ADHD Relief!

For YEARS, I was that mom who said I would never medicate my child, unless it was for something I had no control over medically. I kept repeating my belief to myself over and over...While my daughter's pediatrician listed of possible medications to treat her ADHD.

“NO!” I thought...”I'm not going to do it!”

We have had a lot of experience with ADHD medications, but not a lot of luck when dealing with my oldest son...So I was very hesitant to begin the process all over again.

But as I sat in the exam room, with my bouncing-around-the-room 9 year old, watching her hang upside down from the swivel chair...I thought, “What the heck?” and decided to accept the prescription for Ritalin.

Rachel has a lot more going on than just ADHD. She also has Neurofibromatosis and Sensory Integration Disorder. Both of which are highly complicated and difficult to manage.

I filled the new prescription and planned on starting Rachel the next morning. She and I talked about how to swallow the small pills and even practiced with tic tacs....She was just as excited as I was--

But that didn't last long-

At first I was thinking it was Rachel's stubbornness not allowing her to swallow the pills...after day 1, 2 and then 3, I realized that swallowing her pill, was not going to happen.

A call to Rachel's Doctor and a quick change to capsules (so I could sprinkle the pills into applesauce or pudding) was surely going to be the answer. But that didn't work either....Rachel Hyper sensitivity to taste and texture had her gagging and throwing up her pills.

It even got to the point where Rachel would stop eating her food, because she was afraid I had “hidden” her pill. I was ready to give up...And Rachel was too!

Then our doctor called with another possible solution. A patch. Worn for 8-9 hours a day and removed at night—No pills, No Gagging!

I was in! Rachel was excited too! I filled the prescription right away, and brought home a box of patches, and showed Rachel where it would go and how it felt.

We have been on the patch for a couple weeks now, and while I do not notice a huge difference, there are minor changes that we see.

Sometimes it takes some “gagging”, to get the right answers, or the right kind of care. I know for me and my family, we have done A LOT of trial and error when it comes to our health. We have even “fired” some of the doctors we have gone to, who just don't understand the needs we have.

The point is...To keep going until you get the answers you are comfortable with...To be heard, to be understood...And to Never Give Up!

Thrive On!

Rachel showing off the patch on her hip :)