10 Fundamentals About Best Medication For ADHD You Didn't Learn At School
10 Fundamentals About Best Medication For ADHD You Didn't Learn At School
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Best Medication For ADHD
Teenagers and children who take ADHD medication tend to focus more effectively, have less impulsive and more calm. They also do better with schoolwork. Some suffer a slight slowing of growth and experience an increase in heart rate or blood pressure while taking these medicines.
They are available in various forms like capsules, tablets liquid, patches and pills (such as Daytrana). Adderall (methylphenidate) is the most well-known stimulant. It comes in three forms: immediate release, sustained-release and extended-release.
Stimulants
One of the most effective treatments for ADHD is a class called stimulants. These drugs improve focus and attention by altering neurotransmitters, particularly norepinephrine as well as dopamine. These are the chemicals that regulate the brain's pre-frontal cortex region that is often described as the brain's "secretary" because it aids with organizing and planning skills.
Stimulants are available in short-acting and long-acting dosages. The short-acting drugs are most effective between 30 and 45 minutes, and need to be taken twice or three times a day. Amphetamines such as Adderall and Dexedrine, and methylphenidates like Ritalin, Concerta and Ritalin, are among these. Amphétamines are stronger and last longer, but they both function in the same way in improving focus and attention. Certain stimulant medicines are available in extended-release formulations. These are a better choice since they last from 8 to 12 hours and are typically taken once a day. Some of these medications are powders that you mix with liquids to create a beverage, while others are pills.
Finding the right medication may take some time. Your doctor will monitor how you respond to the different kinds of drugs and alter the dosage as required. The use of medications should be a part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes behavioral therapy and support.
Non-stimulant ADHD medication takes a bit longer to kick in but they can make you feel more in read more control and improve your concentration, impulsivity and focus. These medications don't alter dopamine or norepinephrine the same way that stimulants do, so they can be safer to use over a longer period of time. These medications also have less side effects such as constipation, heartburn, and decreased sexual drive. Strattera is the first of these drugs that was approved by the FDA to treat ADHD. It's a selective reuptake norepinephrine inhibitor. Your doctor could prescribe additional medicines from this class which include guanfacine (Intuniv) and Clonidine (Kapvay).
There are also antidepressants that are not stimulant that are prescribed off-label to treat ADHD. These are older medications in the tricyclic antidepressant group, such as Tofranil (imipramine). These drugs are only prescribed by physicians if stimulants or other non-stimulants fail to work or if they cause too many adverse side effects.
Your doctor may also prescribe atomoxetine (Prozac) or viloxazine (Risperdal). These drugs don't have a direct effect however they can reduce the amount of impulsivity and improve concentration. They're in a different class than the other options and can trigger some side effects such as headaches or shaky hands. Your doctor may also suggest the use of a small dose of an antidepressant called bupropion (Wellbutrin) that is not an FDA-approved treatment for ADHD but works well to increase concentration and reduce the impulsivity. It can cause unpleasant but usually not severe side effects, like hearing ringing or changes in vision.