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Adderall and HCM?

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Jerry Salzman Find out more about Jerry Salzman
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  • #1

    Adderall and HCM?

    Has anyone heard of an issue with Adderall and heart defects or HCM. Canada today took Adderall XR off the market. The FDA says it should not be given to people with heart defects. My 7 year-old takes it. He had an echo almost 3 years ago. No HCM like daddy but a small mitral valve leakage.

    I plan on dropping the meds today, but just wondered if anyone had any other experience.

    Jerry

    (waiting for phone calls back from doctors)
    Tags: None
  • #2
    us not going to pull it at this time

    the web news i'm seeing says that the US is probably not going to pull it, so if you could get a doctor here to prescribe it, you might be able to have it shipped.

    also, medical web sites say it is similar to dexedrine, so perhaps you could try that if you haven't already.

    all the best,

    sarah

    Comment

    • #3
      Adderall & HCM

      My girlfriend and her daughter have been diagnosed with adult ADD. Both have been taking Adderall. I read the article about Canada taking it off the market and showed it to my girlfriend (who thought she only had a mitral valve problem) but she pooh-poohed it. We have just spent the majority of our spring break (we both work for the local school district) in the hospital (the premier heart hospital in the Midwest) as she was discovered to have HCM after she admitted herself Easter Sunday because she thought she was having a heart attack. Every doctor has said that any stimulant and/or stimulant medication is CONTRAINDICATED for this condition. Her daughter's cardiologist out east also immediately discontinued Adderall while she awaits an ECHO. As a school psychologist I am well aware of the benefits of this medication for some school age children but the possible dangers to the heart far outweigh it.

      Comment

      • #4
        Hi and welcome to our community. I do hope that your girlfriend gets good care. There is a lot to learn about HCM and you are in a good place for information and support. When she's ready, you can have her call Lisa Salbert at 973-983-2479 to discuss her case and her care. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to post here.

        Back on topic, you are correct about stimulants being contraindicated with HCM. There may be other drugs that can have the same overall effect on a patient with ADD that aren't stimulants. My own son has ADHD and he recently started Strattera, a non-stimulant medication. It does seem to help him.

        Reenie
        Reenie

        ****************
        Husband has HCM.
        3 kids - ages 23, 21, & 19. All presently clear of HCM.

        Comment

        • #5
          Just browsing, but this caught my interest. My son who just turned 13 was thought to have HCM but now they are terming it an athlete's heart. He has been on Strattera for a little over a year. He was off any meds for about 6 months prior to that, and on COncerta for 1 1/2 yrs initially. he has a mildly thickened septum, and I also have been wondering if by chance this is possibly caused by the meds he takes or has taken. i have heard a bit about the Adderall but most of what I have heard has been pooh-poohed here as Adderall has been around a long, long time, and they were relating a few sudden deaths to Adderall. From what I have read, the people who had sudden death were determined to have pre-existing cardiac and other conditions unrelated to the Adderall use, and it was felt that this was the problem.
          Jill

          mother of Kyle, now 19 yrs old- diagnosed after 5 years and 2 years later "undiagnosed"

          Comment

          • #6
            I think you're asking if the medicines could have contributed to his thickened septum and the answer is no. From my understanding there are no drugs that cause thickening of the septum. Have you talked to your son about being less active for a while so that you can determine if he has athlete's heart of HCM? I think this was discussed before but I can't remember details. How does he feel? (Thanks for checking in. )

            Reenie
            Reenie

            ****************
            Husband has HCM.
            3 kids - ages 23, 21, & 19. All presently clear of HCM.

            Comment

            • #7
              He's doing great. He is on the track team and signed up for baseball (it hasnt started yet), but is a lot less active now. On the track team he is throwing shot-put and discus so doesnt do the intensive running that the others do.

              He is a really big kid for his age, and I guess, like any parent, you wonder what could have caused this. COuld it even be related to his overall size?? He turned 13 two weeks ago and is 5'9" -5'10" and 140 lbs. He already has a mustache and has gone through puberty. He is the only one who was on the all star basketball team with hair under his arms, which was really embarassing to him. He towers over his friends- his best friend is barely 5'!!!

              I'll probably never know what caused this, but we will definitely keep tabs on it!
              Jill

              mother of Kyle, now 19 yrs old- diagnosed after 5 years and 2 years later "undiagnosed"

              Comment

              • #8
                Oops, I should have removed or changed my signature. He is NOT diagnosed with HCM!
                Jill

                mother of Kyle, now 19 yrs old- diagnosed after 5 years and 2 years later "undiagnosed"

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                • #9
                  I don't remember seeing it. But, did you ever actually get measurements from your son's ECHO?

                  Just curious.

                  Mary S.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Yes the septum was 14 mm. He had the echo for a completely different reason. He has no symptoms, no arrhythmias, no family history, just a mildly thickened septum. They are calling it an athlete's heart but will monitor to be sure there are no changes. They decided it is not HCM.
                    Jill

                    mother of Kyle, now 19 yrs old- diagnosed after 5 years and 2 years later "undiagnosed"

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      His overall size would indicate a larger heart than a peer who is smaller, but at 14mm it's enlarged for an adult too. I'm glad he's doing all right. When does he go for another echo to check for changes?

                      Reenie
                      Reenie

                      ****************
                      Husband has HCM.
                      3 kids - ages 23, 21, & 19. All presently clear of HCM.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        They are saying not till January, but I will probably push for one this fall when he goes back. Also, I should note that U. of Texas is reevaluating all of his tests (part of a genetic study for something else) so we are waiting for that as another opinion.
                        Jill

                        mother of Kyle, now 19 yrs old- diagnosed after 5 years and 2 years later "undiagnosed"

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          I'm glad you're staying on top of this. Please keep us posted.

                          Reenie
                          Reenie

                          ****************
                          Husband has HCM.
                          3 kids - ages 23, 21, & 19. All presently clear of HCM.

                          Comment

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