Guanfacine for ADHD User Reviews (Page 5)

• CSL
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2015

Intuniv (guanfacine) "My 8-year-old daughter has been taking the medication for 4 months now, and although we have seen a good improvement in her behavior, the weight gain has been substantial. She has gained over 10 lbs in 4 months, which is incredibly unhealthy. Her blood pressure has also been on the very low side. Unfortunately for us, we can't risk the bad side effects even though we have seen a positive behavior change."

• mikey...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 30, 2017

Intuniv (guanfacine) "My 10-year-old son has severe ADHD and autism. He has been on Intuniv for almost a year, starting with 1 mg and progressively increasing until 4 mg. While it did help a bit with his sleep at night, we have taken him off the medication with no difference in his behavior, other than he seems to have fewer and less severe meltdowns. I don't think it did much for him."

• mom2b...
• September 22, 2010

Intuniv (guanfacine) "My 9-year-old son was diagnosed with ADHD a year ago and has had OT services for 6 months. We started Intuniv 2 weeks ago. First day on 1 mg, he was super hyper, then seemed unchanged. A week later we went to 2 mg. It's great. He is more focused, less wiggly, finishes tasks in a more timely manner. He still squirms but not as much. His teacher is happy with the improvement. Side effects: sleepy, dry mouth, emotional. We have been giving him the pill in the morning. Around 5 pm, he gets super sleepy. The doctor told me there is no peak in when the drug works but there is a peak in when the side effects occur. They tend to be 8-10 hours after taking the drug. We are going to try giving him the pill at night and see if it helps with drowsiness."

• Airon...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 8, 2017

Intuniv (guanfacine) "I've been on Intuniv for about 10 months, and I am in high school. Intuniv has been working for me. I mean, the first few months I was really tired and was falling asleep in band class. But it has been working, I am not as tired anymore, but I get dizzy whenever I stand up, no matter how slow I stand up or drink water. I have been getting really mad lately, though. My mom won't let me change my meds, any ideas?"

• User...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 20, 2020

"I have taken many medications like Mirtazapine, Abilify, Klonopin, propranolol, and Vyvanse and none of them have had side effects close to Guanfacine. I’m not a doctor but I can tell you Guanfacine was the worst one by far. My doctor increased my dose from 1mg to 4mg after every week. I am a 18 year old healthy male and I can tell you this medication had horrible side effects. I felt like a zombie, was constantly tired, had trouble remembering the simplest of tasks, and avoided everyone I was around. This is not how everyone reacts to the drug, but I would just be careful and watch how it affects your body."

• MsDee
• September 30, 2011

Intuniv (guanfacine) "My 10-year-old son was placed on Intuniv for his severe case of ADHD because stimulants make him angry due to his anxiety. All other medicines have not worked. My son, after 2 weeks, began communicating with his teachers. They love this new kid, and he talks about his feelings like he never has before. His friends are not asking to come visit again. His true personality has appeared, and I love it. He writes like he's in 8th grade, he has a very high IQ, but it was not showing up on his classwork. He is now able to keep up, and he plays basketball with no anxiety. He scored 25 points in one game, his self-esteem has improved drastically. I love it. Although we still have some work to do for his obsessive-compulsive disorder, he loves the medication and reminds me if I forget about it."

• Molly
• September 29, 2016

Intuniv (guanfacine) "Our 8-year-old son has done so much better with Intuniv. He takes 2 mg at night. I see posts on the cost, check a Canadian pharmacy. We only pay $450 for 90 days, brand. Otherwise, it would be $900 here in the States. You fax your prescription and they mail you a 3-month supply. No side effects for us."

• mothe...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 18, 2012

Intuniv (guanfacine) "My daughter (11 years old) had been on Vyvanse, but was still struggling and experiencing accelerated heart rate. She was not eating, not sleeping, and losing weight. Grateful for the medication, but side effects were starting to be a problem. Doctor added Intuniv 2 mg on top of Vyvanse, and it was great. Seemed to offset all the negative caused by Vyvanse."

• Mama...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 2, 2023

"My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD this year at age 5 1/2. She has had so many setbacks with her development so the constant impulsiveness and inability to focus on anything was hindering her further. After 3 months of trying behavioral therapies, and multiple calls, messages, and meetings with school and daycare, we finally broke down and agreed to start a medication recommended by her PCP and child psychiatrist: Guanfacine. We started the medication (1mg ER daily) over holiday break to make sure she had time to adjust. At first it made her very sleepy, but that only lasted 3-4 days. We started giving it to her at night so she would sleep through side effects. We have since found out that 3am is the ‘sweet spot’ that will get her through the whole day. It’s been AMAZING. She still has her wild personality, and now the teacher says she’s the best behaved in class. She gets more positive feedback which has helped her feel good about herself. The impulses are non-existent now."

• Anonymous
• July 6, 2011

Intuniv (guanfacine) "My daughter is 9 and has been switching through several stimulant ADHD medicines for 2 years. She can't sleep at night without a sedative, and she weighs 65 pounds at almost 10 years old because she just can't eat. She would literally eat something small for breakfast and nothing for the rest of the day. It's the most hopeless feeling watching your child starve and refuse to eat. We are switching to this and Vyvanse from clonidine and Concerta. It's only her first day, but she ate 3 FULL meals today. We are hoping to get her down to just this medication, but you can't just pull her off the stimulants. I'll be sure to post and update how happy I am with it several times to see how it progresses. After reading here, I am very hopeful."

• Bimi
• April 17, 2017

"Tenex works great for my daughter on the spectrum. She had some attention issues, and over time, we were just losing her. I started giving her half a mg in the morning. The meds helped, but she started going downhill in the PM. So I decided to give her a quarter of a cup of coffee with milk and Tenex in the morning. Things are looking much better. She started eating with us now at the same table, which she was never able to do before. She has better days at school, and she started playing with her sisters. I like it, and yes, I do recommend it."

• Anonymous
• April 22, 2010

Intuniv (guanfacine) "We have had much success with our 11-year-old on this medication. He is conversing with us more and stays better focused on the task at hand (i.e., schoolwork). He is not as easily frustrated by things and has started sharing his feelings, which he never did before. He started on Tenex in August 2009, and we switched to Intuniv about two months ago. Tenex helped, but Intuniv seems to have really done the trick. We still have some issues, but everything is more tolerable for both him and us!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 3, 2017

"I don't know what you guys are talking about, guanfacine works really well. I take one 2.5 mg tablet every day, and right away, it shows a big improvement on my heart. I can breathe better, I can relax, and I can enjoy myself. 10/10."

• Nicky
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 29, 2022

"I’ve been on 1mg Intuniv for adult ADHD and hypertension (which is caused by anxiety surges) for 8 days. I’ve tried most other things and was a little bit afraid of this when I read some of the reviews. I have to tell you, I cannot believe how much better I feel even after such a short time - my mind is quiet and I feel calm - this is a very low dose and usually only used for children, but OMG for me, it’s amazing. I’m so glad I tried it. It’s supposed to make people have hypotension and feel tired, but for me, who is completely hyper at all times and never tired that has not been the case - I feel normal, and it’s been years since I’ve been able to say that!"

• mcm
• October 21, 2011

Intuniv (guanfacine) "My 7-year-old son has ADHD and has been on medicines since 3.5 years old. Right now, he's got two days left on his first week of 1 mg Intuniv before we go up a dose. The first few days, he was tired a bit, and all seemed to be improving on his defiance and irritation. We are on day 5, and at this point, I'm anxious to get going on the 2 mg dose as he seems to have simply gotten 'used to' the 1 mg dose. Update...started the 2 mg a few days ago and did not seem to have many issues. A bit sluggish, but nothing concerning. School called today, and he had THREE seizures. My son has no medical issues other than ADHD. Seizures are a very rare side effect of this medicine. Intuniv is definitely NOT for my son. Obviously."

• Tano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2019

Intuniv (guanfacine) "Well, I was taking Ritalin just by itself, which has helped immensely, but I needed something to make it last longer, as I would get mild comedowns between doses and need to take another dose before the 3-hour mark. Roughly about 2 hours and 40 minutes, I would feel the comedown, so I've started Intuniv with it. 1mg has been amazing, making it stretch out longer without having to also deal with the comedown and faster heart, etc. Now that I've started on 2mg, I notice I get really slow and tired, also sometimes a faster heart rate, but oxygen levels are still good. I think 2mg for me is too much, I might stick to 1mg. Overall, I think it's great, but yeah, for me, 2mg makes me feel like rubbish."

• DX-ADD
• May 6, 2010

Intuniv (guanfacine) "I am a 33-year-old female. I was diagnosed with ADD when I was 10 years old. I have been on all the older ADD medicines: Ritalin, Vyvanse, and Focalin. This is my third week on Intuniv. I started on the 3 mg dose last night. I can hardly get up in the morning. I am so tired at work. When I get home, all I want to do is sleep. I am also so cranky. I am also noticing that I am having the famous 'ADD stare' often. I haven't had that in years. I started this medicine because the Concerta 72 mg I take every morning at 7 am is wearing off at 1 pm."

• Corman
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 29, 2019

"I love Tenex (guanfacine). My situation is a little different than other people taking this medication. I have a lot of paranoia and high anxiety due to my schizoaffective disorder. My psychiatrist actually started me on it to help control my anxiety. Before this, I was on Vistaril, which worked but made me very sleepy. The Tenex does not make me sleepy, I take 1 mg twice a day, and it has my anxiety almost completely under control. And it helps me be more focused too, so I can see why they prescribe this for ADHD so much. Been on it for about four months and have nothing but good things to say about it."

• Star...
• March 15, 2017

"I just got diagnosed with ADHD, and my doctor prescribed me this medication. She told me I can take up to 4 mg a day, so I started myself off with 1 mg. I didn't like it for the first few days because I have 4 kids, a husband, a full-time job, and I'm a part-time student. I didn't like that this medicine was making me sleepy, so I stopped taking it. My friend that takes the same meds, and he has been taking it for some years, told me the trick. He said to take 1 mg at night when it's your bedtime, and it worked. Taking the meds right at bedtime helps a lot, so I won't be sleepy during the day, and then it only took the meds like 4/5 days to start working. When I say my brain is working like a living scanner, a picture in my head for everything now."

• Anonymous
• February 24, 2012

Intuniv (guanfacine) "Our son was diagnosed with ADHD at age 5. He just turned 9 and has been on every stimulant medication, sometimes at the highest dose. We know him as bright, funny, and very loving. Without medication, however, he can be a mean little bugger and cannot stay focused on a task. Because stimulant medications suppressed his appetite, he weighs only 60 pounds. We recently switched him from Vyvanse to Intuniv with great results, except... he has started having the worst gas issue and is afraid that his friends will tease him."

• TheCa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2017

"I am a 24-year-old male with ADHD, high-functioning ADD, as well as impulse control issues. I've only been on this medication for a few weeks now, but I can feel a strong difference in my ability to make decisions and keep a steady train of focus in everyday tasks. I am noticing, however, from these other experiences, that Guanfacine ER is not a medication for young children. I take 1 mg every morning when I wake up. It makes me a tad tired for the first hour or so, but after that, if I make my mind up to do something, I stick with it. I don't feel like I have no control over myself anymore. I highly recommend this more to adults 20-30. It seems to be more effective in that age range. But then again, I'm not a doctor."

• Anonymous
• October 19, 2011

Intuniv (guanfacine) "I am currently taking Vyvanse and Intuniv. I am 16 years old, and I have ADD. I am on week 2 of the Intuniv. I have noticed that every time I get up from sitting down or laying down, I get very dizzy. I haven't felt sleepy or tired, but I think that's just because I am taking the Vyvanse too. I am taking Intuniv to try to cancel out the anxiety side effect of the Vyvanse. I haven't noticed a difference at all. I am just very frustrated at this point. I have tried almost every ADD medicine out there. I still have impulses and still am a perfectionist. I am still hoping that it will improve over time."

• Plymix
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 14, 2024

"This medication is absolutely amazing. Initially it caused drowsiness, but once that side affected faded after a week the benefits have been amazing. I have hyperactive and innatentive adhd and it has helped in almost all symptoms. My memory has improved, specifically working memory. I now have a good flow when I’m working without mental blanks. I also have much better impulse control. My emotional regulation has increased aswell, I don’t get random depressive episodes anymore. I feel like I have been missing out on life because I should have been on this way earlier in my life. My brain fog and all aspects of life have improved."

• Julie
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 9, 2015

Intuniv (guanfacine) "I am 21 years old; this medication is not just for young children. It has taken away the side effects of my ADHD medication. The only side effect I was aware of was auditory! When I took the first 1 mg pill, my hearing was heightened and exhaustive (sounds dragged out) for an hour or so. When I increased to 2 mg, the same thing happened: a noticeable difference in my hearing for just a short hour or so. My doctor prescribed this to me when the side effects of Concerta did not leave me; I had anxiety that was clearly not situational but from the drop-off of Concerta in the middle of the day, as it is not a steady released medicine but an ADHD medication that releases a dose twice."

• Sarah...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 10, 2016

Intuniv (guanfacine) "My 5-year-old son started off on the generic version for 2 weeks before switching to the Intuniv. He did OK on the generic Tenex (not an extended release), it just made him drowsy. The 1st day on the Intuniv (extended release), however, he was busy, could not sit still for nothing, and sleep was not on his mind. 2nd day, his Dr. told me to up the dose to 2 mg (b/c he had been taking 1 mg of the generic 2 weeks prior). My son was worse! He was worse than he was before he started any of the meds. Dr. took him off and put him back on the generic, 1 mg, no problems so far besides the drowsiness. Generic, $60 some bucks, Intuniv $300. Surprised the cheapest works better!"