Ummm, turns out, not so much. Can't think why I haven't posted about this, because I've talked to several people about it, but he's gotten...better. Somehow. For the last oh, five or six weeks he's been nicer to his brother, doesn't lose things as often, doesn't scream about having to do chores, doesn't forget stuff...as much. There've been no letters or phone calls from exasperated teachers. I mean, he's still disorganized or forgetful or grouchy from time to time, but all kids are, sometimes. He's just reduced it to a normal level.
Now, if you don't believe ADHD exists at all, go away. This post is not for you and I'm tired of arguing that point. This was not a hallucination, or just a phase he was going through, or two selfish yuppies unable to cope with a kid acting like a kid. He was a weird kid from birth, and he was weird for eleven years. LOTS of letters home from teachers. Lots of conflict with his parents and brother. Lots of weirdness in his friendships, lots of bizarre little habits. Daily or weekly incidents, somewhat-normal behavior but with abnormal frequency. We got him diagnosed at a clinic, even got our insurance to agree that there was a problem. There really was a problem.
And now? Poof. It's gone. And I'm...not sure how to feel about that. I mean, yay! This is so great! He's doing better! Not perfect, but really better, and I'm very proud of him. But we don't know why, so we have no idea how long it will last. I've asked him, and he doesn't know why either. We can't identify any kind of triggering incident or anything. So, um, happy! But also apprehensive. A bit.
So now there's no point to trying the Ritalin, because the behavior he's showing now is exactly my best-case-for-Ritalin scenario, wherein he keeps his personality intact but just has his shit together a little better. If we gave it to him now, how would we even know if it worked?
Today's song du jour of the day, then, is in honor of my brilliant firstborn: Aerosmith. Amazing.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Congratulations! That is great news, no matter how it happened.
My doctor was recently talking to ME abt ADD, he gave me this little test and all and I am thinking-WOO ! Legal SPEED! but, guess what? it focuses ( sp? ) me! I start and FINISH things now...WOW! What a concept. I was a non-believer until Oh, abt 4 weeks ago. Congrats to you for finding out ( ummm, ) a few years before I did.
I know, I wish I could convince someone to give me speed. Of course, I guess I could eat Ignatz's ritalin now that he won't be using it, but I'd probably get in trouble.
My name is Nikki Hughes and i would like to show you my personal experience with Ritalin.
I am 51 years old. Have been on Ritalin for 9 years now. I began taking it for depression after my marriage ended, and also in a misguided attempt to lose weight! I lost about 15 pounds at the beginning, had tons of energy, felt great...but the weight loss stopped within a few months.. I currently feel focused and motivated after I take it and am able to get a lot done. As well as the generic ritalin, I take 6 - 12 Tylenol 1 tablets a day. I know how bad this is, but can't seem to stop for more than a few days. The last nine years seem to be a blur...it's like I have lost those years....I hardly remember anything about them. I find this sad and frightening. I take what my doctor prescribed: three 10mg. tablets a day. I have tried many times to completely get off this drug but I now realize that I am truly addicted to it. If I stop taking it for more than one day I become extremely depressed and have very negative, hopeless thoughts and ideas.
I have experienced some of these side effects-
very irritable when it wears off; sometimes difficult to fall asleep, memory loss, hear music in my head that won't stop.
I hope this information will be useful to others,
Nikki Hughes
Post a Comment