- Did My ADD Go Away?
QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Heller,
When I was a kid I was diagnosed with ADD. I was taking Cylert and Ritalin back then but before I got to high school the doctor said I no longer needed them, so the doctor stopped prescribing them to me . Now I’m 28 and I still have problems paying attention and some other problems that go along with ADD.
Is there anything I can take or do for my condition? I have trouble coping with life, keeping a job, depression. I know I can feel better and do better but I don’t know what to do. Can you help me please.
Well thank you for your time.
ANSWER:
With rare exception, attention deficit disorder doesn’t go away. You need to see a physician (psychiatrist or primary care physician) with expertise and knowledge about treating attention deficit disorder in adults. You probably have other diagnoses as well, and they should be treated as well. The screening test will likely be of assistance to you. The antidepressant Wellbutrin can help with impulsiveness, but not with attention problems. I prefer prescribing Ritalin to anything else. Cylert has made my BPD patients considerably worse. Adults need higher doses than children. Mass General, J Clin Psychopharmacol, Aug 1995 – “The literature appears to support the use of robust doses of both stimulants and antidepressants for ADHD in adults.”
