RITALIN AND CLONIDINE COMBO USED IN CHILREN W/TICS

[bluebird]

MY SON DEVELOPED TICS THEY TOOK HIM OFF MOST OF HIS MEDS AND WAS TYING TO FIND SOMETHING THAT WORKED AND DID NOT CAUSE THEM. SINCE WE HAVE TAKEN HIM OFF ALL HIS MEDS THE TICS HAVE CONTINUED. DR. SAYS HE FEELS THAT IT COULD BE TS. I GO IN TO THE DR. THURS. TO DISCUSS WHAT TO USE. MY SON HAS TO BE MEDICATED, HIS ADHD AND ODD ARE VERY BAD. WHAT MEDS DO ANY OF YOU USE WITH YOUR KIDS WHO HAVE TICS, DO THEY MAKE THEM WORSE OR CAUSE MORE TO COME OUT. I READ FROM THE NINDS THAT RITALIN AND CLONIDINE HELPED CHILDREN WITH TICS. THAT AT FIRST THE TICS INCREASED BUT AFTER BEING ON IT FOR A WHILE THE TIC SEVERITY ACTUALLY DECREASED.

[AnneM]

Hi Bluebird... I am not going to be a lot of help because I am not familiar with clonodine. I have however always understood that ritalin (or stimulants generally) can increase tics. However, it is interesting that you say this may be temporary and in the "longer-term" it can in fact BENEFIT tics ... I would like to learn more about this ...

Sorry not to be of help but GOOD LUCK with the appointment with the doctor ... Hopefully he can advise you in the RIGHT direction!!

[catseye]

are they motor (movement)tics or vocal tics?

so far we havent found anything for my sd vocal tic, but she had it way before medication, so it is just her, not a side effect in her case...

[bluebird]

HE HAS MOTOR TICS. HE MOVES HIS FINGERS BACK AND FORTH. WE DID PUT HIM ON CLONIDINE AND RITALIN. SO FAR THE TICS HAVE ONLY INCREASED A LITTLE. MOST PEOPLE WILL NOT NOTICE THE INCREASE. I DO HOPE THAT THE STUDY IS RIGHT AND THAT THEY WILL DECREASE IN TIME. I WAS TOLD TO PLAY WITH HIS RITALIN DOSE TO GET THE BEST LEVEL. I GIVE HIM 1/2 A CLONIDINE TAB IN THE MORN AND 5MG OF RITALIN. IT ONLY SEEMS TO LAST ABOUT 2 1/2 TO 3 HOURS THEN IT SEEMS TO WEAR OFF. IS THAT NORMAL FOR RITALIN? HE TOLD ME I COULD INCREASE IT UP TO 15MG PER DOSE. DURING THE TIME I GIVE IT TO HIM HE IS VERY CALM, IF I INCREASE IT WILL IT LAST A LITTLE LONGER UNTIL ITS TIME FOR HIS NEXT DOSE? OR WILL IT JUST SPACE HIM OUT AND STILL ONLY LAST 2 1/2 TO 3 HOURS.

[AnneM]

Hi Again Bluebird ...

Regarding the ritalin wearing off after 2.5/3 hours ... with Ritalin this is not unusual at all ... This was one of the main reasons I didn't like ritalin for my own son and we switched to Concerta which has a much longer working time.

[gabrielsmom]

Hi bluebird:

My son is on Concerta and Clonidine. He developed tics when he was about 6 yrs. old and way before I started him on Concerta. He usually ticked when he was stressed out or anxious about something. They were always transient so we never treated them. However, after being on Concerta for about 6 months or so he started ticking again and this time his neither his doc or myself could figure out why he was ticking. We started him on Clonidine sometime in August and so far his tics have disappeared. We believe that the Concerta may have exacerbated his tendency to tic. Once we started the Clonidine, my son stopped ticking within a week and hasn't ticked since. We have had no side effects from it except that it makes him sleepy so I give it to him at night and also one good side effect has been that he no longer tantrums when he gets frustrated about something. So in effect, the Clonodine has actually raised his tolerance for frustration. I hope that my experience with this has helped you.
Good Luck

[bluebird]

gabrielsmom, my son was put on it and he is now taking 1/2 tab in morn, 1/2 tab at lunch, 1 tab at bed. we noticed that his tics had increased at first when we started the ritalin and clonidine combo. although today we didn't notice the tics as bad. i hope they go away! his behavior has improved greatly with the new combo. it is still a struggle though because the ritalin wears off so fast, we are still working on that. the dr. is talking about putting him on ritalin la. the clonidine has made him a little tired during the day, and puts him to sleep about an hour after he takes his bedtime dose. we are still keeping our fingers crossed and saying our prayers.

[Renee]

bluebird, unfortunately my son developed tics while on his ADHD stimulant meds. Once he was off of everything for several months (5-7) all tics went away and they have never returned. He used clonidine in combo with all the stimulants he tried, so it didn't help tics in his case, However, ritalin was not a med he could be on since the lowest dose gave him shakes. I wonder what it is in the brain chemistry that creates this "ticcing" issue? It doesn't seem to be affected when meds work on other ADHD issues.

[mothercat]

Is it really that common for adhd kids to develop tics?
I have never heard of it .. the more i read the more you all educate me.