The Forums › Forums › Medication › Methylphenidate Generic › So, This is Stupid
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December 17, 2012 at 8:13 am #117765
Me. I mean, I’m stupid. I kept forgetting to call in my prescription, so I ran out, then was out of pills for about a month. During that month, I had no motivation to do anything, got nothing done, and felt discouraged.
Finally, I get around to contacting the pharmacy, which is an ordeal every single time because in the U.S., methylphenidate is a “controlled substance” which means it’s popular as a street drug, hence requires a doctor’s approval every 30 days (like I’m suddenly going to stop needing it) unlike most other drugs which you could renew yourself without approval.
Once I got started taking the pills again, it was like instant motivation. Suddenly I’m trying to play music and paint pictures and work on my book. And it’s EASY. It’s easy. I do what I want to do, just because I want to do it. I’m not lying in bed moaning that I can’t get up because it’s too far.
Why do I have to keep re-learning what I already know, or should know? I’ve been taking these pills for five years. If I don’t take them, the results are not good. Is this rocket science, even for someone with ADHD? This is not the only obvious thing I seem to need to re-learn every other day, but it’s an important one. Pills don’t make a difference for everyone, but they do for me. Like night and day.
I used to take “Concerta” but they had to stop calling it that – now it’s just called methylphenidate. I experience no difference at all between the two.
REPORT ABUSEDecember 17, 2012 at 3:12 pm #117766Hi sdwa, I used to know a good quote about how most learning is merely remembering what we already knew, but I forgot it. Heh heh.
So WRT forgetting to renew your ‘script, would you say the medication helps with your motivation, but not memory?
REPORT ABUSEDecember 17, 2012 at 8:53 pm #117769Sdwa, you’re NOT stupid for forgetting to re-fill your prescription. You just have a cognitive disability with symptoms that include forgetting to do things…like re-filling prescriptions for the meds which help control your condition.
Many people (even without ADHD) forget to re-fill their prescriptions. As the population ages, more people are on multiple meds for multiple conditions, so there are even more prescriptions for them to forget to re-fill.
Some pharmacies have recognized this problem, and will phone you to remind you your prescription is running out. The Rexall chain here in Canada, did a whole ad campaign to launch this service.
Ask your pharmacist about a reminder service. Chances are, even though your pharmacy doesn’t advertise it, it already offers one. After all, your meds aren’t going to help you if you forget to take them, or if you forget to re-fill your prescription before it runs out.
Methylphenidate is a controlled substance in Canada, too, but my doctor writes several Repeats into each prescription. Can your doctor write a prescription with a certain number of Repeats in it, so that you still have to go to the pharmacy for each one-month supply, but you only have to see your doctor after all of the Repeats have been filled?
REPORT ABUSEDecember 17, 2012 at 9:54 pm #117772I have done the same thing, as I suspect we all have. I was out of pills for several days, not for a month. For me it was the overwhelm that came back.
Suddenly, somehow, it was 2:00 in the afternoon, and I’d been going like crazy and nothing checked off of my list of priority tasks.
It’s a reminder that pills don’t build skills. They level the playing field, but you still have to go out and play the game. And ideally, the medication allows you to get motivated and stay focussed on what should be the biggest priority–putting in structures that help with focus, motivation, ending procrastination, and so on. Even when I take my medication, if I don’t work from my agenda, I’m way less productive.
REPORT ABUSEDecember 17, 2012 at 10:44 pm #117776Doh!, thanks you guys, now I’ll call the pharmacy about my wellbutrin that I was gonna do right after I got up! hehe.
PS I wonder why the time written on my post is about 8 hours ahead? A few of the other message boards are like that I’ve noticed. It’s no big deal though. I’m happy that we have at least the date at the top of the posts. I like knowing when we post stuff. Knowing the time frame or at least day helps me put things together chronologically. I remember things by date as well as visually, emotions attached, and by what’s going on in my life at the same time. So it puts things into context. Knowing more about how my memory works helps me to use it better. Mostly.
REPORT ABUSEDecember 18, 2012 at 12:17 am #117779
AnonymousInactiveDecember 18, 2012 at 12:17 amPost count: 14413Most chain pharmacies now have smartphone apps which will remind you to refill your prescriptions, which is nice because you don’t have to actually type something into a calendar or alarm.
REPORT ABUSEDecember 18, 2012 at 1:12 am #117780I don’t use my phone to get on the Internet. Thanks for the info though. I bet my phone is smart enough. Me? well… hmmm. Don’t ask! hehe.
I’m getting smarter every day though. (just trust me on this)
REPORT ABUSEDecember 18, 2012 at 6:33 pm #117793@Fabulous: LOL. The experience reminds me of a science fiction novel I read in my teens, called “Flowers for Algernon” which was about a sub-normal man whose doctors gave him smart pills. At first he became as clever as they were, then became a genius who towered over them. They all looked like idiots to him until the drug wore off.
@Larynxa: I think my psy-doc would have told me if the pharmacy had that service, because I’m quite sure she’s tired of getting emails from me saying I’ve run out. (She’s a good sport – saw me during her lunch hour once when I showed up for my appointment on the wrong day. Oops.) If I could remember to re-order mid-month, they would mail the pills to me, so I wouldn’t have to go and pick up. Usually what happens is you call and get lost in an automated phone tree that relentlessly requires you to type in a bunch of information that you could barely manage to locate in the first place, and then when you do, they reject it.
🙂
@Rick: Um…so…what structures? You got structures? Methods that work? (I am planning to read ADD Stole My Car Keys, but I can’t find my Kindle cable.)
@Gardener & Robbo: I don’t use them there new-fangled technologies. My husband has one of those weird little phones that has a computer screen on it. I’m not sure what it’s called. Looks like a mini-tablet. In any case, it completely freaks me out. Doesn’t have a number pad. As if I didn’t have enough trouble using my cell phone. Never liked phones to begin with, even back in the days of rotary dial and push-button land lines. Carrying a cell is essential now because otherwise good luck finding a public pay phone. I now understand why my parents’ generation couldn’t program their VCRs.
For some reason, it is painfully difficult to go through the administrative procedure of making a call, placing an order, filing a request, or even paying a bill online. Finding passwords and account numbers, needing to request a new password every time…those tasks loom like Mt. Everest. If I can overcome that sense of dread, usually it goes very easily. The resistance is out of proportion to the actual challenge of the task.
I’m supposed to be at work right now, but I was late getting out of the house because I couldn’t find my stuff…and then missed my ferry, and was too embarrassed to call in and say I was going to be two hours late, so I claimed to be sick, and am now goofing off. Am I the only one who goes through life feeling like a 15-year-old who’s about to be grounded? Slinking around corners wondering: Am I in trouble? So humiliating.
REPORT ABUSEDecember 18, 2012 at 7:33 pm #117796@Sdwa, doctors have many patients, and not all of them go to the same pharmacy. So it’s not reasonable to expect your doctor to know what services are offered by even one pharmacy, let alone every pharmacy in your area. That means it’s up to you to find out what services your pharmacy offers.
As for getting lost in the automated phone system, I’ve found that it really helps to make a plan. List each of the steps/prompts in order, and the answer you need to give to each one. Beware of writing down actual passwords. Instead, write down a hint to remind you of each password.
Check off each task/prompt on the list, as you complete it, so you don’t lose your place.
If you feel more comfortable talking to a human, than answering a bunch of automated prompts, you can do that, instead.
Most pharmacies now recognize that there are a lot of seniors who cannot navigate automated phone systems, so they give callers the option of either pressing “0”, or staying on the line, to talk to a human. You don’t need to be a senior to use that option!
It also helps if you identify recurring tasks that occur on the same day of every month or few months (such as, utility bills and prescription refills), and mark them on your calendar, for the whole year. That way, you can instantly see when one is coming up, and plan for it.
Projects don’t seem nearly so daunting, when you plan for them, and break them into a series of small tasks. At least, it seems that way to me!
REPORT ABUSEDecember 18, 2012 at 8:09 pm #117798So a bit about simplifying those Rx’s…
The FDA doesn’t make it easy for those of us who need to take stimulant meds. They are class 2 controlled substances, each class has it own special prescribing rules and they can also vary by state. Class 2 cannot be called in, only a 30 day supply can be written for at one time, and refills of 30 day supplies are not allowed from the same original prescription. These are rules her in CT.My provider also writes several one month paper prescriptions when I go for my med visit. On each one she writes ‘do not fill until after mm/dd/yy’; this prevents patients from getting all the scrips filled at the same time in different pharmacies and abusing, selling, overdosing. In my state, all providers have to keep VERY tight records of the controlled substances they prescribe. So it’s a bummer for them as well.
I too have taken to using technology to remember to refill, pick up, take, etc. my meds. Otherwise I might have to ask someone else to help me remember, but it’s just me and the cat. And the cat has not mastered object constancy quite yet…so med reminders not her department.
I find it a bummer to have to take the paper rx to the pharmacy and wait while they fill it (and the pharmacist asking me, are you sure you should take that much????). But I have taken to plowing through email while I wait, so the inbox gets thoroughly cleaned at least once a month.
And while I’m in the posting box…I’ll also just say that I’m looking forward to more of the features getting up and going. Especially since I still can’t make friends (i feel 13 again, sigh). BUT if anyone would like to engage in an experiment and try to friend me…would be awesome to see what happens.
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KJDecember 19, 2012 at 12:21 am #117802Actually, all the doctor’s patients do go to the same pharmacy because it is part of a private business/insurance cooperative with its own doctors and pharmacies.
Long story short, I ultimately did talk to a live person who said to ignore the “do not refill” on the bottle and order the refill anyway. She didn’t realize the automated system won’t accept the request and seemed not to believe me when I told her. Next time, I should do it two weeks early online and get them through the mail and hope no one steals them off my front porch.
I appreciate the other suggestions, although for me, calendars don’t work because they become wallpaper. Planners and lists don’t work because I lose them. I have a booklet full of web addresses, accounts, and “hints,” but I have no idea where it is, nor can I find my checkbook, slippers, car keys, socks, paperwork, etc.
It would be easier if I lived alone and could control the space, but I share it with three other people and their stuff. I can’t remember to put things in the same place every time, and even when I do, there’s no guarantee they won’t walk off with it. It would be great if I could establish a rigid, mechanical routine, but so far, no luck with that – I’d lose the script, or it would fade away before I learned it. It’s crazy how many plans and task-lists and schedules I’ve written but not been able to use.
What does work tends to slip by me, but is probably where I need to pay more attention. If I got something done, what preceded it? What triggered it?
No clue how to “friend” anyone, so if someone knows, please tell me.
@kjacnm: It strikes me as decidedly Not Cool for a pharmacist to comment at all on what you are taking or how much. But maybe they know things our doctors don’t tell us.
REPORT ABUSEDecember 19, 2012 at 1:48 am #117804The trick is to only have TWO calendars:
One that always lives in the same place on your desk or night-table or hangs on the wall of your room—or the back of the door, if you always close your bedroom door at night. I use a coilbound Daytimer or Mead Weekly Planner.
And a small calendar (or the calendar function of your smartphone), that always travels with you in your purse or pocket.
Be sure to write appointments & upcoming tasks (like due dates for bills & library books, and your prescription refill dates) in both calendars at the same time, so they match.
That way, you greatly reduce the risk of confusion, by eliminating the excess “wallpaper”. And, even if something happens to your little pocket calendar, you still have everything backed up in the main calendar in your room.
I had to do this, after I completely forgot to show up for a shift at work, 2 years ago, because I hadn’t written it into one of my six calendars scattered throughout the house, and THAT was the calendar I looked at to see whether or not I had to work that day.
My system must be working, because I’ve never missed a shift (or been late for one) since then!
REPORT ABUSEDecember 19, 2012 at 2:45 pm #117815Hi sdwa, The pharmacist is your friend! When they question any aspect of your meds (type, dose, titration, etc. etc.) it is for good reason… They are looking out for you! You wouldn’t believe the mistakes that happen. Pharmacists are part of your healthcare team and they work in collaboration with doctors and other healthcare providers to ensure you are safe and well managed. Questions are a sign of a good pharmacist who has their eye on the ball…
REPORT ABUSEDecember 21, 2012 at 7:59 pm #117842Sdwa, I go through life feeling like a 15 much of the time, too. And I’m ancient in chronological terms. Nevertheless, I’ve had a lot of trouble with chaos too, although I am fortunate in that certain habits, like putting my keys and purse in the same place, have stuck with me through many years.
I’ve had a lot of trouble with reminders and that sort of thing. What’s worked best for me has been to try to really ingrain one habit at a time. This is hard, because everything feels like it’s falling apart, I want to fix it all, right now! But it’s going to fall apart anyway, so I try to get that one thing integrated into my life before I tackle the next.
Have you ever read, “ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life” by Judith Kolberg & Kathleen Ladeau? The most important thing I got out of that book is that you have to do what works for you, even if it doesn’t look all Martha Stewart-y. That was very freeing, because I dream of everything looking perfect (as if).
It’s really a process of trial and error. But most importantly, one small change at a time.
REPORT ABUSEDecember 22, 2012 at 1:44 pm #117843That’s the really hard part. Just making one or two little changes at a time, when you really want to take them all on at once, jumping from task to task.
I remember, in Grade 10 English class, we studied one of Stephen Leacock’s books, in which a character “leaped onto his horse, and rode madly off in all directions”. The teacher said that this was an example of complete illogic, because you can only go in one direction at a time. I completely disagreed with this, because it was so obvious to me that the character and his horse were zig-zagging all over the countryside—“off in all directions”.
I now recognize that “madly off in all directions” is the working method of most people with ADHD. No wonder it seemed so logical to me, and so illogical to the teacher!
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