Expert: Nafeesah - 11/6/2008

Question
Hiyah,

I was diagnosed with ADD when I was 7 years old and was prescribed Strattera. The medicine did nothing, but I continued to take it. My dose began at 20 and built up to 80mg a day. It still did nothing. I stopped taking the medicine in middle school at the age of about, 12. My problems became progressivly worse. I could not sit still, I was obnoxious, I could not concentrate, listen or focus. I did anything and everything that slipped into my mind. At home I was breaking all the rules, not because I was a bad kid but because I was unable to think before I acted. While off of Strattera for about a total of maybe 6 years I was bulimic for about 5. I ate everything (and yes I do mean EVERYTHING) in the entire house. My parents had to re-locate the food into a cabinet in the basement with a padlock on it. They went through multiple locks thanks to my juvenile abilities. My health became poor and I hated myself. I began cutting. My self esteem was non existant. I was failing school. I was fired from two jobs. My life was hell those 5 years.

Recently I was put on Concerta. My life has finally began to come together. I am not fully fixed but I can sit still a little better sometimes, my academics have slightly improved, concentrate sometimes, occasionally get a few chores done, control 75% of my impulses and I feel a little better about myself. My doctor said in time I will improve even more! Which is great!

But here is the problem. I finally found something that works. Something that has pulled my life together. What happens if I am taken off of Concerta? What if everything comes back and my life returns to hell? That is my greatest fear, slipping back into that person. That is the last thing I want. Just thinking about it makes me want to stop the medicine, I dont want to be brought so far up to normal only to be brought back to a mess.

So all I am asking for is much needed advice. Thank you so much.

<3E

Answer
Have you considered counseling to work through issues that triggers emotional things on impulse. I would suggest contacting Something-fishy.org to be able to seek appropriate counseling for your eating disorder issues and look for a referral to begin a counseling regimen so you can work on reorganizing your life back to normal. When you take a lot of different medications it can cause your moods to be off and that includes the level of your appetite. It's a matter of getting to a sound counseling program and working on things one day at a time.