Comments on: FDA and ADHD Stimulant Medication. Science or Stigma? Part 1 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/03/28/fda-and-adhd-stimulant-medication-science-or-stigma-part-1/ A Blog about Adults with Attention Surplus Condition (aka ADHD) by Adult ADD Coach Pete Quily Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:03:10 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Jean Kearns Miller http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/03/28/fda-and-adhd-stimulant-medication-science-or-stigma-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-1079593 Jean Kearns Miller Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:35:40 +0000 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/03/28/fda-and-adhd-stimulant-medication-science-or-stigma-part-1/#comment-1079593 I know this post is quite old but I couldn't resist commenting. I am an adult with "severe" AD/HD-I. I am not anti-med but a year ago I nearly died from V-tach (ventricular tachycardia) TWICE. After receiving an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) I had another episode that could have been fatal without the device. At the time I had been on Adderall XR for a little over two years. I'm not sure I could prove the involvement of this med in my serious illness but I have gone from someone broadminded about psych meds to someone quite concerned about especially AD/HD stimulants, and in particular, that one drug, Adderall XR. After my first of three hospitalizations last year I looked for the fine print on the insert and found: "associated with sudden cardiac death." Now I am w/o meds and struggling but for me, the meds aren't worth the risk. If one considers this insert fair warning to heart patients, I am unsettled by the reality that one doesn't know that one has a malfunctioning heart until a severe, near fatal arrhythmia occurs. I believe anyone on psych meds needs periodic EKGs and routine health checks (BP, pulse, temp, weight) at each psychiatrist office visit. I am still on meds for chronic major depression, with no known complications. Sometimes I think that those who wish to combat the public anti-psych med bias overstate the case for meds by implying that the risks are no big deal. I'm here to tell you they are a big deal, even when they do good. I suspect I may have done OK on the more primitive non-SR version of this med. I know this post is quite old but I couldn’t resist commenting. I am an adult with “severe” AD/HD-I. I am not anti-med but a year ago I nearly died from V-tach (ventricular tachycardia) TWICE. After receiving an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) I had another episode that could have been fatal without the device. At the time I had been on Adderall XR for a little over two years. I’m not sure I could prove the involvement of this med in my serious illness but I have gone from someone broadminded about psych meds to someone quite concerned about especially AD/HD stimulants, and in particular, that one drug, Adderall XR. After my first of three hospitalizations last year I looked for the fine print on the insert and found: “associated with sudden cardiac death.” Now I am w/o meds and struggling but for me, the meds aren’t worth the risk. If one considers this insert fair warning to heart patients, I am unsettled by the reality that one doesn’t know that one has a malfunctioning heart until a severe, near fatal arrhythmia occurs. I believe anyone on psych meds needs periodic EKGs and routine health checks (BP, pulse, temp, weight) at each psychiatrist office visit. I am still on meds for chronic major depression, with no known complications. Sometimes I think that those who wish to combat the public anti-psych med bias overstate the case for meds by implying that the risks are no big deal. I’m here to tell you they are a big deal, even when they do good. I suspect I may have done OK on the more primitive non-SR version of this med.

]]> By: Pete Quily http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/03/28/fda-and-adhd-stimulant-medication-science-or-stigma-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-49326 Pete Quily Mon, 16 Oct 2006 06:30:18 +0000 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/03/28/fda-and-adhd-stimulant-medication-science-or-stigma-part-1/#comment-49326 thanks Tammy. I don't mind at all:) Pete thanks Tammy. I don’t mind at all:)

Pete

]]> By: Tammy http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/03/28/fda-and-adhd-stimulant-medication-science-or-stigma-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-49124 Tammy Sun, 15 Oct 2006 07:38:05 +0000 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/03/28/fda-and-adhd-stimulant-medication-science-or-stigma-part-1/#comment-49124 Nice information, well done site it is about time some one took a balanced approach about medications in the treatment of ADD. Will be sharing this site with others. I am assuming you do not mind. Nice information, well done site it is about time some one took a balanced approach about medications in the treatment of ADD. Will be sharing this site with others. I am assuming you do not mind.

]]> By: Genetics and Health » Attention Deficit Disorder and Blog of the Work: Adult ADD Strengths http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/03/28/fda-and-adhd-stimulant-medication-science-or-stigma-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-11332 Genetics and Health » Attention Deficit Disorder and Blog of the Work: Adult ADD Strengths Sun, 02 Apr 2006 09:52:52 +0000 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/03/28/fda-and-adhd-stimulant-medication-science-or-stigma-part-1/#comment-11332 [...] g with ADD as an adult. It’s active and chock full of information. Last week, Pete dissected the role of the FDA in approving AD [...] [...] g with ADD as an adult. It’s active and chock full of information. Last week, Pete dissected the role of the FDA in approving AD [...]

]]> By: Adult ADD Strengths » FDA and ADHD Stimulant Medication. Science or Stigma? Part 2 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/03/28/fda-and-adhd-stimulant-medication-science-or-stigma-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-11025 Adult ADD Strengths » FDA and ADHD Stimulant Medication. Science or Stigma? Part 2 Tue, 28 Mar 2006 12:12:12 +0000 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/03/28/fda-and-adhd-stimulant-medication-science-or-stigma-part-1/#comment-11025 [...] acy, ADD Awareness, ADD Strengths, ADD Treatment, ADD Medication Pete Quily @ See Also Part 1 Federal health advisers said Wednesda [...] [...] acy, ADD Awareness, ADD Strengths, ADD Treatment, ADD Medication Pete Quily @ See Also Part 1 Federal health advisers said Wednesda [...]

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