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Ending a Long-Term Drug Treatment

Q:

"I've been taking Dexedrine since being diagnosed with ADD nine years ago. Will I be harmed if I stop the drug?"

A:

If you've been taking the drug that long, you should taper off slowly by decreasing the dose over time. If you were to stop abruptly, you might feel agitated for several days. Discuss your decision to stop taking Dexedrine - and the logistics of decreasing the dose - with the physician who prescribed it.

Larry Silver, M.D., is the author of Dr. Larry Silver's Advice to Parents on AD/HD and The Misunderstood Child: Understanding and Coping with Your Child's Learning Disabilities. He is also a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

1 Comments:

  • Posted by Audrey - Jul 23 2007 @ 12:45 PM
    Adult ADD
    How can an adult get back on medication. My son is having a very difficult time concentrating. He use to be on Dexadrine, but after he turned 19 he was off my insurance and did not take it anymore. Now he is barely maintaining. HELP! Where can he go?
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