I’m not ADD, what if I take meds? | ADHD Information

Calmer? The majority of add meds are stimulants, the main being dexamphetamine and ritalin. Ritalin is so close in structure and effect as cocaine, that its actually used as a substitute as cocaine in research labs.

Imagine drinking heaps of cups of coffee, or taking cocaine. Doesnt quite have the suggested calming effect... :P

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My son is ADHD and has meds. I was watching a show (Desperate Housewives rerun) and one of the characters took her sons ADHD meds and supposedly was up all night cleaning, or whatever... high strung.

If someone takes an ADHD med, and doesn't have ADHD, does it really make them more high strung?

I find it hard to believe it does the opposite of what it's prescribed for if taken by a non-ADHD'er. I don't have the guts to try it, but I've always wanted to know what my son feels when he does take it.

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Depends on what kind of med it is. Meds manipulate your neurotransmitters.

supposedly calmer.

My son is ADHD and has meds. I was watching a show (Desperate Housewives rerun) and one of the characters took her sons ADHD meds and supposedly was up all night cleaning, or whatever... high strung.

If someone takes an ADHD med, and doesn't have ADHD, does it really make them more high strung?

Heseemsok, I saw that episode of Desperate housewives when it was first aired. It was around the time when I started taking ADD medication myself, so I got a great laugh out of watching her take it. Depends what medication your son takes, and what dosage. I wouldn't advise you to take it, because you will get wired, speedy, going 100 miles per hour, however you want to consider it. In addition, you are left with side effects such as inability to sleep for that day, as you saw from desperate housewives, as well as the chance of being VERY agitated and getting addicted.

I have ADHD and Ritalin makes me so much calmer. I don't interupt, I can listen, and wait my turn, and I don't tailgate slow cars to the point where they pull over and let me by. I imagine Ritalin makes me feel and act more like normal people do, instead of feeling like I'm bursting out of my skin. When I took nothing, people would ask if I did speed because of my fast talking and inability to sit calmly and pay attention. It has the opposite effect on me and acts more like a tranquilizer than a stimulant.

Here's how stims work to slow down an AD/HDr. Attention deficit occurs when there are not enough neurotransmitters in the brain to properly conduct brain signals. Stimulants stimulate the nerve cells to produce more neurotransmitters, while some actually replace the action of the neurotransmitters. If you want to and can follow along, below is my understanding of the chemical biology behind AD/HD. At the end is an extract from Wikipedia, that paraphrased it faster than I was interested in doing so.

In the central nervous system, CNS, there are nerve cells called neurons. It is along these neurons that electrons are passed, in order for a signal to travel. However, this signal is controlled by a gap between the cells, known as the intersynaptic space. The signal travels across this space in the proper direction to the next neuron not as an electron, but in a "spaceship" known as a "neurochemical". This neurochemical is created and released by the transmitting neuron, and received and decomissioned by the receiving neuron, at a site known as the receptor site (space dock) where electron transfer takes place and the transporting neurochemical is deactivated.

Ionotropic receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that open or close through neurotransmitter binding. Metabotropic receptors, which can have a diverse range of effects on a cell, transduce the signal by second messenger systems, biochemical in nature.

The process is then repeated by the receiving neuron, where it becomes the transmitting neuron, millions of times over for each nerve signal, thought, or mental command. By the way, the spaceship waits in space dock, until called upon to transmit the next message. Some spaceships get lost in space, wandering around where no man has gone before. Also, there are enemy ships (Klingons, Cylons, Lurkons, Metabolons, Antagons) lurking about, that tear apart (metabolize, therefore "antagonize" the process) the neurotransmitter as well. These are called "agonists", (b/c of the agony of AD/HD?), instead of "protagonists", which promote the process.

Neurotransmitters may cause either excitatory (like me) or inhibitory (like my wife) post-synaptic potentials. That is, they may help the initiation of a nerve impulse in the receiving neuron, or they may discourage such an impulse, by modifying the local membrane voltage potential. In the central nervous system, combined input from several synapses is usually required to trigger an action potential.

Some neurotransmitters are only used in certain brain regions by particular classes of nerve cells. Serotonin is released specifically by cells in the brainstem, while dopamine classically modulates two systems: the brain's reward mechanism, and movement control. Neurotransmitters which have these types of specific actions are often targeted by drugs. Cocaine, for example, blocks the reuptake of dopamine, leaving this neurotransmitters in the synapse longer, extending its effect. Prozac is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, hence potentiating its effect.

In addition to serotonin and dopamine, other well known neurotransmitters include, but are not limited to, epinephrine, norepinephrine, aspartate, glutamate, GABA (gama amino buteric acid), histamine, vasopressin, oxytocin, endorphin, dynorphin, corticotrophin, and acetylcholine.

III. GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT NEUROTRANSMITTERS

The three major categories of substances that act as neurotransmitters are (1) amino acids (primarily glutamic acid, GABA, aspartic acid & glycine), (2) peptides (vasopressin, somatostatin, neurotensin, etc.) and (3) monoamines (norepinephrine, dopamine & serotonin) plus acetylcholine. The major "workhorse" neurotransmitters of the brain are glutamic acid (=glutamate) and GABA. The monoamines & acetylcholine perform specialized modulating functions, often confined to specific structures. The peptides perform specialized functions in the hypothalamus or act as co-factors elsewhere in the brain.

Although there are many neurotransmitters in the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system has only two: acetylcholine and norepinephrine. Why are there so many brain neurotransmitters? Because the functions performed by brain neurotransmitters are not as uniform as they might superficially appear. Some (like glutamate) are excitatory, whereas others (like GABA) are primarily inhibitory. In many cases (as with dopamine) it is the receptor which determines whether the transmitter is excitatory or inhibitory. Receptors can also determine whether a transmitter acts rapidly by direct action on an ion channel (eg, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors) or slowly, by a second-messenger system that allows for synaptic plasticity (eg, muscarinic acetylcholine receptors). Speed & mechanism of transmitter inactivation after the signal has been sent is also a factor. There are probably also costs & benefits involved in synthesizing, transporting and recycling various neurotranmitters in the differing chemical mileus of the brain.

I'm too afraid to try it... as dumb as it sounds, i was always too afraid to try pot, cocaine, etc, with the fear of liking it. I think this is the same case... too scared to try it right now, in fear of liking it.

I'd really like to know how my son feels, though, when taking it.

If you do not have ADHD and you take a stimulant it will amp you up, if you have ADHD it will calm you down, I have ADD and it calms me down which is exactly what I don't need as I can barely get off the couch anyway, but i take ritalin because it helps with the depression of hyperfocusing on negatives. So, unless you are ADHD, you will not know how your son feels while on the meds unless you take perhaps a downer, and even then It wouldn't give you the same effect because meds effect all of us differently.I most definatly have ADHD.Full Childhood history and diagnoses as well as 5 hours of neuro psyc testing as an adult, wich all point definativly to ADHD. When I first started ADDerall xr 20 mg. I was amped up much like the character on desperate housewives. After a few days however the med stabalized and helped me focus and helped with motivation. I think everyone has a diffrent experiance depending on individual body chemistry, so there is no way to know how someone else experiances the meds.[QUOTE=Heseemsok]

My son is ADHD and has meds. I was watching a show (Desperate Housewives rerun) and one of the characters took her sons ADHD meds and supposedly was up all night cleaning, or whatever... high strung.

If someone takes an ADHD med, and doesn't have ADHD, does it really make them more high strung?

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I'm sure you already know this, but it is illegal to try his med. I know that your intentions are good, but these meds are sold as street drugs. Many college kids take them to stay awake all night for tests and such. If you were to have a drug screen for any reason it will show in your urine. We had a nurse in the hospital I work at lose her job for this reason.I don't think she just "tried" it though, I think she took it on a regular basis for weight loss/energy. Just an FYI.

I know someone who nearly went to jail for sharing a med with a friend who had the same prescription. It was exactly the same thing and the other woman was out of hers. Someone reported her and she admitted it, thinking it was legal. The only reason she got jail time switched to community service is she has a very bad heart and the judge was afraid it would kill her to go in. I have no idea what community service she could do but it kept her out of jail. She is now a 60 something yr old woman with a criminal record.

If you took your child's med and had a bad reaction which needed medical care so the authorities found out, they could not only put you in jail but remove your child from your home because you would be classified as a drug abuser.

Is it worth all that?

I took one of my son's 20mg of RitlainSR last night. It was beside my thyroid medication. The bottles are identical. LOL I am not ADHD. It was awful. First I got a headache. My stomach hurt for a long time. I didn't sleep at all. Please do not take ADHD meds unless you have ADHD. [QUOTE=kastas][QUOTE=Heseemsok]My son is ADHD and has meds. I was watching a show (Desperate Housewives rerun) and one of the characters took her sons ADHD meds and supposedly was up all night cleaning, or whatever... high strung.
If someone takes an ADHD med, and doesn't have ADHD, does it really make them more high strung?[/QUOTE][/QUOTE] [QUOTE=David O] Yes, in most cases. Another exception, besides AD/HD, is narcolepsy.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=kastas]... it is illegal to try his med.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=David O] Yes. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=kastas]... these meds are sold as street drugs. [/QUOTE][QUOTE=David O] Yes. However, be clear that AD/HD meds are not converted street drugs for use in treatment. AD/HD meds are FDA approved pharmaceuticals. One or two illicit street drugs may be similar, but are quite unlike AD/HD medications at all. Some of the differences include, but are not limited to, purity, percent active, combination of actives, enantiomericity, and formulation inerts. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=kastas]... Many college kids take them to stay awake all night for tests and such. [/QUOTE][QUOTE=David O] Yes, but not the majority. AD/HD pharmaceuticals sold on the black market, a practice known as "diversion", fetch outrageous prices (from to /pill). Meth is easier to access, and cheaper (equivalent to - for 20mg active). [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=kastas] ... Just an FYI. [/QUOTE][QUOTE=David O] Yes. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=barb]I know someone who nearly went to jail for sharing a med with a friend who had the same prescription. It was exactly the same thing and the other woman was out of hers. [/QUOTE] This is a common error committed by a lot of pharmaceutical prescriptees. I travel a lot, and frequently encounter odd situations with my medications. Once I was gone longer than I planned, and ran out. Another time I left without my meds. Another time my car was burglarized, and ALL my meds were taken, while in Central America.

To compensate for this, I carry a duplicate supply of meds when I travel. I carry some in my briefcase, and some on my beltpack. My doctor has been quite understanding, and has sent prescriptions while stateside. In Costa Rica, I had to go to a doctor to get the prescription, and then some of the meds were not available overseas yet. Fortunately, the Ritalin regular was, although RitLA wasn't.

I actually carry the prescription documents with me, and keep three copies of the RitLA 'script on me. One in my briefcase, one in my wallet, and one in my passport.

Here's an AD/HD coping mechanism for travelers: I scanned my prescriptions and carry them on my computer, too. I also had all my important documents scanned (CDL, Passort, Int'l DL, most recent bloodwork lab results). I had my passport stolen overseas, and could not leave the country until I replaced the ID, which could not occur over the weekend. On Monday, I went to the U.S. Embassy, and there were over 40 other citizens in the same boat...
[QUOTE=lovemyboy]I took one of my son's 20mg of RitlainSR last night. It was beside my thyroid medication. The bottles are identical. LOL I am not ADHD. It was awful. First I got a headache. My stomach hurt for a long time. I didn't sleep at all. Please do not take ADHD meds unless you have ADHD. [/QUOTE]How ADD of you! That's something I thought only we did...

Once I took three Provigil tabs, thinking two were RitLA. They look alike, and it was first thing in the morning.

Provigil is an experimental AD/HD med, but has label use as an anti-narcoleptic.

The U.S. armed forces used Provigil during Desert Storm, and stayed awake for 100 hours. I freaked.

When I called my doctor, he said Provigil has an off switch: Benadryl, an anti-histamine.

Provigil is modafinil, a histamine...