Common Problems With ADHD Medicines

Common Problems Associated With Stimulant ADHD Medications

The Problems with Stimulant and Non-Stimulant Prescription

Medications

About 20 years ago, only 500,000 people were diagnosed with ADHD. Today, that number has grown to over 7 million!  Additionally, statistics have shown that about half a million people develop this disease every year; what’s worse, approximately 30% - 70% of patients continue to show signs of having symptoms well into their adult years.  Do these numbers accurately reflect what is going on in society?

Here’s another piece of information that will rattle your brain — there are varying opinions on which objective tests to use concerning the diagnosis of ADD and ADHD.  What’s been found is that a misdiagnosis of the problem occurs quite frequently — more often than you’d like to think!

Many mental health practitioners are quick to prescribe stimulant medications as a means of treatment. There is a growing concern that prescription education is turning patients into dependent users.    In  2005, pharmaceutical abuse sent almost the same number of people to the emergency room, as did cocaine and heroin.   With that in mind, are prescription medicines the best form of treatment for you or your child?

Get informed about the risks of using prescribed medications.  If you’ve already started using stimulant drugs, still take the time to read about alternative solutions because ADD/ADHD patients can remain on their prescription medications for years.  What’s also a reality is that no one knows what the long-term effects are of using stimulant medications.

To get you started, here are some basic facts surrounding the use of prescription medications.  Treatment of ADD and ADHD typically incorporates the use of prescribed stimulants. A list of typical medications follows.

Prescription medication can certainly help in treating the ADD/ADHD disorder, but the reality is that drugs only represent a portion of the total cure.

As you will learn, treatment needs to extend into other areas such as nutrition and diet, exercise, and home treatments. Including behavior management learned through counseling and support.

Stimulant medication may not be the right treatment for you at all.  Side effects and other health risks can occur especially if the medication is used long term.  On top of that, prescription medication usage may not significantly improve a patient’s condition and the risks and side effects may far outweigh the benefits.

One study showed that long-term usage (2 years) of stimulant medication retarded the growth of users by about 0.5 inches per year.  No study was subsequently done to see if patients “caught up” in height once off the medication.

Ritalin was introduced over 40 years ago and has still not yet been studied long term.  The average trial test for Ritalin was .3 weeks while, in reality; patients are using this drug for years; perhaps-even decades.  The Canadian Medical Association is concerned that, with Ritalin, the developing brain of a child may experience permanent neurological changes with long-term usage.

Additionally, there may be increased risk of addiction and drug abuse with long-term usage.

Further, stimulant medications can contribute to heart-related problems. Responsible for sudden death in people with heart disease, these medications are also known to cause strokes and heart attacks.  Patients on stimulants who suffer from heart defects, high blood pressure, heart rhythm irregularities and other problems will have to be monitored regularly since they are high risk users.

Stimulant medications are also known to contribute to psychiatric problems.  Patients who have no history of such disorders can suddenly experience emotional swings like hostility, aggressive behavior, manic or depressive episodes, paranoia and psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations.

People who are at the highest risk include those who have had a history (personal or familial) of suicide, depression or bipolar disorder.

Stimulant medications also typically have the following side effects.

Patients should consider weighing the risks and side effects against the potential benefits before making the decision to use a prescription medication. Patients who educate themselves are better prepared to make the best decisions possible and understand the side effect symptoms and how to handle them.

These patients also understand that they may need to “step” into using the drug and be monitor to determine the effects.  Then, when it’s time to stop using the medication, they may be tapered off slowly.

"STOP Your Child's ADHD and ADD Naturally From Home - With No Worry, No Doctors, And No Harmful Drugs! " ADHD/ADD Remedy Report