Best Med for shift work

[Anonymous]

I recently started to take Biphentin and it seems to be working just fine. My problem is i take it around 7 or 8 am and i am still wide awake after midnight. The reason this is an issue for me is i am about to start a job where i will be working a variety of shifts (ex. one day i may have to work 3pm til 11pm and then be in the next day for 7am) Based on different work times i will not be getting up at the same time everyday. I need a med that is flexible in when u take it or that u may be able to skip the last dose of the day if i was working the hours in my above example.

Any info or experience any of you have with the situation would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

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[Patte Rosebank]

I know jobs are hard to come by, but the very nature of the constantly changing hours in this one will be hazardous to your health.

Starting any new job is hard, but when you figure in the fact that you’re getting used to the Biphentin, and that the hours of work vary so widely from day to day—you will probably find this one to be much more of an uphill climb than you were expecting.

The frequently changing shift times in this job make it a HUGE risk for you.

Shift work is bad for everyone, since it royally screws up your circadian rhythms (the rhythms that control all bodily functions). But it’s especially bad for diabetics and for those with any sort of mental condition, because blood sugar levels and the hormones that regulate brain function will be all over the place.

In this sort of shift work, your symptoms will become much more severe. You will make many more mistakes, and, if you’re doing a job that can be dangerous (like working with heavy machinery), you will be at much greater risk of major injury.

As for the meds, they must be taken at the same time every day, in order to be effective. You may have a bit more leeway with shorter-acting meds (regular Ritalin, for example), but there will still be issues. And long-acting meds (like Concerta or Biphentin), which have been found to be more effective at treating ADHD than short-acting meds, will not only NOT work properly, but may even be dangerous when you’re constantly changing the times when you take them, because the levels of the drug in your system will vary so widely from hour to hour, from day to day.

Remember, Biphentin releases its drug slowly, ramping it up, then fading it down, over the course of a day. If it isn’t fully out of your system at bedtime, you won’t be able to sleep—as you’ve discovered. And lack of sleep is kryptonite to an ADHD brain.

Sorry to be a downer, but, realistically, shift work like this is not a good fit for someone with ADHD.

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[Anonymous]

unfortunately i live in a really small town with very few jobs. i have no choice but to take the job. I read that some people don’t take their meds everyday and that regular Ritalin has a bit of flexibility to it. Like i could skip my third dose of the day if i needed to go to bed really early or if i was later getting up i could just take 2 doses that day. I don’t think my shifts will go back and forth too much but would like to know what my options are for a more flexible medications

Sorry i am new to adhd, and thanks for your input

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[Anonymous]

I’m pretty new to the ADHD way of life and treatment too! I would agree with whats been said about shift work being detrimental. Just from my experience regular routine is a MUST for me!

Having said that, I’m lucky my issues with sleep have always been fatigue so after my adjustment period with meds, I tend not to lose much sleep. However I avoid coffee in the afternoons.

I take Dexedrine twice a day, I think it’s similar to Ritalin in that it’s shorter acting than some of the newer drugs. Some days I only take one dose. For example today I sleep late and didn’t take my first dose until 10am, I will likely skip my noon dose and be fine.

That’s all the experience Ive got! Good Luck with it!

Cheers!

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[Anonymous]

Thanks, that is more or less what i was getting at, i won;t be working crazy shifts its just that i won’t be up at the same time some days so on the days i get up later taking the Biphentin will most likely keep me up way too late at night. Some i guess i should ask my Dr for one of the instant release medications.

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[Anonymous]

i currently take adderall instant release and if you’re concerned about solely the medication you should definitely ask for an instant release medicine as i have tried the XR version.

the difference (for me, anyway) is that the instant release, i feel more peaks and valleys in my moods and behaviors. its all about what works best for you, so definitely weigh your options with your Dr.

also something to consider – even off the instant medication, i still have trouble sleeping. i’m talking off-off as in i was on a “vacation” from the medicine for a couple weeks. im starting to get more involved in actively finding information on ad/hd and it seems like there is a bit of a relationship between having ad/hd and having trouble falling asleep/waking up. i even read an article suggesting that you take a stimulant BEFORE you go to sleep (as long as you’re still taking it as prescribed, of course) to foster falling asleep quicker. for me, i feel like its all of those thoughts running through my head that are keeping me awake. have you ever tried to count sheep? i used to think it just didn’t work for me. little did i know there was more to that reasoning.. haha! at any rate – the stimulant (supposedly) helps to quiet these thoughts.

to explain it to the lay-man (ironically, i’m enrolled in a special education master’s program..full explanation is quite lingo-heavy), the stimulant does exactly that – stimulates. ever hear the myth that our meds slow us down but speed normal people up? it’s because it gives our brains the stimulation its craving to concentrate..just like fidgeting, doodling (my learning device of choice), pacing, etc helps us focus. in this case, its giving us stimulation that would otherwise be manifested in thoughts racing through your head as you’re falling asleep.

i don’t recommend trying it without consulting your dr, but from my experience, the only times i couldn’t fall asleep on my meds were when i was hyperfocussed (http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/612.html) on something else or i really wanted to watch the end of a show/movie i was watching in bed.

the other thing i tried was melatonin. it is available over the counter at your favorite pharmacy/store in the vitamin section (note: i don’t know if a place like vitamin shoppe would have it because they sell supplements, but you can try) and is a natural sleep aide. apparently it’s the natural chemical that triggers sleep and is supposedly non-habit forming. take it 30 minutes before you go to bed and (this is extremely important) lay down in bed even if you’re reading a book or watching TV/a movie. eventually you’ll get to the point where you can’t keep your eyes open. in my experience, if i was doing anything BUT relaxing in bed it wouldn’t work.

i know this was probably a longer answer than you were looking for, but as someone who struggled with having to get up/fall asleep at different times – for not only a shift-based job, but tests, and sports – before AND after my diagnosis..with AND without medication, i feel like it is important to throw everything out there for you to at LEAST think about before making changes to your medication..something that may open up a completely new/different can of worms.

if you’re interested, here is a link to some helpful sleeping tips as well. it mentions the melatonin too.

http://www.additudemag.com/adhd-web/article/4845.html

EDIT: something else that’s important to consider now and in the future when searching for a job: try to find one with a set schedule. i’m finding that routine is what makes me want to go to work instead of wanting to blow work off for little to no reason at all. working part time at hollister, my schedule changed sooooo much. closing one night then opening the next day was nearly impossible for me. student teaching, however, i knew exactly when i was getting up every day. it may not be the medicine’s (or lack thereof) fault at all..it might be something related to your diagnosis and unfortunately something you’ll have to learn to cope with.

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[Anonymous]

http://totallyadd.com/the-bedroom

http://totallyadd.com/sleep-management

http://www.caddra.ca/cms4/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26&Itemid=353&lang=en

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