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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jms600 on September 23, 2004, at 17:04:17
Hi everyone,
I really could do with some help! I am a 25 year old male and believe I have ADD. I was hyperactive as a child. Although the hyperactivity has subsided I still get terrible concentration and memory problems, which I have had for years now. At first I just though I would cope with it, but lately it has been affecting my job. Although I would consider myself to be fairly intelligent, I just struggle to retain any information. I daydream all the while when I should be concentrating and am always forgetting things. My boss at work has really been complaining at me lately because I've forgotten to do things or haven't concentrated properly on the task in hand.
I have mentioned this to my doctor but he said he wasn't prepared to try me on drugs such as Ritalin or Amphetamines as no one knew there long term effects on the brain.
I have been taking Gingko Biloaba and Korean Ginseng together, but I have found it to be ineffective. What else could I try? I would sooner try something natural first before I go behind my doctors back and self medicate.
What about current anti-depressants? Are there any out there that can help with ADD? I think my doc would be more keen to prescribe these than Ritalin.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Posted by Emme on September 23, 2004, at 17:15:17
In reply to ADD - Help - I could lose my job!!!, posted by jms600 on September 23, 2004, at 17:04:17
> What about current anti-depressants? Are there any out there that can help with ADD?Strattera. It's a non-stimulant ADD drug that is also supposed to have AD properties.
Posted by utopizen on September 23, 2004, at 17:21:22
In reply to Re: ADD - Help - I could lose my job!!! » jms600, posted by Emme on September 23, 2004, at 17:15:17
>
> > What about current anti-depressants? Are there any out there that can help with ADD?
>
> Strattera. It's a non-stimulant ADD drug that is also supposed to have AD properties.
>Stratterra was first tried as an antidepressant, and it failed. Some claim antianxiety effects, though.
Try Straterra, or an AD. Then move on to Ritalin when those two fail.
Posted by TomG on September 23, 2004, at 17:33:59
In reply to ADD - Help - I could lose my job!!!, posted by jms600 on September 23, 2004, at 17:04:17
Theres not a whole lot of evidence behind it, but I have heard of some people using Provigil to combat ADD.
It is not related to traditional stimulants in terms of the mechanism of action.
Posted by utopizen on September 23, 2004, at 18:09:24
In reply to Re: ADD - Help - I could lose my job!!! » jms600, posted by TomG on September 23, 2004, at 17:33:59
> Theres not a whole lot of evidence behind it, but I have heard of some people using Provigil to combat ADD.
>
> It is not related to traditional stimulants in terms of the mechanism of action.
>Most docs I think try an antidepressant first, because they're suppose to suspect the most common cause of an attention deficit-- depression. Once that doesn't work, they can either consider it an unresolved depression or no depression at all, so they can give you a stimulant then. But I guest the dynamic might have changed now with Straterra, they might try that first.
Posted by jujube on September 23, 2004, at 20:14:15
In reply to ADD - Help - I could lose my job!!!, posted by jms600 on September 23, 2004, at 17:04:17
I am certainly no expert in natural remedies/supplementation, but I read a number of articles, etc. about L-Glutamine. If your doctor is unwilling at this time to consider medication, you might want to look into it. It is an amino acid (no prescription required, and available in health food stores or can be ordered over the net), that is touted as an energy food source for the entire brain, providing stable, calm, alert brain function. Perhaps someone on the alternatives board can provide more information on this supplement. There is also a product called Be Calm'd that I have come across on the internet. It contains amino acids (5-HTP, L-Glutamine, DL-Phenylalanine, as well as some B vitamans). The website says it is good for ADD. I haven't tried it, but am thinking about ordering it and giving it a go. It may be worth a try.
> Hi everyone,
>
> I really could do with some help! I am a 25 year old male and believe I have ADD. I was hyperactive as a child. Although the hyperactivity has subsided I still get terrible concentration and memory problems, which I have had for years now. At first I just though I would cope with it, but lately it has been affecting my job. Although I would consider myself to be fairly intelligent, I just struggle to retain any information. I daydream all the while when I should be concentrating and am always forgetting things. My boss at work has really been complaining at me lately because I've forgotten to do things or haven't concentrated properly on the task in hand.
>
> I have mentioned this to my doctor but he said he wasn't prepared to try me on drugs such as Ritalin or Amphetamines as no one knew there long term effects on the brain.
>
> I have been taking Gingko Biloaba and Korean Ginseng together, but I have found it to be ineffective. What else could I try? I would sooner try something natural first before I go behind my doctors back and self medicate.
>
> What about current anti-depressants? Are there any out there that can help with ADD? I think my doc would be more keen to prescribe these than Ritalin.
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated!
>
Posted by tulip04 on September 23, 2004, at 21:10:40
In reply to Re: ADD - Help - I could lose my job!!! » jms600, posted by jujube on September 23, 2004, at 20:14:15
I was just recently put on ritalin for ADD -- I'm 27 and have been on and off SSRIs for years, but kept complaining about the same things poor concentration, forgetting everything and just lack of motivation to do anything. Its only been a day, but I'm hoping for the best. I completely know what you are going through here, I was getting very worried because I began to perform not so well at work, and I too consider myself pretty intellectual, which is why I managed to get through school this whole time. You might try wellbutrin also, if your doc is hessitant towards ritalin -- it has been shown to have helped ADD.
Posted by King Vultan on September 23, 2004, at 22:43:20
In reply to ADD - Help - I could lose my job!!!, posted by jms600 on September 23, 2004, at 17:04:17
If you're just seeing a family doctor, I would recommend getting a referral to a psychiatrist who would have the ability to evaluate you for ADD, or perhaps just consider seeing someone else. I think your doctor's statement shows an ignorance and/or possible biases regarding ADD and its treatment. Some of the non-stimulants I am aware of that have been reported to have some efficacy in treating ADD are Strattera, Wellbutrin, desipramine, Parnate, and clonidine. Of these, Strattera is probably the best med, but Wellbutrin is a common antidepressant that even family doctors don't seem to have much of a hang up prescribing.
Todd
Posted by jerrympls on September 23, 2004, at 22:48:01
In reply to ADD - Help - I could lose my job!!!, posted by jms600 on September 23, 2004, at 17:04:17
> Hi everyone,
>
> I really could do with some help! I am a 25 year old male and believe I have ADD. I was hyperactive as a child. Although the hyperactivity has subsided I still get terrible concentration and memory problems, which I have had for years now. At first I just though I would cope with it, but lately it has been affecting my job. Although I would consider myself to be fairly intelligent, I just struggle to retain any information. I daydream all the while when I should be concentrating and am always forgetting things. My boss at work has really been complaining at me lately because I've forgotten to do things or haven't concentrated properly on the task in hand.
>
> I have mentioned this to my doctor but he said he wasn't prepared to try me on drugs such as Ritalin or Amphetamines as no one knew there long term effects on the brain.
>
> I have been taking Gingko Biloaba and Korean Ginseng together, but I have found it to be ineffective. What else could I try? I would sooner try something natural first before I go behind my doctors back and self medicate.
>
> What about current anti-depressants? Are there any out there that can help with ADD? I think my doc would be more keen to prescribe these than Ritalin.
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated!
>Hello JMS-
As far as your job is concerned - your are protected - to a certain degree from being fired under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). You need to talk to someone in your HR dept. about this ASAP. I cannot stress this enough. You DO NOT have to go into great detail about your illness or what meds you are talking, etc. But you must file with your HR dept. or Disability services that you are being seen for a chronic condition. All this takes is having your doctor filling out a form. And on the form the doctor basically just has to say you are being treated for a chronic condition that may impair some of your responsibilities at work. He doesn't even have to say he's a Psych. doc or that you're being seen my a psych doc. Once this is filed you are protected against being fired due to your "illness," PLUS your employer must work to help accommodate you at work - for ex: giving you a more flexible schedule, allowing you to work from home - even allowing you to have a separate work space at work so you can concentrate and aren't distracted by fax beeps and phone rings, etc.
Please check out this book "Working in the Dark: Keeping Your Job While Dealing With Depression" It explains all your rights and how to do what and what to say to your boss, etc.
Jerry
Posted by karaS on September 24, 2004, at 1:43:51
In reply to Re: ADD - Help - I could lose my job!!! » jms600, posted by jerrympls on September 23, 2004, at 22:48:01
Posted by jms600 on September 26, 2004, at 15:10:49
In reply to Re: ADD - Help - I could lose my job!!!, posted by tulip04 on September 23, 2004, at 21:10:40
This is the end of the thread.
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