tenex guanfacine intuniv medication question

[Anonymous]

Has anyone had any experience with guanfacine?

I didn’t know there was a non-stimulant alternative to Strattera. I was wondering if anyone could share their experience, if any, with it.

Dr J? I don’t remember you mentioning this one, although I might be mistaken.

I’m still not totally thrilled with Strattera’s effects on my body, and was wondering if this was worth looking into.

Thanks all!

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[Anonymous]

I am also very interested in these particular medications. I have ADHD and an LD and from what I’ve read, these medications directly influence the prefrontal cortex through the alpha2-adrenoceptors and help with poor working memory. I recently talked to my doctor about them but unfortuneately they are unavailble in Canada right now. Is there any chance we will see them any time soon up north or is it possible to import them from the US?

Here is some stuff I found, and there is a bunch more through the links on the right hand side:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19621976

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1783631/?tool=pmcentrez

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12351753?ordinalpos=1&itool=PPMCLayout.PPMCAppController.PPMCArticlePage.PPMCPubmedRA&linkpos=1

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[Patte Rosebank]

I know how frustrating it is to read about a promising medication that appears to be working well in other countries, only to discover that it is not approved for use in your own country. But, please, do not even consider trying to get these drugs until they are approved for use here.

Importing prescription drugs into a country where they are not approved, is ILLEGAL! It is also very expensive and risky.

If you try buying the meds by mail-order, even from a legitimate company (and good luck trying to sort out the legit ones from the scams selling counterfeits), they might never arrive. Canada Border Services opens and inspects parcels at random, especially if one of their sniffer dogs picks up the scent of any sort of drugs or contraband. If Border Services discover the unapproved drugs, they will seize them and charge you with importing a banned substance. The seller could also be charged with attempting to export a banned substance into Canada—just like the Canadian who was charged & convicted in the USA for shipping marijuana seeds into the USA. And there’s no way you’ll get a refund for “order not received”.

If you choose to go to the States to buy the meds in person, you’ll need to see an American doctor to get a prescription, because, since it’s not approved in Canada, Canadian doctors can’t prescribe it. And you’d have to pay a hefty chunk o’ cash to see an American doctor—assuming you can find one who will risk prosecution and loss of his/her license for professional malpractice. And it is MAJOR medical malpractice to see a new patient who is just visiting your country, and, in that single appointment, diagnose them with a mental condition and prescribe a large quantity of a controlled prescription medication to treat it.

Even if you do manage to get the prescription filled and back to Canada, you’re still running a big risk, because you’re all on your own if anything goes wrong. If you have a bad reaction to the drug, or if it turns out to be so dangerous that it gets pulled from shelves and hit by class-action lawsuits (as many new “miracle” drugs often turn out to be), you will not be able to seek any legal remedies—because you were using the drug illegally.

I think you’ll agree that, in matters like this, it’s MUCH safer to wait ’til the drug is thoroughly tested and approved for use here.

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[Anonymous]

Actually alpha-2-agonists are available in Canada. The most common is called clonidine. Most of these medications were actually used as antihypertensive agents but found to have properties of reducing adrenaline by inhibiting the receptors that release these neurotransmitters, also called prereceptor blockade. These are generally safe but, as you can quickly imagine, they do have an affect on Blood Pressure and therefore on the heart. They are also prone to make you sleepy.

The most common indication for them has been in tic reduction in Tourettes but I have used them for reduction of anger and some improvment in some of the ADHD symptoms, typically in combination with something else.

New medications are coming out in Canada soon that are in this category. However, importing medications without clinical follow-up is just plain crazy. After all, if something goes wrong, who are you going to sue?

Always speak to your doctor before making any changes to medications. Dr. Jain provides advice generically and not for any one person. Advice does not constitute a therapeutic relationship or promise of care. Please consult the privacy policy for more information.

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[Anonymous]

We are considering a move from the US to Canada. My son takes tenex (Guanfacine) for ADHD, and it works well for him. We are afraid of being left without it. Would we have alternatives??

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[turbo]

mstr- I don’t believe you need to worry. I believe Guanfacine is available in Canada. If you want to confirm, call a Canadian drug store and ask them to check pricing on it. Look up a number for a “Shoppers Drug Mart” store in the Canadian province you may be moving to and call them to ask.

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[turbo]

Dr J- do drugs like Clonidine reduce the amount of adrenaline in the body or increase it? Am I correct in understanding that Strattera will increase adrenaline levels in the body?

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[Anonymous]

You can get Tenex in Canada but your doctor needs to get permission for you to use it. It is also quite costly and I you will have to check with your health plan to see if you they would cover the cost. I know this because I have looked into getting it for my son. Good luck!

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[Anonymous]

@sd636 – what do you mean your doctor needs to have permission? From whom and what does this additional step require? Please let me know as I will bring this to my psych. The last time I asked him, which was about a year ago, he told me Tenex was not avail in Canada, but who knows about now.

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[Anonymous]

Can you please tell me if guanfacine is available in Canada. I asked the pharmacist and they couldn’t find it on Health Canada’s approved list. My son has ADHD/Tourettes/recently diagnosed autistic and was doing ok on 40mg vyvanse & small dose clonidine at night. His tics have been bad for a while so we tried increasing clonidine and spread it out during the day, but his tics are still bad and he fainted today (first time). A few weeks ago I took him off vyvanse for 8days and increased clonidine (less tics, but his behavior deteriorated after a few days). I am also ADHD & presently recovering from CFS so it’s been hard having the energy to figure all this out. Can we participate in trials of this drug if it’s not available yet? Thx

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[Fochaosed]

The Health Canad Drug Product database is here:

http://webprod3.hc-sc.gc.ca/dpd-bdpp/index-eng.jsp

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[Anonymous]

My Psychiatrist switched me to Tenex about six weeks ago and it–along with adding more protein to my diet and adding a daily B complex vitamin and a multivitamin–seem to be working rather well. I’ve also limited my caffeine intake by switching to decaf coffee and only consuming one soda every day. I’m noticing a big difference in how I feel and in my behaviors. I’m less impulsive and I don’t feel like I have to “drag myself” out of bed every morning to get motivated the way I did for a long time when I was using Clonidine.

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[Author]

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