Intuniv
My son was prescribed Intuniv when he was 6 – 8 years old. This was the fourth ADHD drug that we tried. This is not a recommendation to put children on Intuniv. It was prescribed to replace Concerta which made him overly tired and emotional. He took Intuniv in addition to Strattera. We stayed with the Intuniv for about two years. He didn’t seem to have any adverse reactions to it other than it making him drowsy. We adjusted his med schedule for him to take it at night so that it would help him sleep as he’s always had sleep problems. He was immediately taken off of this medication upon his sleep specialist and neurologist finding seizure activity on his sleep studies.
The Intuniv seemed to work real well with the Strattera in helping him to focus at school and stay on task. He was also less impulsive and hyper. His teachers noticed an immediate difference in his behavior and academic performance upon stopping these meds and his grades are now all over the board with no consistency.
Purpose
Intuniv is a non-stimulant medication that is prescribed to treat children ages 6 – 17 with ADHD. It can be effective by itself or with an ADHD stimulant.
Pros:
Improves academic issues
Increased ability to focus
Decrease in impulsiveness
Decrease in hyperactivity
Cons:
May cause serious side effects such as low blood pressure, low heart rate, fainting, and drowsiness
May cause trouble sleeping
Suddenly stopping can cause issues with blood pressure
Long term use has not been systematically tested
Price
Price
$70.85 after insurance. This was a high price in comparison to other ADHD meds. Prices start at $715.52 without insurance.
Overall Rating
4 on a scale of 1-5.
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