ADHD No Longer Just For Kids
Drug Companies Producing Adult ADHD Medication
SAN DIEGO -- Does it take you longer to a finish a project than your spouse or friends? Do you constantly start tasks but don't finish them because you're off to the next thing? You could have adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder:
Until recently, doctors didn't realize this well-recognized childhood condition could persist into adulthood.
Lewis Batcher is a successful computer science programmer, but he's struggled to keep his work and home life organized.
"What ends up happening is you complete a project 75 percent through and then you decide you are going to go do something else," Batcher said.
Instead of concentrating on a meeting, other thoughts would invade Batcher's mind.
"I would be thinking about NASCAR racing or my kids or something else and then i would have to bring myself back to what the meeting was about," he said.
Batcher didn't recognize the signs of ADHD until one of his sons was diagnosed with the condition.
"I was the most surprised of all that I had a condition like this," Batcher said.
University of California San Diego psychiatrist Dr. David Feifel is an expert on ADHD.
"It's actually quite a highly prevalent condition -- much more prevalent that people realize," he said.
He said drug companies are realizing the need for adult ADHD medication.
"Those direct consumer ads are really raising people's awareness that there are new medications out there," Feifel said.
Adult ADHD treatments include Atomoxetine or Strattera. Both treatments are being studied at UCSD to see if it can improve productivity at work.
"I think some people are going to find this very attractive by the fact that this new medication, Atomoxetine, is not a stimulant and it's not a controlled substance," Feifel said.
Feifel said adults with ADHD don't struggle with hyperactivity, but problems with concentration and organization persist.
"They have a hard time addressing multi-step tasks, like how to organize and stay focused on it. Something comes along and they move onto something else," Feifel said.
Batcher was diagnosed with ADHD six years ago and has been medicated since. He said his life has changed for the better and gone are the frustrations and disorganization.
He said he has more time to spend bonding with his two sons.
"He's a lot calmer. He's more easy going now. He doesn't get frustrated as easily and he's pretty much just more free," 13-year-old David Batcher said.
"Well, I'm just more happier that he's nicer," 11-year-old Daniel Batcher said.
I say its all for the most part BS that shifts the responsibility of the parent and of the child to a mystical "disorder" - and a boom for medication sales.
What do ya'll think ? If the above is true, I am ADHD because I cannot focus in a meeting or things like that for long periods of time.
Neurotransmitter responsible for constricting blood vessels, which can increase blood pressure, blood flow through coronary arteries, rate and depth of breathing, and can relax smooth muscle in the intestinal wall.
Side Effects "” Children and Adolescents
Most children in clinical trials who experienced side effects were not bothered enough to stop taking Strattera. The most common side effects were upset stomach, decreased appetite, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, tiredness, and mood swings.
In short-term clinical trials with children and adolescents, a modest decrease in appetite was the most common side effect. Some children may experience a loss of weight when starting treatment with Strattera. As with all ADHD medications, growth should be monitored during treatment. Strattera has not been tested in children under 6 years of age.
In rare cases, Strattera can cause allergic reactions, such as swelling or hives, which can be serious. Your child should stop taking Strattera. Call your doctor or healthcare professional if your child develops any of these symptoms.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional if your child develops any unusual symptoms.
Side Effects "” Adults
Most adults in clinical trials who experienced side effects were not bothered enough to stop taking Strattera. The most common side effects were constipation, dry mouth, nausea, decreased appetite, problems sleeping, sexual side effects, problems urinating, and menstrual cramps.
In rare cases, Strattera can cause allergic reactions, such as swelling or hives, which can be serious. Stop taking Strattera and call your doctor or healthcare professional if you develop any of these symptoms.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional if you develop any unusual symptoms.
Joy joy ! Sounds like something I want to try !
I am 99.99999% certain I will NEVER place my child on a drug to change his/her mental state. I think thats one of the worst things a parent can do .
In reply to this post stealth, all i can say is that these......Hey, will you pass the ketchup, burger needs ketchup, of course, I could strip this table down and refinish it, but won't be able to do that until this weekend, of course, I've got basketball Sat am, then I could start building my studio, but what about that room that needs painted. I'll be I have started that room 60 times. Hey, did you guys hear the one about the horse that walked into the bar? Bartender says, "hey you, why the long face?" And oh yeah, dinner with the folks will also take time away from this weekend. So anyway Jorgy, about your post....
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We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a civilization, it expects what never was and what never will be.
Ah yes, the Rx guys thought, "Wow are we missing the boat here - we can convince millions of adults to buy this drug".
Actually, if you want to know what is responsible for ADHD, at least in part - two words: HEAVY METALS. Heavy metals have clouded our childrens brains and our brains for years. The effects of some of these metals are amazingly close to the symptoms of ADHD and ADD and whatever they are labeling it these days. Want to know why you can't think? Get a hair analysis done to see what's in your body that shouldn't be. Another factor is actually a lack of trace minerals that our nutrition-deifficient processed diets rob our bodies of every day. No, no tin hats on this one.
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We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a civilization, it expects what never was and what never will be.
Oh trust me, I worked with 2 guys that were definately hyperactive. These fools would run around the building for 8 hours a day ... If you tried to sit them down and talk rationally to them -- give them logical arguments for something, they would hear "la la la la la" and run away and do something totally contrary to what should be done.
If you tried to sit them down and talk rationally to them -- give them logical arguments for something, they would hear "la la la la la" and run away and do something totally contrary to what should be done.
Yeah, those people are called "lefties".
Stealthy hit it right on the head. I have all the signs and symptoms of adult ADHD but I don't for a second believe it's a "disease" that I'm going to treat with psychoactive drugs.
It's called my lack of discipline and procrastination. How many times have you sat down to finish a presentation for work, or a paper for school and wound up defragging your hard drive, organizing your DVD collection, cleaning the garbage can, and doing pretty much anything but what you're supposed to be doing? It's hardly a disease.
Like has been mentioned here before, it's all about shifting the blame from the individual onto some sort of "boogeyman" disorder that somehow negates the fact that you may be irresponsible.
As Tony Soprano says- people who go to doctors to fix problems in therir heads are douchebags.
Cripes, I've been hyperactive since I was 5 years old. I never thought that there was anything wrong with me, just something wrong with everyone else that makes them so damn complacent and obedient.
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Obamanfreude - 1. taking pleasure from the misfortunes of an Obama supporter as he or she is adversely affected by the policies of their Dear Leader.
ADHD no longer just for kids
