Experience with Medications

My husband likes to say he hates taking his Strattera. “It pinches my brain across my forehead.”  

Let me assure you, it is quite noticeable that he is more productive on the days when he takes it.

My response to his complaint is “Pinch on. Pinch on.”

Today is a great day to talk about medication and ADHD. In fact, before we go on, let’s just get Ritalin out of the way. It is a methylphenidate which has been prescribed for ADHD symptoms for many years.

Actually, Ritalin gets an undeserved bad reputation among the general public who thinks it is overly prescribed and possibly not the best option for children with ADHD.

As are most other ADHD medications, Ritalin is a stimulant. Professionals tell us stimulant medications work by keeping dopamine standing in the gap for a longer period of time. Thus, there is a greater chance the message will connect in the brain.

I have heard adults, who work with children, make statements such as “That kid behaves horribly. S/he needs Ritalin.”

Ritalin was not developed for bratty, undisciplined children. No one other than a medical or mental health professional is qualified to diagnose ADHD or prescribe medications for it.

Methylphenidates and amphetamines are the two top ADHD stimulant medications. Given to healthy individuals with oversight by a qualified physician, stimulants are quite safe to take and are highly effective for many individuals with ADHD.

Stimulants come in various length of action and can be prescribed as a pill or a patch. Doctors start the patient on the lowest dosage and increase it every week or so until the symptoms are under control.

In spite of a long-standing myth, medication of any type for ADHD is not overly prescribed. Of the percentage of the population who would benefit from medical help, according to CHADD, only 56% of children with a diagnosis of ADHD receive the medical treatment they need to deal with ADHD symptoms.

After his diagnosis and armed with just enough information to make me dangerous, I marched Husband to doctors in pursuit of medical help. We found that stimulants were not effective for my husband, and they caused him to feel sick and his heart to speed.  At times they almost knocked him on his backside.

One such attempt sent him to bed for 24 hours and created a zombie who could barely make it to the bathroom.

He wisely decided stimulant medicines were not for him; he would only take antidepressants.

Typically, it will take time to find the correct dosage for any individual with ADHD.  Individuals should always ask their doctor or pharmacist before taking over-the-counter medications, supplements, or other prescription medications to avoid drug interactions.

Husband’s psychiatrist introduced us to new research that investigates the risk of such adverse drug reactions, which is known by the term Pharmacogenetic DNA Drug Testing.  According to the research, a personal medical regimen should be established for anyone taking pharmaceuticals of any type including over-the-counter pills and herbal supplements.

Strattera (Atomoxetine) is the only nonstimulant medication for ADHD adults approved by the Federal Drug Administration.

Husband’s psychiatrist first prescribed the lowest dosage, meaning extremely low, and he immediately began complaining about it. However, the effect has been remarkable.

I recently asked him to discuss Strattera with me in hopes he would make one of his humorous responses.

With a straight face, he said, “Atha, there is nothing funny about Strattera.”

Of course, there is nothing funny about it, but it provides an alternative for adults, teens, and children who require medical treatment for ADHD.

 For Husband, Strattera only helps with symptoms. Like other ADHD medications, it does not change learned behaviors.

After my husband had taken Strattera for one week, his psychiatrist asked me, “And have you observed any difference in his symptoms?” It was not appropriate for me to scream, “Yes,” but I was quick to note the change was positive, and it was dramatic.

Others have testified of the benefits of Strattera, but I can only share with you what we have experienced first hand.

By we, I mean that his medication brings benefits to both of us.

Within hours of the first dose, I noticed subtle differences. He became more thoughtful and focused on tasks. Having been recently laid-off from the place where he worked for 36 years, he quickly used his focus to search for an online school program where he could study for a change in careers.

Strattera has done wonders to help him meet assignment deadlines and to focus on keeping a high grade point average. His still has a sharp and keen sense of humor, but it is not so squirrely.

Between the two of us, it seems that we have reached the age when taking medications is part of our daily exercise routine.

In fact we need to warm up and stretch our legs just to have the strength for opening our pill bottles.