I think the key is finding a professional who know's how to treat adult AD/HD. Here's a link to an article that may be helpful
http://www.myaddblog.com/2005/04/finding_profess.html
livingwithadd39273.6405208333Mikenw wrote--I'm looking for a psychiatrist now who specializes in ADULT ADD.
Good Idea Mike. Mine dosen't specialize in ADHD, but he does specialize in the workings of the brain. Good Neurologists know how they are constructed, but a good psychiatrist knows hot they work. I can tell you one thing with all certainty, the coffee will neutralize 'any' meds you are taking reguardless of whether or not they would work. I'm a coffee lover and I take Adderall XR, I've found that if I drink it while I'm taking meds, there is very little awareness that I've taken my meds.... very little awareness period. Its tough, but I settle for 2 cups in the morning and will not take the meds until an hour 1/2 after my last cup. This gives my system a chance to neutralize and digest the coffee. When I can, I will drink no more until an hour or so before the meds are due to stop working in the evening. My dosage is taken twice daily and the afternoon dose seems more effective due I belive to the fact that I drink no coffee all day. Try it out and see if you notice it.... Speaking of noticing it, if you focus too much on every detail and aspect of your routeen, actions and reactions, how you come off to others.... even if the meds are working a little, they're effectivness will be utilized by all that extra work and you won't be able to concentrate on the stuff you need to do. I learned that from a psychologist that my psychiatrist had me see for a while, Neurologists know the brains construction, psychiatrists know how they work the way they do, and psychologists know why they're working the way they are. Good luck, MARKO the KIDD
I was diagnosed back in March and I now realize my doc had no business treating me. First of all what type of physician should I be seeing....Neurologist or psychiatrist? How do I know if my med doses are where they should be? I'm 30 and just realizing my head doesn't work right. When do I know the meds are working where they should be? The sad part is, the neurologist I was seeing put me on a med. We increased it twice and then she told me call if I have any problems. I'm still taking in huge amounts of caffeine and now feel like the meds have stopped working. I'm procrastinating and bored and feeling kinda glum. I'm looking for a psychiatrist now who specializes in ADULT ADD.Hi Mikenw,
Welcome. I am new to this board too. There is a lot of good information and most importantly for me, others with similar issues that I can related to. I spend a lot of time reading messages and going "yeah, I do that too". Some members have been dealing with this for a long time and they have great advice.
Meds can be a pain for me to determine how effective they are being. My wife and family usually notice before I do so I ask them about how they observe my behavior. Questions like 'am I pacing a lot or just walking around from one forgotten task to another or am I accomplishing something tangible.' I also try to review my work output at the end of the day and week to see if I am producing more, that's a big sign for me. I also try to pay attention to whether I start to look around the room when people are directly talking to me.
My psychiatric nurse practitioner and I came up with a list of tangible things to look for so we can see how the medicine is affecting me. A good mental health practitioner is crucial. Keep it up, it can get better.
Jason
Welcome mikenw,
I would recommend a psychiatrist that is experienced in managment of adult ADHD. This should also be someone that helps educate you on your treatment so you can take an active role in your medical care.
Have you just started the titration period, looking for the correct dose? If you are still on a low dose working your way up to an effective dose, you may not feel much until you are closer to your effective dose. Also, sometimes the effects of the meds are seen by those around you more than you recognize yourself.