ADHD and Medication
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I have ADHD. Now what? Do I start pills? Do I have to take them for the rest of my life? (We got that one covered at the end of the post.) Do I have to tell my work? How will I remember every day??
The answers are not so simple. I recommend discussing it with a doctor first. It’s easy to go online and read about the horror stories in regards to medicine. A doctor who is trained in adult ADHD may be hard to find (unless you sign up with our Direct Primary Care!). A knowledgeable one will tell you that stimulant medication is very effective but there can be side effects. You just have to work with him or her to find the right medication and dosage for you. This will vary upon your age, work schedule, medical history, and the severity of your symptoms. Unfortunately, there are some people that will not be able to tolerate medications but for those that do, I tell them to look forward to being more productive and focused at work and relaxed at night so you can get better sleep.
“Wait! I thought stimulants keep you awake!”
While that’s true that stimulants wake people up, an adult with ADHD with properly dosed and timed medication, will be able to sleep just fine. They may even be able to slow their brains down if they were able to accomplish more during the work day (or night).
The answer to most if not all your questions are in the book below.
Get your copy of Delivered from Distraction by clicking here.
DISCLAIMER: The content in this blog is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog or on this website.
Thank you dr Patel if it wasn’t for you I don’t know where I’d be once you got me on the right meds and I’m doing so much better than when I first came to you.
That’s the goal!
[…] don’t NEED anything if the topic’s interesting enough (or at least engaging). But asking an ADHDer to be calm and […]
Dr. Patel, could you provide some info on stimulants and coffee? You prescribed me (stimulant) and I love drinking coffee however I keep hearing everywhere that you should drink coffee with stimulants, but I’ve been doing it this whole time with seemingly no side effects. Thanks for all the information you provide!
Caffeine is a stimulant. The reason I start with lower dosages of stimulants is that I know people are used to drinking their caffeinated beverages. I find that people drink less coffee when their prescription is optimized and they have better results overall. That’s why I recommend drinking less coffee than usual when starting or increasing stimulant prescriptions. Hope that helps.
Thank you so much! I think I will cut my coffee intake back to 1 cup a day versus 2 and maybe switch to decaf!
Thanks for your help!