Hi Little Ash:

ADHD doctor (and ADDitude contributor) Larry Silver says that “stimulants usually start to work within an hour,” so if your son is taking a stimulant medication his dose may be too low.

Here is more advice from Dr. Silver about adjusting ADHD medication and more from ADDitude on treating children with ADHD medication.

I hope this helps!

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My daughter who is almost 10 just started taking vyvanse today. The school called and said she was falling asleep and not cooperating. Has anyone had this problem and how long before the medicine started working? She was on Focalin XR it worked but would wear off too quickly and she was taking it 3 times a day for a total of 60mg.

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That's what happened to my daughter when she was on a time released med. She had a terrible day at school. She wouldn't even speak to the teacher, she was so angry. Finally late in the afternoon she fell asleep and they just ended up letting her sleep b/c they knew that her meds probably were not right and that there wasn't much else they could do until it wore off. Of course she is only 5 but I took meds when I was little and my mother said that I could never tollerate the time released type either. I have discovered that certain types do not work on certain individuals. It's tough figuring out what works.

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As indicated previously, stimulants can go into effect within about an hour. I just started Concerta (extended release form of Ritalin) and within about 2 hours I actually noticed clarity in my thinking. I did find myself more focused.

I'm a multi-tasker for sure, and normally do something in addition to watching TV or talking on the phone. I've noticed the scores on a computer game I tend to play have changed since starting it. While watching TV (more listening to it) my score was higher on average than it usually would be. While on the phone, because I was paying attention to the person on the other end, my scores were much lower. Just one way of measuring the effectiveness for myself.

It's very interesting to me to see the difference n myself, and I'm wondering if my coworkers are noticing any difference. Maybe its too soon to tell.

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Different medications behave differently. Sometimes a blood level must be reached before benefits are realized or noticed. In the meantime, while waiting for physical evaluations or the results of medication, using focusing tools or aids can be of assistance.

For more information on such focusing tools, please visit www.readingfocuscard.com.

Joan

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If you are taking a stimulant and it is the right medication and dosage for you, you will see the effects the first day. Nonstimulants will take a lot longer, a month or more, before you may see a difference.

I noticed a difference the first day when I took the Vyvanse. And for me, it helped me stay awake during the day. I used to take naps every Sunday afternoon but I don't need to anymore.

Keep in mind that many individuals with ADHD have another disorder as well (such as depression, anxiety, OCD) and if that disorder is not diagnosed or treated, it can interfere with the effectiveness of the ADHD medication. It works in reverse as well. My sister has been treated for years for her depression and had never acheived optimum relief. Once I was diagnosed with the inattentive ADD, my sister and I realized she had it as well. She had to tell her psychiatrist that she suspected she had ADD. (I read that 55% of individuals with treatment-resistant depression had undiagnosed and untreated ADHD and therefore, it is recommended that a clinician who has a patient with treatment-resistant depression should evaluate the patient for the possiblitiy of ADHD.)

Depending on circumstances and the practice of your doctor, medication dosage adjustments for ADHD stimulants are usually made anywhere from a week or two or, up to a month with some doctors, if the medication is not having an effect.

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