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Hey Max,
Quick questions on the meds. You said that meds did not work for you. Do you have a doctor who is qualified. And, has he/she let you play around a little with dosing and the 2 different type of stimulant meds.
I just got to a certain level of comfort with my medication regime. but I am taking the upper end of doses with either Ritalin LA (40mg) or Adderall (30mg) and I take them twice a day, 6 hours apart. I started out with the lower doses, but from what I have experienced and from what I have read, the higher doses reduce the symptoms and the longer acting meds keep me from dropping in and out. Dropping in and out can really make you nuts. And my blood pressure and heart rate stay in the normal range, and I have no problem falling asleep. But, it has taken some time and some real frustration with the medical system.
When I first started this whole discovery process, I started it with a Doctor that really did not know what he was doing. He used the minimal amount of a generic Ritalin, and he was afraid of prescribing any of the long actings. He tried to get me to go on Strattera and I refused because I read Hallowell's book on Delivered from Distraction. He mentions Strattera, I looked it up and it had pages of side effects and really bad symptoms. (My current Dr. said straight out that it does not work, and neither does Wellbutrin/Bupropion, but there is so much pressure out there to try to find a non-stimulant alternative). He also could not figure out why I needed more of the stimulant so he put me on Provigil. What an idiot. Heart rate went over 100, BP was 190/100. He could have stroked me out or given me cardiac arrest.
I had to fight to find an experienced Psychiatrist that was experienced in ADD. And the first time I found one, he turfed me to a female who had the bedside manner of a shoe, did not want to hear anything from me, talked with an accent that I could hardly understand, and really only wanted to write prescriptions and charge for a re-occuring office visit every 3 months. So the first Dr that I researched was so busy, he just said he had a closed practice and gave me to her. I guess she had no clients and no waiting. But, she did tell me I had to also see a social therapist to do, as she put it, "the Talky Talky" stuff. She actually did a hand puppet gesture with her hand talking like Garfield Goose (should you know what that is) when she said talky talky. Combine that with the really thick oriental/asian accent, hmmm good stuff for my book, bad stuff for the early care of a late diagnosed adult with ADD. If I did have a question, and had a chance to ask it, she would defensively turn it back on me as if it was my issue.
So, w/o any more of my last 2 years of my life since getting Dx'd,
My questions on the meds,
How many have you tried, what does not work, and do you have a real knowledgable and experienced Dr.
I am curious and I am trying to get a feel for what others do with their Adult-ADD. And how universal the effect of stimulants are.
Sincerely, and good luck to you,
Tom Proko
P.S. I do not know what your age or health is, but I would recommend to any Adult-ADDer on stimulants to have a couple blood pressure machines around the house and at work.
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