ADD! Should I Have taken myself off my meds?

Question

I've had Attention Deficite Disorder, since I was 10.

I've been on ritilin since then. But in the last 6 months I've taken myself off of it.

Now everyone is saying i'm being really B!tchy and not fun to be around.

I'm always a little sad. And have NO self confidence.

I'm wondering if the saddness and anger and everything could be a result of getting off the meds.

Please I need help... I don't know how long I can go feeling like this...

I took myself off gradually... and it's not the ritilin i have a problem with. I just don't want to be medicated the rest of my life. And my doctor knows I'm off it... and he trusts me to know what I need to take for dosage when I did take it so...

Answer 1

Vickie,

I am also a doctor (current) and have a fairly large ADD patient base.

Have you looked at the msot recent medical literature?

If you did - you would feel better about remaining on your medicine.

ADD is definitely a disease.

PET scans show ADD brains as very different than non- ADD brains.

However, when given stimulants - the brains look the same on PET scans.

This medicine is to you the same as glasses are to someone who has trouble seeing.

You need this medicine to focus.

True, some people can learn to compensate - so they don't need the medicine in adulthood.

However, a majority of adults do, in fact, require medicine.

It is very safe (just don't drink a lot while using it), inexpensive (if you use generics), and capable of allowing you a more successful and wonderful life.

I ALWAYS have patients tested to make sure they actually have ADD - as opposed to another syndrome which mimics ADD.

But once tested, I encourage patients to remain on medication.

In general they do much better.

Answer 2

Issues of impulsivity and often periods of depression are part of the ADD symptoms. You may have issues related to the ADD, after 6 months it should not be a problem related specifically to the medication. I took Ritalin from 7y/o to 14y/o. When I first came off (the first year) I had some difficulty with self control, etc., I later developed a level of self control where I did not notice the need for medication.

My son has ADD and took medications for it until this summer. I always try to take him off the meds when he has extended periods out of school. This month he started school and requested to not start the medication. As he has been well controlled without the medication lately, we are attempting the same self-control experiment my parents did. So far so good. However, if he shows symptoms or his grades suffer we will restart the medication. There are several patients who have successfully stopped the medication and the ADD was no longer a problem. My brother, however, has adult ADD and is on the medication at 53 y/o.

Everyone is different, you may want to be seen for re-evaluation.

Good luck

Answer 3

Why dont you are trying extra traditional remedies. Make him excercise ( and now not like a lap across the track once per week however actual difficult excercise so hes exhausted after the learning, like join a sporting events workforce and many others. ) My associates little brother was once add but his mom refused to medicate him and once he joined the wrestling and fooball groups and was overwhelmed out practically every day his hyperactivity went approach down, he was too tired to be hyper anymore lol also a metamorphosis in dieat might carry some aid. Cut out lot of the processed meals and extra sugars and dyes and so on, no soda, no junk and many others. A different friend of mine has an autistic child and altering his weight-reduction plan has helped him lots with cure and so forth too and i've heard it could do the equal for add youngsters. Additionally get him into like meditating or relaxation excercises that he can do when he looks like his mind is running away from him. Take a seat him down and talk to him like an adlut and explain to him that he is ancient adequate to make picks however some thing must be performed and he can either take his treatment or try replacement options ( and in all fairness the remedy possibly giving him unpleasant aspect-effects) My niece is 16 and has been on adderall etc on account that she used to be 4. Prior to now two years they steadily started to get her off the meds and now shes not on any. She not ultimate in any respect however who's? Shes doing adequate although

Answer 4

A lot of children are misdiagnosed @grade level by being bi-polar and not add. I was,bi-polar & add and ritilin makes you exaserbate the bi-polar. I used dexedrine ritalin desoxyn. They put me on neurotonin and gabatril and it stabiled me with out the ansy feeling. And they are not an amphetamine. See what your shrink thinks about what I said. Also kids as young as 4-7 are selling them as uppers cuz they are! they crush them and snort them .the ones that are not ADD get off like cocaine or meth,adderall is evil and a vile kiddie pill
is 4 amphetamines( bezedrine dextro amp. and 2 other salts )kids are shooting these. Its a big pharm market. I beg you to ask your specialist about dysthimia(deppresive bi-polar) & if your over school quit I know they teach dependece and a need.plus there are other drugs out there for about anything that are not narcotic.Idont have to know you ,you are like me couldnt concentrate parents send you to a shrink and he gives a happy pill. Grades are good no problem they are serious problems with ritalin after school. Heart, pulmonary, weight up/down. You might as well use street meth. no! no! but it's all amphetamines taught to you as speed. So when you dont have it you nor- epinephrine takes a while to pick -up and if you do have depression or bi-polar this could get serious.
Ill pray for you. Please read on bi-polar the simple one not the bi-olar2 w/schizo features, the effects are real close ADD/Bipolar. I can relate so much my friends said the same thing

Answer 5

I know of older adults who were dealing with depression until they finally were dx'd ADD and put on appropriate meds. It resolved the depression. They felt that just thinking more clearly with greater concentration had a lot to do with it.

If you didn't like Ritilin, talk to your doc about trying another med.

Answer 6

I'm not sure what the answer is but I would check back with my doctor. I think that it might be a result of changing meds and not replacing them with anything. Why do people fight taking meds when it makes their lives better? You aren't taking that many medications that you have to worry about your liver or stomach and if even if you did is it worth feeling like you're now? You don't like that way that you feel, people are saying that you aren't very pleasant to be around what do you want?? A life free of all medications or one that's worth living?? If your doctor told you that you had diabetes and that you had to take insulin the rest of your life to have a good life would you refuse and have a miserable life just so that you can say I don't take medications? I get tired of people complaining that the health care industry and the medical profession doesn't treat mental health like they do physical health but we don't' either. We want people to treat us like we're adults but we don't' act like we are. Tell me what sense that makes?? Do you really think that your doctor approves or does he feel that it would be hopeless to try and get you to change your mind??

Answer 7

no you should never take yourself off these kinds of meds, especially cold turkey anyway. if you are having these problems you should go back to your doctor to see about getting back on the meds or a different med. good luck and best wishes.

Answer 8

You should never take yourself of amphetamines...So what if you have ADD you take a pill to maintain a balance. Without them regardless how strong your willpower is you need to stay on them.

Answer 9

You should consult your doctor before taking your self off medication. Now that you are off medication Please do consult your doctor to adjust your dose