My 13 year old son has used the Daytrana patch for the past 2 years. It is the only ADHD medication he has been able to tolerate. We had 7 years of failed trials with every oral ADHD medication ever made. The side effects were intolerable. I felt like we were torturing him. The Daytrana is a completely different story. It has truly been a lifesaver. He has absolutely no side effects except a little redness at the patch site when it is removed which is gone by morning. Also a little less appitite during the day which we like. At this point he uses 2 patches equaling 45 mg. He has needed to go up in dosage over the 2 year period. He is 5'7 and 160 lbs. Daytrana has enabled him to stay in mainstream classes in a highly competitive middle school and stay at or above grade level. Without it he would need to be in a self contained special education class for his extreme difficulty with planning, organization and inattention.

Astor123

USA

My daughter went through many different forms of medication to find just the right one for her. With previous medications, when it began to wear off a cranky little monster was birthed. This in itself was unacceptable because though her symptoms are und a few and unhealthy for herself ( and sometimes those around her) she had always had a cheery and delightful disposition( unmedicated). An additional concern with previous medications was the standstill that occurred for about two years in her growth. When the doctor suggested Daytrana we were wary. However, after figuring out the ups and down and ins and out of this, we are more than pleased with the outcome. First, I learned that I needed to apply the patch two hours before we needed it to kick in. No biggie. In fact, I now apply it while she is sleeping at 5:30 a.m. and by the time she wakes at 7a.m. she is well on her way to being her wonderful sparkly self ( only able to reason,make better choices , and less impulsive). However, since it hasn't fully kicked in at that time yet, she is able to have a full healthy breakfast without the normal loss of appetite side effect that all ADHD medications carry with them. At lunch she is not hungry, but she is agreeable brought to eat a small yogurt and piece of fruit. However, by 4:00 she is ready for a granola bar or whole grain cereal snack. We usually try to get that patch off by 3:30-4:00 so that by 6:00p.m. she is able to eat with the family. Furthermore, at 8:00p.m. ( if we stick to our established night time routine) she gets to sleep with no problem. As for the skin irritation issue, if you follow the guidelines given by the package insert there shouldn't be too much of a problem. My daughter has extremely sensitive skin prone to eczema breakouts so this would be a concern for us. However, we religiously followed proper removal guidelines and over time her skin has now become desensitized to the patch and only show redness or irritation if we inadvertently leave the latch on too long or do not remove it properly. Which brings me to another bonus we have discovered with Daytrana! I can take that thing off and get those meds out of system whenever I want(unlike other meds that just have to process through .) Furthermore,through practiced timing and observation we have learned that sometimes we can apply it two hours before she absolutely needs it( for a certain activity or whatever) and if the activity only needs to be for an hour or so, peel off the patch a little after the activity STARTS. If it has been two hours and the meds have kicked in( timing issue I'm talking about) even if you peel it off , it will take another two hours to gradually leave her system. In essence, she only has it when she needs it! :) I hope this helps, Daytrana has surely helped our family with this issue, and has truly been a lifesaver for us.

lauradia7

Omaha, NE

I would just like to thank the Shire company for inventing this product. My soon to be 10 year old soon has never been able to take pills,due to the fact that they make him violently ill and he has a terrible time trying to swallow them small or large. This product has truly been a blessing, I say this because during the course of time my son has been using the product not only has he calmed down but his grades in school have went from straight F's up to A's and B's and I couldn't be more thrilled,he is now in the fourth grade and is just now beginning to learn how to read,so that thing that they say about no child left behind is simply a myth, my son is living proof of that. This product is wonderful and a dream come true so that my son can now live a more normal life and do all of the things I always knew and dreamed that he could do and accomplish in school as well as in the real world. I tear up everytime I think about how much this product has changed his life, I used to think there was no hope for his behavior or his ability to interact with others or to be able to sit still long enough to learn anything,but...now I know, Miracles sometimes come in the form of a patch..this has been my son's miracle. I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who has a child that is nearly impossible to get to take a pill.

teardropper26

Belfry, KY

You mothers out there with children who suffer from ADD know how hard finding an effective medication can be. After struggling with adverse affects from a medication my child was on, the doctor suggested we give the patches a try. It was wonderful! This medication was just enough to help my daughter stay alert without turning her into the "zombie" that you see with other medications. She gets along with her siblings much better and her grades are just fine. She has no problems with her appetite and she sleeps very well at night. The patches can leave some residue that comes off easily with a little lotion.

jrblount24

Rowlett, TX

  The daytrana patch was prescribed to my 8 year old son who is adhd, we have ruled out all other medical conditions. He has been on numerous medications ritilian, strattera,concerta,daytrana,clonodine,risperadal,and on. The Daytrana worked okay for a bout a week then started to get neg reports from teachers. I know that children can't act like adults but when he can't listen, keep hands to himself,ex talking,ect then it becomes a problem at school. We gave the patch a try and in about 3 weeks rashes began then huge welps then dry cracked bleeding skin. The dr told me to alternate sides I was already and to wash the area with warm soapy water and that it would clean the leftover residue off. I did, but it did not help so I had no choice but to throw them away and get new meds for him. I don't want him going to school everyday miserable buy it stinging him every morning and leaving marks on his body. Some children may not show any signs but mine did be aware.

skeleton12

Lenoir City, TN

All the reviews I ever find refer to Daytrana's effect on children; hopefully my review will be useful to the adults who struggle.  I'm a 32 yr old professional and have struggled with ADD all my life.  I failed grade 1 and struggled to achieve barely average grades until college.  In addition to ADD, I was diagnosed with anxiety, depression, eating disorder & bipolar disorder.  With hard work, perseverance & a cocktail of medications I managed to cope and achieve the VP position at an investment bank.  Last year my doctor introduced me to Daytrana and my world completely changed.  I stopped taking all my other drugs, I no longer binge eat, I rarely have nightmares, my anxiety & depression have been reduced to bad days, I can accomplish in 9 hrs what before would take 13 hrs, and I'm achieving my true potential.  Aside from mood stabilization, the most noticeable side effects are decreased appetite & skin irritation. There are several good prescription ointments that can treat the skin, the trick is to rotate the location of the patch & apply the ointments regularly.   For beach vacations when I don't want awkward stares, I switch to Adderall a week before to give my skin a chance to heal & I continue to take it until i return.  First day back I switch back to the patch.  Adderall works for me for a few days but I can quickly feel my mood changing and my productivity is ruined.  It took a couple different doses to determine what worked best for me, and I learned the hard way that I need to remove it 4+ hrs before bedtime otherwise I'm doing laundry at 4 am.  The few days I've forgotten to wear it are difficult & a reminder to carry extra. 

Dagny

San Mateo, CA

I'm an adult with ADHD. I used to have to watch the time so I could make sure I kept my meds up on a daily basis. The Daytrana Patch has changed all of that for me. I get up in the morning and after my shower I put the patch on and don't worry about it the rest of the day. It's great and very freeing! The down side to the patch is that it leave a sticky residue that can be hard to get completely off. It can also leave redness where the patch had been and the skin dries out there. I don't let that keep me from using it. The benefits far outway the minor inconveniences.  The biggest detourant would be the price. If you have insurance  the co-pay is higher than for most daily medicines. If you don't have insurance you're sure to experience sticker shock so you want to get a pharmacy discount card before getting the prescription filled. 

glory2glory

Everett, WA

My daughter is mildly autistic and has tried ritalin, adderall, adderall xr and concerta before trying the Daytrana patch. She has ALOT of energy and cannot sit in a chair for more than one minute without the aid of medication. Ritalin and adderall made her calmer, but she would also occasionally cry for no reason. She would also bite herself out of frustration. She is only 5 years old and has just started kindergarten.At her kindergarten assessment doctor visit, I asked if we could try the patch. The first week she was adjusting to the patch and was still a little emotional. Since then, her teachers comment nearly every day on how well she is adjusting to kindergarten and how much they have seen her focus improve. She is still interacting with her teachers. She answers questions appropriately and is able to sit and work with her teachers for about an hour before she is trying to get out of her seat. She has not bitten herself at all since starting the patch.It has brought peace back to our lives. She seems so much more comfortable in her own skin. She has been a runner in the past, running out of her classroom, doctor's offices, etc. With the patch, she is reaching for our hand. She wants to walk with us. She isn't pulling away. For my daughter, this has been her miracle medicine. THANK YOU!

NCMOM1n150AUTISTIC

Dunn, NC

For those children who already tend to be aggressive, I would not recommend this product and I don't think that doctors are ready to tell all of the negatives with some medications, especially when they are newer.  This medication in particular turned my child into somewhat of a nightmare, and that is putting it lightly.  After he had been on the medication I read the package insert and was amazed that after my complaints to the doctor they had not taken him off of this medication.  I did learn a lesson, always read package inserts thoroughly and watch for those signs and symptoms that should not be present.  Don't always assume that the doctor knows best, they are human just like the rest of us!

angel

Bardstown, KY