Posted by RMc94 on February 14, 2009, at 10:45:55
In reply to Re: Concerta vs Adderall XR, posted by Mandra on August 5, 2008, at 13:10:37
I'm 37 years-old, and was first diagnosed with ADD one year ago. I take Adderall XR 20 mg, and I still remember the first day that I took it- it was amazing in that I had never had a more productive day in my life. The "tunnel vision" others describe began 20 minutes after I took the first pill, and I remember thinking to myself, "Whoa! I'm going to get everything on the 'to do' list done today!". I've been able to concentrate on my work, I've been able to listen well to people talking to me and I understand everything they say (in both English and also/especially in my second language- Spanish- which I use at work), and I feel like my IQ has jumped 15 points. I notice myself being alert but relaxed, and I notice that I am able to take deep breaths. I have been much, much less anxious about things. I'm in the best romantic relationship of my life (my distractability and anxiety interfered with my relationships in the past).
I'm not into the idea of drugs to quickly/easily solve all our problems, and I do know that there are some side effects associated with most all drugs. The side effects I recognize with Adderall XR are loss of appetite and difficultly staying asleep all the way through the night. However, I consider these manageable, and worth the benefits. I have not considered trying anything else like Concerta, though it has been very interesting to read the posts of people who are comparing and contrasting them.
The purpose of my post is just to encourage adults who suspect that they have ADD to seek diagnosis and treatment. It's amazing to me to consider my life before treatment vs. after it. My quality of life has improved tremendously, and I only regret that I did not seek diagnosis sooner. For the first time in my life, I've found that "fifth gear", and I'm happier, more relaxed, and consistently working and living to my potential- the ability was amazingly inside of me all along.
poster:RMc94
thread:442235
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090213/msgs/880075.html