I am really needing advice on this. I had a lot of issues last year to deal with and decided to see a psychologist, it was helpful, but she thought I neede to see a psychiatrist to prescibe some medication( she thought I was depressed). Once I met with the new doctor he suggested I take concerta , he thinks I have adult adhd, (loss of concentration, inability to pay attention, hyperactivity & impulsiveness.). I hated the medicine, so after only 3 months, I have stopped taking it, .I thought it was giving me headaches, now the headaches are gone, but I am feeling a little out of sorts and somewhat down. I don't have as much energy either. I am worried about taking anymore medicine because of the side effects and how it affects my body in the long run. I am embarrassed to talk to my friends about this, I will be 30 in feb. I feel like a little kid. My husband will blame any bad mood on me not taking this medicine. Is there any other mom who has been told they have ADHD? How are you dealing with it? Thank You
I want to thank everyone who has responded to me, Even though it has only been two weeks, I have really learned a lot about myself, and have taken a little something from every response. My husband has been and promises he will continue to be supportive and that really helps. I am changing my diet and have been keeping myself busy and feel like even though I am doing more, I have just as much energy as I did before, Thanks again!
Hi C.! Don't feel stupid. It's just as of the last few years that we've even been educated on ADHD , especially in adults. I have it, and I also have anxiety issues and suffer from mild depression. The whole shebang! Although I've been dealing with it for quite a few years, the best thing I've been on is Lexapro. It keeps me a little less anxious and less "hyper" but doesnt make me a complete zombie like past meds.......Hope this helps!
i have a friend in Ca who suffers from this as well....first off you need friends whom you and talk to who know your problem and who are understanding....and second check with your doctor about a diffrent medication....tell him your side effects and see if there are any other options....good luck and KIT if you need to just talk...
Try talking to your doctor to adjust the medication or maybe switch you to something else. It's no fun to not be able to focus and be depressed all of the time. I think not being able to focus and get things done can actually contribute to depression. Also, you may want to try using lists to keep yourself focused and on task. Good luck.
C.,
I'm a clinical Social Worker by profession and a mom of 2 small kids. There are some things you might want to consider.
- it may take a month for your body to came back to normal after taking Concerta. Especially if you did not ween yourself off.
- talk to your husband find out what he say was better for you while you were on the medication. Sometimes an outsider can see changes we cant.
- Concerta is a stimulant and for some people it does make them feel wierd. But you gave it a good trial of 3 months. talk to the DR. about non-stimulant medications like stratera. It's a pretty clean drug with minimal side effects.
- Noni juice is supposed to work very well for anxiety and concentration issues. I have seen a large bottle at Costco. but it's sort of expensive. No worse than perscriptions though.
- Lastly there is an excelent book that gives great behavioral ways to help deal with this issue: "So I'm not crazy, lazy, or stupid."
C., my brother is an adult with ADHD and I see this a lot at work. Medication is only 1/2 the solution. Sometimes people get more out of addopting new habbits that address the symptoms.
Please know how much compassion I have for your sittuation. I will send you possitive thoughts if you don't mind.
I do not have ADHD, but my husband is in the 99th percentile for ADD. He does not have the hyperactivity component, but is extremely affected by all of the other affects of ADD. He didn't find out until after we were married a few years. Now, we're going on 12 years together.
He had the same side effect with Concerta. Strattera has been much better for him. He has no side effects with it and it doesn't seem to lead to increased doses like Concerta did. Over time, he seemed to need more and more Concerta - more often. He didn't like it either. But, depression also can accompany ADD, so much so that when doctors were prescribing the older medications, they also were prescribing anti-depressants with it. We found a pychiatrist that we are both very happy with at OSU - Dr. Kramer. We'd had a hard time finding just the right person, but it was worth the search to find him.
I hope you can find a doctor that you feel comfortable with and that will give you other tools to help you with day to day life - other than just depending entirely on the medication. Dr. Kramer has helped us as a family. As you know - it really does affect the dynamic of everyone. Plus, you need to be supported, encouraged, and understood. A good pychiatrist can help those closest to you understand what ADHD is and what it is not and how they can be a support not a hinderance.
I really hope that your husband can learn how to NOT make it worse for you. Negative comments are the last thing you need.
Hang in there and feel free to contact me if there's anything I can do.
T.
Hi C.,
I started treatment for ADHD a couple years ago when I was 40, so I understand how you feel a little silly about a condition that previously was only diagnosed in kids.
They tried many, MANY - probably all, ADHA meds on me and they all had a very different effect on my mood, energy level, etc. Ultimately, there wasn't a drug that helped my ADHD, I don't tell you this to discourage you, but to let you know that there are many meds out there for ADHD and if this one isn't working or causing you headaches, there are pleanty others to try that may better suit you. I found it best to go to a specialist than a general physician also. Good luck and hang in there.
Hi C.,
Don't feel bad recognizing your troubles around 30, I am 43 and have been dealing with this for quite a few years. The best medication for me has been Prozac because like your other responses, I too believe adhd and depression go hand in hand. I also take wellbutrin and that seems to help me but everyone is different. I have a boy that takes concerta so I've tried it and seems to help quite a bit but I never realized until you said something but the headaches may have been from that med. It takes my appetite away, that's the best thing. Anyway, I don't mess with that anymore but I try to cut my caffeine before any tests (and I am an addict to coffee). I also suggest that you see a psychiatrist and don't mess with the general practioners, it just isn't their specialty.I wish your husband was more supportive because they really have no idea how hard it is to be a stay at home mom. I've done both and staying home is much harder than going to work. You need a girlfriend you can talk to about your issues.
Just adding that second child to your family is quite an adjustment. Hang in there and be patient. If you aren't happy with your meds, etc, find another doctor. There are meds out there for you. Keep your chin up
Hi C.,
While I have not dealt with all of your issues personally, I have testimonials of adults who have solved all of them through diet, eliminating toxic chemicals from their environment and nutrition. If you're interested in learning more, I'd be happy to share what they've done. You can contact me off site at ____@____.com.
