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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I have heard anecdotally that some people think it shot their metabolism and lead to weight problems. Makes some sense. if your appetite is low on them and you aren't eating enough calories for a long period of time, your metabolism gets messed up.

Have also heard people complain by adulthood they habituated to it and could not keep going up in dose to it became somewhat useless.

If my kid ends up needing meds, I will probably avoid stimulants.[/quote]
[b]
Stimulants are by far the safest, PP. Talk to your psych[/b].[/quote]

Not according to the physician we spoke with. There's a reason they are regulated. He said decades ago they used to say it's as safe as drinking coffee and that just isn't so. Some kids with real ADHD are forming addictions and abusing once on their own in college, etc. There also used to be this myth that only those qwith ADHD respond ideally to stimulants. Not true. Almost all of us would perform better on stimulants and reap benefits. These benefits can last for years on it and then eventually for some there is a point where the stimulants are useless, you have habituated, but you are mess off them and you cannot increase the dose because it's is not safe to do. Good luck getting all the facts. I am impressed with the study someone linked to earlier. It is a big risk to your career to research and try to publish studies that don't support use of meds like stimulants. [/quote]
Your doctor is in the minority at least as far as pre-adolescent children are concerned.  There is a known problem with abuse and diversion in high school and college. There is also a known problem of ADHD teens using illegal drugs or engaging in other risky behaviors.  Parents should be aware of the risks and judge whether the benefits outweigh the risks.  If someone chooses to go off stimulants, the safest way to do so is to gradually lower the dose under a doctor's supervision. Most adults who took stimulants as children no longer take them, so it is possible to stop without major problems.

There are in fact studies on alternatives to stimulants, so I don't see a career risk there.  But except for Strattera, they haven't found an alternative to stimulants that is equally effective and safe.  [/quote]

A study suggesting another drug is as effective as or better than stimulants is not a career risk. Heck that drug may even be made by the same drug company as stimulants. Finding stimulants pose harm is more of a career risk. [/quote]

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