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Tourette's & Concerta


Guest ET

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Nearly two years ago we agreed to place my son (who was then 13) on a course of Concerta in order to control ADD symptoms. Learning disabilities were obvious but had never been tested and labeled and the physician felt that more accurate test results would be obtained if the ADD were controlled. Five weeks after beginning Concerta I had a child whose head jerked uncontrollably nearly 32 times per minute every waking hour.

 

Had I researched Concerta like I do every other major life event, I would have been aware that apparently in 1-2% of individuals who have a pre-disposition to tics Ritalin can trigger a full blown case of Tourette's ( my son had a history of minor repetitive behaviors ((snapping fingers, etc.)) which, I might add, was known to the prescribing physician) and would never have agreed to medicate my child. It is also worthwhile to note that there is absolutely NO family history of TS on either side for at least three generations.

 

In the ensuing months the neurologist(s) who were consulted were quick with the prescription pad: Klonopin, Orap, Inversine, etc.; however, we are not willing to risk the potential side effects that accompany the various suggested drugs, doesn't matter how minute the dosage. In the months since initial onset, my son's condition has stabilized to a great degree. It took about ten months but the severe head jerking dissipated and we have experienced some brief (2-3 weeks)intervals of being tic-free. When ticcing does reoccur it tends to be in the form of facial tics. He joined the ranks of Homeschoolers 14 months ago as his peers in parochial school ate him up and spit him out socially. I have found that homeschooled children tend to be much more tolerant (kinder?) toward learning and behavior differences.

 

I have researched a great deal on the Net (how did we ever cope without it?) re: Ritalin and Tourette's. Although information has been sparse, there are studies on both sides of the coin: some claiming that Ritalin can trigger TS symptoms, most studies stating otherwise.

 

Has anyone on this Board had a similiar experience?

 

Also - there is a new drug available for the control of ADD symptoms called Atomoxetine - marketed under the name "Strattera". Apparently it is not a stimulant, instead acting as a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Because it is not a stimulant class drug, how successfully can it be used on a TS individual with ADD?

 

Thanks much for any input.

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Guest Guest_Martha

I work in an elementary school and I can't tell you how many kids I have seen over the years who developed tics after begining a stimulant, usually Ritalin. It's heartbreaking to watch. What is always shocking to me is the way some parents seemed to accept it.

 

If I were you I would find a doctor to help calm the nervous system and start some detox--I think that would be really important even though symptoms have been reduced (thank God!).

 

There has to be a way to help your son. Pulling out the prescription pad, as you say, is not the answer! Your son may be hypersensitive to medications. Have you looked at other causes of ADD--diet, yeast, etc.?Martha

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  • 2 months later...

Just want to add my support to stimulants setting off tics. How doctors can say its just a coincidence that tics start up a week or so after stimulants are begun, it's a joke. No wonder there's so much tourettes these days. (A rare condition? Hardly!) :P One of the hard things seems to be that everyones different. its too bad your child fell into that one to two percent with severe reactions. sure wish you the best.

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  • 9 years later...

I am new to this forum and found this post while doing some of my own research on "Google University". This is exactly the situation we are in right now. My son, also 13 had the very same severe side effects after taking Concerta. I am slowly coming to grips with the situation and doing the best I can to move forward. My son has been off the Concerta for about a month and the tics are still very active. 10 or more severe head jerks per minute. I was wondering if anybody here has anything to add to the long term prognosis of kids who fall in this category? We did take my son to very reputable pediatric neurologist who has since diagnosed him with a chronic tic disorder and prescribed Intuniv. We are in the very early stages so not seeing any decrease as of yet with the tics. We have tried everything to help him, magnesium supplements daily, epsom salt baths, etc. Nothing seems to help. He is physically exhausted by the end of the day and having frequent headaches as result of the tics. I also wanted to add that he was diagnosed with ADHD at around 8 years old, prescribed Focalin and that is when a few very mild tics began. He was off all medications for many years ( a few mild tics still remained from time to time but nothing bothersome or noticeable).

 

I am also new to learning about PANDAS. It may just be coincidence but his 9 year old brother has had strep twice in the last month and had it 8 times last year. We have an appointment with an ENT specialist to discuss having his tonsils removed. I'm not sure if his exposure to strep could have anything to do with the sudden severe onset of his tics.

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  • 3 years later...

Hello everyone,

 

I am new to this site. Recently I have returned to the internet in search of information about Tourette's and ADHD. My son was diagnosed with both when he was 8 years old (2012). We did not put him on any medication at that time fearing the listed side affects. The tics got progressively worse as he got older. They were at their worst when we tried medications for his ADHD (Strattera) when he was 10 year old (2014). We discontinued the ADHD medications and concentrated more on easing his tics. We tried several different medications (including Orap) which did not help. We also tried Nudexta which seemed to help but was a very expensive medication since it was not covered by our insurance ($500 for a 2 week dose). Our Dr. suggested we try an over the counter cough medication (Delsym) since it had the same active ingredient (Dextromethorphan)

as the Nudexta. We started my son on a low dose and slowly increased the dosage to 2.5 mg morning and evening. We noticed my sons tics easing up. He took the Deslym for a year and a half. His tics were nearly gone. My son is now 13 years old and his tics seemed to be well managed so we took him off the Deslym. He's been off the Delsym for about a month and a half.

 

Since the tics seemed under control we decided to address the ADHD issue. We started him on Concerta (18mg). His tics have now seemed to have increased slightly however his focus has improved according to his teachers. We (Dr, Teachers and parents) are all monitoring any changes. We are all hopeful that his tics will not worsen and his focus will continue to improve.

 

I hope this post is helpful.

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