Posts Tagged: Medication

ADHD Traits — No Comments
27
Aug 10

Toughest Thing About ADD

The hardest part about ADHD in adults and ADD in kids is that no matter whether you take standard prescription drugs from a doctor, or work out your own drug-free alternative ADD treatment, nothing helps you focus on the RIGHT things.

That is, while Adderall may help you focus, there is nothing in it or Ritalin or Vyvanse that will make you focus on schoolwork or on that critical project due for work. They can help keep you focused and help you get distracted less often, but in the end, you have to make yourself focus on the right thing FIRST, and THEN the meds will help keep your focus in place. But, if you don’t get your focus on the subject you need to focus on, then all they do is help stop you from being distracted from something you shouldn’t be doing in the first place.

Who wants to guess what my top ADD issue is this morning?

Hope your day is more focused and productive than mine has been so far.

– ADDer

ADD Medication — No Comments
14
Jun 10

ADHD Prescriptions Are Controlled Substances

As any anyone with ADHD can tell you, the drugs for ADD are classified as controlled substances. You can’t get refills of ADHD prescriptions, you have to get a new prescription for every time you get your monthly supply of Adderall or Ritalin. Likewise, the pharmacy cannot call your doctor to get an approval for your ADD prescription for you like they can for other drugs like antibiotics or insulin. Of course, this also means that you cannot take advantage of the discounts or convenience for getting  your prescriptions in a 90-day supply via mail order from your insurance company, either.

Too bad, because it would be a great ADHD advice tip to have people who aren’t good at organization and remembering to-do lists to have their medication automatically mailed each month.

All drugs (not supplements – there is a difference) are controlled substances by virtue of being “controlled” by the DEA and the FDA. What people with attention deficit disorder may not realize is how ADHD drugs are classified.

Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, Vyvanse, and all the generic equivalents are classified as “Schedule II” controlled substances.

That may not sound absurd at first, but believe me, it is asinine and yet another example of why the so-called war on drugs is so messed up.

Adderall Is As Bad As Morphine or Cocaine

There are technically five schedules used for classifying drugs. Schedule I drugs are the “bad” drugs, the ones that get smuggled in by villains using super speedboats and hollowed out dolls, depending upon the movie. These are the narcotic drugs and they include Heroin, Ecstasy, Marijuana, and LSD. Ironically, cocaine is not on this list which is going to make your Adderall meds being on the next list all the more pathetic.

Schedule II drugs are the very next set of medications. This is where ADD medicines are classified, just one step below Heroin and meth. It is also where cocaine is classified, as well as all of those pain killers that you hear about people getting addicted to.

How are ADHD medicines like Adderall and Ritalin grouped with pain killers and cocaine?

The law states that in order to be classified as a Schedule II controlled substance three factors must be met:

  1. There is a high potential for abuse
  2. There are valid medical reasons for using the drug (this is the difference between Schedule I and II)
  3. Abuse of the drug may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence

Wow!

Number 3 is a newsflash to me. No one every told me that taking mixed amphetamine salts could lead to severe dependence!

Of course, the reason no one ever told me that, is because it is not true.

There have been no medical studies that suggest that taking ADD medication like Adderall leads to any kind of dependence at all, except for having to get used to its affects going away. Certainly there is no medical data that these medications cause severe dependence.

As for abuse, the only thing I have ever heard of is students using ADHD medicines to study and concentrate. That’s hardly shooting up in the back of an alley. It is not safe, but neither is taking someone’s antibiotics because you feel sick; that’s no reason to lock them all up under tighter rules.

The law requires that all three conditions be met to be listed as a Schedule II medication, so even if you go with the whole “abuse” thing, ADD drugs should not legally be classified as Schedule II substances.

Even worse, the law specifically says that the “salts of,” among other things, amphetamine,  are to be listed as Schedule III drugs.

So, the next time you have to jump through hoops in order to get the same medicine that you have gotten every month for years, remember that it isn’t even legitimate. You are just being screwed over by a Federal Agency who put your medication on there for political reasons.

ADD Medication — 3 Comments
23
Feb 10

Alternative ADHD Treatments Herbal Studies Research

One of the most common complaints about studies of herbal medicine and research done on alternative therapy treatments for ADHD and for other health issues is that scientists typically do not test the full plant or herb. Rather, research scientists identify the "active ingredient" in the herbs or other plants and then isolate that component. Once that is done, they standardize that component in order to test it.

researchThe issue that many alternative health advocates raise is that such research cannot accurately determine the effectiveness of herbs, plants, and roots because it is possible that other components within those natural elements either increase the potency or are necessary for the effects of the natural treatment to work. This is not an unbelievable argument. It is entirely possible that in order to be effective, alternative treatments for attention deficit disorder and other issues, cannot come from just one ingredient in the plant. In fact, many herbalists, homeopaths, and other alternative practitioners are adamant that this is the case, not only for ADD but for all natural treatments.

Faulty Research Studies of ADHD Alternative Treatments or Reality?

Assuming that these advocates are correct, what does that mean for people with ADHD looking for alternative treatments or more natural ADD treatments as an alternative to chemical prescriptions most often used to treat children with ADHD and adults?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t necessarily mean what alternative health advocates think it does. For one thing, just because a study may be flawed in one’s opinion, does not necessarily mean that the opposite conclusion is true. Far from it. Even worse, if it is true that standardized preparations made from a plant’s active compounds is not effective enough to be used in research, it also means it is not effective enough to be used as an alternative therapy.

In other words, if an herbal remedy’s compounds are not functional when isolated and turned into pill form for research studies, they aren’t functional when turned into pills to be sold to people either!

If you subscribe to the belief that herbal remedies and other natural medicines must be taken in whole, then you also believe that taking pills is worthless. There is no two ways here. Logic dictates that what is true for one scenario is true for another, not that it is true when someone says something against you, and not true when you are selling something.

What it all boils down to, is that if you are going to subscribe to the idea that natural treatments for ADHD and other conditions cannot be researched by distilling the main ingredients into pill form, then in order to get effective herbal medicines or other natural treatments, you cannot take pills. You must use a different means of taking the medicine.

One popular alternative to pills is teas. Unfortunately, any tea that comes in a bag cannot be brewed to enough strength to be therapeutic. If you are buying teabags of alternative medicines, you are throwing your money down the drain. If you are going to use teas, they must be loose tea, you must get the dosage right, and virtually all of them must be brewed for twenty minutes or longer. Just leaving the tea in there isn’t good enough. The water needs to stay hot, so you’ll also need an insulated container to brew the tea in.

The truth is that chemistry is chemistry and biochemistry is biochemistry and even biology is biology.

If a chemical is required in order for another compound to be effective, that will always be the case. Without discovering what that helper chemical is and also standardizing it, there is no way to ensure that enough of it, or the main active ingredient is present in any treatment. For those of you familiar with drug culture, it is the difference between ditch weed and the kind that you buy. Both of them are the same plant, both of them have the chemical that gets you high, but only one of them has enough for it to be reasonable to expect anything out of it. Unless you plan to have a bonfire in an enclosed space.

When it comes to alternative therapies, be sure to check out all the alternatives, but be smart about it. Understand how peer reviewed medical research works and how pills are manufactured. Also, understand the biology and chemistry behind any argument. Just because someone really wants something to be true doesn’t mean it is. That might be one of the best ADHD tips you’ll ever get.

ADD Medication — 16 Comments
20
Aug 09

Vyvanse Side Effects in Plain English

As you know, I started taking Vyvanse a few days ago instead of my usual Adderall (generic) prescription for ADD/ADHD.

As an adult with ADD, I like to know exactly what I am putting in my body and not just taking the recommendation of a doctor or therapist who may, or may not, have the same beliefs and concerns as I do regarding things like medication and their affects on my body.  Therefore, I have been reading up on Vyvanse, including all of the government sanctioned warnings, and the company’s legal disclaimers and comments.

Fortunately, complex analysis and reading detailed technical documents is what I do for a living, so I am able to wade through all of this mumbo-jumbo.  Unfortunately, not everyone is able or willing to do this.  To help out parents of kids with ADD and adults who have ADHD themselves, I have put together a non-scientific, non-technical jargon filled, summary of what the various parts of medical information sheets and side effect warnings typically mean.

Understanding Prescription Information and Medical Jargon

See your Medication Guide or talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any warnings or drug interaction precautions.

Vyvanse Side Effect Summary – Understandable Version

The information presented here is NOT medical advice.

This summary is intended to be used in conjunction with a doctor’s advice.  Discuss all information with your doctor prior to making any changes in your medications or care.

Vyvanse is derived from some of the same components as Adderall.  As such, many of Vyvanse’s side-effects are similar to those of Adderall.

The most common side effects are dry mouth, trouble sleeping, decreased appetite and nausea.

For some people Vyvanse causes weight loss, although like Adderall weight loss, Vyvanse weight loss isn’t really caused by Vyvanse, it is caused by the decreased appetite side effect.

Vyvanse can make it so you don’t feel hungry, and therefore do not eat as often, or as much as you would normally.  Not eating so much is what makes you lose weight, not taking Vyvanse.  In other words, if you eat just as much as you normally would while taking Vyvanse, chances are you will not lose weight.

The other common side effects listed on the medical information sheet are dizziness, irritability,  and upper belly pain.  These side effects are probably actually telling you something else, rather than being straight side effects.

Belly pain is probably a symptom that your stomach doesn’t handle medication well.  Chances are you are also one of the unlucky people who’s stomachs are upset by aspirin or Tylenol as well.  If that is the case, your only choice is to put up with it, or try something else.

For many people, the upset stomach comes from too much acid.  You can try taking your medication with more water than usual, or perhaps with some milk, or with food, unless your doctor or pharmacist says otherwise.

Don’t take your ADD-ADHD meds with orange juice.  OJ speeds up the absorption of some medications including Vyvanse and Adderall.

Maybe You Don’t Have ADD ADHD

As always, consult with your doctor or other practitioner before making any decisions.

If your Vyvanse (or Adderall, or Ritalin) prescription makes you dizzy, lightheaded, buzzy, jumpy, agitated, or skittish, then perhaps your dosage is too high.  Talk with your doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist about trying a lower dose.

If you are already taking a very lose dose, or even the minimum possible dose, there is another possibility you should consider. Maybe you don’t have ADD after all. Here is how to tell if you don’t have ADD ADHD.

.

ADD Medication — 3 Comments
18
Aug 09

New ADHD Drug Vyvanse Review

I’ve only been taking it for one day, so this is just a first impression.

So far, no side effects, but I’m one of the lucky ones whose bodies tolerate medication pretty well.  The only Adderall side effect I ever had was dry mouth.  I drink so much coffee that constipation never had a chance :)

The one thing I have noticed about Vyvanse is that it doesn’t have the waking power of Adderall.  When I wake up tired and groggy, Adderall is a pretty quick boost of energy and wake-up power.  Vyvanse seems to be missing this.

I was pretty tired yesterday, and it was my day to go 100 MPH with my 3 year-old daughter, so no word yet on its impact on my usual ADD-ADHD symptoms

I’ll check in again about how Vyvanse is working after I’ve been taking it for a few days.

***

Technorati Tags: ,,,ADD/ADHD,,

***

ADD Medication — 1 Comment
17
Aug 09

Vyvanse Prescription ADD-ADHD Drug

add-prescription-graphic Since they stopped giving me antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications and realized that I had ADD-ADHD and not depression and anxiety, I have been taking Adderall generic AKA amphetamine salts.  Today, I start taking Vyvanse at the recommendation of my doc who says that some patients report a "smoother delivery."  Also, I only have to take one pill a day instead of pills 3 times a day.

The generic name of Vyvanse is lisdexamfetamine dimesylate.  I’m no chemist (but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night) but I’m guessing that dexamfetamine part means that this drug bears a lot of resemblance to the old Dexatrim weight-loss pills that worked before they were forced to change their ingredients.

I am typically very suspicious of a doctor who tries to move a patient from an effective generic medication to a brand-name one that is for treating the same thing.  However, in this case, my doc said that I "could" try it if I wanted to because I often report "crashing" late in the evening, especially if I forget my afternoon dose of amphetamine salts.

According to the pharmacist, Vyvanse works by providing just the "most effective" of the amphetamine salts that are present in Adderall.  That salt is bound to another chemical which makes it absorb more slowly into the body.  Theoretically, this also makes Vyvanse harder to "abuse" because of the slow absorption.

Considering the only people who "abuse" Adderall and Ritalin in the first place are either students trying to study better or people trying to lose weight with Adderall, I’m not really sure that it matters how fast it absorbs so long as it still helps you concentrate (isn’t that the point).  And since one of the "common side effects" listed on my drug information sheet says weight loss, I’m guessing the people looking to drop a few pounds the easy way won’t mind either.

Ironically, Vyvanse might actually be cheaper for me even though it is still a brand name ADD drug under patent while my Adderall is a generic ADHD drug.

My insurance plan doesn’t cover Adderall or its generic for adults (anyone over 26 years old).  Apparently, some doctors will prescribe Adderall for their patients to lose weight, so instead of doing its job and monitoring abuse, the HMO just decided to not cover Adderall for anyone, including adults with ADD-ADHD who actually need it.

Vyvanse hasn’t hit the banned for fat reduction list, yet, so it is covered under the brand name co-pay, which ends up making it a bit cheaper.

Just for comparison purposes, my receipt from the Target Pharmacy lists the "Retail Value" of thirty 40 mg Vyvanse pills as $150.99.  It doesn’t show up on the Costco Prescription Price Checker, so I don’t know what it runs there.

Does Vyvanse work?

Is Vyvanse better than Adderall?

I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

I’ll keep you posted.

ADD Medication — No Comments
28
Jan 09

Adderall and Weight Loss

weight-loss Many people are interested in Adderall because it helps you lose weight.  At least, that’s what everyone hears thanks to sensational journalism designed to grab headlines.

The truth about Adderall, and the generic mixed amphetamine salts, is that it does not help you lose weight any more than drinking a bunch of coffee helps you lose weight.  Sure, it revs up your system a little bit, but the amount of extra metabolism one gets from taking Adderall wouldn’t be enough to overcome a single Oreo cookie.  Ephedrine burns off more fat by increasing your metabolism than Adderall does.

Losing Weight With Adderall

For SOME PEOPLE, definitely not all people, Adderall suppresses your appetite.  In other words, it makes it so you are not hungry.  In fact, some days, when I forget to take my afternoon dose, I remember because all of the sudden I’m very hungry.  Usually, I have to remind myself to eat lunch, so if I’m hungry in the afternoon I know something is up.

That means that if you have trouble losing weight because you find it hard to not eat too much when you are hungry, then Adderall MAY help.  Of course, that will only happen assuming you are one of the people who have their appetite suppressed by it.

But, if you have trouble losing weight because you eat things that you shouldn’t because they taste good, or because you go out with friends for lunch, or because you have a few beers each night, Adderall won’t be any help at all.  Another way to think about it is that if you are at a baseball game in the afternoon and you already ate lunch, so you really aren’t hungry, but you have a couple of hotdogs, some popcorn, and a few beers because you are at the ballpark and it’s part of the fun, Adderall isn’t going to help that at all.  Same thing goes for eating because you are nervous, depressed, stressed, or because you drive past a Dairy Queen on your way home every night.

In other words, Adderall does not burn extra calories, stop your body from absorbing fat, or make a big enough of a difference in your metabolism to make you lose weight no matter how much you eat.  All it can only make you less hungry.  So, if you only eat when you are hungry, the pounds will fall off, because you won’t be.

Otherwise, get the right meds for your ADD and find another way to lose weight.