My girlfriend is adhd and is supposed to take 30mg of adderall every morning. She hates taking though and every morning I take her to school for the past year she puts it in her pocket and throws it out the window on the way. I've been taking it every once in a while lately and it helps me a lot. I've never done that good in school (even though I test high in standardized tests) I made a 1210 on the sat. I've never thought I could be add because I've never been hyper. Weather I am or not either way I'm lazy and unproductive and procrastinate on EVERYTHING. When I take adderall I'm not lazy and really productive and I like it. Should I go get tested? Where do you go? Should I tell the them I've taken her medicine before? Is it bad for you to take that stuff if your not add?
Thanks for any help

You really shouldnt be taking other peoples prescription medications...but many people do it and its probably not gonna kill you. Anyway, adderall could make anyone more productive because its a type of speed. I have many non -ADD friends who loved taking adderall, ritalin, dexedrine etc. to help them when studying or to get them more motivated for work. Just because you like the way adderall makes you feel doesnt mean that you do or dont have ADD. When you take it do you notice a difference in your ability to focus on work or studying?? You dont have to be hyper to be ADD, ADHD is ADD+ hyperactivity. There is ADD inattentive type. Sometimes people with that type seem "lazy" "unmotivated" etc.

Here are some symptoms of ADD inattentive type. (looking back through your history some of the symptoms should have been noticable by or before age 7)

a. Often fails to give close attention to details or makes
careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities
b. Often has difficulty sustaining attention in
tasks or play activities
c. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
d. Often does not follow through on instructions and fails
to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace
(not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand
instructions)
e. Often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
f. Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks
that require sustained mental effort (such as homework)
g. Often loses things necessary for tasks or activities (toys,
school assignments, pencils, books, or tools)
h. Is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli
i. Is often forgetful in daily activities


If you really think you have ADD it would be good for you to go talk to a doc and get evaluated. A psychiatrist who specializes in adult ADD would be your best bet for an accurate diagnosis. Good Luck ;)

Yea all those things are definately me to an extent. Especially boring things like school and cleaning up and things like that...I wait till the very last minute (like I mean I'd be sitting in class writing term papers and doing projects that were due the next period). But I love cars and working on them. I rebuild transmissions and engines and sell them and I have absolutely no problem concentraring on things like that. I don't really know if I am or not but I know that adderall would definately make me more productive in life. I know it's not good to take other peoples meds but it does help me wheather I'm add or not? Should I stop taking them?

http://home.carolina.rr.com/everylastdetail/engine.JPG
http://home.carolina.rr.com/everylastdetail/P6260237.JPG
http://home.carolina.rr.com/everylastdetail/P2090053.JPG
See I really am smart:)

Thats awesome that you like to work on cars. My ADD brother and my ADHD brother both LOVE working on cars and motorcycles and they are really good at it. They could build a car themselves if they had the parts to do it. I'd say ya you should stop taking it, and you should go to a psychiatrist and talk about ADD and then if the psych thinks you have it you can get your own prescription for it or another ADD medication. From what youve said so far it does seem like you do have ADD. It doesnt take very long to get a diagnosis.

OK I still got a few ?'s
How do they test you? Is it a written test or what?

Should I tell him I've taken adderall before? I'm kind of scared to bc it's illegal and I don't think a dr. would be very happy about it.

How come all add people I know HATE taking their medicine. I remember back in elementry and middle school my best friend used to raise hell when his mom made him take his ritalin. And my girlfriends been throwin adderalls out the window for the past 2 years :rolleyes: .

missadditude-
Your brothers should save up a little money and start doing it for profit if they like it so much. Thats what me and my friend are doing. I'm about to make almost $5000 off that 3000gt. I've wanted one since the 5th grade. I bought it with a bad engine a transmission for $1500, $700 in parts and machine shop bills, and blue book is $7300. 7300-1500-700-a month of my life= $5100:) . I've got a guy with $7000 cash begging me to sell it to him. I just bought another one that's a twin turbo I might have to keep, (320 hp 320lb torque@2500rpm, awd, all wheel steering):D but yea there's lots of $ to be made if you know what you're doin.

Thanks for you help

A good positive ADD diganosis will be made only after a physical is done. (just things like blood tests blood pressure heartbeat and regular stuff) Then what most docs use to test for ADD is

a. they will ask for family history of possible add symptoms or symptoms of other similar problems. (learning disabilities, ocd, mood disorders etc.)

b. they will have you fill out some questionares about yourself and your behavior.

c. they will ask that one or two people you know fill out questionares regarding your behavior.
(some docs will end it here)

Good doctors will go on to do things like:

d. IQ tests/skill tests

e. TOVA, its like a computer game where you press the button when you see a certain combination of letters flash on the screen

f. some also do other tests relating to learning rates, understanding of societal rules etc

The process will go a lot faster if you can get some old report cards from your old schools or maybe your parents if they kept them. Doctors like to look at them, see how your grades varied, and read the comments made by teachers.

As to whether or not you should tell the doc that you took adderall before. Well it is illegal, but you wouldnt be the first person who's done it. Most of the time its parents trying their childrens meds then going in to be diagnosed. You have to use your personal judgment here. If you really have ADD telling the doctor that you took the medication before and it helped you be more productive probably would not sway the diagnosis either way. So there is no real reason that you would need to tell him. However it is nice to have a doctor who you can be totally honest with. I always told my doc about illegal drugs/drinking with meds (I was underaged) and other things like that.

The reason most AD/HD people dont like to take meds..... hmmm
Well there are a lot of people out there who do take their meds willingly. Some people just dont like thinking theres something wrong with them so they dont want to take pills. Some people have bad side effects like change of personality or depression. Personally I dont believe meds should be used if there are other treatments that will work, like alternative therapys, natural supplements etc. Then theres the fact that a lot of people prescribed ADD meds dont really have ADD and were just misdiagnosed so they should not be on the medications. When I was younger and on adderall one reason I didnt like to take it was because of all the comments from everybody. It was like they liked me better when I was drugged, or like they thought I was not capable of doing anything unless I was on medication. I ended up pretending to take it, I told everyone everyday that I had been taking my medication but I really just put it in my pocket. And guess what, everyone actually believed I was taking it, they were making comments like "Shes such an angel while shes on this medicine" "On adderall shes a whole different kid" "Its so great to be around her when shes on meds" "Shes doing so well now, she never could have done this without the meds" All those comments were made while I was JUST PRETENDING to take my medication lol. Everyone has their reasons for not wanting to take it... have you ever asked your girlfriend why she doesnt like to take it? If you can avoid meds then you should go for it. ADD isnt all bad, not everyone needs meds. beCalmd is a great natural alternative for ADD. I take natural things but was trying strattera to see how well my natural treatments worked compared to meds. For me the natural stuff works way better.

One of my brothers actually does work with cars, he works at some shop doing restoration I think. My other brother who likes doing mechanical work is currently in jail :rolleyes:

Is that red car yours???? OMG I want that car!!! lol

Mojo,

Nice 3GT! VR4? If so what turbos are you running and how much boost?

Back on topic:

Goto a doctor and get your own prescription.
#1. Your girlfriend should be taking her meds
#2. You might need a different dose or different drug
#3. It's legal that way

As far as her not wanting to take her meds...... Is she Hyper active? I think since stimulants tend to slow hyper active people down a lot of times they don't like that, they like being hyper.

I on the other hand, being strictly Inattentive, like the fact that the stimulants wake me up and give me a "little bit" of energy to get things done.
My wife does kind of have to force me to take my Adderall in the morning though. I'm asleep and I want to stay that way. :D

It does seem more ADD people are willing to take meds than those who are ADHD. My little brother didnt like meds either though and he is ADD inatentive type... however, I dont think his ADD is severe enough to need meds so that could be the reason for that.

Ok...so I guess I'll make an appt. Should I go to a psychiatrist or just the regular dr? Yeah my gf is really hyper sometimes. She's adhd. She just always says I don't know I just don't like it.

Innatentive-No that one's not a vr-4. It's the 220hp SL. I just bought a really nice vr-4 that has a rod knock for real cheap though. I'm just going to put a factory short block in it. I got the car for $1500 and blue book on it is like 9k. I've got a boost comtroller to put on it and it's safe to run up to 15psi w/ stock turbos and no fuel mods which will put it at 360hp:D.

Go to a psychiatrist who specializes in adult ADD. They will be able to give you a good accurate diagnosis. You can ask for a referal to a good psych from your insurance company.

Yes get diagnosed.

No don't keep taking her pills.

Yes tell the doctor AFTER you haven't taken any for two weeks.

Don't be in possession of her drugs. stimulants are a big time problem under law right now and the cost to you personally fo rself disagnosis and self medication can be federal drug charges and hard time. for get school ramifications.

With your own diagnosis and prescritpions, take your own meds, and do not share with others. that too is illegal and in a practical way dangerous. This "board" is public and traceable... with a secret court order, so get your nose clean and keep it that way.

In my humble opinion.

You can convince any doctor that you have any illness and get perscribed any medication. Any medication approved by the FDA is safe to an extent and definatly taking a stimulant won't hurt you and more than it could potentially hurt the person its perscribed for.

I originally saw the doctor about depression, gone through the AD's, then narrowed it down to anxiety, so we're now doing tharapy for anxiety, and now it comes around to inattentive ADD which seems alot more along the lines of whats wrong.. so I can bet you next time I see the doctor and tell them this that I will get an ADD med if I wanted it and if it will help I truely do.

But normal people going on psychoactive drugs has little or no harm in my opinion.

Originally posted by syndicate
You can convince any doctor that you have any illness and get perscribed any medication.

Any good diagnostician, should be able to see through most "acts", as diagnosing disorders usually involves more than one dimension (i.e. review of school records)

Any medication approved by the FDA is safe to an extent and definatly taking a stimulant won't hurt you and more than it could potentially hurt the person its perscribed for.

Medications approved by the FDA have to meet certain requirements, namely that they deliver on their intended purpose to a statistical majority of test subjects, versus the placebo group in (at least one) double blind study. However, it is untrue that a stimulant won't necessarily "hurt" you. As with most medications (and over the counter meds) there are documented side effects, including some very serious. Even asperin can kill.

But normal people going on psychoactive drugs has little or no harm in my opinion.

Here's what the professionals think about psychoactive drugs, and the harm they can cause:

Drugs may have both short-term and long-term health effects depending on many factors such as the type and quantity of drug, how often someone uses it, the physical and emotional health of the user and combinations of drugs and/or with alcohol.

Even infrequent use of drugs can result in physical problems such as hangovers, digestive problems, heart damage, decreased sexual performance, and injuries due to lack of coordination and judgement. Other possible effects include impaired performance in class and at work, relationship conflicts and financial difficulties.

A Psychoactive drug is defined as a chemical or drug that has a specific effect on the mind. There are three basic categories of psychoactive drugs: stimulants, psychedelics, and depressants.

Stimulants – also called uppers – increase alertness, energy, physical activity and feelings of well being. Some examples are cocaine, amphetamines such as speed and crystal meth, nicotine, and caffeine.

Psychedelics – also called hallucinogens – can cause visual, auditory, and other sensory hallucinations. Examples are LSD (acid), peyote, and psilocybin.

“Club drugs” combine the properties of both stimulants and hallucinogens. The effect is a heightened sensitivity to sensory input without hallucinations or other major perceptual distortions. Examples are ecstasy, ketamine and GHB and are prevalent at “raves.”

Depressants – also called downers – decrease body processes such as breathing, heartbeat, and brain activity. Examples are alcohol, barbiturates, rohypnol (“date rape drug”), tranquilizers, and inhalants.

Marijuana (pot) is a form of cannabis that is the most widely used illegal drug in America. When smoked, marijuana triggers a mild euphoria and a heightened sensitivity of bodily sensations, along with a variety of other perceptual distortions that are usually experienced as pleasant – but not always, and not by all users.

Research shows that marijuana affects the balance of chemicals in the brain that control mood, energy, appetite, and concentration.

Psychoactive drugs are most frequently used for “recreational” purposes. Many produce tolerance and dependence (psychological, physical, or both). The more frequently a person uses a drug and/or the larger the dose, the greater his or her tolerance to the drug. This means that over time, larger quantities may be needed to produce the desired effect.

Although dependence is associated with tolerance, it is not the same thing. A person who is physically dependent on a drug needs it to function “normally”. When the drug is discontinued, withdrawal symptoms occur that can be both painful and even life threatening. Taking the drug again relieves these withdrawal symptoms, but only temporarily.

A person who is psychologically dependent feels he or she cannot function ”normally” without the drug. While there may be no physical illness associated with quitting, there can be severe mental and emotional distress that prompts the person to continue using the drug.

Psychoactive drugs refering to those FDA approved.

I've taken many illict drugs over the years and never craved or abused any of them because I have enough common sense that after one hang over, you realize the drug is doing more to your system than you think. Also taking these drugs doesn't make your problems go away, well only for 5 hours.

And marijuana was just plain bad. (my experience)

Now returning back to Adderall, if the person above feels more productive and more concentrated obviously he has a problem with it. Who is to define who has inattentive ADD, all it is a checklist of symptoms and if you fall into that criteria and the medication helps then you have it. As "mojo3120" describes, only the person late in his life comes to understand that it is infact a problem... and in my own experience you have to convince people you have this problem and there are no real tests for it and its why its overlooked so easily.

Now he will goto the doctor and they will agree with him and he will continue on the medication. That has been my experience with doctors and psychiatrists... These problems seem so obscure your the only one who can solve it for yourself.. there is no clear cut diagnosis for this stuff.

Yeah I did bad in my later years of school, cant concentrate, procrastination, nobody ever told me or ever thought of it. Mean while all these stresses pushed to go on to university and be productive has brought on new symptoms of anxiety and depression ... so truely if something helps you become who you want to become a drug like adderall is safe or else it wouldn't be perscribed to add patients... go read about long term effects. It has no-dependancy properties or tolerancy issues,..

He can goto the doctor, but I am convinced he will just get a perscription for himself.. which is what he should do because its alot more convient than getting it from your girlfriend.

Ok...lol...back to Adderall. Sorry for the previous illicit drug rant :D

Definetely get a diagnosis from a qualified diagnostician. Then, once diagnosed, discuss appropriate medications.

I'm impressed with the amount of info presented and I agree with most of it.Unfortunately there's no one way to dx adhd today.I will remind ya'll that computrized tests have been found to NOT work for dxing adhd.They are, however, appopriate research tools. I posted several threads on Diagnosis when I first joined and that should give you a good idea of what it entails from the clinicians side of the story.Take care and Happy Holidays:)