Summertime….

[dithl]

(I came on this site to ask a quick question and to seek a little support…two hours a 3 posts to other topics later….)

So I’m feeling a little frustrated because I had to explain to my doctor today that my medication is not just for work performance and driving. She was asking about taking a medication holiday when I am on holidays. But that’s when things fall apart more, because of lack of external structure. However, I have also noticed that my meds are wearing off more quickly than they used to (5 hours for Adderall XR, so now I take short-acting Dexedrine to get me through more of the day), and I worry that I will just have to keep upping and adding.

So, my questions for all the brilliant folks here:

1. If you are on meds, do you have problems with tolerance? Do you take “holidays” to re-set?

2. Any suggestions for more resources to access on current research into adult ADHD and medication? I think my doctor is overall fantastic and has a great attitude, but feeling a little nervous about how much I have been educating her on ADHD. She says I am “leading edge” because adult ADHD didn’t use to be recognized, so there isn’t much information about long-term effects of medication. Feeling a we bit guinea-pig-ish tonight.

Thanks for any and all info!!

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[Patte Rosebank]

@Dithl,

1) You’re right that the lack of structure during holidays can be a problem.  And you’re right about sometimes developing a tolerance to meds.

But is it really a tolerance, or is it more a matter of being so used to them that you don’t notice them?  Sometimes, that’s all it is.  (If you happen to forget to take them, your spouse will probably notice the difference, even if you don’t.)

It sounds like your doctor isn’t clear on the fact that ADHD affects all areas of a person’s life, because the person’s brain is driven by what’s interesting, not what’s important.  You’re torn between interesting vs. important things, in all areas of life, not just work & driving.

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2)  It’s hard when we have to educate our doctors.  The doctor-patient relationship is a hierarchical one, with the doctor on top.

If you’re the one with the knowledge, then it affects your ability to trust the doctor…especially if you’re paying for that appointment.  And the doctor feels uncomfortable, because THEY’RE supposed to be the one with all the knowledge.

Instead of just feeling uncomfortable, those doctors should be actively adding to their knowledge about the subject.  With all the rapid developments in medicine, every doctor has a duty to do this.  Especially with the new DSM-V coming out.

Your doctor sounds really open-minded (she even recognizes that you’re “leading-edge”), but she’s worried about professional liability if she’s stepping outside her expertise.

If she’s willing to learn (and she sure seems to be), then you could tell her that she might find TotallyADD.com very helpful.  It’s one of the top sites that doctors send their newly-diagnosed patients to, because its information is current, unbiased, factual, and presented in a very user-friendly way.

And there are MANY videos and archived webinars here, featuring experts in the field of ADHD (including Dr. Umesh Jain, and Dr. Ari Tuckman).  She can learn from all those experts, without having to actually consult with them!

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[dithl]

Larynxa: Thanks for the feedback and suggestions. I love this — “torn between interesting vs. important things”. That encompasses so much.

Meds still effective, but some noticeable differences…esp how quickly I seem to be metabolizing them (very noticeable during a day spent writing reports. Almost like, “Ping! Time’s up — ooh, look at the sparkles!”). And my sleep has changed — more dreams, more daytime sleepiness — both of which disappeared when I started meds. I’m upping exercise, and even (sigh) thinking about going strict no-sugar again for awhile, as that made a difference before my dX. Just wondering about research around adults & ADHD meds, taking med holidays and issues of tolerance. Lots of info on here and elsewhere, sometimes hard to dig through to find something specific…

Really enjoying the connections here!

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