Doctor took me off Ritalin, not doing so well

[NaterS]

Anyone who truly has ADD or ADHD knows the amazing change that you go through when taking a perscribed stimulant such as Ritalin for the first time. Before I was put on meds by my pediatrics doctor, my life was falling apart and I thought I was going to amount to nothing and everything seemed incredibly hard to accomplish to the point of it not being worth it. Everything started turning around and I was making progress with my life in a positive way.

The most recent appointment I went to my doctor and he took me off of Ritalin. I'm not exactly sure why he took me off but he said stimulants should only be used until the person no longer needs them and then they usually stop because it corrects their behavior. It's been about 2 weeks since he took me off and now my symptoms are coming back like before and I'm getting depressed because my life is now a mess. The only reason I haven't asked to be put back on Ritalin is so I don't sound like I'm dependent on it. But anyone would miss something that helped them so much especially if it was suddenly taken from you.

Anybody got suggestions? I'm really struggling

[addictedmommy79]

Hello, I'm new here too and feel your pain. I'm doing everything I can to just keep going. You can look at my post to see how bad things could get if you don't have ADD or ADHD and become dependent or abuse them like I did. I was just like you and now I see if I had just really worked hard instead of a quick fix I would have gotten same results but naturally and forever. I feel your pain. You are not alone.

[sarahsweets]

your doctor is not informed in the treatment of adhd and its medications. Stimulants are not a temporary fix, they are a long term fix allowing you to function in a lifetime of normal. Why does your doctor want to stop? If it works than you should keep taking it, If your doctor is willing to here this from you tell him to f**k off and find a new doctor.

[BlueSmurf]

Originally Posted by NaterS

The only reason I haven't asked to be put back on Ritalin is so I don't sound like I'm dependent on it.

But you actually are dependent on it; that's why you need it. You have a legitimate condition and it's not like the dependency is going to disappear.

[NaterS]

Originally Posted by addictedmommy79

Hello, I'm new here too and feel your pain. I'm doing everything I can to just keep going. You can look at my post to see how bad things could get if you don't have ADD or ADHD and become dependent or abuse them like I did. I was just like you and now I see if I had just really worked hard instead of a quick fix I would have gotten same results but naturally and forever. I feel your pain. You are not alone.

Well I do think I have actual ADD not just a misdiagnosis because my life was this way before. It's just much harder knowing there is a solution for it out there that I currently can't use, and the doctor is too uninformed.

[NaterS]

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

your doctor is not informed in the treatment of adhd and its medications. Stimulants are not a temporary fix, they are a long term fix allowing you to function in a lifetime of normal. Why does your doctor want to stop? If it works than you should keep taking it, If your doctor is willing to here this from you tell him to f**k off and find a new doctor.

I would love to tell him to f**k off. As he was telling me stimulants are similar to a crutch and they correct behavior ect. I could have sworn I knew people in their 60s who still take them. It's complete ********* and I don't know if he realizes how much he is effecting my mental health. Either way now I feel my life is going down and I'm starting to get depressed.

[Lillianmay]

I don’t know how old you are. I hope your parents have been supportive of you because you might need their help on this. I really think you need a new doctor. Are there other doctors out there – it looks like your location might be a little on the rural side.

If you are under 18 then talk to your parents. If they seem to agree with the doctor then copy some stuff off the Internet from reputable sources about how ADHD usually persist into adulthood. Articles, books and Youtubes by Dr. Russell Barkley are good sources and so is CHAAD. Tell them how you are feeling.

If you are of age then make an appointment with another doctor. Be sure you get your medical records from your present doctor. In most states they have to give them to you. You want to show proof of your diagnosis. You might even have reports from school or testing that was done, an IEP or a 504 plan. You are probably still covered by your parent’s insurance, but you might want to check on that.

The doctor you have doesn’t understand or believe current scientific information about ADHD. I don’t think you want to work with someone with his attitude so find a new doctor even if you have to drive to another town.

[NaterS]

Originally Posted by Lillianmay

I don’t know how old you are. I hope your parents have been supportive of you because you might need their help on this. I really think you need a new doctor. Are there other doctors out there – it looks like your location might be a little on the rural side.

If you are under 18 then talk to your parents. If they seem to agree with the doctor then copy some stuff off the Internet from reputable sources about how ADHD usually persist into adulthood. Articles, books and Youtubes by Dr. Russell Barkley are good sources and so is CHAAD. Tell them how you are feeling.

If you are of age then make an appointment with another doctor. Be sure you get your medical records from your present doctor. In most states they have to give them to you. You want to show proof of your diagnosis. You might even have reports from school or testing that was done, an IEP or a 504 plan. You are probably still covered by your parent’s insurance, but you might want to check on that.

The doctor you have doesn’t understand or believe current scientific information about ADHD. I don’t think you want to work with someone with his attitude so find a new doctor even if you have to drive to another town.

Sadly I have a mother who is on the doctors side and I am only 17. Even after my doctors appointment I was told by her that it is all in my head and medication won't solve anything which I know is total crap cause it did. I don't think I have officially been diagnosed yet, although I have been going to counseling for an entire year. The first treatment I was given was a antidepressant called Prozac and it screwed me up for a while. It gave me anxiety attacks like crazy and was prescribed to me by the same doctor. Then he put me on Ritalin and everything was smooth sailing and I enjoyed life again. The counseling trips even stopped until now that I'm off Ritalin.

I like your advice about the videos and info on ADD. My dad supports me in helping me get meds but my mom kinda wears the pants so it is an all around bad situation. I'll try to confront her about it tomarrow. It's gonna be a long day... Wish me luck.

Btw there are more doctors that I plan on visiting

[Lillianmay]

Good luck with your mom. I think sometimes parents want their kid to be OK so bad that they believe whatever supports that idea, even if its wrong.

I hope you do not have to wait till you are 18 to get treated. If you go to another doctor, either now or at 18, maybe you could get the counselor’s office who saw you (whether school counselor or psychologist or other) to send your file to the new doctor. You’ll need to sign a release for that. That could help a lot with showing you have been treated for ADHD and that the treatment helped.

If you go to a new doctor’s office and say you think you have ADHD without anything to back it up, they might not take you seriously.

[sky..-]

Originally Posted by BlueSmurf

But you actually are dependent on it; that's why you need it. You have a legitimate condition and it's not like the dependency is going to disappear.

He said he was not dependent.