By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – March 12, 2019
You get diagnosed with ADHD, the doctor prescribes a stimulant and that is it; right? Wrong! Getting the right stimulant in the right dose delivered at the right time is more of an art than a science. As Dr. Charles Parker puts it, the meds have to pass through the body to get to the brain. Metaphorically, if the digestive tract, immune system, metabolism, and other systems are under construction or out of whack, meds can be detoured away from the brain and out of the body or get bottlenecked and wreak havoc.
As an ADHD-er, all too often I talk to people who took meds for a month or two and then gave up on them. Mind you, I do not think meds are for everyone; however, if you choose to try them, it is important to understand you need to be patient and you need to work with your mental health professional over a period of time, communicating the impact of what you are taking, and be ready to start low and slowly work your way up simply because prescribing stimulants is an art. It isn’t like looking at a chart that lists your age or weight with the corresponding medication and dosage.
Today’s featured radio show and videos focus on interviews I’ve done about ADHD meds with Dr. Charles Parker who is the author of several books on the topic. Mind you, I’m not trying to give medical advice of any kind. What I am advising is that you get the right drug in the right dose for the right duration. And it is complicated. All my interviews with Dr. Parker are designed specifically to give you a sense of how complicated it can be and to educate you on factors that might be involved.
If you are taking medication, have taken medication and stopped, or are thinking about taking medication, I encourage you to educate yourself, find a good mental health professional, and be patient.
VIDEOS:
- New ADHD Medication Rules: Paying Attention to the Meds for Paying Attention with Dr. Charles Parker
- Paying Attention to ADHD Meds: Burn Rate, Duration of Effectiveness & the Therapeutic Window
- ADHD Meds: Paying Attention to Drug Interactions
- How Do You Know if Your ADHD Meds Are Working?
RADIO: