I recently made the decision to take Ryan off of his ADHD medicine. Some of you may know that at the beginning of this school year, he had a severe reaction to his Ritalin. It caused his blood pressure to skyrocket, and after all kinds of tests it was decided that we would try him on Straterra. This is a non-stimulant ADHD medication, and to be honest, I didn't see a difference in Ryan while he was taking it. It was, however, keeping him from sleeping.
So, after weighing my options, I decided to let him go a couple of weeks without taking it to see how he would do in school. For the first time since he was diagnosed with ADHD he started getting A's and B's. He is able to focus and get his work done without any problems. He's been off the medication for a couple of months now, and I have no plans of starting him back on it.
I am not sure if it maturity or the fact that he loves his classes that is allowing him to get such good grades. The only subject he seems to be struggling with is social studies. Luckily, he has a few options for next year, and I think he is leaning towards some criminal justice classes. He has always said he wants to be a mechanic when he graduates, but I think he should be open to other things. For instance, I think if he enjoys his criminal justice classes he should look into a career as a california criminal lawyer. I know that requires a whole lot more schooling then becoming a mechanic does, but I believe in him enough to know that if he puts his mind to it, he could be whatever he wants to be. I'm not sure he would like the prosecuting side of being a lawyer, but he has a knack for defending himself, so maybe becoming a los angeles criminal defense
lawyer would be more up his alley. He might enjoy the challenge of convincing a jury that a person is innocent.
As his mom, I will support him no matter what he decides to do with his life.
Showing posts with label medicine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medicine. Show all posts
Monday, December 12, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Mother Nature Has A Sense Of Humor
I can think of a million others ways to bring in the new year other than with cramps and bloating. I ended up going to bed with a pretty bad headache around 11:30 last night, and woke up this morning to a not so pleasant surprise. I shouldn't complain too much, though, because I should have begun on Christmas Eve. I should be happy that I was able to enjoy my Christmas without this misery. Thankfully, I have no plans today, so I can sit here popping ibuprofen and wallowing in my pain.
I really think I need to get back on the pill. I am not big on taking daily medications, but at least I would be back on a regular schedule. The problem with this is that there are so many different pills out there, and it's hard to decide which one is the best, and safest. Not too long ago, Yaz was the pill to take. I remember seeing commercials on television where they claimed these pills could help with PMDD and even clear up your skin. Now I am hearing about the Yaz class action lawsuit. Apparently these pills have some serious side effects, and some women who have taken them have developed blood clots. I know all birth control pills have side effects, and weighing that against a regulated period is something I really need to think about.
Oh, and the fact that if I go back on the pill, I won't have to worry about getting pregnant. You all know this mommy's baby making days are over. Or at least I hope they are.
I really think I need to get back on the pill. I am not big on taking daily medications, but at least I would be back on a regular schedule. The problem with this is that there are so many different pills out there, and it's hard to decide which one is the best, and safest. Not too long ago, Yaz was the pill to take. I remember seeing commercials on television where they claimed these pills could help with PMDD and even clear up your skin. Now I am hearing about the Yaz class action lawsuit. Apparently these pills have some serious side effects, and some women who have taken them have developed blood clots. I know all birth control pills have side effects, and weighing that against a regulated period is something I really need to think about.
Oh, and the fact that if I go back on the pill, I won't have to worry about getting pregnant. You all know this mommy's baby making days are over. Or at least I hope they are.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
What Is Right For You May Not Be Right For Me
I am always weary about taking prescription medication. I will take antibiotics, but that's about it. Pain medicine makes me loopy, and everything else scares me. Junior took an antidepressant a couple of years ago, and although it made him less depressed, it also made him a shell of who he was. I mean, what is the point of being medicated if it changes who you are, and it makes your life less enjoyable. I know this sounds funny, but sometimes antidepressants have the opposite effect on some people. I think that is why there is a paxil lawsuit, and other lawsuits out there. I read that some people even become suicidal on antidepressants. To me, that is about as unhelpful as it gets. When you are depressed already, why take a medicine that makes you want to kill yourself?
Now, before I get some negative comments, I am only speaking for myself. I know that some people need antidepressants, and that they live a full and happy life taking them. I am not against medication in general. I mean, my son takes Ritalin every day of his life. I am just speaking about my own personal experience, and what I believe is right for me.
Now, before I get some negative comments, I am only speaking for myself. I know that some people need antidepressants, and that they live a full and happy life taking them. I am not against medication in general. I mean, my son takes Ritalin every day of his life. I am just speaking about my own personal experience, and what I believe is right for me.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Dealing With Disabilities And Transportaion
This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.
When I first met my husband, he was not in he best place financially. He was working as a delivery person, and not making very much money. When we found out I was pregnant, he decided it was time for a change, so he went to school to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. After working in a nursing home for a couple of months, a friend of the family recommended him to a church member who was looking for someone to care for her elderly father who just had a stroke. Junior agreed, and worked for them until it became too hard for the old man to live alone. During the time he sat with the old man, they did a lot of things together. They would go out to eat, or just drive around in the country. One of the most difficult things for Junior to do, though, was getting the old man into and out of the car. He was in a wheelchair, and Junior would have to lift him into and out of the car. No wonder he has back problems these days!
The family should have looked into making their vehicle wheelchair accessible. There were so many things the old man wanted to do, like going to church three times a week, that were impossible for him. His children were older, and unable to lift him into and out of the car. I wish I knew then to recommend NMEDA.
NMEDA stands for National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association. They educate people about buying products from a NMEDA qualified dealer. These dealers will come to you, and custom fit your vehicle to your specific needs. This will make it so much easier to transport your loved ones with disabilities. Make sure that when you choose a dealer, you chose one that is a Quality Assurance Program (QAP) Dealer.
"The Quality Assurance Program (QAP) is the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. It is based on the principle that in order to satisfy customers consistently, companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality."
It is easy to find a dealer near you. Just check out the website and fill in your area code. When I put mine in, I had several dealers come up. I hope I never have to use them, but it's nice knowing that if I do, they are there.
When I first met my husband, he was not in he best place financially. He was working as a delivery person, and not making very much money. When we found out I was pregnant, he decided it was time for a change, so he went to school to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. After working in a nursing home for a couple of months, a friend of the family recommended him to a church member who was looking for someone to care for her elderly father who just had a stroke. Junior agreed, and worked for them until it became too hard for the old man to live alone. During the time he sat with the old man, they did a lot of things together. They would go out to eat, or just drive around in the country. One of the most difficult things for Junior to do, though, was getting the old man into and out of the car. He was in a wheelchair, and Junior would have to lift him into and out of the car. No wonder he has back problems these days!
The family should have looked into making their vehicle wheelchair accessible. There were so many things the old man wanted to do, like going to church three times a week, that were impossible for him. His children were older, and unable to lift him into and out of the car. I wish I knew then to recommend NMEDA.
NMEDA stands for National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association. They educate people about buying products from a NMEDA qualified dealer. These dealers will come to you, and custom fit your vehicle to your specific needs. This will make it so much easier to transport your loved ones with disabilities. Make sure that when you choose a dealer, you chose one that is a Quality Assurance Program (QAP) Dealer.
"The Quality Assurance Program (QAP) is the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. It is based on the principle that in order to satisfy customers consistently, companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality."
It is easy to find a dealer near you. Just check out the website and fill in your area code. When I put mine in, I had several dealers come up. I hope I never have to use them, but it's nice knowing that if I do, they are there.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Medications
The other day I saw a commercial on television about an acne medicine that has been causing all of these negative side effects. You should look into Accutane Lawsuits if you used Accutane and developed any of the following conditions:
"pain in the back and joints, suicidal tendencies and depression, miscarriages and birth defects, alopecia, weakened skin, dry mucous membranes, aggressive behavior, stroke, heart attack, vision problems, including pink eye and excessive dryness, allergic vasculitis, inflammatory bowel disease, erectile dysfunction, bone loss, anaphylaxis, seizures, lowered white blood cell count, psychosis, ringing in the ear and liver damage".
This is one of the main reasons I hate taking or using any kinds of drugs, even over the counter ones. Medicines are being prescribed to patients before anyone knows what the long term side effects are. This makes me nervous.
A few years ago, Ryan was diagnosed with ADHD. I was hesitant to put him on Ritalin, so we tried a new drug that had just come out. I don't remember the name of it. Of course, during the three months that he took it he developed side effects, so we took him off of it.
Since then, I make sure I know all about the medicines we take. And you should too.
"pain in the back and joints, suicidal tendencies and depression, miscarriages and birth defects, alopecia, weakened skin, dry mucous membranes, aggressive behavior, stroke, heart attack, vision problems, including pink eye and excessive dryness, allergic vasculitis, inflammatory bowel disease, erectile dysfunction, bone loss, anaphylaxis, seizures, lowered white blood cell count, psychosis, ringing in the ear and liver damage".
This is one of the main reasons I hate taking or using any kinds of drugs, even over the counter ones. Medicines are being prescribed to patients before anyone knows what the long term side effects are. This makes me nervous.
A few years ago, Ryan was diagnosed with ADHD. I was hesitant to put him on Ritalin, so we tried a new drug that had just come out. I don't remember the name of it. Of course, during the three months that he took it he developed side effects, so we took him off of it.
Since then, I make sure I know all about the medicines we take. And you should too.
Friday, March 26, 2010
My Chest Hurts
I have got a nasty cough, and it is making it hard for me to sleep. Every time I lay down, I have a coughing fit.So, I had Junior take me to walmart so I could get some medicine, and I expect to spend the next 24 hours sleeping.
I'm not kidding...I do not do well with medicine. Even the day time formulas make me sleepy. I will have to drag my butt out of bed tomorrow, because Brandi's best friend from her old school is having a birthday party tomorrow, and Brandi is so excited to go. Then Sunday we are going to my mom's to celebrate the March birthdays. So, that means I need to get my rest tonight.
I'm off to pop some pills....
Friday, February 27, 2009
Side Effects
I am the type of person who hates taking medicine. Unless it is absolutely necessary, I will not take OTC or prescription drugs. There are too many side effects to these medicines that nobody knows about yet. There are even some drugs that have negative side effects that people do know about, they just chose to hide it. Or maybe I have just read one too many medical mysteries.
The truth is that some drugs can have dangerous side effects, but those side effects are not known until the dug has been used for a while. This was one of the main reasons I was leery or the "patch" drugs. My son's doctor wanted to put him on the one that was supposed to help with ADHD, but I refused. It's a good thing I did, because I have only heard bad things about it since. In fact, all of the people I knew who's kids were on it have taken them off. The same was true for the birth control patch. They were both too new to know what the side effects would be, and I'd rather take a medication that has been around for a while, and hasn't had any bad side effects.
But, there are always medicines that do cause some problems, and one of these medicines is Raptiva. This is a medicine for the treatment of psoriasis, and the FDA has warned that it can cause a serious brain infection called Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy or PML. If you have ever taken this medicine, check out http://www.youhaverights.com/dangerous-drugs/raptiva. You may be entitled to financial compensation if you or a loved one has developed an infection while taking this medication.
The truth is that some drugs can have dangerous side effects, but those side effects are not known until the dug has been used for a while. This was one of the main reasons I was leery or the "patch" drugs. My son's doctor wanted to put him on the one that was supposed to help with ADHD, but I refused. It's a good thing I did, because I have only heard bad things about it since. In fact, all of the people I knew who's kids were on it have taken them off. The same was true for the birth control patch. They were both too new to know what the side effects would be, and I'd rather take a medication that has been around for a while, and hasn't had any bad side effects.
But, there are always medicines that do cause some problems, and one of these medicines is Raptiva. This is a medicine for the treatment of psoriasis, and the FDA has warned that it can cause a serious brain infection called Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy or PML. If you have ever taken this medicine, check out http://www.youhaverights.com/dangerous-drugs/raptiva. You may be entitled to financial compensation if you or a loved one has developed an infection while taking this medication.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Advance Warning For Allergy Sufferers
I have always known that the weather can trigger allergies and asthma. Pollen and wind and sunshine all play a part in it. I was surprised to find out that migraines, heart disease, and diabetes could also be aggravated by changes in the weather. Luckily, no one in my immediate family has any of these conditions, but I do have a nephew who suffers from allergies and asthma. His dad, my brother-in-law, also has problems with allergies as well. I think my sister will be interested to hear about this site called mediclim.com, where she can sign up to receive emails about changes in the weather that could have an impact on her guys. It almost sounds like having your own personal meteorologist. I was reading an article on their site about Diabetes triggers, and it said that the weather could have an affect on the tests strips of the meters used to check blood sugar. I had never thought of that before, but it does make sense.
If you suffer from severe allergies, it would be great to know in advance how you could be feeling if you plan on spending time outside. It could make it easier to manage your medicines, and know when it's just not worth going outside.
If you suffer from severe allergies, it would be great to know in advance how you could be feeling if you plan on spending time outside. It could make it easier to manage your medicines, and know when it's just not worth going outside.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Woe Is Me
Again this morning, I am having trouble with entrecard. I was able to get on their site, but then when I tried to drop, each blog took forever to load, then said invalid when I dropped. I know yesterday some of you said you were having trouble as well. What about today? Whatever it is, I hope they fix it soon!
Anyway, we did end up going fishing for a few hours yesterday, and only caught a few sun perch. I caught one, and kasi caught three. Nobody else caught anything. I did snag a little baby turtle out of the water, that the kids now have in their fish tank. Ryan named him salmonella. (<- I don't think that's spelled right...it looks funny...but spell check said it is) I think that's pretty funny! I have been cleaning like a mad woman this morning. The kids helped, so we were able to get done quickly. I'm trying to figure out where I am going to put my christmas tree. It's huge, and we have very limited space right now. Plus I have tons of decorations to put out. I am kinda excited to decorate the wooden bridge that is our driveway. I think it will look pretty with garland and bows. We'll see! The kids are doing good in school. I am having trouble getting medicaid to cover ryan's Ritalin since the doctor changed his dose, so I was on the phone with the doctor and insurance yesterday. My doctors office faxed them. they faxed my doctor back stating I had to call them. So I call the insurance, and they claim they never received a fax from my doctor. So tell me this, please. How can you respond to something you never received? Makes no sense to me, either. I have to go today and try to fill a 10 day prescription. Hubby is working so I had to call and ask my mom to take me up there. I hate asking her to drive me places, but I need to get this done before monday so ryan can go to school. I refuse to send him unmedicated, because he just spends the day getting in trouble for doing things impulsively. Hopefully I won't run into any problems.
I guess I need to go do some laundry. No matter how fast you want to get it done, it still takes forever. I mean, you can't make them wash or dry any faster, right?
Anyway, we did end up going fishing for a few hours yesterday, and only caught a few sun perch. I caught one, and kasi caught three. Nobody else caught anything. I did snag a little baby turtle out of the water, that the kids now have in their fish tank. Ryan named him salmonella. (<- I don't think that's spelled right...it looks funny...but spell check said it is) I think that's pretty funny! I have been cleaning like a mad woman this morning. The kids helped, so we were able to get done quickly. I'm trying to figure out where I am going to put my christmas tree. It's huge, and we have very limited space right now. Plus I have tons of decorations to put out. I am kinda excited to decorate the wooden bridge that is our driveway. I think it will look pretty with garland and bows. We'll see! The kids are doing good in school. I am having trouble getting medicaid to cover ryan's Ritalin since the doctor changed his dose, so I was on the phone with the doctor and insurance yesterday. My doctors office faxed them. they faxed my doctor back stating I had to call them. So I call the insurance, and they claim they never received a fax from my doctor. So tell me this, please. How can you respond to something you never received? Makes no sense to me, either. I have to go today and try to fill a 10 day prescription. Hubby is working so I had to call and ask my mom to take me up there. I hate asking her to drive me places, but I need to get this done before monday so ryan can go to school. I refuse to send him unmedicated, because he just spends the day getting in trouble for doing things impulsively. Hopefully I won't run into any problems.
I guess I need to go do some laundry. No matter how fast you want to get it done, it still takes forever. I mean, you can't make them wash or dry any faster, right?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)