how many of us suffer from what

Loser · #1 July 10th, 2004, 11:13 PM

I was once medicated for adult ADD. I don't doubt that I have it, and I'll defend that if necessary but that's not where we're going right now, I don't think.

Anyway, I knew of the side effects but didn't see any sign of the ones that worried me. My friends knew when I was off the meds, because I was more likely to interupt, make rude comments, talk in the theater, and genrally make slightly but noticably more of an *** of myself than usual.

I went off the stuff twice a year or so, more to confirm that I needed it than to look for undersirable effects while I was back on it. At some point, though, I noticed that certain very, very important behaviors were almost completely absent while I was on the meds.

I had misunderstood one of the listed side effects, and didn't think I was experiencing it. As soon as I figured out what was going on, I ditiched the med compeltely and have been living with the original problem, adult ADD, ever since.

Some of my friends ('friends', perhaps) gave me a hard time when I was off-meds, and really let me have it when they found out I had ditched them permanantly. I had a good lashing ready for them, though, and fortunately there were others willing to back up my decision.

Of course, that's not to say that the drug-free life is for everyone. It is, however, important to remember that drugs don't 'fix' anything, they just allow you to trade one state of being for another, and the exchange is always complicated. It sure can be worthwhile, sometimes.

Atrocities · #2 July 11th, 2004, 11:34 AM

Where are the anti-depressents, the medicinal weed, the gun, the pen and paper, and my SEIV CD?

Paul1980au · #3 July 11th, 2004, 11:51 AM

The SE4 CD comes in handy when i cant sleep.

If i get really bored i play the role of 2 human players on a 255 system map and play against myself lol.

Gryphin · #4 July 12th, 2004, 02:40 AM

I was diagnosed with Adult ADD after my divorce at age 45. That was 5 years ago.
Thanksgiving 2001 I was so bad I was told
"don't come to Christmas if you arn't taking your meds"
Meds were Rittalin, (an upper) and Klonipin, (a narcotic). There was no way I was going back on them. My therapist recomended Welbutrin. It is not for everyone but there have been no negative affects since I started. Instead I have been in complete control, able to focus and still have my sence of humor but I no longer interupt with it.

I would recommend people with ADD look into it.

Loser · #5 July 12th, 2004, 03:52 AM

Rittalin was great. It was the only time I've ever taken usefull notes. Ever.

Unfortunately, music didn't mean as much to me while I was on it, so it got the boot. Gotta have my tunes.

I was on Rittalin for years during childhood, and I now attribute my memory issues to it. My problems are just to close to the long term effects of heavy meth use for me to fail to suspect some conection between those chemical cousins.

Noteable side effects are one thing, but it was the one I didn't notice that really got to me. I could say, however, that if I were at a different piont in my life it wouldn't have made as much of a difference. Not to say 'older' or 'younger', just 'different'.

I don't know if I tried Welbutrin, but I'm fortunate enough to get by okay without help these days.

Taz-in-Space · #6 July 12th, 2004, 04:34 AM

Actually my problem is more 'physical'. However I agree with being careful with meds. I switched to a painkiller called Ultram a while back and had a VERY cheap drunk episode. My normal capacity for beer is a couple of six packs - but on Ultram I was 'wasted' on only 3 beers. That sure caught me by suprise, and prompted a few embarrasing questions later.
MORAL: ALWAYS read the caution labels.