Welcome to the ADHD Roller Coaster’s archive of posts about medication. Perhaps no area of ADHD creates as much confusion.
These posts
approach this topic from various angles.
Self-education is critical here. But it’s far too easy to be intimidated—or, worse, to suffer from low expectations.
Can we trust the average prescriber to get it right? Probably not.
As an ADHD advocate and educator for 20 years, I’ve heard thousands of medication-gone-right/wrong stories.
Almost all consumer books on ADHD reduce advice on medication to “Talk with your doctor.” No, I’m sorry, but that is not enough. Not for most people.
Self-education and self-advocacy is the only way to improve your odds of getting the best results from medication.
My first book, Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.?, remains the only consumer book to detail a methodical approach to optimizing ADHD medication.
With ADHD Success Training, I’ll offer step-by-step guidance for working with your prescribing professional to achieve the best outcome.)
If you are a therapist, please know that you can help individuals and couples with ADHD medication treatment—while still respecting your licensing guidelines.
Please refer to Adult ADHD-Focused Couple Therapy: Clinical Interventions, by Gina Pera and Arthur L. Robin, PhD (2016, Taylor & Francis).
Preliminary research shows that treating ADHD with stimulant medication can normalize the ability to uptake iron already in the diet. The study called into question the routine recommendation of iron supplements for people with ADHD. …
Can Stimulants Normalize Iron Uptake in Individuals with ADHD? Maybe Read More »
What can a published study — and an excerpt from my first book — explain about ADHD, empathy, and the neurotransmitter dopamine? That’s what this post is all about. I’ve noticed a remarkable phenomenon over …
ADHD, Empathy, & Dopamine: A Study, Book Excerpt, and Definition Read More »
Can foods—particularly those containing citric acid—affect how well you absorb stimulants, such as Ritalin, Adderall, and Vyvanse? I get that question a lot. So, let’s delve into answering it. In a word, yes. Yes, …
Can Acidic Foods Affect Stimulant Medications for ADHD? Read More »
Is Adult ADHD in older people being misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s or dementia? I worry about this. A lot. This misdiagnosis poses devastating consequences for those individuals and everyone who loves them. The medical community …
Is It Alzheimer’s Disease Or Misdiagnosed Adult ADHD? Read More »
Basic FAA Highlights on ADHD and Piloting
As best I can make out, this is the bottom line for potential pilots with ADHD:
ADHD itself is not a disqualifying condition.
The FAA acknowledges that sometimes that the ADHD diagnosis in the past was in error.
Ifyou have a formal diagnosis of ADD or ADHD, you may need to undergo additional testing in order to receive a medical certificate.
Most medications used to treat ADHD are disqualifying (stimulants and non-stimulant Strattera).
Requires a 90-day period of taking no medication before evaluation.
The FAA requires its own extensive evaluation for ADHD.
What’s the connection between the 1918 Pandemic, penicillin, and stimulant medications? In this post, I’ll explain the indirect and direct connections. The 1918 Pandemic, also called the Spanish Flu, was only one in that era’s …
The 1918 Pandemic, Stimulant Medications, and Penicillin Read More »
For years, ADHD experts recognized the link between untreated ADHD and obesity. As for weight-control experts and gastric-bypass surgeons? Maybe they missed the memo. Or, is it territorial protection? Willful ignorance? “ADHD Denial”? Let’s be …
If you have ADHD and have been helped by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, I am happy for you. This post is about something a little more complicated. This post addresses the danger of ADHD going …
In the wake of the 1918 Flu Pandemic, physician Charles Bradley made an accidental discovery in 1935. It was this: A stimulant medication can mitigate what we now view as ADHD symptoms. But that wasn’t …
Linking 1918 Flu Pandemic to Critical Medical Discoveries Read More »
Can teens with ADHD tell when they are on medication—compared to placebo? Researchers sought to answer that question in the study examined below. The findings might shock you. In this post, I’ll set the scene …
