Biphentin: The Newest ADD/ADHD Medication in Canada
ByDespite there being many medications available to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD or ADHD) in the US, there are relatively few medicines in Canada. We had one new medicine added to our arsenal in Canada around September 2006 – Biphentin. This article will summarize what role Biphentin can play in treating ADD/ADHD.
What is Biphentin?
Biphentin is a new formulation of methylphenidate. Methylphenidate is the same medication that is found in Ritalin. Methylphenidate has been around for over 50 years. Despite many concerns and warnings discussed in the media, it is a safe medicine, when taken as prescribed and monitored by a physician. It also can work very well. Approximately 70-80% of people with ADD/ADHD will have significant improvement when they take this medicine.
In Canada, methylphenidate also comes as: Ritalin, Ritalin SR, and Concerta.
In the US, methylphenidate also comes as: Ritalin, Ritalin LA, Concerta, Metadate CD, Focalin XR, Daytrana, Methylin and others.
Biphentin is being marketed in Canada, and is made by Purdue Pharma. It is not being marketed in the US. I was told (in a personal communication – certainly not official!) that Biphentin may eventually be marketed in Europe, but likely not in the US. Why not the US? I was told that it is very competitive in the US to market another form of Methylphenidate.
What are the characteristics of Biphentin?
Biphentin is a long acting form of methylphenidate. It lasts 8-10 hours with once daily dosing.
Biphentin is a capsule – with little beads inside. This allows the medicine to be ‘sprinkled’ onto soft foods like: apple sauce, yogurt or ice cream. This can help with children who cannot swallow the pills. In Canada, this is the only medication option for methylphenidate that can be taken by children who cannot swallow pills. (As a side note, Adderall XR and Vyvanse – which are amphetamine medications, can also be opened and sprinkled.)
Biphentin comes in multiple strengths. This flexibility of dosing may make it easier for your doctor to find the right strength for you.
The strengths are: 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 50 mg, 60 mg and 80 mg.
Who is Biphentin approved for?
Health Canada has approved Biphentin for the treatment of ADD/ADHD across the lifespan. Specifically, Biphentin is approved to treat ADD/ADHD in children, adolescents and adults (i.e. 6 years old to 65 years old).
What are the side effects of Biphentin?
Biphentin’s side effects are the same as the side effects of the other methylphenidate products. The common side effects include: decreased appetite, insomnia, worsening of tics, approx. 2% risk of slowing growth. There are rare concerns of agitation, mood symptoms, etc. [N.B. This post is for educational purposes only - speak to your Doctor about side effects in detail]
How much does Biphentin cost?
Biphentin will most likely be covered under private insurance plans through your work. If it isn’t, I am happy to report that in general, it is cheaper than the newer forms of ADD/ADHD medication. The price does depend on the strength of the pill.
The cost of Biphentin for 30 days of treatment is estimated as follows:
- Biphentin 10 mg once daily for 30 days: $29.40
- Biphentin 15 mg once daily for 30 days: $38.40
- Biphentin 20 mg once daily for 30 days: $46.80
- Biphentin 30 mg once daily for 30 days: $60.90
- Biphentin 40 mg once daily for 30 days: $75.00
- Biphentin 50 mg once daily for 30 days: $89.10
- Biphentin 60 mg once daily for 30 days: $103.50
These prices are listed in Canadian dollars. These are estimates, and the prices may vary at your pharmacy.
As a brief comparison of cost – here are estimated costs of some of the other ADD/ADHD medications in Canada:
- Concerta 18 mg once daily for 30 days: $71.70
- Concerta 36 mg once daily for 30 days: $90.90
- Concerta 54 mg once daily for 30 days: $110.40
- Adderall XR 5 mg once daily for 30 days: $96.00
- Adderall XR 30 mg once daily for 30 days: $96.00
- Strattera 10 mg once daily for 30 days: $134.97
- Strattera 60 mg once daily for 30 days: $134.97
- Ritalin SR 20 mg once daily for 30 days: $25.20
- Ritalin 10 mg once daily for 30 days: $18.30
When can Biphentin be used?
Biphentin can be used to treat ADD/ADHD at any age – it is approved for the treatment of kids, teens and adults.
Biphentin can be used as a ‘first line’ treatment – i.e. the first medicine given for someone with ADD/ADHD.
Because Biphentin is a once a day treatment – the patient doesn’t have to worry about taking a pill in the middle of the day. This is particularly helpful for children who can take their pill in the morning, and then not have to go to the office at school to get their noon medicine. This makes it easier for a child at school.
If someone has been on a different form of methylphenidate and had problems, it may be reasonable to try Biphentin to see if this long acting formulation may work better.
If your child has trouble swallowing pills, but your doctor thinks that methylphenidate is the right choice of medication, then Biphentin is the best choice.
Can Biphentin Be Abused?
One of the concerns with any stimulant medicine is the risk that it may be abused. If someone takes too much of the medicine, and tries to take it as a drug – i.e. snort it – then it can produce a ‘high’.
I am happy to report, that similar to the other long acting preparations of stimulant medicines (like Concerta and Adderall XR), Biphentin is not abusable. That means that someone couldn’t use it to get a ‘high’.
It is important for you to also know that Biphentin is not addictive.
How does Biphentin compare to Ritalin, Ritalin SR and Concerta?
All of Biphentin, Ritalin, Ritalin SR and Concerta are the same medication – i.e. methylphenidate. The difference is the preparation and how it acts in the body.
Ritalin is a short acting medicine, and is required to be taken two or three times daily for symptom control. The advantage is that it is cheap. It doesn’t work as well as the long acting forms.
Ritalin SR is a long acting preparation of methylphenidate which has been around for a long time. It doesn’t work very well for many people. Sometimes it lasts 6 hours, but often it doesn’t work well at all. The advantage is that it’s cheap.
Concerta is an excellent preparation of methylphenidate. It is a once daily, long acting medicine. It works for up to 12 hours. It is well tolerated and has been a great medicine in the treatment of ADHD for the past 3 years or so in Canada, and longer in the US.
Biphentin is a once daily, long acting medicine. One major advantage over Concerta is that the capsule can be opened and sprinkled in apple sauce, yogurt or ice cream. This will help children with trouble swallowing. It is also approved for the treatment of adult ADHD, and Concerta is as well.
One final difference between Biphentin and Concerta is that Biphentin releases approximately 40% of its medicine in the early part of the day, whereas Concerta only releases 22%. This may mean that Biphentin may work better for ADD/ADHD in the morning, whereas Concerta may last a little longer into the day.
The Bottom Line About Biphentin:
Treatment of ADD/ADHD requires many components – including psychotherapy, behavioral management, academic supports, and medication. This article has been focusing on medication for the purpose of describing a new treatment for ADHD in Canada. For more information on the other treatments of ADD/ADHD: 1) sign up for my ADD/ADHD newsletter at www.TheADHDDoctor.com, and 2) peruse this blog for more articles about ADD/ADHD.
Biphentin is a new great option for the treatment of ADD/ADHD in Canada. It has its unique features, as described above. It is welcomed, as in Canada, we have fewer medicines available than in the US. Biphentin may help in the treatment of your ADD/ADHD (or that of your loved one).
If you are considering the use of Biphentin, ask your doctor. You may want to print this article, and take a copy with you to your next doctor’s appointment.
Hi Dr. Kenny,
I have a 7 year old son who has been on 30mg of Biphentin for 12 weeks now. He is 43lbs(lost 3lbs since starting Biphentin)and is doing great during the school hours. His teachers are amazed at the difference in him socially and in the classroom. He is still very touchy and in your face with others but as long as he has some type of control he is keeping his aggression in check. The only problem right now is that he has suddenly developed some pretty serious phobia’s. When we were walking home from school yesterday he saw a bee and was so scared that he got a pain in his chest. I had to carry him all the way home and once we were home he was fine until it was dark outside and he became afraid of monsters. My son has never been afraid of anything and now even loud noises bother him. He has also chewed on his nails and skin around his nails to the point of drawing blood. His pedi said that there is no other choice of medication for him because he can’t swallow pills.
My question is – Is this phobia a stage that will eventually run it’s course or do we need to try to force him to swallow a different medication?
Also, do you have any recommendations for the finger biting issue – it is definately anxiety related.
Carolyn F: There are several other medicines that can be opened. Adderall XR is a capsule that can be sprinkled, and Vyvanse is a capsule that can be opened and poured into water.
Ask your doctor if you can try these…
Hello Dr. Kenny,
My husband was diagnosed with ADD at the age of 7. At that point he was prescribed Ritalin which did nothing. Then they tried a minimal dose of Dexedrine and the miracles of an attention span came to life! At an early age, we knew our daughter might have the same… now she is 6 and the children psychologist agrees that she might indeed have the same as her dade with a bit of hyperactivity (problems focussing, constant repeating, cannot finish a project, etc.).
It’s been two weeks today that she has been on 15mg of biphentin (weighs 52 lbs). We wanted to start her off slowly. The first 3 days were a blessing. We were so happy. She was focussing and no more repeating! Day 4, 5, 6… were not that great. She became highly sensitive, emotional and the sadness in her eyes is unbearable. Today, we have decided to take her off until we hear back from her doctor. Does this mean that it’s the wrong medication? I would appreciate your input
Can any of the meds used to treat ADHD cause anxiety issues? My son seems to be developping fears daily. Used to love balloons and now has a full blown panic attack if he sees one because it might “pop”. Same with fireworks and now bees and flies and heck anything lately! I have tons of pictures of him holding caterpillars last year and now he’s terrified.
Christina, Yes – anxiety can be a side effect. Talk to your doctor about this…
My 6 year old son is now on a dose of 30mg, and it seems to be working well. I have not noticed any negative side effects. He sleeps the same and is still a very active, social and fun kid. He eats less at lunch but makes up for it later in the day. He keeps saying he doesn’t understand why he’s taking it because he doesn’t think it’s doing anything. However the teacher and the whole family notice his ability to maintain his focus and impulses better than without the biphentin. I can finally go to the grocery store without feeling bad because I had to rewind him 20 + times to try and control himself in public. Now he does the typical rolling of the eyes and says he’s bored.
I was so scared to try any medication on my son, but when the dr. told me that if it was a true diagnosis he wouldn’t feel anything but normal and that I’d know right away if the medication was right for him, I felt I owed it to him to try. I am glad I did.
correction: I had to remind him. LOL
My 3 year old daughter has not yet been diagnosed with ADHD, but has Tuberous Sclerousis Complex. It has caused delayed development. She has very little speach, and has extreme hyperactivity. No concentration on anything!!! She recently saw a phyciatrist who prescribed her 5mg of Biphentin daily to try to neutrilize whatever may be going on. Do you think this may be a good idea to try her with these meds even if she does not have ADD/ADHD? Will it have any lasting effects on her? I’m a little leary about giving it to her! What do you think?
Sometimes these medicines help in other conditions as well. I think it’s important that you go back to the prescribing doctor and ask the questions you need to to reassure yourself.
Hello Dr. Kenny,
I have an 8 year old son who is autistic, has with many autistic kids ADHD is also in the mix.
Over 3 years we have tried multiple medications. Ritalin caused him to become very agressive. We then tried dexedrine and he became HYPER hyperactive. We were giving him Strattera for the last 18 months but when we uped the dose (to reflect is growth) he became very, very irritable and had mood swings.
So what’s left for us? The doctor is considering an anti-depressent. I must also add that he takes risperidone to help with is control issues (1,25mg daily).
Michelle, there are 3 main groups of medicines to try with Autism. They are: The adhd medicines, risperidone, and the antidepressants. Another additional medicine which can be used is: clonidine, or Intuniv in the US.Talk to your doctor about the options.
Hi Dr. H,
My son ( now 13yrs) has been diagnosed with ADHD and ODD since he was in kindergarten. We have tried a variety of medications over the years, and now currently on Concerta and Risperidal.
He has a very fast metabolism and uses up the medication quite quickly. Regular Ritalin was wearing off after 1-2 hours, and gave him some side effects. Though Concerta is adequatley controlling his ADHD, and with minimal side effects, I am concerned about the doasge he is on, and the cost. I heard Biphentin is a similiar medication but costs less. Would it be off any benefit to him? he is on Concerta 72 mg at 0800h, and 54mg at 1300h. Risperidal .25mg 0800h and .5mg at bedtime. I spend over $1000.00 on thes meds every 3 months.
Laurie – This is a high dose of concerta. Watch out for the generic – (if you are in Canada) because it is cheaper, but it won’t last as long.
You may want to ask about vyvanse – it often lasts longer for people.
Also – if you are in Ontario – look for the trillium drug plan: http://www.drhandelman.com/ontario-government-drug-plan/
If you are in a different place – see if there is a government assistance program for families who need help with medications.
Hi Dr. Kenny
My daughter who has multiply diagnoses ( ADHD, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, non verbral disability, Epilipsy, anxiety disorder and just diagnosed with PDD NOS ) was diagnosed with ADHD when she was 7 and she started taking Ritalin SR at the age of 8. We found it helped at first but as she got older it never worked as good , so they put her on concerta. That seemed to be alright until she started to grow and the doctor didn’t want her to do big jumps of doses, so he put her on the biphentin when she was in grade 8 and I’m so glad he did because now she just graduated grade 12. Without these medications I believe my daughter would have not made it through school and now she is getting ready for Adult life and will still be on the Biphentin 50 mg for days she needs to focus.
How can I tell if my son is on too high of a dosage? He goes very quiet after taking it, and doesnt seem to be himself…
Michelle – that is a symptom that it is worth talking to your doctor about.
Hi Dr. Kenny,
I’m 36 and I have been diagnosed with ADD. My doctor initially prescribed 10mg Biphentin which worked wonders for my ADD, however, I had to stop due to side effects (My doctor said I was allergic, however, my symptoms were listed as possible rare side effects on the drug fact sheet). I am now on Strattera, however, I am going to try something new as I do not like how drowsy and depressed I am on it.
I liked the results of bifentin other than the side effects/allergy. Do you think I may have the same reaction to the other methylphendiate medications? or would you recommend I something like dexedrine or adderall?
Thank you.
Greg – if it was an allergy, it was likely to a component in the pill – i.e. an excipient. But it could be the actual medicine. If you move over to the amphetamine category (i.e. adderall or vyvanse) then this won’t be an issue. It’s really a judgment call as to what you do next.
Hello dr
I suffer from depression and my current antidepessent, cipralex, causes extreme fatigue and lathargy. My psychiatrist just prescribed biphentin to counteract the fatigue. I am weary to take the medicAtion as it seems to be a primary ADHD drug. I suppose I am worrying aboutthe stigma attached to the medication, but would like your input on using the drug for non-ADHD purposes. My physician said that it would increase my awaeness and wake me up. How does it work one way for ADHD sufferers in that is subdues hem and it is supposed to stimulate me? I find that confusing. Any information about using the drug as a non- ADHD regiment would be appreciated. Thank you!
My son ADD started biphenton 10mg and the frst 4 days were great his abilty to control impulses were great! Behavoir much better,, now the 6th day his old habits are returning… is this common.. were the first few days all in our head..anyone else experience this? He starts 15mg on Friday
Beware the bearers of medication and there promises of good health and well being. I am 33 years old and have been kicked around by many a doctor with statements of your add/adhd Depressed and otherwise. I have been prescribed many different medications, ritilin, citalipram, prosac, rispidal, contentra, lorazipan, and many more these medications where prescribed by my family doctor with little to no follow up. If I complained about reactions sleeplessness or emotional numbness the family doctor just switched me to a new medication. I repeat no follow up no counselling no psychiatric care, or anything. Now under my own self guidance I found a competent psychiatrist that I have been seeing at first four times a month and am happy to report that I am 100% medication free and living much better then I have in five years. Please if your having trouble with symptoms like these ask to see a psychiatrist they are far more competent in the matters of the mind then many family doctors.
Hey Jake,
Next time you comment on Drug Companies preying on vulnerable groups by making the most necessary drugs so expensive, try looking into the costs involved in just getting a drug to market. For every 30 drugs conceptualized, only 4 make it to market. The other abandoned 26 drugs cost companies between 200 and 700 million EACH in lost expenses from various levels of testing and clinical trials. The reason drugs are so expensive is because these rare drugs that make it to market need to recoup the losses of the previous 26. And then, when you throw in generic drug makers who spend no money on drug research and just leech off the big companies who take on all the financial risk only to have valuable money earmarked for new drug development taken away, well you can maybe understand how short of a time a company has to make back its initial investment and, heaven forbid a profit. Next time you take a generic drug, know that you are the reason that new drugs are becoming fewer and fewer. Lastly, when it comes to cost, why is it that nobody even blinks an eye at the gas it costs to drive over to a friend’s house or the cost of going to see a movie or have a Starbucks coffee, and yet $2.00 a day for a pill that changes your life is an outrage. Take a look at your life and I’ll bet you have areas where you spend your money frivolously. People need to make medication a priority and spend their money accordingly instead of stuffing their faces with life’s luxuries and then complaining that they can’t afford their drugs. As a physician, I have a “no substitution” box on all my script pads and I tick it every time. Generic meds are often inferior and their makers do nothing to further the advancement of knowledge or medical discovery.
Hi Jen,
Biphentin is a stimulant (methylphenidate.) It will wake you up. Trust your doc.
The reason stimulants work for ADHD is not completely understood. Your right, it has a paradoxical effect to what you might expect. It definitely helps with focus as you might imagine.
If methylphenidate is preferred, Concerta’s OROS delivery system makes it the best choice. It is safe, reliable and its ascending plasma profile combats acute tolerance (tachyphylaxis.) Stratterra is the only non-stimulant treatment but I find it doesn’t work as well as the stimulants, either MPH or Amphetimine.
My 8 year old son has been on Concerta 27mg since last february and it has definitely helped him at school to focus, concentrate, and behaviourally. Although the side affects have been that he definitely lost his appetite during the day as well he has become somewhat withdrawn, subdued, lacking motivation, and seems sad at times. I have spoken to the doctor and he suggested to try him on Biphentin since we can play with the doses. I am scared to try another medication. Does anyone have suggestions?
myboys – biphentin has the same chemical compound as concerta – so if it doesn’t work well, you may need to consider a medicine in a different category- i.e. Adderall XR or Vyvanse.
My doctor feels though that the fact we can play with the doses might help. And with Concerta you are not able to. Do you think it will take time for the biphentin to kick in or will we see results right away? Have you heard of kids being on Concerta and seeming withdrawn, not motivated, subdued, sad???
Hi, Dr. Kenny.
I am 39 and have just been diagnosed with Adult ADD. I have been on Celexa for 6 years now to help me sleep at night. (My Dr. kept telling me I was depressed…I just wanted a good night sleep!) Anyway, upon being on the celexa, I noticed some of the tightness in my stomach went away and I realized that was anxiety. Who knew! So, I stayed on 40mg for 5 years. Last year I went down to 20 mg. so that I could be more myself. Unfortunately my sleep went away. I have been using sleep aids for the past year. My Dr. just prescribed Strattera to me along with the celexa on Wednesday Sept. 29th. My first two days have been horrible. I cannot eat, I am so nauseated that I have to hang over the toilet most of the day. I haven’t slept since being on it. I am not taking it this weekend so that I get some sleep with my sleep aids. I have four children and they need a coherent Mom! So, my question is: Do I have an allergy to this, or should I be on something like Biphenten (like my 7 year old son.)
Any direction would be great!
My son was diagnosed at age 5 with ADHD/ODD and is waiting to be test for Aspergers. He is now 6. He was started on a small dose of Adderall XR and slowly uped as need till he was at 20mg a day. He started getting severe migraines and chest pains, so I stopped it for the summer. He started school last month and is back to having more problems with concentration, sitting still, fridgiting, chewing on his clothing, rocking and also making strange noises when felling nervious. I took him to our Dr that deals with his ADHD/ODD and he has prescribed to us 20mg a day of Biphentin. So here is for hoping that this is going to work, he is struggling with behaviour and attention and anxeity as well. Hopefully there is no note home today!
I have a 10year old son currently on 70mg of Biphentin and I just finished reading all of the posts.I give it to him at about 0730-0800 in the morning and by around 2:30pm maybe 3pm the medication seems to wear off as told to me by his teacher.All copeing skills go out the window at that point.I have also noticed the same thing on the weekends.Should his medication be increased because I think by reading everyone elses post he seems to be on a high dose already?
Oh one more thing I noticed was don’t ever give it unless he has eatten something first.If he hasn’t eatten he gets sad and starts crying and its very hard at that point to get him to eat.I don’t know if this is a side effect but sometimes I check his blood sugar in the morning and he is low 1.2 sometimes.I thought to check his sugar because he looked pale and said he couldn’t walk.I now give him orange juice first thing in the morning.
Susie – Biphentin is just lasting that long because that is how long it lasts. You can either add a short acting methylphenidate in the afternoon, or you can take a longer acting form of the medicine – like Concerta.
Biphentin should be monitored very carefully…or I should say the patient taking it. This medication caused my pre-teen son to become EXTREMELY agressive and angry. Were it not for the fact that I am a stay at home Mom who also has ADHD and was sure “something wasn’t right here” I may have never realized that his increasing difficulty was a result of Biphentin. Once researching the drug word and several conversations with pharmacists that I realized all methylphenidates are NOT created equal or even close to it. We changed my son’s medication to Concerta and he’s back to his old ADHD self…(that’s the self without the urge to beat everything or flip out at the drop of a dime…the one with the twinkle in his eye… Thank God!! )
I urge all those taking medication or those with children taking it to judge for yourselves……YOU are the EXPERT on your CHILD…..that’s the standard you should measure effectiveness of ADHD meds by….your gut feelings. YOU KNOW YOUR CHILD BEST!!!
After 2 years of Biphentin, Aderall, and now Vivance, I decided to take one myself. That was the last time i gave my daughter this drug type. My God,. I could not manage my own things let alone expect her to. she is a completely different kid. A lot less angry and impatient. A different kid , She is taking a small does of Strattera and soon I wll try nothing. I think with ridalin type drugs, you have to take a step back if its not working and start from scratch.
jim
Hello Jim. I hope that you only took some of your child’s medicine if you are ADD/ADHD. As an adult who was professionally diagnosed as ADHD in my mid-fifties, I am constantly amazed at the number of non-ADD/ADHD individuals who seem to know how ADD/ADHD medication affects the targetted population. Simply stated, you/they don’t know.
I have a 26 year old who was diagnosed with ADHD when she was almost 4 and half… Now I see even younger children on meds for Adhd and on more meds then my daughter was… I thought they can’t be diagnosed till they are school age… I know a 3 year old who has been on meds since they were 2 and can’t even ride a bike… It’s so sad to see… So who is in the wrong here???… The person who has the child or the doctor who gave them the meds???….
My son is 7, and his school thinks he is ADD/ADHD, well he went and seen a specialist today, and wants him on Bephentin, and i am not sure about it, but after ready some of your Comments, I am thinking that it might be ok to try..
as no mother really wants to see their child/children on any type of medication, but I am sure as some of our Doctors know what is really best for our children, it will not hurt to try what they recommend,
Hi there,
My son is 11 yrs old and is also adhd! I really sometimes wonder if these drugs work and it is very frustrating for me. He is a wonderful boy that is very smart and very athletic BUT when he is in a crowd he does not care about his behaviors. He can be rude and disrespectful to adults and do what ever he sees fit. IT is always someone’s fault and forgets everything when it comes to school work. Even after being grounded from friends and video games but this seems not to work.
I need advise as I don’t know which way to turn with him anymore. As a mother we all want our children to succeed in life and I know with the right help he could. Is there anyone else out there that has a child that is like mine?? and can you give me any suggestions?
my son starts his bephentin tomorrow i am nervous about this … but i wanna do anything i can to help him! medication makes me nervous period. expecially the “might cause suisidal thoughts ” scares the CRAP right out of me
l gave my son first day on feb 10 big difference l give it to him on a spoon with peaunt butter and banna for as he will not swollow pills not sorry l tried this meds
I have tired ADHD medications in the past, but nothing worked. I talked to my doctor, and he suggested Biphentin. I`m reluctant to take anything. However, I tried it anyway just to see if it would help me focus more in school. I trust my doctor very much. I`ve known him for a long time. I knew he wasn`t trying to hurt me. I figured I can always stop if I wanted. I tried it and, wow, it works amazing for me. I have never been more focused. I wish this was given to me back in 2006 when it was approved in Canada. The best part about it is I can take it only when I need to focus; for example, in class during the day. And, if I`m off a day I don`t `need`to take it. Finally some help.
I am worried about my son… My son was diagnosed in August and although they prescribed Biphentin we decided to wait. But in December he was loosing more and more friends and his self esteem (he will be six in April) so we decided to start the medication. Everything has been working well. He is litterally a new boy!! The only side effect he had was weight loss but nothing to worry since he had a good reserve on him. But since Saturday I’m really worried. He started allucinations. He thinks that there are spiders on and around him. He hears them and feels them on him. I’m really starting to worry. I have decided not to give him his pill this morning and I’m waiting for the Doctor’s office to call. Is it possible that since he lost a good 6 pounds that the meds are now too strong?? He has been on 20mg since early January.
Eagerly awaiting your response.
Thank you,
France – talk to the doctor right away. Demand an appointment the same day – and get an answer from your doctor.
Hi Marie
My husband and i were really unsure about giving our 5 year old some medication but we decided to give it a try since he is having such a hard time at school. We started on saturday with the Biphentin and it works really good and does not change his personnality. Think about it as the same principal with people with depression, they need some medication to be able to function. It is also not selfish to think that it helps the parents to deal with it without all the stress that you are dealing with. I know that often i can get mad at my son for something he is not totally in control with, it is not fair for them but i beleive that this medication is really good and will help him to succed at school. I hope that helps!!!
I was also not really for giving my son medication, I had tried everything else, diet. But it wasn’t really helping. Then I finally decided to at least give the medication a try. If it didn’t work I could stop. It takes sometime to find the right dose that works best but I hav noticed a great inprovement in his schooling, grades have gone up. He is in more control of his emotions. He started on concerta, and now he is going to give biphentin a try. Concerta was working great for him but to get him to focus better in the morning without having to get him up earlier the docter has recommended biphentin. It releases more in the morning than concerta. My son also noticed the difference and so has the school. We even forgot one morning to take his pill before school and the school said he was a completly different child. And my son told me he felt like he had no control at all. (my son is 9)
Not sure if this is the right place for the question that I have…..My son is almost 12 years old and has been on Strattera for the last 2 years. He is on the maximum dose for his weight (40 mg). Strattera has been very effcetive in terms of his ability to focus and follow through with tasks and homework. We have found recently that he has become a little more “fidgety” and scattered (nothing like he was before he was on medication but noticeable nonetheless ie he has started “losing” things) they were going to increase his dose but because of his weight they cannot. He weighs 70 pounds. I am wondering if there is any lattitude with the dosage?Would appreciate any information that you can provide. Thanks
Not sure if this is the right place for the question that I have…..My son is almost 12 years old and has been on Strattera for the last 2 years. He is on the maximum dose for his weight (40 mg). Strattera has been very effective in terms of his ability to focus and follow through with tasks and homework. We have found recently that he has become a little more “fidgety” and scattered (nothing like he was before he was on medication but noticeable nonetheless ie he has started “losing” things) they were going to increase his dose but because of his weight they cannot. He weighs 70 pounds. I am wondering if there is any lattitude with the dosage?Would appreciate any information that you can provide. Thanks
Nix,
In the original strattera studies – they studied up to 1.8 mg/kg/day. This was well tolerated and worked – it’s just that the regulatory authorities did not see enough of a difference from the 1.4 mg/kg/day dose to justify approving it at that level.
So, in a case like this – it may be worth considering a higher dose. Based on a weight of 70 lbs, a dose of 60 mg would be just over 1.8 mg/kg/day. Ask your doctor, or see an ADHD specialist to consider this.
I’m a 34 year old male, with ADD. Had it all my life but recently started taking concerta because i was at the end of my rope! I’m starting to realize that my biggest confusion, is when ADD and ADHD are used in the same sentence. To me they seem completely different? Aren’t the two caused by different parts of the brain? I ask this because i don’t think i’m taking the right medication brand. Is there a specific brand more for ADD symptoms?
Hello there
I am a user of Biphentin and i am wondering if it is Ok to use wight loss suplements such as hydroxy cut or clenbutrol I don’t want to take it if it will mess up the cycle of Biphentin any one who could help me with this answer please.. would be awesome thanks
I am just wondering if it is worth it to try this med. About 2 years ago we tried concerta but my son got very bad anxiety and sadness from it at the end of theday, around 5 or 6. We have since tried straterra, which worked for a year, but he developed extemely bad tics and started to have stomach aces, nausea, and headaches. He has since been on clonodine, which again was great for 6 weeks, but is now not working at all. Is it possible his body will have a different reaction to stimulants then it did 2 years ago? Thanks
I am still concerned about taking any medication that affects a child’s eating habits. The child, prior to being put on Biphentin was a picky eater, playing with her food. She is a bright child, the med has helped her focus in school, which is great, but her eating habits are even worse now. She’s only 8 years old; isn’t there medication out there, for the treatment of ADHD, that doesn’t affect a child’s eating habits. She is losing weight.
My 8 year old daughter (56lb’s) started Biphentin 15mg on march 14th until march 17th all was going well until she had a friend over and she blew up at her friend over a puzzle. The girl is younger and she took it in stread but it happened the next day as well again it was over a puzzle that my daughter had made and the other girl started to take it apart so she could make it and my daughter got all upset and was calling her names and said she could go home and she hated her and so on and so on this lasted about 2hr and then she was like her normal self again but my concern is school on monday and then she is meant to go up to 20mg per day could I request the 10mg or do I have to wait for the 4 week trail to be over. She was also diagnosed with aspergers but she is taking the Biphentin for adhd any comments will be appreciated thank-you
I am a single mom with 4 kids and the oldest is 7 with adhd and ODD. I have had a really hard time managing him but we do have an appointment tomorrow for getting him on some new meds. Right now he is on Dexedrine and it is NOT working. I am hoping to have him switched to either Strattera or biphentin. If you could please tell me which one would be better that would be great. thank you .
Dr. Kenny,
My son is 90 lbs and on Biphentin 40 mg was wondering what your thoughts on this dose is and is it correct? I just feel that my son does alright in school, teachers say does get distracted very easy but my biggest concern is how he does not know when to quit (ex being fooling around and getting really rough) Is this just a boy thing or does this have something to do with the meds ?
Thanks
Dr. Kenny
My daughter is 9 years old and has been prescribed with Biphentin eventhough she just shows signs of inattention, she is not hyperactive. I just read the product monography and I feel really scared about the potential side effect of sudden/cardiac death. I am wondering how safe this product might to even start using it.
Roxana – check this out – recent new research may help you out: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/742880
[...] Ritalin because she wasn’t eating. After some time her pediatrician recommended a switch to Biphentin, which we did. The Biphentin was more effective than the Ritalin, but she [...]
Hello
my son is 7 years old and is currently receiving Biphentin. His attention has improved a lot but the problem is the lack of sleep that he is dealing with. He cannot sleep more than 6 hours. How to deal with this problem.
Thank you
Leslie, many people get benefit from melatonin as a sleep aid. Talk to your doctor about this.
Im on my 2ndish year with this drug and i can say it works, although with me it does cause insomnia on some occasions. Great overall and can effect hunger. I also will add people need to stop worrying, ADD/ADHD isnt a death sentence, and people need to stop over reacting if they or their child is diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. Over reacting is only going to make your child or self, self conscious about their condition. Its not going to kill them and if you are embarrassed that your child acts out in public, im sorry to say but that is your own fault, not theirs.
I have had success with both Adderall and Concerta. However in each case after about 3 weeks I get an allergic reaction of a swollen tongue and constricting throat. Does this drug have the same chemical makeup (causing reaction) or is it worth a try to see?
Sorry, just to add on. I am 56 and had doses of 54mg in the morning and 18mg at 1 PM of Concerta. I have tried the non stimulants Strattera and Wellbutrin and had no luck at all. Where should we go next? Biphentin?
Doug – Biphentin has the same medicine inside of it as Concerta. If you are allergic to the actual medicine, then you are probably going to experience the same thing.
Apart from what you’ve tried, there are the tricyclic antidepressants (like imipramine and desipramine), as well as intuniv. Not great options left! Talk to your doctor.