Son is finally "free" after 25 years on adderall

[Zorena57]

Sorry this may become lengthy but our story needs to be told! My son Danny, 33 years old has been taking adderall XR for 25 years. Dose has been increased periodically over the years due to his growing. Danny has been diagnosed with high functioning autism, bipolar 2, explosive personality disorder, oppositional misconduct disorder, anxiety and severe panic disorder as a child and through his teenage years. He, as a young child was severely hyperactive with no impulse control and has had aggressive/violent behaviors since before he could walk. He was first put on Ritalin at 2 years of age. He took that drug until he was about 6 when it started working in reverse. They then decided to switch him to adderall at about 7 years old as his behaviors were out of control. It was working well for him, or so we all thought. His aggressive behaviors however continued even though he was no longer bouncing off the walls as bad. I raised Danny along with my other 5 children and was continuously his punching bag. Doctors said it was a manifestation of his disabilities and there was nothing they could do. Over his growing up years, he was aggressive and violent almost daily, sometimes several times a day, rages, over the smallest things. He attacked other students in school, teachers, aides in school, etc. As he got older, that list grew to doctors, and in his early 20s, even police officers when called to subdue him or try to calm him down. I made the extremely hard decision when he was about 20 years old that I couldn't do this anymore, after being diagnosed with PTSD from raising him. I decided to place him in an ARC group home for individuals similar to him. This placement only lasted a few months...Danny went off one day because a worker accidentally dropped a picture he had on his dresser of me and my late husband and it broke...he punched the worker once in the head, and the worker called the police. It took 6 police to subdue him, get him in handcuffs and he was arrested. He was kicked out of the group home, I fought the assault charges against him for a year until they finally dropped them due to his disability. I had no choice but to bring him back home. That was when Danny, in his own mind decided to become a shut in...he stopped wanting to leave our home, no more going out in the community and doing things he had always enjoyed such as our local Nascar track outings, fishing, Walmart trips every week with me. He literally would NOT go anywhere. I know it dawned on me that it is a defence for him, if he stays at home in his own bubble he isn't getting in trouble and he isn't hurting anyone. Almost 15 years he went nowhere. His primary doctor had to start doing house calls for check ups. And at 6 ft 3 and over 300 lbs there is no way, no how to force him to do anything he doesn't want to do!!!

Fast forward to 4 weeks ago...on Wed May 26th all our lives changed drastically when Danny collapsed, took a bad fall, and over a 3 day period it became apparent that Danny was literally dying before our eyes. Local 911 center and local police refused to send EMS to assess his condition because he was able to say no to medical treatment...even though me as his mom and his brother he lives with were telling them he is not mentally able to say no at this point. We called and even personally went there on Thurs and Friday.They still refused. Well by Saturday, May 29th, he was no longer able to drink, hold his head up or talk. I once again called 911 and told them he is no longer responsive, bad enough to send us help now?! He was brought to a local hospital in a diabetic shock/coma condition with blood sugar of 1880!!! Unheard of reading! Blood pressure was only 70/40...in acute kidney failure. They almost killed my son!!! He was placed in ICU, on a ventilator, and they sedated him to keep him comatose as they treated his medical emergencies. After 10 days in ICU and on ventilator they felt he was well enough to be woken up or see if he could wake up and remove the ventilator because they can only keep someone so long on one. They werent even sure he could breath on his own, but we had to try. He had developed pneumonia while in there also.

Now since collapsing on May 26th he had NOT been being given his adderall at all. He DID wake up and was able to breath on his own! Slowly he started bouncing back, every day amazing us and his medical team!! They call him their miracle because he never should have lived through this! When he began getting stronger, and able to start eating and talking again, I seen a HUGE change in his personality...no signs of the aggression at all. The Danny we all know and love would NEVER have allowed strangers to poke and prod him or he would go into a full blown panic attack just from not being home. NONE of those behaviors have been exhibited even now 2 weeks later! The doctors believe that not being on the adderall the past 4 weeks may be why. They cant be 100% certain because it also could be his brain changed from being so sick. All I know is it is a true miracle that my son is different. The silver lining to an otherwise horrible experience!! I will take this change...because now I am no longer afraid of him, and for the first time in 25 years I can hug and kiss my son without fear. His understanding and seeking out of affection is NEW but I am embracing it. No One knows how long it will last...

[SleepyStupid]

hi @Zorena57

wow - what a powerful story, thanks for sharing! many people are quick to pass judgement on a parent medicating their child, but I believe stimulants can be an appropriate intervention for some patients. it's hard to say if stopping Adderall earlier would have made things different.

it sounds like you have all had a challenging life, but so glad to hear that Danny is recovering in a way that will allow you to bond like you never have before (: