Intuniv for ADHD User Reviews (Page 5)

• Anonymous
• February 24, 2012

"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."

• Anonymous
• October 19, 2011

"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."

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

"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

"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!"

• Jodes
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 8, 2020

"My son was on Ritalin for ADHD and it was no good for him. Then he tried Ritalin LA which was worse but INTUNIV HELPED HIM SETTLE DOWN AND FOCUS. Recently he has been very lethargic and he's not eating much at all. He's nearly 13 ...and that shows to .. teens ..oh the wonder years lol"

• sting...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 12, 2022

"Intuniv worked terribly for me. I was prescribed it for ADHD and it caused so many issues and fixed absolutely none. Dry mouth, low blood pressure (and in turn dizziness and confusion), extreme tiredness no matter how much sleep I got, constipation, ear pain upon standing, painful dry eye, etc. I wouldn’t recommend."

• Amays
• July 12, 2016

"We began with night wakings, then more aggression. He was never aggressive like this before. Raised to 2 mg, symptoms increased again. Still hyper and seemed worse than before. Upon reducing back to 1 mg to none, it's been a nightmare. Red, red cheeks. Bouncing off walls. Bouncing up till 3 am. Starting to come down a bit, but oh my god, the havoc on his mind and body and us, plus no sleep. Doc said there wouldn't be any withdrawal."

• JenAD...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 21, 2016

"Our 8-year-old son started Intuniv the other day, having been recently diagnosed with ADHD. His behavior during the day was definitely much less impulsive than ever, and he napped at 5 PM (1 mg administration at 9 AM). He awoke complaining of an upset tummy but ate dinner anyway. 2 AM & 5 AM vomiting. Poor kid. He doesn't know it's because of his new 'vitamin.' Does the vomiting go away? Is there a way to preempt the nausea? We gave him plenty of water and healthy snacks when he was hungry...not up for doing this to him if this pattern sustains."

• shannon
• June 22, 2010

"My son started this 8 weeks ago. It has been a miracle. He has ADHD, bipolar 2, ODD, and is being tested for TBI. This has made his impulsivity manageable. We have had no side effects. We have stayed at 2 mg. We are on quite a few other medicines also. But since we have started this medicine, we have not had any CPEP visits or inpatient stays. Prior to this medicine, in 1 year we had 6 inpatient stays and 12 CPEP visits. His other medicines worked, but we could not stop his impulse factor, which was putting his life in danger. I have my son back, we can actually have a conversation again."

• Anonymous
• January 24, 2012

"My 13-year-old son has ADHD and oppositional defiance disorder. He takes Adderall for his ADHD, and 4 months ago, we added Intuniv. He complains of being tired, and he is only on 1 mg of the Intuniv. I have concerns because he is becoming increasingly aggressive and emotional. I do not know if this is a side effect of Intuniv. I'll be taking him back to the doctor, and I don't think we'll be continuing the Intuniv."

• Bad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2015

"I took this for tics and ADHD. I went up to 3 mg a day and felt horrible. Very tired and body aches. It helps somewhat with nervous tics but not that great, and side effects were bad. I quit it after 1 week at 3 mg. And I am a 200 lb man, and it still was too much for me. The 1 mg and 2 mg doses didn't really do anything positive or negative."

• ADHDc...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 30, 2023

"I have found Intuniv (guanfacine ER) to be a tremendously helpful medication. I take it with Vyvanse, 60mg/day. The primary reason I started Intuniv was because I was having issues with jitters and anxiety on the Vyvanse. It was frustrating, because I absolutely had moments where I felt great and had brilliant focus, but I would sometimes get stuck in these rumination loops, anxieties, etc. CBT therapy helped a little, but I saw Dr. Russell Barkley talk about how Intuniv can be taken WITH a stimulant to help with emotional control, so I asked my psychiatrist about it, and he knew all about Intuniv. I eventually settled on 4mg/day. I am WAY more 'chill' these days, yet still very much me. I just feel more level headed. The only downside is this drug can make you tired, and it can have a bit of a notorious hypotension side-effect. Occasionally, I would be tired and winded, which was not dangerous but from low blood pressure. Taking the medication at NIGHT has helped this completely."

• Lora
• September 26, 2010

"My son is 12 and was on Focalin for about 3 years. It worked OK, but he had problems with appetite, irritability, and mood swings. This summer we started him on Intuniv and completely dropped Focalin. The behavior and personality are great now. He is the sweetest boy when on Intuniv. He grew 3 inches in 3 months and gained weight (which is great for him!). However, huge side effects are sleepiness, tiredness, and headaches (which he never had before). School work or homework remains undone. We have issues at school where teachers are complaining that he just does not care about anything and does not participate in class. We have huge issues with completing homework. I am very frustrated."

• clayp...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 13, 2024

"I've been on Intuniv for the second time for a year. The first time I took this drug was in combination with a stimulant (Adderall) for many years, but now I take it alone because of stimulants causing me to have manic episodes. The effect of this drug on ADD is subtle, but I do believe that it works. I can't tell that it is helping me until I sit down and do my schoolwork (I'm working on my second degree), and I notice that I'm able to sit down and focus for several hours without getting up many times/fidgeting. The side effect of calmness is an added bonus. I take this drug 2 mg twice a day to cut back on how much it lowers my blood pressure at one time because I do experience dizziness and orthostatic hypotension with it. The effects are definitely not as noticeable as stimulants, but it's so much better for ADD than nothing at all. It also especially helps cut down on impulsivity. I would recommend trying this drug as an adult, but don't expect an overnight miracle from it."

• lovely...
• August 5, 2015

"My 6-year-old son is on the 1 mg for his short attention issues. He does complain sometimes about the tummy ache, but it goes away. I have seen a big difference in his schoolwork, and he's able to stay focused. However, I have to try other meds because my insurance will not pay for the medication. They feel as if it's too expensive."

• KMKs...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 18, 2016

"My 8 y.o. was prescribed this medication to help with her aggression and hyperactivity. It did not help her at all. I feel she had actually gotten a little worse while taking it. She had a lot of trouble falling asleep. She would be wide awake at midnight, and 1 a.m. some nights. Besides the trouble sleeping issue, she only seemed to experience one other side effect, which was nausea, but only on the first night. I gave it one month and then told her psychiatrist that it wasn't for her."

• Anonymous
• November 1, 2011

"My 7-year-old son was put on Intuniv for about a month. At first, he was having trouble sleeping and moody. He was getting worse in school, never smiled, had roller coaster mood swings, and would cry easily. He even got to a point where he was suicidal. We stopped giving it to him, and he is having withdrawal issues. He was only taking 1 mg of Intuniv. He was a lot better on the Focalin."

• Nates...
• January 11, 2012

"My 8-year-old son was diagnosed 2 years ago with ADHD. We knew in preschool something wasn't right. I refused to medicate him until after his first report card in second grade. I could not let his esteem fall from poor grades when we all know how bright he is. He started off with Vyvanse 20 mg. It worked well for him for the rest of that school year. The next year, we had to up it to 30 mg, but we felt it wasn't effective. This winter break, we started Intuniv. He is on his 3rd week. He has an increased appetite, focuses well, but is too sleepy in the evenings. He normally would have a hard time falling asleep. Now he falls asleep at the table reading by 8. I will continue the Intuniv, but hoping it gets better."

• Anonymous
• October 15, 2011

"After being diagnosed with PDD/ADHD, it was suggested that my son (then 5) try Intuniv. Initially, he was extremely lethargic, not being able to get out of bed. This was only a day or two. We noticed a difference within days and a completely focused child! However, after a few weeks, he was becoming extremely obsessed with germs, constantly washing his hands. We counted 14 times in a 15 min span! His poor little hands were raw and chafed a bright red. It didn't matter, he kept washing. Our pediatrician referred us to a psychiatrist (as he had never experienced this side effect), and the psych said that it was due to the PDD. We took him off. If it hadn't been for the side effects, the Intuniv worked quite well."

• oxcjs...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 19, 2012

"My son is 7 and just started Intuniv about a month ago. He has ADHD, bipolar, and intermittent explosive disorder. He is currently on a lot of medicines. They started him on Intuniv because he was unable to focus at school and extremely hyper. With him being bipolar, it is very hard for them to treat his ADHD because the stimulant medicines make him go crazy. He tries to hurt himself and others while on those. He is on 1 mg of Intuniv, and we've yet to see any good effects from it. He has never been able to sleep well, they told me this would help with that. But sadly, it hasn't. He is on a sleeping pill as well. He still tends to wake up very early in the morning. Some mornings it's 2 AM, some it's 4. They told us to go ahead and add another sleep aid."

• Anonymous
• September 18, 2010

"My seven-year-old son has been on Intuniv for three weeks now. His behavior at school and home is finally starting to improve. He is much more focused and less irritable. Although at the end of week one and the beginning of week two of this medicine, he was very cranky and irritable. He is sleepy in the afternoons, but he also takes Clonidine along with this medicine, which also makes him sleepy. So I hope the sleepiness improves. He has started the last week having severe stomach pain. He gets up many times in the night saying his tummy feels funny, and he gets some diarrhea in the night. He also has a harder time staying asleep at night, which is new. Hoping the stomach pain stops so we can continue the medicines, as I feel they are helping him."

• Anonymous
• June 23, 2010

"My six-year-old son has been on Intuniv for 6 months. He has had an improvement in mood, attention, and hyperactivity. However, he is tired in the afternoons, and it is hard for him not to fall asleep due to how drowsy he is."

• Anonymous
• January 15, 2011

"My daughter is 8. She started on Concerta over a year ago, didn't work long enough. The doctor started her on Intuniv for ADHD and Lexapro for depression. After about 3 weeks, it was working great. She calmed down, started doing her schoolwork and homework. The worst side effect she has is dry mouth. I think if I can get that under control, she will be great."

• Brend...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 19, 2016

"Our son was diagnosed with ADD when he was in grade 5 - he was started on Vyvanse, and after a few months and a dose increase, developed psychotic episodes. This experience scared the life out of me, so we stopped the drug and revisited pharmaceuticals with our pediatrician. She suggested Intuniv, and we tried it. Our son has been on the drug now for almost 4 years - he is on the max dose for his age (3 mg), and I honestly can't see if there is a difference. He has had no visible side effects - nothing like I have been reading about above. If anything, he has put on weight (it is not a stimulant). We are going to try weaning him off in the next few months to see if there is a difference in schoolwork and to see if the med is really working."

• Mary...
• December 10, 2015

"My son was 6 when diagnosed. Adderall finally came to our rescue. Eventually, it did not work long enough, so we give him a wake-up dose of 5 mg IR, an 8 am XR dose, then a 3 pm IR dose to help with aftercare and homework. This has continued to work for 3 years. We tried Intuniv because his ODD and impulsivity were leading to threats of suspending him from school. After 2 days, we realized his BP was lower (too low), but he didn't pass out. After 2 weeks, his reacting to people was no longer on the calm side, he was emotional about everything, more impulsive, and more defiant, not him at all. We decided to take him off. At least we can say that we tried, but it just did not work for my son, but it may for others."