"How can I tell if the ADHD medication is working?"
It's a normal and sensible issue, particularly for those who are newly identified with the condition of attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD also known as ADD). Assessing whether a drug is performing in the way it ought to, or if it's the right medicine in the first place, requires constant self-assessment and constant dialogue with your physician about symptom control or the lack of it. Also, it requires patience as your doctor is able to adjust or change medications prior to choosing the most appropriate combination for you.
How to Tell If Your ADHD Medication is Working: Targets and Adjustments
The following two questions can assist you and your physician determine if your current ADHD dosage or medication is appropriate and effective
1. What are you hoping to get from ADHD treatment?
Every medication should be able to reduce ADHD symptoms at the most recommended dose. To be sure that the medication is achieving this first, you must consult with your physician to develop five or four target symptoms that can be measured prior to beginning the medication.
Select symptoms for which you already have been proven to respond effectively to treatment. They can include (but not only):
Distractibility
Inability to start on boring projects
Unrest, fidgeting
Lability to Mood
Overreactions to emotional stress
Instinctiveness, acting or speaking in a way that is not thought-provoking
Outbursts, flashes of temper and outbursts
Insufficient reading speed, comprehension and retention
It is difficult to stay with boring tasks to earn a profit.
Dispersed, lost things
ADHD signs that can be thought to not be affected significantly by medication are:
Organization
Time & Sense
Forgetfulness
Argumentativeness Disobeying rules
[Click to Download Our Free ADHD Medication & Symptom Tracking Log]
2. Are you experiencing an improvement in your ADHD symptoms?
Your physician will likely begin your treatment with a stimulant - the initial treatment option for ADHD with a small dosage, then increase it regularly with the smallest amounts. For the majority of patients, stimulant drugs are fully effective the very first time they are taken once they are in the brain. Patients will experience all of the benefits as well as every side effect of the medication and dosage as soon as the first day.
This means that teens and adults can alter their dosage each day, if they wish to. Children are, however, lacking self-awareness and do not have the vocabulary to express the symptoms they experience. They require more time at each dose level to be able to determine the effect on this ADHD medication. Children of elementary age should consult their physician about a dose change not more than every 5-7 days to ensure that the views of both parents and an observer (like an educator at school) are incorporated into the decision to increase or decrease the dosage.
The doctor can continue to increase dosages of medication when the patient experiences noticeable improvement in all their desired symptoms, and has only minor adverse side consequences. If increasing the dosage does not produce any further improvement or improvement, then the prior lower dose will be the patients "sweet spot" dose. It's the dose that offers the highest level of benefit without causing serious unwanted side negative effects. However, how do you know whether your health is improving?
How to Tell If Your ADHD Medication is Working: Scales and Tests
On a Scale of 1 to 10...
Without thinking too much about it consider putting you're currently taking ADHD medication using the scale of 1-10 with one being terrible with no negative side effects - with 10 being the most effective you could imagine a drug ever functioning.
A lot of doctors ask a version of this question to patients. Patients need other self-appraisals to determine if the medication is working to alleviate symptoms. In general the goal is to get scores between 8-10. Nine is a great response to medications. The minimum acceptable score is seven.
ADHD stimulant medicines aren't insignificant - they are actually some among the best medicines across all fields of medicine. Many doctors have discovered that those who have at least a 6 consequently, will do better on a different drug or with a different dosage. Therefore, if you think you've fine-tuned this specific medication, but don't see a significant level of improvement, keep trying to consult with your doctor to determine the appropriate dosage and medication for your needs.
Standardized Medication Scales
There is one scale that has been tested to track the progress of medications response trials - The Conner Global Index Scale, developed for children from between 3 and 17. The scale is filled out by a teacher or the parent, and requires ratings in a variety of areas such as restless-impulsive behavior and emotional ability. This scale will be administered prior the time of taking medication in order to establish an appropriate baseline to compare it against when the child is taking medication.
[How Does ADHD Medication Work? Your First Questions Answered.]
