ADD/ADHD revisited

[Tsunami]

Ok so since it doesnt' seem like anyone is answering over at CF anymore....

Just got diagnosed with ADD a few days ago, what a relief to know that there is a reason for the scatterbrainness, my poor time management skills, inability to finish things once its started, etc etc, Funny thing is before my doc scored me, he was like, yeah i don't even need to read the results, its so obvious!


my doc gave me a script for a low dosage of Adderall XR (which is now a battle to get that approved with the ins company:rant:). I dont really plan on being on meds forever, just want to see if it would be a miracle drug to help me now focus and get the "noise" out of my head and what the difference really is btwn normalcy and ADD . I'm actually a bit scared to go on it, incase it makes me crazy.

I plan on doing a crap load of research and therapy for coping mechanisms. As i look back its explains so many things!

Anyway, has anyone else been diagnosed and if so what do you do to combat/cope with it? And if you are on meds, what have your experience been?

[VatorMan]

Question-how is your diet? Lots of sugar and caffeine I bet. Junk food etc...You can treat hyperactivity (I don't believe in ADD) by a change in diet and lots of exercise.

[Tsunami]

Question-how is your diet? Lots of sugar and caffeine I bet. Junk food etc...You can treat hyperactivity (I don't believe in ADD) by a change in diet and lots of exercise.

i actually eat really clean, and i'm always out doing some excersize of some sort, plenty of sleep. I'm a health nut. i don't have hyperactivity part, so not ADHD, but ADD. I can sit still, i just have trouble focusing, although with ADD, on certain things you can be hyperfocused, until you lose interest.

[2up]

I haven't taken Adderall but my husband, brother-in-law and nephew have. I'm going to be totally honest with you, not to scare you, but to really inform you, OK?

My nephew was on it for only a couple of weeks at most and it really helped him with clarity, etc, when he started to have involuntary "twitches" in his fingers. It was noticeable by others and VERY bothersome to him. My sister took him off the meds and it took quite some time before the twitching went away.

My husband took it for 5 days and started having "dark" thoughts/feelings that he couldn't fully explain, but to the point he HAD to stop taking it.

My brother-in-law has had NO problems with it and it has done wonders for his memory and clarity. I think its been over a year since he started taking it.

Good luck with it!!! It CAN help but for sure look into the other options you've mentioned so you're not a slave to the drug. ;)

[azoomm]

No personal experience. Just want to let you know that you are in my thoughts about it. I hope it helps...

:)

[Mr Lefty]

I was diagnosed in 7th grade with "severe" ADD... I was perscribed riddlin... but refused to take it... I struggled in school... but was even worse when I was doing indepenant study or homework... my mind couldn't focus if I didn't find it interesting.

I don't think I am or ever was SEVERE... but is impossible for me to sit down and study something. if it's something I'm intrested in... I'll be hooked by my interest... study'n it... no luck.

I did find i learn things very well by just being in the classroom. I absorbed it... I guess.

I learn the best when I do it.

[SoFlaSV]

I tried Ritalin and it did do anything for me.

Concerta does, but it's expensive without insurance.

[PhiSig1071]

Oh holy hell, I was the poster boy for ADD/ADHD, still am.

It was BAD, I used to have only three days of "normal" school. I went to "gifted" classes one day, ADD classes one day, and regular class for three of five. My teacher though that regular classes were not challenging enough and when I got bored my mind would wander, so I got to do five days worth of work in three. I was dosed with ritalin all through elementary and middle school. I finally said fuck it I don't want to be a drug zombie and stopped taking it. My grades suffered but my life improved. It's all about willpower, you know you have it and you know you need to work to overcome it. I had to have zero distractions while doing work, I'd put in headphones and force myself to focus. You can overcome it, but it's hard.

I am still that way, and I still have some issues. I literally can not sit still, I am always moving, tapping my foot is my most common "tic" but I will occasionally fingerspell what I am saying or thinking using the manual alphabet from American Sign language. It's hard, but I think that it also helped me get to where I am today because when I force myself to focus on something I excell at it. Not to sound like a braggart but I have accomplished a lot in 26 years and I think I wouldn't have done half of it had my mind been numbed by some drug.

[the chi]

They tell me I have

Wait, what were we talking about again?

:lol: Seriously tho, good luck. Hope the meds work or you find another alternative.

I've never been in to see a doc, and quite honestly dont feel the need to, as I am so OCD, my ADD tendencies are tightly controlled, like Phi said, its a will power thing, but thats VERY dependent on each person. But well, anyone who knows me will tell ya, if I am not focused on something I have a disturbing tendency to shift mid thought or sentence from one thing to another. Funny at times, but it can sometimes make it hard to effectively communicate if I am frazzled. I am the poster child for *LOOK, SHINEY*!

[PhiSig1071]

How many ADD kids does it take to change a lightbuld?




Wanna go ride bikes?

:rofl:

[derf]

No ADD or ADHD here, but I do see things bacwards or upside down. No medicine, but I could get some if I wanted. I just got real good at recognizing letters and numbers

[Tsunami]

My mind does the wandering thing all the time, one thing i recently read was to keep reminding myself that when people are talking to keep reminding myself that what they are saying is important to keep focused. My eyes won't wander too much, just b/c i like looking people in the eyes when they talk but if you know me enough, you can prob see the blank stare as my mind drifts off! :lol: of course now i have to train myself to remember to remind myself

and i'm getting myself a remote key finder!:rockwoot:

i also realized my aspirations of possibly being a really good poker player here in vegas isn't going to happen because the couple of times i've played at home games, i cant focus enough to ever know when my turn is, how much the blinds are or how much to bet :lol:

The biggest challenge for me though is starting a million things and never finishing them cuz i lose interest. i'll be starting at the spa/gym at one of the casinos here as a independant contractor, personal training and helping them with gym membership sales, and thats why i'm really wanting to get on the meds so i don't lose interest/focus. I have all these great ideas on promoting the place and also getting clients and i want to make sure i have the focus to follow through.

once i get on the meds i'll let you guys know if i feel a difference, but seriously i am so damn stubborn i really don't want even refill it after the month is over. i'm so scared its going to mess up my brain or i'll get addicted to it.

[PhiSig1071]

OK, so hijacking a thread about ADD is probably a bad idea, but I have a question.

Is the DR a commuter scoot or do you ride dual sport in Vegas? How is it? It sounds like it would be a blast.

[Mr Lefty]

honestly... it takes work... but you'll learn to deal with it. there are just somethings I've realized I can't do... like go to school while work'n a full time job... or distance learning... I need to be in the learning enviroment.

I get very obsessive about things I'm intrested in, and will think about them constantly... like motorcycles or road trips... lol I'm sure a few of the TWFix folks can attest to that with me planning my trip's MONTHS (almost years) in advance...


but... I didn't notice any difference when I was on any meds for ADD... my parents and teachers said they did... but it just so happened when they paid attention to how I was focusing... it was durring a subject that intrested me... so naturally I was focused... :lol:

I hate taking pills... not like they make me gag or what ever... I just hate haveing that daily ritual of "did you take your medicine?" and having that "you forgot your medicine, didn't you!" excuse.

[JARVIS518]

my little bro was diagnosed ADHD when he was really young maybe 6 or 7 years old and now he is 16. it has been very difficult for him hes been off and on medications his whole life. the meds help him focus when he is at school and keep him out of trouble for the most part but at the same time he hates them because they put him in a fog and they affect his sleep and latly he has been having really bad mood swings not sure if its from the meds or not but is working hard on trying to control his emotions

my best advice is to find out what works best for u, some love the meds they help a lot and have little or no side effects some stay off the meds and say that exercise and a propper diet is the trick but definatly stay away from caffine and sugar as much as possible and anything with red die or red food coloring (kool-aid, freeze pops that type of thing)

[2up]

My mind does the wandering thing all the time, one thing i recently read was to keep reminding myself that when people are talking to keep reminding myself that what they are saying is important to keep focused. My eyes won't wander too much, just b/c i like looking people in the eyes when they talk but if you know me enough, you can prob see the blank stare as my mind drifts off! :lol: of course now i have to train myself to remember to remind myself

and i'm getting myself a remote key finder!:rockwoot:

i also realized my aspirations of possibly being a really good poker player here in vegas isn't going to happen because the couple of times i've played at home games, i cant focus enough to ever know when my turn is, how much the blinds are or how much to bet :lol:

The biggest challenge for me though is starting a million things and never finishing them cuz i lose interest. i'll be starting at the spa/gym at one of the casinos here as a independant contractor, personal training and helping them with gym membership sales, and thats why i'm really wanting to get on the meds so i don't lose interest/focus. I have all these great ideas on promoting the place and also getting clients and i want to make sure i have the focus to follow through.

once i get on the meds i'll let you guys know if i feel a difference, but seriously i am so damn stubborn i really don't want even refill it after the month is over. i'm so scared its going to mess up my brain or i'll get addicted to it.


A guy I used to work with ADHD in a REALLY bad way. And due to having cirohsis (sp?) of the liver at age 26 or so, couldn't take meds for it, thus having to train himself to deal with it drug free. (Before that point he was a raging drug addict/alcoholic, hence the cirohsis.) His way of doing this was to being uber organized. EVERYTHING he needed to remember, he wrote down in a planner, and on a calendar. And for REALLY important things, he set alarms. He kept a constant to-do list as well, and carried a notebook with him and had tabs on pages for reference.

As the spouse of someone with pretty severe ADHD, and seeing how that affects him, my best advice is, baby steps. Maybe start with keeping a notebook so that you can write your ideas down as soon as you have them. When you feel your interest start to wane, go back to that notebook so you remember why you were excited at the start of your job. With your self-discipine regarding eating well and working out, I think you can "train" yourself to apply that discipline elsewhere.

And as an added bonus, Adderall is used to assist in weight loss as well. I read your post about gaining a few pounds! :lol:

ETA: Another reason for baby steps is that you'll derive satisfaction from starting and finishing something. Instant gratification, in a good way. So if you give yourself a small-ish task to start with, you'll get a boost from completeing it, and that should help you when you have bigger tasks to tackle. :)

[Tsunami]

OK, so hijacking a thread about ADD is probably a bad idea, but I have a question.

Is the DR a commuter scoot or do you ride dual sport in Vegas? How is it? It sounds like it would be a blast.

what are we talking about again ?:lol:

both

i actually got it for putt putting around the streets of manhattan when i still lived in nyc, and then i sold my SV650 cuz i had so much fun on the dr that i didn't ride the sv all season, of course i moved to LV and all the roads are wide open.

i buzz around town on it here and there, but since it tops out down hill at 70-72mph going downhill i dont really take it on long rides or go on group rides. i mostly use it to go to the mountains by taking the side streets and then hitting the twisties.

i do go offroad from time to time, but my offroad skills are the suck so i mostly go on hard packed dirt and baby trails. and since i can't pick up the bike by myself if i fall i don't offroad alone. but there are so many places you can offroad here, through ghost towns, undeveloped land, dry lake beds, sand dunes (though your better off with a mx bike or something with sand tires), you really get the best of everything as far as riding in Las vegas.

[PhiSig1071]

what are we talking about again ?:lol:

both

i actually got it for putt putting around the streets of manhattan when i still lived in nyc, and then i sold my SV650 cuz i had so much fun on the dr that i didn't ride the sv all season, of course i moved to LV and all the roads are wide open.

i buzz around town on it here and there, but since it tops out down hill at 70-72mph going downhill i dont really take it on long rides or go on group rides. i mostly use it to go to the mountains by taking the side streets and then hitting the twisties.

i do go offroad from time to time, but my offroad skills are the suck so i mostly go on hard packed dirt and baby trails. and since i can't pick up the bike by myself if i fall i don't offroad alone. but there are so many places you can offroad here, through ghost towns, undeveloped land, dry lake beds, sand dunes (though your better off with a mx bike or something with sand tires), you really get the best of everything as far as riding in Las vegas.

I know how much fun a bike like that can be in the twisties, I ride a Supermoto. I'd love to be able to ride ghost towns and shit like that, it sounds like a lot of fun. If you have them start a thread with some pics, I'd love to see them.

[Tsunami]

With your self-discipine regarding eating well and working out, I think you can "train" yourself to apply that discipline elsewhere.

And as an added bonus, Adderall is used to assist in weight loss as well. I read your post about gaining a few pounds! :lol:


Oh i have no self discipline! I just like veggies and working out! i'm excited about dropping a few pounds though! That damn desk job didn't do anything for my waning metobolism since i'm not getting any younger :lol: i guess making exception to bacon and classifying it as a vegetable wasn't working for keeping real lean either!

[2up]

Bacon isn't a vegetable??? When the hell did THAT happen?? :lol:

I'm sure you'll do well. ;)

[Ninjakel]

wait! Bacon *isn't* a veggie???


Fuck!

[Tsunami]

I know how much fun a bike like that can be in the twisties, I ride a Supermoto. I'd love to be able to ride ghost towns and shit like that, it sounds like a lot of fun. If you have them start a thread with some pics, I'd love to see them.

i have one picture i took with my cell phone! i think the others ones are with me on the dry lake bed and trying to say hi to the cows, let me see what i can find.

i would love to SM my bike but it might be too much of a hassle to do it on my bike. honda came out with a 230sm but my 696 is on the top of the list first, i would be nice to be able to get out of town by taking a highway eventually! :lol:

i a few months i'll prob start tinkering at the sm track (or was it the go kart track, crap i have to listen to my friend when he talks), he's thinking i'll have a blast on a little honda 150. unfortunately being 5'2" doesn't open a lot of doors on the sm front since i can barely touch the ground on my 200 as it is. if at this point i can have only 1 bike, my first choice would be a DS for the versalility of it.

[PhiSig1071]

I hear ya, I'm lucky, I'm 6'4" I can flat foot anything.

Honestly, don't bother SM'ing your DR, it would be too much money for not enough return, the increased weight of the rims and tires would so it down even more, your buddies 150 (CRF150F I'm assuming?) would run rings around it. If you want a sumo you're better off selling the DR and buying a SuMo bike like a WR250X, CRF230M, KLX250F or even a DRZ400SM. You can lower them pretty easily without sacrificing too much handling.

Yeah, eventually I'll have a duallie in the line-up, probably a big one like an XR650L or a DR650L.

[Tsunami]

I hear ya, I'm lucky, I'm 6'4" I can flat foot anything.

Honestly, don't bother SM'ing your DR, it would be too much money for not enough return, the increased weight of the rims and tires would so it down even more, your buddies 150 (CRF150F I'm assuming?) would run rings around it. If you want a sumo you're better off selling the DR and buying a SuMo bike like a WR250X, CRF230M, KLX250F or even a DRZ400SM. You can lower them pretty easily without sacrificing too much handling.

Yeah, eventually I'll have a duallie in the line-up, probably a big one like an XR650L or a DR650L.

why not get another set of wheels with knobbies and just swap out when you want to ride dirt?

[PhiSig1071]

I'm assuming you mean for the KTM? A couple reasons.

Dirt riding results in a LOT more spills than track riding, and once I'm done with the KTM I'm going to have a significant chunk of money invested in it and I dont want to beat it up. I'd like a bike I can kind of beat on a little without worrying about it. Plus my plan is to set it up as a adventure dual sport with some soft luggage so I can do some longer distance trips that involve dirt, eventually including a trip to AK. The KTM is not suited to that kind of riding. Plus for the money for KTM parts I can find an old XR and rebuild it.

The main reason? My ADD extends to bikes too and I can't seem to be happy with one, or two, bikes! :lol

[Archren]

A guy I used to work with ADHD in a REALLY bad way. And due to having cirohsis (sp?) of the liver at age 26 or so, couldn't take meds for it, thus having to train himself to deal with it drug free. (Before that point he was a raging drug addict/alcoholic, hence the cirohsis.) His way of doing this was to being uber organized. EVERYTHING he needed to remember, he wrote down in a planner, and on a calendar. And for REALLY important things, he set alarms. He kept a constant to-do list as well, and carried a notebook with him and had tabs on pages for reference.

As the spouse of someone with pretty severe ADHD, and seeing how that affects him, my best advice is, baby steps. Maybe start with keeping a notebook so that you can write your ideas down as soon as you have them. When you feel your interest start to wane, go back to that notebook so you remember why you were excited at the start of your job. With your self-discipine regarding eating well and working out, I think you can "train" yourself to apply that discipline elsewhere.

And as an added bonus, Adderall is used to assist in weight loss as well. I read your post about gaining a few pounds! :lol:

ETA: Another reason for baby steps is that you'll derive satisfaction from starting and finishing something. Instant gratification, in a good way. So if you give yourself a small-ish task to start with, you'll get a boost from completeing it, and that should help you when you have bigger tasks to tackle. :)

I've never been diagnosed with ADD, but sometimes reading about things like this makes me wonder.

I *have* to set alarms for meetings/events because I inevitably forget. I *have* to get bills in the mail because if I don't get that reminder (or at least an e-mail reminder).. I'll forget to pay bills. :panic: I'm hyperfocused in the things I love (motorcycles.. photography.. books.. puzzles) but I have so many started but unfinished projects or hobbies it's ridiculous (guitar, knitting, art, krav maga, having fashion sense, etc.)

But yeah... keeping a small notebook (and actually remembering to use it..), tabbing, and alarms (on my phone) are HUGE helps for me. I may not technically be ADD, but as many issues as I have staying on track from day to day, I might as well be. :lol:

Oh yeah, make habits too. Like, things you do every day the same way so you don't forget to do something. For example.. I wear the Army uniform every day.. I put key items in specific pockets so I don't forget anything before I leave the house, and I know when I'm missing something (like my military ID.. wallet.. chapstick.. notebook.. phone.. each goes in a particular pocket, and it's always the same pocket for each item).

Ok, yeah, I'm kinda rambling, so I'll shut my face here. :D Good luck with the meds! Even if they're just a starting point so that you can be focused long enough to develop the habits to where you don't need to be on them anymore, it can't hurt to try them. Good luck!!!

[njchopper87]

I've never been diagnosed with ADD, but sometimes reading about things like this makes me wonder.

I *have* to set alarms for meetings/events because I inevitably forget. I *have* to get bills in the mail because if I don't get that reminder (or at least an e-mail reminder).. I'll forget to pay bills. :panic: I'm hyperfocused in the things I love (motorcycles.. photography.. books.. puzzles) but I have so many started but unfinished projects or hobbies it's ridiculous (guitar, knitting, art, krav maga, having fashion sense, etc.)

But yeah... keeping a small notebook (and actually remembering to use it..), tabbing, and alarms (on my phone) are HUGE helps for me. I may not technically be ADD, but as many issues as I have staying on track from day to day, I might as well be. :lol:

Oh yeah, make habits too. Like, things you do every day the same way so you don't forget to do something. For example.. I wear the Army uniform every day.. I put key items in specific pockets so I don't forget anything before I leave the house, and I know when I'm missing something (like my military ID.. wallet.. chapstick.. notebook.. phone.. each goes in a particular pocket, and it's always the same pocket for each item).

Ok, yeah, I'm kinda rambling, so I'll shut my face here. :D Good luck with the meds! Even if they're just a starting point so that you can be focused long enough to develop the habits to where you don't need to be on them anymore, it can't hurt to try them. Good luck!!!

I have many similar habits, and I sometimes wonder as well. I just push it off to being paranoid and move on. Hell, everyone I know said they think they have add at one point or another.

[2up]

Archren made another really good point, always put stuff in the same place so you KNOW where it is. Or at least have a better chance of knowing where it is. My husband is big on putting stuff "away" because he's OCD about things being left out. BUT, the OCD doesn't carry over to it being put away somewhere that makes sense. So then neither of us can find it and I want to smack him. :lol:

[Cass]

I've never been diagnosed with ADD, but sometimes reading about things like this makes me wonder.

I *have* to set alarms for meetings/events because I inevitably forget. I *have* to get bills in the mail because if I don't get that reminder (or at least an e-mail reminder).. I'll forget to pay bills. :panic: I'm hyperfocused in the things I love (motorcycles.. photography.. books.. puzzles) but I have so many started but unfinished projects or hobbies it's ridiculous (guitar, knitting, art, krav maga, having fashion sense, etc.)

But yeah... keeping a small notebook (and actually remembering to use it..), tabbing, and alarms (on my phone) are HUGE helps for me. I may not technically be ADD, but as many issues as I have staying on track from day to day, I might as well be. :lol:

Oh yeah, make habits too. Like, things you do every day the same way so you don't forget to do something. For example.. I wear the Army uniform every day.. I put key items in specific pockets so I don't forget anything before I leave the house, and I know when I'm missing something (like my military ID.. wallet.. chapstick.. notebook.. phone.. each goes in a particular pocket, and it's always the same pocket for each item).

Ok, yeah, I'm kinda rambling, so I'll shut my face here. :D Good luck with the meds! Even if they're just a starting point so that you can be focused long enough to develop the habits to where you don't need to be on them anymore, it can't hurt to try them. Good luck!!!

Color me in this class too!! Big time habit/routine person - if my morning routine is out of whack, I forget things like you wouldn't believe.

I finally gave up on bills and set up online bill pay. Saved my life.

Gina... thinking happy thoughts for you!!

[Tsunami]

Archren made another really good point, always put stuff in the same place so you KNOW where it is. Or at least have a better chance of knowing where it is. My husband is big on putting stuff "away" because he's OCD about things being left out. BUT, the OCD doesn't carry over to it being put away somewhere that makes sense. So then neither of us can find it and I want to smack him. :lol:

i tried doing that too but i can't! i got catch all bins for my keys and such but i never use them, then i try putting them in a certain pocket in my purse and i keep forgetting. so everyday i look for my keys, wallet and cell phone and when i find one, i lose the other, a few times before i get out the door!

[2up]

i tried doing that too but i can't! i got catch all bins for my keys and such but i never use them, then i try putting them in a certain pocket in my purse and i keep forgetting. so everyday i look for my keys, wallet and cell phone and when i find one, i lose the other, a few times before i get out the door!


If you're not a constant purse girl, do you have room for a little table or something by your front door that you can toss your wallet, keys and phone into/on when you walk in the door? I have a key holder hung by the door we use most often and we each hang our keys on a specific hook on it so we always know where they are. And my husband has a designated spot for his wallet/sunglasses so that he (almost) always knows where they are!

[Tsunami]

If you're not a constant purse girl, do you have room for a little table or something by your front door that you can toss your wallet, keys and phone into/on when you walk in the door? I have a key holder hung by the door we use most often and we each hang our keys on a specific hook on it so we always know where they are. And my husband has a designated spot for his wallet/sunglasses so that he (almost) always knows where they are!

i put a bin right by the front door and i put my keys in it for 2 days and then i keep forgetting. i usually put it back in my purse or toss in on the table which has piles of paper on it! so i'm just going to get a key finder. what helps is i have a whole bunch of stuff on my keys and everyone elses house and car keys on my key ring (in case they lock themselves out) so its easier to spot.

[Mr Lefty]

i tried doing that too but i can't! i got catch all bins for my keys and such but i never use them, then i try putting them in a certain pocket in my purse and i keep forgetting. so everyday i look for my keys, wallet and cell phone and when i find one, i lose the other, a few times before i get out the door!

I'm the same way... when I lived in a place with a garage... i got so I'd take the key out and throw it on the drivers seat... or on my bike just leave it in the ignition (killed my battery more than a few times) but had to stop that when I moved to an appartment complex

resuted in many mornings finding my keys locked in my truck... :lol: lucky I have wing windows and left mine unlocked ALWAYS(for that reason).


I've tried the key finder... but then I loose the remote :lol: or the battery goes dead in the key fob

[Tsunami]

I'm the same way... when I lived in a place with a garage... i got so I'd take the key out and throw it on the drivers seat... or on my bike just leave it in the ignition (killed my battery more than a few times) but had to stop that when I moved to an appartment complex

resuted in many mornings finding my keys locked in my truck... :lol: lucky I have wing windows and left mine unlocked ALWAYS(for that reason).


I've tried the key finder... but then I loose the remote :lol: or the battery goes dead in the key fob

i used to always carry spares since i would always lock myself out of the car and the ny-er in me locks my doors all the time, and i've locked my purse with the spares in them too! i'm going to mount that key finder on the wall!

i'm sure ADD people are probably entertaining when we are not irritation them with our inefficiency and scatterness!

[Mr Lefty]

I need a key finder for my key finder

[Porkchop]

My roommate freshman year had ADD. I dont know what meds he was on but that kid was night and day. Sometimes he'd be all happy and ready to work out or have fun, but when he took those meds.... he was a zombie. NO joke. Dead fucking quiet, and got aggrivated sorta easy.....

[MissHell]

No personal experience. Just want to let you know that you are in my thoughts about it. I hope it helps...

:)

Same here! :luck:

[ceo012384]

I tried Ritalin and it did do anything for me.

Concerta does, but it's expensive without insurance.
Concerta is simply a long-release ritalin.

adderall treats a different chemical in your brain entirely.

other drugs will target a combination of add and anxiety chemicals.

There are also non-stimulant ADD/ADHD drugs (for example, strattera... i take it). However most teens and 20-somethings don't like those drugs because they won't actually do anything for you unless you truly have the ADD/ADHD chemical imbalance... most people who take all these drugs just think they have it and are essentially just popping amphetamines.

It's the most misdiagnosed syndrome out there, for sure. Most doctors are just sick of listening to people coming in and whining and they know all they want is the adderalls so they will just write off scrips.

[OneSickPsycho]

I've snorted a bunch of ritalin and adderol... good stuff.

[Mr Lefty]

I've snorted a bunch of ritalin and adderol... good stuff.

I've heard it's cocaine with a PG rating

[OneSickPsycho]

I've heard it's cocaine with a PG rating

Disney's PG-13 to violent softcore porn's R.

[Mr Lefty]

ahh so approved for all audences :lol:

[OneSickPsycho]

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/Pentan/CocaineRickJames.jpg

[Tsunami]

Concerta is simply a long-release ritalin.

adderall treats a different chemical in your brain entirely.

other drugs will target a combination of add and anxiety chemicals.

There are also non-stimulant ADD/ADHD drugs (for example, strattera... i take it). However most teens and 20-somethings don't like those drugs because they won't actually do anything for you unless you truly have the ADD/ADHD chemical imbalance... most people who take all these drugs just think they have it and are essentially just popping amphetamines.

It's the most misdiagnosed syndrome out there, for sure. Most doctors are just sick of listening to people coming in and whining and they know all they want is the adderalls so they will just write off scrips.

Well heck if i don't have ADD, i dont' want to be on anything! I'll just chalk it up to having blond moments! I haven't heard about the non stimulant drugs, but i'll do some research. I'm not sure how well versed my doc is on ADD, i know he has some patients on Adderall but he's not a specialist in that area, just a general practitioner.

If you did have a chemical imbalance, how would you find out, or is it just trial and error with drugs and if it does work you know you have an imbalance?

[BobTheBiker]

I have add, or used to. nowadays I somehow manage to focus so intently its disturbing.

I was on ritalin, and adderall. adderall was a very annoying med for me, I couldnt sleep well, I was always too energetic and had a hard fucking time sitting still. the person who made that pill can soak in a tub of gasoline while i play with matches.

I have no idea how strattera or any of the newer pills for this are, but I know I wont be taking ANYTHING to deal with it.

like someone on the first page said, willpower is a powerful tool. I think its most of how I manage to focus so well on the task at hand generally.

[Mr Lefty]

I have add, or used to. nowadays I somehow manage to focus so intently its disturbing.

I was on ritalin, and adderall. adderall was a very annoying med for me, I couldnt sleep well, I was always too energetic and had a hard fucking time sitting still. the person who made that pill can soak in a tub of gasoline while i play with matches.

I have no idea how strattera or any of the newer pills for this are, but I know I wont be taking ANYTHING to deal with it.

like someone on the first page said, willpower is a powerful tool. I think its most of how I manage to focus so well on the task at hand generally.

see for me... the harder I TRY to focus on something... the harder it is. I cannot just bare down and focus. my mind just wanders faster and further.

I was always told ADD is not something that is cured... it's a way our mind works... it's not something you get better from... it's something you can learn to live with... and compensate for... but not something that gets worse or better as you age. :idk: who knows if that's true... but sounds like my experience with it

[ceo012384]

If you did have a chemical imbalance, how would you find out, or is it just trial and error with drugs and if it does work you know you have an imbalance?
If willpower alone isn't the answer you likely have an actual problem and should consider medication.

At the same time medication alone is also not the answer, which is contrary to what most people do with these things... they just see it as a magic pill, pop a bunch and get amped up and concentrate. In this case at least in my opinion these are just college (usually) kids who want to put less effort in and still get things done, so they just pop these amphetamines and get their homework done.

A combination of self-motivation and effort, along with medication, is what will allow people who actually have a disorder to succeed.



As far as the meds... yes you're going to have to play with what medication, what dosage, what release (immediate, extended, etc), what times of day, etc etc etc work for you. It can take a while but once you get it right, you can work it into your daily routine seamlessly.

[SoFlaSV]

Look...
























a puppy!!!
http://www.gretersgsd.com/defaul3.jpg

[OneSickPsycho]

How many kids with ADD does it take to screw in a light bulb?




































Wanna ride bikes?

[rogue]

Good luck, Gina!

A couple of my friends have been trying to coax me into seeing a doctor for months because I stay so scattered. In my own limited experience with ADD (my brother was misdiagnosed with it as a child....he wasn't ADD....he was acting out because he was losing his hearing), I thought someone with true ADD could not focus on anything. I just have a hard time focusing on things that truly do not interest me. I do change my thought pattern in mid sentence, which can make it hard for someone to keep up with what I'm talking about but that's because my mind never sits still. I have a hard time finishing things, especially if I'm not interested in it or lose interest. I've even gone as far as making myself a detailed list, but even then, sometimes they don't get finished, much less complete every task on the list. :lol:

If it's something I'm really into, I almost have an obsesssion with it, like motorcycling or reading. As of now it's the only thing I have a constant interest in. I can sit & play games, but not just one...I get tired of one & go to another, even if it's the same game, just a different version. Even when I'm online, I have several things going at once: a forum, a couple of blogs to read, some reseach on whatever sparked my interest at the time, not to mention I'm usually texting & talking on the phone & holding a conversation on a messenger service. Even at work I do better when I have several things going on at the same time, which kind of makes me a master at multitasking. :lol:

I have difficulty sleeping because my mind won't be still. I've been this way for as long as I can remember.

I've thought back to my childhood & growing up & I can see a similiar pattern. Back then music held my interest. I could sit & practice for hours, but I could never completely master one piece because I'd get bored & move to others, alternating learning several pieces at once. But I can listen to the same song over & over again. :idk:

I refuse to go to a doctor (how typical of me) because I don't want to be put on some medication that may not work & have an adverse reaction to it (like I did with Effexor when I was diagnosed with depression & anxiety several years ago...although they eventually found something that worked, I only took the meds for a couple of months, then stopped) or me feeling like I can't function normally without popping a pill. I don't want to feel dependent on it. It's bad enough I take OTC sleeping pills to help me sleep. But I'm even tired of that & have stopped, which has screwed with my sleep. I've instantly reverted back to getting very little sleep each day. But that's what I expected. And I'm ok with that. I'm trying to find something more active to do in hopes of exhausting myself & I've cut back alot on caffiene too.

I'd much rather deal with it in a different way. Making a list doesn't work for me, obviously. I guess I need more self control. :idk:

Awww...fuck it. I want to go riding. :lol:

[Papa_Complex]

Rogue, you need to meet that friend I visit in 'Bama, Kristine, and my 125GP racer friend, Angela. The two of them, in the same room, results in a conversation that only they can follow. They three of you in the same place might initiate cold fusion.

Because of them I created a phrase, "Shiny things."

"Oooo, look. Shiny!" For Kris almost anything is 'shiny.' For Ang it tends to be dark haired, GQ looking guys.

[Amorok]

Is she hot? I'm dark haired!

[the chi]

Rogue, you need to meet that friend I visit in 'Bama, Kristine, and my 125GP racer friend, Angela. The two of them, in the same room, results in a conversation that only they can follow. They three of you in the same place might initiate cold fusion.

Because of them I created a phrase, "Shiny things."

"Oooo, look. Shiny!" For Kris almost anything is 'shiny.' For Ang it tends to be dark haired, GQ looking guys.


:rofl: Too funny, my friends do the same thing...hey Rae, look, SHINEY!!!! Sadly, it works.

I'm with Kris, anything and everything is shiney tho...thats why I gotta have my ipod on the bike for street riding...cruise... cruise... LOOK A BUTTERFLY!

[Papa_Complex]

Is she hot? I'm dark haired!

Remember the GQ thing?

Did you ever look at the link that I used to have in my sig, on the old page; Angela's 125GP Page?

[Papa_Complex]

:rofl: Too funny, my friends do the same thing...hey Rae, look, SHINEY!!!! Sadly, it works.

I'm with Kris, anything and everything is shiney tho...thats why I gotta have my ipod on the bike for street riding...cruise... cruise... LOOK A BUTTERFLY!

There's something that I've always wondered about Kris. She works with the deaf and is apparently good enough at what she does to be only one of two who do her job in the whole State. How can she read ASL, when she's constantly going, "Ooo! Kitten!!"

[SoFlaSV]

This is my boy Bufford.
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj173/pkstanger/kitties/Picture037.jpg

[askmrjesus]

If you did have a chemical imbalance, how would you find out, or is it just trial and error with drugs and if it does work you know you have an imbalance?

Trial and error.

Take tequila for example. Let's say you want to hit on a hot chick at a bar, but you're lacking a certain chemical that makes this possible at the moment. You have a chemical imbalance. So you drink three shots of Patron, and make your move. If the chick invites you back to her place for Jello Shots, you no longer have a chemical imbalance, and everything is ok.

If, on the other hand, the chick shoots you down, and you have nine more shots of Patron, and a tab of Mickey Mouse blotter acid, and then end up getting into a fight at a bowling alley with a guy named "Art", just because you thought he was a demonic robot, so you threw a 16 pound bowling ball at him while screaming "DIE YOU FUCKING SATANIC BOWLING ROBOT!!!", you now, once again, have a chemical imbalance.

These things can be tricky, proceed with caution.

JC

[Tsunami]

This is my boy Bufford.
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj173/pkstanger/kitties/Picture037.jpg

pretty, whats with his belly?

[Tsunami]

Good luck, Gina!

Awww...fuck it. I want to go riding. :lol:

LOL you should see me at the track, the coach said he knows when my mind wanders because one minute i'm right on my lines and the next minute i'm all over the place on the same turns and then i snap out of it again!

[OneSickPsycho]

pretty, whats with his belly?

Most cats have that little pouch... actually all cats have them... it's just a matter of how pronounced it is... excess skin that allows them to stretch out real long...

[Tsunami]

got my adderall xr today 10 mgd, Fawk, with insurance it was 45 bucks for a month! popping one in tomorrow, so will give an update tomorrow night. So as of tomorrow, i will be more focused and on my way to losing stubborn belly fat.

[Mr Lefty]

just don't expect a miracles. think of it like glasses or contacts... they' may not get the dosage right the first time... (if the meds work for you that is)

[rogue]

just don't expect a miracles. think of it like glasses or contacts... they' may not get the dosage right the first time... (if the meds work for you that is)

Agreed. Don't expect an immediate result.

[the chi]

There's something that I've always wondered about Kris. She works with the deaf and is apparently good enough at what she does to be only one of two who do her job in the whole State. How can she read ASL, when she's constantly going, "Ooo! Kitten!!"

It's an art. Seriously. :lol:

got my adderall xr today 10 mgd, Fawk, with insurance it was 45 bucks for a month! popping one in tomorrow, so will give an update tomorrow night. So as of tomorrow, i will be more focused and on my way to losing stubborn belly fat.


Cool, keep us posted sweetie!!

[rogue]

I'm like that except with bikes. Ask anyone who holds any conversation with me for a period of time. I'll see a bike, stop in mid sentence and say,"oh, a bike!"..then..."what were we talking about?" :lmao: Eric can tell you I do that all the time. :lol:

[Mr Lefty]

I do that too... cept it's like... oh... she's hot... or... oh nice tits...

[rogue]

I do that too... cept it's like... oh... she's hot... or... oh nice tits...

Yeah...yeah...I've been known to do that whether it be male or female. But a bike doesn't have to be hot for me to say something. I say something regardless. :lol:

[Papa_Complex]

I do that too... cept it's like... oh... she's hot... or... oh nice tits...

That's not ADHD. It's being male.

[Mr Lefty]

That's not ADHD. It's being male.

oh I know...


but I do have ADD...

[Papa_Complex]

oh I know...


but I do have ADD...

All Day Dandruff?

[Mr Lefty]

you know it!

[Tsunami]

heres an update:

took my meds at about 11:00a, with a spoonful of oatmeal, but it was gross so i didn't eat further and i had to run to the chiropractor.

Btw, i'm tiny and react really well to meds, prob because it doesn't take much for me to metabolize it.

So i got adjusted and was sitting with him chatting for a bit, making my next appt and trying to get my insurance figured out and all off a sudden i felt a bit zombie like. i heard everything he was saying but i felt like i was in a cxl noise bubble.

Got into the car and i realized i have no thoughts, like my brain took a vacation. all of a sudden i have nothing to focus on. Is it because i'm not trying to focus on anything because usually i focus on everything without knowing it?

I can see things out of my peripheal (sp?) vision but had kind of tunnel vision the same time i was driving.

Went to work and still no thoughts, like they were flushed down the drain. my brain was so quiet, it was eerie.

Sat down and worked and i noticed that the noises around me were more muted than usual, like the noises from 15 feet away. i went to the bathroom less (usually i get up every half hour to an hour to walk around), got up and talked to my cubicle mates less, i seemed to talk slower as well, but at the same time, can finish my sentences even though i talked slower. Usually if i try to talk slower, i forget what i wanted to say.

Also i was less irritable during the day and seemed more relaxed and happier. Sometimes when people talk to me too much, w/o me wanting to talk to them first, or they talk too long, i get a bit irritated because they are interrupting or distracting my thoughts.

So now i am home again, and although i'm physically tired (didnt' get much sleep last night b/c i was afraid i was going to miss my appt today) my brain isn't tired. Usually when i get home, i need wind down for an hour or 2 (which i been told is a long time), but i don't really feel a need to. Its like i took a mental vacation.

In a way its nice, but i'm still weirded out that i can feel so different on the first day. I will see what tomorrow will bring.

the only side effect i did notice was it did suppress my appetite, i only had one full meal thus far, and then by now after getting home from work, i am starving to the point of lightheadedness. usually i eat all day long.

According to my best friend and workmate who is spending time with me tonight to observe, he says i am more coherent, my sentences are not fragmented and i don't trip over my words, i'm calmer and not as highstrung and have more patience. And not once has he or my buddy Caitlin felt like i wasnt paying attention to what they were saying and i haven't interrupted anyone today. and that i was sitting looking around like if i waited long enough my thoughts would come back into my brain. Oh and i didn't speed like a demon on my way home. and for the first time i noticed the rack of porn magazines on the side of the road that i have driven past almost everyday for a year.

[Mr Lefty]

honestly sounds like your dosage is a bit high... :idk: but I'm no doctor...

if you can live with it and it's worth it... more power to ya!

wish meds worked for me like that... but at 6'3 190 and a very fast metabolizm... they don't seem to do much. :idk:

[Tsunami]

honestly sounds like your dosage is a bit high... :idk: but I'm no doctor...

if you can live with it and it's worth it... more power to ya!

wish meds worked for me like that... but at 6'3 190 and a very fast metabolizm... they don't seem to do much. :idk:


doc said it was a low dosage, it may be the 2nd lowest for all i know, but i think his mentality was start with the low and increase as necessary.

I have expired muscle relaxers that stay in my system for 2 days! the only thing i think that didnt work on me was when my oral surgeon gave me a valium to take before coming in and i was still a nervous wreck until he forced the needle into my arm and then i was knocked out in 10 seconds. smart man, any longer i would have ran out the door screaming.

[Mr Lefty]

:lol: yeah who knows... just the way you put that you felt like a zombie kinda made me think they were too strong... I mean... there has to be a doseage between unmedicated and Zombie... like... stoner :lol:

[Tsunami]

:lol: yeah who knows... just the way you put that you felt like a zombie kinda made me think they were too strong... I mean... there has to be a doseage between unmedicated and Zombie... like... stoner :lol:

thats the thing, i have no idea how it feels to be a stoner. I've never taken recreational drugs, never got high off pot, so i have no idea what it feels like to be in an altered mental state in that way. so its hard for me to describe how i really feel atm. all i can say its a very new feeling, not necessarily bad, but new.

makes me wonder if i actually had natural focusing abilities how different my life would be today. had i done better in school and actually liked going to classes would i have had a different profession, a different life, be on a designated career path that would made me stay in NYC or have started a billion dollar company and have owned my own island by now?

[Mr Lefty]

thats the thing, i have no idea how it feels to be a stoner. I've never taken recreational drugs, never got high off pot, so i have no idea what it feels like to be in an altered mental state in that way. so its hard for me to describe how i really feel atm. all i can say its a very new feeling, not necessarily bad, but new.

makes me wonder if i actually had natural focusing abilities how different my life would be today. had i done better in school and actually liked going to classes would i have had a different profession, a different life, be on a designated career path that would made me stay in NYC or have started a billion dollar company and have owned my own island by now?

ahh good point... I've never smoked pot... having lived with a couple people who sold over LB and smoked probably another .5lb a week over 2 years... I had more than my fair share of contact highs... :lol:

sounds like it may just take some getting used to...

I have those same thoughts... honestly... if I had the ability to focus in school... I'd have played basketball at Oregon State... graduated... and who knows from there... I had a scholarship... but lost it because of grades...

wouldn't change my life for it though... I like who I am and what I've experienced... the sour and sweet alike...

but yeah... makes ya wonder

[Tsunami]

couldnt sleep all night!:rant: damn side effects

[Mr Lefty]

when was your last dosage? I'd think they'd help you sleep... for me... I have trouble sleeping cause my mind races from subject to subject... :idk:

sorry for all the questions... ya got me intrested... cause I'd love to be able to study for testing for rank :lol:

[the chi]

No sleep? Is that one of the standard side effects? Did the doc mention how long it should stay in your system?

[rogue]

when was your last dosage? I'd think they'd help you sleep... for me... I have trouble sleeping cause my mind races from subject to subject... :idk:

sorry for all the questions... ya got me intrested... cause I'd love to be able to study for testing for rank :lol:

I'm the exact same way...my mind is constantly racing. Although I'm interested, I don't know if I'd want to take another drug that left me zombie-fied like the Effexor did. Even though it's an anti-depressent, I was a zombie, except my mind was still going 100mph. I'd just sit...and think...and not move..and think more. Not anything bad....just scattered as usual.

I'm not for sure if I could get used to my mind being still. It's been chugging along like this for as long as I can remember. To think that it would just be quiet is kinda scary. :lol:

[Homeslice]

Sounds like the medicine is working at least. What you need to ask yourself though is if you're willing to take it for the rest of your life. For most medicine they have only studied the medium-term side effects (1-5 years), not the long-term effects.

I could have been an engineer if I had done better in math. In 2nd grade they were giving me 4th grade math to do, but then I got a guilty conscience or something and lost interest. Plus I don't focus all that well on formulas and numerical concepts anyway -- It has to be something that I can visualize and use my imagination on, for me to remember it.

What I've always told myself is that people like us who can't focus simply have higher standards, cuz we don't pay attention to boring shit :lol:

[Tsunami]

when was your last dosage? I'd think they'd help you sleep... for me... I have trouble sleeping cause my mind races from subject to subject... :idk:

sorry for all the questions... ya got me intrested... cause I'd love to be able to study for testing for rank :lol:

dammit ebbs, reread my posts, freaking ADD people...:rant:

I'm on the once a day one cuz its extended release. took it at 11:15am, went to bed past 2am.

Today i took another one at 12:15pm so we'll see if i do go to sleep.

I never have trouble sleeping, my mind is still racing when i go to bed, but i'm asleep in 2 minutes or less and then i sleep like i'm dead. The pug climbs all over me, snorts, snores etc and i have no idea she's even moved an inch.

Today, its seems like my body is adjusting more to it. I didn't notice the eerieness of the lack of thoughts, although there was a lack of thoughs, its kind of nice! So hopefully i will get some good sleep tonight. I'm going to pop in a DVD (max payne), so i'll see if i can pay attention to the movie. Usually unless its a comedy, i have no idea whats going on and after the movie ends i'm so confused. Because of that, i never watch dramas, or anything with a deeper plot.

Are you using me as a bench mark? I do the same thing to people too, i ask a ton of questions to see where i stand :)

[Mr Lefty]

dammit ebbs, reread my posts, freaking ADD people...:rant:

I'm on the once a day one cuz its extended release. took it at 11:15am, went to bed past 2am.

Today i took another one at 12:15pm so we'll see if i do go to sleep.

I never have trouble sleeping, my mind is still racing when i go to bed, but i'm asleep in 2 minutes or less and then i sleep like i'm dead. The pug climbs all over me, snorts, snores etc and i have no idea she's even moved an inch.

Today, its seems like my body is adjusting more to it. I didn't notice the eerieness of the lack of thoughts, although there was a lack of thoughs, its kind of nice! So hopefully i will get some good sleep tonight. I'm going to pop in a DVD (max payne), so i'll see if i can pay attention to the movie. Usually unless its a comedy, i have no idea whats going on and after the movie ends i'm so confused. Because of that, i never watch dramas, or anything with a deeper plot.

Are you using me as a bench mark? I do the same thing to people too, i ask a ton of questions to see where i stand :)

:lol: sorry missed your single dosage part :lol:

and yes I'm using you as a bench mark... but I must say... you're a horrible one... :lol:our ADD is quite different. I get wrapped up in movies with deep plots... but have trouble watch'n the simple ones as I get distracted really easy from them.

if you don't watch drama's you've missed out on a lot of good movies... especially ones that have plot twists... M. Night Shyamalan is the fuck'n man

anywhoo... hope it works!

[Tsunami]

ok the meds must be wearing off, i didn't end up watching the movie, i got distracted and layed in bed for a while and now i'm going to get breakfast at 1:00am.

cauliflower hash browns-- yum yum

[Mr Lefty]

:lol:

[Tsunami]

nevermind, i'm going to eat veggie burgers at home instead and then face plant into my bed :lol:

[Mr Lefty]

:rofl: you don't need the meds at all

[Tsunami]

do the side effects eventually subside? I didn't sleep much last night either, a bit better than the last 2 night, finally slept an hour just now and i'm so nauseated i want to hurl.

[Mr Lefty]

dunno... depends on the meds... could just be your body adjusting...