B-B-B-But, What do I do?

[BFuddled]

I am the mother of a 21 year old daughter whose pediatrician diagnosed her with ADD when she was 18. I feel b-draggled, b-fuddled, b-eatup and almost b-urned out. My daughter improved tremendously when she was on medication. Getting her to take it now that she is on her own and out of the house is a problem. She says it is too expensive and she hates the feeling she gets when it wears off. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to gently but convincingly approach this topic with her? She is very oppositional, in denial and verbally abusive toward anyone who says or does anything that doesn't suit her. The feelings of parenting failure I have felt over over the last 15 years is taking a toll, even though it may not be my fault. I feel like I might be b-urried in my grave before my time! Does anyone know of a great female doctor who specializes in ADHD and who lives in Colorado Springs, CO? A referral for a good coach would also be helpful.

[Lovinit]

Can you help her by paying for the scripts? When I was a teenager I was super mean to my mom, always so angry at her, we fought we couldn’t talk and listen to each other. I wish I could help. I remember how I was and i was against everything my mom said. Lots of regrets but anyway. She probably will continue to do things her way and until she decides to try something different like get help she probably could use. I’m sure she doesn’t like the thought that taking medication means she’s defective something is wrong with her. Maybe you can just have compassion and give her her space to be there to listen not judge her let her want to open up to you and maybe you can if u haven’t yet educate yourself as much as possible on ADHD. I love this utube girl Jessica McCabe. How to ADHD she’s great, I love all her videos I’m so glad she’s doing what she’s doing

[HadEnuf]

Most likely, it isn't parenting failure, but ADHD itself—the sense of failure when we have difficulty maintaining the habit of medication can be intense enough to provoke is to any excuse we can find.

However, the nuisance effects of medication as it wears off are very real, for many of us; and there may be some remedies for that.

My experience has been that medication with a smoother release profile and softer cutoff reduces my perception of being plunged into a sea of mental noise as it wears off. That and another, amphetamine-specific, rebound side effect I don't suffer with methylphenidate (or SNRIs, for that matter) are what led me to switch to Concerta.

[More precisely, I buy the Actavis generic manufactured by the name brand holder on behalf of and under the source-material allotment of the other—a.k.a. in the ADHD-medication industry as “it's complicated” (and due largely to the US “war on drugs”).]

There are other remedies I am investigating for weekly “day(s) off” I usually take as a hedge against developing a tolerance. I haven't satisfied myself enough with the evidence, yet, to share the details; but, if they prove effective, they may also turn out to ease daily rebound—once I know more, I'll likely share it.