ADHD Is a Real Disease

[Taximom]

We have a pretty decent diet here. I think watching what you eat is beneficial in many ways, but if your child truly has ADD/ADHD, then just changing the diet is not going to be the answer.

Someone mentioned 6 hours doing 45 minutes worth of homework. I had totally forgotten that struggle with my son! Gah, that was so horrible!!! It's such a relief for us both that we don't have to go through that anymore.

 

[calus_3]

Both myself and my daughter are ADD. I take Adderall. She has chosen to take nothing at this point, as she doesn't even take tylenol for a headache.

I always knew that there was something different about me and the way I process information. I mean from the time I was in 6th grade or so. The Adderall has only been a part of my life for a month and I am amazed at the difference it is making in my day to day living.

Ditto on the Scientology . . . um, . . . pooh.

Tennessee,

What have you experienced on the side effect side? I was thinking about TRYING it to see if I improved (I just can't process information and details like I used to be able to). I am curious to know what you feel.

Cal

 

[calus_3]

We have a pretty decent diet here. I think watching what you eat is beneficial in many ways, but if your child truly has ADD/ADHD, then just changing the diet is not going to be the answer.

Someone mentioned 6 hours doing 45 minutes worth of homework. I had totally forgotten that struggle with my son! Gah, that was so horrible!!! It's such a relief for us both that we don't have to go through that anymore.

Oh yeah, 3, 4, 5 hours to do an hour's worth of homework...that's our boy.

We feel bad because as soon as we put him on the medication he improved to almost perfection. The night we put him on it, he voluntarily carried a book to dinner and read it. We were always thinking it was just stubbornness and were very harsh on him accordingly. We feel horrible now that we know what it really was.

Cal

 

[GlitchWizard]

I was one of the uneducated and judgemental people who thought that ADD/ADHD was either bad parents not wanting to deal with their kids or teachers wanting zombies.

That was until I had a kid with ADD.

That is such a HUMAN way to think about all sorts of issues - but takes an extraordinary person to notice and admit.

 

[calus_3]

That is such a HUMAN way to think about all sorts of issues - but takes an extraordinary person to notice and admit.

Well, it is the basis on which most humans come to understanding. Takes some longer than others! :innocent:

Cal

 

[GlitchWizard]

We have a pretty decent diet here. I think watching what you eat is beneficial in many ways, but if your child truly has ADD/ADHD, then just changing the diet is not going to be the answer.

Someone mentioned 6 hours doing 45 minutes worth of homework. I had totally forgotten that struggle with my son! Gah, that was so horrible!!! It's such a relief for us both that we don't have to go through that anymore.

I lost a bottle of my Ritalin - after having been on Ritalin for a year and a half. I found that I could spend an entire day at my work desk and not work - couldn't find my car, keys, recall what I had just said or what someone else had just said... etc. I, too, had forgotten the nightmare.

When I FIRST started taking Ritalin, I was in awe of the world. When I remembered where a conversation that had strayed had been going, or when I knew I had an appointment the following day - or when I actually got in a full day's work - I was FLOORED at the feeling. It was like finally being human instead of walking from room to room wondering what I was on my way there for.

Once you get used to living like a human, going off Ritalin for awhile really is a slap in the face. I didn't have any side effects from taking it or withdrawls from not taking it - just lost my brain in the process of not taking it.

 

[tennessee]

Oh yeah, 3, 4, 5 hours to do an hour's worth of homework...that's our boy.

We feel bad because as soon as we put him on the medication he improved to almost perfection. The night we put him on it, he voluntarily carried a book to dinner and read it. We were always thinking it was just stubbornness and were very harsh on him accordingly. We feel horrible now that we know what it really was.

Cal

It can really make you feel guilty can't it? My daughter started showing difficulty in third grade. We didn't get a diagnosis until 8th. The school system was no help whatsoever. When we found out and started educating ourselves about it, we apologized to her.

I actually cried at the doctor's office when she was diagnosed. That is when I knew what was wrong with me. It just was the realization that a lot of the things I had experienced (which were the same types of things she was dealing with) had a name and was treatable. I didn't have to live like that anymore and really shouldn't have from the time I was a student, myself.

Knowing what a hard time she had and everything I went through to get a diagnosis and medication, I shake my head in amazement when I hear how overdiagnosed and drugged everyone is now. It took us FOREVER.

As far as effects of the Adderall on me, the biggest change is that I can actually focus on one project long enough to get it finished.

Before, I would bring in the groceries, start putting them away, oh, wait, this fridge really needs cleaned. Wonder what I should lay out for dinner? Oooh, there was a recipe in Southern Living. Look for recipe and read magazine. Go to kitchen for a drink and see the groceries still on the counter. Start putting them away and someone needs to organize this cabinet. Out, out, out. Help Hayden with something. Where did this mess on the counter come from? I don't even know how to organize this stuff. Shove back in and continue my day.

Imagine living every day like that. It is horrible. I have always been called lazy, unorganized (I knew where stuff was, kinda), scatterbrained and many other things. The truth was that I was so overwhelmed I didn't know what to do. I couldn't stick with one thing long enough to see it through. This was all to the consternation of my teachers, parents, friends, children and husband. It was really, really affecting our family.

I have noticed some curbing of the appetite, which is a pretty good thing. I haven't had any headaches, stomach problems or anything like that. Most of all I would tell people that it induces absolutely NO kind of high. That is because it is actually working, I believe.

Didn't mean to write a book. If you want to know anything else, please ask. It has only been a month for me and I am sooo very happy with the results.

 

[Taximom]

Oh yeah, 3, 4, 5 hours to do an hour's worth of homework...that's our boy.

We feel bad because as soon as we put him on the medication he improved to almost perfection. The night we put him on it, he voluntarily carried a book to dinner and read it. We were always thinking it was just stubbornness and were very harsh on him accordingly. We feel horrible now that we know what it really was.

Cal

I must be PMSing (haha, but seriously) because just the thought of this homework problem alone brings me to tears. We literally sat at the kitchen table the entire evening because he couldn't focus, or settle down enough to write neatly etc.

I lost so much time with the rest of my family. We have a special needs daughter that really needs all the attention we can give her, so we split the time between him and her. We had two other children at the time that needed just as much attention, but because they did well in all things...they didn't get any attention. There was no more of me to give. Hubby tried to pick up the slack, but we both went to bed tired and frustrated. He went to bed crying, but the homework was done.

We tried everything possible to get him to do his homework like 'normal'. Positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, stickers, understanding, yelling, grounding....I can't even remember it all.

It literally makes me sick what we put this boy through when all that time he couldn't really help it. NOW I see it. Now I see that his attention was diverted so very easily. I wonder what we did to his soul, even though now he seems fine.

Anyway, Focalin has really helped him without any side effects whatsoever.

I appreciate everyone's candor about this touchy subject. :blowkiss:

 

[Taximom]

I lost a bottle of my Ritalin - after having been on Ritalin for a year and a half. I found that I could spend an entire day at my work desk and not work - couldn't find my car, keys, recall what I had just said or what someone else had just said... etc. I, too, had forgotten the nightmare.

When I FIRST started taking Ritalin, I was in awe of the world. When I remembered where a conversation that had strayed had been going, or when I knew I had an appointment the following day - or when I actually got in a full day's work - I was FLOORED at the feeling. It was like finally being human instead of walking from room to room wondering what I was on my way there for.

Once you get used to living like a human, going off Ritalin for awhile really is a slap in the face. I didn't have any side effects from taking it or withdrawls from not taking it - just lost my brain in the process of not taking it.

That's neat, Glitch. My young nephew noticed the change too when he took his Ritalin many years ago. I'm always so glad when those that take these meds can tell us the changes it makes in their lives! :blowkiss:

ETA: Tennessee, I liked reading your book! :blowkiss:

 

[OneLostGrl]

What I think is that unless you have a child that has ADD/ADHD, you should really keep your opinions about whether it is diet or exercise or real or not real to yourself. The last thing that someone wants to hear is some armchair quarterback second guessing their decisions.

Because until you go through this with a child, you really don't know what the hell it is you are talking about. It would be kind of like me commenting on whether PMS is real or not and what the remedy is. Now for those that have had success with nonconventional techniques, diet changes, etc. then let's talk. But someone sitting back who never faced this problem and preaching about how ever kid is ADD/ADHD doesn't help anyone....especially since you don't know what the hell you are talking about. But be careful because God or karma or whatever fate you believe has a funny way of coming back to roost.

I know because I used to be an armchair quarterback on the topic!

Cal

I hope you don't think I was saying that in my post. Trust me, I'm the last person who'd imply children don't get "mental illnesses".

My post above was only to point out Kim's only using Scientologist "studies" and Scientologist "doctors" to prove her point.

 

[calus_3]

I hope you don't think I was saying that in my post. Trust me, I'm the last person who'd imply children don't get "mental illnesses".

My post above was only to point out Kim's only using Scientologist "studies" and Scientologist "doctors" to prove her point.

Oh no, I was merely lashing out at the Neal Boortz's of the world.

Sure, there are some kids on it that don't need it....i.e. they are lazy or unmotivated.

However, when you have a child with it, it is hell.

I may see about talking to my doctor about trying a prescription to see if that helps me. I am forgetful and I just can't seem to learn anything new...I call it overloaded brain syndrome. I can read but it is like nothing sticks and I can't understand difficult concepts any more. Something is broken, that or I am just stressed beyond belief.

Cal

 

[calus_3]

I must be PMSing (haha, but seriously) because just the thought of this homework problem alone brings me to tears. We literally sat at the kitchen table the entire evening because he couldn't focus, or settle down enough to write neatly etc.

I lost so much time with the rest of my family. We have a special needs daughter that really needs all the attention we can give her, so we split the time between him and her. We had two other children at the time that needed just as much attention, but because they did well in all things...they didn't get any attention. There was no more of me to give. Hubby tried to pick up the slack, but we both went to bed tired and frustrated. He went to bed crying, but the homework was done.

We tried everything possible to get him to do his homework like 'normal'. Positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, stickers, understanding, yelling, grounding....I can't even remember it all.

It literally makes me sick what we put this boy through when all that time he couldn't really help it. NOW I see it. Now I see that his attention was diverted so very easily. I wonder what we did to his soul, even though now he seems fine.

Anyway, Focalin has really helped him without any side effects whatsoever.

I appreciate everyone's candor about this touchy subject. :blowkiss:

Us too, lots of guilt there but we didn't know. Very subtle stuff.

Cal

 

[calus_3]

It can really make you feel guilty can't it? My daughter started showing difficulty in third grade. We didn't get a diagnosis until 8th. The school system was no help whatsoever. When we found out and started educating ourselves about it, we apologized to her.

I actually cried at the doctor's office when she was diagnosed. That is when I knew what was wrong with me. It just was the realization that a lot of the things I had experienced (which were the same types of things she was dealing with) had a name and was treatable. I didn't have to live like that anymore and really shouldn't have from the time I was a student, myself.

Knowing what a hard time she had and everything I went through to get a diagnosis and medication, I shake my head in amazement when I hear how overdiagnosed and drugged everyone is now. It took us FOREVER.

As far as effects of the Adderall on me, the biggest change is that I can actually focus on one project long enough to get it finished.

Before, I would bring in the groceries, start putting them away, oh, wait, this fridge really needs cleaned. Wonder what I should lay out for dinner? Oooh, there was a recipe in Southern Living. Look for recipe and read magazine. Go to kitchen for a drink and see the groceries still on the counter. Start putting them away and someone needs to organize this cabinet. Out, out, out. Help Hayden with something. Where did this mess on the counter come from? I don't even know how to organize this stuff. Shove back in and continue my day.

Imagine living every day like that. It is horrible. I have always been called lazy, unorganized (I knew where stuff was, kinda), scatterbrained and many other things. The truth was that I was so overwhelmed I didn't know what to do. I couldn't stick with one thing long enough to see it through. This was all to the consternation of my teachers, parents, friends, children and husband. It was really, really affecting our family.

I have noticed some curbing of the appetite, which is a pretty good thing. I haven't had any headaches, stomach problems or anything like that. Most of all I would tell people that it induces absolutely NO kind of high. That is because it is actually working, I believe.

Didn't mean to write a book. If you want to know anything else, please ask. It has only been a month for me and I am sooo very happy with the results.

Very similar with our son.

Very similar with me. Did you find that if something interests you, that you can hyperfocus on it to the exclusion of everything else?

I am hesitant to try the medication due to a severe addiction tendency in my family that has so far escaped me...thank GOD...but I might just try it. I am really struggling to understand things and learn new stuff.

If you watch Seinfeld, I feel like Elaine when she quit having sex and became stupid.

Cal

 

[tennessee]

Very similar with our son.

Very similar with me. Did you find that if something interests you, that you can hyperfocus on it to the exclusion of everything else?

Oh my gosh, yes! The memory and ability to understand things really is frustrating. I know I am intelligent enough, things just don't stick though.

I am hesitant to try the medication due to a severe addiction tendency in my family that has so far escaped me...thank GOD...but I might just try it. I am really struggling to understand things and learn new stuff.

I struggled with it too. Finally I realized that if the medication could make my life better than it was, it was worth it to me. A lot of people compare it to diabetics and insulin but I really don't think that is a good comparison. I don't need Adderall to survive. However, it sure has helped my family and our relationships with each other.

:laugh: :laugh:

If you watch Seinfeld, I feel like Elaine when she quit having sex and became stupid.

I love watching Seinfeld.

Cal

Just discuss it with your doctor and see about starting with a low dose and see what happens. I take Adderall XR 20mg. Sometimes it takes a bit to find the medicine and dosage that works. I got lucky and my MD and the psychologist who diagnosed me worked together.

 

[narlacat]

What I think is that unless you have a child that has ADD/ADHD, you should really keep your opinions about whether it is diet or exercise or real or not real to yourself. The last thing that someone wants to hear is some armchair quarterback second guessing their decisions.

Because until you go through this with a child, you really don't know what the hell it is you are talking about. It would be kind of like me commenting on whether PMS is real or not and what the remedy is. Now for those that have had success with nonconventional techniques, diet changes, etc. then let's talk. But someone sitting back who never faced this problem and preaching about how ever kid is ADD/ADHD doesn't help anyone....especially since you don't know what the hell you are talking about. But be careful because God or karma or whatever fate you believe has a funny way of coming back to roost.

I know because I used to be an armchair quarterback on the topic!

Cal

Hi Cal

Well guess what- I know this much- ADD and AHAD are over diagnosed- it's that simple.

Not sure if your comments were meant for me, so just in case they are....

 

[Kim Ii]

Just got back to this thread -- I haven't read most of the posts since I last posted, so forgive me if I'm 'over-posting.'

I really am not aware that the information I've posted is somehow related to Scientology. I'm not a Scientologist, nor do I espouse its teachings.

Evelyn Pringle is not a Scientologist, as far as I know. It was, in part, due to my reading of her investigations into the whole ADHD theory that led me eventually to some of Dr. Baughman's research. I have traded numerous emails with Dr. Baughman and although I admire him very much in certain ways, I do NOT agree with some of what he has to say re: vaccine issues, etc.

I hope you all take what I had to say as far as OUR PERSONAL HISTORY with our son, Ryan, and understand how much I truly want to prevent any other family from going through what we did! OUR son did NOT have ADHD -- he was completely misdiagnosed!

Further, it is NOT Scientology ONLY which finds that the diagnosing of a child/adult with a 'brain disorder' ONLY with a pen, pad of paper and subjective questionings, is utter and complete, FRAUD. They do NOT teach you how to diagnose a brain disorder in medical school in this manner. You need lab diagnostics, MRI's, lab work...something definitive, to prove there is a disorder of the brain chemically.

When I asked this particular psychiatrist HOW in the world he knew our son had a chemical imbalance, and asked if he could show me the scientific support to back up his claim, HE TOTALLY ADMITTED HE HAD NOTHING TO GIVE ME. He admitted it.

I'm not saying there isn't a true disease as ADHD. I am simply saying that oft times, children DO GET MISDIAGNOSED as having ADHD, when, in actuality, something else may be going on...do you understand?

Our son did not need a Schedule II drug at all, but I understand there are some children who MAY benefit from some sort of drug intervention. BUT, from my research, I would caution anyone to really ensure they do have a solid basis for a diagnosis prior to accepting any sort of drug intervention for your child.

We learned our lesson from our own mistakes -- I have always been one to try to help someone else down the road so they perhaps, won't have to go through what we've been through. I don't want to offend anyone here who may be using drug intervention as a means of support. I can hear the defensive mechanisms screaming from the rafters, here...

I just can't stress enough how vital it is to get a complete and thorough diagnosis as to your child's issues before a label is slapped onto your child's forehead. We ran the gamut of 'tests' for Ryan and as I've stated, it wasn't until DREDF's representative spoke to me, did I realize we had been running around in circles, with no end in sight.

There will be plenty of so-called professionals ready at the helm, with hands out, ready to take your $$...with untold promises as to what they can do to HELP Johnny with this and that, etc.

For US/RYAN, drugs were definitely not the answer. Finding and using the proper diagnostics and proper school support, have helped tremendously.

 

[Kim Ii]

Here is a link to an article which speaks about the possible over-diagnosis of ADHD (and may I note, NOT written by a Scientologist):

http://www2.jsonline.com/alive/family/1116sadkid.stm;

 

[Kim Ii]

Sigh...that link isn't working, I'll try it again, but here's a small snip:

..."Just because your child is antsy and quick to anger doesn't mean he or she has ADHD. It could be one of many things: depression, bi-polar disorder, a form of autism, post traumatic stress syndrome or even something as simple as lead poisoning or chronic ear infections, health professionals say."

"About 1.5 million children ages 5 through 18 -- 2.8% of U.S. school-age children -- take Ritalin for relief from attention and hyperactivity disorders, researchers reported in the journal Pediatrics. The drug's popularity is growing. Ritalin use is up 250% since 1990, according to a recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association."

"Some mental health care professionals, such as Steve Levine, a school psychologist with Milwaukee Public Schools, say ADHD is "grossly overdiagnosed."

"Levine, who has worked with children for the past 20 years at MPS and in his private practice as a clinical psychologist, says he has seen "an extreme overdiagnosis of ADHD," especially during the past 10 years."

Let's try that link again:

http://www2.jsonline.com/alive/family/1116sadkid.stm

 

[Kim Ii]

One more article by Pringle re: ADHD/overdiagnosis:

Here's the link: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00149.htm

AND A SNIP:

..."By 1996, close to $15 billion was spent annually on the diagnosis, treatment, and study of the so-called attention deficit disorder."

"Over roughly the past 2 years, public health officials in the US, Canada and "the UK have issued warnings about previously known, but undisclosed, risks associated with the stimulant drugs used to treat ADHD."

"In September 2005, Canadian public health officials asked drug makers to turn over data from all clinical trials and post-marketing reports for the medications by the end of 2005 to be reviewed in 2006."

"The February 2006 hearings, represent the third time in 2 years that the FDA has addressed the heart related side effects of ADHD drugs. This whole charade is beginning to look more and more like a repeat of the Vioxx debacle."

"Foot-dragging earned the FDA a rebuke this month from Senator, Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, which has exclusive jurisdiction over the Medicare and Medicaid programs which, according to Sen Grassley, pay hundreds of millions of dollars for prescription drugs each year, including drugs used to treat ADHD."

"In a February 6, 2006, letter to acting FDA commissioner, Dr Andrew von Eschenbach, Sen Grassley said in part, "I remain concerned that while both psychiatric and cardiovascular risk signals have cropped up across this class of drugs this past year, it appears that FDA is just now beginning to 'discuss approaches' for studying these risks."

“More specifically," Sen Grassley wrote, "I question why it has taken nearly an entire year for FDA to begin to address these concerns given the serious nature of the adverse events associated with these drugs.”

"In the letter, Sen Grassley noted that the FDA had recently announced upcoming meetings of two different advisory committees to examine different ways of studying adverse events related to ADHD drugs when studies showing the risks had already been done. He accused the FDA of taking a slow approach to regulating the drugs."

"As examples of risk already established, Sen Grassley pointed out that in February 2005, cardiovascular concerns raised in adverse event reports led Canadian health officials to suspend market authorization of Adderall XR for six months due to a review of safety information from Shire that showed 20 international reports of sudden death and that in 2004, the FDA required Shire to include the risk of sudden death on the label."

"He noted that last summer, the safety of the drugs was called into question when the FDA publicly stated that it had concerns about psychiatric side effects from the use of Concerta and specifically stated on its website that it had “identified two possible safety concerns with the methylphenidate drug products: psychiatric adverse events and cardiovascular adverse events.”

 

[OneLostGrl]

I don't think anyone here was disagreeing with you that ADD/ADHD is overdiagnosed. It is- as are many "mental illnesses"- everyone I have read on this thread has acknowledged that.

My brother was misdiagnosd with ADD when he was a child and my mother treated him with medication for a very short time and it did horrid things to him... because he did not need it.

No one in my family has ADD/ADHD so I don't know much about the illness itself, that's why I didn't comment on that part of your posts, only where you were getting your information from. I thought it only fair others on this thread be aware where the articles came from.

There are many more Scientologist authors slamming legit disorders than their are Non.

When Pringle writes, she quotes Scientologists.. she quotes the Citizens Commission on Human Rights. Also, her articles are published BY the CCHR on one of their copyrighted websites. http://www.mental-health-abuse.org/media.html so although she doesn't SAY she is a Scientologist it's quite obvious she is involved in one of their many fronts so again, as far as I am concerend anything she has to say is garbage.