What a pity that this thread is descending to continue the common illusion that ADD and ADHA is a mental illness and that such patients are defective, retarded and incapable of a complete and normal life. This thread could have included meaningful information and helped to break the ridiculous ideas held by society in general about such conditions.
Why couldnt the OP have been advised to have her friend call DAN to find a local physician who is qualified to asses her condition, help her understand the risks, teach her to manage her medications and conditions and develop a clear plan that might well include diving if her specific case warranted it?
For the good doctor: the possible side effects you list are clearly printed on the package inserts. As you well know, many of those side effects happen with such low frequency during trials as to be questionable or are hedges against what might happen. Insulin, not a psychotropic by any standard, can cause tingling in the fingers, tremors, muscle weakness, blurred vision, cold temperature, excessive yawning, irritability, and loss of consciousness (MedNet.com). Aspirin can cause vertigo, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and lightheadedness. The terrifying list of potentially dangerous maladies goes on and on.
While I applaud your many efforts to share your passion and knowledge of medicine and diving with us on this forum and have thoroughly enjoyed your many posts and contributions, I am sorely disappointed in your reply in this case.
The stereotyping and mass-hysteria surrounding ADD and ADHD diagnosis needs to end. Four years ago, my wife and I were told that our youngest son would not be capable of graduating from high school and we should think about a certificate program. Last Friday evening, he threw his cap in the air with all of his classmates as a member of the graduating class of 2008. He also received the 2008 Change for the Better Award. One of his teachers wrote that he had never seen such a huge change in any student in his 35 years of teaching.
In my opinion, diving has helped him learn self-sufficiency, planning and control.
To the OP: the variables surrounding a diagnosis of ADD and the medications used to treat the condition are such that providing much information over the internet is virtually impossible. I would advise you to counsel your friend to call DAN to request referral to a local physician qualified to assist her Psychiatrist in making a proper evaluation of her ability to dive. That evaluation may mean that, in her case, diving is contraindicated. It may also mean that as long as the condition is responding well to the treatment and that the management of her ADD and her medication has been successful for a period of time, diving, within certain limitations, may well be possible. Zens son, my son and I are examples of the later possibility.
Why couldnt the OP have been advised to have her friend call DAN to find a local physician who is qualified to asses her condition, help her understand the risks, teach her to manage her medications and conditions and develop a clear plan that might well include diving if her specific case warranted it?
For the good doctor: the possible side effects you list are clearly printed on the package inserts. As you well know, many of those side effects happen with such low frequency during trials as to be questionable or are hedges against what might happen. Insulin, not a psychotropic by any standard, can cause tingling in the fingers, tremors, muscle weakness, blurred vision, cold temperature, excessive yawning, irritability, and loss of consciousness (MedNet.com). Aspirin can cause vertigo, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and lightheadedness. The terrifying list of potentially dangerous maladies goes on and on.
While I applaud your many efforts to share your passion and knowledge of medicine and diving with us on this forum and have thoroughly enjoyed your many posts and contributions, I am sorely disappointed in your reply in this case.
The stereotyping and mass-hysteria surrounding ADD and ADHD diagnosis needs to end. Four years ago, my wife and I were told that our youngest son would not be capable of graduating from high school and we should think about a certificate program. Last Friday evening, he threw his cap in the air with all of his classmates as a member of the graduating class of 2008. He also received the 2008 Change for the Better Award. One of his teachers wrote that he had never seen such a huge change in any student in his 35 years of teaching.
In my opinion, diving has helped him learn self-sufficiency, planning and control.
To the OP: the variables surrounding a diagnosis of ADD and the medications used to treat the condition are such that providing much information over the internet is virtually impossible. I would advise you to counsel your friend to call DAN to request referral to a local physician qualified to assist her Psychiatrist in making a proper evaluation of her ability to dive. That evaluation may mean that, in her case, diving is contraindicated. It may also mean that as long as the condition is responding well to the treatment and that the management of her ADD and her medication has been successful for a period of time, diving, within certain limitations, may well be possible. Zens son, my son and I are examples of the later possibility.
They just used to call us scatterbrained, and there was no medication, other than failure, to correct the problem. I've had to re-train my brain as I've gotten older to be safe and successful. Especially when diving.
