Westlaw or Lexus Nexus?

[OldFart]

Hey hairless guinea pig...  what part of your hard-hitting questionnaire recorded the levels of your brain chemistry?

Hey troll . . . how often have you had your brain biopsied to "record[] the levels of your brain chemistry?"

Biopsies punch little holes in your brain, you know.

Go do some reading on, e.g., how to determine the RIGHT antidepressant to prescribe.  Hint: there are currently no tests available for doing it -- it's all random "take these pills for two months and if you feel better (and don't go batshit crazy), we'll stick with that" trials.  This is, simply, because there isn't any way to look at the neurotransmitter levels in a living, functioning brain.  If you're dead on a slab, they can run whatever tests they want on the dying/dead tissue, but of course that still doesn't tell them anything about what the chemistry was like when you were up and running. . . .

[Prize Fight Promoter]

Hey troll . . . how often have you had your brain biopsied to "record[] the levels of your brain chemistry?"

That's my point schmuck.  This person is describing how objective his condition is and all that's available is a terribly subjective questionnaire with questions as bold as "do you have trouble studying for an extended period of time."

[Astro]

Hey troll . . . how often have you had your brain biopsied to "record[] the levels of your brain chemistry?"

That's my point schmuck.  This person is describing how objective his condition is and all that's available is a terribly subjective questionnaire with questions as bold as "do you have trouble studying for an extended period of time."

Are you really this dense?

There is ample objective proof that ADHD exists and can severely alter the brain's function.  This is done through neurochemical studies on those who had been previously diagnosed (see OldFart's post) as well as brain imaging and other studies (on the living brain), including endocrinological studies.

The problem with ADHD and the vast majority of other psychological disorders is that there's a disconnect between observing the disease at work once it's been diagnosed and actually diagnosing it accurately.  You have to use a subjective questionnaire for the most part; there simply is no way around this currently.  But just because it's subjective doesn't make it inaccurate - it's taken decades of refinement to get to this set of criteria.  And just because some people may be misdiagnosed (something I already accounted for earlier) does not mean that all people are misdiagnosed.   

If you had this condition and you knew its devastating effects on your life, you wouldn't be so smugly self-righteous.  Subjectivity and objectivity are not mutually exclusive -- a subjective questionnaire can approximate an objective condition.  How the @#!* do you think doctors make diagnoses?  When's the last time you had testing done for the flu?

[Prize Fight Promoter]

Hey troll . . . how often have you had your brain biopsied to "record[] the levels of your brain chemistry?"

That's my point schmuck.  This person is describing how objective his condition is and all that's available is a terribly subjective questionnaire with questions as bold as "do you have trouble studying for an extended period of time."

Are you really this dense?

There is ample objective proof that ADHD exists and can severely alter the brain's function.  This is done through neurochemical studies on those who had been previously diagnosed (see OldFart's post) as well as brain imaging and other studies (on the living brain), including endocrinological studies.

The problem with ADHD and the vast majority of other psychological disorders is that there's a disconnect between observing the disease at work once it's been diagnosed and actually diagnosing it accurately.  You have to use a subjective questionnaire for the most part; there simply is no way around this currently.  But just because it's subjective doesn't make it inaccurate - it's taken decades of refinement to get to this set of criteria.  And just because some people may be misdiagnosed (something I already accounted for earlier) does not mean that all people are misdiagnosed.   

If you had this condition and you knew its devastating effects on your life, you wouldn't be so smugly self-righteous.  Subjectivity and objectivity are not mutually exclusive -- a subjective questionnaire can approximate an objective condition.  How the @#!* do you think doctors make diagnoses?  When's the last time you had testing done for the flu?

We are not rehashing this.  I am not even reading your post.  I did not mean to make an example of you and I apoligize if I offended you.  You very well may be a perfect candidate for drugs.  I have a strong distaste for psychiatrists and their greed and neglect.  If they don't prescribe, they don't get paid, and everyone I know has been a perfect candidate.

Again, I am sorry that it seemed I took a shot at you. 

[Law Boy]

Matthies.  Are you on concerta or adderall?  Which would you recommend?  You guys are naive to think the government and medical field are on your side.  Just like we lawyers overbill, so do psychiatrists.  He is right about this greed.

[skeeball]

I don't know about you guys, but I like to keep a big bottle of Maalox on my desk while I work on my outlines.

[Speedzie]

I've never seen a psychiatrist.  I was diagnosed by a psychologist (after thorough testing), and rediagnosed a few years later by a different psychologist using the same methods.  I see my regular doctor to get meds.  I've never felt overbilled by any of these people.

As for drugs, different ones work for different people.  Concerta/ritalin has never worked for me, at least not well, at any dosage.  Adderall/vyvanse works fantastically but with difficult side effects (up/downs, rebounding).  I've been on strattera for a few months now and it's working great - almost as well as adderall but without the side effects.

[Astro]

Hey troll . . . how often have you had your brain biopsied to "record[] the levels of your brain chemistry?"

That's my point schmuck.  This person is describing how objective his condition is and all that's available is a terribly subjective questionnaire with questions as bold as "do you have trouble studying for an extended period of time."

Are you really this dense?

There is ample objective proof that ADHD exists and can severely alter the brain's function.  This is done through neurochemical studies on those who had been previously diagnosed (see OldFart's post) as well as brain imaging and other studies (on the living brain), including endocrinological studies.

The problem with ADHD and the vast majority of other psychological disorders is that there's a disconnect between observing the disease at work once it's been diagnosed and actually diagnosing it accurately.  You have to use a subjective questionnaire for the most part; there simply is no way around this currently.  But just because it's subjective doesn't make it inaccurate - it's taken decades of refinement to get to this set of criteria.  And just because some people may be misdiagnosed (something I already accounted for earlier) does not mean that all people are misdiagnosed.   

If you had this condition and you knew its devastating effects on your life, you wouldn't be so smugly self-righteous.  Subjectivity and objectivity are not mutually exclusive -- a subjective questionnaire can approximate an objective condition.  How the @#!* do you think doctors make diagnoses?  When's the last time you had testing done for the flu?

We are not rehashing this.  I am not even reading your post.  I did not mean to make an example of you and I apoligize if I offended you.  You very well may be a perfect candidate for drugs.  I have a strong distaste for psychiatrists and their greed and neglect.  If they don't prescribe, they don't get paid, and everyone I know has been a perfect candidate.

Again, I am sorry that it seemed I took a shot at you. 

If this was all you'd said, I would've been vigorously defending you.   

I agree that this is a problem.



ETA:  Thanks for apologizing.  That's huge -- extremely rare on this board.  I firmly and unequivocally retract any claims I made towards you about douchebaggery or asshattery.

[Astro]

I could give a @#!* less if adderall was used in u-grad.  Grading was not on a curve.  But as soon as you go out and get presription amphetamines, then cry and stomp your feet for more time on an exam in law school, thats when I have a problem.  It is an HUGE advantage, in a system where grades determine your career options.  If I had access to adderall for an entire exam period with extra time on each exam, then I would not be nearly as stressed out as I am now.  It is motivation in a pill form.  Also, a lot of exams are full of issue spotting, and any idiot can figure out you can spot more issues with more time.


ADVANTAGE FOR SURE!  Unfair?  I think so, but *&^% aint going to change.

You have no idea how these drugs work for people with actual ADHD.

[Speedzie]

You have no idea how these drugs work for people with actual ADHD.

TITCR x 1000

Extra time exists explicitly in order to level the playing field for those of us with the disability.