Focalin XR(TM) Approved for Treatment of ADHD in Adults, Adolescents and Children
Main Category: ADHDArticle Date: 13 Jun 2005 - 0:00 PDT
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The FDA has just approved focalin XR(TM), a new long-acting medication for adults, adolescents and children who struggle with attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder also known as ADHD. In adults, adolescents and Children, the core symptoms of adhd are inattention, impulsivity and Hyperactivity. Approximately 50 to 70 percent of children with adhd will Continue to experience symptoms into adulthood.
Doctor Lenard Adler, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Neurology, NYU School of Medicine:
"Ideally when we're looking for effects of ADHD medication, we're looking for a medicine that will start quickly, have effects throughout the day and this is what Focalin XR has been shown to do. When an adult gets their ADHD treated, a variety of things may improve in their life: their work performance may improve, the quality of their relationships may improve, and their ability to get things done may also get better."
For more information about ADHD treatment with Focalin XR, visit http://www.FocalinXR.com.
NOTE TO PRODUCERS: Like most drugs approved for the treatment of ADHD, Focalin XR is contraindicated in patients known to be hypersensitive to the drug or to methylphenidate, in patients with glaucoma, and in patients with motor tics or with a family history or diagnosis of Tourette's syndrome. It is also contraindicated during treatment with monoamine oxidase inhibitors and also within a minimum of 14 days following discontinuation of a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (hypertensive crises may result). In addition, like most drugs approved for the treatment of ADHD, Focalin XR is a schedule II drug and should be given cautiously to patients with a history of drug dependence or alcoholism.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
http://www.multivu.com
http://www.FocalinXR.com
Visit our adhd section for the latest news on this subject.
MLA
14 Feb. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/26022.php>
APA
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/26022.php.
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Visitor Opinions In Chronological Order (257)
My Daughter & Focalin XR
posted by Jenni on 19 Aug 2005 at 8:21 amMy daughter started taking Focalin XR August 13, 2005.
To know more of how I think this has affected her, let me describe her a little before she started taking it. She is almost 6 years old, and if you told her not to do something, immediately, she would do it, almost as if her brain deleted the word "don't" from the sentence. She would sit for 5 minutes and be off and running again. If you asked her a question she got a blank look on her face. If you were trying to keep her in line all day you'd be asleep before she was, just trying to keep up with her. She was loud, wild, and irrepressibly unstoppable.
Her first year of school, kindergarten, was a mixture of irritation, worry, wondering, and frustration for the family and her teachers. Report cards came home, and I just wanted to cry. The teachers & counselors at her school kept pushing us to medicate her. But my husband and I were worried that if we medicated her, we would lose the "spark" in her, that she wouldn't sleep, eat, or be herself. We addressed her school & her pediatrician about this, to no avail.
FINALLY after a whole school year of frustration and part of this summer too, her pediatrician came up with an answer that we were all happy with, including our daughter. He recommended we try Focalin XR when we were at her routine physical for school. The Dr. said we could try her on half a dose to start, because we were worried about over medicating, and told us that Focalin works quickly, lasts long, and didn't have half as many side effects as "regular Ritalin". And it lasted 8-10 hrs, so she wouldn’t be singled out in school to take more medication!
We currently have her on half a dose (5mg), and we immediately saw improvement. She was calmer, didn't "jabber" on and on about nothing, focused better, and to our joy, was no longer asking us "What's wrong with me? Why do I always get into trouble? Why can't I behave, like my sister?" (Her sister is 2 1/2, but easily listens and is further along than our older daughter was at her age. Of course she is the younger one, and picks up on what her older sister does...)
We are still watching our almost 6 year old for anything we might worry about, but she constantly says "I had a good day today! I'm listening better, and I really learned a lot about (insert something here)!!! I think my medicine works!"
And really, as a parent, how can you argue with that?
Happy parents
posted by Candace on 20 Aug 2005 at 7:33 amI just finished reading the article on "Focalin XR..
I then went to read this story on the six year old who "as the world would say out of control"...
When my son was in 4th or 5th grade I had him tested at school and was told he had ADD..
His father would not hear of him taking medication...He was put in the hosptial for two weeks because he was so out of "control" then he went to go live with his father and step mother and they took him off the medication. The sad part is, he is now an adult and has bipor.. and is i total denial..
I am really proud of the fact that both of you were concerned about the welfare of your daugher.. and that her life is so much better.. and that the medication is working for her and that her self-esteem has improved and life for the rest of the family is less stressful
best of luck
My Medication
posted by Ivan G. on 22 Aug 2005 at 9:31 pmI'm a 13 year old boy and I going to start taking this medication today for my ADD condition. Before Focalin, I was taking Aderall XR but today my doctor wants me to try this new one. So, I hope Focalin help me with my ADD. I will let you know if works for me or not.
Focalin=caffiene buzz
posted by Nicki on 31 Aug 2005 at 10:48 pmMy son started taking Focalin xr on 8-16-05. He is almost 10 years old and has tried countless ADHD meds....focalin, strattera,concerta, ritalin, adderrall, metadate and probably some that I'm forgetting. Except for the Stratterra, all of these medicines (As with virtually all ADHD meds.) are psycho-stimulants. Where a psycho-stuimulant would have the affects of speed for someone with out ADD or ADHD, a person with ADHD or ADD is actually calmed by the psycho-stimulant. On focalin xr (10 mg), my son acted as if he had drank 15 cups of coffee that day. He was fidgety and talked non-stop.
He was trying to get so many thoughs out at once, that he was stuttering....or stumbling over his words. At school, the special ed. teacher that he's had since kindergarten, his regular room teacher (3rd grade) and the special ed. director said that they were seeing a different little boy than in years past...and not in a good way.
For the 1st time since kindergarten, they were talking about taking him out of the regular classroom and keeping him only in the special ed. room. (This was just last Friday, 8-26-05) I immediately call my son's specialist and told him what the school wanted to do. My son was taken off the focalin immediately and I was told to put him back on Stratterra. We did have a case conference on Tuesday, where the spec. ed & regular room teacher & the spec. ed. director all reported that the last 2 days (on the Stratterra) were MUCH better. It was decided to keep him in the regular room to see how the Stratterra does.
RE: Focalin=caffeine buzz
posted by Barry on 2 Sep 2005 at 5:58 amAre you confident in your son's diagnosis of ADHD? Could fact that you've cycled through so many different medications, none of which helped aside from the norepherine re-uptake inhibitor (Strattera) suggest that there is something else going on that is causing ADHD-like symptoms?
Stressed
posted by Terri on 2 Sep 2005 at 10:34 pmMy son is almost 8 and was diagnosed with ADHD. We started him on Adderall XR and for the first few days he seems much better. On day 5 & 6 he started having severe withdrawels and went into rages. We called his doc and they took him off the meds and tried a drug called Tenex which calmed him. Alone, it does not work through out the day for him to concentrate and carry on without the aggressive behavior. We were given the RX for Focalin XR and started it today. I will keep you posted. I hope we get positive results as we are all constantly stressed including my son.
Difficulty getting Focalin XR
posted by Ruth on 3 Sep 2005 at 9:49 pmMy pharmacy is having a difficult time getting Focalin XR, has anyone else had this difficulty?
Negative of Stratterra
posted by barb M. on 5 Sep 2005 at 3:12 amMy 15 yr. old tried Stratterra for about 9 months (after using Ritalin and Concerta). After a few months it caused such a terrible condition of acid reflex that he could not eat until mid afternoon and we spent mucho money with doctors and Xrays into the stomach until we realized it was the Stratterra . After stopping the med and going back to Concerta he became healthy once again, though it took about 4 months. so if your child develops acid reflex symptoms, be aware that they could be a side effect of Stratterra. Barb
My Son & Focalin XR
posted by mom_in_austin on 7 Sep 2005 at 9:21 pmMy 6 year old son started on Focalin XR last week. He was diagnosed with ADD (without hyperactivity) last year but we didn't put him on meds until this year. Barely two weeks into 1st grade, his teacher sent a few notes regarding is inability to pay attention and follow directions. She was afraid he would fall behind with school work although academically he is where he needs to be. He would always be looking around instead of paying attention. This red flag made us revisit our pediatric neurologist who suggested we try putting him on 5mg of Focalin XR. He takes one pill every morning on school days.
Since he began taking Focalin XR his teacher has mentioned that he is now paying attention and doing well with following directions. We always knew he was a smart boy but his lack of focus prevented him from showing his full potential. He does not seem to have the side effects of difficulty in sleeping or eating. He may be a little emotional or sensitive when the medication wears off in the afternoon.
I would say that Focalin has helped our son but I also have to stress the importance of having a caring and patient teacher who will raise concerns about a student immediately. Also there is no substitute for a stable, nurturing home environment who will work with the child.
ADHD meds
posted by Nancy on 10 Sep 2005 at 4:04 pmMy 8 year old just switched to Focalin XR. So far, we have not seen a difference between this and Concerta. Hopefully it will be more consistent than the Concerta was. He first started on Strattera last year, but that made him more and more moody. So unlike him normally. The only way to stay on top is to be in constant contact with the teacher with behavior and all. My child does not take the med. on his non-school days unless necessary. He begs me not to take the drugs which makes me sad. Also, somewhat hopeful that he will one day be able to come off of them as he gains more control of his behavior. I saw much improvement in his behavior this summer, but the teacher let me know that he still was having problems focusing in class. He does get his work done and usually does pretty well for the ADHD. The parent-teacher relationship is essential.
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