How does one cope without meds?

I'm stuck in a situation where my vital signs say i can't take any adhd meds, and it was helping me in my life in about 85% of the areas of my life. but now it seems i'm stuck back at square one.
I'm wondering how do others cope through things without meds. such as the impuslitivity and the lack of attention and the 'i need to do this, but oh gawd those things!! how do i do this all!- FORGET IT!!! *goes to something that such as a video game*" ... I even need to call the doc to set up a new appt but it just requires what i don't feel i have. it's too overwhelming. how the ___ am i suposed to deal? what is a way i can deal with these things. how does everyone else deal?
When i asked my pdoc he said to deal with it.. i reasked how to deal with it, and he repeated just to deal with it. i got frustratied and was like "kay guess it wont be that bad then" but.. it was just me being passive and now it suxs.
please someone tell me what i can do to take care of things in my life. suggestions.. something.. anything... please!

Hi, Lexi232. Since at the ripe age of 60 I've just become aware of just how ADHD/ADD I am, I have apparently been coping without meds my entire life. I always wondered why I was soooo super-organized and always joked that it was out of self-defense - but it's the truth.

Everything has a place and everything stays in or is returned to its place after use because I can't stand wasting time searching for things when I need them now! I also have created spreadsheets to track all of my income and expenses with different things color-coded (basic accounts, such as rent, utilities, phone, etc.; groceries; charitable donations; discretionary spending; etc.); have created very detailed To-Do Lists, use my Yahoo calendar with automatic reminders, a very extensive and specific filing system, specific scheduling to get routine tasks done - I even put things like laundry, vacuuming, cleaning the litter box, etc., on my calendar with alarms and reminders so that no matter what else may be swirling around in my brain, my focus will be directed to these specific things and they will get done.

I know this all sounds very complicated and time-consuming, but I have found that pushing myself to keep these schedules and documents up to date and having them handy for quick reference really does help me to stay focused and on track so I'm not having to run through everything in my mind all of the time.

As for the unpleasant or overwhelming tasks, I schedule them, as well. I make To-Do List and calendar entries with reminders with all of the required information, including contact name, telephone number, e-mail address, etc., on a set day and time and the absolute latest time and date it can be done. If the scheduled day and time come and I'm simply not able to perform that task, I then reschedule it and the reminders and keep doing this.

The constant reminders about the task make me think about it more and more, and eventually I have a pretty clear concept of what I want to accomplish - then the task does not seem quite so overwhelming and I can eventually get it done. It's like forcing myself to have constant exposure to the subject task gradually desensitizes me to it until I reach a point where I can finally handle it. All of the seemingly complicated listing, tracking, scheduling, reminders, etc., actually has helped me to learn to focus, concentrate, and remember better - so the preparation for getting the task done is just as important as actually getting the task done!

There's also what I call the "ripping off the bandaid" approach to dealing with unpleasant and/or overwhelming tasks where I force myself to just get it done and over with so I don't have to think/worry about it anymore!!

As for the impulsivity, I have made up rules for myself - I do my best to NOT act on my first impulse regarding anything (shopping, speaking, whatever). If I see something I want to buy because I just cannot live without it, I force myself to wait at least 24 hours then take a look at it again - and I usually see it in a completely different light. I try to do the same thing with other impulses - if what I am feeling is valid, then it should still be valid a few hours or days or even months from now - rarely does any decision have to be made and acted upon this very moment, so train yourself to just walk away from it for a while and revisit it later.

On the whole, I have to break things down into little pieces and focus on dealing with each little piece one at a time so that I don't get totally overwhelmed by the "Mt. Everest" whole. And when my heart starts pounding and I get short of breath, dizzy, and feeling out-of-body, I turn around and walk away from whatever it is and refocus my attention on something else - step outside, look out the window for a moment, get a cup of tea, play with my cat - anything to break away from whatever is overwhelming me.

Like I said, I'm 60 y/o now and have been working around my ADHD/ADD for decades without knowing it - and I worked on corporate staff for several major corporations over the decades in extremely stressful and demanding positions where organizational skills were necessary for survival. This worked out very well for me because it was a very fast-paced, but structured and task-oriented environment with defined deadlines which helped to keep me from being bored, but also helped me learn to stay focused, and to develop the organizational, communication, and computer skills that have helped me deal with the ADHD/ADD to a great extent in my personal life, as well.

I hope you find something helpful in what I've said. I know how frustrating it is to ask someone to please explain to me the specific mechanics of dealing with something only to have them respond with, "Just deal with it." I can only conclude that they don't answer with specifics because they really don't know the specifics themselves. Go easy with yourself - be patient and view the real task as developing specific techniques and skills that work for you to help you accomplish the other tasks. Good luck! lynn09

wow Lynn~! what an excellent and most comprehensive answer~! do you mind if i save it for advice to people? ( i have trouble finding things, again, too~ lol).

Thanks, Gus. If you think others would find this info helpful, by all means, please feel free to share it with them. lynn09

I agree, it is a very good idea. There are also a few book on organizational systems for ADD, and I found they were available at my Library. I can't remember them off the top of my head though.

I am 58, nearly as ripe as lynn90, on meds the last year, always fully occupied.

Not a tidy person, I have systematically made associations between things and placements , and found the logic in where I and others place things. Then these placements were settled, at least for important items like keys, money and bills.
Doing routine tasks and paperwork, i obeyed my head and had frequent small breaks, moving around.
Now, money, keys, cards, cell phone, meds, have their place in a small waist-bag, that I always carry about (had some unpleasant experiences before that).
Somehow, it must have worked

Thanks so much for all the replies! ^_^

Lynn, thanks sooooo much! I'm trying all of this, hopefully it will help some. I am slowly making lists. Impulsitivy (shopping), seems to be still a huge problem, but atleast i'm surviving it (unlike what i thought i was gonna be able to do earlier.)
This is sooo helpful to me, thanks again for the post

I found that keeping a good filing system and using to-do lists and post it's to be effective when I was unable to take medication.

Thats a pretty anime pic

^_^ Thanks!
I made it back in 2007, but i dont remember where she's from.

Heh you sound so very not ADD

I'm disorganized, i get confused and lost while organizing because to many things become overwhelming so I just quit. I avoid things I don't want to do instead of find them a challenge. I'm lethargic and so on very classic ADD. I't sounds like you may have ADHD which can be very different. You have more energy. I find it fascinating that you can be so organized.

I am in my thrities and I just deal with my issue. Friends, family and my hubby just realized i'm a little flaky, easily distracted, slightly unmotivated and get frustrated quick. This is just who I am and the all love me that way. I'm sure I could have achieved many more things in life I choose medicine but I very particular about what I put in my body. We aren't perfect and I embrace my flaws and don't appoligize for them.

We live in a society that feels you must fit into this mold. Accept how you are and make the best of it. Get help from therapy to learn how to cope is the best advice!

i too found out recently i'm adhd now 59...i'm an artist and pretty
unconventional person.. i found it has really helped me to have a "home"
for everything... i care much more about doing my photography and art
than that everything is spotless and perfect and in perfect order... the
way i do it is to have different areas so all my art is in one area.. all my
business things in another area..etc... i then keep certain "important
things always in the same spot..(keys, bills)...i used to have piles every
where and couldn't find things...i began little by little to put things away
when i came in the house instead of plopping it all down on a chair...
i started with one thing....always hanging my clothes, even though when
i came in i was tempted to plop it down...little by little i have done that
with books, magazines, etc to where i can find everything...it also helped
me to stop each night and put things in their "homes"...it feels so good
to be able to see where everything is and i don't have to spend time on
big cleanups....i found doing just a little bit over and over it has now
become a habit and it feels bad to plop things in a pile...
i also use my front door for things that need immediate attention...i will
put my bills for the week on the floor so i see it over and over and also
write it down on my daily list ... i also put things i need to take with me
at the door...i have lots more little ways that i've created that keep me
on time and doing things that are necessities when they need to be done
instead of late...for me its impt to just do the thing over and over till it
becomes a habit and then i can feel safe knowing i will do the impt
things..
you can do it and find what works for you....
take care....

I understand what you mean. In my situation, it's kinda like the child who grows up in a 3rd world country. Unless he is exposed to how blessed we are here in America, he will think there is nothing better out there, and therefore assume the 3rd world country that he lives in, is perfectly normal and acceptable. I was severely ADHD since day one, but I never knew how bad I was until I started taking medicine and realized what I was like as a normal person. In the mornings before I take my medicine, I experience what life was like back before my medicine. If there is one word I would use to describe it- HELL. It feels like my brain is on FIRE, it doesn't actually hurt, but my brain just literally won't work right. It's going 9054 MPH but it won't let me do anything productive. I honestly act like a mentally unstable person without my medicine, and in all honesty I AM a mentally unstable person without meds. If your asking how to cope, this is probably not helpful but- I don't know. I would never go a day without taking my meds, literally, because my ADHD is so bad, that I can not function.

Hey Lexi,
Not sure how much help I can be... I've never been on meds for my ADHD. I do take St Johns Wart for my chronic pain and it does seem to help the speed race of channel surfing in my head.

I make a routine for anything I need to remember. On Wednesdays when we get paid, I pay all the bills. I put my purse on the computer desk, I put the keys on the key holder, etc.

If I get out of my routine man... I leave without my cell phone, lock my keys in my car (yes, I even have a routine for getting out of the car), pay tons of late fees...

But, I have lists, I have routines, and my kids are old enough to ask for food when they are hungry .

mj

im15 with ADHD and ive found even without meds if i keep to a rountine i dont need meds most of the time

This is some good tips thank you that help me .Cause I cant take any adhd meds either cause I have high blood p and your tips helped me I cant still stay focus or stay still for nothing but with the help you gave helped a whole lot like me knowing my doctors appointments cause I put them In my calender and Now I text message myself with what I have to do for school and thats help me stay focus on that tasks cause I always have my cell with me and now I can go through my phone and see what my next tasks is.How do I stay focus at school when the teacher is giveing a lesson cause my mind seem like Iam blocking out everything and my mind start racing and moving my fingers and being able to focus cause I have adhd with the hiperness and ocd where my brain be racing and dealing with the crazy thoughts and ritals please help me with some good advice.

How frustrating! Lexi, your Pdoc here, if he really said to "just deal with it"-- well he's the one who sucks then, not you. You definitely need to see a different Pdoc because he isn't helpful.
What is wrong with your vital signs that you can't take ADHD meds, and why is there something wrong with your vital signs (I assume you mean heart rate and blood pressure?)?

I recommend seeing a therapist on a regular basis; you know, one who has a lot of experience with adult ADHD. I've always been better at symptom control when I saw a T on a regular basis. Calms the storm inside of me down so that I feel more calm and focused, with or without meds. Do you see a therapist?

First off, sorry if I leave anything out- let me know if i do.

I seem to notice the theme of keeping a routine. (before I was actually on meds people would think of me as very organized, but i always felt not organized enough). I'm slowly getting back into that routine of organizing things (tho sleep is still a horrid issue, as insomnia has came back since no meds). And recently went to take the mail out, and did part of a routine where I locked the bottom lock of my place, but didn't realize until I got out to the mailbox that I forgot the key to open my mailbox, and then realized i locked myself out of the house (mailbox key was on appartment keychain, which was inside).
How does one text themselves? I'm still attempting to figure out how to do that. (i add notepad things on my phone, but i never end up getting around to looking at them), I do alarms and calendar things as well (on my phone) but still isn't suffiencent enough for me.

And He did. I asked him (my pdoc) a few times too (two times i think(slept since then)), i was hoping to get more out of him than just to 'just deal with it'.
lol, and thanks SenatorPenguin, you make me smile!
I'm still working on getting a diffrent pdoc. ... ...
And yep, Heart rate and blood pressure. And it's cause I'm on other meds.. Like Prednisone (steriod) which raises my heart rate (i usually have a fast one anyways cause i'm always dehydrated), and then at that time I was also on Cipro which raised both my heart rate and blood pressure. And my adhd med is known to have side effects of high blood pressure and fast heart rate.. So I guess he was airing on the side of caution? (tho my bpm and blood pressure were actually much lower than they have been before that day. )

Yes, I sorta see a T. Every few weeks, and I recently found out they swap out therapist every so often (like rotate patients or something like that), so I dont know how longer she'll be my T. :-\ ... Sometimes we talk of things of importance, and most of the time we kinda just sit there with idle chit-chat trying to fill the uncomfortable quietness.

I see. I thought it was something like that since I read about your experience with Crohns. Your right, your Pdoc was possibly airing on the side of caution, however, one reading of vitals isn't really evidence of a consistently high BP and HR. Hopefully your BP and HR will lower as you taper off the Prednisone and get off Cipro (and when the Crohns flare dies down).

Cipro for infection or? Sorry... I like to figure out puzzles and because of my distrust of the medical establishment I don't just accept things very blindly either. I've seen too much to go back to being simply an obedient patient. Are you a university student? Is that why they rotate the T you see? That's probably not very helpful is it? Doesn't sound like it. If you are in university then you can still be on your parents insurance policy into your late 20's...

thankfully, i've been off the Cipro for some good time. :-)
And since yesterday on my last part of prednisone as well. :-)
And yup, the two rounds of cipro i had was for infection. They took blood from both of my arms at the same time to test the infection level in my blood (i believe that's the white blood count?) , thankfully i was half out of it (from being dehydrated) or they would of had me bolting out of that room. (I honestly am terrified of needles, but I'm recently able to tolerate ONE needle in me. But two at once would of sent me into flight mode- if i was completely alert lol). And afterwards they gave me cipro because my count for infection was elevated.

No worries, and no need to apologize
Can I ask what you've seen? *tilts head with curiousity*
And yeah... I only REALLY trust a few people, and doctors are not one of them... It's more of a "fake of trusting", because If i didn't then I would never get anything treated (same goes with anyone else in my life that I don't trust fully) :\

and nope .. - well.. not yet anyways. I'll be transferring to a university in the future tho. (Just have to get financial aid all straighten out). But the T i see is through *not really sure how to explain it, due to not understanding it fully myself* ... it's kinda like ... it would be the "public" kind, if we were talking in public or private schools. (I'm sorry, my words are escaping me).

With ADHD combined, I have always had a need for physical activity. It has a stimulant effect, and has always given me relief from my ADHD.
But one cant keep running about
I still get my daily dose(es), and in addition, it keeps me slim and fit and less vulnerable to cardiovascular problems. Heart rate is low, and blood pressure- dot know: both are very emotional and rise to insane hights at my physician - white coat-thing. My pdoc was a bit considerate at first, but let me have Ritalin. Ii has worked out fine

For the past few days I've been walking. Not much. But some, pretending to be an adventurer around all the heaps of dirt laying around from all the construction. I'm once again out of my adhd med, and has finished the prednisone.
Oddly enough, i find myself craving school, and it's schedule, even though I hated it when I had it. When I try to practice on my own, I'm not able to focus but for maybe one minute.
I might attempt to take the walking into running soon. . ('cause just sitting here, I swing back and forth in this chair while typing with the keyboard in my lap, - and only notice it when someone else points it out. lol! but It's to keep busy, I feel so ... restless i guess, when i'm not moving. But then there are times i'm just fine.)

And STILL working on the doctor thing.

Not sure what you mean by "still working on the doctor thing". Care to elaborate?

2) Call up and refill your prescription. Then, call a cab to go pick it up and refill it.

c) Perhaps you need structure, and maybe that is what school gave you. Also, a sense of purpose and goals maybe?

I recommend martial arts. Take a TaeKwonDo class 3 days a week if you can. Structure, self esteem, and exercise.

By still working on the doc thing I mean, multiple things. One being that I'm still trying to get the pdoc to get back in touch with me, over my med request and thoughts. And another being I'm still trying to call (my fault, i'm just being slacky) my general doctor to get an appointment that my ride would be able to take me there to.

Some reason they tell me (the pharmacy) that they have to have a script each time for the mediciene (Vyvanse), and on the bottle it says "Fed Law Prohibits Refills - Call Your Doctor"

Yeah, so true. School was the only structure I had growing up. And then it also gave me goals and a purpose. *misses the days with school. but not the home at that time*

Tv TaeKwonDo count? (If anything requires money to do right now, i'm sorta stuck. Until next month :\ .. My puppy is using all of my leftover money for a vet)

Your Pdoc is unresponsive. Forget him. Call the GP tell him you need a refill of the Vyvanse.

Vyvanse is a Schedule II class drug which you can't refill on your own; you have to actually physically pick up the prescription every time because they can't call those into the pharmacy and you can't get refills without a new prescription every time. Most ADHD drugs (stimulant class) are like that.

Do you have a job? That would provide activity, structure, and sense of purpose aside from providing money.