Good for you for doing your research before you go to the doctor. Finding the right ADHD medication may be tricky as different people experience different side effects.

A good starting point would be the following medication FAQs:

Concerta uses the same medication ingredients in Ritalin, but has a longer lasting effect.

Adderall can be highly addictive, but some people claim Adderall has fewer side effects.

Wellbutrin XL is also used to treat depression in adults.

Sometimes finding the right medication is a matter of trial and error. Be sure to keep you doctor appraised of any side effects you experience while on the drug.

Good luck, Dena

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Don't forget Dexedrine. I tried Ritalin at first, but it drove my blood pressure through the roof. Oddly enough, my BP is actually lower on Dexedrine is lower than it was before I started taking meds.

Unfortunately, sometimes it has to be done by trial and error. Just remember, sometimes it takes a few tries for the doctor to find the right medicine and the right dosage for you. Be patient, and be forthright with your doctor about your experiences. Sometimes, you may have to take a combination of antidepressants and stimulants.

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I've tried Concerta, Dexadrine and Addarall. I've found that Straterra at night (takes about a month to work) and Focalin 2x a day along with 3 cups of coffee and a Nutrition53 shake called Neuro1 works -

It's always a crap shoot trying new meds - good luck!

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I have had the most success with my clients by using Adderall XR twice a day and also have had good luck with Vyvance. In my experience Strattera never works and an antidepressant does not turn on the prefrontal cortex which has to happen to be effective.

With good medication management the side effects should be mild, but can include insomnia, appettite supression, irritability, excessive sweating, and bad breath. There is also now a completely natural alternative called ADD-care and is available at www.add-care.com It rivals the stimulants without the side effects.

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I am in the medical field and can tell you that everyone is different, so what works for me might not be your best bet. I agree with previous posts about trying something, adjusting the dose with your doctor until you find the right dose, or working with your doctor to try another medication all together. For me, it was a long journey to find what worked best, and I am still not as focused as my non-ADD peers; but I am at a good functioning level. First I tried Methylphenidate IR, but since I had to take it 3 times a day, I would forget doses, or take them at the wrong times, but it worked for my attention. We knew I needed a long acting med - a once a day med. However, instead of putting me on a long acting med in the same class, like Concerta, my doc put me on a different class of meds (Adderall XR) which also worked well but made my heart race and I would get out of breath going up stairs. We lowered the dose , but I was still racing. Many times the side effects go away after a few weeks, for example, some people who have a decreased appetite will find that they get their appetite back after a period of time. for me, the heart racing never abated. So my doc put me on Concerta and I love it. I had decreased appetite for a month, but have been fine since. We had to adjust the dose twice, but I have finally found what works for me. If I had my choice I would start with Concerta and work my way up to the right dose BEFORE trying Adderall XR...GOOD LUCK IN YOUR QUEST!

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I've been on Concerta for about the past six years, and it works really well. I think it would be great for adults because it's sustained release, which could be beneficial in the work place.

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Hi there,

Everyone's different. For me, any medication is better than no meds. Here's my experience, in order tried: Ritalin-found the peaks & valleys made it ineffective. Concerta-didn't do much for me, though I never went as high a dose on it as I wanted. Adderall-was great but didn't last long enough and a 2nd dose kept me up all night. So I tried .. Adderall plus dexedrine tablets in the afternoon: worked GREAT ... but made my BP spike Adderall XR: was very very good and used for several years alone.

Eventually I entered a serious relationship and realized I needed to have help not just during the day, but also in the evenings, so I just started a mix of Adderall XR and Wellbutrin XL.

But again, any meds are better than no meds.

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Hi All I'm a newby on the forum!!

My 21 yr old Sophomore college son with a learning disability was doing OK without meds until this past semester. Classes got way too talky and long and things started to unravel quickly! I suggested we visit a neurologist this week to just discuss meds for his ADHD. Dr spent tons of time explaining each option after reading all his psch evals etc He felt that Focalin XR was the best one to try first because it seemed over the years its been out to have the least side effects on the Anxiety spectrum. My son has been really streesed out. It hasn't been long but so far no problems. Started on a 10 mg dose so as not to give him a huge rush at the start.and today moved up to 20 mg. We'll see when he gets home from classes this afternoon!!! He's small 5'5""''' and 146 lbs

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Hello,

I am also new to the forum. I am 26 years old and found out that I had ADD my sophomore year in college (about 6 years ago). I would get so frustrated when I tried to study. I had always been completely disorganized. My doctor and I decided on adderall. It instantly increased my reading speed and retention level. I actually did my laundry and kept my dorm clean. It helped my social anxiety and actually helped me have the relationships that most normal people have. So many people look down on the medications, but they have no idea what it is like to live with severe ADD. I chose medication, because I was truly suffering. It has helped me to this day. It's a matter of whether the benefits significantly outweigh the side affects.

Good luck to you and your son!

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Our 8yr old was diagnosed add a year ago and the decision to put him on meds was agonising . However he would be at school all day and do no work at all. So we started him on concerta which was great for him but he couldent sleep and is now on ritalin la, which seems to work perfectily (from the bottem of the class to the top) I myself have been recently diagnosed and started on meds and have had the same problem with concerta. Ritalin la has worked wonders ! At last I feel semmi normal. Our eldest son who we also new was add but didnt want to be diagnosed or medicated failed his first year of uni. Has now been diagnosed and on meds and ritalin 20mg 4 hourley what a difference! What Im tring to say is dont give up untill you find the right meds because the difference it will make to your life will be worth it. There is one draw back with so many of us in one family that when I go to the chemist I feel like the local junkie!!

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Our whole family has ADD. My son and his dad are hyperactive and I am inattentive. Over the years we have tried several medications. We have experienced the most success with stimulent meds.

My son (now 12 yrs) was on FocalinXR 20 mg, 2Xs each day (6am and noon). Each person metabolizes medication differently. In his system, this medication lasted 6 hours. We also supplemented with a regular focalin 10 mg in the evenings. He was on this for a couple of years and we were pretty happy with it. He was more in control of his behavior. He also had a good appetite and was growing and gaining weight. Last summer, I asked the doctor if we could try Vyvanse, because it lasts all day and would eliminate the need to take med at school. Vyvanse is a fantastic med, but there are a few negatives we've noticed in children: dramatic decrease in appetite, med does not contain a short acting initial burst...so it takes 1 hour to start working, and must be taken with food for children or they are sick for 5 or 6 hours. The positives: My son's grades on Focalin XR were consistently 1 or 2As, 2 Bs, mainly Cs and an occassional D. My son's grades since changing to Vyvanse have been straight As with an occassional B. When I met his math teacher at the beginning of school, he told me my son had been a big help in the classroom...tutoring the other students in math! You could have knocked me over with a feather! To deal with the negatives, I give him his med an hour before he gets up with a glass of Carnation Instant Breaksfast, and we use Focalin on non-school days. On those days, he eats everything that's not tied down! His growth and weight are on track for his age.

For me, I have had the best results using Vyvanse and Wellbutrin together. It's hard to describe, but difference for me of using a stimulant alone or using a stimulent with wellbutrin is major! When used together, my thought processes are more clear and organized. I have more drive to take action and do things instead of putting it off until later. I have used AdderalXR for years before Vyvanse came out and had some success with it. For me, AdderalXR lasted 5 or 6 hours, so I had to take 2 each day...the problem was I couldn't remember to take the second one. The medication was not smooth in its delivery like vyvanse. I experienced peaks and valleys, so my performance at work was much improved over no medication, but not consistently improved. The vyvanse med release is so smooth, my performance has been consistently improved.

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Just like everyone else here has said, it will take a lot of trial and error. I would try to pay extra attention to your heart rate and your digestion on any new medication. The top two side effects I've noticed were increased heart rate (when I accidentally took my second dose too early) and extreme nausea (on Ritalin).

I was diagnosed when I was 18, about three monthes before the end of my senior year of high school...even though my symptoms were first noticed by my third grade teacher! But of course, that first psychiatrist was convinced that I didn't have ADD because 1: I am female, 2: I was not literally bouncing off the walls, and 3: I scored too high on the IQ test to have ADD. But I digress...

I've tried three different medications, and so far the best I've had is mixed Amphetamine salts, 10 mg twice daily, which is the generic and MUCH CHEAPER version of Adderall! Not Adderall XR unfortunetly, which would have cost me $358 a month because I don't have health insurance. The mixed Amphetamine salts only cost $80, and so far they seem to work the same as the Adderall XR. I have occasionally taken it 3 times a day, but only on occasions when I had to stay up much longer than normal, including prom and homecoming.

I tried the generic for Ritalin for about half a month, and HATED it! It only cost $8.00, but it made me extremely nauseous (spelling?), and I finally ended up with the most painful bladder infection I have ever had. I was flipping through one of my natural remedies books and it mentioned that the main ingrediant of Ritalin can cause bladder problems, including UTIs, in some women...

I'm now back on the Amphetamines and feeling MUCH better! :)

The main thing you have to remember is that eveyone is different! You might want to mention to your doctor if you or any immediate family members have shown any negative reactions to other medications. I'm not 100% sure that this would make a difference, but I don't think it would hurt. I'm sure everyone has at least one medication they can't handle...mine appear to be Ritalin, the generic for Ritalin, and anything that ends in "-cyclin."

Hope this helps!

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It's worth the effort to find the right health care professional for you or your child.

If you do a little interviewing up front, you increase your chances of finding a professional best suited to meet the needs of you or your child—which means you’re more likely to be satisfied with the experience. You need to feel confident in your health care professional. If you doubt the person, you’ll probably doubt the treatment plan. If you trust the person, you’ll be more likely to follow through on the plan. You can read a description of who might be involved in the evaluation process.

You may find it helpful to talk to other parents to find out what they like—and don’t like—about the professionals they’ve seen for their child’s ADHD. Use their thoughts to develop your own list of what is important to you. Your “Good Health Care Professional List” might include your preferences on the answers to questions like these.

• • How much experience does this person have with ADHD?
  • What methods does this person use to treat ADHD?
  • What insurance plans does this office accept?
  • Does this person and the staff make me feel at ease?

Collect the names of 2 or 3 professionals. Call each one and request a time to ask about the items on your list, either in person or on the phone.

Even after you start seeing one professional, keep your list handy. You may later decide to change. Change can be good—you should never feel “stuck” if you decide you don’t like the professional, or don’t like something about the office arrangements.

If you do change, write down the reason for the change on your list. Try to state your reason in a positive way: “I’m looking for someone who…” You may be tempted to just make a complaint: “I’m looking for someone who does NOT…” but then it will be hard to ask about it. Start the interview process again, taking any new list item into account when finding a new health care professional.

Learn how you can help the doctor in the ADHD evaluation process

kelvin

[url=http://www.drugstrategies.org/Treatment/Pennsylvania] Pennsylvania Drug Treatment Centers [/url]

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It's worth the effort to find the right health care professional for you or your child.

If you do a little interviewing up front, you increase your chances of finding a professional best suited to meet the needs of you or your child—which means you’re more likely to be satisfied with the experience. You need to feel confident in your health care professional. If you doubt the person, you’ll probably doubt the treatment plan. If you trust the person, you’ll be more likely to follow through on the plan. You can read a description of who might be involved in the evaluation process.

You may find it helpful to talk to other parents to find out what they like—and don’t like—about the professionals they’ve seen for their child’s ADHD. Use their thoughts to develop your own list of what is important to you. Your “Good Health Care Professional List” might include your preferences on the answers to questions like these.

• • How much experience does this person have with ADHD?
  • What methods does this person use to treat ADHD?
  • What insurance plans does this office accept?
  • Does this person and the staff make me feel at ease?

Collect the names of 2 or 3 professionals. Call each one and request a time to ask about the items on your list, either in person or on the phone.

Even after you start seeing one professional, keep your list handy. You may later decide to change. Change can be good—you should never feel “stuck” if you decide you don’t like the professional, or don’t like something about the office arrangements.

If you do change, write down the reason for the change on your list. Try to state your reason in a positive way: “I’m looking for someone who…” You may be tempted to just make a complaint: “I’m looking for someone who does NOT…” but then it will be hard to ask about it. Start the interview process again, taking any new list item into account when finding a new health care professional.

Learn how you can help the doctor in the ADHD evaluation process

kelvin

//www.drugstrategies.org/Treatment/Pennsylvania "Pennsylvania Drug Treatment Centers"

Quote

It's worth the effort to find the right health care professional for you or your child.

If you do a little interviewing up front, you increase your chances of finding a professional best suited to meet the needs of you or your child—which means you’re more likely to be satisfied with the experience. You need to feel confident in your health care professional. If you doubt the person, you’ll probably doubt the treatment plan. If you trust the person, you’ll be more likely to follow through on the plan. You can read a description of who might be involved in the evaluation process.

You may find it helpful to talk to other parents to find out what they like—and don’t like—about the professionals they’ve seen for their child’s ADHD. Use their thoughts to develop your own list of what is important to you. Your “Good Health Care Professional List” might include your preferences on the answers to questions like these.

• • How much experience does this person have with ADHD?
  • What methods does this person use to treat ADHD?
  • What insurance plans does this office accept?
  • Does this person and the staff make me feel at ease?

Collect the names of 2 or 3 professionals. Call each one and request a time to ask about the items on your list, either in person or on the phone.

Even after you start seeing one professional, keep your list handy. You may later decide to change. Change can be good—you should never feel “stuck” if you decide you don’t like the professional, or don’t like something about the office arrangements.

If you do change, write down the reason for the change on your list. Try to state your reason in a positive way: “I’m looking for someone who…” You may be tempted to just make a complaint: “I’m looking for someone who does NOT…” but then it will be hard to ask about it. Start the interview process again, taking any new list item into account when finding a new health care professional.

Learn how you can help the doctor in the ADHD evaluation process

kelvin

local:www.drugstrategies.org/Treatment/Pennsylvania "Pennsylvania Drug Treatment Centers"

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