Adderall NEED HELP please | ADHD Information
Hi Everyone,
As you all know, I have ADD. Well, I just found out that I am moving from Virginia to South Carolina with my husband's job, he is in the military.
Well, I have a HUGE house and A LOT of stuff that I need to go through and get rid of before moving. TONS of things actually that need to be organized, and given to charity or thrown out. And also, before I put my house on the market, it needs a little work. I have repairs that I have to do, as well as we have decided to do some upgrades to our house before we put it on the market ie: new hardwood floors, new kitchen counter tops, all new light fixtures, new fresh paint etc... Well I have to do most of the work myself since my husband works so much, and we don't have the money right now to hire anyone. We just have enough for the supplies etc...We can do the work ourselves. The reason that we have to do all these upgrades BEFORE we move, is because houses in our area are NOT selling at all. In fact, there are 30 houses on the market in my neighborhood that have been on the market a long time. No one is buying houses these days, and we have to move in 3 months!! So we need to entice buyers to want to buy our home over all the other homes in the area. So, I have a lot of work to do, and I have a 2 year old son and a 4 year old daughter on top of that, getting anything done with them around is nearly impossible. And I have ADD. Go figure, nothing is going to get done. So, I want to get back on Adderall, it's the only time in my life that I can focus on a project, do it, and FINISH IT. My doctor took me off of it in May because I was drinking beer. WEll, I have not had a drink at all since May. But she still won't put me back on it. So, my question is this, how can I go to another doctor and get it, without them requesting my medical records from my previous psych doctor? Like what should I say, and I am a terrible liar, not very good at it. But at this point I just don't have many options. I have severe ADD, I can't seem to get anything done at all, and I have to move ASAP. How does a 35 year old woman and mother just walk into a new doctors office and say" I Have ADD and I need Adderal" without them thinking I'm some looney drug addict? I am on Strattera for my ADD right now, and it's a joke, it's no different to me than taking Wellabutrin for my ADD, it just doesn't work. Now I am left feeling depressed, sad, tired and stressed out, looking at this huge mound of things I have to do, and not even knowing where to start around this house to get things done.
Please help me. Please no criticism. I do that to myself enough everyday.
bharrod
[QUOTE=Johnnyboi]You can go to a new doctor, and explain to him that you moved. Then you can list the medications you were on, and let him know you are running low, and are in need of a refill.[/QUOTE]
Hi, thanks for replying. I see nobody wants to reply to my post, probably because I am in a sticky situation. Thanks for taking the time to give me your opinion :-)
If I do what you say I should do, what do I do if the doctor asks for my previous medical records from my old Psychiatrist? Like, what if he says, "we need to get your records transferred from your old doctor to us"
Then what do I say? I suck at lying!
[QUOTE=bharrod]Heya, it's me again!
Since I think you need to sort through more than one struggle I answered in bits, K?
I also think this isn't just about getting adderal--you have a few things going on...
I suggest you are in panic mode right now because no matter what, you must realistically assess that this house may not sell no matter what you do. That fact alone may partially be underlying your sense of impending crisis.
Hi Everyone,
As you all know, I have ADD. Well, I just found out that I am moving from Virginia to South Carolina with my husband's job, he is in the military.
Well, I have a HUGE house and A LOT of stuff that I need to go through and get rid of before moving. TONS of things actually that need to be organized, and given to charity or thrown out. And also, before I put my house on the market, it needs a little work. I have repairs that I have to do, as well as we have decided to do some upgrades to our house before we put it on the market ie: new hardwood floors, new kitchen counter tops, all new light fixtures, new fresh paint etc...
Okay, realistically how much do you honestly think ONE person can do in three months?
Do you really believe that one person can renovate a kitchen alone, paint the entire house AND lay down all new hardwood all in just three months while caring for young children? Never mind adding in all the packing and sorting...
So let's get realistic, shall we? What are the 2 most important jobs to be done in the next 2 months [leaving one month to pack and sort] that you already have the skills to manage?
Well I have to do most of the work myself since my husband works so much, and we don't have the money right now to hire anyone. We just have enough for the supplies etc...We can do the work ourselves. The reason that we have to do all these upgrades BEFORE we move, is because houses in our area are NOT selling at all. In fact, there are 30 houses on the market in my neighborhood that have been on the market a long time. No one is buying houses these days, and we have to move in 3 months!! So we need to entice buyers to want to buy our home over all the other homes in the area. So, I have a lot of work to do, and I have a 2 year old son and a 4 year old daughter on top of that, getting anything done with them around is nearly impossible. And I have ADD. Go figure, nothing is going to get done.
You are not being realistic given your day-to-day life with what can actually be accomplished. I can actually FEEL your panic in this post. First, you must figure out how much time per day your daily routine takes up before you can begin to assess exactly what extras you are capable of achieving within the time frame...
So, I want to get back on Adderall, it's the only time in my life that I can focus on a project, do it, and FINISH IT. My doctor took me off of it in May because I was drinking beer. WEll, I have not had a drink at all since May. But she still won't put me back on it.
As I stated before in another post to you--I have absolutely no problem with what you did. I don't see the struggle here although obviously the psychiatrist has a problem with it.
So, my question is this, how can I go to another doctor and get it, without them requesting my medical records from my previous psych doctor?
It is highly unlikely that ANY doctor will give you prescription for a controlled substance without seeing your previous records. And any doctor who does--isn't a very thorough one.
Like what should I say, and I am a terrible liar, not very good at it. But at this point I just don't have many options. I have severe ADD, I can't seem to get anything done at all, and I have to move ASAP. How does a 35 year old woman and mother just walk into a new doctors office and say" I Have ADD and I need Adderal" without them thinking I'm some looney drug addict? I am on Strattera for my ADD right now, and it's a joke, it's no different to me than taking Wellabutrin for my ADD, it just doesn't work.
You may go back to that psychiatrist and request Alertec/modifinil [can't remember the American name]. It may work better for you. Due to it's lack of addictive properties she may be willing to give it a try for you. I suggest however, that she will tell you what I did--that your expectations of what anyone can accomplish in that time period is highly unrealistic.
Now I am left feeling depressed, sad, tired and stressed out, looking at this huge mound of things I have to do, and not even knowing where to start around this house to get things done.
You need to realize that you are in the middle of a crisis and if you weren't freaked out then you would truly be nuts. You are moving to a new place. You don't know financially what will happen with your house. You don't know what the future holds. Your self-expectation is far too high and you are working your way into a sweat without realistically assessing what you really can control and what you cannot control.This struggle is less about ADHD and more about your belief that you can be superwoman/supermom. It's also about being able to prioritize and self-forgiveness when you can't accomplish things as well as the fact you aren't seeing that you are stressed out for obvious reasons.
Getting adderal will NOT help you accomplish the list you claim you need to finish. It MAY help you be a little more focussed if you pare this list down to something manageable. I suggest doing that first instead of kicking yourself around for all the things you can't accomplish in the time frame alloted.
Please help me. Please no criticism. I do that to myself enough everyday.
I'm not concerned with the past for you. I'm concerned with only the present crisis as well as how you are going to function and learn in the future. And what positives you can get out of this experience.
bharrod
Bharrod
Get a different doctor and be upfront with the doctor. You are part of TriCare, you can request a referral for new doctor. It is obvious that your old doctor has made judgements about you, whether they are right or wrong, and now this has damaged your relationship with them beyond repair. Doctors are people that sometimes have to work with people that lie to them, so they become suspicous.
Modifinal is a pretty good drug for some ADHD people. My son was on it for 6 months and it was wonderful. It is normally used for nacrolepsy.
I understand your up coming move, having been there, done that. Sit down with your spouse, (if possible), and make lists and time tables. Enlist some friends to help with some of the projects. Do what the professionals suggest, break each project into smaller projects. Find a babysitter so you can do some projects.
The best thing about being with the military and moving every 3 years was having to clean out those closets and making the decisions about what is really important and worth saving.
YOU can do it.
When I moved from Seattle to NYC I Just told the doctor what I was on in
Seattle, Adderall. He gave it to me OR have your previous Dr fax them
your prescription history.
If the new doctor doesnt agree, find one that will[QUOTE=reruho]
Bharrod
Get a different doctor and be upfront with the doctor. You are part of TriCare, you can request a referral for new doctor. It is obvious that your old doctor has made judgements about you, whether they are right or wrong, and now this has damaged your relationship with them beyond repair. Doctors are people that sometimes have to work with people that lie to them, so they become suspicous.
Modifinal is a pretty good drug for some ADHD people. My son was on it for 6 months and it was wonderful. It is normally used for nacrolepsy.
I understand your up coming move, having been there, done that. Sit down with your spouse, (if possible), and make lists and time tables. Enlist some friends to help with some of the projects. Do what the professionals suggest, break each project into smaller projects. Find a babysitter so you can do some projects.
The best thing about being with the military and moving every 3 years was having to clean out those closets and making the decisions about what is really important and worth saving.
YOU can do it.[/QUOTE]
Thanks so much for your advice! I just love these message boards, and all of the great people here, who take out their personal time and effort to offer everyone such great advice! I took your advice, and I sought out a new doctor. I was not upfront with him though, but I didn't lie either. He didn't ask about my past problems with alcohol, so I didn't tell him. Had he asked, I know that I would not have been able to lie right to his face, I'm a terrible liar. But since he didn't ask, well I just didn't tell him. I thank you for your advice, and I truly think you were right. The trust barrier had been broken with my old doctor, even though I have been seeing her for over 4 years, the trust was gone, and no matter what I did, she wasn't willing to take any chances on me any more. So seeking out a new doctor (one who actually specializes in ADD) was the best advice and the best choice that I made) so thanks for that advice. I listened and it worked.
[QUOTE=MetisRebel] [QUOTE=bharrod]
Heya, it's me again!
Since I think you need to sort through more than one struggle I answered in bits, K?
I also think this isn't just about getting adderal--you have a few things going on...
I suggest you are in panic mode right now because no matter what, you must realistically assess that this house may not sell no matter what you do. That fact alone may partially be underlying your sense of impending crisis.
Hi Everyone,
As you all know, I have ADD. Well, I just found out that I am moving from Virginia to South Carolina with my husband's job, he is in the military.
Well, I have a HUGE house and A LOT of stuff that I need to go through and get rid of before moving. TONS of things actually that need to be organized, and given to charity or thrown out. And also, before I put my house on the market, it needs a little work. I have repairs that I have to do, as well as we have decided to do some upgrades to our house before we put it on the market ie: new hardwood floors, new kitchen counter tops, all new light fixtures, new fresh paint etc...
Okay, realistically how much do you honestly think ONE person can do in three months?
Do you really believe that one person can renovate a kitchen alone, paint the entire house AND lay down all new hardwood all in just three months while caring for young children? Never mind adding in all the packing and sorting...
So let's get realistic, shall we? What are the 2 most important jobs to be done in the next 2 months [leaving one month to pack and sort] that you already have the skills to manage?
Well I have to do most of the work myself since my husband works so much, and we don't have the money right now to hire anyone. We just have enough for the supplies etc...We can do the work ourselves. The reason that we have to do all these upgrades BEFORE we move, is because houses in our area are NOT selling at all. In fact, there are 30 houses on the market in my neighborhood that have been on the market a long time. No one is buying houses these days, and we have to move in 3 months!! So we need to entice buyers to want to buy our home over all the other homes in the area. So, I have a lot of work to do, and I have a 2 year old son and a 4 year old daughter on top of that, getting anything done with them around is nearly impossible. And I have ADD. Go figure, nothing is going to get done.
You are not being realistic given your day-to-day life with what can actually be accomplished. I can actually FEEL your panic in this post. First, you must figure out how much time per day your daily routine takes up before you can begin to assess exactly what extras you are capable of achieving within the time frame...
So, I want to get back on Adderall, it's the only time in my life that I can focus on a project, do it, and FINISH IT. My doctor took me off of it in May because I was drinking beer. WEll, I have not had a drink at all since May. But she still won't put me back on it.
As I stated before in another post to you--I have absolutely no problem with what you did. I don't see the struggle here although obviously the psychiatrist has a problem with it.
So, my question is this, how can I go to another doctor and get it, without them requesting my medical records from my previous psych doctor?
It is highly unlikely that ANY doctor will give you prescription for a controlled substance without seeing your previous records. And any doctor who does--isn't a very thorough one.
Like what should I say, and I am a terrible liar, not very good at it. But at this point I just don't have many options. I have severe ADD, I can't seem to get anything done at all, and I have to move ASAP. How does a 35 year old woman and mother just walk into a new doctors office and say" I Have ADD and I need Adderal" without them thinking I'm some looney drug addict? I am on Strattera for my ADD right now, and it's a joke, it's no different to me than taking Wellabutrin for my ADD, it just doesn't work.
You may go back to that psychiatrist and request Alertec/modifinil [can't remember the American name]. It may work better for you. Due to it's lack of addictive properties she may be willing to give it a try for you. I suggest however, that she will tell you what I did--that your expectations of what anyone can accomplish in that time period is highly unrealistic.
Now I am left feeling depressed, sad, tired and stressed out, looking at this huge mound of things I have to do, and not even knowing where to start around this house to get things done.
You need to realize that you are in the middle of a crisis and if you weren't freaked out then you would truly be nuts. You are moving to a new place. You don't know financially what will happen with your house. You don't know what the future holds. Your self-expectation is far too high and you are working your way into a sweat without realistically assessing what you really can control and what you cannot control.This struggle is less about ADHD and more about your belief that you can be superwoman/supermom. It's also about being able to prioritize and self-forgiveness when you can't accomplish things as well as the fact you aren't seeing that you are stressed out for obvious reasons.
Getting adderal will NOT help you accomplish the list you claim you need to finish. It MAY help you be a little more focussed if you pare this list down to something manageable. I suggest doing that first instead of kicking yourself around for all the things you can't accomplish in the time frame alloted.
Please help me. Please no criticism. I do that to myself enough everyday.
I'm not concerned with the past for you. I'm concerned with only the present crisis as well as how you are going to function and learn in the future. And what positives you can get out of this experience.
bharrod
[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]
I am so sorry that I have not responded sooner to your advice here. You have a wonderful insight and I so much appreciated getting this message and advice from you. I have been busy these days. I threw 2 baby showers in a row and I was swamped with stuff going on here. But I did take a lot of your advice. You give such wonderful advice and I thank you for taking the time to do so. I finally realized after reading your message that I am not super-human. I can only do so much. So that is what I have been doing, just taking it one day at a time and doing what I can, and then forgetting about the rest. I know it will all get done, in time. I did find a new doctor though, he is a specialist in ADD and he did give me Adderal XR (20mg) and also he suspected (as I already knew) that I am suffering from severe depression as well. Which can make any small task seem overwhelming. So I am now on WEllabutrin as well, and so far its doing well. I just started the wellabutrin and the Adderall 2 days ago, so it's too soon to tell, but I think it's a good fit. The only thing I might change is to go on the fast acting Adderall and get off the XR, as it just doesn't pack enough punch for me to be able to really focus like I want to.
Also, we are not moving in November now, it's looking like it will be more like Feb or March timeframe. So I am not as desperate to get it all done in such a short period of time, that was a huge relief for me.
Thanks again so much for this advice you gave, you are very wise and I have used your advice daily to help me not go crazy.
Bharrod
bharrrod
How are you doing? Have you started getting ready for the move? Did you find a new doctor? Give us an update.
Through my experience I would get another doctor and be upfront about the situation. Provigil is the name Metis was looking for and it might help you as I have taken this before and done well on it. Let the new doctor decide what to do You have to let them think they are in charge you know. Just be honest about your past and see what can be done for you. You will get farther than trying to hide it.[QUOTE=reruho]bharrrod
How are you doing? Have you started getting ready for the move? Did you find a new doctor? Give us an update.
[/QUOTE]
I am doing okay. The move got "Postponed" - The Navy lost his paperwork for the Nuke School. So it's taking a lot longer. I have not even started getting ready for the move, because of that. We may not move now until April or May. So I am no longer in a hurry.
Yes, I did find another ADD doctor and yes, he did give me Adderall. I asked to try something else though, and now he has me on concerta, which doesnt' work, so when I see him later next week I think I will go back to the Adderall again. I didn't tell him about my past with alcohol, but then again, he never asked etiher.
Thanks so much for checking on me, you are too sweet !
Mia
First off all, I agree with the person who took the time to post such a long reply. You are doing what a lot of us (especially women, i would seem) do, and that is placing un-realistic expectations on yourself. Doing that sets you up for failure, and triggers more self doubt and more panic which will only exacerbate any actual ADHD symptoms that you might be experiencing. Secondly, I would like to ask you and honest question: If you weren't abusing the Adderall or didn't have other substance abuse issues going on, then why did your doctor of 4 years stop trusting you? What aren't you telling us? I am not throwing stones here- I never intended to become chemicallly dependant on psychotropic meds, especially not "speed" (Adderall, Ritalin ect.) but found myself habituating to it very quickly. I could get an enormous amount of work done in a very short amount of time, but completely lost perspective on what was important, and more importantly thought that I couldn't do anything well without a stimulant. I have was diagnosed with ADD when I was seven, but because of my scores on achievementand IQ tests, was never medicated. So I just wenthrough life being an unorganized mess. But i'm getting way off track here (SURPRISE
)
Let's all get honest though: when you first start taking CNS stimulants you feel great and you think to yourself "This is what normal people feel like all the time! Wrong! Everyone, ADD or not, is going to be more productive when they first start taking a CNS stimulant like Adderall. But what I am hearing from you is that you need it as a "crutch" to get through a rough spot, much like college students who use it illicitly to cram for finals. Only you know if you have a problem sticking to your prescriptions or taking them concurrently with other drugs and alcohol. If you can look yourself in the mirror and say that you don't have a problem, then I would go to a doctor, not an MD but a Psychiatrist, and explain to them your problems with organization and distractability. And then I would follow their advice, because if you really want to control your ADHD symptoms, you will trust a professional (hopefully you can do some research and find a good one) to prescribe you a medication that he or she thinks would be beneficial to you based on your symptoms. If you go into any respectable shrink's office asking for Adderall, or hinting that you want it, prepare to be labeled with"drug seeking behavior", and walking out the door with a script for Strattera, or none at all. I wouldn't mention that you need it to help you move, either. Again, anyone worth his salt is going to see this as a misuse of medication. I'm not trying to come down on you, I've just been there, and think that self-diagnosing and self-medicating are precarious to engage in, to say the least.
[QUOTE=ott 2 no bedder]First off all, I agree with the person who took the time to post such a long reply. You are doing what a lot of us (especially women, i would seem) do, and that is placing un-realistic expectations on yourself. Doing that sets you up for failure, and triggers more self doubt and more panic which will only exacerbate any actual ADHD symptoms that you might be experiencing. Secondly, I would like to ask you and honest question: If you weren't abusing the Adderall or didn't have other substance abuse issues going on, then why did your doctor of 4 years stop trusting you? What aren't you telling us? I am not throwing stones here- I never intended to become chemicallly dependant on psychotropic meds, especially not "speed" (Adderall, Ritalin ect.) but found myself habituating to it very quickly. I could get an enormous amount of work done in a very short amount of time, but completely lost perspective on what was important, and more importantly thought that I couldn't do anything well without a stimulant. I have was diagnosed with ADD when I was seven, but because of my scores on achievementand IQ tests, was never medicated. So I just wenthrough life being an unorganized mess. But i'm getting way off track here (SURPRISE)
Let's all get honest though: when you first start taking CNS stimulants you feel great and you think to yourself "This is what normal people feel like all the time! Wrong! Everyone, ADD or not, is going to be more productive when they first start taking a CNS stimulant like Adderall. But what I am hearing from you is that you need it as a "crutch" to get through a rough spot, much like college students who use it illicitly to cram for finals. Only you know if you have a problem sticking to your prescriptions or taking them concurrently with other drugs and alcohol. If you can look yourself in the mirror and say that you don't have a problem, then I would go to a doctor, not an MD but a Psychiatrist, and explain to them your problems with organization and distractability. And then I would follow their advice, because if you really want to control your ADHD symptoms, you will trust a professional (hopefully you can do some research and find a good one) to prescribe you a medication that he or she thinks would be beneficial to you based on your symptoms. If you go into any respectable shrink's office asking for Adderall, or hinting that you want it, prepare to be labeled with"drug seeking behavior", and walking out the door with a script for Strattera, or none at all. I wouldn't mention that you need it to help you move, either. Again, anyone worth his salt is going to see this as a misuse of medication. I'm not trying to come down on you, I've just been there, and think that self-diagnosing and self-medicating are precarious to engage in, to say the least.
[/QUOTE]
Well, I agree with everything that you have said.