ADHD? Whoah!

[Mauxly]

So my therapist hit me with this diagnosis today. We went down the list of symptoms and I hit almost every single one of them. It all kind of makes sense now (the fact that I don’t seem to have a filter or delay between thought and speech, hyper intelligence but a hard time focusing, a mind that never ever shuts up…radda radda…

 

She wants to put me on low dose Adderall. I might as well give it a shot. Has anyone out there taken this?

 

A few things that I’m concerned about:

--I write and do spoken word, my creativity is crucial to me. I’m worried that I’ll lose some of it.

--One of the qualities that people say they love about me is my quick wit and off the cuff humor, I can improv in a group of people and have them all rolling with laughter. I think that my racing mind and the fact that I think and speak about 3 steps ahead of normal is responsible for this. Will I lose this? Nooo!

--I love my sick sense of humor, will I lose that?

--One of the side effects is loss of appetite/weight loss. I may be one of the only 39 year old women on the planet who is perfectly happy with her weight and has no desire to lose any.

 

The advantages sound awesome!

--The ability to finish a writing project without procrastinating it to the point where it jumps off the table and threatens me with an axe, “Finish me or I’ll finish you!”

--The ability to concentrate at work (software design) without having to blast music, chew gum and drink water at the same time. No kidding, I HAVE to do this to stay focused, and even then I find myself checking ENA way too much.

--Maybe my mind would shut up for…a few seconds a day?

--Maybe I’m not neurotic, like I’ve always thought. Man, it would be so great to be ADHD instead just someone who analyses every little thing, and then re-analyses, and again and again until I’ve forgotten what the initial problem was and I’ve made myself a lunatic.

--Maybe…gasp! I can be in a functional relationship?

 

Any word from anyone else with this issue? I would LOVE to hear from you!

 

PS - My therapist thinks that ADHD is totally over diagnosed, is NOT a fan of pharmacology, and I've been seeing her for once a week for 7 months. So this is not some snap diagnosis/pill therapy.

[Seraphim]

My son was labled with this at 4 years old. To me it is another way of being, thinking not a "disease". Why is it people feel the need to stuff people into particular holes or try to make them a round peg when they are a square peg? Do YOU feel out of sorts with yourself? My son is medicated and has gone through HELL since he was 4 years old with medication. I would not medicate him if it was not demanded by the school board.

[XxJustMexX]

I was DXed with ADD about 5 years ago and have taken Wellbutrin on and off. I've never tried Adderall. With Wellbutrin though, you don't really take any of those traits away that you mentioned. All the meds really do is help you focus... It helps you put things in your brain basically where they belong instead of it being some sort of mismatched file cabinet... It slows your mind down a bit enough to allow you to relax more instead of having so much anxiety. My attitude and characteristics don't change... just my ability to focus and think. I'm still the dorky blabbermouth most of the time, except that I do have a better ability to keep it shut when needed now instead of blurting out unnecessary things.... lol.

[testcase]

Haha good luck. I didn't take Adderall but I did use to take something like a decade ago and personally I hated it. I really feel diagnosing people with ADD/ADHD and prescribing them medication is a load of crapola. I know plenty others like myself with these disorders who function fine. Personally I think its, like you pointed out in your concerns, part of what makes me... well me. I was happy to get off the medication. =). I guess I will say it did help me concentrate better but wasn't worth the trade offs. .

 

Well just to edit after what XxJustMexX wrote I'm guessing every medication is different. I don't remember what I took but it was by no means good for me. I did take Wellbutrin to quit smoke about a year ago though and didn't have any of the side effects I had with whatever it was I took. I thought Wellbutrin was an anti anxiety?

[Mauxly]

Do YOU feel out of sorts with yourself?

 

I also have that public problem. For the most part I am well liked and have lots of friends. However, even they admit that they hesitate to introduce me to certain people because I can be offensive. I have very little verbal impulse control. The things that should go unspoken? They just don't with me.

I don't want to be that woman....

 

I agree, that we all have our personalities and traits, and that we should be celebrated for who we truly are. However, this thing conflicts quite a bit with the rest of the world.

 

I don't mind being that quirky funny woman, but when it crosses over into the obnoxious weird woman...ugh...then it hurts.

[karvala]

The advantages sound awesome!

--The ability to finish a writing project without procrastinating it to the point where it jumps off the table and threatens me with an axe, “Finish me or I’ll finish you!”

 

If that were part of being ADHD, then half the human race would be on Adderall. Seriously, I admire your optimisim, but I honestly don't think you'll find that will change very much.

 

--The ability to concentrate at work (software design) without having to blast music, chew gum and drink water at the same time. No kidding, I HAVE to do this to stay focused, and even then I find myself checking ENA way too much.

 

And similarly. I do this, and the procrastination, and I don't think for a moment I'm ADHD, because when my back is up against the wall, or when I'm doing something that I actually want to do (as opposed to have to do), and have a clear idea of specifically what to do (as opposed to a general idea which I have to clarify as I'm going, which requires mental courage) then I can do it just fine.

 

--Maybe I’m not neurotic, like I’ve always thought. Man, it would be so great to be ADHD instead just someone who analyses every little thing, and then re-analyses, and again and again until I’ve forgotten what the initial problem was and I’ve made myself a lunatic.

 

Again, that's a personality trait rather than a specifically ADHD characteristic.

 

--Maybe…gasp! I can be in a functional relationship?

 

Hopefully, but is it really ADHD that's causing the lack of it?

 

PS - My therapist thinks that ADHD is totally over diagnosed, is NOT a fan of pharmacology, and I've been seeing her for once a week for 7 months. So this is not some snap diagnosis/pill therapy.

 

Okay, but actually that militates against it. An ADHD case is usually very obvious from within five minutes. If someone takes 7 months to decide it, I wonder if it's more speculation, or even desperation, than diagnosis.

 

I certainly don't mean to rain on your parade, and I do hope that the medication helps improves things for you, but I wouldn't want you to get your hopes up for a miracle cure here, when it's quite likely that many of these issues will remain post-medication.

[Mauxly]

Wellburten is absolutely out for me. I took it to quit smoking and it made me an angry little thing. Not an option.

 

I did take Ritalin once...took a friends. Hated it it! It was speedy. I hate that feeling. I'm speedy as it is.

 

I told my therapist about the Ritalin experience and she said that R has a component that is much speedier than Addrall. She said if I'm not ADHD, I'll know about half hour after taking the pill because it will make me speedy too. Normal people feel speedy, ADHD people calm down.

[Seraphim]

I also have that public problem. For the most part I am well liked and have lots of friends. However, even they admit that they hesitate to introduce me to certain people because I can be offensive. I have very little verbal impulse control. The things that should go unspoken? They just don't with me.

I don't want to be that woman....

 

I agree, that we all have our personalities and traits, and that we should be celebrated for who we truly are. However, this thing conflicts quite a bit with the rest of the world.

 

I don't mind being that quirky funny woman, but when it crosses over into the obnoxious weird woman...ugh...then it hurts.

 

So you think it would provide impulse control?

[Seraphim]

Wellburten is absolutely out for me. I took it to quit smoking and it made me an angry little thing. Not an option.

 

I did take Ritalin once...took a friends. Hated it it! It was speedy. I hate that feeling. I'm speedy as it is.

 

I told my therapist about the Ritalin experience and she said that R has a component that is much speedier than Addrall. She said if I'm not ADHD, I'll know about half hour after taking the pill because it will make me speedy too. Normal people feel speedy, ADHD people calm down.

 

My son was a total zombie on Ritalin either that or crying in a corner. Concerta made him depressed and violent........now he takes Strattera.

[Mauxly]

I wouldn't want you to get your hopes up for a miracle cure here, when it's quite likely that many of these issues will remain post-medication.

 

Damn damn damn....I want a miracle cure!

 

I'll try it. I'm not forced to be on it by any means.

Oh, erm...I did have a psychiatrist diagnose me as ADHD a few years ago, literally in the first 15 minutes of knowing him. I thought it was pure quackery to diagnose someone that you don't know at all. So I walked out of his office and never went back.

[Mauxly]

So you think it would provide impulse control?

 

That is my biggest hope I suppose. I'm a blurter. Again, often my blurting is funny and appreciated. But...it can cause problems.

[Seraphim]

That is my biggest hope I suppose. I'm a blurter. Again, often my blurting is funny and appreciated. But...it can cause problems.

 

Ok, I can be a blurter but I do not have ADHD.....my son and his father do, they are not blurters. Blurting stuff out might just be particular to your personality.Some people are like this because they have strong opinions.

[karvala]

Damn damn damn....I want a miracle cure!

 

LOL, don't we all!

 

I'll try it. I'm not forced to be on it by any means.

 

That sounds like the right approach.

 

Oh, erm...I did have a psychiatrist diagnose me as ADHD a few years ago, literally in the first 15 minutes of knowing him. I thought it was pure quackery to diagnose someone that you don't know at all. So I walked out of his office and never went back.

 

You'd be surprised. It can take a bit of time in a borderline case, and in order to be certain, but in the majority of clearcut properly diagnosed cases you'll honestly know within 5 minutes, because it's so extreme. We're not talking about the hordes of misdiagnosed badly behaved children here, we're talking about genuinely hyperactive children with a complete inability to focus on anything. Think of someone on a high dose of amphetamines and you'll get something of the picture; if you saw that person, you'd immediately notice their hyperactive behaviour. In adults it's harder because they develop social skill to hide it to some degree, but you can still see through it quite quickly.

[Seraphim]

LOL, don't we all!

 

 

 

That sounds like the right approach.

 

 

 

You'd be surprised. It can take a bit of time in a borderline case, and in order to be certain, but in the majority of clearcut properly diagnosed cases you'll honestly know within 5 minutes, because it's so extreme. We're not talking about the hordes of misdiagnosed badly behaved children here, we're talking about genuinely hyperactive children with a complete inability to focus on anything. Think of someone on a high dose of amphetamines and you'll get something of the picture; if you saw that person, you'd immediately notice their hyperactive behaviour. In adults it's harder because they develop social skill to hide it to some degree, but you can still see through it quite quickly.

 

 

That is my son. When he was small, he was a whirlwind...there was NO stopping him. He had no focus, no control..and went non stop from the minute he could walk 24/7. He never slept and just was go go go go go...now at 12 he has self control and focus. I do not think though this is an entirely bad way to be, just how some people are. My husband is the same, his body is always in motion in some capacity.

 

I think people should REALLY think before they get into mind altering drugs not to mention what they do to the body.

[Mauxly]

Thanks Karvala,

I figure it won't hurt to try it. If I'm not, I'll know right away. There is nothing in the world I hate more than feeling speeded out. So if I'm not ADHD, the meds will turn me off immediately. I'll know then!

[XxJustMexX]

That is my son. When he was small, he was a whirlwind...there was NO stopping him. He had no focus, no control..and went non stop from the minute he could walk 24/7. He never slept and just was go go go go go...now at 12 he has self control and focus. I do not think though this is an entirely bad way to be, just how some people are. My husband is the same, his body is always in motion in some capacity.

 

I think people should REALLY think before they get into mind altering drugs not to mention what they do to the body.

 

That's how my son is too. Except with him, it is causing major problems in his life. He's failing school as he can't focus enough to do school work. He's constantly fiddling and bothering other children. He forgets his homework on a daily basis... He's got very bad impulse control and can't focus. I think it's cases like these that the doctors should be diagnosing... Yes, I hear they over diagnose and some children (even adults) are diagnosed when they shouldn't be, but that just makes it difficult and makes it look terrible for the people who actually have the illness. I too have it and it bothers me when I hear people say things like how it's all in your head, or it's completely controllable without meds. Those are usually the people who don't have the problem and have never experienced it. I haven't medicated my son because I've chosen to believe all this "over diagnosed" non-sense and all it's done is prolong his problems in school. I plan to have him start meds by next year hopefully as the "deal with it" solution is definitely not working. I'm guessing those who meds didn't help, are those who didn't have a bad enough problem, but there are plenty out there who do.

[Seraphim]

Well my son has been on medication since he was 4. He was like your son and was facing school expulsion at FOUR. My point is they do not teach the way these kids need to learn. Instead of teaching them how they need to learn in mainstream education they medicate them. If I had the 25,000 a year to send my son to a school designed to teach him to his needs I would. He has however as he has aged developed his own strategies to cope in a world not designed for him. He is a solid B+ student and an example in all ways to his peers. They CAN be guided with the right methods.

 

Keep in mind too, these drugs affect apetite, my son did not eat barely a thing for 8 years. These kids also need their growth watched while on these medications. There are liver function blood tests. These medications can cause heart attack,stroke, depression in young adults and later in life.(and that is only the drug company puts on the box) something to think about.

[JonasWaingaro]

^^^There's a drug that fixes all these?! Especially the last one. hehe Except for focus I do all these and I'm not remotely ADHD. Is it common to start meds as an adult? Versus counseling and such? Just curious. Anyhoo, just don't lose your edge! That's what I like about you. Part of yer charm!

[Mauxly]

Victoria,

I agree that kids are being diagnosed and slapped on medication simply for being kids, individuals, even rebellious (my god, they SHOULD be rebellious...things are whack).

So I completely empathize. And to be FORCED to have your own children on psychoactive drugs against your will? I would be absolutely livid.

 

But we can't discount TexMex either. It is a tough call. Over diagnoses is a problem throughout the healthcare industry (don’t even get me started on why we are in the healthcare/econ mess that we are in) and Americans in general tend to be overmedicated. But sometimes the diagnosis is reasonable. The hard part is knowing. The hard part is finding a knowledgeable and ethical doctor who does independent research and who does not cater to the pharma reps.

 

It is a mess out there.

 

It really is. Gosh...

 

No wonder we are so confused!

[Seraphim]

Victoria,

I agree that kids are being diagnosed and slapped on medication simply for being kids, individuals, even rebellious (my god, they SHOULD be rebellious...things are whack).

So I completely empathize. And to be FORCED to have your own children on psychoactive drugs against your will? I would be absolutely livid.

 

But we can't discount TexMex either. It is a tough call. Over diagnoses is a problem throughout the healthcare industry (don’t even get me started on why we are in the healthcare/econ mess that we are in) and Americans in general tend to be overmedicated. But sometimes the diagnosis is reasonable. The hard part is knowing. The hard part is finding a knowledgeable and ethical doctor who does independent research and who does not cater to the pharma reps.

 

It is a mess out there.

 

It really is. Gosh...

 

No wonder we are so confused!

 

 

I am not disreguarding what she has to say, but just adding information. These drugs are not a cure, they do not fix every little thing. They have draw backs and not all the drugs are productive for each person. These drugs DO have bad qualities and people need to know this too.My son actually stopped growing for a period of almost a YEAR. No height growth, no weight growth, NOTHING. Then there was the sobbing that he did not feel himself, or throwing desks while on another medication. Sometimes people think "medication" is wonder cure, be careful what you do, sometimes it is not.

[Mauxly]

These drugs DO have bad qualities and people need to know this too. My son actually stopped growing for a period of almost a YEAR. No height growth, no weight growth, NOTHING.

 

I absolutely agree. And it is a parent’s responsibility to do the research prior to putting kids on these drugs.

 

If the school district forced you to put your son on those drugs, and it affected his growth, I can't imagine that you wouldn't have some sort or recourse down the road?

 

I can't imagine that a year of zero growth won't somehow affect him in the future. Gosh...that is horrible.

 

I actually read about this side effect today, that it can be really bad for kids. Another reason that people need to use extreme caution.

 

For me? I can decide for myself if A- its working. B- The side effects are worse than the cure C- if I even want to take it.

 

The problem with the kids is that they might not be able to vocalize how they feel. On the outside, it may seem like they are stabilizing...but they may feel like crap on the inside. How would you know? How would they know? They haven't been on this planet long enough to know what normal feels like.

 

Ugh...I'm so glad I don't have a kid with anything resembling hyperactivity.

 

No...scratch that. I'd love to have that kid. Any kid...I can't have kids...merrr...topic for another thread I suppose!

[Seraphim]

My son is very small to begin with. He was 28 pounds at four so you can imagine putting someone 28 pounds on Ritalin!!!?? It was SO stressful to have him not eat and then the school call ME to tell me my son was too thin and it made teachers cry.You are the people that put him on this damned medication and you have the NERVE to tell me he is too thin!! GRRR His ped even wanted to take him off medication because he was not growing. Now he eats A LOT more, but he is still the smallest kid in his grade. He is in grade 7 and has size 3 feet when kids in his grade have size 8 feet( there are kids in grade 5 bigger than him)...what does that say?? I AGONIZE over this all the time.What am I doing to my son, am I harming him?? He is a VERY happy person not on medication, very bubbly,medicated he is more subdued. So disturbing.

[Mauxly]

And the school says he HAS to take it?

OK, I'm going to ask you a bunch of nube questions that I'm sure you've already answered a million times before, but I have to know...

 

I assume that they make him take it because they can't handle his behavior in class. He's disruptive and stuff? Is there any way you can get the behavior issues under control yourself so that they are none the wiser if he is off the meds?

 

How long has he been on it? Do you take him off from time to time to see if maturity alone hasn't solved the issue?

 

They put my little brother on Ritalin when he was in second grade. My stepmom kept him on it for a few years. One day she just took him off of it and sat him down and talked to him about what to do when he felt agitated (by then he was old enough to understand). Low and behold...perfectly behaved kid. My brother was obviously NOT ADHD. As a 27 year old adult, he's about as mellow as mellow gets. It is comical that he was once diagnosed with this. Oh yeah..the diagnosis? Through school recomended shrink.

 

For the record, little bro is extremely intelligent and introspective. He's also pretty much a musical savant. I can't believe they tried to medicate that out of him.

 

So yeah, I totally get why your blood probably boils a bit everytime you evern hear the letters ADHD. And why you'd want to keep people away from that diagnosis and medication.

[Seraphim]

Many people who are genius are called "ADHD" or whatever. People just do not know what to do with them. My son has not been disruptive since 4th grade now. His medication is not the kind you can go off and on from. You must either take it or not take it. He is 12 now, so he has been various medications for 8 years. He is a very lovable and creative kid. He has issues that are real disabilities, like a hearing processing disorder and a memory disorder where he can not learn to spell or write very well. He is also in the autistic spectrum. Yet, he can still obtain a very strong B+ average at school with at least 4 A's a semester. He has troubles with their method of teaching not the material. Many of these kids are brilliant and creative, what they need is an education catered to their needs for learning because they are not "deficient". There are schools out there but they are not within the means of most people,unfortunately.

[Mauxly]

Gosh. Good luck to you. And you already know this, but I just want to say it. You are so lucky to have him. And he's lucky to have you.

 

And if I win the lotto any time soon, those schools that you talk about, one of them will be availible to you guys. Promise! But...don't hold yer breath!