non-drug treatment success stories please!

[Crackerjack]

Originally Posted by Linda30

I am trying to change her diet - trying to exclude processed food/preservatives/sugar etc.

I'm an inattentive ADDer and haven't found changing my foods to that sort of diet improve my ADD tendencies.

That being said, I've found I can think more clearly since I cut out lactose, ate my veggies and switched to a healthier diet - but I always get more sluggish if I have junk food or processed foods/white bread, etc.

But in terms of "solving" the total ADD thing, yeah...not so much.

[Tilly]

From what I've read 3 weeks should tell you if being caesin free will benefit you.

You can have allergy testing done. A regular medical doctor usually test for only immeadiate reactions to foods. A biomedical doctor tests for immeadiate and delayed reactions from food and also mold panels. I found our testing to be very helpful.

You might look into a different vitamin than flintstones. If you are looking for something childlike and economical try Lil Critters gummy vites. They sell them at BJ's and Costos as well as other places. They are free from artificials.

Going artificial free helped my son tremendously. It didn't fix everything, but it made a huge difference.

We do virtually no processed foods in my house. It took some getting used to, but I definately feel like we are eating much healthier.

[cityzen451]

I used a new therapy that is aimed at improving verbal representation. I came across it looking for articles and books on dyslexia and ADHD.
Has anyone else come across this?

I Dont know if anyone else is talking about it but, I used it and it helped my memory a lot
But, there doesnt seem to be a lot of talk or discussion about it. It is a study guide and therapy with exercises.

Amazon Title

"A Memory Therapy & Study Guide for Dyslexia, ADHD, Learning Impairment & Poor Verbal Memory" by james rowan

"the missing memory link" by james rowan

A book is also available online and as a downloadable ebook from mobipocket. The therapy is a new approach aimed at improving the representation for
speech and verbal memory. I have tried it myself and I would say it is worth looking into

It is also available in the uk as the "Missing Memory Link"

Regards

James

[PhoneGirl8k]

Originally Posted by nikki3

I mean it has greatly improved his hyperactivity and somewhat improved his inattention and executive function. His memory has not improved at all.

While he has little ability to remember letters, numbers, words, story lines etc when he was IQ tested his auditory skills were in normal range. It is his visual processing that is low. However, his glasses seem to do little or nothing to help him learn after 3 school months. The school and I believe that he is having trouble storing and retrieving information.

Hi, I have something like that (I'm 42 y.o.)

A few years ago I tried to learn to crochet. Actually for the last 30 years I've wanted to crochet. I found Youtube.com but more than that, I found I could turn the sound off and watch in quiet. Then I could close my eyes and play back the instructions and listen with out the visual.

My brain cannot put motion and sound together. So I get a few motion/sight stuff, then the auditory. Since the incoming info is intermittent, I did not learn and forget anything, I did not learn all the auditory and all the visual. But I remember the bits and pieces that I did get.

Have your son have a conversation with you with his eyes closed. Its a trip when you find out stuff like this can happen in a brain.

I'm back in school, and I may look stupid covering my ears and looking at the board to see a picture in "quiet" and then not making eye contact to try and "listen" to what the teacher is saying. But screw them -- the bull**** that everyone has to learn the same way -- everyone has to use highlighters (visual impairment for me) -- that you have to look at the teacher when they are talking -- oh no -- No More will I be crippled trying to play on a field that does not work for me. I record my classes and play them back, and I enjoy writing out way too many notes in full sentences in class and not doing it outline style. I know your child is young, and I only hope he is brave when he has to tell teachers "that's nice, but this is what works for me, and this is what I will do to succeed."


Good luck, Lysa

[doiadhd]

Can we get these, fish oil with DHEA ,from any chemist or is this specialist?To order...or presrciption?
(v.unwise in these matters-and the search option does not work for me)

[stef]

Eat breakfast; I didn't think it made a difference but it does!
for months I kept bringing cereal bars to work - forgetting to eat them until 12:00...
much better concentration if I have for example: yougurt with some cornflakes in it, BEFORE I leave the house.

[doiadhd]

Originally Posted by stef

Eat breakfast; I didn't think it made a difference but it does!
for months I kept bringing cereal bars to work - forgetting to eat them until 12:00...
much better concentration if I have for example: yougurt with some cornflakes in it, BEFORE I leave the house.

I know what you mean Stef...when i was going through a really good spell at work,i would wake up and have breakfast straight away(usaully toast),then get something from the shop(wheat crisps),then get a breakfast before work(macdonalds),work till 12ish then have a fry up,when finished work go straight to the cafe and have a massive meal(healthy!!).....go home get changed go out(pub),when finished there normally have a burger and chips....i was hungry all day doing this and doing v.physical work......with the info i am now getting i should be able to base my diet on myself....If i was to add the cost of this food up it would come to around £20 a day-just to fuel myself,oh plus the cost of pub £20 a day,traveling fares £10....half my wages were based on going to work!!!

Packed lunches are the way forward....never used to remember to do this or too busy doing other things,but now will make the right choices with my FUEL

This has made me remember....if I eat the same food as I did the night before-i seem to 'wake-up' a lot quicker.

Does this make sense to anyone else?

[doiadhd]

Originally Posted by doiadhd

Can we get these, fish oil with DHEA ,from any chemist or is this specialist?To order...or presrciption?
(v.unwise in these matters-and the search option does not work for me)

I have now taken one,they come in any chemist in the uk i presume.....will i feel the effects at all(i know maybe not straight away)

[stef]

eat the same food as the night before - ?
and what is a "fry up" ?

[doiadhd]

Originally Posted by stef

eat the same food as the night before - ?
and what is a "fry up" ?

Full english breakfast,a builders lunch,lots of grease....eggs mushrooms sausage beacon and such like

Say for example i had a chilli,the night before,and i woke up the next day and had that first thing....my brain would kinda liven up alot quicker than having a slice of toast....this is a 7 year theory that i have never really acted on or looked into.

From the biological side.....i dont know

(think i may look a bit messy on this thread so will go away,soz)

[Hetwoman]

I have researched this for the past 10 years!

ADHD is different for everyone that has it and there is no one solution. Lots of therapies will be helpful but it is also the sequence in which they are applied that can help:

1. you need good home/ school liaison to establish desirable/ undesirable behaviours and to set goals and consistent boundaries

2 work with your child's emotions - behaviour is an emotioanl barometer - this is Bach Flower remedies

3, Diet, supplemetation - change diet - Feingold helpful, eliminate additives, use local home grown additive free produce - use a nutritional programme to include vitamins / minerals (not synthetic), protein, Flax seed ( better than fish oil) for EFAs and anti oxidants
Look at exercise regime,

4. work with core issue formulas, to assist trauma, and Universal frequency to assist with negative patterns.

5. relaxation therapies, look at hopi candles, colour therapy (rainbow journey) aromatherapy with lavender and chamomile, cellular stucure with Amino acid codes + good protein

Then look at appropriate learning structure. Schools are not generally the best envionment with bustling, noisy classrooms

[Hetwoman]

has anyone had an expereince of improving ADHD with exercise?

[DesertDave]

On a personal basis, yes I have. I found that aerobic exercise did more than resistance type stuff. But I found that the effect got shorter as time went on. I am not exercising as much as I did when I first discovered the effect but I think it still helps. It sure can't hurt anything!

There is a great book you should check out that deals largely with that specific thing: SPARK, by Dr. John Ratey. If you search this forum you will find discussion about it.

[Skrible]

I usually go with aerobic exercise, namely running or punching bag sessions. I'm not extremely hyperactive and I'm usually cured of the usual restlessness I feel through out the day.
My p.doc. is really big into getting his patients packed full of nutrients and whatnot, so I found out that I'm low in iron and vitamin D, both of which are linked to focus. I'm on meds, but I take a lot of vitamin supplements too, which really help.
I'm also in diblactel behavior therapy which is a year long program designed to rebuild the ways I think and get rid of really ineffective habits and whatnot. I've also found that studying elements of Zen Buddhism philosophy, particularly empty mind, have helped me deal with frustration.
I'm currently using the medication while I work to rebuild my habits so I can do the things I need to without medication. I want to be able to go through my senior year without medication.
I was only diagnosed this August, so during the entire proceeding interval I've found that in school, doodling on my notes helps me sit still and pay attention and when I get home, it's best if the first thing I do is exercise, then homework with short breaks when I get frustrated. I'm learning how to trick myself into becoming interested in what I'm doing, which is one of the biggest helps. =)

[worriedmom1]

Have you looked into neuro feedback? My son was diagnosed very late at the age of 19. Never really thought about add since he is not hyperactive at all. He also has some anxiety issues. Didn't become suspicious until starting college and he constantly complained of not being able to concentrate. Long story short, he didn't like the effects of the medications he tried. We heard about neurofeedback from a friend, and discovered we knew more than a few people who are using neurofeedback with a great deal of success. My son has been treated with neurofeedback for the last several months and tomorrow we go for the results on his last, what they call, brain map. He has had quite a bit of improvement in concentration. We're not sure on everything else since we agreed to hold off on continuing college until he has finished with these sessions. Would love to hear from anyone else who has used this method. Thanks!