The Chris Davis Adderal Exemptions

[bannanawho]

Is Chris Davis still receiving exemptions from MLB to use Adderal? Could not getting the exemptions be the reason he’s become totally inept as a player?

[Going Underground]

I guess he is still taking Vyvanse.

 

Davis has been granted another year-long exemption, but for the prescription drug Vyvanse. Unlike Adderall, Vyvanse is a slow-releasing stimulant that can last, according to research, up to 14 hours, according to Dr. David Goodman, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. (An extended-release formulation of Adderall called Adderall XR is also available.)

 

Both Adderall and Vyvanse are intended to treat ADHD symptoms, but the efficacy of each dose of Adderall lasts between three to five hours, so multiple daily doses often are required. Because Adderall is a fast-acting stimulant, it is more likely to be abused for recreational or performance-enhancing purposes, Goodman said.

 

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-spring-training-0228-20150227-story.html

[bannanawho]

The Baltimore Sun article is from 2015. Could there have been a change?

[Es4M11]

I'm certainly not a doctor, so take this with a huge grain of salt, but I have read some on the effects of long term stimulant use. I have said it before and I will say it again, IMO the issues we are seeing with Davis are the effects of prolonged use of amphetamines catching up to him. Abuse of stimulants can lead to blurry vision - Davis has complained in years past of not being able to see the ball and the results match. Prolonged use can lead to depression because you're "up" all the time from the medication, eventually your body adjusts to this and then it's just a long ride down to the bottom - to me it seems like Davis lacks emotion a lot of the time, and mostly doesn't visibly seem to care about his failures. Prolonged use can cause lethargy - Davis' bat speed has fallen off a cliff, and his foot speed is much worse too. You can attribute, at least in part, a lot of these issues to age, but I would argue that the amphetamine use has drastically sped up the process.

Again, JMO. Perhaps someone with clinical and/or personal experience with amphetamines can chime in and correct me if I am wrong...

 

[tntoriole]

I am a psychiatrist...and it would not be ethical for me to opine in any specific fashion about a public figure who I have not examined.   There are many possibilities regarding anyone's failure to perform one of the most difficult acts in all of human sports...hitting a pitched ball at 90 plus mph.   I am sure that the issues you mentioned have and are being carefully assessed by his treating psychiatrist in regards to what is best for Chris.    And there are many, many instances of failures at his line of work that have absolutely nothing to do with any medications.  

[Es4M11]

3 minutes ago, tntoriole said:

I am a psychiatrist...and it would not be ethical for me to opine in any specific fashion about a public figure who I have not examined.   There are many possibilities regarding anyone's failure to perform one of the most difficult acts in all of human sports...hitting a pitched ball at 90 plus mph.   I am sure that the issues you mentioned have and are being carefully assessed by his treating psychiatrist in regards to what is best for Chris.    And there are many, many instances of failures at his line of work that have absolutely nothing to do with any medications.  

Understood. And with that said perhaps I should not be so forthcoming with my opinions on the mental/physical state of someone else - even if they are a public figure mucking it up for my favorite sports team. Thank you for your reply.

[atomic]

1 hour ago, tntoriole said:

I am a psychiatrist...and it would not be ethical for me to opine in any specific fashion about a public figure who I have not examined.   There are many possibilities regarding anyone's failure to perform one of the most difficult acts in all of human sports...hitting a pitched ball at 90 plus mph.   I am sure that the issues you mentioned have and are being carefully assessed by his treating psychiatrist in regards to what is best for Chris.    And there are many, many instances of failures at his line of work that have absolutely nothing to do with any medications.  

I used to be a foster parent.  The psychiatrists spent like 45 seconds with the kids who were on these drugs.  Even asking the kids what medicine they were on and just writing down a prescription for whatever they said.  I would say majority of Psychiatrists are just drug pushers.   I have a much higher opinion of Psychologists who actually spend time with the kids.  Drugs are very rarely the solution to problems people face. I am sure for things like Schizophrenia they are very useful.  But I doubt that drugs are just going to just solve your concentration problems long term. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 hour ago, Es4M11 said:

I'm certainly not a doctor, so take this with a huge grain of salt, but I have read some on the effects of long term stimulant use. I have said it before and I will say it again, IMO the issues we are seeing with Davis are the effects of prolonged use of amphetamines catching up to him. Abuse of stimulants can lead to blurry vision - Davis has complained in years past of not being able to see the ball and the results match. Prolonged use can lead to depression because you're "up" all the time from the medication, eventually your body adjusts to this and then it's just a long ride down to the bottom - to me it seems like Davis lacks emotion a lot of the time, and mostly doesn't visibly seem to care about his failures. Prolonged use can cause lethargy - Davis' bat speed has fallen off a cliff, and his foot speed is much worse too. You can attribute, at least in part, a lot of these issues to age, but I would argue that the amphetamine use has drastically sped up the process.

Again, JMO. Perhaps someone with clinical and/or personal experience with amphetamines can chime in and correct me if I am wrong...

 

I agree with you, Davis has likely built up a tolerance to the meds and this is why he has fallen off a cliff.  Would also explain the strikeout against the White Sox where he was staring into the stands instead of the ball.  

[atomic]

Also as much as I dislike Davis I don't think it is right to discuss his drug regimen and discuss what treatment we think he should receive on here.  Really as long as he isn't breaking any league rules with his drug use it is none of our business. 

[esmd]

I think it's important to remember that Chris Davis, by most accounts, is a decent human being.  Obviously Palmer called his integrity into question, and that was probably unfair of him to do, at least on some level.  But other than that, he seems to be thought of as a good person.  Is he perfect?  Of course not, we all have flaws.  All that said, I am as disappointed with his performance on the field as anyone - shoot, I was a charter member of the Chris Davis Man-Crush club (not in THAT way, you sickos!!   ).  The guy obviously is trying, and he cares.  No one wants to struggle at historic levels like he is.

[OFFNY]

7 hours ago, tntoriole said:

 

I am a psychiatrist .......

 

o

 

Oriole fans at-large need you, pretty badly.

 

o

[Redskins Rick]

6 hours ago, atomic said:

I used to be a foster parent.  The psychiatrists spent like 45 seconds with the kids who were on these drugs.  Even asking the kids what medicine they were on and just writing down a prescription for whatever they said.  I would say majority of Psychiatrists are just drug pushers.   I have a much higher opinion of Psychologists who actually spend time with the kids.  Drugs are very rarely the solution to problems people face. I am sure for things like Schizophrenia they are very useful.  But I doubt that drugs are just going to just solve your concentration problems long term. 

My own daughter had ADHD from pre-k days and that was many years ago, and to this day, she still has ADHD, but doesn't take meds now.

The only way, she was remotely able to get through schooling and her high school diploma was Ritalin (SP-???).

Yes, this med was/is over prescribed med for sure, but in some cases, very needed.

The doctor sat her down, and thankfully, he was very knowledgeable doctor at Children's Hospital and he had a series of tests he wanted her to perform, simple tests, like taking a stack of color blocks and re-stacking them, which she couldn't do, she would stack a couple of them and then go off that task and do something else.

 

 

[Frobby]

Just wanted to point out that Davis had a TUE for Vyvanse, not Adderall, when he had his big season in 2015 that led to his big contract.    So I don’t think the switch in medications was the issue.   I don’t think there has been any public statement of whether Davis still has the TUE for Vyvanse, but I think we’d know if he didn’t.  

[Natty]

Has Davis stopped chewing tobacco during games?  Serious question. Anyone know for sure? 

[OFFNY]

51 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

 

My own daughter had ADHD from her Pre-K days, and that was many years ago ........ to this day she still has ADHD, but no longer take the meds that she previously used throughout her childhood.

The only way she was even remotely able to get through schooling and from then through attainment of her high school diploma was through the prescription of Ritalin.

Yes, this med was/is an over-prescribed/overused med for sure, but in some cases is very much needed.

The doctor at Children's Hospital  sat her down, and (thankfully) was very knowledgeable in this area. He had a series of simple tests that he wanted her to perform, such as taking a stack of color blocks and re-stacking them, which she couldn't do ........ she would stack a couple of them, and then go off that task and do something else. Hence, it was very evident that she had a problem.

 

o

 

Thanks for sharing your personal experience, Rick.

Much appreciated.

 

Patrick .(Oriole Fan From New York)

 

o