What To Do When ADHD Medications Don’t Work

About 15% of people do not respond to or can tolerate the standard ADHD medications. That is one in every 7 people so it is a common problem. Add to that the unknown number of people who initially get a good response only to lose it over time and you have a significant portion of the ADHD community. Consequently, it is surprising that no international Guideline or Standard of Care addresses these problems or offers guidance on what to do.

This presentation will offer a checklist of steps to take when the standard stimulants are not a workable option and the order that they should be considered. Some of the options are not FDA-approved but experience has shown that they are nonetheless effective and safe.
The second half of the presentation will address the many possible causes of loss of effectiveness over time and how full efficacy can be regained. A logical list of what can be tried will be provided that can be shared with your clinician to guide the investigation of what is happening and what can be done about it.

Learning Objectives:

• To understand how the ADHD medications are manage by the body and how that may prevent the medications from being effective.
• To provide a logical order of alternative medications that may be effective and beneficial when the 1st line stimulants are either not effective or not tolerable.
• To be able to assess when a patient is getting an optimal response and, if not, how to get everything ADHD medications have to offer that patient.