mealtime battles worse since starting meds

[Cathy]

Hi-
My DS is only eating 1/2 a slice of toast for breakfast and just had 5 spoonfuls of mac n cheese for lunch and 2 2 inch chunks of watermellon. How can this possibly be healthy for him. He is 8 and weighs 44 pounds.

He has always been a picky eater but since meds its much worse.

Tonight I can predict he'll eat maybe 1 slice of pizza and then a dish of ice cream right before bed.

Remember I am the Mom who believes meds should be a last resort and am trying this against all I beleive in but I am giving it a try. Can anybody here talk me down and tell me this is ok?

Thanks!
Cathy

[m(or)]

I think PHUD has mentioned this as being a problem with her ds too. I believe she also said that it got better after a few weeks. I've also heard that adjusting the time you take the meds around meal times helps too.

[PebbleRock]

I have my dd eat breakfast first before giving her meds. That seems to help. She ususally eats a hearty breakfast, fruit for lunch and then dinner/snack. She is now 9 and 47 pounds..

[chicadee1245]

I hate to be a *Debbie Downer* but McKenna was such a good eater before the Adderall and Risperdol that I was so alarmed with her non-eating that along with her doctor's consent have weaned her off..Two seperate times..Once for the Adderall and then we tried the Risperdol~same scenario~

One of my main reasonings was that as she is severely delayed across the board and eating heartily was something she enjoyed and when she couldn't it just broke my heart.

[Phud]

I don't think you should have to accept a 'trade off' of lack of eating and severe weight loss for meds to work. This is something to discuss with your doctor for sure. It took about a month for the meds to stop affecting Connor's appetite when he was on Strattera. With Adderall, he goes through phases where he's eating normally and some weeks where he barely eats anything and I really have to prioritize his food intake.

If he's not hungry for breakfast, it may be that the dose is too high. Meds that are not XR should last an average of 8 hours. Some wear off more quickly. I had a friend whose son took plain old Ritalin twice a day because the XR tabs were too much for him and he couldn't sleep at night. She said the meds lasted about 4 hours, so he had to take a lunch-time dosage. So there are options and changes that can be made to help in this situation.

Hon...there isn't anyone here who doesn't sympathise with the frustration of finding the right meds and the right dose. I promise! Whatever you decide is the right track for you and your son, you have our support. The meds path is hard for a number of reasons, and not only because you might be opposed to it for whatever reason. It is hard because sometimes you have to try different types of meds and doses to find the one that works best for your son. And there is an added frustration that it seems like your child is being used as a guinea pig! The big issue is that doctor's just cannot predict how all kids will react on these meds. Some kids, like my son, have rare reactions to the meds that no one could predict, which is why keeping communications open with your doctor is so important. We will absolutely do what we can to talk you down, but definitely keep in touch with your doctor about your concerns.

My son's developmental pediatrician recommends that we give Connor med-free weekends and med-free summer. He does eat more on the weekends than he does during the week. Noticeably more. So I know his meds affect his appetite during school hours. I make sure he's got a protein for breakfast and something he'll eat (like pancakes) and if he doesn't eat his lunch, he will eat a snack when he gets home. Timing on these days between snack and dinner tho is key...if I serve it too soon, he won't eat it. Ugh. Pain in the bum.

One thing to keep in mind is that if your son has a med-free summer, the chances are good that with some weight gain and changes in his physiology over the next few months, his time on meds next school year might be a lot better.

Let us know what the doctor suggests.

[BC-MAV]

I try to make sure DS has a good breakfast, then I know he eats some snack at school and some lunch but it's not huge, and then when the Focalin has worn off he is hungry as a bear in the afternoon and eats seconds for dinner. We always have dessert and he usually wants something to eat a couple hours later. So DS makes up for it. He is 8 years old and weighs 47 lbs. Hope things get better with your DS appetite.