ADHD Doesn't Go Away

reply to post by Philippines


Totally agree with this.

My son is ADHD, but we don't have him on the stimulant medication. He's taking something else, a blood pressure medicine that has the same effect without the less desirable side effects of the narcotics.

In addition to the medication, he sees a therapist every other week. This is to help him learn coping strategies so that one day he can come off the medication. Maturity will also help with this.

Its a lifelong condition, doesn't have to be a lifelong sentence.

Originally posted by smyleegrl
reply to post by Philippines

 

Totally agree with this.

My son is ADHD, but we don't have him on the stimulant medication. He's taking something else, a blood pressure medicine that has the same effect without the less desirable side effects of the narcotics.

In addition to the medication, he sees a therapist every other week. This is to help him learn coping strategies so that one day he can come off the medication. Maturity will also help with this.

Its a lifelong condition, doesn't have to be a lifelong sentence.

The exercises took some commitment from me and my mom (thanks mom if you're reading!) It was at least 6 months of doing various things to stimulate the brain and make the neural connections exist and strengthened. They lasted for 1 hour and were done first thing in the morning. I don't remember the term for the kind of therapy I had, I will have to ask.

I really didn't like the medication because I was playing (stupid) competitive sports at the time and those pills made my heart beat too fast. So I stopped the pills then and there.

Now I don't take anything, eat a healthy diet (mostly veggies, meat a couple times a week), lots of hiking/biking/farming, and I feel great.

And you're right, it doesn't have to be a lifelong sentence, but it takes some hard work and dedication to fix it naturally.

reply to post by soundguy


You hit it PERFECTLY! Thank you! I was diagnosed with ADD at the age of 42. I am now 46, and have been taking Vyvanse 4 years. The difference is incredible! Not only am I able to concentrate on one task at a time, I can complete it! I had terrible grades in school, I thought I was stupid and completely worthless. I had very few friends, and I could not pay attention in class no matter how hard I tried! I was not a troublemaker, I was very quiet and shy and my teachers thought I wasn't paying attention. I'm not addicted to my medication, I don't take it on weekends or vacation. Finding out that I'm not a stupid, worthless lump of a human being has been nothing short of incredible! I have a life now.

It's a LOT like Asperger's Syndrome

1.) Not pick up on social cues and may lack inborn social skills, such as being able to read others' body language, start or maintain a conversation, and take turns talking.

2.) Dislike any changes in routines.

3.) Appear to lack empathy. (Not True We dole our Empathy out to those that we think Mostly deserve it! it's a Emotional control mechanism because if we didn't we'd be emotional wrecks)

4.) Be unable to recognize subtle differences in speech tone, pitch, and accent that alter the meaning of others? speech. So your child may not understand a joke or may take a sarcastic comment literally. And his or her speech may be flat and hard to understand because it lacks tone, pitch, and accent.

5.) Have a formal style of speaking that is advanced for his or her age. For example, the child may use the word "beckon" instead of "call" or the word "return" instead of "come back."

6.) Avoid eye contact or stare at others.

7.) Have unusual facial expressions or postures.

8.) Be preoccupied with only one or few interests, which he or she may be very knowledgeable about. Many children with Asperger's syndrome are overly interested in parts of a whole or in unusual activities, such as designing houses, drawing highly detailed scenes, studying astronomy or Computer game programming. They may show an unusual interest in certain topics such as butterflies, names of stars, or dinosaurs.

9.) Talk a lot, usually about a favorite subject. One-sided conversations are common. Internal thoughts are often verbalized.

10.) Have delayed motor development. Your child may be late in learning to use a fork or spoon, ride a bike, or catch a ball. He or she may have an awkward walk. Handwriting is often poor.

11.) Have heightened sensitivity and become overstimulated by loud noises, lights, or strong tastes or textures.

For more information about these symptoms, see sensory processing disorder.

Please Note Many children with Asperger's syndrome also have coexisting conditions and may have symptoms of these conditions also. They include:

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Dyslexia

Anxiety disorder. (I wonder why?, When people see us they instantly cause us grievous bodily harm! for no Understandable reason!)

Depression, especially in adolescents. (PROFOUND DEPRESSION!)

Nonverbal learning disorder. (Err.. What?)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). (Must wash hands, Must wash hands, Do it now, Do it now, DO IT NOW, Exterminate all germs, EXTERMINATE! *say it in a dalek voice* )

Social anxiety disorder. (I don't want to go out there and make friends they tend to Make fun of us then physically attack us for some Unknown reason?)

As a person with this condition I can tell you the ASD does not exist, The spectrum is Not of the Disability itself but is the PERSONALITY SPECTRUM of the individual affected by said condition which is Asperger's Syndrome. Stupid scientists Autism Spectrum Disorder Ermm.. Stupid "Professionals" simply DO NOT understand they think they do but they DO NOT!.

Remember when I mentionned that my 16 year old son was diagnosed with ADHD, well he was also diagnosed with fine motor skill problems and he can't write a sentance in a straight line or letters the same size for the life of him, plus he is dyslexic...Imagine the fun it is to have him read and write a text comprehention exam at school. It took more than 4 years to have him proprely diagnosed, yeah, thank you public health care system, but any how, now that he is, he's got a laptop with all the software necessary for him to function and you want to know what.....His grades are up by more than 60%. NOW...That being said, the dosage for his ADHD medication has now been lowered, he takes concerta and is at half the dosage he used to take. This might be cause by a number of factors, one of wich is probably cause he has tools that he likes to work with and it keeps him motivated. I fought medecation for as long as I could, I realy don't believe in it just because when I look at him, I see myself and I know that it is possible to work normally with ADHD....I turned out ok, I mean I've got a white color job and make great money so....no reason for him not to.

I think the key here is, a child with ADHD needs more than meds, that child needs all the support in the world to help him understand what's going on in his brain and give him tools, tips and tricks to help manage the attention problem. As for the hyper activity...In our case, it's all about sports, got him involved in Taekwondo, it greatly helps with his motor skills and concentration, plus gives him back his self esteem, puts him in a social group that is interested in the same thing he is...You want to know what....He should be passing his black belt in about 1 1/2 if all goes well.

As for my daughter...she is already a black belt now and I'm folowing right behind her, yeah yeah...she can kick my butt...LOL!!

So in the end, like I said, medication might not be the answer but it can help right up till the kid is able to control himself to a point of being functional. I've read up on this so much that my head hurts, I know all about the side effects of the meds and can trully say that it if it was just for me, he would of never taken the meds to begin with, but alas...He also has a Mother...LOL.

Oh and on a side note....did you all know that Psychology is not a science, I mean in the pure sense...It's all based on theory and possibilities, the big book of diagnosys in psychology is all pretty much guess work so....Listen to your child, observe your child, play and communicate with your child and you might be able to find a working solution together instead of medication...Of..You might have to resort to medication but on a verry minimal dose when you combine it with all other possiblities. So please...To those who have stong opinions about kids being formed by society and are all againt the meds...Please...walk a mile in our shoes, that's all I ask.

Have a good day all and good luck !

reply to post by Testtubemonkeybaby


Thanks!

It is hard to explain what it is like to feel normal when you have never expierianced it before. Of course I am presuming what we now expierance is normal. As the op's post stated it does not go away. As I look back, I more or less look at my previous mental state as a patchwork that worked just well enough to get by.

One of the things I really enjoy these days, is being able to engage someone in conversation and actually remembering what they were talking about. I became real good at acting like I was listening when people talked to me, when actually my mind was wondering all over the place.

I am glad you have found a good fit. It sucks going through life with the attention span of a goldfish.

reply to post by kyviecaldges


"I am not surprised at your belief. It is human nature to want to discredit that which we do not understand. "

i have adhd, i was prescribed drugs,, i stoped taking them they are useless. it really is just legal speed lol. half the people i knew in college just wanted to trade my pills for other drugs, i can hardly imagine what goes on in highschool, midlle, and elementary school in trading "drugs" heh

i work for a fortune 500, have my first condo (havent missed a payment, yet lol ) and my 350z is paid off ^^

adhd is just another word for forgetfull ^^ or an excuse for parents to explain why their kid is an f ing retard ^^
(just kidding on the last one lol but they way i hear people talk about this with their kids its like they are blind or crippled lol and omg how will they ever cope in life)

ITS CALLED TRYING HARDER heh

The only adhd people I know seemed to have fried their own brains, or been children who were born from parents who stayed stoned while in pregnancy. And not just pot, but hard drugs like angle dust and lsd, and even more destructive things like meth. Yea, their flipped, but they brought it upon themselves and their children had to pay for it, and are still paying for it. No doubt the crap in food, floride and toxins in the environment are not helping a bit, but it's also a crutch to fall back on by some adults who are 'disabled' . Yea at 28 years old, claiming bipolar and such, still stoning away at the government expense. Bipolar, adha and atd are used to much to cover just bad choices and damage from drugs.

My opinion only...

reply to post by kyviecaldges


I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was in 2 grade. They wanted to put me on medication, but my family wouldn't let them. My Mom just said that i learned differently then all the other kids, but my family never took me out of public school to go to a new school where I would supposedly "learn" how I was supposed to. So I went through elementary, and middle school failing most of my subjects or getting max C's and B's. When i hit sixth grade I hit one of the lowest points in my life, Complete and utter social terror. Every day I would imagine my mom was being killed at home or wouldn't come to school and I would be abandoned and to top that off I was made fun of day in and day out for being fat and acting weird. This went on until I was in 8th grade then it declined a little, to the point where I wasn't having panic attacks every day. My summer break between 9th and tenth grade I decided to finally loose weight I weight 215 at 15 years old, so I did loose the weight but i became infatuated and ended up dropping down to 135 at 6 foot, I became anorexic but my family just brushed it off and told me i needed to eat more. my tenth grade year i decided to be home schooled, but my mom left all my lesson plans to me( yeah good idea let someone who gets d's and c's control the curriculum). So I basically wasted 3 years sitting in front of the computer doing nothing. Got a diploma my twelfth grade years for BS. Oh and when i turned 18 i decided to start body building. The next few years involved me working out, working, and having fun. these were my glory years I actually had a decent amount of friends and a cute girlfriend (now my wife) but i was also working out about 12 to 14 hours a week so I think that kept my brain a little better under control. then to wrap this up (cause my brain just got a rush of anxiety, cause it just said don't want to do this anymore) went to college was pressured into become a chef because " I have a creative mind" now married with 2 kids. Got fat again during college years didn't look at a mirror for 2 years straight cause i hated my self decided to loose the weight again enjoyed every minute of eating less then 800 calories a day, thank God snapped out of it. started going to gym again. Have no friends cause between work, home and going to the gym i have no time. Not even sure how to make friends anymore. Go through constant bought of deppresion, I'm to scared to talk to my wife about personal stuff, and we just got over about a year or two long bad streak, where I basically couldn't stand her.

I have never done this there are things here i have never told anyone the reason why i did is because I'm trying to change my life. yes there are cases where children might be misdiagnosed but I wasn't and telling your kid there just special and learn different isn't going to help them. In my case it F*** my life up royally. who knows if my mom would have put me on some meds maybe i wouldn't be working my a** off making 20,000 a year constantly stresses out, and in the worst industry for someone who has anxiety problems. Done ranting

what i want to ask you kyviecaldges how did you do it, did you have to work up the nerve to go to the doctor? im scared to death to go. all i can think about is worse case scenario crap.For me just going to a new place or deviating from my normal routine scares the crap out of me! and I know this isn't healthy but I don't know what to do! My wife knows I have issues but every time i tell her something it seems like she just brushes it off, or says yeah i get that way too, and I hate that!!! you don't know how I feel, stop saying you do!!! i just need help Im a coward and can't do this on my own, help.

Originally posted by 3dman7
None of this matters......until it's someone close to you that's affected.

Oh, believe me, I know.

Thats a pretty generic statement lol

reply to post by smyleegrl


You are SO SPOT ON! I was diagnosed with ADD as an adult. (As a side note, technically ADD no longer exists...There are three subtypes of the disorder which consist of it being predominantly inattentive (ADHD-PI or ADHD-I), predominantely hyperactive-impulsive (ADHD-HI or ADHD-H), or the two combined (ADHD-C)).

Anyway, I was diagnosed with Anxiety and occasional OCD along with the above. It was later discovered (after therapy and medication) that the anxiety & OCD were a by product of the ADHD. When I was treated successfully for the ADHD my other symptoms went away. Truly, a blessing.

The article is also spot on in that it does get harder as you get older. Especially when you must learn subjects that you have no interest in. I find that ADHD is a benefit when learning subjects you enjoy - I learn them extremely fast and excel at them - when I'm interested. When I'm not interested...it's a serious struggle to learn them at all.

I always use the following metaphor when talking to my friends and coworkers about ADHD -

"When everything is normal and good, your memory is like a big circular rolodex. You have all your information stored in the rolodex, and index it directly. You need to remember something? You can go directly to the card that holds the information in the rolodex and pull it out. The same applies when you need to add information to the rolodex.

When you have ADHD, this changes drastically. All of a sudden the rolodex is spinning constantly. You can't stop it, but it just spins (like a wheel). Imagine how difficult it would be to put or pull information out of a spinning rolodex, or even find the correct information you want. This is life with ADHD.

The medication and therapy allow you to slow or sometimes even stop that spinning rolodex so you can function effectively. It kind of naturally stops when you are doing something you really enjoy, or are interested in, but for all other activities it spins right back up again.

Thanks for the thread! Star and Flag

reply to post by bigcountry08


Dude you need to go. It will change your life in such a positive way, you can't even imagine.
I self referred to Mental Health while I was active duty in the Navy. That's how I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.

It's weird at first, admitedly. But if you want and need help, then do it. You will thank yourself when you start to get medication and therapy. You WILL notice a significant positive change in your life, and you WILL pat yourself on the back!

I know I did. Do it.

Before I go on to say what I want to say about this, a little background about myself...

I was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD back when I was in the 2nd grade (1994 I believe) and have also been diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder, Delayed onset, and PTSD, Delayed onset. I have trouble functioning in society "properly" and possibly have developed social anxiety as well (not diagnosed as of yet). I take no medications for any of these, but have been prescribed before.

Here are my views of ADD/ADHD. (As with all views, they are up to change) As of right now, I believe that yes, people with ADD/ADHD are different then a majority of the population. Yes, some need medication to function more "properly" but not all do need medication. I think that what the problem here isn't the lack of medication being taken, but the lack of understanding by both the society and from the person that has ADD/ADHD. I believe that people with this "disorder" are not simply wrong, or bad, but are different. They can learn the same things that anyone else can, but may just possibly need a different approach to help stimulate learning, and concentration.

This will not work for all people affected by ADD/ADHD, as every case is different. There is no one single cure or treatment. Some may be helped by bio-feedback, some may just need more time to learn things. We are all not "cogs in a machine" but are individuals, and have individual needs, and wants.

It's not until people realize this and react to it, that this argument, (and many other arguments) will end. There are a lot of "wrong" answers, none that are 100% right 100% of the time, but there are definitely some answers that are better than others.

reply to post by bigcountry08

what i want to ask you kyviecaldges how did you do it, did you have to work up the nerve to go to the doctor? im scared to death to go. all i can think about is worse case scenario crap.For me just going to a new place or deviating from my normal routine scares the crap out of me! and I know this isn't healthy but I don't know what to do! My wife knows I have issues but every time i tell her something it seems like she just brushes it off, or says yeah i get that way too, and I hate that!!! you don't know how I feel, stop saying you do!!! i just need help Im a coward and can't do this on my own, help!

I feel you. For real.

When I first went to the doctor I was a mess. I was diagnosed with several co-morbid disorders. In total, I was diagnosed with severe depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and severe ADHD.

I had brain scans done and the lot.

What was told to me when I was diagnosed was that the depression and the anxiety probably resulted from the many years of untreated ADHD. I was constantly waiting on the shoe to drop for one more thing that I had screwed up in my life.
I was initially put on abilify, zoloft, ambien and adderall.

Yes... Quite a lot, but I now only take adderall and I am thankful for the other meds because they allowed me to relax enough that I could engage in effective therapy and change my life.
The hardest thing to do is take the first step.

I was in school at the time and my studies have always been erratic.
Probably like you, I was told that I had so much potential that I was wasting. So one of my professors suggested that I go to the school mental health department and get tested.
I was in tears when I finally became honest with everyone, but it was the best thing that I could have ever done.

I know that I had made mistakes in my life and that if I had been treated earlier that I probably would not have the wake of destruction that I created, but I cannot, I MEAN CANNOT... beat myself up any more for that stuff.

Just go to a doctor that you trust and be honest with them.
Tell them that you were diagnosed as a child, but never put on meds and then tell them basically what you have just typed.
There is lots of help out there if you reach out.

BTW... I am a bartender in the French Quarter in New Orleans.
The industry is a double edged sword.
I have been told that the reason that people like us get into this business is because of the adrenaline rush that accompanies the work.
Adrenaline medicates us extremely short term. It speeds up the messages in the prefrontal cortex, which is no different than what medication does.
This is also why kids with untreated ADHD have anger issues.

But this leads to manic/depressive episodes.

You have the ability to take responsibility for your brain chemistry.

Don't pay attention to the losers on here who want to talk down to you.

Or anyone in life for that matter.

Just go see a professional and be honest. It will change your life.
Thanks for asking mate.

reply to post by smyleegrl


I have dealt with it all my life and just recently got on medication for it. I have struggled all of my life through jobs and social problems too. It's VERY real and people that have any doubts need to wake up and smell the coffee. The prescription for ADHD is speed. For some reason, in the correct dose, speed slows the neuro actions down so that they can function normally. Going over that amount would be getting high. It's very possible that most people are self medicating through coffee and sweets to help slow down the brain to where its managable. One rule that doctors tell you is you can give a coke to an ADHD kid and watch him calm down and be able to focus.

Here is where things get very scary:
They are unsure if ADHD is hereditary or chemical contact induced, or both. The claims are that coming into contact with Lead can cause ADHD. This is especially throught to be the case in pregnant women. Even stranger, the victims of this horrible ADHD are often found to have specific genes that have been removed and others that have been multiplied. There are no claims that ADHD changes your genes, but thats obviously what it looks like. A smoking person also invites lead into their system, so here is another way to end up with ADHD.

Brain signaling pathways

ADHD linked to missing genes

Is ADHD a genetic disorder

ADD forums

There is no more ADD, they did away with that and now its all ADHD.

The reason I know so much about all of this was because I was involved in some evolution threads that claimed that evolution can change your genes. Oddly enough it also looks like ADHD can as well. Anyhow, genetic changes can come from many different things, not just evolution.

I want to interject something in reference to my last post about the myelin sheath being eaten away by amphetamines. This is crucial for neural impulses (for the brain to communicate with itself) to operate. Here is some info on wikipedia about the myelin sheath, which is very technical. Basically it is the insulator (bridge) between the connection of neurons, if I understand it right.

Wikipedia - Myelin (Demyelinization)

Demyelination
Further information: Demyelinating disease
Demyelination is the loss of the myelin sheath insulating the nerves, and is the hallmark of some neurodegenerative autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, Neuromyelitis Optica, transverse myelitis, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, Guillain-Barré syndrome, central pontine myelinosis, inherited demyelinating diseases such as leukodystrophy, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Sufferers of pernicious anaemia can also suffer nerve damage if the condition is not diagnosed quickly. Subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord secondary to pernicious anaemia can lead to slight peripheral nerve damage to severe damage to the central nervous system, affecting speech, balance and cognitive awareness. When myelin degrades, conduction of signals along the nerve can be impaired or lost and the nerve eventually withers.

The immune system may play a role in demyelination associated with such diseases, including inflammation causing demyelination by overproduction of cytokines via upregulation of tumor necrosis factor or interferon.

Symptoms
Demyelination results in diverse symptoms determined by the functions of the affected neurons. It disrupts signals between the brain and other parts of the body; symptoms differ from patient to patient, and have different presentations upon clinical observation and in laboratory studies.

Typical symptoms include:
- blurriness in the central visual field that affects only one eye, may be accompanied by pain upon eye movement
- double vision
- loss of vision/hearing
- odd sensation in legs, arms, chest, or face, such as tingling or numbness (neuropathy)
- weakness of arms or legs
- cognitive disruption, including speech impairment and memory loss
- heat sensitivity (symptoms worsen or reappear upon exposure to heat, such as a hot shower)
- loss of dexterity
- difficulty coordinating movement or balance disorder
- difficulty controlling bowel movements or urination
- fatigue

I'm wondering if there are any long term users of amphetamines or any other knowledgeable people out there know if there is any connection with demyelination. I did find this link from the own .gov at the National Institute of Health:

NIH.GOV - Acute demyelination in a person with amphetamine abuse.

Maybe my doctor was on to something 15+ years ago...

reply to post by Philippines

I'm wondering if there are any long term users of amphetamines or any other knowledgeable people out there know if there is any connection with demyelination.

From what I understand... If one takes the medications as directed then there is no danger of side effects like this happening.

This does occur with severe METHamphetamine abuse, but methamphetamine and amphetamine are not even in the same ball park.
Amphetamine does not penetrate the BBB in the same manner as meth.

Consequently... It is not as likely to be abused.

This is similar to treating chronic pain with opiates.
Lots of crazy stuff can happen to the brain with opiate abuse, but the key word is abuse.

Most everyone who takes these meds do so responsibly.

reply to post by kyviecaldges


You are spot on. Thanks for your comments in this thread. I couldn't agree more with all of the posts you have made so far. Just wanted to say that.

Your earlier post about the naysayers in this thread was so refreshing, I think it might have made my whole day. Thanks!

Originally posted by kyviecaldges
reply to post by Philippines

 

I'm wondering if there are any long term users of amphetamines or any other knowledgeable people out there know if there is any connection with demyelination.

From what I understand... If one takes the medications as directed then there is no danger of side effects like this happening.

This does occur with severe METHamphetamine abuse, but methamphetamine and amphetamine are not even in the same ball park.
Amphetamine does not penetrate the BBB in the same manner as meth.

Consequently... It is not as likely to be abused.

This is similar to treating chronic pain with opiates.
Lots of crazy stuff can happen to the brain with opiate abuse, but the key word is abuse.

Most everyone who takes these meds do so responsibly.

You could be right. I don't know, but I'm trying to connect the dots. A lifetime of use may be considered abuse, especially if the dose increases over time. But what do I know =b

However, it is not natural to take any medication/pills at all. They should not be needed if you eat properly and exercise.

Hi,

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was a kid and I
lived about 6 months in a Hostpital and afterwards
a year in a home for mentally troubled kids.

'Gasthuisberg' hospital is the biggest along with 4 others
and all within 10km of our small city.
en.wikipedia.org...
All are connected to the christian church and the christian university
since the middle ages and are a mix of students and doctors.

I lived in the 'Gasthuisberg' hospital for
about 6 months in 1979 when I was 5 years old.
They gave me Rilatin and my parents where satisfied
and gently paid the bills.
Now that i'm older I feel like they experimented on me
and my parents did not know any better.