Overfocused ADHD Type and Medication | ADHD Information

DeadThumper you mentioned you are on Strattera. Although I have to take meds for my asthma, high blood pressure and now ADHD I have always been a little leary of putting stuff in my body. Isn't Strattera the drug there was so much controversy about as far as safety concerns? Also thanks for sharing your experiences with me. Wandering through the store and forgetting, oh yes.

I am a hyper or over focused type ADHD as well. The joke has always been that I have two speeds- fast and faster...

I was diagnosed after a full battery of tests, including a map of brain activity since I didn't believe I had ADD, (my oldest son is a traditional type 1, so my symptoms were quite different than his...) I've been on strattera and found it incredibly helpful.

I can concentrate, no longer feel like people talk through me, but can actually grasp and absorb their words. I don't "wander" for hours through a store and still come home without the item I went to the store for...

DeadThumper38913.466400463.IMac38943.8170717593[quote]Right now my doc has me on Concerta. This med however, doesn't seem to be the right one for my type, (that is if this is the correct type).[/quote]

There's no "best practice" about which med to prescribe for a particular type of ADD. It's all trial and error. I also started on Ritalin and am now on Adderall. It just depends on what eventually works best for you.

MaxDad
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Another excellent resource is "Attention Deficit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults" by Thomas E. Brown. In my opinion it's the best overall review of ADD. The second chapter is especially interesting since it's focused on symptoms.

MaxDad
I am scheduled to go back to my doc at the end of the month for a check on how I am doing with my ADHD and to get my prescription renewed.

I found when I first went on Concerta it seemed to help. Lately though I am having doubts as I still can't get focused or I should say stay focused, such as reading through an entire book, etc.

I find this quite funny as over this weekend I have concentrated on conducting as much research as possible to understand what type of ADHD I have according to Dr. Amen's work.

I have found that I have overfocused type. I came up with this on my own and so did my wife.

Right now my doc has me on Concerta. This med however, doesn't seem to be the right one for my type, (that is if this is the correct type).

Anyone else been diagnosed with overfocused type ADD/ADHD. If so what meds seem to work best for you?
It what ways has it helped you? I take concerta also, it works pretty well for me, it just wears off to soon. What dose are you on. I am on 54 mg. Even though I felt immeadiate effects from concerta, it took awhile to get the dose right and to really feel any long term differences.

It has helped me to be less impulsive. I was a leg shaker, pencil tapper, open my mouth before my brain engaged, couldn't sit still too long with out my brain feeling like it was going to explode type of person. I had problems filtering out unimportant things going on around me to focus on improtant topics. My brain was active in too many thoughts at one time - I always felt out of tune.

Due to my impulsiveness I felt like a failure a lot - I was hard on myself. Doing paperwork and the administrative part of my job used to be painful. Now I can prioiritize and get things done more effeciently. I have settled down enough to enjoy life and not do dangerous things to stimulate my brain. I have injured my body and am living with aches and pains that I will have to for a long time. I still work hard at work, but no longer feel like I have to party hard and play hard anymore.

I don't know the different types of add, but mine was hyperactive.

The biggest thing it has helped me with is that I haven't felt the need to self medicate since I have been on concerta.

The concerta has helped me calm down enough to learn new, efficient and productive ways to do things. Medication alone is not the answer - it is just a clear, focused beginning for me.

Sorry, I do still ramble a lot!!

What type of medication is Concerta?

I take dexamphetamines, so what I mean is how does Concerta work differently to my meds?

Concerta is a stimulant that releases medication throughout the day. I have read on this board that it is a form of ritalin. I am not familiar with the other types of adhd medications. It is supposed to have a 12 hour life span in your system - it varies for each person though - I get about 9 hours out of mine.

There is another thread on the this site somewhere, where someone explains it better than I do. I think it was Glen or scotdaddy.