I just came back from the mental hospital. Got 5150 for self harm and taking a whole bottle of Tylenol. I was not trying to kill myself, and I wasn't trying to harm myself. It was purely an impulsivity act, didn't think about the consequences. And I was angry at my mother for something she had done.
At first glance I don't look like a typical ADD/ADHD. I am a 19 years old female with a history of anorexia/self harm. Although my mother has ADD and my brother has Asperser’s Disorder.
When I got there during the night nurse said most people grow out of ADD/ADHD. In the morning the doctor denied giving me adderall until he sees me in person. Which I don't think its right? My doctor at home preside me adderall. Was that right for the doctor to do? Denying me adderall and only giving my an-anxiety meds? That didn't last long. The nurse could tell something was wrong with me. I wasn't staying in group, walking around in circles, and arguing with the nurse. The nurse thought my walking around was from anxiety. Which is understandable, I told them I do it all the time, and was feeling fine. I walk because I have racing thoughts and it helps me think better. So in the end the charge nurse called my doctor to preside me adderall.
Is right for the doctor to denied me adderall, stop me cold turkey like that?

Just for future reference, if your going to overdose on any kind of medication you usually don't die immediately. First you have kidney or liver failure and suffer in agonizing pain and misery for up to 2 weeks. That prospect alone should be enough to make you not want to do it.

I'm guessing the doctor just wanted to understand the patient he was treating better.

Just for future reference, if your going to overdose on any kind of medication you usually don't die immediately. First you have kidney or liver failure and suffer in agonizing pain and misery for up to 2 weeks. That prospect alone should be enough to make you not want to do it.

I'm guessing the doctor just wanted to understand the patient he was treating better.

wow thats pretty .... bad. Scary just trying to picture it. lol.
When you said overdose, how much are you taking about? Bc i'm pretty sure if a person went really overboard and took an insane amount of any drug that they probably wouldn't make it to the hospital. right?

wow thats pretty .... bad. Scary just trying to picture it. lol.
When you said overdose, how much are you taking about? Bc i'm pretty sure if a person went really overboard and took an insane amount of any drug that they probably wouldn't make it to the hospital. right?

Just depends on the LD50 and what happens afterwords. If nobody finds the person after 10 hours then they are most likely screwed.

I just came back from the mental hospital. Got 5150 for self harm and taking a whole bottle of Tylenol. I was not trying to kill myself, and I wasn't trying to harm myself. It was purely an impulsivity act, didn't think about the consequences. And I was angry at my mother for something she had done.
At first glance I don't look like a typical ADD/ADHD. I am a 19 years old female with a history of anorexia/self harm. Although my mother has ADD and my brother has Asperser’s Disorder.
When I got there during the night nurse said most people grow out of ADD/ADHD. In the morning the doctor denied giving me adderall until he sees me in person. Which I don't think its right? My doctor at home preside me adderall. Was that right for the doctor to do? Denying me adderall and only giving my an-anxiety meds? That didn't last long. The nurse could tell something was wrong with me. I wasn't staying in group, walking around in circles, and arguing with the nurse. The nurse thought my walking around was from anxiety. Which is understandable, I told them I do it all the time, and was feeling fine. I walk because I have racing thoughts and it helps me think better. So in the end the charge nurse called my doctor to preside me adderall.
Is right for the doctor to denied me adderall, stop me cold turkey like that?

Yeah, I find it a little disturbing that a doctor would stop any prescribed medication cold turkey until after s/he had seen and evaluated the patient to decide whether they needed that medication. You might want to check with your primary doctor and leave it up to him/her whether to report the other doctor to the state medical review board. And someone seriously needs to educate the night nurse and maybe some of the other personel at that hospital about how many adults still experience the effects of a very real medical condition. ADHD is not a behavior problem that one "outgrows", it's just that some people learn enough coping skills or self-medicate and conceal the issue.

I just came back from the mental hospital. Got 5150 for self harm and taking a whole bottle of Tylenol. I was not trying to kill myself, and I wasn't trying to harm myself. It was purely an impulsivity act, didn't think about the consequences. And I was angry at my mother for something she had done.
At first glance I don't look like a typical ADD/ADHD. I am a 19 years old female with a history of anorexia/self harm. Although my mother has ADD and my brother has Asperser’s Disorder.
When I got there during the night nurse said most people grow out of ADD/ADHD. In the morning the doctor denied giving me adderall until he sees me in person. Which I don't think its right? My doctor at home preside me adderall. Was that right for the doctor to do? Denying me adderall and only giving my an-anxiety meds? That didn't last long. The nurse could tell something was wrong with me. I wasn't staying in group, walking around in circles, and arguing with the nurse. The nurse thought my walking around was from anxiety. Which is understandable, I told them I do it all the time, and was feeling fine. I walk because I have racing thoughts and it helps me think better. So in the end the charge nurse called my doctor to preside me adderall.
Is right for the doctor to denied me adderall, stop me cold turkey like that?

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I don't think it was right for the doctor to stop the meds cold turkey but on the other hand I think it's a good idea for a doctor to exam a patient before giving them meds, especially after a major event like self-harming. You weren't trying to kill yourself but that's what it looks like to an outsider. Plus the eating disorder also complicates the picture even more. Also, the fact that you self harmed while taking Adderall could indicate that the drug is not effective enough for you. Maybe a different stimulant medication or a different dose is needed. It's a complicated situation overall.

But that nurse is an IDIOT. There's no doubt about that. People do not "outgrow" ADHD. Grrrrr.

Xeon got that right.... Death by Acetaminophen overdose is particularly unpleasant. It takes several days and progresses thru 4 stages. Basically, your liver cells are damaged and your liver stops functioning. Your liver does some pretty important stuff including removing/processing toxic metabolites in your body and regulating your clotting cascade. Failure to do either of these functions very well may put you in a box.

In acetaminophen overdose specifically, the liver becomes overwhelmed with a very hepatotoxic intermediate metabolite. When your body processes a drug, it usually does it through a series of chemical reactions or steps. For example, it takes the drug molecule and attaches another drug molucule to it. This new molecule is then acted on by another enzyme that changes it to something else. It is a series of steps that eventually turns that drug molecule into something that can be eliminated by the kidneys and/or excreted in the stool. Most of these enzymatic reactions take place in the liver and only in the liver. In the case of Acetaminophen, the liver happily turns the entire bottle of tablets you just swallowed into an intermediate metabolite, N-acetyl-p-benzoquinoneimine (abbreviated: NAPQI). This is the first step in metabolizing the drug. The next step is the hepatic glutathione enzyme turns NAPQI into APAP-mercapturate and/or APAP-cysteine. Now here's the problem: That is the rate limiting reaction. In overdoses, the liver's store of glutathione becomes depleted and you get a build-up of NAPQI in your liver. The real problem is that NAPQI is toxic to liver cells and kills them. Uh-oh. Without treatment, some people get better. Some don't. Some die. It is not a pleasant ride downhill. No dreamy floating off to meet your maker. No closing your eyes and drifting off to the great beyond. Picture: Jaundice, vomiting, confusion, severe abdominal pain, massive bleeding from every body opening (mouth, eyes, nose, rectum, urethra, etc) until you run out of blood and are dead. Or maybe you might get better. Who knows... one of things you have to wait out and see how it turns out. Of course, if you seek treatment within about a day of the ingestion, you will be treated and survive, most likely with no long term effects.

I think that about covers it.

Oh, and I don't disagree with the doc not approving you request for Adderall. If he didn't examine you yet, he may not have felt it was necessary or felt comfortable authorizing it. Also, in overdoses, it is generally a good idea to cut out as many drugs as possible until the overdose resolves.

Wow...I just couldn't not post after reading this. You have described the very thing I did 17 years ago. I ODed on Tylenol at age 18, completely on impulse. I had a bad day, so I swallowed some pills. Spent 3 days in the mental hospital and then was discharged to psychiatrists care. I was never dx with ADD. I had never really even heard of it (or maybe never paid attention to it) and it was never mentioned by my doctor.

It sounds like you are more self aware than I am, though. Now at age 35 I finally have my ADD dx and have started meds and I finally know what has been giving me such a hard time ALL THESE YEARS. I had ADD all along, and no, it never went away. In fact, I'd wager it got WORSE after I had kids. (Like your brother, my dd has Asperger's Syndrome, btw)

Anyway, I don't think you doctor should have denied you the Adderall.

The doctor is right.

He wants to see you off all meds.

It is called a DRUG HOLIDAY.

It is correct procedure to take a person off all their meds, in order to enable Diagnosis and Assessment!

--

Similarly, a Doctor cannot diagnose "depression", for example, in someone who shows up "under the influence" of pills or alcohol in the emergency.

I've seen lots of people who cry or threaten suicide or rage "under the influence", who turn out to be totally "normal", mood-wise, when clean or sober.

--

N.B. #1 I have a friend who is an ER Doc. He told me that Tylenol overdose tends to just destroy the Liver and Kidneys.

N.B. #2 Self harming after a fight or conflict with authority figures can be a sign of Borderline Personality Disorder. (THOUGH, Diagnosis CANNOT be made on one symptom alone.)

IF this is your situation, you should know that there are more treatments available for this condition than there used to be. Ask your Doc if this applies to you? I mention this b/c it must be awful to feel that way when you get upset.

The doctor is right.

He wants to see you off all meds.

It is called a DRUG HOLIDAY.

It is correct procedure to take a person off all their meds, in order to enable Diagnosis and Assessment!

--

Similarly, a Doctor cannot diagnose "depression", for example, in someone who shows up "under the influence" of pills or alcohol in the emergency.

I've seen lots of people who cry or threaten suicide or rage "under the influence", who turn out to be totally "normal", mood-wise, when clean or sober.

--

N.B. #1 I have a friend who is an ER Doc. He told me that Tylenol overdose tends to just destroy the Liver and Kidneys.

N.B. #2 Self harming after a fight or conflict with authority figures can be a sign of Borderline Personality Disorder. (THOUGH, Diagnosis CANNOT be made on one symptom alone.)

IF this is your situation, you should know that there are more treatments available for this condition than there used to be. Ask your Doc if this applies to you? I mention this b/c it must be awful to feel that way when you get upset.


Yeah I gotta agree with Queens.

acetaminophen aka tylonal aka paracetamol is quite hard on the liver when you take big doses. I believe the doctor was just trying to be safe, overdosing is a very impulsive thing to do - especially if you were taking your adderall at the time.

Just remember your doc. is trying to do the best thing for you. It might turn out he thinks the Adderall is needed. Try and relax if possible, read a book, knit etc. you're safe.

How many tylonal did you take?

ozchris: I took about 81 pills.

QueensU_girl: I understand and agree with meds influencing your thoughts patterns. Personal the adderall doesn't last very long which makes me believe one of the reasons why I was so impulsive the night I OD on pills.

CAUM75!: Your post freak me out. I didn't want to die, and wasn't really thinking about the damage I could of done to my liver. My wellbeing of my liver wasn't in my mind at the time.

When I saw the doctor there he didn't really talk to me much or ask me any questions. Just do you think the adderall is working, were you trying to kill yourself, do you feel like self harming ect.

Now I am home right back where I started from. Fighting with my mom, sleeping at my boyfriend's house, and not going to school.

My mind, and thought race around too much. Like my head is spinning, not knowing where to start or what to do. I am not feeling scare or depress. Just stress out because I can't stop my head from going nuts. Feeling hyper, moving around 24/7 when I am feeling out of it. I find only cutting myself shift me back to force, and keeps my head ground. Riding my bike can helps but can only do so much.

Laura, didn't mean to freak you out, just wanted you to understand what can happen when you overdose on Acetaminophen... I see alot of overdoses in young adults who do it in a moment of anger/frustration and didn't consider the consequences. Most of them think it is no big deal. And they are right, if they go to a hospital in a relatively short amount of time.

Sounds like you got treated quickly, which is no picnic in itself. Blood tests, needles, tubes down your nose maybe, drinking gritty charcoal, maybe drinking acetylcysteine which smells exactly like rotten eggs.... Not a fun night in the ER.... but at least you get to go home the next day or two no worse for the wear.

And 81 tablets? Wow. Must have taken a few minutes to get all of those down. That would definetely done some damage left untreated.

Are you getting help for your self-harming? I think there is a private forum here that addresses the topic... Best of luck...

40 grams of Tylenol is bloody huge. Have you had liver tests done yet? that's really dangerous...not sure how you didn't think 80 pills would be bad for you. I guess some people assume it's safe because you can buy it without a script.

When people come off meds like Adderall they can feel pretty horrible for a week or two. The mixed up head feeling should get better soon. Just give it some time and don't panic. :)

I think finding a good psychologist would be a good idea. It's important to have someone who is committed to helping you rather than someone who just wants to do their job easily. Maybe someone here can point you in the direction of a good doctor?

Counseling and therapy can help a lot. You just have to make sure you put effort into it.

Keep us updated on how you're going. Good luck!

Laura, didn't mean to freak you out, just wanted you to understand what can happen when you overdose on Acetaminophen... I see alot of overdoses in young adults who do it in a moment of anger/frustration and didn't consider the consequences. Most of them think it is no big deal. And they are right, if they go to a hospital in a relatively short amount of time.


I have a long history of repeatedly hospital stays. Mostly for self harm (danger to myself)

I have been by the police force into mental hospital 10 times for cutting myself. Each stay lasted about a week long. I have nasty scars that needed stitch. They are purple, rise, and noticeable.

The doctor there surprise me letting me go that easy. Knowing my history, of self harm, and to believe me when I answer his questions.

I am tired of therpy and seeing psychologist. Been seeing doctors for years ever since my anorexia started in 2004.

Sounds like you've had a really tough time :(

I'm not sure what else to suggest except to hang in there. It can sometimes take a while for people to find the right doctor/meds/alternate therapy.

Are you making sure your honest when you do theropy or talk to a psychologist? That's the most important thing I think. It's easy to say things that aren't exactly true or forget things that are important.

I'm not sure I know what would help you. Since it looks like your problems are pretty heavy. But I will say this......I will think of you in my prayers and hope for the best.

Hi Laura,

There is no danger in not taking a stimulant (even if you have been on it for years). QueensU girl is absolutely right in stating that most doctors will take you off of everything that they possibly can before assessing you. If you have had 10 prior stays in psychiatric facilities, then you probably know this very well.

Have you been on any medication for the racing thoughts? Only a medical doctor or psychiatrist is likely to prescribe medication for that. Racing thoughts are a symptom of bipolar disorder. I doubt I am telling you anything new.

I am not surprised that the doctors let you go earlier than you thought you should go. Your previous pattern has said it all. I know so many kids like you (having worked as a charge nurse in an Adolescent Psychiatric Unit), and can really feel for you trying to find your way with a bipolar/borderline monkey on your back (if you understand what I am saying).

You may be tired of therapy, but hopefully some day the DBT will work for you.

At Heart

Hi Laura,

There is no danger in not taking a stimulant (even if you have been on it for years). QueensU girl is absolutely right in stating that most doctors will take you off of everything that they possibly can before assessing you. If you have had 10 prior stays in psychiatric facilities, then you probably know this very well.


No I don't. The psychiatric facilities I have been into never stop whatever medication I was taking. Then again I was only on anti-depression like zolft.

Hi Laura,
Have you been on any medication for the racing thoughts? Only a medical doctor or psychiatrist is likely to prescribe medication for that. Racing thoughts are a symptom of bipolar disorder. I doubt I am telling you anything new.


I didn't know racing thoughts were symptoms of bipolar disorder? It's hard to describe what I mean. I don't have specific thoughts that race around or change quickly. Just feeling really excited and hyper for no reason with my head empty on what to work on. At the same time when moving I get ideas, and daydream. Or I get stress-out because I can't start my work so I move around hyper.

At first I thought I was manic or something. My doctor said it was ADHD.

Doctors typically take you off all meds so they can observe and diagnose. Also if you were previously on them have your doctor or psych. contact this doctor to talk. I used to work in mental health for 7years and every time someone got hospitalized most of the time they come home all different meds.

I am glad you are okay and learned the lesson the hard way.

i think it is a good idea to take a person off adderol until a dr sees the patient

my psychiatrist took me off them cold turkey to make sure they werent what caused the impulse of suicide, if you read theside effects on the bottle they say to stop taking if..... the dr is just following rules