Submitted by harmonbooks on 08/13/2008.
Hi, my husband, age 35, has just last week been diagnosed and within a week or two will be put on medication, Ritalin we expect. We took over a pizza restaurant last year and the stress of that is probably what precipitated such extreme behaviour this past year...anger, irritability, gambling, lots of electronic toys, severe procrastination around home, etc, all the classic symptoms, it turns out. Obviously there aren't ingrained or habitual time management and goal oriented systems in his daily life, but this is something that we are in serious need of to run the restaurant and our lives more effeciently. He seems to think that beginning to be coached in these things would be too much to take on right away, being newly diagnosed and only beginning medication. I would like to see it begin as soon as possible but am looking for advice regarding this. We live in a fairly rural area of Atlantic Canada that doesn't have a great deal of support networks set up specifically for adult ADD, so would be looking for coaching systems that would be available online...any suggestions. I think it is important for him to have someone neutral other than myself to try to direct his progress...???
Coaching...
Submitted by SunnyNights0909 on
If your husband went from
Submitted by Colleen on
Thank you, Colleen, for some
Submitted by harmonbooks on
Thanks for the comments, so
Submitted by harmonbooks on
Wow! You are doing a lot of
Submitted by SunnyNights0909 on
Virtual ADHD Conference
Submitted by harmonbooks on
Thanks for the information
Submitted by SunnyNights0909 on
Thank you for the
Submitted by harmonbooks on
Sounds like there were too
Submitted by SunnyNights0909 on
We both were relieved to
Submitted by harmonbooks on
From my own experiences, the
Submitted by SunnyNights0909 on
Starting Meds
Submitted by MelissaOrlov on
A note to you about starting meds - finding the right ADD med is a matter of trial and error. Concerta is a stimulant, as is Adderall, and both of these come in long dose forms that last 8-10 hours and short dose that last only about 4.
Some people don't do well with stimulants, though perhaps someone who has been drinking lots of caffeine will (this is also a stimulant). Set it up so that your husband keeps a journal about how he feels at various times of day with the meds, and whether he is having side effects such as less appetite, trouble sleeping, facial twitches, headaches, etc. Also, some people notice a cranky period as the meds wear off (often around 4 pm). You, too, should take note of how your husband is doing, as you will find that you have a different perspective than he does, and your input can help (sounds as if he is open to this). The ideal is to find something that doesn't bother him at all, but addresses his key symptoms.
If Concerta doesn't work, there are other possible options, such as a couple of anti0depressants that work for some people, as well as other stimulants, and also a newer med that is neither.
He should also be aware that the meds are not "magic pills". They do a lot in terms of helping people focus, but once he can focus, then he'll need to spend time building the support systems he needs to succeed. In his business, this may include reminder systems, schedules, rituals, etc. None of this will come immediately, and he may need your help or the help of a coach to find things that work for him.
More info on various medical and non-medicinal treatments can be found in Delivered from Distraction if you have it.
Best of luck!
Melissa Orlov