Comments on: More Resources on Problems With the Daytrana ADHD Patch

By: Julie

Julie — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:38:06 +0000

I am cracking up reading your response. We started the patch yesterday and I am already DONE with it. I totally agree with you on all of the issues. My daughter was on Concerta and doing great except for a MAJOR sleeping issue. Well, guess what? We were up until midnight again last night. I removed it at 5:30. Paid $60.00 copay for a worthless med. I guess that tomorrow, I’ll also get up at 5am so I can get the med in her system before school starts. What the heck? Who thinks this is a good idea? I put her patch on 3 1/2 hours ago and it is just now STARTING to work.I’ll be calling the pediatrician tomorrow. I can’t do this.

By: samantha

samantha — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:11:49 +0000

Wow, i live by the patch with my son. jacklyn did you ever think maybe your son has a secondary condition that you can see clearer since its not clouded by the adhd? They say MOST kids/people develop a secondary mental illness with ADHD. My son has ADHD, ODD & a mood disorder. All of the things you described your son was doing is exactly what my son does w/o any meds. Also your frustration doesnt help matters, maybe the patch isnt for you or your son. i have had the same problems from time to time but deal with them becuz the meds work for my son. he too was being suspended in kindergarten being threaten to be expelled. there is help in the school district for that laws to help with school. he CAN have an aide, its the law, try to get a 504 plan or an IEP to accomadate that. you have to be in it for the LONG haul, fight for your son or it gets no better. Now you have help with your husband at least i hope you do. i am a SINGLE parent dealing with my son & his issues along with 2 other children. you have to be patient, find the right meds for your son & fight fight for your sons rights even if it frustrates you, which it will but the end result will be joyful. Hang in there and need to change the additude and negativity or nothing will work.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:39:37 +0000

I am so sorry that you have had such a bad experience with this patch. I don’t know how old your son is or his weight and how that may be affecting his reactions to the medicine. I have not had any of the side effects that you spoke of and my son has been on it last school year and so far this school year and still has not had any issues with it. I hope you can find something that works.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:37:29 +0000

I feel the exact same way, my son is in 4th grade and started his patch last school year and things did a 180 and he is doing so well in school now. He can focus on his work and be able to show how smart he actually is.

By: Marian

Marian — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:00:42 +0000

An update. My son started the patch at the beginning of August, school started at the end of August. He had his ineterim report card last week and had mostly A’s and 2 B’s in reading and spelling! On top of that, the teachers are very happy with him. “he is one fire” said his math and science teacher (5th grade). He raises his hand to answer any question I ask. He is also excelling in his football team. Normally he would play well 50% of the time, the other 50% would be like he was watching the game not participating. A few weeks ago he was crying. When I asked what was wrong he told me he had so much homework, he felt overwhelmed. we talked for 10 minutes and then he started his homework. This was so great! No hysterics, no over reactions, a real conversation! And he handled it so well. 5th grade is a bad year for homework in our school. But he dealt with his feelings and emotions in a rational, normal way. I just wanted to share, partly because it is such a relief after years of him struggling, being upset, and my heart breaking.

By: Marian

Marian — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:54:00 +0000

When something that seems so promising doesn’t work for you it is beyond frustrating and upsetting, even more so when you pay out of pocket for it. I have the same type of feelings for all the other meds we have tried for my son! All the tears and money we spent. For us this patch is a wonder patch..why? Because it works…for my son! You will find something that will work for you too. It is a long and frustrating process. Also with growing children something that works great suddenly stops working and then you are back to square one. I personally HATEd the birth control patch just for the reason you mentioned you liked it (having to stay on for a week). It caused me pain and aggrevation. On top of that I had a period every 2 weeks. So for me that didn’t work. I hope you will find something soon that will work for your son. I also hope soon that medications and health care costs will become affordable for all people, one way or another. There are way too many people in your situation and way too many one lay-off away from that (like myself).

By: Marian

Marian — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:48:34 +0000

Wow! What a week you have had! I realy believe that all kids react differently to any medicine they get. Especially with ADHD it is a non-stop puzzle from year to year for me with my son. They are growing and changing all the time. Something that works now will not 6 months later, something that works great on his buddy does not at all on him. The emotional outburst you described was something we had to deal with with my son when he wasn’t taking any medications. I always called them PMS moments for lack of a better descriptive word as he would react unreasonably, often physically wit hhis brothers, and he would know it but be unable to control it (hence the PMS label from me). On the patch he does not have these outbursts at all. So totally the opposite. When he has forgotten the patch I can always tell right away because of his moods returning. I hope you find what will work for your son so that for a while you can have some calm return to your home. But everything will be trial and error, at least I feel that way. Good luck and I am sorry this was such a bad experience for your son!

By: Jacklyn

Jacklyn — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:01:56 +0000

CONTINUED: FROM BELOW:
5. now that I have treated the rash, got the sticky stuff off his hips and managed to get through a few days of 5am battles with the patch and about $60.00 in the septic we can move on to the effects.
6. Day 4 on the wonder patch: As I am now starting to loose my hair to the point of baldness due to the need to rip it out of my head with frustration. (not really pulling my hair out but feel like I need to) I am now sleep deprived and doing the same routine to add and remove the patch, my son decides that its time to have several screaming I HATE YOU, temper tantrums. Decides, for the first time, he HATES his brother and it was time to beat him up! (humm he has never done that before) So as I for the 3rd time today separate my boys from each other so as to not have to add a trip to the ER to my hectic life. Thinking why the hell did my mom decide that my sons needed the original solid metal Tonka truck when the plastic one could be used as a weapon and been less dangerous. I now have my new 6 yr old on the wonder patch in my room trying to calm him down and explain that he doesn’t really hate his brother and that hitting him with the truck wasn’t going to help, he proceeds to have an uncontrollable crying fit at which I was able to make out “you aren’t listening to me, or, you never listen to me.” I at this point have to just walk out of the room and let this just run it’s coarse. After he has calmed down I promptly remove the patch and with in 3 hrs, my son is back to his normal ADHD self.
On Monday I call the Dr., now rested tell her the issues and send the rest of the wonder patches to the lady of septic and take the next step in the long haul of medicine cocktails to calm the ADHD storm.
I find it funny that of all the reading I did on this wonder patch, I do not ever recall reading about any of the the emotional side effects I was so blessed to deal with. Maybe, just maybe this company has missed something….

By: Jacklyn

Jacklyn — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:31:03 +0000

Hi, I started my son on this patch after the Dr. prescribed it. He is 6 and just recently was diagnosed as ADHD. He is extremely ADHD and it effects every aspect of his life. He cannot even sit through dinner or a movie he enjoys. The constant redirection he needs has caused problems every where, including parents not allowing him to play with their children. After 1 yr in school I had received ph calls daily from the school about his behavior problems. The school went as far as to threaten to expel him in kindergarten! He is not aggressive just always on the go and touching things. So here are my issues with this supposed wonder patch:1. the adhesive is impossible, even after trying all the tricks suggested I was still tossing ripped ones in the toilet. Why not use the same concept as (Orthroevert (sp) a patch prescribed for birth controll) with the same idea but worn weekly can be easily removed and stay on through daily actives and showering? What is the point of making the adhesive so not user friendly?
2. As with many Americans my company shutdown and I no longer have health insurance, and my husbands work does not offer it. (we do not qualify for state insurance) So i am left paying out of pocket for this monthly prescription. After using the free 30day certificate from the manufactures web site i was informed that the cost was almost $300.00! Have you lost your mind! Or is it that this company is so greedy that it needs to milk the money from families who not only are dealing with a child who needs extra attention but while your at it why not add to the stress of trying to come up with the money to get the needed medication. Does it really cost that much to make a 30 day supply. Oh and lets not forget to point out for a second time, the adhesive issues and how many $10.00 bills I flushed down the toilet literally.
3. The simple fact that the absorption into the skin takes to long for an average family’s lifestyle. Getting up at 5a.m. to put the patch on so that it will be working in time for school isn’t my idea of helpful.
4.Well now that after 4 tries I have managed to get a patch to come off correctly, and he has made it through his day at school, as I am still in zombie mode from my 5am wake up. It is time to remove the patch. OH LOOK! the adhesive has decided it wasn’t going to come off! So I now get to yet again try all the useful tips I have read to remove the cotton edged adhesive square on my child’s hip. So I begin the picking, rubbing, scrubbing with this that and the other all the while wondering where I put the orange scented GOOEGONE. After a good 30min of this and listening to a complaining 6 yr old it is off. He now has a square red mark at witch I kiss and have spongebob hide in hopes to make my son smile. 5. Connect the dots time, Its a rash! Bagbalm, neosporn, chapstick, benadril cream, and more spongebob! Wow looks like companies are making some money off of me! Crap! im running out of space so ill continue later.

By: Theresa

Theresa — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:40:49 +0000

My grandson (age7) is doing well in school since starting on the patch. There is one BIG problem. He gets raised red ,almost blisters from the patch. My daughter moves it to a different area everyday but he is still so sore! The Dr. had recommended that she wash the area good after removing the patch and apply neosporin. It helps with the terrible itching but his legs are both so sore. It almost looks like a burn. I don’t know if the patch is worth all that.