about organ damage related to daily medication regimen? i mean both the organs of metabolism (liver, kidneys, etc) and byproduct organs like the heart, and also, the possible negative effect either direct or indirect on the immune system? i worry endlessly about this and it keeps me from being compliant. some days it just feels "unnatural" to be taking a pill. then again there are so many chemicals in our food these days it's hard to say which is worse. thoughts?

Im much less worried about taking stimulants than the SSRI/SNRI drugs i've been taking the last year or so. The way stimulants affect us is pretty straight forward and well understood in comparison to say effexor/cymbalta. im much more scared about what those drugs have done to my neurochemistry and body.

The active ingredients in Adderall and Dexedrine have been used to treat ADHD since the 1930s, and used in humans since the 19th century. Methylphenidate has been used to treat ADHD since the 1950s. Most of the negative effects are fairly well known.

More importantly, drug addicts have used amphetamines in very high doses for fairly long periods of time, and studies of amphetamine addicts have given us much knowledge of what these drugs can and cannot do. By comparison, it's highly unethical to give someone a couple hundred doses of Prozac for a few years.

The metabolic organs are unlikely to be affected at normal doses. On the other hand, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and aspirin are known to cause damage to the kidneys, and acetominophen (tylenol) is known to cause liver damage, as is alcohol (and don't combine the two).

Heart issues might actually be worth considering, although most people with ADHD consume doses which don't cause much more peripheral stimulation than a cup of coffee, and I don't see people dropping dead at Starbucks.

Immune system damage is actually not something I'm too concerned about. Researchers have observed weakened immune systems in amphetamine addicts, but this is more likely due to the "junkie lifestyle," with a lack of hygeine and medical care, inadequate diet, and sharing of drug paraphernalia likely being the major contributors.

As for D.B. Cooper's concerns about his neurochemistry, your brain is remarkably resilient. It has multiple feedback mechanisms like downregulation to compensate. Despite what you might hear from DARE or other such sources, it is rare for drugs to cause actual brain damage. There are some exceptions, of course, such as dissociative anaesthetics like PCP, or synthesis f*ckups like MPPP. But in general, most drugs taken in normal doses aren't likely to cause serious or irreversible damage. Might make you feel kinda stupid while you're on them, and maybe for a little while longer until the receptors upregulate, but in general you're not going to have serious brain damage.

I worry endlessly about this and it keeps me from being compliant.I personally would be more concerned about all the ADD-related worry that you seem to "endlessly" ruminate about!

The anxiety and stress caused by "endless" worrying is much more likely to lead to your demise, than any medication related health problems you might encounter!

I'm not trying to be rude or mean Melv! :) I'm just starting to see a regular pattern with your posts that causes me to be a little concerned about the high stress and anxiety levels you seem to be having from all the worrying you do about every possible health issue you and your child could get from taking ADD medications!

Peace! :)

Don't forget that ADD-related lapses in attention can be dangerous as well. There's the obvious stuff like forgetting to look both ways before crossing the street, and the not-so-obvious stuff like forgetting to turn off the stove or oven, or replace the fire alarm battery.

:p you both have good points! now make the worry go away ;)

ok ok i know i really don't need to know, but since you sort of know how i am by now, i gotta ask worst case scenario. of course my and my baby's dosage would never be anywhere near the ones taken by drug addicts, but what problems were they seeing with long-term addicts? organ failure? :eek:

SEE!? I'm terrible!

obviously ... i will NOT subject my brain to those horrible ssri's - i tried those once and learned 1st hand how rotten they make you feel ... and had a family member nearly kill himself trying to get off one - i think it was effexor(?).

i should probably change my screen name to highstressanxietygirl. oh, and the whole leaving the stove on thing ... ya supper's done when the smoke detectors go off, and while i dont seem to forget to look when walking, i've done that driving a few too many times. hence ... i avoid driving these days. im starting to wonder if the meds might actually help this stuff ... if i could only stop worrying about taking them ... you know?

thanks girls.

Worry means being passive. Taking action is the best antidote for worry.

You do have other options besides drugs despite the "propaganda" here.

I think when it come to children that may be faced with an entive life of taking medications, it might be more advantageous to find a better solution than drugs.

Do people just ignore the fact that HRT for women was seriously pushed by the pharma companies and lots of doctors not that long ago. Before "the **** hit the fan" and they finally admitted that HRT was doing more harm than good. Yeah, those drugs work but you shouldn't beleive that all of those clinical trials are completely objective and unbiased. What about all the clinical trials for HRT? It is possible to get good trial results even though the stuff causes more problems than it solves.

And of course Vioxx is another problem drug that should be mentioned. Drugs have problems that don't come to light until enough people speak up about the danger or the serious consequences of taking those meds.

Are you feeling lucky? Then you can step up to be the guinea pig for everyone else and try the latest and greatest drugs to see how great they are.

Or, you can invest in your health and your children's health by researching other options. Like I said being active helps. Taking an active role (in your health care) is the best thing if you are worried. Do your own due diligence by researching the drugs (like most people do here with feed back from others) and look into other options. THERE ARE ALWAYS OTHER OPTIONS.

The SSRIs are not something to dilly dally with. I think some people find them difficult to come off of. Is that really a viable solution to having depression or some other mental health problem, developing an addicition to script meds?

Vioxx is an interesting case, let's take a look at it. Vioxx is a COX-2 inhibitor, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drug similar to ibuprofen or aspirin, except that because it selectively inhibited COX-2 instead of both versions of the enzyme, like ibuprofen, it was thought to be useful for avoiding the gastrointestinal side effects of ibuprofen, which could be deadly in their own right.

It also only took 3-5 years to figure out that Vioxx should be pulled, if my memory is correct. Anecdotal evidence had been building that Vioxx might increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, so Merck (the evil "big pharma" company that makes Vioxx) conducted a study to test this. When the independent Institutional Review Board for the study looked at the data halfway through, the evidence was overwhelming that Vioxx increased these risks, to the point that they deemed it unethical to continue the study and expose patients to that risk. They gave this information to Merck, who immediately shared it with the FDA, and Merck also immediately pulled Vioxx from the shelves on their own.

By contrast, most ADHD meds (except Strattera) have been used for decades. There have been hundreds of clinical studies on both their effectiveness and their safety. It is known that people with certain risk factors (mostly certain cardiovascular conditions) shouldn't take certain ADHD meds. I have made several posts advising people that they should check their blood pressure regularly when taking these drugs, and have suggested that using the free blood-pressure booth found at most pharmacies when they re-fill their prescription is a good way to remember to do it.


I think when it come to children that may be faced with an entive life of taking medications, it might be more advantageous to find a better solution than drugs.

A: I think it's each individual's choice what path to take

B: What other solutions do you have to offer, and what evidence do you have that said solutions are better than medication?



Or, you can invest in your health and your children's health by researching other options. Like I said being active helps. Taking an active role (in your health care) is the best thing if you are worried. Do your own due diligence by researching the drugs (like most people do here with feed back from others) and look into other options. THERE ARE ALWAYS OTHER OPTIONS.

Trust me, dear, I know how to do a risk-benefit analysis on health issues, it's kinda what pays for the computer that I'm using to type this. That being said, I agree that people should take an active role in their health care and educate themselves. I think that they should do as much research as they can, and they should look into all options. The thing is, though, that most of us who do so come to the conclusion that medications are fairly safe in most circumstances (again, barring certain medical conditions), and that they are the most effective treatment now known. But hey, don't take my word for it, go check out the National Institute of Mental Health's (funded by your taxes, not by "big pharma") webpage on ADHD:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/adhdmenu.cfm

The SSRIs are not something to dilly dally with. I think some people find them difficult to come off of. Is that really a viable solution to having depression or some other mental health problem, developing an addicition to script meds?
I think that for some people, in some situations, SSRIs are the best solution for their condition. It's certainly not a one-size-fits-all kinda thing, and I've had friends who had horrible reactions to them, but there are also people for whom they've literally saved lives. If the choice is between SSRIs and a suicidal patient, I'd say go with the SSRIs.

I think that for some people, in some situations, SSRIs are the best solution for their condition. It's certainly not a one-size-fits-all kinda thing, and I've had friends who had horrible reactions to them, but there are also people for whom they've literally saved lives. If the choice is between SSRIs and a suicidal patient, I'd say go with the SSRIs.
You are looking at one (or the font that represents one in any event). I do not function without an SSRI (or now an SSNRI), period. I am suicidal without them. Always.


It also only took 3-5 years to figure out that Vioxx should be pulled, if my memory is correct.

Correct, and I can also vouch that just taking a sample provided from some doc can lead to big issues. I was floored to be told many years ago that I had DJD and gladly accepted the relief provided by Vioxx. I now wish I had been more aware of the risks, but its too late for that, and that's one good reason I have the current attitude I have about my other meds. I pay more attention to the data now, that's for sure! I do have to take a possibly addictive painkiller for the record, because I am no longer able to take NSAIDs...thanks Vioxx! I stay very alert for possible addiction yet I do require relief from pain some days in order to function too.

I am glad people like Hyperion and Barb are able to provide me good data about the meds in my regimen :).

Melv, I do not think you are terrible, hun. I am just standing on the other foot :cool: since no other ADs work for me and I personally have terrible responses to Wellbutrin. I would not of course deny that it works gangbusters for other people!


Don't forget that ADD-related lapses in attention can be dangerous as well. There's the obvious stuff like forgetting to look both ways before crossing the street, and the not-so-obvious stuff like forgetting to turn off the stove or oven, or replace the fire alarm battery.

Once again, a tragic page from my own life story...I have had to ask for police/fire company intervention no less than 3 times to find my Kid. Her impulsivity + my inattention = one scary situation off meds.


i avoid driving these days. im starting to wonder if the meds might actually help this stuff ... if i could only stop worrying about taking them ... you know?


Man, do I know! I refuse to drive at all off my meds :D. I can happily reort that they do, indeed, help a great deal!!

Crazy :cool:

And of course Vioxx is another problem drug that should be mentioned. Drugs have problems that don't come to light until enough people speak up about the danger or the serious consequences of taking those meds.
Amphetamine was first synthesized in 1887, this is not even close to the same thing and you know this.

The SSRIs are not something to dilly dally with. I think some people find them difficult to come off of. Is that really a viable solution to having depression or some other mental health problem, developing an addicition to script meds?
One does not become addicted to SSRI's, many non-addictive drugs need to be withdrawn gradually to let the body adjust to less of the medication. Prednisone is a non-SSRI example.

Script meds are not all addictive for mental health problems. The patient info sheet makes it clear if a med is addictive. I would not be here today if it were not for SSRI's and now an SSNRI. What good would it have done my family if I had refused to take the drugs-much more harm than the risks of SSRI's.

The goal of most mental health meds is to find the lowest dose that provides the most relief of symptoms. When side-effects become worse than the symptoms, it is not worth taking the drug most times. There are some SSRI's I cannot or will not take for various reasons, but the difference they make in my life compared to OTC treatments or nothing is priceless. Remember, they used to chain the mentally ill and put them in horrible institutions-I for one am glad for medical reseach. But also consider and research alternative methods of treating my ADD and other health problems.

Becky

As for D.B. Cooper's concerns about his neurochemistry, your brain is remarkably resilient. It has multiple feedback mechanisms like downregulation to compensate. Despite what you might hear from DARE or other such sources, it is rare for drugs to cause actual brain damage. There are some exceptions, of course, such as dissociative anaesthetics like PCP, or synthesis f*ckups like MPPP. But in general, most drugs taken in normal doses aren't likely to cause serious or irreversible damage. Might make you feel kinda stupid while you're on them, and maybe for a little while longer until the receptors upregulate, but in general you're not going to have serious brain damage.One of the rare times I'm going to risk disagreeing with you Hyperion, since I readily acknowledge that you are undoubtedly smarter and better educated about this than I am. However, there are a number of individuals who have had brain damage to some extent on SSRI type medication. Unfortunately, I get to count myself as one of those. While I happily took Concerta for over a year with no problem, shortly after being 10 mg a day of Prozac I was experiencing involuntary painful muscle spasms, eye twitches and other buccal, lingual, mastecatory symptoms -- I also had a couple visuals halluciations which stopped the day after I cut my 10 mg dose to 5 mg. I'm not exactly a junkie. In fact I'm a health nut, non smoker, non drinker who has never tried any illegal drugs or had any other hallucinations in my life. My doctor had another Prozac patient who came in flapping his arms uncontrollably. I discovered rather belatedly that the Physicians Desk Reference does refer to those side effects being reported in post production Prozac. It also lists extra pyramidal syndrome as a possibility--for those who don't know what that is we're talking Tardive Dyskensia (flapping arms and hand, tongue sticking out, chewing motions, twitches, etc.). Tardive Dyskensia does indeed indicate brain damage, sometimes permanent (with the older anti psychotics it is permanent half the time). I'm not inferring this happens to most people (although it sure does concern me for those taking it long term, since even with anti psychotics the rate of folks effected increases the longer it is used roughly 5% or so a year --IE: 5% year one and by year 25 68% will have developed it).

Hopefully the SSRI's will occur at a much lower rate, but if you happen to be one of the ones affected, it still matters! It's also problematic since the medication may mask the symptoms until you begin withdrawing from it and the damage is done. The book Prozac Backlash (you can actually read the first chapter on line) has a good deal of information about folks who have been affected by this. BTW, I only discovered this after I experienced these problems and googled my symptoms to see what would come up.

I'm not slamming SSRI's but I think the makers of these medications and the FDA need to be a lot more upfront with patients about even small risks and explain in laymen's terms potential outcomes and potential withdrawal problems. I would probably still have tried an SSRI for Major Depression with suicidal ideation and taken my chances, but I was taking it for Premenstral Dysmorphic Disorder and I wouldn't have risked it knowing what I now know.

Just my two cents,


Scattered

One does not become addicted to SSRI's, many non-addictive drugs need to be withdrawn gradually to let the body adjust to less of the medication. Prednisone is a non-SSRI example.

Im pro drug but the arguement about SSRIs not being addictive is one im particular familiar with as i've been on at least 10 anti depressants and multiple ones at the same time.

The FDA defines addictive as something lab rats will willingly self administer. Monkeys love provigil about as much as cocaine but it doesnt affect us in that way at all. The anti-depressant companies have even come up with a word so that they dont have to say withdrawl when someones coming off of their meds, its "discontinuation syndrome".

The WHO lists most convential SSRI/SNRI drugs as habit forming at least. The EU agrees with them and lists most AD as possibly addictive.

Currently im weening myself off of effexor and i'd seriously like to choke the hell out of someone from Wyeth right about now. But in all reality i knew the risks and im suffering the consequences.

Currently im weening myself off of effexor and i'd seriously like to choke the hell out of someone from Wyeth right about now. But in all reality i knew the risks and im suffering the consequences.I feel for you -- I understand that Effexor is one of the worst. About 80% of folks have "discontinuation syndrome" from it and it's a pretty rough ride. Hope you're done with that particular rough ride soon. I was reading that some folks switch over from Effexor and other AD's with a short half life to Prozac because it's longer half life and the liquid form allow them to wean off it more gradually.

Take care,
Scattered

HRT can be habit forming. Estrogen makes everyone feel a bit better and will often mask symptoms of other diseases or disorders. I know women who have demanded their doctors continue writing prescriptions for HRT in spite of warnings to the contrary.

:p You both have good points! Now make the worry go away ;) Hi Melv! :)

Have you ever read the book's "Worry" by Edward M. Hallowell, or "Feeling Good" by Dr. David Burns? You might want to see if you can locate them or check them out at your local library! :) The both are wonderful books that are easy to read and understand! :)

The reason I'm mentioning them is that I use to worry excessively, and sometimes I still struggle with it! In fact, I use to make myself physically ill worrying about stuff! And it all seemed like valid stuff to be worrying about at the time! However, after reading the book's "Worry" and "Feeling Good", I personally have found that I am alot better at controlling my worrying! I think that just by knowing that it is my ADD brain that makes me want to worry excessively has helped tremendously!! However, that knowledge alone is often not enough for most ADDers.

I have found that working thru many of my ADD problems has often involved "Thinking About My Thinking" and "Thinking About My Worrying" rather than just "Finding The Right ADD Medication". Who knows, as time goes on you may find that this is true for you as well! :)

Anyway, so why do we ADDers worry so much? Well, I personally don't believe that the "Searching out of hot topics", or "Worrying" that ADD people do is done intentionally. I mean none of us actually wake up every day and say to ourselves "Hmmmm, what shall I worry about today!", "Oh, I know!", "I'll worry about my health today!" LOL :D It sounds silly just saying that, does it not? The "Worrying" that ADD people often do is not a conscious choice! It's a symptom of ADD, and therefore it's a problem that should be dealt with if the person with ADD wants to live a happy and productive life!

There are many methods and techniques discussed in the two books above that I mentioned which can help control ADD-related worrying! I have even discussed some of them in other threads. In fact to save some time, I'm going to copy some of what I posted here for your benefit! :)

One of the methods (Or techniques) that I recall is called the Hidden Emotion Technique. People who are prone to anxiety are almost always exceptionally "nice" people who often will sweep their feelings under the carpet. So when they are unhappy about something, or mad at someone, they don't know it or they might not want to admit it. They insist everything is fine, but develop all the symptoms of stress and anxiety, such as heart palpitations, dizziness, Irritable Bowl Syndrome, and a myriad of other physical problems and illnesses.

However, if one can bring the feelings to conscious awareness, and express it, the symptoms often will subside or completely disappear. You seem like an exceptionally "Nice" person Melv, however like me, you also have ADD which tends to make us worry to much, which can wreck havoc on both our physical health and our mental health. Shoot, if you think about it! People who are meaner than a snake usually live to be 120 years old because they don't hold everything inside and make themselves sick! LMAO :D

Another anxiety producing problem is that people tend to think in absolutes! My Fiancé's uncle is a minister and the entire family is extremely conservative, and religious, with lots of absolutes of morality always being proclaimed in a rather righteous manner. Over the years, this has really started to annoy me, as I saw lots of judgments of other people resulting from their system of thinking.

Value systems are ultimately not right or wrong, but are stipulations we make. Suppose, for example, that I have a value system that says that people who achieve more are superior human beings. They are more worthwhile. A great many of the people who suffer from depression and anxiety feel this way. You cannot prove or disprove the idea that great achievers are "superior" human beings. You can only say, what are the advantages and disadvantages of thinking this way? How will it help me, and how will it hurt me?

Another example is that some people base their self-esteem on intelligence, looks, or charm. They insist that people with these qualities REALLY ARE better than others. Usually, these people are suffering from inferiority or depression, insisting others are better than they are. These rigid value systems lead to all kinds of weird implications.

For example, serial killers have been attractive, charming, and intelligent. Can you imagine meeting Ted Bundy, a handsome, shrewd, and charming man. "Hey Ted, I've got to hand it to you. You may be a sadistic serial killer, but you sure are handsome, charming, and smart. You're one heck of a worthwhile fellow in my book!" As you can see when you set up these absolute value systems, they tend to lead to some absurd conclusions.

Another example would be the fellow who bombed the building in Oklahoma. I'm sure he was convinced he was absolutely right, and absolutely innocent, and morally superior. And the same could be said about the World Trade Center Terrorist as well! I'm sure they were convinced that they were absolutely right in their belief system.

Well, I've probably gone long enough! LOL :D

The two books that I mentioned above are both wonderful books that can really help with not only worrying, but other emotional issues as well! Plus, they are much better at explaining these methods and techniques than I have here! So don't let my attempt here at explaining things dissuade you from checking them out! They both were very helpful for me, and you may find them equally helpful as well!

Peace, :)

Worry means being passive.Adhders worry because it is something to focus on.

My psychologist says that a lot of ADDers have some OCD type tendencies. Put together with what John Ratey says in Shadow Syndromes that makes a lot of sense. He compared worries to OCDers with out the C, kind of like ADDers without the H. We tend to obsess on thing and I think Imnapl is right that it's something to focus on. Hallowell also says it's stimulating and pleasant or not ADDers are always looking for stimulation. Anyway, I've found a book that I've found helpful since meds aren't a option for me at this point in controlling the worry. It's called Brain Lock by Jeffrey Schwartz. It describes a four step program: renaming (identifying the thought as an obsession); reattribution (reminding yourself this is a function of your brains neurochemistry or as one person put it "It's not me, it's my brain!"; refocusing (this is probably the most important step -- do something else for at least 15 minutes -- it needs to be something positive that you enjoy and things done for others are very effective; revaluing (coming to realize the relative unimportance of the thought and that you don't have to attend to or act on it). PET brain scans have actually shown changes in the brain similar to those produced by medication.

Other things I'm finding that help me are listening and especially playing music (kind of an active mindfulness that doesn't bore my ADD brain to death!:p

Exercise always helps and there are good studies to back up that value of this. One famous psychologist (I forget which one) used to have his clients try to worry while they walked vigorously every day for 15+ minutes -- they got sick of it and got better!;)

Kind of like in the 12 Steps I find that trusting and spending time communicating with my "Higher Power" helps me get control of my worry. I think worry can be a kind of addiction too for some of us. Hallowell and Ratey talk about utilizing the 12-steps for ADD issues in their book Delivered from Distraction.

Take care!
Scattered

thanks a bunch guys ... gimme a little while to take it all in and then try to figure out how to get books around here ... ahh the little things that puzzle me ;)

thanks a bunch guys ... gimme a little while to take it all in and then try to figure out how to get books around here ... ahh the little things that puzzle me ;)If you're interested in ordering books Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com are worth a try. Check my signature line and there are two other web sites where books on ADD issues and Special Needs issues are available.

Peace
Scattered

Hallowell also says it's stimulating and pleasant or not ADDers are always looking for stimulation.Hi Scattered! :)

I don't believe that was always the case for me! While it's certainly true that they were stimulating thoughts, they weren't always pleasant. Personally, I use to focus more on and search out potential problems and pressing issues in my mind, which caused me to have a lot of stress and anxiety! The hot topics that were upsetting tended to come up more often than the pleasant thoughts. However, I do understand that other ADDers may be different than me.

Anyway, thanks for the great book recommendation! :)

I'm going to look for that one! :)

Peace!

hey girls - you would be proud, i've been taking my ritalin every day for 3 days now (so far)! as i've been on an on-again-off-again cycle for a couple months, the funny thing is i don't notice much difference till I stop for a couple days, then it's like my whole house falls apart, bills are late, stuff is all over the place, appointments are missed, laundry stays in the washer for 3 days, pancakes burn on the stove, important documents are lost (darn it), the kids get forgotten at camp ;).

we're leaving on an in-law sponsored cruise to the bahamas and trip to disney on friday so right now i have something *real* to freak out about. my girls have never flown, and i have meds for my special needs 10yo who gets occasional *severe* panic attacks; my serious ADHD 4yo will be fine i think with all the excitement; but I am going to harness her to my waist for the airport and possibly disney world. it might seem cruel, but this is the child who ran in front of a fedex truck in front of my house yesterday, and escapes on a regular basis, and cannot be trusted in a parking lot. so some strategies are in place.

anyone have advice specifically about travelling with meds? we are all on various stuff right now most of which is controlled. I think my biggest fear is forgetting one of the important ones for my daughter or hubby. maybe i should get those together now so that's set. grampie is a pharmacist so i think i may have him help me double check; plus he is carrying all the recent refills - oh gosh i better find out what those are, and the stuff for seasickness.
wow - look at the difference already, i just sat down for at least 8 minutes and wrote all that ;).

hey girls.Who you calling a girl, girl! LOL :D
wow - look at the difference already, i just sat down for at least 8 minutes and wrote all that ;). LOL, yeah and I could read it all very easily too! LOL :D You're actually a great writer when you're properly medicated! :) Not to bad when you aren't, but very good when you are! :)

I don't know maybe it was partly due to you telling us about your kids and what you go thru to get ready for a trip that pulled me into reading all of your post. Either way it was easier for me to read. Don't you wish you could be like that without taking a medication! I wish I didn't have to take anything! I hate taking my medication! However, when I don't take it, my life gets all disorganized and unproductive.

Anyway, have a great trip if I don't speak with you again before you leave! Tell goofy I said hi! LOL :D

Take care! :)

:p you both have good points! now make the worry go away ;)

ok ok i know i really don't need to know, but since you sort of know how i am by now, i gotta ask worst case scenario. of course my and my baby's dosage would never be anywhere near the ones taken by drug addicts, but what problems were they seeing with long-term addicts? organ failure? :eek:

SEE!? I'm terrible!

obviously ... i will NOT subject my brain to those horrible ssri's - i tried those once and learned 1st hand how rotten they make you feel ... and had a family member nearly kill himself trying to get off one - i think it was effexor(?).

i should probably change my screen name to highstressanxietygirl. oh, and the whole leaving the stove on thing ... ya supper's done when the smoke detectors go off, and while i dont seem to forget to look when walking, i've done that driving a few too many times. hence ... i avoid driving these days. im starting to wonder if the meds might actually help this stuff ... if i could only stop worrying about taking them ... you know?

thanks girls.
And Melv, I don't know you or your posts very well. But have you checked into the dreaded additional meds to anxiety?
Have you read Hallowe;s book about the Constant Worrier? Gosh I can't remember the name of it...Help me out here.
I can tell you as one, it's not normal Obsessive worry , anxiety is often a disorder of it's own totally sep from the ADD. I don't know how new you are to your diagnose. But other than hyperfocusing on the worst case scenerio's which we all do, you sound a little extreme?
If you are fairly new, man you can't even enjoy having meds to help aleviate the sypmtoms of ADD so you can live a more "normal" life. That sucks.
If you haven't talked to your Doc about these constant worries, I would.
You might have an underlying condition, ADDer's often do! I know. I do!
Not trying to be rude just looking out, because I had a tendancy to do these things as well. I had to have it toned down, so I could enjoy life, in the hear and now.