Adult ADD

[JakeF]

Just got diagnosed at the ripe ole age of 33. Today I got my first round of Adderall and I've gotta say, my room has never been better organized. About to start practice. Its trippy.

Any other ADD folks? How does the Meds affect music performance long-term? Practice? Etc.

Any wisdom is appreciated.

[bluewine]

Be careful, I'm ADD, the medication can cause weight gain and make you lethargic.

I stopped taking the meds over 10 years ago. I'm better if being flighty.

Blue

[catcauphonic]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Be careful, I'm ADD, the medication can cause weight gain and make you lethargic.

I stopped taking the meds over 10 years ago. I'm better if being flighty.

Blue

I would think stimulants have the opposite effect of weight gain. All the speeders I used to know were skinny as a rake

At any rate, be careful with that stuff!

[kevteop]

I'm always a bit skeptical about meds for 'mental disorders'. Of course there are times when people need to be medicated for their own or others' safety, but it seems there's a pill for every kind of undesirable behaviour no matter how trivial. I just find it all a bit disturbing.

[Smokin' Toaster]

Adderall is amphetamine, pure and simple. I can't understand why doctors would prescribe this kind of drug as a maintenance drug in light of the fact that people develop a tolerance to it and one of two things happen: 1) any beneficial effect is diminished as the tolerance increases, or 2) the dosage will need to be stepped up to maintain any beneficial effect. Ever-increasing dosages of amphetamine just doesn't seem to be a good idea.

I'm sure lots of people can take Adderall responsibly. My ex-wife was not one of them. When she initially started taking it, it certainly helped mitigate her ADHD. She soon discovered that when she was down it was a "pick-me-up". When the pick-me-up was not enough, a few drinks helped. Then, if one pill was good, 2 was better. No, 3, no, 4... and so on. Soon, her 30 day supply was lasting a week. A speed freak who has run out of speed is not a pretty thing. Unbeknownst to me, she had started using meth and street speed when she ran out of Adderall. When I found out and tried to pull her back from the hole she was digging for herself, I was the bad guy so she found herself a "good guy" who was on her side and approved of her taking whatever substance and in whatever quantities she needed. She moved in with him. That was almost 8 years ago. Now we are divorced, I lost my wonderful riverfront home and more money than I care to remember in the ordeal, and she is living unhappily ever after, having pretty much fried her body and mind.

I'm not a fan of Adderall. And I question the ease of diagnosis of ADHD and the use of Adderall as a treatment for it. No, I'm not a doctor, I don't play one on TV, and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but Adderall sure left a scar on me, and I never took the stuff.

Good luck, and I hope that your story has a better ending than my ex's.

Except for the house and the money, I came out OK. I remarried to the most wonderful woman in the world and I'm living happily ever after.

[Icey101]

i've got ADD therefore i need to take meds?

whats the plan?
How many years are you going to be on meds?

explore all the alternate programs to manage your ADD and read what people have said above regarding long term use.

[Beej]

I meet the diagnostic criteria as well. Coincidentally I'm also a registered mental health professional. ADHD medication tends to be stimulant based, it's not as counterintuitive as you'd think though. We've long seen the effects of stimulants, paradoxically calming the thought process and increasing capacity for executive function in people with ADHD diagnoses. The extrapolated reason for the success is that the stimulant stimlates the frontal cortex, which houses executive function, and allows the executive functions to improve, which results in increases in self-regulation, improved concentration, judgment, critical thinking, etc.

Smokin' Toaster has a point, but it's a common error seen in less than rigorous clinical situations. The problem for many people who start a stimulant (especially in adulthood) is that initially, you "really feel it, man". That's a good thing because you can feel the effect of the stimulant and associate that feeling with the quantitative clinical effects. The problem is that we all naturally experience the process of "accommodation" where we become "used" to the effects of a drug, or change in routine, etc. Takes approximately 6 weeks or so for this to take effect. After that point, despite the drug still working perfectly, we no longer "feel it". Consequently, we see user-based increases in frequency or dosage rates, and in some/many cases, the prescribing clinician goes along with that. We have also seen research though, where if the amount is controlled and the frequency is controlled, even though the subject no longer "feels it" or notices the physical effects, all of the previous gains in executive function are still there upon testing. So the need to increase over time, is actually not true. This is a tough one to get support from drug companies on though, as guess what? They want to sell more drugs and make more money!

I took meds when I was a kid, but for the last 25 years, I've coped by using lists, and other comprehensive reminders and organization strategies, meditation, mindfulness and relaxation, cognitive behaviour therapy, and avoiding coffee or other stimulants that are not known to help executive function. I live nearly drug/substance free and have functioned just fine thanks very much...

[vishuddha]

ADD meds make me a zombie with no appetite. Which means weight loss and concentration, but it also means no "zany" experiences. I always took them right before high school band rehearsal so they wouldn't kick in until later in the day. I couldn't tell you how they effect playing, but they seem to make me better at everything else.

Of course, I always forgot to take them and haven't at all since school. Go figure.

P.S. I would urge you to read Smokin' Toaster's post more than once. Adderall is, as he said, basically speed for a lot of people. For me, it's not, but for most it seems to be a huge pick-me-up with the effects of meth. It can mess you up if it effects you like that and drugs turn good people bad, no matter how good your willpower is. You get addicted to that stuff (honestly not sure if it's physically addicting; wasn't for me) and you are going to spiral. Be VERY careful.

[two fingers]

I was reading just the other day that taking ADD meds...............


..................mmmmmmmmmmm doughnuts.








Sorry. Couldn't help it. I'm ADD as crap. Why do you think I'm on TB instead of doing my homework?

Wait. What were we talking about again? Oh yeah. Pills. I don't take 'em. But hope they work for you.

[pocketgroove]

As many people here have said, they're something to be cautious about. I'm not generally for medication-based medical care, although it undeniably works and is the right thing for some people. I think for most, coping strategies would be a better match.

That being said, I've always been curious about what effects Adderall or other ADD medications would have on me. I have a lot of the classic symptoms - easily distracted, inability to focus, disorganization, lack of motivation, etc. to the point that it severely interferes with my functionality and job/school performance. I'm curious as to if it would work, and if it would lead to a increase in the quality of life. So, let us know how it works out for you.

Best of luck!

[adivin]

Originally Posted by Smokin' Toaster

Adderall is amphetamine, pure and simple. I can't understand why doctors would prescribe this kind of drug as a maintenance drug in light of the fact that people develop a tolerance to it and one of two things happen: 1) any beneficial effect is diminished as the tolerance increases, or 2) the dosage will need to be stepped up to maintain any beneficial effect. Ever-increasing dosages of amphetamine just doesn't seem to be a good idea.

I'm sure lots of people can take Adderall responsibly. My ex-wife was not one of them. When she initially started taking it, it certainly helped mitigate her ADHD. She soon discovered that when she was down it was a "pick-me-up". When the pick-me-up was not enough, a few drinks helped. Then, if one pill was good, 2 was better. No, 3, no, 4... and so on. Soon, her 30 day supply was lasting a week. A speed freak who has run out of speed is not a pretty thing. Unbeknownst to me, she had started using meth and street speed when she ran out of Adderall. When I found out and tried to pull her back from the hole she was digging for herself, I was the bad guy so she found herself a "good guy" who was on her side and approved of her taking whatever substance and in whatever quantities she needed. She moved in with him. That was almost 8 years ago. Now we are divorced, I lost my wonderful riverfront home and more money than I care to remember in the ordeal, and she is living unhappily ever after, having pretty much fried her body and mind.

I'm not a fan of Adderall. And I question the ease of diagnosis of ADHD and the use of Adderall as a treatment for it. No, I'm not a doctor, I don't play one on TV, and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but Adderall sure left a scar on me, and I never took the stuff.

Good luck, and I hope that your story has a better ending than my ex's.

Except for the house and the money, I came out OK. I remarried to the most wonderful woman in the world and I'm living happily ever after.

Why would she have drinks,a depressant, as a pick me up? ADD meds have had a very positive effect on my son, and myself for that matter.

[BogeyBass]

Legal speed, pure garbage.

everybody has ADD and everybody has Anxiety
talk to the right doctor and just about everybody is bipolar.

dont be a sucker with legal drug dealers

[adivin]

Originally Posted by BogeyBass

Legal speed, pure garbage.

everybody has ADD and everybody has Anxiety
talk to the right doctor and just about everybody is bipolar.

dont be a sucker with legal drug dealers

-1 I have first and second hand experience to the contrary. IMO, your so wrong it makes me laugh.

[Staredge]

Worked for Lemmy.

[Smokin' Toaster]

Originally Posted by adivin

Why would she have drinks,a depressant, as a pick me up? ADD meds have had a very positive effect on my son, and myself for that matter.

She was trying to alter the way she felt, not exactly looking at things from a doctors point of view.

Guess what? If just drink to excess, you get drunk and sloppy and eventually pass out. When you take Adderall or any speed type drug and drink to excess, you get stupid but don't get lethargic or pass out. Hyper and very drunk is a recipe for disaster, take my word for it.

I realize that my ex was a specific case, and that people who are completely responsible and take Adderall as prescribed may have more success. But I've lived with the dark side of this, and I speak from experience.

Personally I'd hate to be on speed for the rest of my life.

[Nev375]

Originally Posted by BogeyBass

Legal speed, pure garbage.

everybody has ADD and everybody has Anxiety
talk to the right doctor and just about everybody is bipolar.

dont be a sucker with legal drug dealers

Spoken like someone who has absolutely no clue to what they are saying.

Although, I'm sure it makes perfect sense in your mind.

[hernameisrio]

pocketgroove, I could've written your post, as I've wondered the same thing about how I would fare on ADD medication. I've been self-medicating with coffee, but it's a different vibe. Of course, there are ways around it, although I can understand if you're frustrated by the idea of a workaround...some days I feel like I burn more energy trying to keep my head on straight and stay focused, than actually doing my job!

Brain chemistry is a complex thing and I wish more people would be aware of that. Medications are a slippery slope in general.

[Scott in Dallas]

I've got ADD, and adderall did little for me. Instead of walking into the other room and forgetting why I was there, I'd run into the other room and forget why I was there. I've been self-medicating with caffeine most of my life. It does basically the same thing as adderall without having to get a prescription or risk any further addiction.

If medication works for you, then God bless. I'm envious. I'd love to see how the other half lives.

[brianerwin]

I would talk to the doc. Aderall is addicting.
Some people use Intunive for ADD. It is a blood thinner but seems to work well
with ADD.
And is not addictive

[Srirachaglo]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Be careful, I'm ADD, the medication can cause weight gain and make you lethargic.

I stopped taking the meds over 10 years ago. I'm better if being flighty.

Blue

This is absolutely false. Weight LOSS is a common side effect as well as hyper-vigilance, if anything. Like all medications, effects vary based on metabolism, tolerance, dosage, and severity of the condition.

Maybe what this guy meant was weight gain and lethargy can occur if you stop the medication after becoming chemically dependent on the drug to stabilize your weight and mood.