Switching symptoms | ADHD Information

Hi All!

I am now at what I believe to be the best dose for me (3x 10Mg). I can concentrate better and I do not wander nearly as much as before. However, it seems that I make **a lot** more typos than before. I switch the letters around, skip letters entirely. I am more or less a touch typist, but sometimes what comes out looks more that ancient Greek than English.  Has anyone else had similar problems where some symptoms go away, but others are increased?

Regards,

jimmo

That's a very valid question and it is entirely    
possible. However, we are treating a condition that
cannot be specifically identified using a drug where you
cannot determine the correct dosage using any subjective
criteria. Instead, we find the "right" dose by "trial
and error". When I notice a significant change in my
behaviour while taking the medication, to me it is a
natural, logical and even necessary step to question
whether this change in behaviour is a result of the
medication or not. As another example, my decreased
appetite could be the result of the reaction of my body
to the drug or could be a result of my increased ability
to postpone the gratification associated with eating
and, thus, I only eat when I am truly hungry and not
just when I have an appetite for something. Although I
have only been using the medication/drug for two weeks,
I have already had a very bad experience with it. So,
naturally, there is the question of whether this change
in behaviour (more typos) is a result of the
medication/drug or something else. Question: How do you know that you are truely ADD? Did you get a get psych to evaulate you, or did you get a 2nd opnion? The reason why i ask is because some Dr.s like to tell people that they have all these disorders because they want the money and to put you on these anti-psychotic drugs, or you name have "signs" of add/hd as an adult but it's not really. Please don't get mad but i've been there with my son and heard bogus diagnosis over and over and found out that he's none of these things multiple Dr.s have said. Yeah i do that all the time....I'm not ADD, just get careless. Aren't you over-analyzing just a little???

[QUOTE=redhead]The reason why i ask is because some Dr.s like to tell people that they have all these disorders because they want the money and to put you on these anti-psychotic drugs, or you name have "signs" of add/hd as an adult but it's not really.  [/QUOTE]

I can't speak for US doctors, but here in Canada it's all on a fixed rate system, paid for by all of us and there is no incentive to give a false positive for ADHD as they get paid the same either way.

I've found that most of the docs here are unwilling to just write the script themselves on a "guess" of ADHD - but rather they send us referral to a qualified psychiatrist who will initiate treatment.

I see a lot of skepticism on the validity of ADHD in kids and adults.  People like yourself have become cynical on the MDs and psychiatrist's diagnostic techniques used to determine it. 

I respect your wish to not overmedicate children or adults, but remember that these medications are just one tool in the fight to bring some normalcy to these adults and kids struggling with this disease we are all still trying to figure out fully.

When I made my initial visit to my psychiatrist I admit from the press and various anti-med sites I half expected to have pills shoved down my throat after a short pseudo-diagnostic visit.  I was wrong and happy to have been.  My psychiatrist spent considerable time with me - over several sessions before determining I had inattentive severe ADHD.  The meds were started out low-dose and highly monitored (multiple visits every week at first), and the service was superb.

I prefer when I read and post here on forum to give the MDs and patients the benefit of the doubt, expecting that they both have done their homework and are working on a reasonable amount of data considering that they had to seek out the forum in the first place.

Thanks for giving me a chance to discuss this here.

Glen

[QUOTE=GlenW]    

I prefer when I read and post here on forum to give   
the MDs and patients the benefit of the doubt, expecting   
that they both have done their homework and are working   
on a reasonable amount of data considering that they had   
to seek out the forum in the first place.

   
[/QUOTE]    
   
When I first got into this brave new world, I took the   
opposite approach. My son was "diagnosed" by the school   
psychologist *suggested* medication (as one possibility)
and referred us to a more qualified doctor (MD, child
psychologist, and therapist). I read up on things and
came across the many references to medication being a
"bad" thing, so I resisted the medication at first.
However, I never had a feeling that this was something
the doctor or anyone on his team was even recommending,
let alone "insisting" on. They simply informed us of the
alternatives, know problems and let us make the
decisions.   

We were given two choices therapy with medication and
therapy without medication. There was *no* choice
medication without therapy. Period. They just aren't
going to do it. If you, as the parent, decide for the
medication, the child *must* go through therapy.   

[QUOTE=GlenW]    

I can't speak for US doctors, but here in Canada it's   
all on a fixed rate system, paid for by all of us and   
there is no incentive to give a false positive for ADHD   
as they get paid the same either way.

   
[/QUOTE]    

It's a little different here in Germany, but still
basically the same in that there is no real incentive.
In fact, doctors have a sort of budget for the year and
are less likely (or perhaps less willing) to prescribe
medication unless it is necessary.   

[QUOTE=redhead] Question: How do you know that you are    
truely ADD? Did you get a get psych to evaulate you, or    
did you get a 2nd opnion? [/QUOTE]     
    
It's the only thing that fits. We all know there is no    
100% accurate test. It's still just guess work. In most   
of the evaluation questionaires that I have took on my   
own and with my doctor, I typical write "often" or   
"always" for most of the characteristics (with the   
exception of criminal behavior and drug abuse). My son   
has been diagnosed and both my sister and mother   
*believe* they have it. Considering the pattern of   
behavior has been with me as long as I can remember,   
must of which in my childhood was confirmed by my   
sister, I have very little doubt. Further, the   
medication has had such a dramatic effect on the   
symptoms, it difficult for me to accept any different   
diagnosis. My boss has also noticed dramatic changes in   
my behaviour.    
   
Please do not get me wrong. When my son was diagnosed I   
was against medication. We tried many different
therapies and none have any noticeable effects. I firmly
believe that it is our *obligation* to question what the
doctor diagnoses, especially when dealing with
medications/drugs of this type and even more so when our
kids are involved. However, nothing else fits.

Different strokes for different folks. 60mg/day plus Provigil 2x / day. My typos come from my hands not keeping up with my coherent thoughts, now. So I run spell check, and reread a few time.s

Don't woryy, be happy!