Having lived with ADHD for
almost 41 years (and only diagnosed when I was 39), it never occurred to me
that is a condition for which there could be a “cure.” Even though our eating
habits eliminated my oppressive brain fog about six months ago, I still took
medication every day to help me function as a business professional. I figured
that I would probably stay on the medication my whole life…and why not? It helped
me think more clearly, focus better, and lowers my frustration level when
trying to learn something new. Lots of stuff in the “benefit” category and I
didn’t come across too much in the “negative” category.
Just to make Laura happy (she
was never thrilled about me being on daily medication) I asked my doctor of
Oriental medicine if there was anything I could do to eventually get off of
stimulants. He told me that I was already doing everything that he would
recommend as far as diet is concerned, but that my adrenal glands were
“seriously fried” thanks to a lifetime of self-medication with caffeine, sugar,
and ephedrine. He suggested doing things in stages. “First, let a healthy diet
heal your body and mind for a long while. Then, gradually wean yourself off of
coffee. Once you have been coffee free for six months or so – then we can work
on re-building your adrenals.”
If you are a regular reader
of Laura’s blog you know that I have been off of coffee for about two months
now. I am also off of health insurance (thanks to my last layoff) and therefore
have drastically reduced my medication. The ADHD medication I am prescribed
costs about $120.00 a month even for the generic version, and I have to visit a
Dr. every time I need a new prescription, which mean paying a couple hundred
dollars out of pocket for an office visit. I mention that as a preface to the
fact that I have drastically reduced my medication intake over the past six
months. In fact, I had been completely medication free for almost two months
until last week.
While off the medication I
guess I didn’t really notice much of a difference in how I was thinking or
feeling without it. Healing with food is subtle, so unlike western medicine. My
homeopathic physician prescribed a remedy to help recover my adrenal glands,
and I have been waking up more easily.
My usual regimen before the
layoff was one Adderall tablet in the morning, one in the afternoon and
sometimes a half tablet if I was working in the evening. If I had a big meeting
it was not uncommon for me to take one and a half in the morning along with a
pot of coffee. I felt very little if any effects from the meds (which I always interpreted
as confirmation that I did indeed need the stimulants). I could take three
tablets, enough to keep a fighter pilot awake for a 72 hour mission, and go
right to sleep. Really!
Last week I had a job interview
that I really wanted to be “on” for. At 8:30am I took one and a half tablets.
No big deal. The interview went great and I was a Rock Star! Wish me luck. When
I got home Laura was making lunch. “No thanks…not hungry at all.” Late
afternoon I realized that I was moving at a thousand miles an hour cleaning the
house. I think Colson and I did two week’s worth of homeschool projects in a
couple of hours. Dinner time came – “No thanks…not hungry at all.” Now I was
really jacked-up. I was talking so fast that thoughts would come into my mind
and then go out again before I was able to articulate what I was thinking. I
almost couldn’t speak. Around midnight my heart was pumping so hard I felt as
if I were running, and I finally got into bed at 4am!
Moral of the story? The fact
that my usual medication had such a profound effect on me after having been off
of it (and coffee) for only two months is a huge indicator that my ADHD really
is healing. It is hard for me to accept that it could actually be gone some day.
My doctor of Oriental medicine told me last year that I would know when I no
longer needed the medication, and frankly, I didn’t really believe him. After my
experience the other day, I can understand the concerns I have been hearing about
the damage that ADHD medication and other stimulants can do. My homeopathic
physician told me about one of his patients who was receiving new kidneys
because of the damage caused by the stimulant medication he had been on since
childhood.
I am not saying that I am 100% free from medication forever. I still feel better having it as an option if I really need it, but the fantastic thing is that I think my body is telling me that I may not really need it after all.
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