I find it disheartening that you won't give medicine a chance. (I think thats what I understood.)
I use to have a big dislike for medicines, but when I finally took the leap, my life changed, for the better.
depression levels have dropped, impulsive behavior has dropped too.
anything with the word spark in it frightens me. but thats just me.
Slink38491.2639699074I just had to find others who know at least something of what I'm going through.
I've been told I'm ADHD, though I haven't been officially diagnosed. If I had, they wouldn't let me into the Army. I ended up not going anyway, but still...
I'm a writer and artist, as well as a musician. Not really good at those, but good enough for me. I've been manic-depressive for a long time, even to the point of some massive anxiety attacks and having my first suicidal thoughts when I was in junior high. I was told in late junior high that I was ADD, and my fiance mentioned to his doctor when he was getting diagnosed how I act, and she confirmed ADHD, though I know I would have to set up an appointment to be sure.
I'm 22 now, with my first son. I've spent all my life running from doctors and drugs. Spirituality, meditation, support, and sheer willpower have kept me med-free this far, still pursuing my AA after 4 years. I was very close to not graduating high school. I'm currently 12 hours away from my final (it's 1am right now) and only started on my work for this half of class this week. I blame it on having to watch the kid, but I know a lot of it is just not being able to get down to it until the pressure is on.
On the brighter side of things, I'm a head storyteller for a live action role play. I get ideas for my stories constantly, even if I don't finish writing them. I've always got something new to draw or to work on. Once I have something in my mind to do, I'm stuck on it for weeks. Almost to the exclusion of all else. Thankfully, my son still comes first.
I'm getting tired of feeling like I just can't move ahead, and knowing it's purely because of my own mental problems. I finally got the manic-depression under control, but now I still can't manage. I want to get my life together, but I'm afraid of losing myself. I found a natural supplement that's supposed to help, but I feel like crying just holding the mouse over the BUY link. Someone please tell me there's another solution, or at least that there's a way to help me, guilt free. There's something called Brightspark that's supposed to be safe while I'm breast-feeding, but I'm not even sure about that. I'm also scared that I'll lose who I am. If I do, then I won't be the same person my fiance fell in love with, and that idea hurts me most of all.
I didn't realize I had ADHD when I first got into the Army Reserve, but I wish I had. I can tell you that I did some silly things that I about got nailed for back then. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 43. I often look back now and think, What could have have done if I'd been on medication then? You are so young and have so much potential. Don't let the thought of medication hold you back. I do the very best on Ritalin but after you've been on it for a while you build up a tolerance for it and have to switch to something else. The fear of the unknown is a horrible thing but how much better would it be to feel the way you are for the rest of your life or even worse the rest of your son's life? If you had an infection would you refuse to take an antibiotic? Being medicated for ADHD doesn't change who you are but you become so much better at what you do! I've been a nurse for 30 years. I've been on medicine for ADHD for 10. Those have been the better 10 years of my career. Anyone in my office can tell you if I missed my medicine!
Much of what you're feeling right now could also be hormonal. Consider trying medication when you're no longer breast feeding. You'll be a better Mommy. I"ve made it 29 years in the military as a Reservist. Thus the LTCMOM, I also made it to LTC.
Try reading the book, You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy? It's written by two women who have ADHD. It helped me a lot.
Good Luck, I hope you can find help.
It's not necessarily the medication itself, though reading the side effects on Strattera frighten me, and I can't take most things like that while breastfeeding anyway. Really, it's the artificiality that I dislike. And nearly 10 years of "dealing with it myself" has only reinforced the mentality that I can deal without. Well, up until now. I'm really a big naturalist. Organics are a high priority in my life, and I shudder just thinking about taking lab-made things into my body. Junk food is the closest I'll come, though I know it isn't nearly as healthy, in some cases. I've also heard that some of these medications can really turn you into a zombie.
well some definately can.
it took several tries to get the right combination but now that I am on it, I feel alive. honestly!
and definately no meds while breastfeediing in my opinion i agree.
Slink38491.4094212963ltcmom recommends medication on the basis of ten years experience. It's hard to argue with that ,but his equating taking stimulants for ADD with taking antibiotics is just wrong ..we know that bacteria causes infection and we know that antibiotics kill bacteria. These are hard , provable facts.You obviously don't know what you are talking about. Don't listen to this person Catalyst.
[QUOTE=tybeho]Stimulants don't treat A.D.D. They rev-up your nervous system to compensate for it.
Scientific study after study show stimulants exert a postive effect on the biological and cognative processes. They improve the inhibition of inappropriate responses and cognative flexibility and memory functioning.
You don't mess with your body like that without consequences. Your instincts are right-on.
Her insticts are right on as far as taking stimulants while nursing and perhaps stimulants are not correct for her since she is manic-depressive but for a person not breast-feeding that has ADHD they have been proven over and over again to be a great benefit to those suffering ADHD.
I wish I had had that much sense when I first found out about the disorder and was overly credulous because overly hopeful.I blundered in not questioning the motives of those making the statements. MDs, and even more, PHDs will sell you a"Treatment" for anything, real or imagined.
Real or imagined. Give me a break. Are you insinuating ADHD is not real? Because you are so wrong. They prescibe medications because they help. Diebetics are prescribed insuline. My Mom is prescribed steriods because she couldn't eat and was knocking on deaths door at 82 lbs. and she has COPD (never smoked in her life) and couldn't breath so steriods saved her life. Yes they have side affects. Most every medicine does! ADHD meds have side effects but once the right med is found the benefits out-weight the negative by a mile!
Once they put a name on a problem, immediately someone claims to know how to fix it. As far as testamonials from other ADD sufferers who have taken these meds , bear in mind that people want to believe, especially after they've made an investment of time and money.
Most insurance companies pay for medication. Very little typically comes out of the pocket.
The first question to ask them is when did you start taking these pills. Denial and wishfull thinking is strongest in the begining.A side effect of Ritalin is a slight improvemnet in the ability to concentrate.
Wishful thinking??? One can say the same thing about people who go the "natural" route. Scientific study after scientific study prove you dead wrong.
The main effects are: sleeplessness, increased blood pressure, and loss of appetite(which in children leeds to mal-nutrition and underdevelopment of the skeletal system). Horay for modern science!
No, those aren't the main effects if they are the correct medicine for YOU. As far as mal-nutirition there is no reputable research to support this.
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I would like to know your story, tybeho, your experiences using stimulants and why you came to these conclusions.
Catalyst, your doctor should be consulted on every medication you take while you are nursing your baby. And congratulations on the birth of your little one.
[QUOTE=tybeho]ltcmom recommends medication on the basis of ten years experience. It's hard to argue with that ,but his equating taking stimulants for ADD with taking antibiotics is just wrong ..we know that bacteria causes infection and we know that antibiotics kill bacteria. These are hard , provable facts.
No such certainty pertains to ADD, its not even a recognized desease and it's cause is anybody's guess.
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Why are you here if you don't believe there is such a thing as ADHD. I don't believe in astology so I don't bother going to such sites. So what brought you to ADHDNews?
Anything of the mind, heart, and soul are pretty darn hard to prove. I want you to prove there is such a thing as love. Is there something in your brain that tells you, you love your kids, husband, God? I want you to prove it. The only way you can "prove it" is by your actions.
To Auntie:
Well yes you did suggest you didn't believe in ADHD in a round-about way but I'm glad you clarified that you can "have a debilitating impairment" and considering the topic at hand, it just happens to be called ADD.
Of course loss of appetite can cause malnutrition if you let it go on long enough. The point is it would be a very rare thing if a doctor or parent or relative did not notice and voice concern and therefore take them off that med.
About the "natural route", I was just making a point that anyone doing meds, alternative treatments, or nothing at all can convince themselves that what they are doing is helping.
I'll look forward to hearing your experiences regarding ADHD. I for one like to hear the negative and the posititve when it come to real first hand experiences.
Stimulants don't treat A.D.D. They rev-up your nervous system to compensate for it.You don't mess with your body like that without consequences. Your instincts are right-on. I wish I had had that much sense when I first found out about the disorder and was overly credulous because overly hopeful.I blundered in not questioning the motives of those making the statements. MDs, and even more, PHDs will sell you a"Treatment" for anything, real or imagined. Once they put a name on a problem, immediately someone claims to know how to fix it. As far as testamonials from other ADD sufferers who have taken these meds , bear in mind that people want to believe, especially after they've made an investment of time and money.The first question to ask them is when did you start taking these pills. Denial and wishfull thinking is strongest in the begining.A side effect of Ritalin is a slight improvemnet in the ability to concentrate. The main effects are: sleeplessness, increased blood pressure, and loss of appetite(which in children leeds to mal-nutrition and underdevelopment of the skeletal system). Horay for modern science! I was very excited and hopeful when I started taking ritalin. It was just a couple of months after hearing of ADD(1989). I stopped taking it within a year so my memories are poor about details. It helped me concentrate and sit still.I was able to be much more persistant in my studies, not jumping from one thing to another .