Reviewer: beccyj15, 25-34 Female on Treatment for 1 to 6 months (Caregiver)

Comment:
My 8 yr old daughter was on 5mg for a month & I began to notice she was having hard squinting/blinking tics. I guess I thought it would pass once she got adjusted to the next dose but when she began 10mg it got very, very bad. She also has epilepsy so I was quite concerned. The day I called the Dr. abut it, she changed her immediatly to Intuniv. Praying for the best!

Comment:
My 8 yr old daughter was on 5mg for a month & I began to notice she was having hard squinting/blinking tics. I guess I thought it would pass once she got adjusted to the next dose but when she began 10mg it got very, very bad. She also has epilepsy so I was quite concerned. The day I called the Dr. abut it, she changed her immediatly to Intuniv. Praying for the best!
Hide Full Comment

Reviewer: Max, 35-44 Female on Treatment for less than 1 month (Caregiver)

Comment:
The Psych had put my 11 yr old son on Focalin (15mg). I was afraid so only gave him 1/3 of the capsule the first day; he complained of a mild (2-5) headache throughout the day, but he was happy cause he could focus and complete his work. The next day I gave him 1/2 of the 15mg pill. This caused pressure in his head (8 on a 1-10 scale), pressure in his chest, weakness in his left arm and hand. I ... Show Full Comment

Comment:
The Psych had put my 11 yr old son on Focalin (15mg). I was afraid so only gave him 1/3 of the capsule the first day; he complained of a mild (2-5) headache throughout the day, but he was happy cause he could focus and complete his work. The next day I gave him 1/2 of the 15mg pill. This caused pressure in his head (8 on a 1-10 scale), pressure in his chest, weakness in his left arm and hand. I immediately rushed him to the ER. On our way day, he was telling me that he was seeing the civil war, Abraham Lincoln, the buildings on fire; he recognized that it could not be real, but they looked real to him. When we arrived at the ER, they kept him 12 hrs under observation and sent us home with instructions not to take the Focalin anymore (of course). The ER Doctor told me that had I given my son the full 15mg, he could have had a heart attack. His EKG was normal and my son has no history of heart problems.
Hide Full Comment

Reviewer: 3-6 Female on Treatment for 1 to 6 months (Patient)

Comment:
The medication makes me feel sad and I cry a lot and can't explain why I am so emotional. I also feel aggravative quite often. Could any of this be side effects of focalin?

Comment:
The medication makes me feel sad and I cry a lot and can't explain why I am so emotional. I also feel aggravative quite often. Could any of this be side effects of focalin?
Hide Full Comment

Reviewer: WeepingWillow, 13-18 Female on Treatment for 2 to less than 5 years (Patient)

Comment:
I'm 16 years old and was diagnosed with ADHD around age 7. I started taking Focalin around the time I was diagnosed and immediately noticed a difference. I became withdrawn, depressed, unable to carry a conversation with others, it became hard for me to sleep well, eat well, stay asleep, and so on. When I was younger I hated Focalin so much that I would spit it out before I left to catch me bus. A ... Show Full Comment

Comment:
I'm 16 years old and was diagnosed with ADHD around age 7. I started taking Focalin around the time I was diagnosed and immediately noticed a difference. I became withdrawn, depressed, unable to carry a conversation with others, it became hard for me to sleep well, eat well, stay asleep, and so on. When I was younger I hated Focalin so much that I would spit it out before I left to catch me bus. Also, because it would ware off by the time I got home my parents never believed I was like a zombie. One day I decided to prove it and take it on a weekend so they could see. They were so concerned for me that they held a little intervention at the end of the day. At that intervention I told them that I took my Focalin and they didn't make me take it anymore. Around age 14 I decided I wanted to take it again. I hated Focalin more than anything else, however, my grades had slipped immensely and I needed help paying attention. After taking the Focalin for a month I was able to pass the classes I had been failing before. Now I'm getting straight A's. Still, after all of this, I find Focalin to be torture. An extremely effective form of torture. And now, I feel as though I NEED Focalin to function properly in society and be a better version of myself. Please, if your child is having any similar symptoms, find a new drug, or a new tactic. Don't let them end up like me.
Hide Full Comment

Reviewer: Private, 7-12 Male on Treatment for 1 to 6 months (Caregiver)

Comment:
We started our 7 year old son on Focalin 4 months ago and noticed an immediate improvement in his focus and behavior. Now he has developed a tick where he flicks his fingers and goes into a zombie like state for about an hour. We are meeting with the doctor to discuss whether or not to switch meds. Our instincts tell us it's no longer the right med for him. He's taking 5mg XR in the am. We tried i ... Show Full Comment

Comment:
We started our 7 year old son on Focalin 4 months ago and noticed an immediate improvement in his focus and behavior. Now he has developed a tick where he flicks his fingers and goes into a zombie like state for about an hour. We are meeting with the doctor to discuss whether or not to switch meds. Our instincts tell us it's no longer the right med for him. He's taking 5mg XR in the am. We tried increasing to 10mg and he was out of it all day.
Hide Full Comment