60 year old female with ADD

deepsouth · 12-30-2007, 05:11 PM

I am a newbie to this message board. I am hoping to get some answers about my problem. I am an only child with parents that died young. I have always been super hyper, scattered brained, jump from one thing to another without completing anything, and my mind races constantly from topic to topic. I have always just accepted that this is the way that God made me. A recent trip to my hometown, opened my eyes to a lot of things. I spent several days with my cousin, and she told me a lot about family history. Not only has she had ADD all of her life, but everyone of her children has suffered. She takes Ritalin. When I shared all the things that I do, she said that it sounds like her ADD. She gave me this 10 mg tablet of the Ritalin and said to take it. The result was amazing, almost like a miracle. I completely slowed down, and my mind stopped racing for the first time in my life ever. I was able to think clearly and logically, something that I have never been able to do. I sat still instead of jumping up and down to run from one thing to the next. Came back to my home and doctor and told him of the experience. He started me at 5 mg to take one at 9 a.m. and one other at noon. Worked great for awhile, then I began to not think as clearly. He raised it to 10 mg. That also worked great for awhile. Does one have to keep raising the medicine to work? Is this what happens to everyone? Please help me figure out what I need to do. Thank you anyone out there that might shed some light on this!

index.html · 12-31-2007, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Does one have to keep raising the medicine to work? Is this what happens to everyone?

Well, yes and no. You are still on a low dose of Ritalin so it may be that you need a higher dose. On the other hand, here is something you need to be aware of: Ritalin - as well as the other stimulants - produce a lovely sense of wellbeing when you first start taking them (or when you increase the dose). That feeling won't last. Continually raising your dose to get that feeling is a slippery slope toward addiction.

Instead, you have to differentiate between feeling good and the ability to concentrate. IOW, you need to titrate your dose strictly based on your ADD symptoms - are you concentrating as well, are you able to focus, are you able to sit relatively still? The question to ask yourself is NOT "do I feel better?" or "Do I feel as good as I did?" You are not going to feel on top of the world for long; don't even try.

Does that make sense?

PS. Welcome to the board!

janewhite1 · 12-31-2007, 10:53 AM

Actually, I've never gotten "good feelings" from ADD medication. Alcohol, sure, but not Ritalin. I felt exactly the same, except it was like there were 3 or 4 radios channel-surfing in the back of my mind, and they'd just been turned off. I was able to concentrate for longer periods of time without getting sidetracked or bored. If you feel "wired" or superhuman, the dose is too high.

The only way to get a true "high" on Ritalin is to inject it, which some foolish youths try to do. That will produce addiction, as well as damaging the part of the brain that experiences happiness.

Of course, that feeling of accomplishment can be pretty sweet all by itself!

Deepsouth, you may indeed need a higher dose. Or, you might benefit from going off the medicine for a few days, to reduce your tolerance. (drug holiday)

photoangel71 · 12-31-2007, 02:52 PM

There are many things that can cause the symptoms you have, you should find an ADD specialist that also works with adults and be tested. I too was found to have this at an older age of 32yrs old, but after being misdiagnosed, for sometime, as bipolar, but the meds made me worse and feel awful. I too had dealt with the speeding thoughts, and found an article in the paper about bipolar symptoms, I cut it out and carried it and told my doctors I thought I had this, come to find out later it was popular or dare I say a growing fad to be bipolar, just as I believe now ADD is becoming a growing fad to diagnose.Anyway there are many things that can cause these symptoms, its important to make sure you are ruled out by your family doctor for anything with blood test, and psychologically with testing. I found a psychiatrist who sent me to have testing with a specialist, the testing lasted 3 days and several hours a day. Most females are not discovered to have ADD until a later age because when they were younger they may have had symptoms of being "shy, quiet, stay in the background, not as easy as boys who usually are hyper and always in trouble, and disruptive. There are also many different meds to try for ADD, for example, Ritalin, knock me out for hours. Yes it was common for them to have to up my dose but only two or three times in a year and a half, on my medication I found worked best for me. <removed> But I would be cautious of a doctor that just medicated me without doing many other test including ADD testing.

photoangel71 · 12-31-2007, 03:02 PM

If you are in Alabama, The doctor I went to was Dr. Bretch (I think i spelled it right) who specialized in adult ADD, <removed> Also it is very good advice to take a "holiday from your meds", after you have been on a particular dose, that you found helped your symptoms, for a long period of time. When you can start keeping most of your things in order, and get goals finished, feel less restless, and can focus better, then you know you found the right dose or med. I am a newbie, but have lived a much better life since I found out in 2003 that I did have ADD, and found the right meds for me. Hope this helped!