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Ask the ADD Medical Expert:
Larry Silver, M.D.
Are Drug Holidays Safe?
Q:
"My son feels sick and gets headaches whenever he takes a one- or two-day "drug holiday" from his ADHD stimulant medication. Could this be the stimulant rebound effect I've been hearing about?"
A:
"Rebound" is a term used to describe the state of extreme irritability or anger that some children experience about an hour after their last dose of ADHD medication wears off.
Rebound generally does not cause headaches or a sick feeling, so I doubt that this explains your son's situation.
Ask your doctor about keeping your child off the medication for a week. If the headaches continue and/or he feels sick on a daily basis, these problems are probably not caused by the medication, and your doctor needs to look for another reason. If the headaches go away during the extended drug holiday, ask your doctor about decreasing his dosage or switching to a new medication.
 4 Comments:
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Posted by
bethpt
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Feb 11 2009 @ 12:03 PM
drug holilday headaches
I must say, for my 14 year-old, who has taken stimulants since 1st grade: Concerta, Adderall XR, and now Vyvanse; when he's off the meds, the first day he has more energy, personality and increased appetite. It's the first day he's back ON the medicine, after a break of some kind, where he gets a bad headache and seems sullen and his affect is flatter. By the second day back on the meds, he is okay again. It has ALWAYS been like this.
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Posted by
Patti J.
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Mar 13 2008 @ 8:53 AM
'drug holiday'
1st and foremost, does your child drink fluids, and eat when off the meds? My son eats and drinks like a horse when off his meds. He hasn't complained about headaches or tiredness. Actually, he is usually more energized when he forgets, that's how I know he didn't take them. I personally would question Dr. about side effects; doesn't seem right. Oh yeah, and I usually don't do actual 'drug vacations' because it causes more problems than not and my pediatrician is aware of why.
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Posted by
Jackie
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Oct 19 2007 @ 3:27 AM
drug holiday
This answer is completely false. When I forget to take my medication for ONE DAY (I've tried Adderall and Adderall XR), I feel "hungover," moored to my bed. I can sleep for 20 hours at a time, I get severe headaches, etc. -- along with the 'extreme irritability.' Please do not understate the side effects of these drugs.
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Posted by
tammy stafford
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Sep 4 2007 @ 2:16 PM
one or two day "drug holiday"
i beg to differ on the answer that was given on this question...my son has the same things of feeling sick and gets headaches when he does not have his medicine a couple of days. it wasn't done on purpose just that my husband would "forget" to give our son his medicine during the summer after i had gone to work. it didn't dawn on me at first then one other time the same thing happened (of course he was sick the whole time we went to see the space shuttle take off) and once i got him back into a routine of every morning before i go to work i would wake him up and give him his medicine and he has no more episodes of it.
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