Has your ADHD medication stopped working or made your symptoms worse? You are not alone: standard prescription medications for treating ADHD symptoms are not foolproof, and statistics in fact shows that as many as 30 percent of children with ADHD hardly respond to stimulants or cannot bear the side effects. About 1 in 3 adults with the condition also do not improve on these standard treatments.
If your medication has ceased working suddenly or gradually, there may be a couple of reasons involved. Here are five that you may look at and investigate.
- You May Be Taking the Wrong Dose or Class of Stimulant
One of two problems can pinpoint the reason for insufficient coverage of ADHD symptoms: you are either taking the wrong class of stimulant or too low a dose. If this is the case, you may begin weekly visits to your doctor for the proper adjustment of the medication, and where your symptoms as well as side effects and sensitivities are closely monitored.
Note, however, that this approach may not work for all patients. This is because unique body chemistry is a factor at play, and only a percentage of patients respond equally well to amphetamine and methylphenidate drugs for their ADHD.
- It May Not Be ADHD
Your child’s behavior may be caused by a learning disability, or your case might be set off by a mood or anxiety disorder. These cases aren’t ADHD, and there might be some wrong diagnosis involved. A physician sometimes may write a prescription without asking enough questions or conducting comprehensive tests.
It’s crucial to note that ADHD diagnosis is not a simple one to make. The case needs to meet several criteria before a diagnosis is made, namely establishing that the behaviors are chronic and pervasive.
- Improper Intake or Adherence Issues
Your child may resist or refuse to take medication. If this is what’s happening, then it’s time to educate the patient about the ADHD medication. This might entail explaining ADHD and how it affects their life, as well as how the medication helps manage the symptoms.
Don’t forget to mention that there might be side effects, but that they will be properly addressed by the doctor. Cooperation and patience are a key to dealing with ADHD and making therapy work.
- Coexisting Disorders
A disorder that occurs with ADHD at the same time may impede the effectiveness of the medication. The patient may also have a separate medical condition that produces ADHD-like symptoms, such as infection-triggered autoimmune encephalitis.
- ADHD Drugs Don’t Work All the Time
You might notice that many problems occur before the medication starts working or when the dose barely lasts the full four or eight hours stated on the label. This isn’t anything out of the ordinary: prescription drugs are not expected to work all the time and again depend on the person’s unique biochemistry or reaction to the stimulant.
It then makes sense to take smart strategies to manage ADHD effectively the drug-free way. To keep a child calm and focused in the morning as well as to prevent crashes in the afternoon, initiating a new natural therapy or treatment might help.
Aside from reconfiguring the dosage schedule or medication to use for ADHD, it might be worth exploring a new clean diet, exercise regimen, or dietary supplement for cognitive and behavioral enhancement to manage ADHD and its symptoms.
