Your Experience Medicating for ADHD: Ady or Child

[Anonymous]

I am so confused. DD’s therapist is so gung-ho on meds. So is DD’s neuropsych and my psychologist friend. ,

Everyone I know who is use it in real life either takes it begrudgingly because it does help somewhat ( but with lots of side effects) OR quit because it didn’t offer enough benefits.

The difference in enthusiasm between the psychologist and real life People is extremely confusing for me!

[Anonymous]

They get paid to push drugs. That's their job.

[Anonymous]

You treat adhd in kids so they can learn the skills and mature enough to cope without them. many people with adhd still need them as adults. It’s probably annoying to have to take a pill to operate in this culture as an adult, so I understand why people would feel mixed on it. I’d suggest posting in the special needs forum to get feedback from adhd parents who have taken both paths.

[Anonymous]

I would be open-minded to at least have your DC try ADHD medicine.

Medicating for ADHD has made a huge difference for my child - improved focus, increased self-confidence, & reduced anxiety. I feel very fortunate that my DC hasn’t experienced side effects and it was easy to find the right medication and dosage. I hope things last.

[Anonymous]

I take adderall. I feel much better. I feel like I can just focus and quiet my thoughts. That may not make sense but it is an immense relief for me. Can you compromise with the doc? If it doesn’t show any effect after titration to therapeutic dosage, quit it. But you should really give it a chance.

[Anonymous]

Medication changed my life. I started in college, but I wonder how different things could have been if I had been able to start as a kid. For one thing, I think I would have more self esteem. When I'm unmedicated, I spend a lot of time and energy berating myself for things that feel like personal failings but are actually just add.

[Anonymous]

You only hear the negative stories because when it works, people don’t need to talk about it - they just go on with life. Not everyone has this experience but I have two ADHD kids. For one, meds were transformational. She went from overwhelmed, confused, anxious, impulsive to a happy kid who could keep up in school, but still the funny, spontaneous personality we knew was in there. For the other, less dramatic results but they have been one of several tools that helps her from interrupting, leaving the classroom, forgetting all her everything, now able to stay on task. She still needs EF coaching, but none of that worked before meds.

If all the professionals you are working with are recommending them, I would trust their judgement over my own.

[Anonymous]

+1 for medication changed my life. My wife and I were both diagnosed as adults and it has been life changing to take medicine. Even with medicine, I absolutely still feel like a brain with ADHD, but it curbs the worst of it.

I'm not sure how it was missed as a child, but I often think how different life would have been if I had been diagnosed earlier.

We also have a kid that is currently awaiting evaluation.

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of people online who are extremely gung ho about ADHD medications, to the point that I do actually wonder if they are pharma PR people. The reality for ANY medication is much different. Very few medications (for any condition) have a high efficacy rate, they all have side effects, and overprescribing definitely happens. Doctors prescribe them because even the small possibility of some improvement is worth it to them, and they heavily discount side effects, and sometimes heavily overestimate the harms of not medicating (scare tactics).

That said, ADHD meds do have evidence behind them, albeit much less rosy than people will make it seem.

You just need to be a smart medical consumer for yourself and your kid. Read all you can, find doctors who will take the time to talk to you and are accessible. Be very scientific in how you assess the impact (improvements and side effects). For ADHD, do some thinking about your values and whether you are trying to perfect your child, or whether they truly need it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:+1 for medication changed my life. My wife and I were both diagnosed as adults and it has been life changing to take medicine. Even with medicine, I absolutely still feel like a brain with ADHD, but it curbs the worst of it.

I'm not sure how it was missed as a child, but I often think how different life would have been if I had been diagnosed earlier.

We also have a kid that is currently awaiting evaluation.

ADHD stimulant drugs will appear to improve focus for anyone - the fact that you subjectively feel more focused doesn’t prove you have ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Last year we got reports from my kids teachers that he would hide under his desk, rip up his work, go into the corner and just cry. He had zero friends. He refused to do a single thing in school. He was almost kicked off his sports team because he would scream and do unsafe behaviors. At home he would melt down for hours. He would tell me how he was sad all the time and could not figure out why.

He went on stimulant meds and it has been a complete 180. It is life changing. He was able to sit and participate in school, he went from zero work to writing pages and pages, he made friends. It basically completed ended meltdowns at home and he is able to participate and work hard in his sport. He told me his meds make him happy and have almost eliminated his social anxiety (it now takes him 5 mins to warm up to a group vs. hours).

Plus he is still the wonderful, funny, creative kid he always was. He just now has the ability to regulate his emotions.

We haven't had many side effects, some days he doesn't eat as much (but it isn't always and he hasn't lost any weight).

[Anonymous]

I mean, you clearly drummed up this sock puppet thread to bash medication, OP. So of course you’re only going to hear what you want to hear.

[Anonymous]

I hate having to take any of the medications I need to but due to heart issues and other health concerns I need to in order for my body to function how it needs to.
Psych meds are the exact same way. No one LOVES taking meds, you do it becuase it is what your body needs to be healthy and happy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, you clearly drummed up this sock puppet thread to bash medication, OP. So of course you’re only going to hear what you want to hear.

Oh come on. “Bash medication,” really? Every medication had risks and benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate having to take any of the medications I need to but due to heart issues and other health concerns I need to in order for my body to function how it needs to.
Psych meds are the exact same way. No one LOVES taking meds, you do it becuase it is what your body needs to be healthy and happy

this is an extremely simplistic view. just because a medication is prescribed doesn’t mean it’s actually going to help.