Dr. B,

For a while now, Ethan has had these "episodes" where he would wake up and say he didn't feel good, then lay back down and fall asleep, then wake up and say he had a headache usually followed by vomiting 1-2 times, then he would fall back asleep, a while later (this whole process might last anywhere from 2-4 hours) wake up and be fine, better than fine, starving and SUPER hyper. Well it was only recently that I started thinking that maybe he was having migraines (I have migraines). Still didn't think a ton about it. Well he has had 3 in the past couple of weeks. So I started thinking about when he has them. Normally it's on Saturday or Sunday. I started thinking maybe it was then because he doesn't take periactin on the weekends (you know we use it for appetite and go off on the weekends). But then he had one this week during the week when I know he had periactin. So the only other thing that is a common factor is Concerta. The episodes always come when he hasn't had his concerta yet. Sometimes on Saturdays he doesn't get his pill till late morning because he eats later, etc... and same on Sunday. My parents were watching them this week on Wednesday and they totally forgot the pill and he got one.

So is this common with kids on Concerta that they would have horrible headaches, etc... when they are NOT on the Concerta? I know that headaches are a common side effect of concerta but it's odd that he has them when he's not on it. Or maybe that is just coincidence. It's not everytime he doesn't take his pill.

I should have also asked. Should we go ask about any kind of treatment for his migraines?

Kristy

Hi,

It could be from Concerta or lack of Concerta. These meds seem to be able to cause any side effect. There are meds for migraine. However, first I would get him checked. I like to do a CT scan if a headache causes vomiting. Once that's done then you can consider migraine meds.

Thanks, Dr. B! I will talk to his doctor about it.

Kristy