Not sure meds are working

[Anonymous]

Ive been seeing an adult add specialist for about a year and although the meds he has put me on seem to help things, i still go into my usual “cycles” all the time. Procrastination, depression, loss of interest in outside activities, agitated, irritable, etc, etc. I have explained this to my DR but all he seems concerned with is how i have felt in the last 1-2 weeks prior to the appointment and him ADD and depression questionaires. There really is no “therapy” at all just me answering the questions on the questionaires and getting another prescription. I am at a loss as to what to do. I have tried Concerta, Ritalin, and Adderall XR all at increasingly higher doses but none of them seem to work fully.

I can’t take more time off of work to see more therapists and honestly i don’t see it improving anyways. I have this longing for improvement but can’t get there, like an itch you can’t scratch.

Is there anything that i can do combining either the meds i am on with something else or changing meds and combining something else. I don’t know what other options there are at this point.

Is there anything i can do

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[Anonymous]

Have you thought about medication for depression on top of the ADHD medication? It sounds like you may be depressed, or something else, on top of your ADHD. It also sounds like you need to change doctors!! Your current one sounds like a complete waste of time. There may be something affecting you besides your ADHD if the medications aren’t working fully. But you may also be expecting too much from the medications too. Do you have any other treatment, to help get your life in better order? There are many things that ADHD meds will not help, and you need to set up “systems” in your life to help you cope with the “deficits” that ADHD causes (such as calendars to aid memory and organisation). But I really think that if you are having emotional issues that the ADHD meds aren’t helping, then you probably have other medical issues there. Maybe you need a complete medical to rule out thyroid problems and such, as well as a thorough discussion about your emotional cycles (the agitation/depression/irritability etc). Good luck. I hope you find a solution.

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[Anonymous]

Well miketalea…………Meds are not always the answer on their own. There are so many other elements that can enter into one’s life picture, particularly those things that tend to shape us and our life vision. Meds can certainly give a person a leg-up, while others find meds are a tremendous boon in their lives. Education and awareness of who i am, where I have come from and how I developed were also critical. We generally are built (personality wise)over years. We are elements (pieced together bit by bit) by parenting and their perspectives and rules, social input (right or wrong), our socio-economic circumstances…. these pieces all contribute to our development and can have a tremendous affect on us all our lives. We also are affected by our social environment…. not all of which may have been positive, or have positively affected our self-image or self esteem, both of which again are critical to our overall physical and mental well being. These things (to me) where terribly important to my wellness, ADD aside. Understanding what I really thought, what my values were (truly)…..how I interact and respond with the world based on those values, all were critical to my well-being. This process can take years of work to develop a keen understanding of ourselves. Without doing this work I would still be floundering today. At 60, I can honestly say it was the hardest yet most rewarding thing I have done in my life. Reading, reading, reading ….educating myself awareness, counseling with the right counselor, all worth the effort (for me). I found there was no magic pill, no short-cut….do the work, stay diligent…..be patient, gentle and kind with myself and the reward came.

Exercise…. regular rigorous exercise (min of 45min. 3 times week) ……….sound mind and physical wellness are not separate items for me they are one. Eating… I know it’s all clique but I found there is so much food that is actually toxic that I had to become aware of what was good for me, and what was not (and why)….again knowledge is a key element. The food industry is a $$$$ machine not at all interested in your health, get educated, start eating appropriately. Eat for life and health……I stop putting a chemistry lab in my body everyday……..it worked. Eating healthy is not expensive contrary to what people say…….the opposite is true in many many ways.

That is what I did 30 years ago………what is the down side…..hard to find one!!!! I sleep better, more rested, my mental clarity is there, I have energy, I’m not over weight at all. I have actually been off any meds for years………I take my vitamin and mineral supplements religiously too……sooooo. You asked, so, that is what worked for me. Was it all easy….nope….. many many distractions were available in all aspects. I am too important to me to be distracted……I am hyper focused on my mental and physical well being. As I said I found (for me) there was no shortcuts…….do the work reap the rewards!!!!! Nothing I’ve said here can make it worse…..take a minute think about it……..nothing. There is no risk!!!

Any questions don’t hesitate….always willing to share…..I would say “good luck” but, it really has nothing to do with luck.

toofat

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