Adult ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment - Adult ADHD Treatment

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

beki: I had a child that was diagnosed with ADHD and he seems to have out grown it. Is it possible that they out grow it?

Dr. Adler: Yes, it is possible to have the symptoms remit, but this happens in about only 1/3 children.

LoveJoLu: What about the patch for adults?

Dr. Adler: A methylphenidate (which is the chemical name for Ritalin) patch recently became available. It is marketed as Daytrana. It can provide treatment throughout the day and it is important to take the patch off several hours before bedtime.

Natalie: I know the ADHD patch is used for kids. Does it work for ADHD adults too?

Dr. Adler: The patch is marketed for children with ADHD. There is not currently any data in adults so the use in adults would be off-label.

Natalie: Meaning some doctors are prescribing it for adults. The patch is just not FDA approved for adults at this time.

I realize you're a medical doctor and medical doctors typically turn to recognized therapies like prescription medication, but what are your thoughts about "alternative remedies" for ADHD like herbs or nutritional supplements?

Dr. Adler: Alternative therapies have been investigated for ADHD and I do review some of them in Scattered Minds. When pursuing nutritional supplements, it is important to realize that these treatments have not undergone research with scientific rigor as the medications have. If you are planning to take supplements to treat your ADHD, please review this with your physician.

Natalie: Does changing your diet in some way help relieve ADHD symptoms?

Dr. Adler: A balanced healthy diet is important, but restrictive diets have not been shown to help ADHD symptoms. Also, the concept of sugar intake making ADHD worse has also been debunked.

Natalie: Here's another audience question:

Notavailable(akaGG): I have adult ADHD but the hypo disorder, I cant seem to find information on that type. Can you tell me anything about that?

Dr. Adler: Do you mean that you have the primarily hyperactive-impulsive type, without inattentive symptoms?

Notavailable(akaGG): Yes.

Dr. Adler: This type of ADHD in adults is actually not all that common- probably only about 5% of adults have this type. The good news is that the type of symptoms (inattentive or hyperactive impulsive) has generally not been shown to influence medication response.

Natalie: When it comes to treating adult ADHD, it sounds like you have to be in it for the long-haul. As director of the Adult ADHD Program at New York University Medical Center and a physician who specializes in adult ADHD who has seen probably hundreds of patients, how difficult is it for a patient to stick with treatment over the long-term?

Dr. Adler: Well, that is a question that I am commonly asked. Treatment should be initiated for a period of time sufficient to be certain that significant symptom reduction occurs. Most people take medications over the longer term as ADHD is often lifelong. Sticking with a treatment plan is critical. It is easier to take medications once or twice a day and the good news is that the newer longer acting stimulants and non-stimulants fit that bill.

LoveJoLu: So adults will have to take meds the rest of their lives for ADHD symptoms?

Dr. Adler: Not necessarily, the rest of your life is a very long time. The decision as to how long, should be carefully discussed with your physician, but some individuals do take medications long term.

Natalie: If a patient quits treatment for ADHD, what have you found to be the usual reasons?

Dr. Adler: ADHD patients stop treatment for a variety of reasons, it could be wanting to take a break from the medication and inadvertently stopping it or it could just be a planning problem and they forget their appt or to get their prescription renewed.

Natalie: And do you have any helpful insights into "how to hang in there" through the treatment process for the long-term?

Dr. Adler: ADHD is a disorder that can and should get better. Establish a treatment plan with your doctor that works for you.

Natalie: Our time is up tonight. Thank you, Dr. Adler, for being our guest, for sharing all this great ADHD information and for answering audience questions. His book is Scattered Minds: Hope and Help for Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. We appreciate you being here.

Dr. Adler: You are most welcome. Good luck to you all.

Natalie: I encourage everyone to sign up for our newsletter. It's free and we'll notify you of events happening on the HealthyPlace.com website: and you can sign up for the first and only social network for people with mental health conditions as well as their family members and friends.

Thank you everybody for coming. I hope you found the chat interesting and helpful.

Good night everyone.

Disclaimer: We are not recommending or endorsing any of the suggestions of our guest. In fact, we strongly encourage you to talk over any therapies, remedies or suggestions with your doctor BEFORE you implement them or make any changes in your treatment.

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