I was diagnosed with ADHD in 1st grade. I took a medication called dexedrine until 6th grade. At the time I was really stubborn about not taking any medication what so ever. Well, I was pretty much always averse to taking it, I just finally had the gall to refuse it outright. As a result, me and my parents had a meeting with my doctor. The meeting essentially consisted of me absolutely refusing to take any medication what so ever. At the end of the meeting we set up a stipulation that if I were to improve my grades, I wouldn't have to take any medication... My grades stayed the same, but I still refused to take medication.

Eventually, my grades did go up, and I was able to skip a grade in Math and Science(9th grade level in 8th). My grades went down again however, and I was forced to retake these classes. Freshman year of high school sucked. My academic performance has been relatively erratic. I'm drawn over whether or not I should seek medication. On one hand, I would feel like a jerk after being so stubborn in the past, but on the other hand, I feel like I am putting my self at a disadvantage by not taking anything. I leave for college next year as well, so I am concerned about how well I will perform. Excluding my freshman year, I have been getting straight A's, and B's. I still do zone out in class, and I do find it hard to focus, and I'm a terrible procrastinator. However I perform well on tests, and it seems as if I'm beginning to find ways to make myself more organized and less forgetful. Perhaps it's not even needed anymore?

Thoughts please.

Cliff notes-
- Diagnosed with ADHD, 1st grade
- stopped medication 6th grade
- grades sucked, but gradually improved
- grades got sucky again, then got better.
- worried about workload in college. (what if I cant focus enough in order to complete my assignments?)
- Opinions?

One question, why did you stop the meds?
The decision to medicate is yours really. Talk with your doctor about medications and alternatives. You can buy books on organizing, remembering things, and helping you to recognize the best time of day for studying and focusing. There are just as many people who take meds as who don't take meds. There are success stories in both categories. It is best to talk with your doctor. Give college a try and see how it goes. If you need the meds then revisit the situation.

I originally stopped taking the medication because I felt as if I didn't need it to accomplish my goals. I was also a really stubborn child. If anything was pushed on me, I would push back, because that's basically how the medication was presented to me(as I saw it atleast). In addition, I never really did "fit in" in elementary school. The medication was something else that made me feel even more different from the other kids.

However, I'm older now, and I feel as if my mind is a bit more open than it was in my younger years. It's much more comfortable for me to consider taking a medication. Why?, Because I would be the one making the decisions about what I'd be taking, and whether or not I would want to take it. That's very important to me.
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Sometimes it's aggravating. I get home early, telling myself what I need to get done, but always I seem to start late and take excessively long to complete my tasks. It's odd, sometimes I can really apply myself and complete all of my assignments in about a half an hour, but other times, I get side tracked constantly, and it ends up taking alot longer.

I was a really stubborn child. If anything was pushed on me, I would push back, because that's basically how the medication was presented to me(as I saw it at least). In addition, I never really did "fit in" in elementary school. The medication was something else that made me feel even more different from the other kids.
Hey Cheese,

Welcome to the forum. My daughter is in her second year of college right now. The transition has been very hard for her. You should seek help now, not wait for college, because doctors are reluctant or will refuse prescribing stimulants to college students because they are often abused.

I think none of us ever felt like we fit in at school. We still don't fit in, so don't expect that to change.

Get over feeling too guilty to seek help or medication. This is your future you are talking about. You will always need strategies to focus or get organized.

Keep an open mind and get whatever help you need. :cool:

I agree with getting help now... I got through my first years in college, but barely. This year with Ritalin has been a COMPLETELY different experience. It's also helped to have a Psychologist who has given me tons of study tips.

Unknown Cheese, one of the most stressful things about ADD (in my opinion) is that most often we are the ones that have the most potential, but have the hardest time unlocking it.

It sounds like you have Inattitive Add, witch means two things, 1) You are EXTREMELEY smart, and 2) a lack of self motovation. Both traits come with the territory from what I have gatherd so far.

We see people who don't have the same daedication to something that we do, but they seem to suceed at it more than we do...I hope I am not oversteping myself when I say that It seems that you have realized this allready, and something that you may be struggleing with (from what I read in you sig.)

The sooner you start working on your add, the better you learn to manage it. So you need to start learning about your ADD as soon as possible. The more you learn, the more you can bring out the more positive aspects of your ADD, and that is invalueable.

I notice a large diffrence in my performance when I take my meds. Things just seem to have a little more harmony, and challanges have a rythum, not a drulling roar that overwhelms you.

However, meds are not a cure-all, ADD effects our entire lives, and there are just some things that meds can't compleatley help us with, but they help, with the helping-ourselvs part...

You are willing to start your own venture to make things better, now just follow yourself! :p

Warning: (only speaking from first hand experience) If you are like me and have your tornado-like brain reined in you are going to resent that medication... Irony... I am on dexedrine and my doctor was in limbo about the abuse liability of it versus Adderall and Concerta, yet the other day when I skipped it and spoke with him briefly he politely informed me of the state's involuntary medication law for people who are a danger... i.e. no impulse control, Walking out in front of cars losing excessive amounts of $$$$ it is just ironic how the duality of a medication can from the doctor's perspective can be both an "epidemic" and a "miracle cure". I thought that medication law was for psychotic people and that's (psychosis) is probably the only mental illness I haven't met criteria for.

Wait, so what you're saying is that once you are prescribed the medication, you have to take it? Involuntary medication law applies to ADD?

How does an active diagnosis of ADD look on someone's background? Like what if I applied for a job, and they ran a background check and saw that I was taking medication? And for a question that's a bit more pertinent, what if said job requires some sort of security clearance? Would I be denied a security clearance just because I was taking dexedrine or whatever? or what if I wanted to enlist?

I'm takeing 32mg of concerta, and no one has told me that I have to keep takeing it. I think what mspen's point was he was considerd a "danger". (sorry in advance if i have misread)

I wouldn't worry to much about background checks unknown c, I don't think most companys look into medical history unless they have a reason to, and some federal agenceys (like the CIA) are encourageing people with ADD so sign up for a job.

Unless you have a history of crime, I don't think you have anything to worry about :p

I have not reported my ADHD to my college and I do not plan to. Now, if I'm a job where they will do UA's I guess you'd have to report it?

Proabley best if they have a policy on that sort of thing. But I think most checks that are done are only done on criminal history.

I was like you growing up, a total pain in the butt kid, I didn't want to take my meds either.....

I'd take some for a bit and see if you like it... I take my meds now and don't mind because it helps me...

I think you might like it.... good luck in whatever you choose!

I'm drawn over whether or not I should seek medication. On one hand, I would feel like a jerk after being so stubborn in the past, but on the other hand, I feel like I am putting my self at a disadvantage by not taking anything. I leave for college next year as well, so I am concerned about how well I will perform. Excluding my freshman year, I have been getting straight A's, and B's. I still do zone out in class, and I do find it hard to focus, and I'm a terrible procrastinator. However I perform well on tests, and it seems as if I'm beginning to find ways to make myself more organized and less forgetful. Perhaps it's not even needed anymore?
Well, if you don't try meds again you'll never know. If you try them and don't like them, you can quit.

You can look up the risks of the meds, but the life damage of not treating ADD is a lot harder to measure.. usually it's most visible in hindsight, when it's too late to do much about it. Speaking from personal experience. I excelled in school, though I had the same challenges as you have... but I still wish I'd had meds then.

Imagine competing in track but while everyone else is actually on a smooth track you're running on the gravelly shoulder at the edge. If you're a great runner, you might keep up and never notice the difference, but you will slowly wear out. For me, meds was like switching from that rough shoulder to a smooth inside track. Why put out all that effort just to keep up when you might be sprinting ahead with the same effort or less? It's possible you could be getting a lot more out of your schooling and be more competent when you get into the workplace.

You'll be increasing the demands on your mind and organizing abilities going into college, and on into career. It's your decision whether to try meds or not, since you're taking the risks of taking or not taking them. For me it was really helpful to learn the physical mechanisms of ADD and what exactly the medicine does, made the decision much easier.

Okay one more time sorry this is such a common issue. . . .must centralize it one of these days so I can just hyper link it.

In the US they have a thing called HCIFA some thing like that where your health information can not be released with out your specific written permission = drug screens will show you are on a prescription medication but the type will not be revealed without your explicit consent. Most employers do their drug screen through independent labs the medical review officer will contact you and asked for the pharmacy name, phone number, RX number and date of your last refill that will be all they ask you. . . . .once your prescription is verified by the pharmacy you will be cleared as having no "illegal" metabolites in your urine.

You do not have to reveal your diagnosis to your employer unless you are asking for accommodations.

There is such a thing as it begin illegal to discriminate against some one who has a disability this applies to most schools (any that receive government funding even in the form of finical aide) and employers.

ADD medication my be a problem only in few certain fields. . . like the military will want you to be off of medications for six months, commercial air line pilots will be unable to have the medications metabolites in their system when on duty. . . ADD medication normally stay in the urine no longer than 7-10 days.



I do hope I have helped. . . .