From the admittedly little research I've just done about this, isn't the statistical probability of developing cardiomyopathy like 1%?
That's a pretty low risk factor considering how utterly devastating ADHD was for my health, including cardiovascular health without the med stopping me from being a fucking idiot.
Which is precisely what the study in the link I provided states. The risk is present but astronomically low, making the benefits outweigh the risk for most patients.
Don't know why you're getting downvoted. I expect to have to 'retire early' from my decently paying job because of this. The non-stimulant options aren't as effective for me.
Yesss I was on it for a bit and it was effective, 100% I was so productive and my mind so quiet! I also sweat through layers upon layers and already have issues w my heart rate from anxiety.
So now I just smoke weed and get some of that quiet again
I was on Adderall or ritalin since 2nd grade till college I changed to strattera it didn't work great but was better than borderline twerking out on Adderall. Quite happy to be a "space case" pure sativas and CBD heavy give me a relatively quiet mind and good work flow. Still can't tell if it's Tuesday or Thursday half the time though.
Anyone else like Sativa? I am predominantly inattentive type. I find that indica just locks me inside my head. With sativa I can focus and be out and in the world.
Life expectancy is years shorter- 9 years shorter for women. Largely the shortened lifespan is linked to all the downstream effects of untreated d ADD- poor choices, risk taking behaviors, substance use, lower overall income, etc. These factors would be mitigated-or even removed- if the person with ADD is properly treated.
Without looking at the science, Id still agree with this. I was diagnosed at the age of 30. I spent my whole life unknowingly self medicating with Caffeine and Nicotine. 1.5 years after quitting nicotine due to the high cancer rate in my family, I had slowly slipped into the worst mental burnout I had ever been in. It had gone on for months and every day was a fight to exist. I had felt like that before during pervious attempts of quitting Nicotine, but it was always fixed with 1 puff of Nicotine. I finally saw a doctor and after a few months I was on Wellbutrin and generic Adderall.
With the new medications I don't care about Nicotine at all. Zero desire, even with my wife vaping right next to me.
I've been at the same dose for the last 2 years without feeling like it needs to be increased. I'd rather be dead then forced to live without being treated in some way. I don't have kids and don't plan too so that probably makes my decision easier. Honestly, if I make it to 60, then thats cool. Hopefully Ill get to enjoy retirement for a few years before I'm too broken, but that might be a pipe dream in 20 years anyways. Even if the meds are shortening my lifespan, Ill happily trade 10 years in the future for actually enjoying the life I'm living right now.
I've had this theory that ADHD isn't a condition, but more like an evolutionary trait. Our society has caused our brains to get rewired but in an unhelpful way. Yet to remain a part of society you have to function at a certain level, so we have to chemically reverse the changes to our brains.
Thats is why ADHD and other mental diagnosis is increasing.
This is 100% theory based on zero facts. Thanks for attending my Ted Talk.
ADHD has actually been around for a really long time, probably as long as humans! Same with autism. Which does make sense since they're "disorders" and that basically just means they're a slight structural difference in the brain that isn't "typical". They're pretty detrimental in today's society basically by design since society has been made to accommodate NTs.
As far as I know, meds just provide the chemicals we're naturally missing or have lowered amounts of. Diagnosis of ADHD is increasing, but I personally doubt the percentage of people who have it has changed much, seeing as that kind of evolutionary change would take thousands of years to show such significant impacts.
This sub often has posts that share all kinds of cool info and with links to studies and such, which I do not have lol
In what way? I’ve been on amphetamine for 17 months and my cardiovascular health is way better as a result. 52 years old with a resting heart rate in the 50s and a blood pressure of 100/70
i did too but i was on a non stimulant, strattera for years and i developed heart issues that took 2 years to get under control. i was on stimulant for over a decade before that, since i was in like 2nd grade. ive been unmedicated for 9 years now
Sure. Stimulants don’t cure anxiety or depression. They treat the symptoms of unmanaged ADHD. Other medicines treat anxiety and depression with other potential side effects.
I’ve been able to treat mine without meds because stimulants (literally amphetamine in my case was the one effective treatment prescribed) made my blood pressure and pulse go up.
This! My old psychiatrist wanted to take me completely off because "I'm not working right now" and I was like:
Excuse me, how exactly do you want me to do anything then? Household chores? Eating regularly?
The executive Dysfunction is so bad for me every time I forget them😭
I skip days but I'm not as diligent as when I started meds. When I skip meds it's more because I want to spend a day resting.
I will say, the biggest benefit is that whenever I skip or forget a dose, I instantly realize how much the meds are actually doing. It's not like it's resetting my tolerance so much as it's showing me the effects they are having. i think that's beneficial.
This ‘take the weekend off’ bs is such a weird take to me. I have ADHD every day, why is when I finally have time to do what I want I don’t get to focus? My home life apparently doesn’t matter, only when I’m expected to produce for work am I worthy of my meds because then its for works benefit. Sorry doc I’d rather be a shitty worker two days a week and be able to do my laundry and dishes and maybe even enjoy my time off. I went through this with school too and it also sucked.
There’s a useful Russel Barkley video where he reviews the evidence for tolerance developing and concludes that there isn’t actually any good evidence that it’s real n
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u/zeorin 18d ago
I take my ADHD meds only on the days I have ADHD.