“How to Optimize ADHD Medication: Strategies for Achieving Better Symptom Management” [Video Replay & Podcast #277]

Access the video replay, listen to the podcast episode (#277), and download the slide presentation for this ADHD Experts webinar originally broadcast on November 13, 2019.

William Dodson, M.D.
ADHD Expert: William Dodson, M.D., LF-APA Verified Updated on October 17, 2022
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Episode Description

A note about this webinar: This webinar is designed for both ADHD clinicians and patients.  Non-clinicians may wish to notify the ADHD clinicians with whom they work of this educational opportunity and share the audio and slide materials.

ADHD stimulant medications are effective, well tolerated, and safe. But there are two problems that prevent those with ADHD — children and adults — from experiencing all the life-changing benefits that they can produce.

The biggest problem is that many clinicians do not receive adequate training in how to use ADHD medication to get the very best result for each individual. The second problem is that it is often difficult for patients and doctors to objectively determine when they have derived the maximum benefits from taking medication.

These less-than-optimal outcomes have tragic consequences. Studies have shown that 80 percent of people who try medications for ADHD are no longer taking them after a year. In other words, the vast majority of people diagnosed with ADHD are not getting the treatment they need and deserve when life-changing benefits are easily achievable.

The good news is that there are ways to assess how well ADHD medications are working and to optimize each medication to achieve symptom control. Research-validated, paper-and-pencil assessments, such as the Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGIS), can accurately measure progress in treatment. Simple practice methods can likewise help to quickly find the best medication and dose for each individual person while minimizing side effects. This webinar will help you and your doctor get the best outcome possible from ADHD treatment.

In this webinar, you will learn from Dr. William W. Dodson about :

  • What outcomes are possible from ADHD medication in children, adolescents, and adults
  • How to know when you and your clinician have gotten all the potential benefits from medication in controlling ADHD symptoms
  • How to work with your clinician to fine-tune the medication and dose for optimal performance
  • How to work with your doctor to manage side effects so that ADHD medication can be taken and tolerated for a lifetime
  • What to do when the standard medication treatments (methylphenidate and amphetamine) don’t work well or are not tolerable
  • Why two classes of medication (i.e., both a stimulant and possibly an alpha agonist) are sometimes needed to get full symptomatic relief

Watch the Video Replay

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Read More on ADHD Medication

Meet the Expert Speaker

Dr. William W. Dodson is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who has specialized in adults with ADHD for the last 25 years. He was named a Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association in recognition of his clinical contributions to the field of ADHD (2012).  He was recipient of the Maxwell Schleifer Award for Distinguished Service to Persons with Disabilities (2006). Dr. Dodson has a consultative practice in Greenwood Village, Colorado, and is a member of ADDitude’s ADHD Medical Review Panel. Dr. Dodson is not a consultant to any commercial enterprise, but has consulted for Supernus Paharmaceuticals and Ironshore Pharmaceuticals in the past. | See expert’s full bio »

Listener Testimonials

  • “Appreciate useful evidence-based medication/treatment information!”
  • “Excellent information!”
  • “Great insights.”
  • “This was so helpful to me. I have a son who just started college and went to a doctor on his own. He was prescribed an amphetamine. I feel more informed now. I’m looking forward to sharing the replay of this webinar with him.”

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