Hello all,

I am new though I have been viewing the threads for a few weeks now.

I am interested in stories from people who have experienced positive changes in different aspects of their lives due to medication and personl development.

Seems like a few books out there give case studies of people introduced to meds and have had very positive results but I have not read alot of these changes in the forum (or I havent found the threads yet!).

I guess I am not reffereing to short term changes in attitude atraight after taking meds (hours days etc) but the long term (months, years etc)

any stories would be hugely appreciated!

THANKS :)

first of all: welcome!

i'm 36 y.o. i was diagnosed with adhd, add and asperger syndrome about 2 yrs and 8 months ago. i've been on concerta since mid-march of this year, and my life has changed *dramatically* since i've been on this medication!!!

i asked one of my friends (the one who's known me the longest time) to "observe" me, and after a couple of months she came with me to my doctor, to kinda "testify"...
:)
this is what she said: "gabriela's much calmer, slower and not so loud!"
*all* my friends and family *plus* me and my doctor have noticed this, and it is really *amazing*!!!

the first time i noticed that i'd "changed" was when me and my friend ("the observer";-) were having tacos.
this must have been only about a month after i started taking concerta.
b. c (i e "before concerta";-), i used to *wolf* down whatever was on my plate in just a matter of tenths of a second, but this time, i was only about half through my dinner when my friend (who's a "normal-paced" eater) was done...

my doctor said the first thing she noticed was that when we spoke on the phone, i was actually able to *listen* to what she had to say without interrupting - something i'd been unaware of doing before...

thanks to concerta, i'm now also able to actually consider what my options are in any given situation - i'm *finally* able to experience what it's like to be "multiple-choice" instead of just "radio buttons" (okay, so i *do* html!;-) - something which has made me an adult in my own eyes and also in the eyes of other people!

before, i was held hostage by my lack of impulse control - i simply reacted to everyone and everything with the reptilian part of my brain - life used to be one "fight or fly" situation after the other...

to sum it all up: *thank God* for concerta (*and* friends *and* family* and my *cool* doctor...)!!!

Hi Gabriela,

thanks for taking the time to share you story with me. Your story to me is quite inspirationally in that all those "every day" activities are almost always so overbearing you just tend to want to get them over and done with and get outer there, I take next to no time to gulp a meal down and then realise I never really took the time to enjoy it! Its all these things that I would like to change and therfore enjoy. It w ould be amazing to go to a cafe with my GF for a coffee and atually relax and not constantly be looking elsewhere. so waht you have described is what I would like to experience.

And I would like to look at certain situations with a logical outlook rather than fly of the handle feeling complete frustration because I feel "trapped in the moment"

thanks you so much, THis is exactly what I was after.

peace to you

Here is goes ....

48 years old / Male
Diagnosed a year ago.
Adderall XR 30 daily ( most of the time )
Individual therapy for over a year.

Positives :

Anxiety :
* I am normally in a continual state of anxiety - I never knew this untill I took this drug - It is possible to notice this - accept this as the way it is and not fight it or start blaming anyone or striking out. Just deal with it.
* Accept the fact that other people ( non add ) are not like me - a very hard lesson to learn - especialy because they have no idea what we are talking about when is come to certain traits that we all share.

Work :
The adderall allows me to get the job done without as much anxiety related to verbal connunication, enhanced focusing ability and reduction in paraoid thoughts. I know that I can use the drug as a crutch in situations where I have to "perform" - at the same time I do not want to be dependent on it.

any one have a increase in motivation?

I would like to know if any of those who have had a positive experience with medication are primarily Inattentive type ADD. I keep reading these marvellous stories about changes from medication but they seem to always be from those who exhibit hyperactive symptoms or traits at least of the combined type. I've never had any luck with medications myself although I have been consistently diagnosed as having ADD - Inattentive. There's much I can and have done without medications, but boy would I like that sudden focusing and calming some of you report.

any one have a increase in motivation?
That is what I was hoping for... I did have it at first, with Adderall, because I felt more positive about my abilities/intelligence -- didn't think I was just "too dumb" to get an assignment done, and things that had overwhelmed me before and lead me to panic, like cleaning my room, I was able to see as a task that can be broken up and is manageable.

I don't know why that didn't last but now I feel more depressed than I did before I started meds. Does anyone have advice on how to motivate yourself? I have zero motivation right now. Feeling hopeless :(

I have been on Strattera for 11 weeks now, and it has made a huge difference. Night and Day as far as clarity goes. I just seem to remember to do things now without having to be reminded constantly and then still forgetting to do them.

Straterra 40mg did nothing for me except make me sleepy.

I would like to know if any of those who have had a positive experience with medication are primarily Inattentive type ADD. I keep reading these marvellous stories about changes from medication but they seem to always be from those who exhibit hyperactive symptoms or traits at least of the combined type. I've never had any luck with medications myself although I have been consistently diagnosed as having ADD - Inattentive. There's much I can and have done without medications, but boy would I like that sudden focusing and calming some of you report.

I have not been diagnosed professionally yet. But I am like 99.9% positive I have predominantly innatentive ADHD. I have experienced Dexamphetamine however. A friend who had been diagnosed thought I may have ADHD aswell so gave me 2 days worth of dexadrine. It was literally like the light had been turned on. Almost all anxiety had gone. confidence was up, motivation was up. I could also focus like a robot! anyways Dont really want to go into too much detail until diagnosis. Only because I am still in a confused state about the whole matter. I guess what people expereince as the "realisation", confusing , life changing but overall positive. :)

Oh by the way I am seeing a ADHD specialist in a fortnight. So I am doing something about my new found suspicions!

I've been on Straterra 80 mg and Wellbutrin 150 mg for about 5 months now. I see a big difference in myself already... I can see portions of floor in my room ;) My car is clean, depression/anxiety are much better. I seem to be a bit more motivated as well, although I noticed this week that when there is not as much stress in my life, I tend to become more unmotivated. (I think I might talk to my psychiatrist about a med adjustment when I see him next month. )

It's been such a difference, my mom even commented on it to me, twice in the past couple weeks.

I've also been seeing a therapist, but most of these changes came about before I started seeing him, so I think a lot of it is med-based.

Oh yeah, I am inattentive type too.