Need a crash course in ADD drugs

Parent Cafe
81

<p>Now that i have a large dose of my own preferred stimulant (caffeine) onboard I I would like to respond. This is my second post to CC which I only found last week! How did I survive!!! I suddenly feel like I have made a whole ton of new friends who will provide me with honest feedback. You are awesome!</p>

<p>If you do a search on pubmed on the neurochemistry of ADHD you had better set aside days to evaluate the results. But you still will not “know” anything. We “know” nothing. Its all a theory. Next year the giant hadron supercollider in Cern might tell us that gravity is not a force at all or that there really are infinite realities. Unlikely but not impossible. The more I learn the more I feel like I am wandering around in the dark with a flashlight trying to identify whatever is out there. I am glad I stumbled on all of you because some of your flashlights may be better than mine!</p>

<p>I have had no chance to hear from other parents of kids who take these drugs because it is not overt like glasses (that was a simplistic analogy).
My worries were all that were yours, addiction, substance abuse, the ‘steroids in sports’ analogy of performance enhancement etc. I have waded through the data and there seems to be evidence that suggests (every paper concludes with suggests) that these drugs are not addictive and may actually decrease potential substance abuse by untreated sufferers looking to self medicate. The link with omega 3 fatty acid intake seems to be growing. It certainly does not hurt to try that route. Current treatment for depression is also very much a process of trial and error. Drugs can be salvation to those who despair. The latest drug that has been shown to reverse depression overnight is ketamine - long considered a substance with strong abuse potential. It is better to take psychoactive drugs in a prescribed, controlled manner than to try to self medicate with street drugs.</p>

<p>I appreciate the advice on admissions. That will be a very subjective response by the individual officers. A year or so ago my response would have been a lot less sympathetic than my response today. The scales have fallen from my eyes as a result of my sons experience. He has only had a few months experience so far but it has been positive. We will evaluate colleges from a different perspective now. He wants to study biomedical engineering but the environment will now be as important as academics.</p>

82

<p>tmdel.cashel: Thanks for the knowledgeable post, and it certainly correlates with my experience. I have also seen studies that suggest that the meds can actually “grow the brain” and that medicated users are better off in five years than those who have never taken the meds even with all medication withdrawn – the splint effect.</p>

<p>PM me with any questions about colleges and admissions you might have, and I’ll try to help after going through this with my ADD son who is doing very well.</p>

83

<p>I have no scientific evidence, just anecdotal. For those who need the medicines for ADHD or ADD, some lives might be saved when teens are fully attentive to their own driving, riding their bicycle, or as pedestrians-- getting out of the way of swerving or dangerous cars. </p>

<p>It’s important to pay attention to stimuli from one’s physical environment.</p>

<p>There’s no data on accidents that didn’t happen, of course, but doesn’t it make sense that this is another good reason not to reject a medical prescription?</p>

<p>Surviving involves more than mere academic survival.</p>

84

<p>Excellent point.</p>

85

<p>P3T,
You are absolutely right about the driving. Our pediatrician had a long chat with my kids when they each turned 16 about the importance of driving only while on medication. He also suggested they consider limiting their nighttime driving until they are fairly experienced drivers, since they take medication in the morning only.</p>

86

<p>jym626: “spideygirl-
As has been said above, while no one is debating the chemical makeup of the psychostimulants, it is not common for a person who is taking a prescribed medication appropriately to develop an “addiction” to it. It is usually a person taking the medicine illegally that has an issue with dependence, and/or abuses the medication. Some people with addictive proclivities may try to feign symptoms to acquire a prescription, but if a person has been accurately and appropriately diagnosed with ADHD, it is, in my 27 yrs of experience in the field, quite rare to see someone having become either psychologically or physiologically addicted to their prescribed psychostim”</p>

<p>This totally jives with my post - we agree. </p>

<p>You do know, of course, that stimulants for ADD are treated much more cautiously than other prescriptive medicines because of their potential for abuse and addiction. As I described, however, when monitored and prescribed by a physician (and used as prescribed) they are relatively safe.</p>

87

<p>I remember reading about this (and discussing it with our pediatrician) when my son was a senior, I worried about how recreational they were getting. He told me he has seen parents that want them when the child doesn’t for purposes that aren’t always good.
<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/31/education/edlife/jacobs31.html?_r=1&oref=slogin[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/31/education/edlife/jacobs31.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&lt;/a&gt;
My son had mild to moderate ADHD and never wanted meds…was able to get A’s and B’s by compensating, but it was gettting tiring. He really had trouble with long tests like the SAT but still refused drugs, didn’t want them, but said if college got too difficult, he would call his doctor. (so far, so good) But I admit, I hate knowing how much longer he has to read things, study,he has to take many breaks, etc. but he says it’s “normal” to him. His doctor, a graduate of Yale med school said he had it many years ago and they didn’t have meds. He almost flunked the first 2 years of college and then he found a way of compensating (and he believes age helped) He said I know it’s hard to watch, but a student of any age has to want to take the meds or it wont work. They also have to understand the limitations of the drug.
I think what helped him in earlier years was it wasn’t severe, he was in a Catholic school that kept distractions down and he was kept engaged (most of the time) in class. I also used some natural things, but they only work for some mild cases.
For moderate to severe ADHD, meds can be a godsend.
I wonder though if a student goes off, what happens. I aske because a student told my son is when she decided to go off because nothing seemed to agree with her, it was hard to get to know her “old normal” She did worse at first than before the meds because she forgot how to compensate, her brain had gotten used to the meds. It didn’t want to work that hard to concentrate again. After a few weeks though, she was doing much better and is taking a break before she decides to look into a new ones.</p>

88

<p>I’m a 23 year-old college graduate with a degree in Accounting. I started taking Ritalin at age 10 and switched to Adderall at age 12. I’ve been taking it ever since. I’ve taken Adderall and Adderall XR in different doses varying from 10 mg a day to 40 mg a day. I’ve spent years taking it religiously and I’ve spent years taking it irregularly. I have found that, while I am able to function without the meds, I’m so much more productive while I’m on them. For me, there is certainly a notable difference between my “adderall” self and my “normal” self but isn’t that the purpose of the drug?? Taking adderall is a concious decision I make SOLELY for the purpose of becoming less like my “normal” self and more like my more productive and efficient “adderall” self. I’ve gone through phases where I feel that I should be able to be productive without the meds and I’ll quit taking them for a few months. And inevitably there is a short period where your brain has to adjust but your brain quickly balances right back out. You have to maintain a balance between your “normal” self and the positive effects of the medication. Its a decision that each individual makes but you can’t expect to take a drug specifically designed to effect your brain and still feel like your old self. That being said, the difference is exactly as advertised. It doesn’t turn me into a zombie or make me a completely different person. It just makes me want to skip drinking with the guys and stay home to finish those expense reports. While the guys may say they liked the “old me” better… I know those reports have to get done and I use to best tool at my disposal to get the job done. Adderall. But trust me, you can take for a while, stop taking it for a while, and then start taking it all over again and you’ll just be fine. There might be short periods in between where your brain has to readjust, but hey… thats just the nature of the beast.</p>

89

<p>Most ADHD medications are stimulants.
Amphetamines are a type of stimulant. Nicotine and Caffeine are also stimulants.
“Meth”-amphetamine is only a cousin to Adderall because they are both amphetamines. Not all stimulants are amphetamines.</p>

<p>[Stimulant</a> - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stimulant]Stimulant”>Stimulant - Wikipedia)
[Attention-deficit</a> hyperactivity disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADHD]Attention-deficit”>Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>In general, stimulants are the most effective form of treatment. If you are having worries about dependence and abuse of medication in regards with treating ADHD or recreational drug use, just check out or talk to your doctor about Vyvanse.</p>

<p>I have taken half a dozen different medications for ADHD, and Vyvanse is a very good improvement of Adderall, they are basically the same, but the dosage is released slowly and spread out better over time, evenly. There are much less highs and drops, in fact the only time I ever noticed somewhat of a high “rush” with the medication is the first few days I took it, unlike Adderall, which many days was a roller coaster ride starting in the morning.</p>

<p>Now that I think about it, my doctor said vyvanse was made more specifically for ADHD patients with addictive tendencies in mind. I started taking it at the beginning of this semester and it has worked wonders. It is true that vyvanse is the successor to Adderall, since Adderall has gone generic and the company wants to keep their money making abilities by pushing Vyvanse, but it truely is a great upgrade. Unlike Lexapro vs. Celexa (Citalopram), which are only microscopically different in order to keep a make money off their new patent (Anti-Depressents, not ADHD meds).</p>

<p>Remember when treating any disorder, you must FOCUS on TREATING THE SYMPTOMS, not just the name or label of the disorder, I’m pretty sure this applies to all medical treatment in general. ADHD or not, all cases of the diagnosis are not the same and effect everyone differently in some way. Forgot to mention, Vyvanse has much less and less intense side effects (ex: speeding heart, short of breath, loss of appetite, dry mouth, insomnia, irritability.) I am not in any way advertising Vyvanse for my own gains, but from my experience with Adderall XR, Focalin, Metadate, Daytrana patch + others im sure, Vyvanse is a life saver. Adderall XR is still very effective, but in my experience has more side effects some others I have mentioned.</p>

<p>Generally the more spread out and less intense the medication affects a patient, the less appealing it is for recreational usage or abuse. (If you have any specific questions just mail or message me, I can let you know what I know and as well as personal experience, My doctor and I generally work together to development my treatment, he does not just blindly hand me pills and I swallow.) I have taken several pharmacology and psychology/counseling classes dealing with addictions and mood disorders. Male, 23-yr old Computer Animation major.
Always speak to your doctor about your symptoms and get several different opinions, there can always be another combination/conflicting or underlying issue/disorder that is causing your anguish.
Good Luck and Best Wishes.</p>

<p>-Christian</p>

90

<p>Christian-
You are correct about Vyvance. we discussed this back on post #29 or so in this thread.</p>

<p>Spideygirl- regarding tythis

Class II drugs are handled more cautiously by prescribing physicians. Stimulants, many pain meds, sedatives, etc have differenct prescribing rules (eg one month at a time, no phone refills or faxes, etc)</p>

91

<p>Well we have got D off the Strattera- which I am happy about.
AdderallXR goes in and out of your system much faster.</p>

<p>( of course if you get up too late, like she is today, you can’t really take it if you want to go to sleep at your regular time & I have a hard time taking it first thing in the morning myself-
thats why I can’t wrap my head around the notion of ADD medication being addictive. If something is addictive, you don’t mislay your scrip or forget to take it :wink: )</p>

<p>I spoke to a Harvard prof who is also an authority on ADHD as well as affected by it & he takes a French medication that would be too expensive for most people here- but perhaps he is doing a study?</p>

92

<p>ek-
Perhaps you are talking about pycnogenol [Pycnogenol®:</a> Natural antioxidant supplement for heart and circulatory health](<a href=“http://www.pycnogenol.com/health/]Pycnogenol®:”>http://www.pycnogenol.com/health/) which isnt “medication” but rather a homeopathic agent made from the bark of some French trees, I believe. Doubtful it has anything to do with cost-- if a true “medication” isn’t approved by the FDA, is will not be released for use in the US. If it is just an herbal supplement, you can buy it from their website, most likely.
<em>edit</em>
here’s an article on pycnogenol [New</a> Study: Pine Bark Extract Reduces ADHD Symptoms in Children | Market Wire | Find Articles at BNET.com](<a href=“http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pwwi/is_200606/ai_n16487522]New”>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pwwi/is_200606/ai_n16487522)</p>

93

<p>Pycnogenol can help people who bruise easily too.
[Natural</a> Treatment of Bruises - Dr. Weil](<a href=“Integrative Medicine & Healthy Living | Andrew Weil, M.D.”>Integrative Medicine & Healthy Living | Andrew Weil, M.D.)</p>

94

<p>I am always a tad suspicious of stuff that claims to do everything from grow hair to weightloss (figuratively speaking…)</p>

95

<p>My D and S both take Adderall XR in different strengths. My S is a typical boy with ADHD, has all the symptoms:hyperacticvity has a very hard time focusing attention and staying on task. My D, on the other hand is more like a typical girl with ADD, doesn’t have the hyperactivity ,but has the inattention and difficulty maintaining focus. She decided that she would continue with the medication and has now completed her second year of college.
My main concern with her is that she pulled several all nighters the last week of classes and then had some negative repercussions ie. oversleeping and missing class which she had never done. I’m not sure that she would have been able to do the all-nighters w/o the meds. Its a dilemma as a parent- letting your young adult child with ADHD make decisions on medications and then watching what can happen if meds are taken on a different schedule.</p>

96

<p>Taking medication always brings that up: “well if you didnt take it you wouldnt have done this or naturally you are like this not that…”
I am more ADD than ADHD, I do not know the exact differences, but I am not hyperactive naturally, I use to think alot when I was younger, but now I just space out and get tired. That was a big thing about Adderall, it was very controlling in a sense that you either took it or you didn’t, there was not much leeway with it; I was able to sleep or nap on it, but sometimes would wake up with my heart going 6 million miles an hour.
The Daytrana patch was very convenient in the fact that you were able to remove it once you were done with your day, of course it took a few hours to wear off, but you can plan that accordingly. My doctor gave me Sonata for sleep medication, although I thought it was weird: take this stimulant to wake up and get your day done, then take this sleeping pill to pass out. Go figure, but Sonata worked well, it is designed for 4 hours, keeping college students in mind, since most of us do not have 8 hours to dedicate to sleep, but it is not limiting to 4 hours as I have had 8-10 hours sleep using just one regular dosage. At first there was no hangover effect, this was a year or two ago, I was on different medication, but now I can get next morning drowsiness, I stopped taking it early in the semester.</p>

<p>Being on Vyvanse I can goto sleep early or late, doesnt matter as much when I take it, in fact I need to take it now, but it is not controlling as Adderall XR was for me. I like to wake up when the sun comes up and goto sleep at 5 or 7am (I realize this is 24 hours). My sleep schedule is loopy since the end of the semester with finals, but I function prety well off 4 hours of sleep, I can wake up easily enough and get my day done with too much trouble. I am not taking any sleep aid medication. The only thing that gives me trouble is drinking, my best friend got back from Iraq last week and I went out with him the last few nights… I never really drink anymore, but he does, two nights in a row with him and I started slacking on my work, so now I have to make a stronger attempt.</p>

<p>The all nighters can be an issue, but from most people I know they are quite common - ADD or not. I would say you have to get use to it or not let them stack up on you more than a few days, or do it later in the week, its about everyones tolerance in a sense. Although I was out of it the last day of class and might have made an ass of myself, I’m still not sure.</p>

<p>I think with adderall it was easier to wake up in the morning and get going, cuz of the minor rush it gives you (which eventually becomes unnoticable but is still kinda there). Vyvanse is not as strong as that, I take the max 70mg, and sometimes manage to sleep in if I dont have anything planned. But if I dont have anything planned that I have to do… I have a lazy morning on the computer and eat and shower by noon, its kinda lame. I prefer having stuff to do… like class.</p>

97

<p>With appropriate sleep patterns and enough exercise ( and nutritional support) you can minimize the amount of medication you need.</p>

<p>[Exercise:</a> An Alternative ADHD Treatment Without Side Effects | ADDitude - ADHD Adults and Children with Attention Deficit Disorder and Learning Disabilities (LD)](<a href=“http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/3142.html]Exercise:”>http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/3142.html)</p>

<p>( I would also suggest that if you were feeling a “rush” from adderall the dose could be a little high)</p>

<p>I also don’t find that I am more efficient if I stay up all night studying, the time could be better put to use giving my brain a break- like sleeping!</p>