tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post1687122262767618120..comments2024-03-19T08:40:36.481+11:00Comments on Life with Aspergers: The Drug Bandwagon - RitalinGavin Bollardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13833941398375568706noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-17218358928217420342018-01-22T18:59:29.289+11:002018-01-22T18:59:29.289+11:00Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with R...Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with Ritalin! <br /><br />I am a female on the Spectrum and wasn’t officially tested or diagnosed with Autism high Functioning until I was 22 years old. <br />I had a lot of health issues while growing up I was born severely premature and when struggling at school, was always told it was due to my premature development issues. <br />I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy at 10 years old and put on Ritalin. It was really well for me ! But for some unknown reason I was getting really better at everything school related and general things as well. The sleep specialist was not understanding this at all, as if you have severe Narcolepsy you get worse as you get older. I have numerous sleep studies and I got better each time because I was older and on Ritalin at the time. <br />I’m short as well 4 9” I have short people in my family, so I was lucky the Ritalin didn’t affect me in that way. <br />I stopped Ritalin when I was 18 and now 23 realising as I go about my days and working and what not that my ability to focus on tasks have worsened since been off it, I have been more distracted and not holding jobs at all. But when I was on the Ritalin my performance overall was a lot better and sharper. But that’s just me everyone is different! <br /><br />My parents went through so much stuff trying to get as much help for me as they possibly could. It wasn’t until I was 22 that I was tested for Autism and found that I was on the spectrum and have ADHD hence why the Ritalin worked when initially they thought it was a sleep disorder and anything else to test for at the time was too hard for them and everything was just because I was premature they said no I don’t have Autism that’s a boy thing. Which we now know is not the case at all. <br /><br />I am very lucky to finally feel I understand myself and can work better to understand how I operate. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-61430472274238821052018-01-22T10:56:01.653+11:002018-01-22T10:56:01.653+11:00Ritalin doesn’t work for everyone I will admit I w...Ritalin doesn’t work for everyone I will admit I was not happy to be back on it after 5 years off it. I have Aspergers and ADD and found that while off it and on anti Anxiety medication I was actually not doing as well as I was on Ritalin. I found my concentration to be far worse off it than on it. That’s why now back on because my quality of how I function is better on it for me. Thank you for your advice there are now other medications I’m aware of that can do the same as Ritalin. <br />As for for the stunted growth it didn’t affect me either was both my parents are short and I went through puberty at a young age before going on Ritalin, so my height wouldn’t of changed either way. Yes I understand that Ritalin can to some depending on the dosage and the person serveriy of Autism can affect the child in different ways. <br />Hopefully there your Nephew is doing better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-9078189639303496362015-03-10T14:41:15.296+11:002015-03-10T14:41:15.296+11:00I think Ritalin may be an okay medication for adul...I think Ritalin may be an okay medication for adults, but not for most growing children. <br /><br />I was prescribed Ritalin at the age of 7 for supposed ADHD. I was not even an extremely misbehaved child. I just happened to have some organizational issues, issues with fidgeting, and being easily distracted.<br /><br />Rather than teaching me organizational skills, the teacher had me sent to doctors and put on Ritalin. Seems pretty damn lazy on her part.<br /><br />It stunted my growth and ruined my tooth development. I am now only 4'11" and I am 25 years old. No one in my family is this short. <br /><br />This medication, if given to children at all, should only be given to extremely misbehaved children who would otherwise be kicked out of school. <br /><br />I am not from the Church of Scientology or some crazy person who does not believe in ADHD or medication. I am a victim of big pharma and this medication has a lot of downsides.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-61406578074047312013-08-16T12:23:33.180+10:002013-08-16T12:23:33.180+10:00The time released version of Ritalin known as conc...The time released version of Ritalin known as concerta left me with permanent Tourette syndrome. After 15 years of suffering with this psychiatrist made disaster, I'm ready to give up on life. Thanks Dr. G*** T****, you destroyed my life. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-37178713666868759862012-02-15T16:17:43.877+11:002012-02-15T16:17:43.877+11:00I was diagnosed with ADD a few years back (I'm...I was diagnosed with ADD a few years back (I'm 39 now)and have an appointment tonight to start the diagnosis process as I might also have AS. I was prescribed Ritalin and I found great benifit from it.<br /><br />My son is 5 and has been diagnosed with AS and ADHD, and has been prescribed Ritalin.<br /><br />So, there are a few points I can make:<br /><br />1) After realsing the benifits of Ritalin and how it helped me cope in the workplace, I feel it's narrow minded and to a point cruel to deny a child who needs it (I agree it could be over prescribed, so I emphasise "a child who needs it or is advantaged by the benifits"). I think back on my schooling and how much better off I would have been if I could have been taking something like this.<br /><br />2)I don't take Ritalin every day,only when I have something big on at work that requires me to give 100% (I have a low pressure job :)<br />I played with the dosage with the prescibing Psyciatrist and I can immediately feel when the dosage is too high (as in 5mg more than I need, then I feel the "speed" effect), but my son at 5 needs a higher dosage than me. The point here is that if someone who doesn't need it, takes it, they will get the wrong impression and make an incorrect judgement. I aggree that comment about being safe for the kid, safe for the adult, but it might have different effects.<br /><br />3)At times my son just seems "normalised" once he's taken his tablet, other times I have observed the "robot/zombie" and it's hard to cut back because he doesn't like taking half tablets (go figure, Aspie lol)<br /><br />4)At times it feels like when he takes thr Ritalin, he loses the ADHD but is free'd up to focus on all his AS traits, and becomes more difficult with accepting minor routine changes, stimuli, stimming, etc. It's almost a choice I make between the letter of 2 evils. He is too young to explain how he feels with/without the medication, and he doesn't know exactly why he takes his tablet. I will certainly yake his opinion into account when he is old enough to explain how he feels on and off the med.<br /><br />5) Ritalin stunts growth? I hope so!!! I'm 5ft3 and he's tipped to be 6ft3 (he has a tall mother) and taller than me by the age of 13. I need all the help I can get lol.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-70002057059998760382011-09-10T09:41:54.099+10:002011-09-10T09:41:54.099+10:00My nephew took Ritalin when he was a kid. It stunt...My nephew took Ritalin when he was a kid. It stunted his growth and caused him to be depressed and suicidal. As soon as he got off the Ritalin he did much better and started growing normally again. And no I am not from either of the two groups mentioned. I just know from experience that its bad news. Its like sedating a kid just so they will get off your nerves. There are many other ways to help a child with ADHD to stay calm and to focus.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-62529326467660262822011-03-08T08:26:43.819+11:002011-03-08T08:26:43.819+11:00We were against medication for a long time. Our so...We were against medication for a long time. Our sonme has ADD and Aspergers and we resourced the difference between anti-anxiety drugs and antipyschotic drugs.<br />He was struggling everywhere. We trialed one and it made things worse.<br />We are now on Strattera and he is loving his life now without the zombie affect.<br />There are many more drugs out there that dont contain speed.<br />WE dealt with the ADD and now we have the predictability with Aspergers.<br />So my answer is, dont knock it. As parents we have reached breaking point with supporting unfunctioning children. That is the reason why we have to try everything. It just gets too un-livable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-61407976233783966082010-10-27T23:50:02.498+11:002010-10-27T23:50:02.498+11:00If you still think Ritalin is a good idea / necess...If you still think Ritalin is a good idea / necessary, I do have some specific advice.<br /><br />1) If your child does not like it, please take him/her off of it! At the very least, reduce the dosage. Ask your child how it makes them feel. No one asked me, and after a while I refused to keep taking my pills (I was about 14 & I'm glad I did!).<br /><br />2) Be aware of the abuse potential. Don't be paranoid/accusing, but be aware that many children (especially when they get to teenage years) will use Ritalin recreationally. I knew several people who would save up their pills, then crush them up into a powder and snort them (like cocaine). In fact, I have met several people who prefer the mental effects of snorted Ritalin to those of cocaine. As such, there is often a black market in pills like this, which are can be sold for several dollars a pill.<br /><br />3) Be aware that, just like caffeine, people can become both physically and pyschologically reliant on the stimulant Ritalin, especially to study. When I was in college, the people I knew who were prescribed Ritalin (& the friends they gave pills to) would typically take a bunch of it to pull all-nighters, cram, or before a big test.<br /><br />I'm not trying to say Ritalin (& similar drugs like Adderall) aren't powerful & useful tools. Just please be careful, and make your own decision! Doctors often feel their job is to prescribe, and "make the trouble go away".Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11394409575254934751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-63705380135897774342010-10-27T23:49:17.512+11:002010-10-27T23:49:17.512+11:00Having been prescribed Ritalin when I was younger,...Having been prescribed Ritalin when I was younger, I would not recommend a drug like this unless it is truly necessary. Ritalin is very, very powerful, and in my opinion quite over-diagnosed.<br /><br />Essentially, Ritalin is a potent stimulant. The reason it works to focus children on schoolwork is the same reason that you would focus better at your office-work after drinking a few cups of coffee. Stimulants are a powerful tool, but I would not recommend them for daily use, certainly in children.<br /><br />From wikipedia:<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylphenidate<br />"Methylphenidate belongs to the piperidine class of compounds and increases the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain through reuptake inhibition of the monoamine transporters. MPH possesses structural similarities to amphetamine, and, though it is less potent, its pharmacological effects are even more closely related to those of cocaine."<br /><br />In my wild and crazy youth, I have used cocaine, and its effects are very similar to Ritalin. Now, I think cocaine is perhaps a bit too demonized, but it is strange to me that Ritalin, a very similar drug, is routinely given to children.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11394409575254934751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4841851020927689161.post-55094793750344398072010-10-02T12:23:22.037+10:002010-10-02T12:23:22.037+10:00Overall a nice post with a supportive parenting me...Overall a nice post with a supportive parenting message, but I don't agree that a parent should take a medication for which they themselves are not prescribed. <br /><br />In the case of Ritalin, it can be physically dangerous (not to mention addictive) to a person if they ingest the drug and that person does NOT have ADHD. Therefore, if a parent does not have ADHD, that parent should not ingest any drugs for that condition. Testing it out on oneself when it could be harmful is not helping the parent or the child.<br /><br />Just my two cents...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com