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Post by AustinsMom on Dec 11, 2003 8:52:35 GMT -5
For those whose kids also have a LD, have you done any reading about Piracetam? It is a medication available in Europe that facilitates the flow of blood across the corpus callosum, thus improving the link between the two halves of the brain. It is sometimes called a "smart drug". Has alot of research citing improvements in learning for LD and memory for Alzheimers. No reports of side effects. You can actually purchase it online and receive it here in the U.S. Just looking for anyone who has tried it or knows someone who has....
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Post by catatonic on Dec 11, 2003 18:14:21 GMT -5
Hey Austinsmom, I have some info on this buried on my desk, which I will dig out this evening once the munchkins have been removed for the night.
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Post by catatonic on Dec 11, 2003 22:45:19 GMT -5
Piracetam is rather interesting stuff. Although it's derived from GABA, it doesn't act in at all the same way that GABA does. A couple of important things to keep in mind if you use it: it may have an interactive reaction with stimulant medications that increases their effect, so you probably don't want to use piracetam if you're also using meds. Secondly, DMAE appears to increase the beneficial effects of piracetam, so you probably do want to use the two of those together. Choline will also enhance effects. Piracetam also will occasionally have side effects - agitation, nausea, headaches. The biggest side-effect problem of piracetam appears to be hyperactivity. For a general summary (although definitely a marketing-oriented one) see www.ceri.com/noot.htmIt's also apparently spawned an entire cluster of pharmaceuticals that include anti-epileptics, memory and cognition enhancers for degenerative diseases of the elderly, and some forms are used in treatment of alcoholism. It's also used to treat dyslexia. Apparently, it's rather successful at this, and appears to be pretty much non-toxic. There are well over a hundred piracetam studies listed at the following website: www.piracetam.com/Despite the fact that piracetam impacts neurotransmitters -- enhances acetylcholinergic action among other things -- it seems to do so with few of the side effects of meds like SSRI's. Being non-med, we haven't tried this, and I don't recall anyone mentioning using it. On paper, it looks pretty safe and would probably be of benefit if your child's LD is dyslexia or reading comprehension related. Not much help, I know, but maybe someone else reading will have some actual first hand experience with this med. (BTW, paracetam is classified as a "nootropic" which refers to a drug used to enhance memory and cognition. DMAE, lecithin, Omega-3, and 5-HTP are among natural substances classified as nooptropics.) |
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Post by AustinsMom on Dec 11, 2003 23:14:46 GMT -5
My ds does have dyslexia which is a huge struggle if you are attention impaired. I read the stuff at piracetam.com and thought it sounded promising. I ordered some online; it's remarkably easy to obtain. I talked to an M.D. about it. He didn't see how a trial would hurt. My husband took it for a couple of days, mainly to see how it made him feel. He didn't notice anything negative (we were mainly concerned about side affects.)
We tried a low dose with ds for a week. We did notice some excitability, more talkative. But for that week he brought home the best papers he's had all year. The Dr. thought we could use it with the Strattera since it was not a stimulant. Then we had our Strattera crisis and stopped everything except supplements. So we are trying to get stabilized with our supplement routine, but feel it is worth a trial again at a later date.
I guess it is a little incongruous for us to be trying a med again right after we decided to go off meds. But this med struck me since I have thought the corpus callosum is a key to Austin's learning problems. It sounds like it increases blood flow, and is generally pretty inoccuous. Learning is so frustrating for him; we have been working so hard to bolster all of his skills to make him as successful as possible. So will consider anything that seems relatively harmless, but have to see it make a significant impact or it's not worth it. So guess I'll keep it as a possibility for when we are ready for a hard look at its affect on him. Thanks for the info and opinion.
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