General Advise on concertra

[Anonymous]

Hello

My name is Simon. I am looking for some advice. A second opinion if you will. Here is my story, I will keep it brief.

I am 38 years old. I have always had a problem holding down a job. I kept getting sacked because of lack of concentration.

I go to the doctor and he sends me to a psychiatrist, who just happens to be a ADD expert !

I tell him about my employment problem and this other sexual problem that I am having. And he thinks this is 2 clear signs of ADD.

And wants to put me on Concetra !

I have done sone research on this medication and I am not sure if I want to risk the possible side effects. My question is this.

Q) Let us assume that the Doctor is wrong and I take Concertra. What will happen ? So, what am asking is if a normal person took Concertra would anything happen ?

Any advice would be great. Thanks.

Simon

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[Anonymous]

Simon…these decisions are yours to make I would think. A proper diagnosis may well be in order. Most of us are not doctors and it would be irresponsible to advise. However there are many threads that discuss the meds issue in some detail……..I would expect a tour through those kinds of discussion threads may well give you what you need.

The net is a wealth of information as well……

Toofat

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[Scattybird]

Toofat is right.

But for what it is worth, my personal perception from the literature (and I might be wrong – I am not a medical doctor) is that:

1) The stimulants make the brain of the ADHD person more ‘normal’.

2) If someone who isn’t ADHD takes the stimulants at normal therapeutic doses orally, then they would just feel more alert.

3) Everyone reacts differently to the meds whether ADHD or not.

4) The problems arise if the meds are abused (ie not taken as prescribed and if not taken orally).

If someone who is not ADHD takes them then it’s just a waste because the benefit will be limited relative to the potential benefit the ADHD person might get (but not all ADHDers feel benefit from the meds).

Some web sites state that if you benefit from stimulants then you’re ADHD – other sources say that’s rubbish.

If the side effects worry you then take a fast release version in small doses so you can control it? The trick is to find a dose with minimum side effects but which helps the ADHD symptoms. The side effects generally disappear after using for a few days.

This is just my understanding – could all be wrong!

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[shutterbug55]

@toofat, I always look forward to reading your posts.

@Simon:

I started out on ritalin. OMG it made me feel horrible, and gave me what I call the “Yo-yo” affect. I was up, I was down, I was moving too quick, to slow. I never felt right on it. Welbutrin, made me feel like putting on purple sunglasses and listening to “Jefferson Airplane”. It took me weeks to get that out of my system! . Then Adderal. that was better and is a good fall-back for when I am too poor to get Stratera.

I guess for me, it is all about talking to the doctor and let him be the expert on how the drugs work in the body, and remind him I am the expert on what it is like living in my own skin. I consult with the people I trust around me. They can tell me how these drugs affect THEIR lives. After all, I am not a hermit and I have to be with people.

I picked 5 ADD symptoms that I wanted most to be gone. I judge the drugs on how well they make the symptoms go away, or how well they allow me to work around them.

I pick side effects. I rank them by how much they affect my life. if the side affects are too great, its on to the next drug.

I pick my support team. I have a doctor that can prescribe the meds. I have a psychologist that can help me deal with the lifetime of being me. I have a life coach that helps me with work and career stuff and some personal relationship help. I have a few friends who have been with me at my worst, and are still my friends. They help me with everything else and will not hesitate to say “Dude, you need to take your meds”.

This is how I am working the doctors and ADD and the drugs. It isn’t perfect, but it works for me.

I hope this helps.

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