Intuniv and Mood Swings: What Users Say

• Kri...
• February 10, 2014

For ADHD "My son is 8 and was diagnosed with ADHD recently. This is the first medication he has taken. We started at 1mg, working our way up to 3mg, and it's taken in the evening around 5pm. Once at 3mg, my son was extremely sleepy, even falling asleep in class and on the bus ride home. He was emotional about everything, even looking for toys, he would cry. He also experienced terrible tummy aches. He became very irritable, I'm guessing because he was sleepy. I had his doctor lower the dosage to 2mg, and he is becoming that little guy I know again! He's still kind of sleepy but not as bad, and his teacher is noticing a big improvement in his focus at school. We are still working out the kinks, but I am hopeful! Best of luck to you all!"

• Anonymous
• October 31, 2010

For ADHD "My son is 4 years old. I knew from a very young age he had ADHD because I see the same behaviors in my husband, and he was diagnosed as a child. It did take some getting used to. Like others have said, he was tired and emotional at first. He has been on Intuniv for about 6 months now, and I have seen great improvement. He has next to no aggression, he focuses a good bit better, but I still feel that could improve. Impulsive behavior is gone, he started caring about his actions and other people's feelings, and now he actually cares if he is in trouble. I am pleased, I feel like he is too young to try the heavier alternatives, and for us, we are happy with how he is doing."

• hop...
• December 11, 2010

For ADHD "After many family problems, and added to this, my daughter had ADHD. I was at the end of my rope as far as patience goes. Last year in school was terrible, with my daughter acting out due to all the bad things happening in her life. She was placed on a behavior program, and her grades were reflecting the issues she is dealing with. After some sessions with a counselor, I was referred to a pediatrician who recommended Intuniv. The first week was a bit rough because my daughter was extremely tired and cranky, however, we stuck with it as the doctor advised, and I have been nothing short of amazed. Grades and attitude are outstanding now. Miraculous."

• mom...
• September 22, 2010

For ADHD "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."

• DX-...
• May 6, 2010

For ADHD "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."

• Anonymous
• January 24, 2012

For ADHD "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."

• Lor...
• September 26, 2010

For ADHD "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."

• Mar...
• December 10, 2015

For ADHD "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."

• Anonymous
• December 2, 2011

For ADHD "My son was diagnosed with ADHD in 4th grade, he's now in 7th. Since that time we've tried many medications. We finally settled on Metadate, and it worked great, but we kept having to up the dosage, until he's now on 60 mg. The doctor recommended adding Intuniv to the Metadate. He was cranky and irritable the first week, but now at week 3 and 2 mg dosage, the crankiness seems to be getting better. What I have seen with Intuniv is that he's very difficult to get up in the mornings. But on a good note, if I miss the Metadate medication, his behavior is still pretty good. He's not bouncing all over the house. When he's on both medications, he's doing really good. I do have hopes to eventually get him off the stimulant altogether."

• Anonymous
• June 30, 2011

For ADHD "My 12-year-old daughter was on Vyvanse and had great success with it, but after the end of the school year, the doctor and I decided to switch to something else during the summer. After 5 days on Intuniv at 1 mg, she was lethargic, cranky, and feeling downright gloomy. I also noticed she was starting to stutter. We discontinued the Intuniv immediately."

• Eri...
• February 10, 2010

For ADHD "I'm a 22-year-old female. I was on Vyvanse 60 mg, but side effects were getting bad. Switched to Intuniv, only made it through 2 weeks of it. It made me very sleepy, sluggish, and cranky (could have been withdrawals from the Vyvanse). I could not wait for it to kick in for another 2 weeks as recommended."