On Focalin, is there a better med. that doesn't kill appetite?

My son has been on 15 mgs of Focalin for 1 1/2 yrs. his weight was holding steady but now it has dropped. He doesn't eat at all during the day. Otherwise this drug is great for him.

Doc is saying to take him off over summer time. I was wondering if another drug would work better for his appetite.

Any recommendations?

He is 8.

Hello and welcome to Psych Central!

Hmm. Are you sure it's this med that's now causing his loss of appetite?

Are you wondering if there's a med that can stimulate appetite?

I'm just trying to make sure I understand.

Ya Ritalin severely decreases my appetite which is why I take it every day. Is your son taking the Focalin every day? I think that the side effect goes away after taking it every day for at least 6 weeks.

It would be a good idea to take him off the med for the summer. I don't know how old he is but if he doesn't have any responsibilities then I'm sure that he would be happy to not take it unless his hyperactivity/impulsiveness is too distressing.

Be warned though that when he starts school again, he WILL lose some weight so make sure he eats at that time.

Please check with his doctor. We can share our experiences but we cannot (or should not) diagnose medication. If you have questions about side effects please call your pharmacist. They are the best resource for how medicines work. If you have questions about physiological responses or notice something out of the ordinary, call your doctor, they should know best. If you don't like the answer, get a second opinion.