Health - Getting an ADD prescription

[sknkv2]

SWIM's pet hamburger has tried to no avail to procure an add prescription. He has tried several doctors and has recited each symptom of add he experiences. He is sure he is an undiagnosed case, as he has used speed and illegally purchased add meds to study on several occasions, which always helps boost his productivity and has overall increased his work quality and work load. He is just wondering, what would the chances of getting a prescription be if he just went ahead and told a psychiatrist this? That he has used speed to help him concentrate, is not at all addicted or dependent and that it has helped him improve his work and work load when used once off . Would the psychiatrist just see him as drug hungry or actually believe him?

Thanks.

[fiveleggedrat]

Self medication is very much frowned upon. Unless Swiy's doctor is personally known, I would say nothing about usage. Being deemed "drug seeking" is a death sentence.

Swim can't even get medication for insomnia, and telling medical people Swim self medicates hurt his chances.

[rocksmokinmachine]

Telling a doctor one is using the drug they are trying to procure kills the chance of them ever getting it.

Leave it out.

[anarchyat]

Swim would agree that telling him about self medication is a death sentence, but on the other hand swiy should be able to be honest with his doctor. Swim is prescribed Adderall for his ADD, but has also told his doctor about his drug seeking behavior and addictive personality, and the doctor still prescribes him medication. Swim notices that being as honest as possible works well with his doctor.

If the doctor sees that you have an honest problem with attention he will prescribe you medication, not to mention ADD meds are probably the most over-prescribed medication, next to opiates that is...

[dark12]

SWIM gained the trust of his psychiatrist over a period of time to obtain the stimulants he wanted.

It started out with her recommending Strattera which is a non-stimulant to control SWIM's ADHD. SWIM saw this as a test so he said he was all for it. Then a couple weeks later after telling his doctor it didn't work she switched him to Focalin XR(Dexmethylphenidate).

Five months later and SWIM now has a huge amount of trust built with his doctor. Just last weekend SWIM casually alluded to being interested in Dexedrine and without asking a single question his doctor wrote him a prescription for it.

Most doctors will look at every new patient suspiciously(especially when they are college aged and look like a hippy, such as SWIM). It's SWIy's responsibility to atleast act like you trust SWIyour doctor's recommendations, even if they prescribe something that won't help SWIy study all night. It's also important to play dumb and pretend SWIy has no idea that these can be used recreationily.

Then of course memorize all the possible symptoms of ADHD and give examples of how they negatively affect/affected SWIyour work, relationships, and school.

Follow this and SWIM is sure SWIy will get what SWIy wants, but it may take some time.

Hope this helps!

Reputation Comments on this post:

	Excellent advice. Right on target, as far as all of SWIM's experiences have gone. Great post.
	great advice by playing it cool

[sknkv2]

OK SWIM's hamburger is going to the psych in a few days to try and get a prescription for his chronic ADD. Just wondering, is it likely that they will ask SWIM to give a blood test before if they are willing to prescribe him medication?

[dark12]

It is doubtful.
SWIM can only see this happening if SWIyou have some serious health condition like diabetes or something. Or possibly if SWIyou are older and heart health is becoming a higher concern.

[blipblop]

I'll give a personal story about when I was prescribed AD/HD medication. This isn't self incriminating because of course I don't take any illegal drugs or use my prescription drugs in ways that my psychiatrist hasn't instructed. I also told my psychiatrist the complete truth, as I'm sure you're planning to.

I first went in to my psychiatrist and told him that I'd been having trouble concentrating at school for years, and that the problem wasn't going away even when I got better sleep, when I was under no stress, or even when the course work was really interesting and I *wanted* to pay attention, and that as I progressed into university, it was becoming more difficult to catch up on what I hadn't been able to listen to in lectures.
I told him how lack of concentration had made my grades drop, and that I'd started feeling unmotivated, what was the point in trying to be productive if I couldn't focus anyway? I told him how I'd had to start taking fewer subjects in high school to keep up, and how I couldn't cope with university at first and had one night randomly decided to drop out.
I was honest with him about my impulsivity and the fact that I'd been in trouble in the past due to not thinking before acting.
He asked me if impulsivity had led me to take illegal drugs, I told him it hadn't, but that I'd smoked (bad idea as I'm asthmatic) and been reckless with alcohol when I was 16 (law here allows people of that age to drink in a private residence).
I said that my school counselor and doctor had told me I could have AD/HD, but that I hadn't done anything about it before because I wasn't sure if I wanted medication because I was worried about side effects. I said I recently read about symptoms of AD/HD in a book and had been shocked at how much it seemed like me.
He wrote me a prescription for AD/HD meds on the second session I had with him. I was told to come back in a month, take one tablet at breakfast and one at lunch. I told him I'd taken it on about 20 days out of 30 because sometimes I forgot, but that I thought I could notice a slight difference on days I had remembered.
He increased my dose until I said it was working, I go back occasionally to review with him and get new prescriptions.

The important thing is to not seem overly keen on drugs, and let them know how your life is being effected badly by your condition.

Reputation Comments on this post:

good advice

[sknkv2]

Originally Posted by blipblop

I'll give a personal story about when I was prescribed AD/HD medication. This isn't self incriminating because of course I don't take any illegal drugs or use my prescription drugs in ways that my psychiatrist hasn't instructed. I also told my psychiatrist the complete truth, as I'm sure you're planning to.

I first went in to my psychiatrist and told him that I'd been having trouble concentrating at school for years, and that the problem wasn't going away even when I got better sleep, when I was under no stress, or even when the course work was really interesting and I *wanted* to pay attention, and that as I progressed into university, it was becoming more difficult to catch up on what I hadn't been able to listen to in lectures.
I told him how lack of concentration had made my grades drop, and that I'd started feeling unmotivated, what was the point in trying to be productive if I couldn't focus anyway? I told him how I'd had to start taking fewer subjects in high school to keep up, and how I couldn't cope with university at first and had one night randomly decided to drop out.
I was honest with him about my impulsivity and the fact that I'd been in trouble in the past due to not thinking before acting.
He asked me if impulsivity had led me to take illegal drugs, I told him it hadn't, but that I'd smoked (bad idea as I'm asthmatic) and been reckless with alcohol when I was 16 (law here allows people of that age to drink in a private residence).
I said that my school counselor and doctor had told me I could have AD/HD, but that I hadn't done anything about it before because I wasn't sure if I wanted medication because I was worried about side effects. I said I recently read about symptoms of AD/HD in a book and had been shocked at how much it seemed like me.
He wrote me a prescription for AD/HD meds on the second session I had with him. I was told to come back in a month, take one tablet at breakfast and one at lunch. I told him I'd taken it on about 20 days out of 30 because sometimes I forgot, but that I thought I could notice a slight difference on days I had remembered.
He increased my dose until I said it was working, I go back occasionally to review with him and get new prescriptions.

The important thing is to not seem overly keen on drugs, and let them know how your life is being effected badly by your condition.

Cheers for that mate, appreciate it. Just the advice SWIM's hamburger needed.

ALso, should SWIM's hamburger explain how he has been taking caffeine pills at high doses to aid concentration?

[blipblop]

Originally Posted by sknkv2

Cheers for that mate, appreciate it. Just the advice SWIM's hamburger needed.

ALso, should SWIM's hamburger explain how he has been taking caffeine pills at high doses to aid concentration?

One could probably admit caffeine use to a doctor without the doctor becoming less willing to prescribe proper meds. I personally have told my doctor that prior to being on prescribed AD/HD medicines I needed a lot of coffee to get through exams etc. I made sure I mentioned that coffee is not as useful to me as the AD/HD medication I have been put on since, and noted that caffeine can give me side effects like jittery feelings, anxiety, shaking hands, feeling ill etc. I think this helped my doctor understand that I was obviously needing *something* to deal with my symptoms, but that he couldn't just say "oh well, caffeine seems to solve everything for you", he saw that trying something else was needed.
If one was to mention to their doctor that they were taking ridiculous amounts of caffeine that could cause serious illness or death, the doctor might hesitate to prescribe serious medication as they might not trust the patient's judgement, but taking slightly higher than normal doses would not necessarily imply 'drug seeking', but would probably just indicate that the patient was just desperate to try to deal with a condition that was seriously effecting their life.

[Venusia]

Originally Posted by dark12

It is doubtful.
SWIM can only see this happening if SWIyou have some serious health condition like diabetes or something. Or possibly if SWIyou are older and heart health is becoming a higher concern.

Swivy's been prescribed almost all C classes of drugs, save for barbs, and the only one she was pre-tested for was opiates via her pain clinic. P-docs aren't too interested in what their patients have been taking so much as what they will take as soon as treatment begins (unless it is pertinent to their current psychiatric state); as opposed to pain clinics, which want to make sure one isn't a crackhead junky before they script them heavy narcotics.

[sasafrass]

Some tips : Cancel first appointment, then reschedule. Makes you amazingly more legit. More than half people bail on first appointments.
: Buy book "Driven to Distraction". By a shrink w/h ADD.
: Play ball. Expect a blood test for a baseline organ functions, not as a drug screen. They will watch how you react.
: Expect the drill. No amines to start. Admit you swill coke, etc., i.e. lots of non decaf products just as a reflex action.
My neighbors dog said it took a few months but has gone from worthless junk to ritalin to dex. to adderall. Never asked for anything by name or quanity. Did ask for i.r. as time release could be an issue w/h sinus headaches.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	Good new ideas!
	good new info, very helpful

[dark12]

some good advice there blip.
Some shrinks may first have you try the Strattera non-stimulant treatment. It might work for some, but I have not heard anything good about it for the treatment of ADHD. SWIM got out of this problem because anti-depressant type drugs tend to give him very bothersome sexual side-effects. When SWIM told his doctor this, he was switched to Focalin immediately.
Don't beat around the bush when talking to your doctor. If your dosage seems too low, let your doctor know. Doctors are more than a walking Rx pad. Keep your doctor informed and you will realize that the 'medication game' really isn't necessary.

[Hollow Hippie]

People do realize amphetamines will produce increased productivity and concentration in ANYONE, right? Just because amphetamine makes SWIY more productive does not mean SWIY has ADD/ADHD. ADHD is way over diagnosed.

[blipblop]

Originally Posted by Hollow Hippie

People do realize amphetamines will produce increased productivity and concentration in ANYONE, right? Just because amphetamine makes SWIY more productive does not mean SWIY has ADD/ADHD. ADHD is way over diagnosed.

Mmm, isn't it only a sign of attention deficit if a stimulant does not produce the heightened activity etc typical of stimulants but actually slows down racing thoughts/ calms hyperactivity/ reduces impulsivity? Whereas in a non attention deficit person it would increase these things?

dark12, I agree with you, doctors can actually be really useful if you are open with your doctor as much as possible (though of course they will be really unhelpful if someone needs adhd meds and confesses to a history of anything that could vaguely be seen as 'drug seeking')

[Hollow Hippie]

Originally Posted by blipblop

Mmm, isn't it only a sign of attention deficit if a stimulant does not produce the heightened activity etc typical of stimulants but actually slows down racing thoughts/ calms hyperactivity/ reduces impulsivity? Whereas in a non attention deficit person it would increase these things?

dark12, I agree with you, doctors can actually be really useful if you are open with your doctor as much as possible (though of course they will be really unhelpful if someone needs adhd meds and confesses to a history of anything that could vaguely be seen as 'drug seeking')

I believe those are misconceptions, amphetamines at a low dose will do that for anyone, but someone with ADD will still speed up if he took a hit on a methamphetamine pipe or took a large dose of amphetamine.

SWIM does not have ADD but all kinds of amphetamines make thoughts more organized and what not, ADD is way way over diagnosed (it is real but not everyone has it), because with out ADD amphetamine would not sell as much for the pharmaceutical industry.

[Sickpeache]

Originally Posted by Hollow Hippie

People do realize amphetamines will produce increased productivity and concentration in ANYONE, right? Just because amphetamine makes SWIY more productive does not mean SWIY has ADD/ADHD. ADHD is way over diagnosed.

I COMPLETELY agree. Some drs are way too willing to just throw a pill at any 'problem' (not that thats ALWAYS a bad thing) But especially with children, it can't be healthy to be pumping a 10 year old full o drugs. Am I the only one who thinks we should try looking at the child's upbringing? I see so many parents that don't discipline their children, and then when they don't listen, and ignore their parents, they (parents, drs) blame it on ADD. WTF?!?\
ADD and AD/HD are WAY overdiagnosed
Discipline your children, people!

Sorry, very off topic, but had to rant.

[duG22]

Originally Posted by Sickpeache

I COMPLETELY agree. Some drs are way too willing to just throw a pill at any 'problem' (not that thats ALWAYS a bad thing) But especially with children, it can't be healthy to be pumping a 10 year old full o drugs. Am I the only one who thinks we should try looking at the child's upbringing? I see so many parents that don't discipline their children, and then when they don't listen, and ignore their parents, they (parents, drs) blame it on ADD. WTF?!?\
ADD and AD/HD are WAY overdiagnosed
Discipline your children, people!

Sorry, very off topic, but had to rant.

yeah im against putting children on speed as well, its just like putting every adult on antidepressants tho. thats why swim cant wait to go into the medical field bc its so half ass. Im gonna belazzzzyhttp://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/smileys/smiley36.gif

[myocardial infarction]

Well first off unless SWIY really feels that you have ADD and it's messing up more than just studying, like it was with me, pretty much every part of my life, finances, marriage, you name it. Don't go to a doc and try to get a script. If SWIY doesn't have ADD, the drugs the doc prescribes aren't physically addictive like opiates are, they're psychologically addictive.

Has SWIY ever considered that SWIY has programmed the body to only study when it's on uppers, (this is called dependent learning and can happen with any sort of substance). Then when SWIY goes to study without it the mind just won't do it because it feels that it needs the drugs to concentrate etc.

6 months ago I started taking fish oil, magnesium and multivitamins to try to help but nothing worked. Try this regimen and see if it helps put SWIMs body chemistry back in balance. All of these supplements can be purchased for under 20 dollars total at Wal-mart.

I finally got the guts to identify my symptoms, realize this was fucking up my life, and seek psychiatric help. The doc has me on 50mg Vyvanse once a day and so far it's been helping a ton. I feel like I've made a complete 180 in life.

Where these types of drugs are schedule II substances in the DEA registry please don't try to fake it. Many people like me suffer from the same disease and can't function without the help.

Thank you

[Hollow Hippie]

Originally Posted by myocardial infarction

6 months ago I started taking fish oil, magnesium and multivitamins to try to help but nothing worked. Try this regimen and see if it helps put SWIMs body chemistry back in balance. All of these supplements can be purchased for under 20 dollars total at Wal-mart.

While I agree with your ADHD points, please do not suggest quackery to diagnose and/or treat a problem. All this "balance", "cleansing", "detoxifying", etc. nonsense will probably not help the majority of people and instead supply placebo benefits or even more problems. Vitamins, fish oil, and magnesium will not harm you but they are useless for people that do not actually lack those things. The very idea of balancing the body is not how one should go about modern medicine.

[dark12]

Sounds like a topic for another thread.

[sknkv2]

SWIM's hamburger had his first appointment. All has gone well thus far, she (the doc) has already said she believes the hamburger my has a case of ADHD but the hamburger needs to go back in a week or two. I'll edit this post later today with exactly what the hamburger said.

EDIT:

Ok here is how the hamburger told me things went down in the appointment

Originally Posted by swims hamburger

I explained that I have been having trouble concentrating and that it is coming at an overall cost to the standard of life I am living, due to the fact it takes me longer to do things it would take others less time to do, and the quality of work I am submitting is not of the standard it could be. I explained that I had been to two doctors prior, but their suggestions were not helpful (ie: change in diet, sleeping times, exercise, fish oil)... I explained it has been a problem since I was very young, often getting me into trouble at school, and that I hadn't really tried to do anything about it until now since I was at uni and it never mattered that much before. I told her I've been taking caffeine pills constantly to compensate and help concentrating. She suggests it sounds as though I have a case of ADHD, and that I need to replace the caffeine with something "more targeted towards just concentration". I will go back in a few weeks where she will inform me of the best option for handling my condition.

[blipblop]

Sounds like it's going perfectly, I'm glad some progress is finally being made on this and that help was found on DF
Keep us posted!

[dark12]

Awesome!
sounds like hamburger handled it perfectly!
Let us know what meds he is started on.

[duG22]

swim says he told his doc he had tried concerta (actually he was getting adderall he just wanted to sound like he didnt know what he was talking about) and he got prescribed adderall lol..

so its really up to the doctor