The ADHD Medication Maze: Our Trial-and-Error Journey (So Far)

Finding the right medication for Rohan has been a long, frustrating adventure, and we’re still on it.

So far, we’ve tried three different medications in multiple forms and dosages, adjusting timing, strength, and short-acting versus long-acting versions. It’s been a delicate balancing act between managing his ADHD symptoms and protecting his physical and emotional health.

Round One: The first medication was an immediate no. It barely helped with his focus, but it completely wrecked his sleep. We’re talking two, maybe three hours of sleep a night, which just isn’t sustainable for anyone, especially a kid. We pulled the plug quickly.

Round Two: Next up was a chewable tablet. I was shocked he tolerated it at all, given his sensory issues, but he did. It helped more than the first option, but not enough. It wore off quickly and he was still struggling to concentrate, still impulsive, still frustrated with himself.

Round Three: This one was a mess. Same medication as before, but we changed the dosage: a larger dose in the morning and a smaller one in the afternoon to extend its effects throughout the school day. That backfired in two major ways:

1. His appetite tanked, and he started losing weight, which is terrifying for a kid with Type 1 diabetes and ARFID who barely weighs 45 pounds to begin with.

2. The high dose in the morning followed by a sharp drop-off in the evening was just too much. The emotional crash was brutal. He had some of the worst tantrums we’ve ever seen, with two of them ending with him running out of the house, completely overwhelmed by his own brain.

We adjusted again. I cut the morning dose in half to match the afternoon dose. That helped. His comedowns weren’t as severe, and the emotional spirals eased a bit.

Round Four: We’re currently trying a long-acting version of that same medication, paired with a nighttime medication meant to help him sleep and stimulate his appetite. The result? His appetite actually got worse. Some days are better than others, but on average, he’s eating twice a day. With all the supplements and vitamins we’re giving him to try to keep him healthy, the weight loss isn’t as drastic as it could be, but it still isn’t good for him.

So… back to the drawing board. Again.

This journey is exhausting. It’s painful to watch your child swing between relief and misery because his brain and body are constantly fighting each other. But we keep going. We keep trying. Because he deserves to feel like himself — calm, clear, capable — and not like a chemistry experiment with a million variables.