors in your child's development. I am amazed that he actually remembered these things, (although he does not remember me teaching them to him, of course), and has applied them in his life as a young adult. There is hope!

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First off, having a hyper child is one thing....having a child who does not know how to "brake" is another. Having no impulse control is not a parenting issue, it is not a society/environment issue, it is a frontal lobe deficiency. When you can teach and teach and teach and guide and guide and guide and your 8 year old still runs after the ball into the street not realizing what he/she is doing because all they see is the ball and their brain doesn't know how to tell them to stop, you would and will do anything you can to try to help them. This is a SAFETY issue, not a "I don't want to play with my kids" issue. I am sure there are some who abuse this diagnosis just as there are those that try to abuse any situation, but to blanket and assume all are like this is not only narrow minded it is ignorant. Please, for the sake of those who have children in need of help, educate yourself before throwing out comments that truly are based on nothing.

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@twinmommyvermont
I am so happy to read your post because that is exactly how I feel. I was someone who thought ADHD is overprescribed and is probably more a reflection of bad parenting. I thought I would never put a child on meds. I was wrong. My child has been kicked out of preschool and camp in the last four months. He is out of control. We have tried everything we can do as parents - consistency, change of diet, firm consequences, lots of exercise...etc. The fact is that my son's wiring is off in his brain. He has enormous trouble with impulse control and it is DANGEROUS. He has SPD (sensory seeking) and most likely serious anxiety issues. Although he has been spinning out of control for almost a year now, I have known from the time he was a toddler that there were problems; I just didn't want to admit it and figured that I could solve it with good parenting. His behavior has made living in our house miserable and it has negatively affected my son, who thinks he is a bad kid and has no control as well as his siblings who can't stand to be around him most of the time. He is only 5! We started him on Intuniv 2 days ago and although I am worried about the drowsiness, it is so beautiful to see his sweetness come out and that he isn't kicking, screaming, hitting, and spitting at everyone when he is angry. It breaks my heart to think that he can't help it. We have punished him so much in the effort to be consistent with our rules, boundaries and consequences. Nothing has worked. This isn't "a more liberal society" problem or a "dual working parent" problem or any other of those ideas that sound good to say because it is easier to swallow than the truth; some kids have real, serious problems. THeir brains do not process the same way as other kids. As my doctor said, when a child feels so much anxiety and so out of control and you don't medicate as a way to help him, he has more chance of growing up and self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. Kids do not want to feel out of control, or different, or "bad". Don't blame the parents. Most of us are doing everything we can with love and broken hearts to help our children.

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Confused,
No, the point is to help these kids gain some self control. They arent happy when they are constantly in trouble. With many medications there is an adjustment period, when I wrote my original question, thats what we were dealing with. Once our son got through that period, all is well. As time goes by he is learning more and more how to control himself. It has helped his agression in a HUGE way. He is still himself, very active, even on the hyper side, but is now managable. Attention is still an issue, but we are working on that, and he is improving. Before the Intunive, we were getting nowhere. Im sure intuniv isnt for every child, but in our case its working very well.

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I just started my son (who is 12yrs old) on 1mg a.m. and 1mg around 2:30pm. Believe me, I am no advocate of any medications and have great concern over the drugging up of our society. With that being said, I will say that I have tried every other option known..counseling, talking, punishing, etc. I am very close to my son and he is a very loving and empathetic kid. But he has no self control and his impulsivity was greatly interfering with our household as well as his happiness. This is a child who was always happy, a real clown. Your typical kid, but over the last few years, his lack of control really started to come to the forefront. The word no was just acceptable to him. I have a younger child as well and she was starting to really feel the effects of his behavior. He has major anxiety and self induced stress (as alot of kids his age go thru), but this is just extreme. I've been told that this medication will help with his impulsivity - instant rage at being told no, hitting walls because he didn't get to do what he wanted, raising his voice in disrespect. It is also supposed to assist in helping him be able to focus and become more organized. He does not have ADHD, but he is preoccupied with the fact that he knows he is out of control. I will post to this site in a month or two with an update as to the effects of the med. It does take a good month for any medication to really get into your system and adjust accordingly. I am hopeful. Most kids will most likely not be on this medication forever,as with alot of meds, this is supposed to be a temporary measure in order to assist in teaching children to become aware of their impulses, triggers to outbursts, focus and concentration,etc. I will be very observant about this medication and any potential effects it will have on my son. Good luck to all you other parents who may be in similar situations with your children. At least you are doing what you feel is best for your child. I work in a field where I see adults who didn't get the help they required much earlier in life and now they are seeking Social Security benefits because they simply cannot cope and did not obtain any life coping skills. Some kids just need a little more assistance than others. If they grow up to be productive, responsible and happy individuals, then I know I did the right thing.

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I just wanted to update. After 2 months on Intuniv, everything is GREAT! I cannot explain enough how much I love this med. It has completely changed my relationship with my daughter. Instead of the difficult, frustrated, obstinate, angry, moody child I had before, I now have a pleasant, happy, cheerful child. Rarely does she melt down now. Rarely does she argue or throw fits. It has even improved her Sensory Processing Order dramatically. She actually put on jeans of her own choice the other day for the first time in 2 years! I am now enjoying the child that only a few months ago I wasn't sure I could live with. YAY for Intuniv! (Just a note: this hasn't made my child an angel. She still has issues, just like any other child. She still has moments of anger, sadness, etc., but they are more normal now. She is more rational in the midst of her hard moments and can be talked down from the edge much more easily. Dont' expect a miracle, just a major improvement).

On the drowsiness front, it took a while to get that in check. I'd say about 2 weeks. My daughter only takes 1mg. When we went up to 2mg, she became a zombie and couldn't function. But back on 1mg, she is alert, social, happy and not tired at all. BUT we also had to experiment with WHEN to give it to her. The doctor recommended at night, but after 2-3 nights of good sleep, she began being restless for long periods at night. So we tried giving it in the morning, but that made her sleepy all afternoon. Finally, we tried giving it at 4pm. For her, that is optimal. She gets sleepy right about bedtime, but she doesn't get the wakeful fits. By morning she is alert again and doesn't experience any sleepiness during the day. So if you're still struggling with sleepiness after a week or two, try a late afternoon dosage. It was perfect for us. (Bedtime at 8:30pm).

I also will say this about Intuniv: It hasn't seemed to affect my daughter's attentiveness and focus much. I know that is the main feature of ADHD people are looking for help with. But for us, her ODD was a much bigger issue. And the ODD seems to be almost completely gone now. She still is pretty spacey at school, still struggles with staying on task. BUT, she is so much more pleasant and easy to manage that her teachers are much more willing to help her and work with her than when she was demanding, argumentative, and hysterical. So for me, this is a super product!

(p.s. Side effects? Not many. She's more talkative. WAY chatty in fact. And she may or may not have had a bout of restless leg syndrome related to this med. But aside from the sleepiness with the higher dosage, I haven't found any side effects I can't live with. No appetite issues, no negative behaviors...it's great!)

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I get your point, Kim. And I do think you're right--ADHD medication is probably overprescribed. But please don't forget that children (and adults) who truly have ADD/ADHD do no have the same chemicals in their brain as the rest of us. While caffeine and stimulants would make most normal children and adults hyper, it actually calms the brain of an ADHD person because of the chemicals their brains are lacking. So it doesn't surprise me that the insert of Intuniv used to say that it would cause hyperactivty and now it's used to treat hyperactivity--that's exactly how most ADHD meds work, kind of counter-intuitively to normal people's brains/bodies.

ADD/ADHD isn't a made up diagnosis. Although there are probably plenty of kids out there who are just naughty or poorly disciplined and are diagnosed with it, lots of kids and adults really, truly have a chemical unbalance in their brains that causes them to have impulse control problems, difficulty focusing, poor memory, and learning difficulties. My own mother, age 69, was only diagnosed with ADHD in her late 50's after a whole life of not being able to focus, stay on task, remember anything, behave appropriately, read social cues, etc. She isn't a poorly managed little kid. She's a very intelligent, grown adult with a masters degree and two bachelors degrees who STILL struggles with all the characteristics of ADHD and literally cannot function without her meds. With them, she can manage, although she will never be "normal" as long as she lives. Her ADD is REAL. And thank heavens that the meds exist to allow her to have some quality of life!

So while I get your point, getting an a forum for parents who are struggling to find some way to help their kids learn and behave and telling them that it's all in their head, that they're bad parents, that ADHD doesn't exist, or that meds are wrong (which I know you didn't say directly, but did imply) is probably not the right way to express your thoughts that ADHD meds are problematic. Yes, they are. There isn't a med invented yet that doesn't have some kind of side effect. But as a parent of a child whose life is much harder because of her ADD, I"m willing to try a new med to see if it can help. It has helped. Intuniv has completely revolutionized our relationship. I thank God every day for that miracle. And I pray for other parents who are still looking for an answer.

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Have you tried giving it to him at night instead of in the morning? That's how my doctor prescribed it.

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You obviously have no idea what you are talking about, and have never had to raise a child with a disability. Mind your own business.

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Shawna,
My son was the same way, super tired, then right back to being agressive. The Dr. put him on 2mg. we went through the tired stge again, then although he is still way full of energy, he has not been so agressive. It has helped him a lot in pre school, he has not hurt any other kids. We still have issues with him having problems following directions, but we are working on those issues. I am just thankful that the intuniv has helped him to gain a little self control when it comes to being agressive, especially toward other kids.

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Hi, my 8 yr old son has been taking Intunic-1 mg for almost 3 weeks. He was too tired when it was administered in the a.m. so the doctor had us switch to bed time. He seems much better. His teacher is noticing some good results as well.

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Intuniv ER contains the active ingredient Guanfacine, it is used to lower blood pressure and treat ADHD.

Drowsiness and fatigue are normal side effects, they should taper off as his body gets used to the medication, this could take from 2 weeks to a month.

If it gets worse or does not improve, then make sure to speak to your doctor, again.

Other side effects can include: headache, constipation and loss of appetite.

You can read more on the medication itself here:

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Intuniv/­

Is there anything else I can help you with?

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ANY NEW MED THAT YOU TRY WILL TAKE A GOOD 3 TO 4 WEEKS TO GET IN TO YOU SYSTEM. IF SYMPTOMS CONTINUE I WOULD CONTACT YOUR CHILDS DOCTOR. SOMETIMES WITH ADHD MED ITS TRIAL AND ERRIOR TILL YOU FIND THE RIGHT ONE THAT WORKS FOR YOU CHILDS NEEDS.

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@marjorie and @twinmoomyvermont

You twp could not have said it better. I won't repeat it all because I don't think I would be adding anything new. :/ I am on this site reading these tonight because my 5 year old started intuniv 2 days ago as well and has been so sleepy. We give it in the morning but I may try at night if this doesn't wear off. But I have to admit as well..he was so sweet and just calm. I was so relieved after 2 stimulant meds completely changed in the worst way (more aggressive, moody, angy, emotional etc) I am praying the sleepiness wears off and we can stick with this and therapy. Thank you both for your supportive words, so many people have a gross misconception of what were dealing with. Strangers are one thing but friends and family can really say some stupid things. :/ I wish the best of luck to everyone dealing with this. My heart goes out to all of us!

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Thank you so much for your encouragement! Although I know somewhere in my heart that my ADD daughter will probably turn out fine, right now (age 7) it is just HARD. We struggle a lot with her, she and i butt heads. Sometimes I want to put her out on the doorstep and lock the door! But I love her an want the best for her, despite how difficult she can be. I'm grateful for your perspective and the optimistic, positive comments you've shared. I'm going to keep on trying!!

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My son is 5 and his dose was just increased to the 2mg after one month on the 1mg. The intuniv has helped. My husband and i were always against giving our kids any meds pertaining to adhd but when my son started this school year he was out of control in the first two weeks. My heart was bleeding for him because i could feel that other kids were going to alienate him and his behaviour. I've seen kids on stimulant meds and i had no desire to stifle my sons personality so we decided to try intuniv because it's a non-stimulant. Literally, i tried everything before we came to this point, even a sleep study in which we found out he had sleep apnea and we had his tonsils and adenoids removed. Even on the intuniv, he doesn't sleep much. Most days he's awake when i get up to leave for work at 3:30am!!! Dressed, on the couch, watching cartoons. I get so exhausted and stressed out because of his behaviour and he is soooo smart but I get constant calls from the teacher or the principle. I think he may be ODD as well, but i really am working with just the intuniv right now. He's not as defiant or aggressive on the intuniv and he can actually focus when I'm talking to him but he has his moments. Just my experience.

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Hi - Columbia university has just published an interesting paper on ADHD. It seems it isn't just a behavioral issue. The ADHD sufferers brains are in fact wired differently and respond differently to those considered "normal". So it's not something that a kid can control. I too advocate that my son gets enough exercise to be happy and healthy - swimming, running, climbing, jumping, TKD, gymnastics - being a kid! and balance that with his love for video games. People who don't have ADHD kids judge. We need to help them realise that it isn't poor parenting or easy choices but that the kids have real problems of no-one elses making - not even their own. It's just who they are and they're not being bad. Good luck!!

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That was extremely well said. I would give anything to have found a way to help my child without meds, but nothing worked. Yes, he is only 5, but his brain is wired differently, and we have known this for years. After he was kicked out of preschool and kicked out of camp for impulse control troubles and for being completely unable to sit still, it was obvious we had to try medication. His self esteem was being negatively affected because he knew he was unable to control himself. He started calling himself a "bad kid". Heartbreaking. We still have our difficulties, but at least Intuniv has made it a bit more manageable.

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You really want to know? All of her degrees and child rearing were before meds. Before she even knew why it was that she did terribly in school growing up and had no friends. One of the characteristics of ADD is the ability to hyperfocus on things that interest the person and to be completely unaware of eveything else. I guess she found her college/post graduate classes interesting enough to succeed in them, while she utterly failed at elemenary and high school. And as for raising her family, she completely ignored her children, as that was not interesting to her. Sad, but true. We raised ourselves while she flitted from fun project to fun project... But seeing her life has given me SOOO much perspective and insight in now raising a child who is exactly like she was. So there are mixed blessings in there. And that means trying new medications once in a while and giving them a shot at helping her brain compensate for its physiological problems.

I'm sorry about your son. I know there are people like him who are misdiagnosed and for whom medication is a problem not a help. Good luck to you in that.

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It gets better. My son was on 1 mg for 1 week, 2 mg for the next week and 3 mg for the next week. He gets really tired sometimes - especially when we up the dosage. He just went back down to 2 mg (this is the fourth week) and the sleepiness has gotten much better. His ADHD (Hyperactivity/impulse control) was so extreme. He can now sit still and his behavior is manageable. I am still uncomfortable with him being on meds (he is 5) but he was totally out of control and getting worse. This is helping, and he still has his spark

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