Is Dexamfetamine An Appropriate Medicine For ADHD?

Dexamfetamine is a stimulant medication that is taken for treating ADHD and narcolepsy in adults. Only children who are at least three years of age and above can take it. Currently, in U.K., Dexedrine is the only brand of dexamfetamine present in the market.

The Dos and Don’ts

The physical composition of each human is different and so is its response to different medicines. This means that if a specific medicine is prescribed for a child having ADHD, it would be wrong to think that the same medicine will be appropriate for other child having ADHD. Not only this, but also your age of the child and other situations matters in deciding the suitability of any medicine. In a few cases of ADHD, it is found that instead of medications, behavioral and other therapies give good results. Therefore, there are certain dos and don’ts that need to be kept in mind for this medication.

The Dos

Use dexamfetamine carefully when a single or a few of the following has taken place.

• A little increase in blood pressure
• A past of psychotic illness
• Bipolar affective disorder
• Anorexia
• Epilepsy
• Kidney problems
• A family background of involuntary muscle spasms

The Don’ts

Dexamfetamine should be avoided for children who:

• Are under three years of age
• Have a past of alcohol or drug abuse
• Have diseases related to the heart and blood vessels
• Have compositional heart abnormalities
• Have moderate to high blood pressure
• Have hyperthyroidism
• Have glaucoma (related to eyes)
• Have Tourette’s syndrome
• Have involuntary muscle spasms (twitches or tics)
• Have porphyria (genetic blood disorder)
• Have allergy to any items with which the tablets are made up of

Dexamfetamine with Other Medications

Before the intake of this medicine, do not forget to inform your doctor about the other medicines that you must be giving to your child. These medications involve the ones that are used without any prescription, such as the herbal ones. In addition to this, you also need to consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking a new medicine if you have started the medication of dexamfetamine. Medicines that should not be taken with dexamfetamine are:

• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
  These are antidepressants that are taken for treating depression and include phenelzine, tranylcypromine, isocarboxacid, and moclobemide that when given with dexamfetamine inflicts conditions on the body. If dexamfetamine needs to be given, it should be given only after 14 days from the last consumption of these antidepressants.
• Tricyclic Antidepressants
  Includes imipramine.
• Antipsychotics
  Haloperidol and chlorpromazine (a phenothiazine) should not be avoided.
• Cough and Cold Medications
  Verify with the pharmacist before taking such medicines with dexamfetamine, as they might contain certain ingredients that are not to be mixed with dexamfetamine.
• Lithium and Phenothiazines
  These might result in decreased effect of dexamfetamine.

Side Effects of Dexamfetamine

Like all medicines, dexamfetamine too has side effects. However, it is not mandatory that all people taking it will experience these side effects. There are many side effects of dexamfetamine. Listed are the most common side effects of dexamfetamine.

• Stomachache
• Reduced appetite
• Irritation
• Headache
• Restlessness
• Dry mouth
• Widening of the pupils
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Tremor
• Nervousness
• Changes in blood pressure
• Increase in heart rate
• Difficulty in sleeping
• Nightmares
• Sweating
• Happiness
• Muscle twitches

This is not all. To be aware of all the possible side effects, you are required to go through the patient information leaflet that is obtained along with the medicine from a medical store. If you observe any of these side effects, consult your doctor.

Initially, due to atomoxetine, your child might lose weight temporarily, as this medicine results in reduced appetite. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, your child’s height and weight needs to be monitored. However, if in the long run, the growth is improper or the weight is not satisfactory, it is advisable to stop the intake of this medicine to cope up with growth problems.

It is a must to avoid alcohol while taking this medicine.

Regular monitoring of children taking dexamfetamine is necessary due to such critical side effects. It is recommended to the stop the intake of this medicine slowly after consulting to your doctor, as a sudden stop of intake can result in too much tiredness and depression.

Popularity: 5% [?]