Do you still have ADHD if Strattera and Adderall don't work?

Answer 1

My first thought when I read this was "Well, of course you do"! But, when I went to answer your querry, I realized just how in depth the answer could be. So, allow me to tell you what I know from my experience with my own diagnisis.

First, I would say that if you received a full ADD/ADHD assessment from a qualified professional (a Neurologist) and were diagnosed, that, yes, you still have the disease and that the meds you have taken just aren't the right meds for you. But you rest assured in the knowledge that there are many med choices available.

Secondly, also realize that most of us don't realize how profoundly we are affected by ADD/ADHD. Forgotten appointments, burned food, unfinished projects, dry gas tanks, and list goes on, and on, and on...Each of these, when taken as an isolated incident, is not so bad. But together (and they add up quickly for us ADD/ADHD folks!) they can add up to one hell of a bad week! At this point in medical technology, our best form of treatment is good nutrition, excercise, and medication (Okay, I should add "In MY Opinion", so as not to offend anyone) The good thing (and, sometimes unfortunately bad thing) is that most of us have people around us that are willing to be our critics...husbands, wives, co-workers, teachers, mother in laws (yeesh!!!) That said, I HIGHLY recommend that you share (with someone you trust) the exact time that you start any new medication and allow them to guide you in your assessment of whether or not the drug is working. When I began taking Adderall, I noticed I felt a little more energetic and aware, but didn't think it was making that much difference in my overall day to day home and work operations. I mean, I didn't feel any different. I hadn't become the Martha Stewart of my domain. I was ready to call my doctor and tell him the meds weren't working. When I shared this with my husband, he said "Oh contrair, my dear. We've had clean clothes and unburned food all week! You even remembered to put gas in the car"! My point being that the effectiveness of some meds is felt and seen right away, while the effects of others is not as quickly noticable. And the people around you may notice changes that you haven't. Wife....."Owww, I've got a screaming headache." Husband to wife........."Let me get you some aspirin and a cool cloth for your eyes, my sweet". (Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?) Husband, an hour later........"How's your headache, dear wife"? Wife......"Much better! That aspirin really helped. Let's go eat hot wings and drink beer and watch the game with your buddies at the pub"! (And, yes, a guy can dream, too!) The kind of relief you get from ADD/ADHD meds is alot more subtle than the relief you might get from, say, a painkiller. And bear in mind that most meds have a cumulative effect, meaning they work better the longer you take them. Now, I'm not saying that you should continue to take a med that has done nothing for you til the cows come home, but it might not be a bad idea to keep a brief journal and consult a friend in your med trials. I have (and people that I have known) have "tested" whether or not their meds were working by stopping them...we ALL noticed a dramatic return of symptoms. I couldn't believe how much better I was with my meds than without. And, back to the part about how profoundly we are affected by ADD/ADHD...most of will continute to struggle with the symptoms of ADD/ADHD despite treatment. But, take heart, there are numerous coping skills out there for us. We just need to latch onto what works for each of us and keep plugging along. Hope this helps.

My name is Kayla and after reading the Q & A about this subject, I agreed with the answer, however I thought that I would inform you about a new drug named Vyvanse which is made by the same people who make adderall xr. I have tried concerta and it didnt do much. I went back to adderall, but it didnt last long (even though I took 30mg in the morning and 10mg aroung lunch) and it really didnt seem like it made too much of a difference. My psychiatrist brought up vyvanse at our last session. I took it monday because my college classes resumed, and it has been the only medicine that actually does what the makers claim. It is very strong, and it stays with that first initial feeling ALL day. When I take it at 8am, it is consistently strong until at least 7pm-8pm. I questioned my ADHD because in the beginning of these type of meds I get extremely restless and talkative, but today I went to a website called http://newideas.net/ It was the best website so far and it gave me reassurance that I am ADHD. After you get to that website, go to "different types of ADHD" on the left hand side. Sometimes people have different types of ADHD and they all need to be treated different sometimes. I learned my type and I am focusing on only those symptoms. Some types have different medicines that they recommend, and they give you these herbal supplement examples for alternative treatment. If your case isn't incredibly severe, maybe the supplements will work. Overall its important to talk to your doctor about it AND make sure that's the doctor that you think is the very best. I went to a few until I found a psychiatrist that actually counsels me and finds the right med for me- not just a doctor you see for ten minutes and they hand you some prescription for ADHD without even trying to understand YOUR symptoms and what medicine might be best for you. But I recommend trying to get Vyvanse, it does everything the company said it would and more (that's hard to find today).