Adult ADHD

[Messenger]

Did anybody stop and think that perhaps the reason why doing such substances, medically or otherwise, causes one to lose the Spirit is because it automatically creates a stigma that creates a personal stress that in turn, robs a person of confidence in their standing as church members. Having said that, the only way a member could partake of these substances and be clean before the Lord is if a bishop was willing to concede that some people need some substances, addictive or otherwise, to function properly. If by necessity you need to trangress a law, I would certainly hope that Heavenly Father is still willing to bless you in other ways, and that even though by definition certain blessings might not come, others may still be available. I would say the best advice(take it with a grain of salt mind you) is to prayerfully consider what it is you need to take. Judge whether an alternative might work better, and try to anticipate side effects. If you are already doing what's right,then why should the Spirit leave you? There are some drugs that do alter your brain chemistry that might introduce new problems, such as compulsive gambling or thoughts of suicide. I would think that if it's nessicary to take those medications, then in that case it might be best to have somebody watch over you, like a home teacher.

Even something such as medicinal marijuana I could see as potentially okay as long as you are responsible and you have that spiritual confirmation as well as clearance from your bishop. Again, how we treat those who "suffer" from addictions is perhaps one of the main reason why one loses the Spirit during addiction.

'Jigglysaint,

Thanks for your input. One of the important messages to portray here is that we are not talking about people self-medicating themselves. For me, I am relying on a personal research, family history and a top professional doctor who interviewed me extensively before he prescribed me anything. Also, you should know that I didn’t ask for any medication; I let my doctor decide the best treatment. However, your caution is being heard and I welcome it on this thread. So far, I'm on my second day of being treated. I feel the spirit, and make decisions based on it. Right now I am considering a move to a town closer to my work, and am looking for housing in that town. I have felt the spirit and know what the next steps are. However, while my doctor has been a bishop, I have no doubt that my bishop would yield to his expertise in this matter.

I know it may sound alarming based on what you think you know of the medication. I will tell you that it is not at all the same as street crystal meth. Although they are both from the methamphetamine family, the dose, the way it’s released into the system and the effect it has on a person are quite a bit different. There is no high that is felt with my prescription medication. All I feel is a clarity of thought which has eluded me most of my life.

I do understand that there may be withdrawal symptoms If I were to ever stop taking it, which is why I can always call my doctor for an immediate refill or If I need to stop, there is a one week to two week plan to get off of this. Further, I have organized work so that I am approved anytime for any reason to see my doctor. I also have a monthly appointment scheduled with him for the next 6 months to monitor my condition. I also do plan to tell my Bishop and I have already requested that I get a home teacher that actually visits every month (I haven’t had a home teacher in years). I also have my son who I consider pretty smart with the effects of the medications since he's had them prescribed to him for the several years. I also have another friend who was diagnosed with ADHD 6 months ago that I am corresponding with as well. So, if I've given you the impression that I was just winging this decision, I sincerely apologize.

As I said before, anybody that thinks this is a quick fix, is simply wrong. It’s been a long time for me to figure out my condition. I am thankful that my son, somehow, for some reason, decided to visit me. He later told me that he was concerned for me, since he knew this passed on in families. Looking back, when he was only 5 years old, he recognized (now 18 years old) that I had symptoms of ADHD. To think I’ve been trying my own solutions for the last 15 years to try and figure this out. It’s nice to have that solution presented to me after the work I’ve put into it. Some might call that grace.

Edited April 22, 2011 by Messenger

[Messenger]

You do not need a "title" or silly letters before or after your name to teach. I have learned many a good thing from people who haven't the slightest idea that anyone heard or saw what they did.

I am glad you see positive changes in your life. Often it seem people want to say "this is how i am, so you deal with it' - happening in my ward right, a brilliant kid whose mothers says "world you deal with my son is perfect".

Thanks! I know I am looking forward to being more social to see how I react now to those situations. So far, its been like living a new life.

[Jigglysaint]

I just want to add(no pun intended) that I also have ADD, though when I was a child my doctor decided that medication was not the best option. Nowadays I suffer from psychological problems that stem from having ADD and learning disabilities, and not being able to cope properly with them. I'm always glad to hear that people find out and are able to make adjustments in order to better their life. I hope people don't give up on life like I did and just accept they will be forever operating far below their potential.

[Anijen]

My son when younger was misdiagnosed with ADHD. I feel much more educated now about understanding of this. I try to look back on my younger years and although I never teased anyone I know I probably could have been more understanding. I have started a separate thread on a movie about autism so as not to diverge this thread. I have known a few with this disability and frankly I admire them much more for what they have had to endure growing up (you rock Urroner). May God bless all of you.

[Messenger]

My son when younger was misdiagnosed with ADHD. I feel much more educated now about understanding of this. I try to look back on my younger years and although I never teased anyone I know I probably could have been more understanding. I have started a separate thread on a movie about autism so as not to diverge this thread. I have known a few with this disability and frankly I admire them much more for what they have had to endure growing up (you rock Urroner). May God bless all of you.

Anijen,

Misdiagnosis is common. This is why there is a need for personal research. I was misdiagnosed with mild social anxiety disorder 5 years ago. Now I realize that the 'brain freeze' was not at all anxiety, but ADHD. Because the medication wasn’t correct, it was only partially helping as far as one symptom - the anxiety of not being able to think clearly in a perceived stressful situation. But it didn’t help me think it through.

Many times ADHD can appear to be these...

1) Someone with a temper.

2) Someone that is not intelligent - can’t think through a solution to a problem.

3) Someone that is anti-social, and because they don’t date a lot, they can even be perceived as being gay!

5) Someone that is withdrawn, simply because they don’t want the stress of trying to think through a complex problem.

6) Someone that is impatient - We don’t like long lines, traffic jams, or too many things happening at once.

In fact, people with ADHD are just as intelligent as anybody else. But without medication, they rely on repetitive common solutions to problems rather than reasoning through new problems because of the condition. However, once the condition is treated, we have no problem working new solutions to problems that have never been resolved before. Understanding that the medication used to treat ADHD would not be helpful to people without ADHD, helps us understand that ADHD is indeed a valid condition and brings those afflicted with it up to their own true potential in problem solving.

My son explained that one way for people to understand the thought process works with someone that has ADHD is similar to the thoughts in the brain being compared to a freeway with on and off ramps. Normally traffic flows well, but with someone with ADHD, there are traffic jams, and blocks even with slow traffic. The medication speeds up the traffic so that thoughts can flow normally. Problems are resolved do to the thought process being brought up to the potential of the individual.

Therefore, in my opinion, I would say that Autism is a much more serious condition and quite frankly more obvious to family members and society. I worked in a training center in Australia for several months and we had a few kids in there that had autism. They always seemed much, much more removed from their environment than anybody with ADHD.

[Jigglysaint]

So would Autism be like if the person was ignoring all the on and off ramps, thus not interacting with anything and appearing to be "removed"?

[Calm]

So, I suppose its the abuse of a drug that limits the spirit, not the prescribed medication.

Not always. I was put on an antidepressant for a misdiagnosed sleep disorder. For the several years I was on it (it helped with some of the symptoms while making the underlying problem worse unfortunately), it was as if part of my mind was buried under a black oppression, I called it 'weight' because it felt like I had a mountain of something sitting on top of my emotions and spirit. Once I stopped taking it, the oppression lifted and I was able to feel the presence of the Spirit again. However, I never doubted the presence of the Spirit during that time because its companionship had been proved for me so often before and I learned instead to see and 'listen to' it in the actions and voices of those around me. Overall it was an enlightening experience that I never ever want to go through again.

OTOH, I now am required to take a controlled substance in order to get any sleep at all (was finally properly diagnosed when I got down to about 20 minutes a day of sleep and figured out that what I thought was a side effect of medication was the primary problem). It supplies something that is missing in my brain chemical mixture. I have been at the same level of drug for several years and often forget to take it if I get busy until the symptoms get 'loud' enough for me to notice.

kreno,

There was an individual in a previous ward who was required to smoke to control his pain from multiple severe life altering disorders. The doctors stated it would be more stressful on his body to stop and any other drug that would have that significant of effect would have too much and too many detrimental side effects. After consultation with the bishop, the missionaries were given permission to baptize him. He died 3 months later due to health issues so the decision about temple attendance had not been made, but knowing the circumstances and the bishop, I would not have been the least surprised if he had been able to receive his endowments.

If one is abusing a drug (using it in a way that is inappropriate, unnecessary or damaging to one's health), that is in violation of the WoW but if one requires a drug to live---even if that drug is tobacco or alcohol---and does not abuse it but takes it only as medically required, one is living the Word of Wisdom. That is what I have been taught and seen put into practice wherever I have lived.

Edited April 23, 2011 by calmoriah

[Calm]

I know the current medical paradigm discounts the "diet" in any disease, but this needs to be considered as a top priority.

Not so, my disorder is apparently a result of limited absorption of iron so my doctors recommend increasing my iron intake through diet.

As to other things that might help with ADHD, I had a good friend who controlled his (and one of his kids) without medication with a relatively rigid schedule with significant exercise first thing in the morning and physical activities throughout the day. His wife was one of those people who have environmental allergies so they had a very strict and balanced diet of organic food and their home was very 'clean' in the restriction of allergens etc. so that might have been helpful as well. I do not know how bad his case was as I did not know him before he got on his routine (though it was said he was very wild when he was younger, but came back from his mission a changed person...which was when he began his rigid scheduling routine).

[Calm]

I have felt the spirit and know what the next steps are. However, while my doctor has been a bishop, I have no doubt that my bishop would yield to his expertise in this matter.

You might want to consider if you haven't done this already finding an online support group for those in situations similar to yourself. I was actually the one to figure out my disorder--it was much less known about 15 years ago when it was finally properly diagnosed---by doing online searches on my symptoms. I came across about the same time an online group (yahoogroups) that were of caregivers and sufferers of the disorder, it even included some doctors and medical professionals who were also sufferers. A number of members kept up with the latest research and everyone reported how their latest approach, whether medical or 'alternative' or just simply lifestyle changes, affected their symptoms. Very informative as this disorder tends to have a high variation of responses so getting input from a group of over 1000 members who were mostly those who had reached a severe level of suffering was essential for me to be able not only to tailor my lifestyle the best way for me, but also to be brave enough to insist on getting the right treatment from my doctors (the first, who had been great for my family up until then, put me on an out dated treatment that was known to actually make things worse even after I told her it wasn't recommended anymore and brought in documentation to show it...which she didn't even look at but just handed back to me, she was the only doctor in a long list that wouldn't listen to me seriously though so I've been lucky otherwise).

Anyway, just encouraging you to go for self-education, it makes a big difference.

[Calm]

My son when younger was misdiagnosed with ADHD. I feel much more educated now about understanding of this. I try to look back on my younger years and although I never teased anyone I know I probably could have been more understanding. I have started a separate thread on a movie about autism so as not to diverge this thread. I have known a few with this disability and frankly I admire them much more for what they have had to endure growing up (you rock Urroner). May God bless all of you.

My disorder, Restless Legs Syndrome...now officially called Ekbom's Disease, is often misdiagnosed as ADHD in children as lack of sleep which makes kids hyper in contrast to what it does to adults plus the restlessness (it can be the whole body, not just the legs) in children can mimic ADHD. Awhile back IIRC there was a study that claimed possibly up to 25% of ADHD children were actually RLS children (about 10% of the population suffers from this neurological movement disorder...astonishingly it is now recognized as the most prevalent movement disorder when most doctors hadn't even heard about it 20 years or so ago, though most are not severe or need medication...lifestyle changes are usually enough as in increase of iron intake to raise ferritin levels, consistent exercise and sleep routines and removal from diet any triggers). I would suggest checking out www.rls.org and reading up on how to diagnose this disorder for anyone who thinks they have ADHD. RLS also mimics anxiety disorders--the physical symptoms are much like the physical symptoms of anxiety and if one feels anxious and one starts looking for something to feel anxious about, in this world one can always find something like that and so it becomes a vicious cycle. Haven't had one panic attack since I was put on the proper medication (cleared up allergies and periodic muscle strains/spasms as well as my body was getting enough deep sleep to heal finally).

BTW, Prozac was the drug that totally suppress the spirit for me so if someone is abusing that, you might want to consider the possibility that they can't feel or interpret the spirit correctly when dealing with them. I was not addicted thankfully and going off of it was very easy for me, I have heard horror stories though (many of those who suffer from RLS have been misdiagnosed for decades as I was with chronic depression...even though one insists to the doctor one is not depressed just exhausted and desperate to find something that will allow one to halfway function...and unfortunately the vast majority of anti-depressants actually make the disease worse so for many of us the reason we now have the severe variety is not just because it's progressive, but because the doctors sped up the degeneration by giving us the absolutely worst thing for us....again a great reason to get self-educated about any health problem).

[Messenger]

You might want to consider if you haven't done this already finding an online support group for those in situations similar to yourself. I was actually the one to figure out my disorder--it was much less known about 15 years ago when it was finally properly diagnosed---by doing online searches on my symptoms. I came across about the same time an online group (yahoogroups) that were of caregivers and sufferers of the disorder, it even included some doctors and medical professionals who were also sufferers. A number of members kept up with the latest research and everyone reported how their latest approach, whether medical or 'alternative' or just simply lifestyle changes, affected their symptoms. Very informative as this disorder tends to have a high variation of responses so getting input from a group of over 1000 members who were mostly those who had reached a severe level of suffering was essential for me to be able not only to tailor my lifestyle the best way for me, but also to be brave enough to insist on getting the right treatment from my doctors (the first, who had been great for my family up until then, put me on an out dated treatment that was known to actually make things worse even after I told her it wasn't recommended anymore and brought in documentation to show it...which she didn't even look at but just handed back to me, she was the only doctor in a long list that wouldn't listen to me seriously though so I've been lucky otherwise).

Anyway, just encouraging you to go for self-education, it makes a big difference.

I did see that yahoo group and I will probably join it. Right now my son is helping and I have another friend that advising me that I've know for years who was diagnosed about 7 months ago. I'm getting quite a bit of information. So far the medication is wonderful, but they say it will change over time.

[Messenger]

This is the first Sunday with the medication. The first thing I noticed that I was actually listening to the talks and making mental links to my own personal studies. Where before I would lightly listen and while my brain was playing ping pong ball bouncing random thoughts that were irrelevant to the talks. I not only heard all the talks, I understood them with clarity. What I have also found is that my emotional response to the talks is more disciplined. When I felt the spirit before, it was so intense that I could hardly keep the tears from forming. Now, when I feel the spirit, it’s more of a confirmation of his love, and a testimony of what I have heard is true. While, there is no doubt that I could allows those tears to fall, at least I have the control and focus to keep them from falling if I wished.

It’s going to be interesting to give a talk now. In the past I would have to review a talk at least 20 or 30 times and nearly memorize it to keep my thoughts on track while giving it. I’m going to enjoy letting the spirit take me, a bit more randomly, to places that are still focused and apply to the theme of the talk.

I called up a very dear friend of mine who was my Bishop several years ago. We talked about a lot of things. After explaining everything, he agreed with me that the medication was a good idea. We had a chuckle about some of my former ADHD moments in his ward. It was nice to place a few of those moments to a related cause.

The darkness of misunderstanding has been replaced with not only the knowledge of the cause, but also the new capacity of focused thought that has been eluding me all my life. I am no longer besieged in my home for fear of social circumstances or by perceived complex problems that arise from them. Therefore I do not fear them. But have the confidence of knowing that whatever life’s problems there are, they can be solved or resolved in some manner simply by my own will.

Happy Easter,

Mark

[Calm]

The darkness of misunderstanding has been replaced with not only the knowledge of the cause, but also the new capacity of focused thought that has been eluding me all my life. I am no longer besieged in my home for fear of social circumstances or by perceived complex problems that arise from them. Therefore I do not fear them. But have the confidence of knowing that whatever life’s problems there are, they can be solved or resolved in some manner simply by my own will.

It makes a huge difference being able to put a name and a cause on issues even if medication or other treatment isn't all that effective. Very liberating and like you've described, very helpful at reevaluating one's life in a more positive way and with clearer understanding.

[Messenger]

condition in the present, it may not always be effective in the future. I think the word 'manage' is an important idea with ADHD because there are other issues with medial stimulants that need to be addressed and how they affect your body. One of the things I have noticed is how to manage sleep. I've learned when to take the medication so that when I sleep, I can sleep well. Also, there are things you can take that help trigger that sleep. I have found Melatonin very helpful when taken about a half hour before bedtime.

It’s also important to learn about your diet in regards to meal time and quantity. This can have a dramatic effect on the medication. Stimulants tend to reduce appetite; food is not at all interesting. I've lost about 10 pounds in the last four weeks. Since I am overweight anyways, this is a welcome side effect. Also, blood pressure tends to be higher when taking this, so that also has to be managed.

Also, there are cautions to consider when taking in caffeinated drinks of any kind in combination with the prescribed stimulants. Caffeine tends to multiply the prescribed stimulant side-effect radically. That makes sleep nearly impossible. If you accidently have any kind of caffeinated drink with the medication, expect the stimulant effect to be dramatic along with its side effects.

Further, now that I understand my condition and how it has effected me in the past, it also warns me of future possible episodes while at work. The particular type of work I am in demands precision of thought and polite customer interaction regarding complex billing issues - none of which is particularly strength of a person with ADHD! I've always had a certain methodology of handling these situations when an episode occurs: I take the rest of the day off! However, this was hard on my employer, and also hard on my attendance stats.

After some research, I have found that employees who work for employers, who are reluctant to give time off in this manner, can request FMLA time. With my particular condition, I have requested, and been granted 16 hours a month to leave work when I have a future episode. This time comes out of my vacation allotment, and when that is used up, the time is not paid. Further, I am also granted two doctor’s appointments per month as well. With past employers, it wouldn’t have even been an issue, but some employers expect 100% attendance, and don’t allow time off for these two things.

Despite all of the posted side effect, and several I have not posted, I still feel incredibly blessed and fortunate to have been diagnosed and now treated for this condition. I don’t consider myself a medical oddity. In fact, it has helped me to understand that nearly everyone has some sort of medical issue that they have to learn to manage and deal with. If you met me you wouldn’t be able to tell I had any issue at all. However, if you got to know me over time, you would. It doesn’t mean that we are any less of an individual, nor does it give us an excuse for a lack of performance in other aspects of our lives. It simply means that we learn to deal with it, like many other challenges that we must learn to overcome. Those that we cant overcome, we learn to manage.

I would also like to add a few more thoughts. It’s been my experience to report that I have received guidance from the spirit regarding this condition and also the treatment. Looking back, not only is this guidance helpful, but quite necessary. Anybody pursuing the same treatment as mine should give themselves some room to make mistakes when learning how to manage it. The key word here is learning. Further, there should be some concern about how other friends and family perceive this condition. There is certainly a stigma attached to ADHD, and even more in regards to the medication used to treat it. Although I am very used to 'going it alone' when it comes to issues of life. This may not be true for many other members. If you must find someone to talk to, make sure they are a trusted friend or family member.

[Calm]

Also, there are things you can take that help trigger that sleep. I have found Melatonin very helpful when taken about a half hour before bedtime.

Take the lowest amount of melatonin that will work for you, splitting the tablets if necessary. Most of the pills are in much larger amounts than the amounts found to be effective in sleep studies AND taking Melatonin after midnight may be problematic on your immune system. It does affect hormone levels so one should treat it with caution.

Glad to hear things are going relatively well for you, you also seem to be taking a cautious and thoughtful approach which is the best way imo.

[Messenger]

Take the lowest amount of melatonin that will work for you, splitting the tablets if necessary. Most of the pills are in much larger amounts than the amounts found to be effective in sleep studies AND taking Melatonin after midnight may be problematic on your immune system. It does affect hormone levels so one should treat it with caution.

Glad to hear things are going relatively well for you, you also seem to be taking a cautious and thoughtful approach which is the best way imo.

The melaton I take is is two 5 mg tablets. I tried one of them, and didnt do a darn thing, So I moved my afternoon medication of Adderall dose to two hours earlier (from 3pm to 1pm) in the day then follow up at 9:45 pm with the 10mg of Melatonin about 15 minutes before bedtime. This seems to work, once in a while I wake up at 3am then fall back to sleep. I then wake up at about 5:30am.

[Calm]

The melaton I take is is two 5 mg tablets. I tried one of them, and didnt do a darn thing, So I moved my afternoon medication of Adderall dose to two hours earlier (from 3pm to 1pm) in the day then follow up at 9:45 pm with the 10mg of Melatonin about 15 minutes before bedtime. This seems to work, once in a while I wake up at 3am then fall back to sleep. I then wake up at about 5:30am.

That is a large amount but still in currently acceptable levels. You might try taking less, sounds strange but sometimes too much of the right thing ends up being the wrong thing and I've heard several people say they do better on lower doses of the hormone.

Have you studied melatonin at all? Long term side effects are still not understood and since it is a hormone, these may be much more significant. You've got to do what you've got to do to sleep, but if you have to take that much to make it work then I would keep looking for something else to use and just use melatonin until you find it. I find it very interesting that melatonin taking during the normal sleep cycle time (before 1 AM more or less) may help boost the immune cycle, may even shrink tumors, but may have the opposite effect if taken later than that time as some studies have suggested. It will be nice when more definite information is available because I see this as a very useful treatment. I'd use it myself except it gives me horrible nightmares for some reason. For me, about .75 mg is effective, too much more and I am very sluggish the next day. My husband uses it for his occasional insomnia without any problem and IIRC uses the smallest dosage available of 2 mg (and unlike me just goes ahead and uses the whole tablet).

I like the Mayo clinic though they can be a tad too conservative in my view at times, but they are good about keeping up with the latest studies, etc. If you haven't read them yet, I'd recommend reading these two pages:

http://www.webmd.com...atonin-overview

http://www.mayoclini...effects/AN01717

This page may lead you to find some additional aids to explore: http://www.webmd.com...atonin-valerian

Edited May 7, 2011 by calmoriah

[Messenger]

That is a large amount but still in currently acceptable levels. You might try taking less, sounds strange but sometimes too much of the right thing ends up being the wrong thing and I've heard several people say they do better on lower doses of the hormone.

Have you studied melatonin at all? Long term side effects are still not understood and since it is a hormone, these may be much more significant. You've got to do what you've got to do to sleep, but if you have to take that much to make it work then I would keep looking for something else to use and just use melatonin until you find it. I find it very interesting that melatonin taking during the normal sleep cycle time (before 1 AM more or less) may help boost the immune cycle, may even shrink tumors, but may have the opposite effect if taken later than that time as some studies have suggested. It will be nice when more definite information is available because I see this as a very useful treatment. I'd use it myself except it gives me horrible nightmares for some reason. For me, about .75 mg is effective, too much more and I am very sluggish the next day. My husband uses it for his occasional insomnia without any problem and IIRC uses the smallest dosage available of 2 mg (and unlike me just goes ahead and uses the whole tablet).

I like the Mayo clinic though they can be a tad too conservative in my view at times, but they are good about keeping up with the latest studies, etc. If you haven't read them yet, I'd recommend reading these two pages:

http://www.webmd.com...atonin-overview

http://www.mayoclini...effects/AN01717

This page may lead you to find some additional aids to explore: http://www.webmd.com...atonin-valerian

As far as the dose, as with everything with me, it is large, cuz I'm a pretty big guy. It better than the trazodone (50 mg) prescribed, as that had some effects I didnt like.

Edited May 7, 2011 by Messenger

[Calm]

As far as the dose, as with everything with me, its is large, cuz I'm a pretty big guy. It better than the trazodone (50 mg) prescribed, as that had some effects I didnt like.

Yep, trazodone can be annoying. Most prescription sleep aids tend to either knock me out for a couple of days or cause a personality/mood change....for the worse unfortunately. I find using vitamins and minerals plus some herbal teas plus sleep hygiene routines to be the best for me.

[Messenger]

Yep, trazodone can be annoying. Most prescription sleep aids tend to either knock me out for a couple of days or cause a personality/mood change....for the worse unfortunately. I find using vitamins and minerals plus some herbal teas plus sleep hygiene routines to be the best for me.

calmoriah,

Im finding with the Adderall that I need to keep my thoughts occupied when I am not working or at church. You probably know what I mean since you have experience with this type of medication and more history with it than I. Any ideas on a strategic plan to keep thoughts on track besides reading scriptures all the time? Being 45 years old, I probably would have an easier time at this then younger people in dealing with the side effect of this medication. Also, I've noticed that I dont eat much anymore. I know I'm losing weight and I have been taking vitamins. But I can seem to only stand about 1 meal a day. Being a big guy, this is not of particular concern now, but I have noticed my stomach is pretty sore all the time. Any ideas on that?

[Messenger]

I saw these today and had a pretty big laugh ......

Two Funny Ideas to think about, especially funny if you have ADD/ADHD:

1. I stopped to think, and forgot to start again.

2. I was trying to daydream, but my mind kept wandering.

Some Great Things About Having ADHD:

1. Can meet someone, fall deeply in love, marry, fight, hate, and divorce,

all in about 35 minutes or less.

2. Can see all of your worldly possessions at one time...because they

are all over the floor

3. Make far reaching analogies that no one else understands. Write

them off as "Deep Thoughts"

4. The mind of a Pentium--with only 2 Megs of RAM

5. Able to tie seemingly unrelated ideas together

6. Qualifyfor bulk rate mail on tax returns because you have at least 24

W-2's attached.

7. Honestly believes that anything is possible

8. Willing to "step out on faith"

9. A greater tolerance for "Chaos"

10, Provides job security for writers of Spell Check programs

Edited May 7, 2011 by Messenger

[Calm]

calmoriah,

Im finding with the Adderall that I need to keep my thoughts occupied when I am not working or at church. You probably know what I mean since you have experience with this type of medication and more history with it than I. Any ideas on a strategic plan to keep thoughts on track besides reading scriptures all the time? Being 45 years old, I probably would have an easier time at this then younger people in dealing with the side effect of this medication. Also, I've noticed that I dont eat much anymore. I know I'm losing weight and I have been taking vitamins. But I can seem to only stand about 1 meal a day. Being a big guy, this is not of particular concern now, but I have noticed my stomach is pretty sore all the time. Any ideas on that?

Man, I wish I had the last problem (though not the sore stomach bit), at least for several months...meds put weight on me, only the current one I am on hasn't but the one before that turned me into a compulsive eater and I was 50 lbs heavier before I stopped that one (and it was very frustrating too because I knew the one I am on now would work, but they were too cautious to try it so the other was my only option). I've had some friends who have taken Adderall, they've all had the no appetite sore stomach thing, but most were young adults so they didn't worry about it and just ate a huge meal at night.

Anyway, I have had meds that cause me to wake up with a sore stomach and some continue it all the day. I've found yogurt the most digestible, these days if my stomach is really upset I take one of those little Dannon 'shot' yogurt/smoothies things, seems to be just the right texture and ingredients and it's a small amount so it works as a 'introduction' to food when my stomach is wondering about the feasibility of eating. I find fruit in the bottom yogurt too sweet, Dannon or Yoplait custard or regular style seems to have the extra ingredients to help settle the stomach though my favourite is just plain whole fat yogurt with maybe some chopped up almonds and fresh fruit added. When I was pregnant and suffering from 24/7 'morning sickness' it was frozen yogurt that helped the most, the cold seemed to settle the stomach down enough while it being yogurt rather than cream made it more digestible. You might also want to try a high quality protein shake, get one that says easily digestible. I find 'drinking' my first meal easier when I'm not in the mood to eat because I'm always thirsty. During summer, I find watermelon excellent for this problem, cutting up a whole watermelon at a time and having in the refrig to eat when I feel the need but nothing appeals seems to work well most of the time. Having some decent grapes around where I can just eat a few of them at a time so as to not overload my stomach but get some energy into the body so I'm not just running on fumes (and thus having a complete burnout once the adrenalin drops) I find I need some carbs as sedation before sleeping plus protein to help me keep asleep through the night, but too much keeps me awake. A protein shake or even just warm milk with a little vanilla and cinnamon in it (don't like warm milk on its own) seems to be sufficient (and the shakes can be good for getting supplements.

When my mom attended a spa that emphasized strict healthy eating, they had roasted and boiled potatoes stocked up in the frig for people to eat when low in energy. She would just take one for her lunch and go out and walk 20 miles for the day, just munching on it as needed. I'm not that fond of ungarnished potato, but with a little seasoning of garlic and salt and pepper it's a pretty easily digestible meal and having a few cooked potatoes in the frig for when you can't face eating might be useful especially during the winter when good not to acidic fruit can be hard to come by. If you need more flavour, roasted in the skin yams can be delicious and they are very digestible as well and packed with good vitamins.

I've found that I have to be careful about what types of supplements I get as the stomach goes toxic really easy, liquid vitamins and minerals are much less likely to upset the stomach but they can be more expensive. If you think you need B vitamins (for any type of stress), you might try brewer's yeast or tiger's milk, I add that to a smoothie or to warm beef broth and it seems to settle my stomach. Warm beef broth (or chicken if you prefer, but me and chicken don't get along too well for some reason) can be good for sore stomachs as well, the warmth relaxes the muscles and I find the bit of gelatin helpful as well.

I know this sounds really strange but when my stomach has been really bad so that I don't want to eat at all and desperately need to eat (I am hypoglycemic though I get wired with low blood sugar rather than sluggish...probably due to my neurological movement disorder kicking into high gear), I'll take some jello powder and make a 'tea' with it. The sugar prevents my blood sugar from dropping to low while the warmth and gelatin settle the stomach. Sunny D has somewhat the same effect, I think it has cornstarch or something to it and the juice is not as acidic as regular orange juice. Any frozen citrus juice I find to be an instant stomach upsetter, but the fresh squeezed kind works if I don't inhale it so you might try that if you have been avoiding citrus.

You might try peppermint tea for your sore stomach if you like that taste or even peppermint candy. My daughter finds that helpful, I don't like the taste that much but will drink it if I'm desperate.

As far as thoughts...that's more of a natural problem for me though it's mainly negative emotional thoughts that are my problem, my family is into serial worrying...solve one problem, move on to the next until you find one you can't solve and then shred your mind and emotions into mush worrying about it, secondguessing ourselves, replaying over and over what we should have said is our hobby when we get tried of the worrying, lol. I use this board and some other more substantial reading to give me 'problems' to think about that don't have emotional blowback, when I need to shut down my mind I'll read a favourite book that is familiar enough to not lock me into it allowing me to turn it off easily when I need to do something else, like sleep. I also create stories when going to sleep to occupy my mind in a positive way, even thinking about a fun project can kick the brain into overdrive at the wrong time. If I'm not feeling too creative, I'll just rewrite the current story I'm reading with myself in it, it's worked for me since I was at least eight years old, why change a good thing, lol.

It's also easy to get into funks if I don't feel like I'm accomplishing much (since my disorder has unfortunate energy level side effects) so I've learned that I need to focus on getting one thing done rather than making goals that involve multiple things, if I start thinking of too many things at once, I waste too much emotional energy and end up putting myself into 'brain freeze' where I can't get anything done. Making lists helps with this, I make the list first thing when I get up (or before I go to sleep) and then only think about one thing on the list at a time, letting the list keep track of things for me.

My daughter has many of the same problems I have kicked into high gear due to blood sugar shifts from diabetes (type 1), she has found playing the piano very helpful in not only occupying her mind while giving her body something to concentrate on as well but also it seems to help with emotional balance as well so if you have a musical talent you might want to think about expanding on that. If not, then collecting a set of music that helps you keep an even keel and keeping it handy might be very helpful and it can keep thoughts occupied as well if it's complicated enough. Choosing a variety to go along with what level of energy you are needing to expend is a good idea as you'll want to play something different when say working outside or cleaning the house than when you are settling off to sleep. If you have a player that has a sleep mode that shuts off after a time that may help keep your mind occupied enough, but don't make the music so complicated you need to listen to it. If music keeps you awake, you might consider getting a sound machine that not only helps to block out background noise that might set off thoughts but also its repetitive sounds may occupy the mind enough but not too much when falling asleep if you find you are very sensitive to music.

And of course one of the best things is to get into a pretty strict schedule when you can involving exercise and sleep and even eating even if it's just a quarter cup of milk can be very helpful, it seems the body really likes having some structure to drape itself on, something predictable in one's life if the medications or disorders tend to throw surprises one's way on a regular basis.

[Messenger]

calmoriah,

Thanks, your post was awesome. Actually now that you mention it, I think most of the sore stomach issue with me was the vitamins I was taking. Im going to cut those out this week and see if the soreness is less severe. Also your advice about the Yogurt makes a lot of sence. I'll have some of that for breakfast this week as well. For lunch I've been having V-8. I've always absolutely abhored V-8, but for some strange reason I kind of like it now.

Thanks!

Edited May 8, 2011 by Messenger

[Messenger]

Being an older guy and already having tried marriage, then discovering my ADHD, I'm beginning to accept that it’s OK to not be married again. It’s always been a huge goal for me, being married in the temple and having that LDS Family. But to be honest, now that I have recently discovered my ADHD, and being put on medication, not only do I understand the circumstances of my divorce, but I am a less critical of my apparent lack of progress in this department. Also, even if I did find someone that was totally understanding of me with my ADHD, I can't imagine ever bringing in another life into the world with a huge potential for inheriting my ADHD.

What are your thoughts? Are ADHD members of the church off the hook in terms of our perceived responsibility of getting married? How does that affect our goals in eventually being in the Celestial Kingdom?

[Messenger]

Last night I called up my Mom and we talked about my recent discovery of ADHD. We went through the pet peeves list of do's and don’ts that I had collected over the last week from people with ADHD. It was funny, as we talked about other people's pet peeves and how they related to experiences she remembered from my childhood and teenage years. The pieces of the puzzle where coming together for her, just has they had to me.

It dawned on me that of course family members should know if a person has ADHD. But I think bishops should know as well. And close friends who can be trusted.

As my Mom and I talked, we also talked about how other people yelling at people with ADHD is totally counterproductive, and even abusive. I understand why people do it, because in an ADHD moment, our thoughts are fixed on one thing, and we cannot make our minds unfocus and move to another subject very quickly. Sometimes it takes hours, or even a full day. A parent might misinterpret that, and yell at a child to get their attention. That simply makes the brain lock worse.

Although I can’t remember a time when my mother ever yelled at me, and I told her that, I did mention there were several times that Dad did (probably more than just several times). She got quiet when I mentioned this. I said, "Mom, he didn’t know". And I realized an incredible weight was removed from my shoulders. All those years, the frustration of my Dad in dealing with me must have been incredible. I always thought he just didn’t like me. Of course, when he yelled, I simply turned off, withdrew and waited for hours for the moment to pass. He had no idea the abuse that I was feeling or dealing with. At my age I don’t know if all the years of experience can repair the distance in our relationship, but I certainly don’t blame him for something he didn’t know how to handle.

Im sure there are going to be countless experiences from family and friends that I will remember and think to myself, aha! Some of these experiences I will laugh at, and some I will probably be sad over. Some of the incorrect things that I have done, which I had no control over, are directly related to the incorrect reactions people have taken against me. Both of us, not knowing the cause, only acted on what we knew, without realizing the jeopardy we put ourselves in with our future relationships.

Its a different day. And although family and friends will someday forgive me, I will of course forgive them now. I wonder how many things in life are similar to this that have nothing to do with ADHD, but are misunderstandings of another sort?