Adult Testing

[acastrow]

I'm in NoVA, was diagnosed in college, was on various meds for about 10 years or so and never got reevaluated. I am working remotely now and recently retried to get back on meds and was told I needed to get reevaluated

Short story: Where and how can I go to get evaluated (I do have a medical referral if that matters)? The last 2 doctors have ignored my concerns.

Longer story: the first doctor didn't make it a priority making me wait about a month before telling me if I wanted any meds I needed to be retested.

The second provider is hell bent on treating me with just Wellbutrin (which 5 weeks in isn't helping) and keeps stringing me along on the evaluation because I want to be on either Adderall or Vyvanse (both meds have worked for me in the past). She doesn't want me on any stimulant. (Strattera messed with my vision)

[STEM_Dad]

You can search for ADHD professionals using one of the following directories. You should be able to search by state, to find qualified professionals in your area.

chadd.org/professional-dire...

directory.additudemag.com/

[acastrow in reply to STEM_Dad]

Thank you, I will check with those sources.

[ADHD_Living]

Strattera ruined my life... most of these so-called "professionals" are cowards and would rather do what's safe than what is right!

Just like you, I was on Atomoxetine aka Strattera for 18 years of my life.

I slept my kids childhood away (since it acted more like an antidepressant than a stimulant), became obese, had none to little sex drive to later on have psychological erectile dysfunction, gave me an upset stomach (nausea) and horrible acid reflux throughout my entire day.

It made me mentally paralyzed, whereas to get up to get the remote control five feet away from me seemed like an overwhelming and daunting task. I was in such a low place, losing my girlfriend, almost losing my job had a thought of doing METH as I knew it made you lose weight and gave you some motivation to do SOMETHING, although super addicting and horrible for your body and mind felt I needed something to get me "living".

[No, I didn't do METH and seen the long term effects - it was more of a cognitive behavioral threat to myself and the self-realization things needed to change or I was going to die or do something equally as stupid as METH]

I wish I had an answer, but due to stimulants being a second level drug (or whatever the terminology) psychiatrists will almost never give a prescription for this medication because they have to be responsible to monitor the individuals they prescribe stimulants for. So they keep it simple and give you what they know can't come back on them, go home and tell themselves that they did all they could do to help you, and get a good nights rest.

The quick answer ~ Vyvanse, it metabolizes differently and is more of a timed release so Psychiatrists are more willing to prescribe this because there is no chance of it being sold illegally or getting used unprescribed by others since it doesn't give the same effects as other ADHD prescription stimulants.

The painful conclusion ~ Vyvanse is Expensive!

[acastrow in reply to ADHD_Living]

Vyvanse is expensive...And I'm sorry you went through that

Yeah, I've been on strattera, concerta, adderall, vyvanse, now welbutrin. Only 2 of those have worked.

There is Desoxyn, it's meth and it's a legit ADHD med. Never been on it, but it's out there.

[STEM_Dad in reply to ADHD_Living]

Sorry to find that your experience with ADHD meds has been so negative (Strattera not being a good option, and stimulants not being made available.)

From what I've read and heard about Strattera/atomoxetine, it definitely isn't for everyone. I believe the statistics I read were that about 70% of people with ADHD could be helped by it, and 30% could not be. (Compare that with the statistics that over 90% would respond positively to one or another of the stimulant medications.)

My experience was different. My doctor tried me on various dosages of Adderall first, over a few months, because it is what worked best for most of his patients. It helped me somewhat at 10mg, did not help any more at 20mg and gave me tachycardia as a side effect at that higher dosage, and then was nearly ineffective at 5mg.

Then, I started on atomoxetine (generic), and it was twice as effective as Adderall ever was for me. It also has helped me with mild anxiety and depression when life circumstances got bad, so that they didn't progress to a worse severity (as I'm somewhat prone to). I feel better, more clear minded, and less distractible/inattentive than I have been at any time in my life previously.

The only side effects I had initially were mild headache and mild nausea. The nausea can get bad if I take it on an empty stomach, but I have no nausea if I eat before, with, or within 20 minutes after I take my atomoxetine.

-----

It's good that there are more medication options than every before for ADHD, and that they are better understood than ever before. It's disappointing that some prescribing professionals are limited in the options that they will consider.

The research is clear that lives could be vastly improved with the adequate and timely treatment of ADHD with the best medications based on each patient's needs. Most of these medicines are well-studied, and the development of newer ones (such as Vyvanse) which mitigate the risk of abuse should give the healthcare industry reason to make better use of them (and give health insurance companies reason to negotiate better pricing).

I expect that if more people with ADHD were better medicated and treated, health care costs would begin to come down. It would reduce risk of future health issues for them/us. Isn't that the goal of the health care industry, to help people be healthier and live more fulfilling lives, at lower cost overall?

[75ADHDgal]

I was on adderal but a cardiac irregularity and cannot take stimulants accoutring to the Cardiologist and I am highly allergic to Wellbutrin - ( which is too bad because it treated but the Depression and the ADHD ) For the past two years I have managed farily well on no media- I use High CBD Cannabis ( consulted with a Cannabis Pharmacist and an MD befor e starting and My Psychiatrist is aware e