Experience dealing with ADHD/ADD in CH?

Family, Education, Health and Pets
21
Angela I really do not want to communicate with you any longer about this topic.

You have been aggressive from the beginning referring to quackery to someone else and to making numerous critical statements about my messages.

I have been around this topic for 25 years and have many fruitful discussions with many learned people in the this field. I have worked with many people for the past 13 years. I have read countless books, articles and research about his topic. All you want to do is attach and leave no room for discussion.

I do not have all the answers and but what I do know is that I have helped many people and am very grateful that I have been able to do so .

22
I did not refer about quackery to someone else, I posted it here in plain sight as I have nothing to hide. If you do not want to have your opinion criticized do not post falsehoods, like methyphenidate is an amphetamine (which it is not)...And yes I am aggressive because I take opinions about health issues seriously.

23
Any sort of 'life coach' or 'personality advisor' is the lowest form of quack, who takes money from emotionally and/or physically vulnerable individuals, definitely a parasitic career choice without even an education to back it up. I agree with the Dr.

24
" Last week I disordered my wrist playing tennis " Disordered is not a synonym for "broken".

Disorder suggests something that is no longer in the right order. Medically, it's perfectly fine to refer to ADHD as a disorder.

I think your opinion about there being many types of people is correct and very insightful, though.

25
Might be a good idea if you see life coach

26
Some resources - mostly in German tho... but google translate could be your friend

I can't suggest a specific doctor, but some of these resources may help you find someone. This is how I found the guy I saw in Bern. (Via elpos.ch).

http://www.upkbs.ch/apps/page.asp?Q=954

(the university clinic in basel)

My experience with the uni clinic in Bern is that they do not take self-referals. Primary care doc or someone else has to refer you. Not sure how it works in Basel.

http://www.elpos.ch/beratung.htm - a voluntary organization that helps people with AD(H)D issues and other similar issues. There is a section on adults.

www.elposnordwest.ch/ - for Basel, but a quick look suggests that this is mostly for parents rather than adults with AD(H)D

http://www.adders.org/swissmap.htm

(AD(H)D groups in Switzlerland)

If your German is good enough, apparently there is a community for adults with AD(H)D

http://adhs-chaoten.net - it includes Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

I was diagnosed as an adult just a few years ago. I wanted to understand something about how my mind works, and how I process information. I don't feel I have a disability or a disorder, but I know that I operate differently than many people, which is fine. I went back to grad school as an adult and was having some problems getting work done - the diagnosis allowed me to use some of the services at my university, and to restructure my program. It also allowed me to use an ADD coach at the university. There are obviously different sorts of coaches - this was a practical, skills-based, program and it helped me learn to appreciate structure, and implement organization that I can live with. I found it very useful. There are specific AD(H)D coaches in Switzerland, but I don't know how they operate.

The diagnosis process also helped me understand my strengths and weaknesses.

For me, ritalin has been incredibly helpful, but I can't take the longer acting versions. I have terrible test anxiety, something which has troubled me in academic and medical settings. Ritalin relaxes me. I don't have negative side effects that I'm aware of. But that's just me. At any rate, I don't feel it controls me.

In Switzerland, my primary care doc prescribes my ritalin. I went to see an AD(H)D specialist in Bern, which satisfied my primary care doc. That plus my testing profile from the US. I didn't like the AD(H)D specialist, and found it difficult to work with him. Probably when I move to Zurich next year, I'll find someone else for the occasional follow up. Of course, right now, I have other health issues to deal with.

If you have a primary care physician, you might ask him/her for a referral. Some of these docs might require a referral, I don't know.

AD(H)D is quite real for me. I'm glad I understand more about it, and I'm glad I've an effective treatment.

27
I get AD(H)D when the wind blows from the east.

It`s the same feeling some people get when they got too much to do and don`t know what they actually feel like doing.

So they drink an Energy drink and then get all hyper and can`t settle to a specific task.

Now ... seriously ... I know of a young man who was diagnosed with this condition, and given tablets for it. (BUT this young man used to drink a Red Bull every day (!) without his Mama knowing about it.) She got him diagnosed, fed him the tablets for a few years, and he turned into a rather dull kid. Eventually, with more consultations, it was found he needed to be taken off the tablets, his concentration was inhibiting his school work. And now he has a growth problem! ... and now takes tablets to stunt his growth!

Ja, the medical fraternity of scientists are a learned lot, they "know" all the theory.

Is it true they have vested interests in the pharmaceutical companies? .... Study loans, research fees, bonuses for certain medications issued, etc ...? (Like Tupperware dealers?)

28
One of my husband's colleagues has been seeing a specialist in Zurich for the last couple of years. I'll see if I can get his name / contact for you. The difference in him is astounding.

29
You might want to know that the growth impairment has already been discarded with MPH, of course we scientific lot do not get our information from news of the world...

30
This thread is.....

Seriously before taking anything like Ritalin, I'd get a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th opinion and even a 5th.

It may help, but the side effects can be permanent.

People haven't changed.... what did our parents and grandparents do ?

Why is there a necessity to diagnose and over-medicate everything ?

It's just preoccupying.

31
Well it is the exposure to so many things that has changed, for example asthma has increased dramatically in the last decades due to pollution. Unfortunately with psychiatric/psychological disorders it is really hard to study what triggers a disease to express itself.

I do believe though that ADHD is over diagnosed, and medicines (and with any other disease) only used when needed. MPH is a good medicine when used correctly, the quality of life of patients is really improved. Atomoxetine and amphetamines also have side effects...

32
Unless the ailment had a serious impact on life, and actually impaired quality of life, I'd be frightened of meds of any kind. But hey, that's just me.

I understand the environment is changing, but I get really shocked by the amount of over-medication, especially for kids.

33
I won't argue with that

34
I have to disagree with you, with all due respect. Ritalin is like any other drug, it does have side effects, but some people really benefit by it. Aspirin has side effects, everything has side effects. In some people, the benefit of the drug outweighs the side effect.

I do agree that one has to be assessed, and especially in kids, carefully monitored if medication is required. Medication dose should be carefully determined. And someone should see a specialist, not have meds handed out by your primary care doc - I believe that is a source of overmedication, epecially for psychiatric meds. And of course many psych meds are formulated for easy dispensing by primary care docs.

What is different now? Environments are different.Why is there more breast cancer in young women? Why is there more diabetes? As far as this though, The world is full of stimuli - I believe there are more stimuli, more things that grab attention. More service workers with crazy schedules versus factory and farm workers. Maybe it's diet, I don't know. All of the above. It is true that if you have to follow a schedule to survive, it's easier to focus.

Truth be told, my father probably could have used ritalin or something similar. He self-medicated. He was enormously talented and smart but unfocused. He was a good dad, did a good job, lived a good life, but might have been a bit happier if he'd been able to focus.

I get really angry when people think that ADD/ADHD is some trivial, culturally determined condition, a bunch of kids drinking red bull or some other crap. It's not. With untreated ADD/ADHD, you're more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol, or over eat, or be impulsive and get into trouble. You're more likely to be irritable, anxious or depressed. Smart kids, who should do well in school fail, good students go to college and self-destruct under all that autonomy.

But, I also think that it has to be diagnosed properly, via testing, and it's not an excuse.

For me, diagnosis was such a relief... and for many people who think that they are lazy, stupid or just bonkers, it is the same. Sure, we're not all meant to be captains of industry, professors or whatever. But we are entitled to be happy.

35
You're completely right to get angry. It's real grief for any patient when their illness is not recognized or taken seriously.

I balk at meds in kids especially. Too many really unqualified people throw the word ADD ADHD around. As a result the people who truly have an impaired quality of life because they really do have ADD ADHD, are totally lost in the masses.

No offense was meant in any way in this or my previous messages.

My apologies if my wording was too strong in any way

36
Nah, it was more a cummulative reaction to this thread, so I'm sorry if I seemed to single you out.

The thing is, I know lots of kids who have really been helped by being treated for ADHD with meds. But you're right - often ADHD is used as a catch-all excuse for any sort of misbehavior or failure to do well. And that's not right. Nor is it appropriate.

37
An important thing to mention is that ADHD is not a yes/no disease, it is a continuum. I have(had) some attention deficit for instance but MPH would not have been good to me, I took an amphetamine derivative when younger and it was really amazing how I could concentrate, then I learnt how to control my concentration. But I was never full blown ADHD.

38
Oh I was just making a general contribution to this thread, not stating my own unforgiving cast in rock opinion of the medical fraternity.

But thanks for the info, I was not even aware that there was actually a growth impairment in the medication! Very interesting .... so there IS a connection? The mother of the boy has been delving into the family history to find a connection when all the time it WAS the medication!

I love how you describe yourself ... "We scientific lot" ....

You must be very clever - you figured out how to give me a red blobbie thing for my participation here - because I did not agree with you or bow down and worship at your supreme knowledge?

Truly intelligent folk, when having an anger attack, are able to find words to express themselves. You seem to have been at a loss for words - Did you really get SO angry at my humble story? Sorry for that, I thought it rather interesting.

39
Oh apparently you can not read, I said it is NOT related...About getting mad, I don't, like a good LatinAmerican I am passionate about what I do, I talk straight forward and say what I mean and not behind passive-aggressive behavior, for us that is pityful.

40
LOL like I need external valdiation by you, sad from you really... and since you wanted a word, here is one: oligophrenic...