Jan 13
Tracy shares her experience with medication for her son and herself. When my son was diagnosed medication was the only thing recommended which didn’t feel right to us. Today we’re talking medications and my personal insights about how they worked (or didn’t work) for us. I hope it’s helpful for you as you navigate the prescription roller coaster.
Here are a few highlights from this episode: Tracy shares her extensive list of medications that were prescribed. Side effects and how they impacted me. Testing options and why it might help your Dr. prescribe meds that may work better and have fewer side effects. My son’s experience with medication. His feedback and what I noticed weren’t the same, but we both came to the same conclusion. I found Dr. Dale Archer’s information helpful. You may appreciate his insights as well. Why a medicated “new normal” may not be right for you or your child and how to recognize it. The worst-case scenario, and why you have to be proactive. Why your family Dr. may not understand your ADHD and where they get their info. Hint: It’s not in medical school. What we don’t know about these medications especially the long-term effects for the ADHD brain. Why ADHD people do well in the military; an unexpected benefit of structure. Are we medicating our uniqueness? Is that a good idea?
Tracy shares a real-life story of a woman’s before and after experience with medication. When medication for routine can help and when it can hurt. Tracy’s Rx for medication. She breaks down multiple options separate from medication and useful tips for getting the right medication for you.
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"We're suppressing our natural strengths, so that we can fit into this box that society has deemed good and acceptable."
- Tracy Otsuka
"Pay attention to how you feel. Because a month can become a year, and then it can become five years, and then it can become a decade."
- Tracy Otsuka
"When I was doing my home medication trials, I literally put a spreadsheet together and come hell or high water, I filled it out and it was not easy for me. But I needed to have the symptoms all down there."
- Tracy Otsuka
- Tracy shares her experience with medication, including the negative effects it had on her health and the lack of personalized treatment options.
- Tracy shares her experiences with her son Marcus's ADHD diagnosis and medication trials, including taking him off Adderall and trying Focalin with limited success.
- Tracy emphasizes the importance of medication in treating ADHD, particularly in severe cases, and notes its potential to improve self-esteem and academic performance.
[08:37 - 19:36] ADHD Medication and its Potential Effects on Mental Health
- Tracy shares her concerns about the lack of training in ADHD among doctors, leading to inadequate treatment options for her son.
- Tracy references ADHD expert Russell Barkley, who advocates for medication for moderate to severe cases but also recommends trying other therapies first.
- Tracy expresses concerns about the pharmaceutical industry's influence on ADHD research and the potential long-term effects of stimulant medications on the brain.
[19:36 - 29:44] ADHD Medication and Alternative Approaches
- Tracy shares her concerns about medicating ADHD without exploring alternative forms of education and structure.
- Tracy suggests that individuals with ADHD should consider alternative methods to medication, such as changing their environment, to manage their symptoms.
- Tracy encourages listeners to pay attention to how they feel while taking medication and to not take it every day, instead taking it only when needed.
