ADD sufferers - what is your experience with medication?

September 24, 2005 5:16 PM

Are you an adult with ADD? Are you on medication? If so, how would you compare before to after?

I ask this, because I've known since I was younger that my attention span and other things were not so good. I went through a checklist the other day of ADD symptoms, and thought `this list describes me too well'.

Anyway, I'm thinking of talking to a doctor about medication, and I wonder about other people's experiences. Are you more focused? Do you feel different? I'm in the dark here, so any information would be great.

posted by tomble to Health & Fitness (12 answers total)

I daignosed myself and sought treatment in my early 20s. Medication has made a huge difference. It does improve my ability to focus a great deal, but more importantly for me, medication lowers my activation energy so I can get started on projects faster and with less procrastination. Without medication, I can't things done, even when they're things I want to do at some level.

I'd seriously suggest you try meds for a week or two and see for yourself. Most stimulants flush out the body rather quickly once they're use is discontinued, so you lose nothing by trying them out.

Medication really changed my life for the better. If your doctor is uncooperative, then find another who will be more helpful.
posted by Common Sense at 5:30 PM on September 24, 2005

the only time i've done well in college was when i took meds (adderall and ritalin)...they allowed me to focus and pay attention and not avoid schoolwork...

my life has definitely fractured since then.
posted by schyler523 at 6:40 PM on September 24, 2005

Medication, if it's appropriate, can be incredibly helpful. I've thought about this topic a lot, personally and professionally. My thoughts are here on my blog.
posted by abbyladybug at 6:45 PM on September 24, 2005

the medication i took gave me heart palpitations for years after i stopped taking it, aswell as permanently dialated pupils (can't remember the name). i thought i had ADD, it was really just depression. i did find times that i was 'in the zone', but those times were rare and it certainly wasn't worth it for that.
posted by GleepGlop at 7:01 PM on September 24, 2005

Since I started this thread I've been to a couple doctors, had neuro-psych testing with a "oh yeah, you have it, no doubt" diagnosis. I'm still doing some trial and error with meds. Ritalin didn't seem to do much though my current doc seemed to think my dosage wasn't high enough. He put me on Concerta (same as Ritalin only in a long term release form) I'm not yet sure if it's doing anything though so far when i read it seems like I'm absorbing it a little more and not thinking about 9848423904 different other things. The doc will gradually up my dosage to see if things work better.

So, as for meds, too soon to tell but I'm hopeful.

Go find a doctor. Don't diagnose yourself. If you can get some neuro-psych testing, do it. Mine actually found I also had an undiagnosed slight reading disability. I can only imagine what my life would be like if they found out about all this back in fifth grade, when they should have.

It hasn't yet changed my life, though it sure as hell helped me make sense of 35 years of underachievement.

One word of warning... getting diagnosed and on meds won't suddenly "fix" you, it will only help you fix yourself. Soon after the diagnosis it was a big letdown when I realized nothing has really changed. Dealing with ADD just feels like yet another big project that I'm afraid to deal with, which is exactly the sort of thing ADDers have trouble with. Sort of a catch-22.

It sure is nice to know why I'm the way I am.
posted by bondcliff at 7:10 PM on September 24, 2005

It can not be emphasized enough how important it is to have a clinical diagnosis before taking any psycho pharmaceutical therapy. AD(H)D is well studied these days and in conjunction with traditional talk\behavior therapy, meds can Ritalin can do wonders for the diagnosed person.

My personal experience is that I too diagnosed myself but I submitted myself to a clinical assessment by a professional that came highly recommended. Without Ritalin, I can get nothing done. As sited upthred, motivation and follow through is a hallmark of a LDHD person's daily experience. In addition to stopping the motivational freeze, growing up with ADHD had a very negative affect on my person. I have found that Meds and talk therapy with a shrink practiced in helping LDHD clients to be highly useful.

So . . . Get a clinical diagnosis to determine if you actually need meds for AD(H)D or if you would benefit from an other therapy or other reasons. It can be scary to submit to a clinical assessment - it is kind of an unknown - but a general practitioner, who can prescribed meds, is not the right professional to go to for psycho-emotional assessment and medication.
posted by johnj at 7:52 PM on September 24, 2005

I've wondered about that myself. What kinds of side-effects do these drugs have? A TV add for 'stritara' mentioned 'liver problems'.
posted by delmoi at 9:10 PM on September 24, 2005

Take a look at ADD Forums for lots of people's experiences with the various medications. I tried Ritalin for awhile and it was great until I built up a tolerance. Adderall is even better. Most people find that either one or the other works well for them. Side effects include loss of appetite with resultant weight loss (not neccessarily a bad thing), headache, dizziness. I only have the loss of appetite.

One thing that does happen is if I take a dose in the morning and forget to take my afternoon dose in time, I get "super-ADD" when the first dose wears off (rebound, they call it, and it is MUCH worse with Ritalin). If I skip a morning, though, I'm just normal.

The Problem is, both Ritalin and Adderall are controlled substances, so you cannot get refills. Also, some doctors are uncomfortable prescribing them, since they are essentially amphetamines. This may lead to your doctor wishing to prescribe non-stimulants, like Wellbutrin or Strattera.

Stay the hell away from Strattera! It is wretched, awful shit, doesn't work well, and is expensive to boot. Nobody in posession of a prostate should ever take it - it will mess with a man's plumbing in evil ways.
posted by Charlie Bucket at 12:03 AM on September 25, 2005

Oh, one last thing. Medication has changed my life in so many wonderful ways. My house is cleaner, phone calls get returned, bills are paid in time. I'm getting my life in order.

Be aware, though, that if you are older and have been underachieving in life, the "new improved you" may have problems with limitations you once accepted. This is addressed in Holloway & Ratey's "Driven to Distraction."

I have become aware that I"m capable of achieving much more in life than I once thought, and wish to get on with doing so immediately. My mundane job has become more of a cage than ever before, because I'm aching to contribute my talents to the world and I'm not in a place where that's possible.

Whilst I have no regrets about starting ADD medication, I wish this would've come to light 10 years ago, it might have saved a lot of "lost time."

The above is one reason why therapy or coaching is recommended as well.
posted by Charlie Bucket at 12:24 AM on September 25, 2005

I remember the first time I took Ritalin. I was at someone else's house, the tv was babbling, my friend was talking a mile a minute, I could hear the traffic outside, had a gazillion thoughts racing through my head and then the medication kicked in. Somewhere in the middle of the conversation I realized that the traffic, the tv and the other distractions weren't as distracting and probably for the first time in my life I could hear what someone else said without it being a disjointed barrage of words that I had to try to piece together to understand. Initially the differences were night and day, I slept better, I was more motivated, less distracted, less of a lot of things. But, I built up a tolerance (was on Ritalin for about 4 years) and around that time I got fed up with my muse being choked by the medication, the peaks and valleys of the Ritalin so weaned myself off of it. Maybe it wasn't such a smart move but at the time seemed like it was.

I agree with the above, get a diagnosis from someone qualified. I lucked out and was treated for a short time by a psychiatrist who specializes in adults with ADD.

so you cannot get refills

It depends on the country, in Canada a doctor can include two refills when witting out a prescription for controlled substances.
posted by squeak at 2:21 AM on September 25, 2005

I'm %110 ADD, among other things. Ritalin was wonderful, but the only thing worse than being on or off it, is being on and off it, I had a great deal of difficulty staying dosed, but when I remembered it was a very good thing.
A primary thought of mine (a typical one) was that I would be losing some part of me, but.. as many people find, I was also recapturing something as well. My .02, there are a bajillion discussions and opinions on this stuff.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 11:25 AM on September 25, 2005

The only difficulty I have is that I tend to get lost in concentration and I'm so focused that I block out everything - not just distracting thoughts but feelings and other people. Because all of my energy seems to be directed inward. It's really strange.
posted by superkim at 6:36 AM on September 26, 2005