Since my first diagnosis in 1998, from '98 until 2020, I have been prescribed countless medications. I cannot even begin to recall how many medications I've been on in the past 22 years. I am currently taking 17 different prescribed medications... And I'm significantly disturbed by this.
I am 43 years old, but I can't help but to wonder what age, internally, my body actually is operating at. I believe my bone density is probably not where it should be, I believe that my memory has been impacted significantly, and unfortunately, I believe I may struggle with osteoporosis, and perhaps dementia or Alzheimer's in the future, as a result of all the medications I've been on.
How do the rest of you cope with the feelings that you have about medications? Where do you stand on the concept of medications? Do you feel that they may ultimately cause more harm than good?
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MyUniqueChild
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Hi! My almost 16 year old was prescribed meds since he was a toddler but I didn’t give it to him. If I saw his grades near failing, I may give him a quarter dose every few days to keep him from academic failure. I got a lot of negative feedback from the pediatrician (as you can imagine), “if your son was diabetic, would you blah blah his insulin...etc.”. There were periods where he was struggling socially and I felt so responsible and guilty. I was afraid. Afraid of what these powerful drugs could do to a developing brain. The doctor said not to worry. But the pharmacist understood - she spoke of how addicting they were, etc. My son will soon be 16 and is in 10th grade. He’s beginning to self medicate with THC, etc. I had read that untreated ADHD may drive teen to this. Now I’m asking him to try meds - he won’t. The reason I write isn’t because I have any answers, it’s because I too feel this tremendous confusion about meds. It seems you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. I hope someone here can help us. But I’m afraid that there may be no right answer. You were diagnosed as an adult? Did you have symptoms as a child? Thanks for your post ! Best of luck!!
Just want to say I really appreciate the honesty, sincerity, and vulnerability in your post. I had a student who so clearly needed the medication but his parents didn’t want to give it to him. They weren’t able to articulate their reasons but I suspect they included many of the same thoughts you expressed. The problem was that their son’s behavior and lackluster academic performance greatly affected not just his grades, but also his relationship with his peers and more importantly how and what he felt about himself. They made a half hearted attempt to try a medication in middle school (12/13 yrs). It was not the right medication and/or dosage and they didn’t like the side effects so they stopped. He was a junior in high school before he agreed to try them again. I am not exaggerating when I say it changed his life! I only wish it had been sooner. It used to take him an astonishingly long time to do homework and he was frequently to frustrated and impatient for it to mean anything anyway. The meds helped with that. He can understand what he reads so now he only has to read it once. And the executive functioning…. Night & Day. I saw this with another student - a girl who didn’t have any social or behavioral issues and made decent grades. But she was so scatterbrained, forgetful and unorganized that everything took longer for her as well and she just didn’t think she was or could be a “good” student. I suggested testing and ultimately medication, to which her parents were amenable. Once the dosage was correct, everything fell into place. Seeing the change happen before my eyes, and her ensuing success, literally made me tear up.
I definitely don’t have the answers. and I don’t think it’s a ‘one size fits all’ issue. But I know and have seen first hand how medicine can improve the lives of kids with ADHD. That said, I have a young student whose parents are trying caffeine first. For a teen you could go with coffee in the morning and see if it makes a difference at school. These parents have chosen a caffeine gummy that they treat like and have told their child is his medicine. I have witnessed the moment it kicks in and it’s amazing. It allows him to self regulate and focus better without changing his personality or making him lethargic.
Best of luck to you. There are no easy or right answers when it comes to parenting and all you can do is make the best decisions you can with the information you have. I hope you find something that works for your son.
Sorry for multiple messages - I wanted to address a few of your concerns. The idea of memory (executive functioning) is often associated with ADHD. Are you sure it’s the meds causing that? Another point is that I know most meds have side effects. Do you feel that you function better with or without medication? What does your gut tell you to do? Are all 17 necessary? Have you gotten a second opinion? Are they prescribed by a PCP or Psychiatrist?
I have had a love/hate relationship with medication over the years. I was one who wouldn’t even take anything for a headache because I believed I should treat the dehydration or fatigue or whatever caused the headache. Fast forward to now where I find myself in the position of not being able to function without prescription medications. I felt like I was “giving in” when I agreed/decided to accept a prescription for my pain. But I don’t really have a choice. The way I choose to look at it is that I’m not guaranteed tomorrow or 10 years from now. Taking the meds now is a calculated risk I accept. The potential side effects or future harm are worth the very real, current benefit … to me. I take care of the things within my power to control. But there’s biology and chemistry I have no control over and for those I need medicinal assistance. Obviously I don’t know your situation but 17 different medications seems a lot. I’d imagine there are some whose purpose is to counteract/prevent/make better side effects from others. That’s where it gets dicey for me. Perhaps a medication review with your doctor is in order. How many prescribing doctors are there? It’s definitely better to have fewer doctors.
I hope all those meds at lest help you feel better and live life. All the best, S
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