Few questions about stimulants

[Guest Bill Cosby]

Hello,

I am fairly sure that I have ADD (inattentive type). When I was younger, I went in to a psychiatrist who specializes in ADHD, and he I remember him saying "you have slow processing skills blah blah.." and recommended medication (I'm not sure if I got a formal dx). I refused the medication because I didn't want to fux up my body, and didn't really trust the drugs in my body (both of my parents are against taking medication too). I have been tested and received a IQ score of 168, and have been in magnet schools AP etc... all of my life. I haven't done particularly well in high school (I'm a senior now - 3.5UW/4.0W GPA and 1240 SAT). I have never (that I can remember) actually sat down to study or do homework at home, and don't really pay attention in class. I work in a pharmacy now, and I have learned a lot more about the stimulant medications. I haven't really realized my ADD personality until a few months ago when I started studying Japanese. I notice that it is IMPOSSIBLE to get myself to actually sit down and do any studying (even things I enjoy). I also have a horrible habit of never finishing projects, and procrastinating in general (I haven't even filed my taxes yet :X ). Well, I need to improve my SAT score by 30 points to get a scholarship, and I can't actually sit down to study since I get so distracted. I was thinking of going to the doctor for an evaluation, but I still don't know if it's a good idea. I don't really need the medication all the time, only during big tests and when studying things that are moderately difficult. Does anyone take any stimulant prn? I think an IR stimulant would be the best decision because they last for 4 hours (that way I could take it only when I need it). Is this a good idea? I just turned 18, and I'll be attending college next fall. I'm a bit scared about telling my Mom, since she is really against medication. Since I work in a pharmacy, I know all the doctors that prescribe it frequently, so I could just make an appt. with one of them. I don't have a doctor, and I have a high deductible on my medical insurance (although I have RX insurance). My mother keeps telling me that I lack self-dicipline, and I keep thinking that I have ADD. I am wondering if she is right, and that I am using ADD as a scapegoat, or if I really do have it. I'm not really sure what the point of this post was anymore... haha

So these are the questions:

Please tell me your experience with taking stimulants prn.

What does your MD have you do to get the dx? (I meet almost all of the DSM-IV qualifications and all the online tests say positive)

I have to have some immunizations done for college next year, so I was wondering if I could combine the visit with an evaluation for ADD. Does this sound plausable? I really don't want my mom to know. Would she have to be involved in the dx process? How many visits do you usually have to make with the doctor before you can get a script and a dx?

I don't want to have to pay for a bunch of visits. I know the dosage might have to be changed, but I'll worry about that later. I figure that if I do need it, I can get 3 scripts when I go off to college and then just come back or have him mail it after 3 months.

Yeah.... so basically I am just concerned about my performance in college if I can't really focus on my studies.

Thanks for your help!

[Steve@3AM]

I may be misinterpreting, but I see 2 issues:

Beyond the question of PRN stimulants - which should raise questions, it appears you are asking what you should say to a doctor to get an Rx for them without going through a process of spending time with a doctor so they can make a Dx and determine if it is appropriate? e.g. "how can I shortcut to an Rx for stimulants?

2. Lose the name!

Using names of other people - rather than a 'creative' name for yourself, may be cute for responses on computer blogs - or maybe facebook etc. (I don't go there.) but it has always struck me as inappropriate and I don't think anyone here does it and it doesn't score points.

Sorry to dump if you're sincere.

If you are, I suggest you go the 'normal' route of seeing a doctor or psychiatrist, seeing what issues and possibilities exist for treatment - possibly non-drug? (Many things can contribute to some of the things you describe including anxiety and depression.) THEN, when you have a legitimate Dx, come back to discuss your issues.

(Again, just the way your question hit me. Others may have a different take.)

[AirMarshall]

Hi, welcome.

I can't address your entire situation, but I'll take some quick stabs.

So these are the questions:

Please tell me your experience with taking stimulants prn.

What does your MD have you do to get the dx? (I meet almost all of the DSM-IV qualifications and all the online tests say positive)

My pdoc is the one who suggested it to me, so that isn't applicable to you. She had been seeing me for almost 3 years so she had good observations. She bypassed any formal testing and went directly to med trials.

I don't think that you are going to walk into just any general practitioner and get handed stims. Certainly the best choice is to see a psychiatrist. In any case, it is entirely up to the individual doc as to his requirement for testing. A copy of the previous evaluation would be helpful, but again a conservative doc is not going to blindly follow a childs evaluation done years before with no follow up treatment or history.

I have to have some immunizations done for college next year, so I was wondering if I could combine the visit with an evaluation for ADD. Does this sound plausable? I really don't want my mom to know. Would she have to be involved in the dx process? How many visits do you usually have to make with the doctor before you can get a script and a dx?

Most doctors schedule on a 12 minute block. Its unfair, and unreasonable to cram something as complex as an ADD evaluation onto other items.

I don't want to have to pay for a bunch of visits. I know the dosage might have to be changed, but I'll worry about that later. I figure that if I do need it, I can get 3 scripts when I go off to college and then just come back or have him mail it after 3 months.

Your doctor may not give you multiple scrips. Your state may not allow renewals past 30 days. Your doctor may require you to return for follow up after a month or two to see how you are doing. All the more reason why you should get in to see the doc well before leaving for college, so that you can get the evaluations, do med trials and have time to work out adjustments or med changes.

** You don't mention, do you have any other psychiatric diagnosis? Are you taking any other psych meds? **

Good luck in sorting things out.

a.m.

p.s. Don't expect a pill to make you "smarter". Studying for the exam is still required. Do your best, a little at a time.

[Guest Bill Cosby]

Hi, welcome.

I can't address your entire situation, but I'll take some quick stabs.

So these are the questions:

Please tell me your experience with taking stimulants prn.

What does your MD have you do to get the dx? (I meet almost all of the DSM-IV qualifications and all the online tests say positive)

My pdoc is the one who suggested it to me, so that isn't applicable to you. She had been seeing me for almost 3 years so she had good observations. She bypassed any formal testing and went directly to med trials.

I don't think that you are going to walk into just any general practitioner and get handed stims. Certainly the best choice is to see a psychiatrist. In any case, it is entirely up to the individual doc as to his requirement for testing. A copy of the previous evaluation would be helpful, but again a conservative doc is not going to blindly follow a childs evaluation done years before with no follow up treatment or history.

I have to have some immunizations done for college next year, so I was wondering if I could combine the visit with an evaluation for ADD. Does this sound plausable? I really don't want my mom to know. Would she have to be involved in the dx process? How many visits do you usually have to make with the doctor before you can get a script and a dx?

Most doctors schedule on a 12 minute block. Its unfair, and unreasonable to cram something as complex as an ADD evaluation onto other items.

I don't want to have to pay for a bunch of visits. I know the dosage might have to be changed, but I'll worry about that later. I figure that if I do need it, I can get 3 scripts when I go off to college and then just come back or have him mail it after 3 months.

Your doctor may not give you multiple scrips. Your state may not allow renewals past 30 days. Your doctor may require you to return for follow up after a month or two to see how you are doing. All the more reason why you should get in to see the doc well before leaving for college, so that you can get the evaluations, do med trials and have time to work out adjustments or med changes.

** You don't mention, do you have any other psychiatric diagnosis? Are you taking any other psych meds? **

Good luck in sorting things out.

a.m.

p.s. Don't expect a pill to make you "smarter". Studying for the exam is still required. Do your best, a little at a time.

Thank you for your reply. I am sincere about getting it taken care of, but I have neither money nor time to putz around while waiting for a diagnosis. I do not have any other MIs, and I don't take any medications (except for a multivitamin). Frankly, I am scared of taking anything unless it is necessary. It's legal to get up to 3 scripts at a time as long as they say "Fill after 1/1 2/1 3/1 on the script", and are dated correctly (even though CII scripts never expire). I understand what you are saying about the medication making me "smarter", but I am just looking for a way to allow me to focus on what I need to learn.

@Steve -

I'm not depressed or anxious btw, I'm not sure where you got that from. I'm just a bit frustrated that I can't concertrate on the task at hand. The reason I am using this name is to avoid divulging my identity, and I'm not looking to take a shortcut in the diagnosis. I just want to reap the benefits of the medication without compensating my health since I can control the symptoms in most other cases. It is only during long exams and periods of study that I feel the ADD kicking in.

Thanks again!

[Steve@3AM]

Well, as I said, my apologies if I misread your situation. We do see interesting situations here!

You can use a name to shield your identity - we all use other names - without using the name of another person, though.

And, not said to be argumentative, but depression and anxiety can take many forms - not necessarily feeling "Oh, I'm depressed." or and edgy kind of anxiety. They CAN have ADD like symptoms. That was the basis of my statement. Not that it applied, but that it was something to consider with a doctor.

Also, it seems kind of interesting that the "It is ONLY during long exams and periods of study that I feel the ADD 'kicking in'".

It may be just the way you phrased that, but with your original statement, this still just doesn't sound quite right to me.

Anyway, I'm not a doctor and don't play one on CrazyBoards! I hope your search finds the right answer - meds or other. Learning disabilities suck! Even when your IQ is 168!

Good luck.

Consider joining the group and reporting back.

[Guest OP]

Well, as I said, my apologies if I misread your situation. We do see interesting situations here!

You can use a name to shield your identity - we all use other names - without using the name of another person, though.

And, not said to be argumentative, but depression and anxiety can take many forms - not necessarily feeling "Oh, I'm depressed." or and edgy kind of anxiety. They CAN have ADD like symptoms. That was the basis of my statement. Not that it applied, but that it was something to consider with a doctor.

Also, it seems kind of interesting that the "It is ONLY during long exams and periods of study that I feel the ADD 'kicking in'".

It may be just the way you phrased that, but with your original statement, this still just doesn't sound quite right to me.

Anyway, I'm not a doctor and don't play one on CrazyBoards! I hope your search finds the right answer - meds or other. Learning disabilities suck! Even when your IQ is 168!

Good luck.

Consider joining the group and reporting back.

Perhaps I misphrased that. What I meant to say is that I am able to control it in most scenarios. The symptoms still exist, but they most affect me during tests and studying. Since I can just take a bit longer to do other things (in other areas), I don't feel that I need the medication (and who wouldn't want to take meds if they didn't have to!). I would rather just take them during the tests and when I need to seriously study, and then just control them in the other situations. I really don't want to take them for the full day due to health concerns (addiction, side effects - (loss of appetite, headaches etc...), tolerance, ect...), and I was wondering if a prn IR solution would be beneficial in this case. I have heard about a "crash" when using stimulant medications. Can you please explain what is involved and how long after the dose does it occur?

I also looked at the DSM-IV guidlines for diagnosing depression and anxiety and I am far from meeting the symptoms. I also did a research project on depression for my psychology class and I am very sure that I am not depressed.

How many visits am I looking at with an MD until everything is in order for me to leave? (dx, prescriptions, evaluations) I want to know how much this is going to cost me since my insurance will only pay above $5k in expenses.

Thanks for your help.

[Steve@3AM]

Pretty hard to predict how a Dr. would handle. It may be something they see as very obvious. BUT, since you have no history with them you probably should expect them to be hesitant to prescribe medications that are subject to street abuse on an initial visit.

IF it is truly ADD, the way you describe your situation it may be possible that a very low dose of a stimulant will be just enough to put you over the block. BUT, some people are more sensitive than others and some people have more of a 'crash' than others. It doesn't always happen. A 'simple' way of thinking about a 'crash' is sort of like "what goes up must come down"! Kind of like you have your 'normal' everyday mood/mental state. You then take a stimulant and you go 'up' a bit but then when it wears off you go down a bit. This being relative to your 'baseline'. What form these reactions take is hard to speculate. Could just be mild headaches or could be depression. There are many different possible meds, too, and each is a bit different. I personally found Ritalin to be a very 'edgy' med. I didn't like it but it's generally the med of choice. I thought Adderall was the best overall, but it still didn't help MY issues much. Nothing ever did, med wise. If I look at DSM and various websites I score very high for ADD. And those markers have been there since third grade or earlier.

However, now I'm back with a therapist. Ongoing psychotherapy, not Pdoc, for first time. I can't say any symptoms have changed, but I do see possibilities that all my issues COULD be psychogenic. That's part of the reason I suggested other issues might be behind your symptoms. JUST for your consideration, not argument. I'm not anti drugs, they just never worked for me and I see a lot of people treat them as magic solutions without consideration of causes.

Anyway, I ramble! (Famously! )

I would go back to your questions about effects and point out one very important issue. That is "state conditioned learning'. The anecdotal example is the drunk who can't remember where he parked his car after he sobers up. But then remembers when he is again drunk. Or, in your case, the student who always studied on speed but then decided to be 'clear headed' and well rested for their test. And did poorly. Because they couldn't remember what they had studied while on speed.

How much of an issue this would be if you found success with low doses "PRN" is hard to say, but it IS an issue. IF you find that you ever DO seriously study a subject with stimulants then you might want to consider also taking the same dose for tests.

Anyway, more stuff than you probably need.

Again, good luck.

[null0trooper]

Perhaps I misphrased that. What I meant to say is that I am able to control it in most scenarios. The symptoms still exist, but they most affect me during tests and studying. Since I can just take a bit longer to do other things (in other areas), I don't feel that I need the medication (and who wouldn't want to take meds if they didn't have to!).

The number one criteria for all mental illnesses is that the symptoms impair a person's ability to function normally in one's own society. If everything's under control except for an occasional situation with a discernable cause, there's no illness and no need to be taking the medications.

But let's say you get the prescription and build a wonderful transcript based on a chemically-enhanced performance level that you can't maintain on your own. School ends. How are you going to handle random urinalysisin the workplace? Or a continuous grind of back-to-back 80-hour weeks? Add to that the fact you want the medication under as close to no supervision as possible ... it just doesn't look good.

Another very good reason for a doctor to be cautious about prescribing stimulant meds is that there are a number of conditions that present many of the same symptoms as those used to diagnose ADHD. Some of them can get rapidly worse if the patient gets stimulants in place of the correct medication. Now, remember the part about adversely affecting one's ability to function? Depressives and ADDers aren't the most clearheaded observers when considering the minor extent of their problems.

All the while, the average person can see these meds being overprescribed in some situations, and still name some people who really, really should see a doctor about Ritalin.

I have heard about a "crash" when using stimulant medications. Can you please explain what is involved and how long after the dose does it occur?

Basically, stimulant meds prompt the release of neurotransmitters from storage - the mix depends on the med. While the transmitters are in active circulation, your heart rate and blood pressure increase, reaction times decrease, and various other mental effects can arise. As the body clears the drugs out, transporter molecules pull the transmitters out of circulation and set them up for deactivation. At the end, you've got less to fire your nerves with than you did before. How soon and how hard you crash, IF you crash, depends on the medication, the dose, what you drank with it, your metabolism, and whatever is really wrong with your brain. As with every other med discussed on this site, Your Mileage Will Vary.

Usually, an extended-release form, taken daily will provide a less abrupt change as the medication clears.

How many visits am I looking at with an MD until everything is in order for me to leave? (dx, prescriptions, evaluations) I want to know how much this is going to cost me since my insurance will only pay above $5k in expenses.

There's no way of knowing ahead of time.

We have people who were put on stimulants only after years of something still not being right after working HARD to get the bigger illnesses under control. Some people don't make it through the first appointment before the prescription pad is out.

[null0trooper]

Yeah.... so basically I am just concerned about my performance in college if I can't really focus on my studies.

Forgot to mention - I ended up with an MS degree without taking anything stronger than enough caffeine to stay awake.

[Guest OP]

Perhaps I misphrased that. What I meant to say is that I am able to control it in most scenarios. The symptoms still exist, but they most affect me during tests and studying. Since I can just take a bit longer to do other things (in other areas), I don't feel that I need the medication (and who wouldn't want to take meds if they didn't have to!).

The number one criteria for all mental illnesses is that the symptoms impair a person's ability to function normally in one's own society. If everything's under control except for an occasional situation with a discernable cause, there's no illness and no need to be taking the medications.

But let's say you get the prescription and build a wonderful transcript based on a chemically-enhanced performance level that you can't maintain on your own. School ends. How are you going to handle random urinalysisin the workplace? Or a continuous grind of back-to-back 80-hour weeks? Add to that the fact you want the medication under as close to no supervision as possible ... it just doesn't look good.

Another very good reason for a doctor to be cautious about prescribing stimulant meds is that there are a number of conditions that present many of the same symptoms as those used to diagnose ADHD. Some of them can get rapidly worse if the patient gets stimulants in place of the correct medication. Now, remember the part about adversely affecting one's ability to function? Depressives and ADDers aren't the most clearheaded observers when considering the minor extent of their problems.

All the while, the average person can see these meds being overprescribed in some situations, and still name some people who really, really should see a doctor about Ritalin.

I have heard about a "crash" when using stimulant medications. Can you please explain what is involved and how long after the dose does it occur?

Basically, stimulant meds prompt the release of neurotransmitters from storage - the mix depends on the med. While the transmitters are in active circulation, your heart rate and blood pressure increase, reaction times decrease, and various other mental effects can arise. As the body clears the drugs out, transporter molecules pull the transmitters out of circulation and set them up for deactivation. At the end, you've got less to fire your nerves with than you did before. How soon and how hard you crash, IF you crash, depends on the medication, the dose, what you drank with it, your metabolism, and whatever is really wrong with your brain. As with every other med discussed on this site, Your Mileage Will Vary.

Usually, an extended-release form, taken daily will provide a less abrupt change as the medication clears.

How many visits am I looking at with an MD until everything is in order for me to leave? (dx, prescriptions, evaluations) I want to know how much this is going to cost me since my insurance will only pay above $5k in expenses.

There's no way of knowing ahead of time.

We have people who were put on stimulants only after years of something still not being right after working HARD to get the bigger illnesses under control. Some people don't make it through the first appointment before the prescription pad is out.

I'm not sure what you mean about the urinalysis, since I would be taking the medicaition legally. I don't mind the supervision of the medication either, it's just that I am not in a financial situation to be able to afford a bunch of office visits now.

The symptoms exist in my everyday life, and do impair my function. It may be that I have a very mild case, but the symptoms are there nevertheless. I'm not trying to "beef" up my transcript, I just want to be able to sit down and study when need be. Do ADHD patients really expect to be on stimulant medications all of their lives? I would eventually expect that the effects would wear off and their dosage couldn't be increased any higher. This would be the case as well with me, I would stop taking it when it is no longer necessary.

I've noticed a lot of patients fill their scripts a few months after their last fill (seem to be skipping a lot of doses). Do you think they are taking them prn as well? ..just a thought...

They have counseling services at my future college (which also includes ADD testing apparently), but I am in a bit of a bind with the SATs and AP exams coming up. I'm not sure if I should just try to schedule an appt. with a psychiatrist or wait until then.

[null0trooper]

I'm not sure what you mean about the urinalysis, since I would be taking the medicaition legally.

That's what Rush Limbaugh thought. The sad fact is that anything that looks even slightly "off" with regard to a Schedule II med is considered suspicious. Some employers would demand a higher standard of correctness than others.

I don't mind the supervision of the medication either, it's just that I am not in a financial situation to be able to afford a bunch of office visits now.

Choose a good college with a decent infirmary plan. That's rarely bad advice anyway.

The symptoms exist in my everyday life, and do impair my function. It may be that I have a very mild case, but the symptoms are there nevertheless. I'm not trying to "beef" up my transcript, I just want to be able to sit down and study when need be. Do ADHD patients really expect to be on stimulant medications all of their lives? I would eventually expect that the effects would wear off and their dosage couldn't be increased any higher.

Yes. ADHD starts in early childhood if not at birth and it isn't curable. BUT there are a lot of ways to manage it, it normally doesn't get worse, and not everything about it is a disadvantage. Folks like you, with higher intelligence, can compensate for many of the symptoms through most of school. Then what seemed like a mild case becomes more much serious as the person crashes and burns under the pressures and freedoms of college, family, and/or a career.

If needed, the catch with the medication is that you want to take *just* enough to function well enough for your coping skills to get you through. That should go a long way toward avoiding building up a tolerance. You likely won't need as much as someone with the full-blown hyperactivity requiring treatment earlier.

This would be the case as well with me, I would stop taking it when it is no longer necessary.

I've noticed a lot of patients fill their scripts a few months after their last fill (seem to be skipping a lot of doses). Do you think they are taking them prn as well? ..just a thought...

Bear in mind that this site's policy is to advocate taking the medication prescribed AS prescribed.

That said, we are talking about taking a medication that's supposed to help you remember to take your medication and get new scripts filled. It's prescribed to people who have a poor sense of time, lousy scheduling execution, iffy memory, ... or who "just got busy and forgot" If it's kids you're seeing skipping a month or two - parents rarely like having their kids medicated over summer break, holidays, and weekends. You can't blame them, given the nature of the medication and potential side effects. Also, the kids then have to work on coping strategies during that time.

The alternate explanation is that the damned pills are reproducing.

2/day or 3/day dosing may work better when it's adhered to, but it's harder to remember that second or third dose.

Also I take Adderall with a NARI. In hot weather, it's not entirely safe to work or play hard outside with that combination in your system. So, much of my "stash" comes from days I just could not take the medication. And the pills are reproducing.

They have counseling services at my future college (which also includes ADD testing apparently), but I am in a bit of a bind with the SATs and AP exams coming up. I'm not sure if I should just try to schedule an appt. with a psychiatrist or wait until then.

After. Do not start or change a medication immediately before a major event in your life if you can avoid it. Not only do you not need the strain of adjusting to whatever news you get, but you don't know how you'll react to the medication.

[meg]

They have counseling services at my future college (which also includes ADD testing apparently), but I am in a bit of a bind with the SATs and AP exams coming up. I'm not sure if I should just try to schedule an appt. with a psychiatrist or wait until then.

After. Do not start or change a medication immediately before a major event in your life if you can avoid it. Not only do you not need the strain of adjusting to whatever news you get, but you don't know how you'll react to the medication.

I haven't jumped in on this conversation yet (see my thread about being exhausted.) but just wanted to firmly agree with null0 here: wait.

Even if you did manage to get a pdoc/dx/rx in the next few weeks, you would still have to trial/error/adjust whatever medications you had started. This is NOT a good idea if you have things coming up in your life that you need a good head on your shoulders for (or at least, the head that you're used to dealing with). Especially as someone who has never taken any meds other than a vitamin, it's easy to oversimplify the process when you haven't done the psych med-go-round yet. It is very rare to magically get the right med and dose the first time. It might seem simple (go get rx, take med, do well on tests because of attention span courtesy of new med) but you don't want to jepordize these exams if it gets more complicated than that (which is likely.)

Example? Me. I knew that anti-depressants were a pain in the butt to narrow down to the right med and dose, but I didn't expect that it would be trial and error with stimulants too. So I (stupidly) started my first stim. midterm week. DUH. Such a bad idea as it really really didn't agree with me and my head was so foggy and slow that I only finished 1/4th of my exam and therefore completely failed.

I don't get Fs. This was my first F in my memory (there may have been a math test in grade 9, but you get the idea). It was so hard to get my grade up after that, even though it was a class that shouldn't have been a huge challange. I learned my lesson, but I'd hate for you to have to mess up the SATs or APs (ugh..US history sucked) in order to figure the same thing out.

You've done decently so far with managing school, and you know yourself and what your limits are-- so let that get you through these tests. It sounds like setting up a system or schedule for studying might be a good idea-- any study groups you could join? Do a little bit at a time and don't leave yourself in a situation where you have to cram or do all of your studying at once because you already KNOW yourself well enough to know it's not gonna work. I hope you get what I'm saying, am very tired and am rambling and repeating myself I think.

luck,

m

ps- I'm a junior in college, so this SAT/AP crap is still pretty fresh in my mind...I didn't see a pdoc or even consider add meds until sophmore year but still managed to do decently in school and on those tests (which, honestly, don't count for a ton anyway! nobody will ever bring them up again).

I had to work harder, and couldn't marathon study like all of my classmates, but it's totally possible to do well (or even kick butt) without any little adderall-study-buddies.

[Guest OP]

They have counseling services at my future college (which also includes ADD testing apparently), but I am in a bit of a bind with the SATs and AP exams coming up. I'm not sure if I should just try to schedule an appt. with a psychiatrist or wait until then.

After. Do not start or change a medication immediately before a major event in your life if you can avoid it. Not only do you not need the strain of adjusting to whatever news you get, but you don't know how you'll react to the medication.

I haven't jumped in on this conversation yet (see my thread about being exhausted.) but just wanted to firmly agree with null0 here: wait.

Even if you did manage to get a pdoc/dx/rx in the next few weeks, you would still have to trial/error/adjust whatever medications you had started. This is NOT a good idea if you have things coming up in your life that you need a good head on your shoulders for (or at least, the head that you're used to dealing with). Especially as someone who has never taken any meds other than a vitamin, it's easy to oversimplify the process when you haven't done the psych med-go-round yet. It is very rare to magically get the right med and dose the first time. It might seem simple (go get rx, take med, do well on tests because of attention span courtesy of new med) but you don't want to jepordize these exams if it gets more complicated than that (which is likely.)

Example? Me. I knew that anti-depressants were a pain in the butt to narrow down to the right med and dose, but I didn't expect that it would be trial and error with stimulants too. So I (stupidly) started my first stim. midterm week. DUH. Such a bad idea as it really really didn't agree with me and my head was so foggy and slow that I only finished 1/4th of my exam and therefore completely failed.

I don't get Fs. This was my first F in my memory (there may have been a math test in grade 9, but you get the idea). It was so hard to get my grade up after that, even though it was a class that shouldn't have been a huge challange. I learned my lesson, but I'd hate for you to have to mess up the SATs or APs (ugh..US history sucked) in order to figure the same thing out.

You've done decently so far with managing school, and you know yourself and what your limits are-- so let that get you through these tests. It sounds like setting up a system or schedule for studying might be a good idea-- any study groups you could join? Do a little bit at a time and don't leave yourself in a situation where you have to cram or do all of your studying at once because you already KNOW yourself well enough to know it's not gonna work. I hope you get what I'm saying, am very tired and am rambling and repeating myself I think.

luck,

m

ps- I'm a junior in college, so this SAT/AP crap is still pretty fresh in my mind...I didn't see a pdoc or even consider add meds until sophmore year but still managed to do decently in school and on those tests (which, honestly, don't count for a ton anyway! nobody will ever bring them up again).

I had to work harder, and couldn't marathon study like all of my classmates, but it's totally possible to do well (or even kick butt) without any little adderall-study-buddies.

Thank you for all of help. I have decided to wait until next year to get a proper diagnosis and medication (if necessary). As for my SAT and AP exams, I am wondering if caffeine (being a mild stimulant) might help. I have some 200mg pills here, and they should act as a low dose of any CNS stimulant medication right? They last about 3 hours (with peak concentration at 75 mins after consumption).

[Steve@3AM]

Even IF you go the caffeine route - and I don't see that as a problem - TRY whatever you decide to use a couple of times BEFORE the exams and in a situation where you are doing something similar. Reading and analyzing something for example. Maybe a sample test?

That way you should have a little feel for the effect and NO surprises!

Good luck! Score well!