CFS: 3 Cases and a Discussion of the Natural History of ADHD

[barbc56]

ADHD is not a state of hyperarousal. It is hypothesized that the dopaminergic connections from the perfrontal cortex to the more primitive sites in the midbrain are hypoactive. This means ADHD patients have less impulse control. You cannot think of the brain as a uniform whole, different regions have different functions, and you can have hypoactivity in some areas and hyperactivity in others. The regions that control wakefulness and pain are also in the midbrain, not the PFC, again this has nothing to do with ADHD. The use of stimulants in ADHD is really not counterintuitive, because they strengthen the dopaminergic connections coming from the PFC, allowing the patients to apply impulse control and concentrate.

Very interesting. I worked with students with severe ADD.

The nonmedical explanation why stimulants are effective for ADHD. It sounds like this might jibe with what you are saying, Adreno but need to go back and reread what you said. If I have misstated something below I haven't had my stimulant for the day, tea!!

Keep in mind the below is the simplistic explanation for ADD.

Think of a thermostat. Each of us has a "set point" where after a certain amount of stimulation our nervous system calms and we can screen out stimulation such as noise and concentrate Someone with ADD has a higher "set point" until the nervous system reaches this point. It's like a furnace that keeps running and running until the higher temperature is reached. Someone with ADD needs more stimulation before their nervous system is dampened and the person can screen out the extraneous input to the nervous system.

Barb

ETA Last time I looked and it was a long time ago, the distinction between ADHD and ADD went back to ADD. I don't know if that still stands today as the diagnostic terms changed over the years I taught.I

I will look this up.

 

[adreno]

Yeah, the ADD diagnosis doesn't exist anymore. But true, when you can't filter out the noise you become stimulus oriented instead of goal oriented. So I would say, if we were to generalize, that ADHD is characterized by understimulation rather than overstimulation. But it really isn't as simple as that.

 

[Lynn]

Based on some discussion about ADHD on this forum, I asked my doctor if she would give me a prescription to see if it helped with the CFS. She prescribed Ritalin. I have sensitivity to sound, light, smell and touch. My ability to multi-task is gone.

Does anyone have any thoughts on whether this would be a good drug to try? I don't want to do damage by taking a prescription drug.

Lynn

 

[Valentijn]

Based on some discussion about ADHD on this forum, I asked my doctor if she would give me a prescription to see if it helped with the CFS. She prescribed Ritalin. I have sensitivity to sound, light, smell and touch. My ability to multi-task is gone.

Does anyone have any thoughts on whether this would be a good drug to try? I don't want to do damage by taking a prescription drug.

I think it depends on what's malfunctioning. Ritalin is a dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (with the stronger effect on dopamine). If your dopamine is what needs help, then it might be great. If your dopamine is already functioning normally, then Ritalin might suck

Stopping it will probably require gradually tapering the dose.

 

[SaraM]

I have no Adhd symptom, and Excedrin which has caffeine( a stimulant) is the only thing that helps me with OI, and pain. I take one tablet, and I have no brain fog for hours. I am only worried about the side effects of aspirin and acetaminophen. I would like to try Strattera if it has fewer side effects .Coffee ,caffeine pills, aspirin or acetaminophen do nothing for me. Only Excedrin helps.