Re: Concerta? Does it work for you?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply njadd! What kind of ADHDer am I…. hmm… Well I am more inattentive than anything. Like I said above, I took a Psychology class last semester and got an A by only reading a chapter or so. I didn’t want to do it that way. It just kind of happened. I had that motivation, but everytime I would sit down, I would find myself reading the same paragraph over and over because I hadn’t grasped what was being said. My 3 greatest symptoms…. I would say slobbiness, inability to organize a schedule/remember important tasks and dates, and hyperactivity. For being slobby, I have my husband to pick up after me ;o) lol just kidding…. kind of. He’s a stay at home dad with OCD so he completes me haha. We have put our kids in a daycare for the last couple of weeks to take care of some personal business, so it’s been a nice break! Honestly though, I haven’t been able to get a grasp on the slobbiness. My car is full of things I just throw in there when leaving work and never taking them up, my room has clothes all over the floor, and my bill folder is empty… mainly because all of the bills are still in the car after getting them from the mailbox or scattered throughout the house. As for not remembering tasks, I got myself a Blackberry the other day. I am a sexual assault victim advocate for my command (If someone is raped, they call me to respond first) so when I am on duty, I carry a Blackberry that receives the calls. I noticed whenever I had it, I was able to organize better because I used the calendar and planner. If I don’t write something down, it doesn’t get done… that’s basically it. My supervisor actually makes me write things down in front of her when she’s tasking me with something. I’m also the computer nerd in my clinic so I do all of the IT stuff. We got a Pyxis machine (a computerized pharmacy basically, with a fingerprint log in that pops open a drawer of meds to give to a patient) and when we got it, I took the task of getting everyone access to it. It included getting applications sent to everyone and turning them in to the main pharmacy when they were filled out. Well, the basic jist of the story is that there are still applications sitting in my “out” box that were handed to me about a month ago. I have gotten emails about when their log in will be ready, and always forget to reply. It’s a vicious cycle, and unless I really put my mind to it, it doesn’t get done. As for motivation in the work department, I fluctuate. Some days I’m a hard-charger, and other days I’m a total dirt bag and my self esteem goes rock bottom. Hyperactivity…. it will be the death of me. I sit in traffic and fester. I have actually hit a red light, gone down a side street to avoid it, and when I got back to the same intersection, that light has turned red, making my original light green. I love talking. I love keeping busy (sitting down, like on a computer) and I love stimulating my brain. I’ve recently gotten back into art- it was my outlet as a child and I’ve found my artistic talent once again. For the holidays, I painted murals on my clinic’s windows, as well as mine and my neighbor’s. All of them said I should do it on the side from the Navy. When I paint or draw, my brain shuts off- it’s the ONLY thing I can do without thinking about other things. I have no clue why, but it is. I take Concerta mainly for the “anti-venom” effects… like when you’re bit by a snake and the ER uses the same snake’s venom to combat the effects of it. Basically, Concerta is a stronger and more metabolically sustainable drug compared to Ritalin (meaning it doesn’t wear off in an a couple hours). Since we are so hyperactive, the stimulation of Concerta or other drugs similar to it counteract the hyperactivity (as to the chemical reasoning behind this, I’m clueless). I take Concerta also because Ritalin gives me wicked headaches. I’m still learning, and I was dx’d with ADHD over 17 years ago, so now that I’m more mature (by ADHD standards), have some medical training and a better grasp on my coping and actions, I have been noticing the effects much more. But like I said above, I’m going to write a book on dealing with ADHD in the military, and if I can somehow find a way to stay in 20 years and retire at the ripe young age of 42 without being kicked out for it, the book will help in ANY profession. As for any other questions, please, ask away! I love talking with others about this. And I’m so excited I found this website!!!!!!

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