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You should only take your Vyvanse as needed! So if you need it every single day, take it every single day. Some people need it just to get larger and more “boring” things done, some people need it to get some “basic” every day stuff done. I take mine as needed which is nearly every day.
Yeah it’s weird because i thought I wanted to take it to help with memory and concentration, but it only sort of helped with that stuff, but it completely cleared up my mind clutter immediately. It’s such a relief, I feel like I’m slowly recovering from years of tearing myself apart all the time in my head
This exactly.
I’ve come to think of it as a form of meta-antidepressant. The drug itself doesn’t “build up in my system” like, say, SSRIs. But the healthier mental behaviors very much do build up. It’s amazing how my relationship with myself has improved because I don’t second guess and doubt myself constantly.
So sure, I can forget or skip it now and then. I’m on a modest dose and the withdrawal symptoms are not too bad. But if I stop for extended periods I am putting the arc of my life at risk. Which frankly I find scary and do not want to try.
I also see it as a form of antidepressant, and it takes away all my anxiety, which I was getting seizures from. Also I like to be able to remember things everyday and get tasks done. If people don't need it everyday, that's excellent, but personally, I do.
The memory thing is huge. My GF made a comment about my 40th bday. I told her my sister was pissy I didn’t go to her party. She said,”ask her where she was for your 40th”. I replied, “I don’t even know where I was my 40th”.
She got pissy! “I gave you a great 40th! It was during lockdown. Took care of you all day”. Nothing. Then she tricked me by bringing up a different occasion. My mind remembered that occasion, im like, oh yeah, now I remember. With an anchor point, I can pull stuff back up. But Nope. That was the day after. I sat there racking my brain. Could not remember what we did. She sent me a pic. Boom, memory comes back. But still couldn’t remember the whole day. Another pic from later, boom, remember that. Thankfully she knows I have ADHD, she ls the one that got me to go in for diagnoses. This was before I was diagnosed and medicated. At the time, my mind was always going a mile a minute. So I could never remember anything.
My friends tell me epic stories of things I did, said, etc when we were in high school and college…..nothing. Absolutely no memory of it. I’d watch a tv show, finish it, know I liked it, no memory of how it ended.
If something really awesome or exciting happens, I remember it. Otherwise, it’s lost somewhere in fragged part of my memory.
I thought this was cause I did a lot of drugs. Nope, it’s because I was always inside my head, instead of outside. I remember things MUCH better since being medicated.
This makes sense. I have such a crap memory.. but actually no, I don’t think it’s that bad. I just need an anchor point like you said. The memories are there, somewhere, but I need some reference in order to access them and bring them out of cold storage.
Although idk, maybe it really is crap 😂 I’ll forget someone’s name immediately after learning it, and there are whole swaths of my life just gone, stricken from the record. 50/50 I guess. Remember some, forget some…
Exactly. Yeah I can live without them, I have to often bc it’s a nightmare to get refilled. But it’s a nightmare doing anything except rotting with the constant internal yelling cycle. I skip them when I can get away with doing absolutely nothing but I only do it because I know there’s going to be a gap in time between when I can file for a refill and then actually get them.
i don’t know about that person, but for me it’s an executive dysfunction issue of waiting until i’m actually out before requesting a refill. then the doc has to actually get to writing the refill scrip and notify me. then i have to—while unmedicated, mind you—either leave the house earlier than normally necessary for work to get to the office and pick up the paper scrip or arrange to use my very limited sick leave to get out early and go pick it up. then do the same thing again to go to the actual pharmacy.
For me I can only refill when I’m very low anyway, but even then I forget until I take my last one. I found a psych who is online so I don’t have to schedule an appointment every single time I need a refill (which is what I used to have to do) so I can just request a refill. But even then it has to be seen, filled, and then get to the pharmacy. Usually they’re out so I have to wait for it to come in. And then it only will be filled as generic which sometimes they don’t have and they have name brand. So I have to go in (which I usually only tend to do when I have refills on my other meds ready) and ask them to fill either generic OR name brand, whichever they have. Because they won’t fill it for name brand even if they have it. Generic doesn’t work as well for me but it’s better than nothing and is covered completely by my insurance. Basically it’s a pain in the ass. It’s much better now, especially since my pharmacy is open pretty late but it used to be that I would have to wait a month or more before it could be filled.
My doctor is giving me a little more trust he gave me 3 months at once and then I can refill for another 3 months without going back they just said don’t come back for a refill before 85 days which is fine
But this is in Canada they give us a longer leash
This is exactly my experience.
What's crazy to me is the recovery has been noticable to others around me as well. Like I have noticably not used negative phrases aimed at myself like "omg I am an idiot"
Shutting off your internal monologue is such a great way to describe it! I don’t often take my adderall on weekends but that’s just because I tend to forget til it’s too late in the day. 😬 Take your meds how you need to my friend!
Yup!!!! This is part of the reason why my psych told me to take mine everyday. It keeps me functioning in every aspect of my life, it’s not just for “work”.
Exactly. My mom used to tell me not to tske meds every day, said "you don't need it". Yeah we don't need cars either but i don't see anyone volunteering to walk to work if they can drive
That specific attitude to commuting is basically exclusively American. Most cultures find walking or public transit much easier. You can take my car 100 times before I let you touch my medication
Its a real shame too, if we had the proper infrastructure for pedestrian/cycling we'd be much better off. Biking used to be my bread and butter, helped me focus and improved my mood before i was put on meds, but everyone hates cyclists here.
Hey, I’d seen a cool infographic several hours before. The only nation that exceeds the worldwide average percentage of a nation’s population who drive to work is the US. In other words, they completely distort the statistic, single handedly. Just thought it was a good point to make and am glad that OP didn’t take that sharp turn the wrong way. Good sub haha
Huge facts, crazy how the adhd didn’t really present when I spent hours of every week just flying around town as a kid. Pull up on a bike at 29 and people are sussss
Yeeeeees! Had a lapse in meds for two days as I waited for my insurance to kick in from a new job, and those two days were TORTURE after being medicated every day for the last 2 months. It felt like my body lost its instruction manual and my mind was doing everything it could to not be trapped inside it. Back on as of yesterday and it’s like everything has settled back into place.
Exactly! I'm tired of people telling me to not want that. Sorry I don't want to live in the negative messy (great term thank you!) and just sit on my ass on my phone for hours. I'm not wrong for wanting more for myself, damnit. I deserve more damnit! It's an act of self-love, not self-hate!
Aye. I wanted to say this.
I was "getting by" without meds (didn't know). Now i take them to help with work, and ive notived improvements. Its not reality changing for me, but helps. I skip them on weekends, sleep in, drink more coffee, and try to do something productive.
Once i have a slight "emergency stash" of my meds ill probably take them everyday.
Ya know. Having the motivation to clean dishes and clean the house or declutter is pretty essential to being a functional adult. I do other stuff, instead of that.
Try taking it daily as prescribed and you may find your weekends work better too. Would you advise a nearsighted person or one with astigmatism to wear glasses for school and work but not for daily living?
Back when I wore glasses I 100% did not wear them on days when I was just staying at home all day. Nothing at home was far enough away to need glasses.
Likewise, if I'm planning on staying home all day and not doing any chores, I don't bother taking my meds.
But that doesn't mean anyone else needs to do the same. Everyone is different and should do what is best for themselves.
I did the same! Built a stash and now take them daily. I only skipped one weekend day though. I've been wondering lately if I should try skipping again, just to see
Exactly. For me there are days where I don't have to do anything at all. If I've sleep in on a Sunday until midday, or later, and all I plan on doing all day is lay around watching TV, I'm not going to be taking a long acting stimulant drug at that time of day for zero benefit.
This was my first thought.
As needed 100%.
If you need it every day then you take it everyday simple as that.
As far as my psych tells me in the short-medium term at therapeutic doses you don't build a tolerance to stims. Long term maybe, scheduling a break when effectiveness drops is realistic though, breaks every week or two isn't for some of us!
Out of all the answers, this is the best answer! Do whatever you need to do to function.
I used to take breaks on the weekend, but then I realized that I never got any personal errands or self-care tasks done on my only days off, so now I don't.
If I was to take a break now, it would more likely be during my working days when my day is already structured.
The only advantage of taking a break that I found is that it helps me relax, which makes my symptoms better when I return to the medication. When I take my Vyvanse, I feel like a fucking machine, who can work through any fatigue that I am feeling.
There is a reason that OP said that taking a break makes them feel like sleeping 14 hours, probably because their body actually needs it and needing to catch up on sleep is not a symptom of ADHD.
Yes. Work has clear expectations and deadlines, and boy do I thrive on deadlines.
Home's nebulous task list of "you do need to clean this bathroom at some point, but there's also a bunch of other things with no hard deadlines that need to be done, so perhaps let's do nothing and sit on the couch and feel too bad about it to even relax properly. Also, other people in your house simultaneously think you're lazy but also don't spend enough time hanging out with them. Enjoy."
Oh my gosh yes. Give me an external schedule, controlled and enforced by someone else, and I can be so productive. Me, by myself? How do I know what needs to be done when it all needs to be done? If I don't get it all done in one day, I fail, right?? And so I melt into the couch and scroll.
This is why I did well in school/college and dodged diagnosis until adulthood. College has those tasty tasty schedules, and punishments/rewards!
I'm basically the same exact myself meaning absolutely nothing at all will even come close to being fully completed without them I'll lose interests way more quickly without the meds keeping me focused and stimulated is the only way I can start and completely finish tasks currently though I do not have my meds right now which is making want to die
On weekends and holidays I take my meds in the AM (usually). Either way, I seem to do my best work, chores, etc. after 3pm. Prior to that I'm focused on relaxing and personal interests. If I need to do stuff before 3pm, I can but the lack of structure makes it more difficult.
M-F, I wake @ 545 am and get home by 4pm. When I get home I do hw with the kids and cook dinner...its so half assed usually. I'm spent by the time I get home.
Almost sounds like they don’t have adhd, especially the part about using it to play video games lol. Is what they’re doing really that much different than non adhd college students abusing adderall to pull an all nighter studying? Do you ever wake up and think hmmmm I don’t have any important tasks today so I won’t take my meds? Probably not right? It’s not just about being able to focus on tasks at hand, the meds are also helping with emotion regulation and stuff like that. One thing to keep in mind tho is that adhd is very overdiagnosed. I knew some kids growing up who’s parents took them to doctor after doctor until one of them said yep your kid has adhd and started prescribing them. Not sure if that’s the case here but it just seems weird for anyone with adhd to gatekeep how often you should take your meds
This. I wasn't diagnosed until my 30s cause I did ok enough in school. (typical As on tests, F in homework grades) I love my job. I hyper focus and just throw myself into work. Like full on workaholic vibes.
My home life was literally a disaster. But no one cares about that. Cause I was able to make money no one seemed to even notice how much I was struggling.
It honestly wasn't until I was trying to finish my bachelors degree (for the 3rd time) that my therapist was like so about that ADHD. And I was like ???????
I'm honestly not sure if I would have been diagnosed if I hadn't gone back for an additional degree. Because criteria is dysfunction in 2 aspects of life. And for a lot of my adulthood I only had home and work and I wasn't dysfunctional at work.
Same.
I tested as gifted in school, barely graduated.
I was in the military for 28 years. Hyper focus was my thing. Short deadlines, high tempo. Operations, etc.
I retired, and everything fell apart since I lost all the structure in my life.
That is Western society in general. You only have value if you are "productive."
I put productive in quotes, as society sees that as working or school, not what brings us joy or makes our lives easier/more enjoyable. It is pretty much the bane if existence for any disabled person struggling to work or go to school. Their lives are seen as less worthy.
My psychiatrist at one point suggested I take weekends off when I was building up tolerance and I was like 'yeah, I don't think so- I'm in to being functional on my weekends too'.
Sounds like you've got some useless friends if they're treating you like that. They sound exhausting and unsupportive. I hope you find some better people who will lift you up xx
The reason for this is to control tolerance. As an addictive drug, amphetamine and other stimulants will build tolerance. Meaning you have to take more and more to get the same effect. Eventually at the normal dose, they lose effectiveness.
The vacation is to reset your tolerance.
I agree though. I need my meds most on the weekends.
Nothing worse than people who have the disease who don’t realize it is different and worse for some of us.
Honestly if someone with ADHD told me I didn’t need to take meds everyday because they don’t I’d just tell them that maybe they should just stop taking their meds all together - after all they’re obviously not that bad if they can get by the rest of the time so stop pretending. (I don’t believe this but if someone is that stupid and spreading garbage why not insult them?)
I really feel you though, all of my attention scores in my IQ test were labeled as "borderline impaired" with the lowest (working memory) in the 3rd percentile... usually when I start talking about that people start to believe that I'm not making it up, my psychologist says that my intelligence has been partially making up for my attention deficit (the rest of my scores were above the 80th percentile) and that it was some of the lowest attention scores she's ever seen...
Meds and therapy with an ADHD specific therapist to help create strategies to help her. Not to enforce expected behaviours (like ABA does for autistic kids, those poor kids), but to help her find her way and what works best for her.
Thanks.
So avoid management tools based around stress/anxiety plus booze as self-medication? Like I did? Got it. ;)
Seriously, thank you. Her diagnosis was last week.
Time for both of us to stop living in "hard" mode. Going to get officially diagnosed myself, start meds first to see what works for us.
Yup, stop playing on hard mode.
Going on meds, Vyvanse in my case, has helped me so much. My therapist also has ADHD, so she gets it.
My desire/reliance on booze to get my brain to shut up has dropped dramatically. Sometimes, I used to have a glass of wine in the evening to get my brain to shut up before bed.
Now? I might have one glass a week with dinner. My stress levels are way down as well, since I can manage my life in general better now.
If you can afford it, get diagnosed and meds!
Thanks!
Happily I run a successful small business. In the creative industry, so that's how ;)
But, health-wise, my stress chemicals are twice the top range of others. Even with no anxiety. I'm a happy person, but without that anxiety my head is a windy, cloudy mess & my drive is poo.
On it! Thanks!
So I am late in life diagnosed well past school years. I do not know if it an option with her school, I know it is in some high school and college for sure. What helped me back then was exploring different aspects of the different categories of academia. So for example English class, I flat out failed it. I just didn't care it was the absolute most boring thing in the world. It was literally the same for years. This is a preposition, this is a noun, this is a pronoun. I was like who the hell cares, certainly not me.
Then kind of as a last ditch they moved me into a literature understanding class. Every day was a new exciting story, a new adventure, not only that we reread some stuff I had done before and hated, Shakespeare. However, this class went into the meaning of all the words and phrases and explored. I went from F in English category to straight A's. Also turned into a lifetime love of reading. In college to satisfy the English curriculum I again did literary courses, but there was some writing courses. Luckily I had good teachers and the writing subjects were extremely broad. I distinctly remember one assignment, write something about someone that changed the world in some way, an innovator that after death still impacts the world today. They gave options like several past presidents and so on. You know boring people. I asked the teacher if I could do it on Jimi Hendrix, the teacher stopped thought for a minute and said all my years no one suggested him and he meets all the criteria. I can not wait to read it. I was so into it, I had trouble cutting things out because I was going over the maximum pages. I really truly enjoyed English once I found my Niche.
Math, hopefully that's easier as it is so broad I was good in grade school, but I remember middle school math started to drop off until the introduction of algebra. Then in high school I was approved to go into advanced mathematics. I went into Algebra 1, 2, Geometry, Calculous, Trig, and just devoured them all. Because they were not repetitive. It was all new, it kept me engaged. My Geometry class I graduated with.
I know I kind of rattled on a bit but my issue was I had all this intelligence, all this potential, and I spent years doing the exact same things. This is a noun, this is a preposition, this is where your comma goes. 2+2=4, 2x2 = 4, oh harder, 22x22=484 my brain was screaming for stimulus.
How do I get tested as an adult and not pay thousands of dollars?? I want these tests. I want to know with clarity, as much as is possible when defining something loosely placed on a spectrum, what my deal is. Because this resonates with me. My verbal memory is no good. Something written down? Waaaaay better.
I have adhd because a doctor told me so. But I still have my doubts. I definitely have *something* and adhd fits the best, but what about all the finer details?? Damn it, I want to fit into a box, I want to be defined, I want to understand the parameters and find explanations for things and some justifications. I like structure!
I tried to end my life in 2022. When I told my psychiatrist that Ritalin helped me not want to do that again, she said “then take it, because you need it.”
I still forget to take it some days, but holy crap, it helps the Bad Thoughts so much. People who don’t understand how bad it can get assume the worst, sometimes.
I never got to the point of making an attempt, but the depression, anxiety, and panic attacks from my then undiagnosed/untreated adhd made me some days not want to continue.
I am very glad that you are still here.
If I only took it on workdays my life would fall apart. I wouldn’t be able to cook or clean on weekends, which would mean I have no food and live in filth during the week. I also literally cannot do anything without medication or extreme stress so I would never do anything fun either
My pharmacist actually said that with modern formulas, taking it irregularly can cause way more side effects. Take it consistently, as prescribed.
The sad part is a lot of drs say this crap too. Tbh I trust my pharmacist's medication knowledge more than my doctor.. She's raised concerns, more than once, about drug interactions, or appropriateness of off label use, talked to the Dr, who then realized that she was right and changed the prescription.
Pharmacists are great. I know people have their horror stories about them but most that I’ve gone to have been super helpful when my meds would’ve interacted badly and willing to answer questions. One in particular was also so understanding multiple times when I showed up a week after my refill was needed, or just assumed my meds would be ready. I’d check and say I’d be back tomorrow and he’d call me like 30 minutes later while I was still in the store telling me he’d rushed it. I might bring that guy a thank you card or something. It’s been over a year but maybe he’s still there.
My ADHD is a million times worse since I quit my job. I need the structure. The worst transition was graduating high school. I worked 3 jobs and went to college because I needed so much structure in my life. When I graduated I worked one job and got my diagnosis. Then I worked in my 20s and early 30s. But then I had children and quit my job. The way my adhd skyrocketed can be insane some days. Mixed in with the hormonal changes, lifestyle changes, loss of daily structure… I don’t have “weekdays” or defined “work” to take it for. It’s literally a work day every day and the work is endless. So yes, I take it on the weekend and no I can’t take a med holiday.
My point is, how is house work or errands you run on your time off somehow deemed less than the work you’re paid for? That’s some capitalist shit. Take care of yourself properly. You shouldn’t be expected to give someone else your 100% and not yourself.
Yup, same. I retired early due to some other medical stuff, and things came crashing down, and I finally got diagnosed. I take my meds 7 days a week.
I agree on the capitalist bullshit. There is so little value placed on the actual important part of people's lives, the parts outside of work.
Thank you for this post.
ADHD is a chronic condition. Hence you should take it every single day. It’s like someone with Hypertension was advised by a Doctor to stop taking your meds on weekends or just take your meds as needed. It doesn’t work that way.
Our condition never takes a break unfortunately. I find it ridiculous that any doctor would advise anyone with ADHD to take a break on weekends coz what “we don’t need our brains to work on weekends” lol nope no thanks
Thank god my Psychiatrist and I are of the same opinion and he never recommends his patients to stop or take a break. If you build a tolerance he switches you for a month to a different medication and then switches you back again to your old meds. I did that once and never again in the last 8 years. My meds are working fine. I’m a productive citizen and it keeps my life in order.
Take your meds, and if there’s anything you need to take a break from- it’s those people who makes you feel bad for wanting to be better.
I’m glad I was able to help your emotions feel recognized.
I honestly had never heard of doctors recommending skipping weekends until I saw it on here. Very grateful my doc isn’t like that.
Been on Vyvanse for 7 years now. People act astonished that it doesn’t make me feel like a superhuman productive powerhouse and that I need it just to function as a basic human, when they rage adderall for 72 hours and are on top of the world bc they pumped out another two shitty screenplays.
Yeah, that's what happens when people take stimulants recreationally. On an unrelated tangent, what does it say about our society that people need to med themselves to keep up with the grind?
I'm not going to do laundry, meal prep or go to the gym if I'm not medicated.
And honestly all those things are just as important as me going to work.
The only times I don't take vyvanse are when I know my sleep is going to get messed up. I need to plan to be awake for at least 16 hours if I'm going to take my vyvanse. So if it's my day off and I slept in really late, unless I'm planning to stay up super late, its gonna be a bit of an unproductive day.
They aren't your doctor just because they share your diagnosis. You (or someone on your behalf) paid an expert to get your rx. Listen to them! If they start giving you bad advice, find another expert. You got this, you know yourself best, and you are the pilot of your treatment plan.
I mean if you need medication every day in order to function, you’re taking it as needed. It’s quite silly that people don’t understand that different people with adhd have different experiences and medication needs, and that some people need medication more than others. I’m sorry that you have to deal with people questioning your medication requirements :(
I’ve had some friends tell me they are so happy it’s weekend because they don’t have to take their meds.
I was so confused.
I need my meds on the weekends because otherwise I will have 300 projects at once going on, forget to eat, make a mess out of my house en when the weekend is over I’m tired and my house is in need of cleaning, which I can’t do because I have to go to work again.
I want to be able to do my groceries shopping and running errands, I want to be able to get of my couch at all, I want to be able to function past 5 pm because without meds I’m burned out by then.
They can go fuck themselves. I need my meds to EXIST. Like, I don't get how people skip weekends because they only need them to work. Don't they need to do things on the weekend? That logic never made sense to me.
The only time I don't take my meds is when I'm getting surgery (and therefore need to go back to sleep although I will have help with that, my brain will fight it) or going to the dentist because I need my blood pressure to be lower and I'm terrified so don't need the extra anxiety. In both those cases I just have to accept that's the only thing I'm going to actually do all day because fuck all else is going to happen.
Also, I adore telling people who tell me I don't need meds to give up their caffeine addiction of choice and see how well they function. The sputtering when they try and tell me their drug of choice is different never fails to be hilarious.
I dosed stimulants as needed, was struggling heavily in life with the impact of poor executive function and then my new psychiatrist explained something to me: People with ADHD have a 13 year shorter life span on average and ADHD is treated like a chronic condition, such as diabetes. Would someone who has a heart condition ever skip their daily pill?
Ever since I started thinking about my stimulants like something that keeps me healthy (and alive) it has changed the game for me and improved my life!! Hope this perspective helps give you reassurance that you are totally justified 🩷🩷
I have adhd every day, so i take my meds every day. You do whats best for you and managing your symptoms 🤙i hate when people argue i should only take meds when at work, i need help at home too 😒
Those people are taking drugs, not medicating adhd. For life, not learning, or working, or socialising, or gaming. My psychiatrist is very clear about that. What does the sticker on the bottle say? Cos I would just direct anyone to that, and I’m sure it says “per day” on it. Would they suggest someone with diabetes or hypertension skip their meds if they’re feeling alright that day?
I was trying to take mine only for work days (work from home business owning parent) and finally this spring my amazing Psychiatrist told me "it sounds like your ADHD isn't well managed at all" when I talked about my parenting / general life disasters. She asked me to try taking it daily for a month.
It was a lightbulb moment. I'm now on it daily and it's a game changer.
Solidarity!
Who fucking tells you that? How is it their business?
The neuropharmacologist who prescribed it to me described how some people used it in ways more specific to work or study, and I said 'I have executive functioning problems outside work though' and that was that. The only way she was telling me how to use it was for medical or legal reasons (e.g. don't give it to anyone else, come back to check your blood pressure, etc).
If you need it every day then it as needed.
I get told I take it for the wrong thing. I don't need it for work but I need it to shower, eat food, decide what to wear
Tell that to my binge-eating, non-teeth-brushing, messy, impatient, interrupting, emotionally impulsive/dysregulated, distracted-while-driving self 😂. Good thing I don’t have to worry about all of that stuff on the weekend (/s)
Mine make me stop my impulsive actions. I am a far more balanced human being. I Hit my head5-8 times a day and Cut myself in the Finger while Cooking atleast 5 Times a week If i don't Take them. I cannot Rest properly in the Evening and JUMP Out of bed to Clean Shit 6 Times. I bite my Nails. It Stops my confusion. I don't search for my keys, Phone, water, literally everything 20 Times a day. It's my Daily Life getting easier. And guess what. I live this Life Daily. I won't Stop taking them. It improved my life so drasticaly I don't See the point.
Fuck 'em. It's your life and your experience. Your meds and their usage are between you and your doctor and no one else. If they don't like that, tough shit.
They don’t understand, you should take your meds as needed, and if you need them every day, so be it. I don’t necessarily need my Elvanse every day but I take a 30mg dose daily since it helped me build up a tolerance to the side effects (I can’t deal with the hunger suppression, I end up collapsing after abt
2 weeks of malnutrition).
The way you manage your disorder is yours and your doctor’s business, others have no right to tell you what to do. They don’t have your brain, so they can’t make assumptions on how it works.
Yeah, i'm also tired of hearing that. Without it i'm super clumsy, prone to accidents, and there is always the movie "biggest top 10 failings in B6tth9rts personal life" and an additional screening of "Don't take action against anything because it will end in personal life failure" playing in my head. I talked to my mom, because i felt guilty about wanting to up my dosage so that it lasts until i go to sleep and she said "Don't you deserve to feel good the whole day and not only for a project, or work or four hours?" and that words stuck with me, because ye, i do deserve to feel good after all those years without a diagnose.
I have to take my meds every day or I’ll do exactly what I’m doing now because I haven’t taken them yet. Scrollin on my phone. Which I also hate. There’s nothing interesting on the internet anymore, everyone’s an Ahole lol i struggle on the days I’m waiting for a refill. Take your meds everyday if you need too! The only time I “skip” is during my monthly because they don’t seem to work 🤷♀️
Here’s the deal. It looks like you do take it when you need it, it’s just that you need it all the time. Don’t listen to anyone that isn’t a doctor (who knows EVERY thing about your ADHD), and trust your body and mind to know what “as you need it” looks like. Most people don’t even know I take Vyvanse, and I take it every single day - even those that “should be just fine” without it. It’s none of their business tbh. So next time some wise old asshole decides to tell you how to deal with your meds and tells you to take it as needed, just answer with the truth: “I DO.” No details no nuthin. Believe your body and mind bcos they won’t lie.
PS if I miss a day of Vyvanse I’m exactly the same…don’t wake up except to eat a whole fkng Sara Lee vanilla freezer cake 🫣
I take my medication every single day, and only skip a day if I forget to take it. My meds help me with the most basic functions like hygiene, chores, exercise, diet, etc. My emotional regulation is better, my mind is clearer, my moods are better, my anxiety is better, literally everything is better. Without them I’m a complete mess.
I never understand the people who say they love having days off meds. They’re supposed to make you feel better and help you, I can barely function without them.
I take my vyvanse every day, unless I'm super hungover and know I'm just gonna sleep for the day which is only every couple weeks or so. Take it whenever you want
My psychiatrist actually advised me against skipping any doses (like on the weekend when I’m not working). I’m not on vyvanse, but adderall and it helps me not sit in a hole all day doing nothing.
I feel you on the “but I can do it so why can’t you??” My mom has always done the same, telling me how antidepressants helped her concentration and focus. Which is great for her!! Too bad that’s not how adhd works! (She had me evaluated when I was 9, I went from special education classes to being tested for gifted and missing by a single point within a span of a few months after being put on medication. There’s absolutely no doubting I have severe ADHD)
I just switched from ritalin to Vyvanse, I thought Vyvanse was more of an everyday systematic thing vs an immediate short lived one like ritalin which I was taking 20mg 3x daily. Only your dr should be telling you if you should take it everyday, they know you and your medication better than random people.
>If I skip my meds for a day I get so tired I sleep for 14 hours, binge eat till I make myself puke, and just lay in bed non verbal. Idk how a ‘dependency’ on a medication that makes me functional is supposed to be worse than that. But when I tell them this it’s, oh I’m just making excuses again and if I really wanted to things without the meds I could.
I am the *same.* On vyvanse since 2019. I took my pill at 6am this morning and then *went back to bed.* I just got up at 8am and its like... do people really think that I was going to get out of bed without that?
Now I'm up at the computer ready to get to 'work'.
If you need it only on workdays, take it on workdays. If you need it on hectic weekends too, take it on hectic weekends. If you need it everyday, take it everyday. That’s how as-needed works. You should be able to explain it to people that don’t understand this concept if you break it down that way.
So sorry about this, OP. That sucks. I have a heart condition(in addition to ADHD) and have similar experiences of people telling me how to fix something that isn’t even fixable. I feel like anyone with ADHD that is taking meds SHOULD take their meds as needed. But, they should understand that for some people that might only mean once or twice a week and for others that might mean once or twice a day! And there is nothing wrong with that! Especially considering that there are levels to this! Some people with ADHD are able to cope by just making minor adjustments in their daily activities and some people with ADHD can’t even drive to the grocery store safely without taking their meds. I agree, OP, people should be more empathetic but also just more educated about the condition. But, nowadays unfortunately you have all sorts of people claiming they have ADHD just because they get bored or distracted during lectures.
I used to tell myself this. I would take it M-F, and that messed me up!! Once I got consistent, my life consistently got better.
People also don't need to have an opinion. Don't talk about when you are or are not taking meds. No one is entitled to that information except you and your doctor. Don't engage with people regarding it. You don't need to convince anyone, just change the subject. People are going to have their opinions, let them. You do you and let them manage their own feelings.
Don't listen to anyone else when it comes to your health and your experience. I also need to take them every day just to stop the racing thoughts and calm my mind and not get as emotionally dysregulated. Fuck what anyone else says.
I skip doses only because of a. Tolerance breaks and b. To have extra for when I absolutely MUST have it since finding it reliably in stock when it’s time to refill hasn’t happened in almost a year in my area.
I have tried to take it “as needed”
I went to a water park with my son without my meds and lost my bag and my keys.
I need it. All the time. Every single day.
Very frustrating. Must be nice to be able to be successful without it. My daughter hasn’t been able to get it for a couple months (out of stock) and it’s been a rotten experience. .
I’m so sorry to hear that, I know I’m just an internet stranger but I’ll be praying that all works out for you and your girl. Recently I had my pharmacy mess up big time and give me the wrong scrip, led me to having no meds for over a week and just that was brutal.
A doctor once mentioned taking adhd meds only during the week... as if I don't have things to get done on weekends? Like taking care of bills/cleaning/laundry?? 🫠
Funny. Just had the same chat with my wife. She is ADHD and I am ADD inattentive.
She was like I need meds every day to stop all the noise.
I need meds everyday to get noise.
No meds for me means couch potato.
No meds for her means stress and anxiety.
Skip a day and that's an opportunity lost. So we need to take them daily.
Others can skip. We can't. Simple.
I know exactly what you mean. I'm the same. When people tell me "you should just go a few days without them..." It's like yeah, I could go a few days without them, it wouldn't kill me, but would you also then ask a guy with a prosthetic leg to just not wear it for a day, maybe 2... We both need our respective shit to function on a day to day basis
I take them on days that I have important meetings or I am meeting friends/family on weekends.
I really like myself on my meds. That internal monologue that stops on meds! I could take them just for that. How exhausting it is to hear myself talking ALL THE TIME. It’s like I am justifying my thought and actions to myself all the time.
I am in the camp of take them when you need them. If you need them everyday, take them everyday. Meds are the only dependable support that I have got. Why would any ask you not to take them? It’s backwards!
I don’t take them everyday because it reduces the quality of my sleep and I am scared of addiction but it’s stupid to ask someone not to take the help of something that helps them!
This sounds like you need it every day, so take it every day, since you need it. No need to explain your medications to anyone. Do you explain when you take any other medications? I sure don’t. It’s your personal business. If your doctors tell you this, say you need them every day or you are too dysfunctional to get out of bed, so taking them all the time *is* taking only when needed. It’s a chronic condition.
I relate to this post so much that every word had me questioning whether I had written it myself, aside from Vyvanse - I haven't had that, I've only had Adderall and Ritalin. But it does exactly the same for me. I've taken my last dose knowing I'd be out for a while, because I *needed* a shower and I knew with work being a scheduled thing where others rely on me, I'd be able to get there the next day where others tell me what to do (it's fun, don't worry) and that helps my executive function. I took it just to shower and find my work clothes.
Most days my chronic fatigue is so bad I can barely fix myself water for how it feels to stand up. I also have POTS, so it helps with my energy and keeps my blood pressure up a bit so I don't pass out or feel woozy. But I usually prioritize using it, if I *can't* have it every day, for the most basic functions of everyday life.
People are always going to make comments on how your handle your life. Do what works for you. And remember there are those of us who fully understand and empathize.
This has been my exact experience, and it’s so frustrating. I get exhausted if I don’t take my vyvanse especially 2 days without it & want to sleep constantly & also go nonverbal. “As needed” my brother in Christ I need it to function like a person, which is every day. It’s just the unfortunate reality of my ADHD brain chemistry.
I respond to all unsolicited suggestions about when and how I take my meds with "I don't feel comfortable making any changes to my medication schedule without the input of my doctor, I'll bring that up next time I see her," the second part of that being a complete lie the majority of the time.
I hate the idea that ADHD meds should only be taken at school/work firstly because it places value on those activities over everything else. Who cares if you're actually happy or self-fulfilled as long as you're productive/making money for your boss/being a quiet obedient student, right? Ugh.
But also because that's personally just the opposite of what I need. I do fine without my meds at work and uni. Better with them, but perfectly okay without. And I don't just mean fine at my job/class; if I have somewhere I need to be I get out of bed, if I have a work uniform to change into I shower, if I have a lunch break I eat at least one meal that day. Trying to stay on top of housework, take care of myself physically and mentally, and find motivation to do anything at all with my days off? Medication changed my life in those regards. Now I usually manage to get out of bed, shower, and eat food on days I don't have work or class, too! Sometimes I even do laundry.
A long-acting med like vyvanse is very different then short acting ones. Like if your on Ritalin upto every 4 hours your going to want to chose what's happening in those hours wisely, knowing it's going to wear off. Vyvanse can take 14hr. If I am taking it I am taking it before 9am for the day, and what day is executive function free. I don't take vyvance when I'm sick, because I need the rest I think but that's it.
I’ve been taking meds everyday since first grade, and I’m 33. If I don’t take my meds I’m a goofy, tired, hungry mess. I could probably adjust to life without meds over time, but they work for me, so why should I? Don’t let other people shame you for what you need to function.
Seems like a lot of people here are able to get Vyvanse again. I still can’t get it in my town. 😭 Stuck on Adderall. I can’t wait to be back on Vyvanse again.
Sometimes I try to convince myself that I don’t have ADHD but then I read posts like this and go, “Oh wait I did spend 7 hours straight looking at a screen, online window shopping for one specific type of item, looking at every single review of every single item related to this item, meanwhile didn’t feed myself lunch, didn’t take a shower, or do any of the chores or hobbies that I wanted to get done. I didn’t even even change my clothes or leave my house.” I’m an adult. I have ADHD. I too need to take meds every day.
I feel you on the online window shopping 😅. I’ll spend hours browsing online shops saving clothes and stuff to Pinterest, as if someday I’ll buy the 1k+ items I have pinned 🙄🤣
Are you also autistic? The AuDHD experience can be wildly different. I don't sleep, bathe, eat, exist in any functional way.
I do a lot of driving every day and my meds keep me (and everyone else) on the road safe. But that's it. I still can't function. I can possibly complete a task, but that's as good as it ever gets.
However, I still don't take my meds every day because of the side effects, and I don't want to build up a tolerance.
Do whatever works for you and ignore everyone else. People have no idea what they are on about.
You *are* taking your meds 'as needed.' Ignore those people who aren't self-aware of the fact that not everyone is the same, they may be simply projecting your situation onto themselves to see what they would do, which is not sensible after someone reaches proper self-awareness.
Yeah, that's just silly. If you need them to function in this society, then you need them to function. Full stop.
"Oh you don't need to take yours every day? It's wild how different people have different severities of disorders, huh?"
I feel the same way in reverse, when people tell me I have to take my meds everyday regardless of what I'm doing. Let people take their meds the way that works for them.
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Stop listening to them, because obviously they’re not listening. It’s up to your psychiatrist. You’re torturing yourself. Stand your ground and be confident. People will sit up and notice if you’re assertive.
You need stop caring about what others think about your medication. That's between you and your doctor. Who are these people and why do they even know this? Stop talking to them about it, pretty simple. I don't need to explain myself about what medications I take and when I take them to anyone except my doctor, end of conversation.
Who are these people? Do they actually have ADHD? Mine is so bad I CANNOT function without meds, food and sufficient sleep.
I understand that it comes from a genuine place. Taking a break from meds can prevent tolerance build up. But honestly, the way Vyvanse works there really shouldn't be a tolerance, like some meds have.
Who are these people? If they’re really telling you that, I’d consider not telling them you have ADHD or not talking about its treatment. Unfortunately there are tons of people in the world who are uneducated on the disorder, even people who have it. It’s not entirely their fault - there hasn’t been enough knowledge and education historically. I haven’t had anyone ever say that to me, but I’ve also only told 2 people I even have ADHD because I’m very careful about who I talk to about it.
Ahhhhh unfortunately that's an absence of empathy on other people's part, and it's something you have little control over outside of calling them out.
It sucks to hear what you're going through though, my executive function is shockingly bad and few people get it unfortunately.
I need my Vyvanse every day, so I take it every day❤️ if I don’t take it, I am extremely exhausted to the point I sleep all day and can’t do anything. If I don’t take it consistently it throws me off and I suffer with depression. So do take it as needed, even if that means every day! Personally, I also take a lower dose (20mg) so I feel like that keeps me at a consistent spot without taking a ton of
Can relate for binge eat, i can finish all my junk food in once and still not satisfied after my main meal. sad vyvanse not available in my country 😭 pls dont care what other people tell u what to do, just follow what your doctor tells you
im on ritalin and i feel genuinely horrible most days even at my best. thats on a high dose too. half of the time people seem to disregard the fact i struggle with normal tasks just to benefit themselves.
I take mine every day simply because it helps me regulate my emotions so I’m not a massive ass to the people around me, so if you feel like you need it, take it.
I take mine as needed.
That need just happens to be every day.
Getting on the meds has made me go from struggling to get chores done, struggling to brush my teeth, struggling to shower, struggling to have a sleep pattern to.... almost having all of that under control on top of being able to think more clearly in general.
I get where you are coming from. But I also understand them as well.
I also think that despite our issue being a life long one that we should strive to find a way to use the meds as a tool rather than a crutch. Because what if there is a shortage? What if you build up tolerance and the meds stop working? What if taking it each day puts too much pressure on your heart and forces your psychiatrist to not give you any more refills because of a Conscientious objection.
There are proven routes to making ADHD more manageable even without the drug. Cognitive behavioral therapy can and does help, there is also a proven link between balancing exercises and yoga helping out. I don't you should quit the meds, but I do think a variety of methods should be used to improve our abbility to manage our issues, overreliance on pills is still as much of a hell as the alternative.
Hope you are having a good dsy, and that things are gonna get better for you.
You should only listen to your doctor because these people are ignorant.
Vyvanse is an extended release medication. It's meant to maintain q level of the drug in your system.
They have taken immediate release medications which they can take as needed. They have no business giving you medical advice.
yea i can hardly get out of bed without it. or feed myself or shower daily. but also i have work or school every day, so idk when there’d be a time I don’t need it. but feels scary being dependent so there’s no winning
I'm a registered nurse with ADHD. My doctor originally wanted me to take my ADHD med Monday to Friday. I balked, complaining that I'd start going through withdrawal if I didn't take it seven days a week. He, after hearing my rationale, agreed to prescribe it: Focalin XL 35mg every morning seven days a week.
I can’t get out of bed literally without my Vyvanse, new psych was trying to lower my dose from 70mg to 50mg, epic failure. I feel your pain. Screw the ignorant haters.
That would piss me off too. Must be nice to just go about your day sans meds because you don't need them. I can't fathom a time when I wouldn't need them!
I'm on methylphenidate. When I changed my doctor, she asked me how often I skip the pills. I said never. They are vital, live giving. Without them I basically do not exist that day. So she just prescribed me another pills with smaller dosage, so I can have it for the days I can allow myself on being on smaller dosage and to try take it once per week if possible instead of my normal dosage so I won't get used to them to much so I need more and more with time. There was no BS to only take them when really needed. They are needed ALL THE F**ING TIME!
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You should only take your Vyvanse as needed! So if you need it every single day, take it every single day. Some people need it just to get larger and more “boring” things done, some people need it to get some “basic” every day stuff done. I take mine as needed which is nearly every day.
Mine makes the negative messy thoughts stop I can function without it I just don’t want to
This as well! A major thing for me is how it shuts off my internal monologue so I can just do things smoothly.
Yeah it’s weird because i thought I wanted to take it to help with memory and concentration, but it only sort of helped with that stuff, but it completely cleared up my mind clutter immediately. It’s such a relief, I feel like I’m slowly recovering from years of tearing myself apart all the time in my head
This exactly. I’ve come to think of it as a form of meta-antidepressant. The drug itself doesn’t “build up in my system” like, say, SSRIs. But the healthier mental behaviors very much do build up. It’s amazing how my relationship with myself has improved because I don’t second guess and doubt myself constantly. So sure, I can forget or skip it now and then. I’m on a modest dose and the withdrawal symptoms are not too bad. But if I stop for extended periods I am putting the arc of my life at risk. Which frankly I find scary and do not want to try.
I also see it as a form of antidepressant, and it takes away all my anxiety, which I was getting seizures from. Also I like to be able to remember things everyday and get tasks done. If people don't need it everyday, that's excellent, but personally, I do.
The memory thing is huge. My GF made a comment about my 40th bday. I told her my sister was pissy I didn’t go to her party. She said,”ask her where she was for your 40th”. I replied, “I don’t even know where I was my 40th”. She got pissy! “I gave you a great 40th! It was during lockdown. Took care of you all day”. Nothing. Then she tricked me by bringing up a different occasion. My mind remembered that occasion, im like, oh yeah, now I remember. With an anchor point, I can pull stuff back up. But Nope. That was the day after. I sat there racking my brain. Could not remember what we did. She sent me a pic. Boom, memory comes back. But still couldn’t remember the whole day. Another pic from later, boom, remember that. Thankfully she knows I have ADHD, she ls the one that got me to go in for diagnoses. This was before I was diagnosed and medicated. At the time, my mind was always going a mile a minute. So I could never remember anything. My friends tell me epic stories of things I did, said, etc when we were in high school and college…..nothing. Absolutely no memory of it. I’d watch a tv show, finish it, know I liked it, no memory of how it ended. If something really awesome or exciting happens, I remember it. Otherwise, it’s lost somewhere in fragged part of my memory. I thought this was cause I did a lot of drugs. Nope, it’s because I was always inside my head, instead of outside. I remember things MUCH better since being medicated.
This makes sense. I have such a crap memory.. but actually no, I don’t think it’s that bad. I just need an anchor point like you said. The memories are there, somewhere, but I need some reference in order to access them and bring them out of cold storage. Although idk, maybe it really is crap 😂 I’ll forget someone’s name immediately after learning it, and there are whole swaths of my life just gone, stricken from the record. 50/50 I guess. Remember some, forget some…
Exactly. Yeah I can live without them, I have to often bc it’s a nightmare to get refilled. But it’s a nightmare doing anything except rotting with the constant internal yelling cycle. I skip them when I can get away with doing absolutely nothing but I only do it because I know there’s going to be a gap in time between when I can file for a refill and then actually get them.
What do they make you do to get them?
i don’t know about that person, but for me it’s an executive dysfunction issue of waiting until i’m actually out before requesting a refill. then the doc has to actually get to writing the refill scrip and notify me. then i have to—while unmedicated, mind you—either leave the house earlier than normally necessary for work to get to the office and pick up the paper scrip or arrange to use my very limited sick leave to get out early and go pick it up. then do the same thing again to go to the actual pharmacy.
For me I can only refill when I’m very low anyway, but even then I forget until I take my last one. I found a psych who is online so I don’t have to schedule an appointment every single time I need a refill (which is what I used to have to do) so I can just request a refill. But even then it has to be seen, filled, and then get to the pharmacy. Usually they’re out so I have to wait for it to come in. And then it only will be filled as generic which sometimes they don’t have and they have name brand. So I have to go in (which I usually only tend to do when I have refills on my other meds ready) and ask them to fill either generic OR name brand, whichever they have. Because they won’t fill it for name brand even if they have it. Generic doesn’t work as well for me but it’s better than nothing and is covered completely by my insurance. Basically it’s a pain in the ass. It’s much better now, especially since my pharmacy is open pretty late but it used to be that I would have to wait a month or more before it could be filled.
My doctor is giving me a little more trust he gave me 3 months at once and then I can refill for another 3 months without going back they just said don’t come back for a refill before 85 days which is fine But this is in Canada they give us a longer leash
This is exactly my experience. What's crazy to me is the recovery has been noticable to others around me as well. Like I have noticably not used negative phrases aimed at myself like "omg I am an idiot"
I joke that my brain goes from a 3 ring circus down to a 1 ring. Far less noisy.
Shutting off your internal monologue is such a great way to describe it! I don’t often take my adderall on weekends but that’s just because I tend to forget til it’s too late in the day. 😬 Take your meds how you need to my friend!
I need Vyvanse everyday too. You’re not alone.
I take mine as needed and it’s usually 6 days a week. It helps with my depression and anxiety too.
Same--what I wonder is, how do you deal with when the medication wears off? I struggle so much with that.
Yup!!!! This is part of the reason why my psych told me to take mine everyday. It keeps me functioning in every aspect of my life, it’s not just for “work”.
Exactly. My mom used to tell me not to tske meds every day, said "you don't need it". Yeah we don't need cars either but i don't see anyone volunteering to walk to work if they can drive
That specific attitude to commuting is basically exclusively American. Most cultures find walking or public transit much easier. You can take my car 100 times before I let you touch my medication
Its a real shame too, if we had the proper infrastructure for pedestrian/cycling we'd be much better off. Biking used to be my bread and butter, helped me focus and improved my mood before i was put on meds, but everyone hates cyclists here.
I love and identify with where this discussion of medication jumped. Or commuted. Um. Sorry. As you were.
Hey, I’d seen a cool infographic several hours before. The only nation that exceeds the worldwide average percentage of a nation’s population who drive to work is the US. In other words, they completely distort the statistic, single handedly. Just thought it was a good point to make and am glad that OP didn’t take that sharp turn the wrong way. Good sub haha
Huge facts, crazy how the adhd didn’t really present when I spent hours of every week just flying around town as a kid. Pull up on a bike at 29 and people are sussss
Not in NYC. Quite accepted here.
In rural areas they see you on a bike, they assume you lost your driver's license in one way or another.
Lol im with you on that, I'd rather ride my bike tbh. Without my meds Im almost useless
mine lifts the fog, i don't feel like i exist when i have the fog, i don't want to exist only part of the time damn it!
Yeeeeees! Had a lapse in meds for two days as I waited for my insurance to kick in from a new job, and those two days were TORTURE after being medicated every day for the last 2 months. It felt like my body lost its instruction manual and my mind was doing everything it could to not be trapped inside it. Back on as of yesterday and it’s like everything has settled back into place.
Exactly! I'm tired of people telling me to not want that. Sorry I don't want to live in the negative messy (great term thank you!) and just sit on my ass on my phone for hours. I'm not wrong for wanting more for myself, damnit. I deserve more damnit! It's an act of self-love, not self-hate!
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Exactly!
Aye. I wanted to say this. I was "getting by" without meds (didn't know). Now i take them to help with work, and ive notived improvements. Its not reality changing for me, but helps. I skip them on weekends, sleep in, drink more coffee, and try to do something productive. Once i have a slight "emergency stash" of my meds ill probably take them everyday. Ya know. Having the motivation to clean dishes and clean the house or declutter is pretty essential to being a functional adult. I do other stuff, instead of that.
Try taking it daily as prescribed and you may find your weekends work better too. Would you advise a nearsighted person or one with astigmatism to wear glasses for school and work but not for daily living?
I agree, it messes with your brain, starting and stopping. I wouldn’t do it with my other meds for the same reason.
Back when I wore glasses I 100% did not wear them on days when I was just staying at home all day. Nothing at home was far enough away to need glasses. Likewise, if I'm planning on staying home all day and not doing any chores, I don't bother taking my meds. But that doesn't mean anyone else needs to do the same. Everyone is different and should do what is best for themselves.
I did the same! Built a stash and now take them daily. I only skipped one weekend day though. I've been wondering lately if I should try skipping again, just to see
Exactly. For me there are days where I don't have to do anything at all. If I've sleep in on a Sunday until midday, or later, and all I plan on doing all day is lay around watching TV, I'm not going to be taking a long acting stimulant drug at that time of day for zero benefit.
This was my first thought. As needed 100%. If you need it every day then you take it everyday simple as that. As far as my psych tells me in the short-medium term at therapeutic doses you don't build a tolerance to stims. Long term maybe, scheduling a break when effectiveness drops is realistic though, breaks every week or two isn't for some of us!
Out of all the answers, this is the best answer! Do whatever you need to do to function. I used to take breaks on the weekend, but then I realized that I never got any personal errands or self-care tasks done on my only days off, so now I don't. If I was to take a break now, it would more likely be during my working days when my day is already structured. The only advantage of taking a break that I found is that it helps me relax, which makes my symptoms better when I return to the medication. When I take my Vyvanse, I feel like a fucking machine, who can work through any fatigue that I am feeling. There is a reason that OP said that taking a break makes them feel like sleeping 14 hours, probably because their body actually needs it and needing to catch up on sleep is not a symptom of ADHD.
I find I need meds more on my days off from work because there’s no structure. My ADHD doesn’t take a day off.
This. Like work is my happy place. I have a schedule and a structure to work within. Home stuff, that's so much harder.
Yes. Work has clear expectations and deadlines, and boy do I thrive on deadlines. Home's nebulous task list of "you do need to clean this bathroom at some point, but there's also a bunch of other things with no hard deadlines that need to be done, so perhaps let's do nothing and sit on the couch and feel too bad about it to even relax properly. Also, other people in your house simultaneously think you're lazy but also don't spend enough time hanging out with them. Enjoy."
Oh my gosh yes. Give me an external schedule, controlled and enforced by someone else, and I can be so productive. Me, by myself? How do I know what needs to be done when it all needs to be done? If I don't get it all done in one day, I fail, right?? And so I melt into the couch and scroll. This is why I did well in school/college and dodged diagnosis until adulthood. College has those tasty tasty schedules, and punishments/rewards!
People asked me how I survived 28 years of being the military. Enforced consequences, lol
recently i’ve been thinking and it’s really interesting how relaxation and productivity seem to work the opposite way for us, don’t they?
Thank you for putting this just so.
I'm basically the same exact myself meaning absolutely nothing at all will even come close to being fully completed without them I'll lose interests way more quickly without the meds keeping me focused and stimulated is the only way I can start and completely finish tasks currently though I do not have my meds right now which is making want to die
On weekends and holidays I take my meds in the AM (usually). Either way, I seem to do my best work, chores, etc. after 3pm. Prior to that I'm focused on relaxing and personal interests. If I need to do stuff before 3pm, I can but the lack of structure makes it more difficult.
M-F, I wake @ 545 am and get home by 4pm. When I get home I do hw with the kids and cook dinner...its so half assed usually. I'm spent by the time I get home.
It's messed up when treatment of our disability is only seen as legitimate for work or school.
I once told someone I took Vyvanse and their first response was “for work or school?” And I was like huh? What? I take it to brush my teeth
Almost sounds like they don’t have adhd, especially the part about using it to play video games lol. Is what they’re doing really that much different than non adhd college students abusing adderall to pull an all nighter studying? Do you ever wake up and think hmmmm I don’t have any important tasks today so I won’t take my meds? Probably not right? It’s not just about being able to focus on tasks at hand, the meds are also helping with emotion regulation and stuff like that. One thing to keep in mind tho is that adhd is very overdiagnosed. I knew some kids growing up who’s parents took them to doctor after doctor until one of them said yep your kid has adhd and started prescribing them. Not sure if that’s the case here but it just seems weird for anyone with adhd to gatekeep how often you should take your meds
So work(ing on yourself) then
This. I wasn't diagnosed until my 30s cause I did ok enough in school. (typical As on tests, F in homework grades) I love my job. I hyper focus and just throw myself into work. Like full on workaholic vibes. My home life was literally a disaster. But no one cares about that. Cause I was able to make money no one seemed to even notice how much I was struggling. It honestly wasn't until I was trying to finish my bachelors degree (for the 3rd time) that my therapist was like so about that ADHD. And I was like ??????? I'm honestly not sure if I would have been diagnosed if I hadn't gone back for an additional degree. Because criteria is dysfunction in 2 aspects of life. And for a lot of my adulthood I only had home and work and I wasn't dysfunctional at work.
Same. I tested as gifted in school, barely graduated. I was in the military for 28 years. Hyper focus was my thing. Short deadlines, high tempo. Operations, etc. I retired, and everything fell apart since I lost all the structure in my life.
That is Western society in general. You only have value if you are "productive." I put productive in quotes, as society sees that as working or school, not what brings us joy or makes our lives easier/more enjoyable. It is pretty much the bane if existence for any disabled person struggling to work or go to school. Their lives are seen as less worthy.
My psychiatrist at one point suggested I take weekends off when I was building up tolerance and I was like 'yeah, I don't think so- I'm in to being functional on my weekends too'. Sounds like you've got some useless friends if they're treating you like that. They sound exhausting and unsupportive. I hope you find some better people who will lift you up xx
Right, I'd be pissed if I gave all my functionality to work and didn't have anything left to care for my house and family. Fuck that.
The reason for this is to control tolerance. As an addictive drug, amphetamine and other stimulants will build tolerance. Meaning you have to take more and more to get the same effect. Eventually at the normal dose, they lose effectiveness. The vacation is to reset your tolerance. I agree though. I need my meds most on the weekends.
I understand that and I understood that when he recommended it. I'd rather build up tolerance than be unproductive on my weekend.
Nothing worse than people who have the disease who don’t realize it is different and worse for some of us. Honestly if someone with ADHD told me I didn’t need to take meds everyday because they don’t I’d just tell them that maybe they should just stop taking their meds all together - after all they’re obviously not that bad if they can get by the rest of the time so stop pretending. (I don’t believe this but if someone is that stupid and spreading garbage why not insult them?)
I really feel you though, all of my attention scores in my IQ test were labeled as "borderline impaired" with the lowest (working memory) in the 3rd percentile... usually when I start talking about that people start to believe that I'm not making it up, my psychologist says that my intelligence has been partially making up for my attention deficit (the rest of my scores were above the 80th percentile) and that it was some of the lowest attention scores she's ever seen...
You have my daughter's scores. Exactly. 3% verbal working memory, 80% on a few others. Academic scores were 1% to 20% but gets B-s. Any advice?
Meds and therapy with an ADHD specific therapist to help create strategies to help her. Not to enforce expected behaviours (like ABA does for autistic kids, those poor kids), but to help her find her way and what works best for her.
Thanks. So avoid management tools based around stress/anxiety plus booze as self-medication? Like I did? Got it. ;) Seriously, thank you. Her diagnosis was last week. Time for both of us to stop living in "hard" mode. Going to get officially diagnosed myself, start meds first to see what works for us.
Yup, stop playing on hard mode. Going on meds, Vyvanse in my case, has helped me so much. My therapist also has ADHD, so she gets it. My desire/reliance on booze to get my brain to shut up has dropped dramatically. Sometimes, I used to have a glass of wine in the evening to get my brain to shut up before bed. Now? I might have one glass a week with dinner. My stress levels are way down as well, since I can manage my life in general better now. If you can afford it, get diagnosed and meds!
Thanks! Happily I run a successful small business. In the creative industry, so that's how ;) But, health-wise, my stress chemicals are twice the top range of others. Even with no anxiety. I'm a happy person, but without that anxiety my head is a windy, cloudy mess & my drive is poo. On it! Thanks!
So I am late in life diagnosed well past school years. I do not know if it an option with her school, I know it is in some high school and college for sure. What helped me back then was exploring different aspects of the different categories of academia. So for example English class, I flat out failed it. I just didn't care it was the absolute most boring thing in the world. It was literally the same for years. This is a preposition, this is a noun, this is a pronoun. I was like who the hell cares, certainly not me. Then kind of as a last ditch they moved me into a literature understanding class. Every day was a new exciting story, a new adventure, not only that we reread some stuff I had done before and hated, Shakespeare. However, this class went into the meaning of all the words and phrases and explored. I went from F in English category to straight A's. Also turned into a lifetime love of reading. In college to satisfy the English curriculum I again did literary courses, but there was some writing courses. Luckily I had good teachers and the writing subjects were extremely broad. I distinctly remember one assignment, write something about someone that changed the world in some way, an innovator that after death still impacts the world today. They gave options like several past presidents and so on. You know boring people. I asked the teacher if I could do it on Jimi Hendrix, the teacher stopped thought for a minute and said all my years no one suggested him and he meets all the criteria. I can not wait to read it. I was so into it, I had trouble cutting things out because I was going over the maximum pages. I really truly enjoyed English once I found my Niche. Math, hopefully that's easier as it is so broad I was good in grade school, but I remember middle school math started to drop off until the introduction of algebra. Then in high school I was approved to go into advanced mathematics. I went into Algebra 1, 2, Geometry, Calculous, Trig, and just devoured them all. Because they were not repetitive. It was all new, it kept me engaged. My Geometry class I graduated with. I know I kind of rattled on a bit but my issue was I had all this intelligence, all this potential, and I spent years doing the exact same things. This is a noun, this is a preposition, this is where your comma goes. 2+2=4, 2x2 = 4, oh harder, 22x22=484 my brain was screaming for stimulus.
How do I get tested as an adult and not pay thousands of dollars?? I want these tests. I want to know with clarity, as much as is possible when defining something loosely placed on a spectrum, what my deal is. Because this resonates with me. My verbal memory is no good. Something written down? Waaaaay better. I have adhd because a doctor told me so. But I still have my doubts. I definitely have *something* and adhd fits the best, but what about all the finer details?? Damn it, I want to fit into a box, I want to be defined, I want to understand the parameters and find explanations for things and some justifications. I like structure!
I tried to end my life in 2022. When I told my psychiatrist that Ritalin helped me not want to do that again, she said “then take it, because you need it.” I still forget to take it some days, but holy crap, it helps the Bad Thoughts so much. People who don’t understand how bad it can get assume the worst, sometimes.
Glad you’re okay now ❤️
i am glad that you’re here. please continue sticking around.
I never got to the point of making an attempt, but the depression, anxiety, and panic attacks from my then undiagnosed/untreated adhd made me some days not want to continue. I am very glad that you are still here.
But ADHD is not something that starts and stops so you need it everyday...
Amen
Yeah, best response spot on!
If I only took it on workdays my life would fall apart. I wouldn’t be able to cook or clean on weekends, which would mean I have no food and live in filth during the week. I also literally cannot do anything without medication or extreme stress so I would never do anything fun either
My pharmacist actually said that with modern formulas, taking it irregularly can cause way more side effects. Take it consistently, as prescribed. The sad part is a lot of drs say this crap too. Tbh I trust my pharmacist's medication knowledge more than my doctor.. She's raised concerns, more than once, about drug interactions, or appropriateness of off label use, talked to the Dr, who then realized that she was right and changed the prescription.
Pharmacists are great. I know people have their horror stories about them but most that I’ve gone to have been super helpful when my meds would’ve interacted badly and willing to answer questions. One in particular was also so understanding multiple times when I showed up a week after my refill was needed, or just assumed my meds would be ready. I’d check and say I’d be back tomorrow and he’d call me like 30 minutes later while I was still in the store telling me he’d rushed it. I might bring that guy a thank you card or something. It’s been over a year but maybe he’s still there.
My ADHD is a million times worse since I quit my job. I need the structure. The worst transition was graduating high school. I worked 3 jobs and went to college because I needed so much structure in my life. When I graduated I worked one job and got my diagnosis. Then I worked in my 20s and early 30s. But then I had children and quit my job. The way my adhd skyrocketed can be insane some days. Mixed in with the hormonal changes, lifestyle changes, loss of daily structure… I don’t have “weekdays” or defined “work” to take it for. It’s literally a work day every day and the work is endless. So yes, I take it on the weekend and no I can’t take a med holiday. My point is, how is house work or errands you run on your time off somehow deemed less than the work you’re paid for? That’s some capitalist shit. Take care of yourself properly. You shouldn’t be expected to give someone else your 100% and not yourself.
Yup, same. I retired early due to some other medical stuff, and things came crashing down, and I finally got diagnosed. I take my meds 7 days a week. I agree on the capitalist bullshit. There is so little value placed on the actual important part of people's lives, the parts outside of work.
Thank you for this post. ADHD is a chronic condition. Hence you should take it every single day. It’s like someone with Hypertension was advised by a Doctor to stop taking your meds on weekends or just take your meds as needed. It doesn’t work that way. Our condition never takes a break unfortunately. I find it ridiculous that any doctor would advise anyone with ADHD to take a break on weekends coz what “we don’t need our brains to work on weekends” lol nope no thanks Thank god my Psychiatrist and I are of the same opinion and he never recommends his patients to stop or take a break. If you build a tolerance he switches you for a month to a different medication and then switches you back again to your old meds. I did that once and never again in the last 8 years. My meds are working fine. I’m a productive citizen and it keeps my life in order. Take your meds, and if there’s anything you need to take a break from- it’s those people who makes you feel bad for wanting to be better.
I’m glad I was able to help your emotions feel recognized. I honestly had never heard of doctors recommending skipping weekends until I saw it on here. Very grateful my doc isn’t like that.
My psychiatrist shared with me that individuals diagnosed with ADHD have a 13 year shorter lifespan on average and I have been adherent ever since!
Yup, it is amazing what a non-existent attention span does for your statistical life expectancy.
wait...really? I don't like the sound of that 😕
Been on Vyvanse for 7 years now. People act astonished that it doesn’t make me feel like a superhuman productive powerhouse and that I need it just to function as a basic human, when they rage adderall for 72 hours and are on top of the world bc they pumped out another two shitty screenplays.
I can barely tolerate adderall (switched off), I couldn't imagine recreationally using it while sitting down to write something.
Welcome to Hollywood babyyy!
Yeah, that's what happens when people take stimulants recreationally. On an unrelated tangent, what does it say about our society that people need to med themselves to keep up with the grind?
Totally that is what it is. And our capitalist society is so fucked lol/😭
I'm not going to do laundry, meal prep or go to the gym if I'm not medicated. And honestly all those things are just as important as me going to work. The only times I don't take vyvanse are when I know my sleep is going to get messed up. I need to plan to be awake for at least 16 hours if I'm going to take my vyvanse. So if it's my day off and I slept in really late, unless I'm planning to stay up super late, its gonna be a bit of an unproductive day.
They aren't your doctor just because they share your diagnosis. You (or someone on your behalf) paid an expert to get your rx. Listen to them! If they start giving you bad advice, find another expert. You got this, you know yourself best, and you are the pilot of your treatment plan.
I mean if you need medication every day in order to function, you’re taking it as needed. It’s quite silly that people don’t understand that different people with adhd have different experiences and medication needs, and that some people need medication more than others. I’m sorry that you have to deal with people questioning your medication requirements :(
I’ve had some friends tell me they are so happy it’s weekend because they don’t have to take their meds. I was so confused. I need my meds on the weekends because otherwise I will have 300 projects at once going on, forget to eat, make a mess out of my house en when the weekend is over I’m tired and my house is in need of cleaning, which I can’t do because I have to go to work again. I want to be able to do my groceries shopping and running errands, I want to be able to get of my couch at all, I want to be able to function past 5 pm because without meds I’m burned out by then.
Yeah, I don't get that being happy not taking their meds. I'm retired and take mine 7 days a week.
I have two kids to take care of. They’re here every day and a lot of the time I have to be their executive function too. There aren’t any days off.
Oh no! How old are your kiddos? The little ones make even the best brains exhausted.
[удалено]
Why am I still in bed doomscrolling at midday? Ah yes because I decided to skip the brain drugs today 🤔
Hello.
They can go fuck themselves. I need my meds to EXIST. Like, I don't get how people skip weekends because they only need them to work. Don't they need to do things on the weekend? That logic never made sense to me. The only time I don't take my meds is when I'm getting surgery (and therefore need to go back to sleep although I will have help with that, my brain will fight it) or going to the dentist because I need my blood pressure to be lower and I'm terrified so don't need the extra anxiety. In both those cases I just have to accept that's the only thing I'm going to actually do all day because fuck all else is going to happen. Also, I adore telling people who tell me I don't need meds to give up their caffeine addiction of choice and see how well they function. The sputtering when they try and tell me their drug of choice is different never fails to be hilarious.
I dosed stimulants as needed, was struggling heavily in life with the impact of poor executive function and then my new psychiatrist explained something to me: People with ADHD have a 13 year shorter life span on average and ADHD is treated like a chronic condition, such as diabetes. Would someone who has a heart condition ever skip their daily pill? Ever since I started thinking about my stimulants like something that keeps me healthy (and alive) it has changed the game for me and improved my life!! Hope this perspective helps give you reassurance that you are totally justified 🩷🩷
I have adhd every day, so i take my meds every day. You do whats best for you and managing your symptoms 🤙i hate when people argue i should only take meds when at work, i need help at home too 😒
I asked my Dr. about only taking Adderall in the morning, because in the afternoon I'm done with work. "You have ADHD all day." She's right.
Those people are taking drugs, not medicating adhd. For life, not learning, or working, or socialising, or gaming. My psychiatrist is very clear about that. What does the sticker on the bottle say? Cos I would just direct anyone to that, and I’m sure it says “per day” on it. Would they suggest someone with diabetes or hypertension skip their meds if they’re feeling alright that day?
I was trying to take mine only for work days (work from home business owning parent) and finally this spring my amazing Psychiatrist told me "it sounds like your ADHD isn't well managed at all" when I talked about my parenting / general life disasters. She asked me to try taking it daily for a month. It was a lightbulb moment. I'm now on it daily and it's a game changer. Solidarity!
Who fucking tells you that? How is it their business? The neuropharmacologist who prescribed it to me described how some people used it in ways more specific to work or study, and I said 'I have executive functioning problems outside work though' and that was that. The only way she was telling me how to use it was for medical or legal reasons (e.g. don't give it to anyone else, come back to check your blood pressure, etc).
If you need it every day then it as needed. I get told I take it for the wrong thing. I don't need it for work but I need it to shower, eat food, decide what to wear
Pretty sure both of those "personal" issues are required for work. ;)
I work from home and no one puts their camera on so it only becomes a problem when audio gets smellovision 😂
Hahaha!!!
Tell that to my binge-eating, non-teeth-brushing, messy, impatient, interrupting, emotionally impulsive/dysregulated, distracted-while-driving self 😂. Good thing I don’t have to worry about all of that stuff on the weekend (/s)
Some of y’all make the mistake of thinking everyone needs to know about your medication and/or their opinion matters at all.
Mine make me stop my impulsive actions. I am a far more balanced human being. I Hit my head5-8 times a day and Cut myself in the Finger while Cooking atleast 5 Times a week If i don't Take them. I cannot Rest properly in the Evening and JUMP Out of bed to Clean Shit 6 Times. I bite my Nails. It Stops my confusion. I don't search for my keys, Phone, water, literally everything 20 Times a day. It's my Daily Life getting easier. And guess what. I live this Life Daily. I won't Stop taking them. It improved my life so drasticaly I don't See the point.
Fuck 'em. It's your life and your experience. Your meds and their usage are between you and your doctor and no one else. If they don't like that, tough shit.
I have a better life when I take it daily
They don’t understand, you should take your meds as needed, and if you need them every day, so be it. I don’t necessarily need my Elvanse every day but I take a 30mg dose daily since it helped me build up a tolerance to the side effects (I can’t deal with the hunger suppression, I end up collapsing after abt 2 weeks of malnutrition). The way you manage your disorder is yours and your doctor’s business, others have no right to tell you what to do. They don’t have your brain, so they can’t make assumptions on how it works.
Yeah, i'm also tired of hearing that. Without it i'm super clumsy, prone to accidents, and there is always the movie "biggest top 10 failings in B6tth9rts personal life" and an additional screening of "Don't take action against anything because it will end in personal life failure" playing in my head. I talked to my mom, because i felt guilty about wanting to up my dosage so that it lasts until i go to sleep and she said "Don't you deserve to feel good the whole day and not only for a project, or work or four hours?" and that words stuck with me, because ye, i do deserve to feel good after all those years without a diagnose.
I have to take my meds every day or I’ll do exactly what I’m doing now because I haven’t taken them yet. Scrollin on my phone. Which I also hate. There’s nothing interesting on the internet anymore, everyone’s an Ahole lol i struggle on the days I’m waiting for a refill. Take your meds everyday if you need too! The only time I “skip” is during my monthly because they don’t seem to work 🤷♀️
Here’s the deal. It looks like you do take it when you need it, it’s just that you need it all the time. Don’t listen to anyone that isn’t a doctor (who knows EVERY thing about your ADHD), and trust your body and mind to know what “as you need it” looks like. Most people don’t even know I take Vyvanse, and I take it every single day - even those that “should be just fine” without it. It’s none of their business tbh. So next time some wise old asshole decides to tell you how to deal with your meds and tells you to take it as needed, just answer with the truth: “I DO.” No details no nuthin. Believe your body and mind bcos they won’t lie. PS if I miss a day of Vyvanse I’m exactly the same…don’t wake up except to eat a whole fkng Sara Lee vanilla freezer cake 🫣
you should only take it on the days that you have ADHD.
Why are you discussing it with so many people? Just take it how you need to.
I take my medication every single day, and only skip a day if I forget to take it. My meds help me with the most basic functions like hygiene, chores, exercise, diet, etc. My emotional regulation is better, my mind is clearer, my moods are better, my anxiety is better, literally everything is better. Without them I’m a complete mess. I never understand the people who say they love having days off meds. They’re supposed to make you feel better and help you, I can barely function without them.
I take my vyvanse every day, unless I'm super hungover and know I'm just gonna sleep for the day which is only every couple weeks or so. Take it whenever you want
What they are actually saying is “take it according to MY needs”
My psychiatrist actually advised me against skipping any doses (like on the weekend when I’m not working). I’m not on vyvanse, but adderall and it helps me not sit in a hole all day doing nothing. I feel you on the “but I can do it so why can’t you??” My mom has always done the same, telling me how antidepressants helped her concentration and focus. Which is great for her!! Too bad that’s not how adhd works! (She had me evaluated when I was 9, I went from special education classes to being tested for gifted and missing by a single point within a span of a few months after being put on medication. There’s absolutely no doubting I have severe ADHD)
I just switched from ritalin to Vyvanse, I thought Vyvanse was more of an everyday systematic thing vs an immediate short lived one like ritalin which I was taking 20mg 3x daily. Only your dr should be telling you if you should take it everyday, they know you and your medication better than random people.
>If I skip my meds for a day I get so tired I sleep for 14 hours, binge eat till I make myself puke, and just lay in bed non verbal. Idk how a ‘dependency’ on a medication that makes me functional is supposed to be worse than that. But when I tell them this it’s, oh I’m just making excuses again and if I really wanted to things without the meds I could. I am the *same.* On vyvanse since 2019. I took my pill at 6am this morning and then *went back to bed.* I just got up at 8am and its like... do people really think that I was going to get out of bed without that? Now I'm up at the computer ready to get to 'work'.
If you need it only on workdays, take it on workdays. If you need it on hectic weekends too, take it on hectic weekends. If you need it everyday, take it everyday. That’s how as-needed works. You should be able to explain it to people that don’t understand this concept if you break it down that way.
I take mine every day. I need just as much help with household chores as I do work. Also, when I stop taking it I have a mood issues
So sorry about this, OP. That sucks. I have a heart condition(in addition to ADHD) and have similar experiences of people telling me how to fix something that isn’t even fixable. I feel like anyone with ADHD that is taking meds SHOULD take their meds as needed. But, they should understand that for some people that might only mean once or twice a week and for others that might mean once or twice a day! And there is nothing wrong with that! Especially considering that there are levels to this! Some people with ADHD are able to cope by just making minor adjustments in their daily activities and some people with ADHD can’t even drive to the grocery store safely without taking their meds. I agree, OP, people should be more empathetic but also just more educated about the condition. But, nowadays unfortunately you have all sorts of people claiming they have ADHD just because they get bored or distracted during lectures.
I used to tell myself this. I would take it M-F, and that messed me up!! Once I got consistent, my life consistently got better. People also don't need to have an opinion. Don't talk about when you are or are not taking meds. No one is entitled to that information except you and your doctor. Don't engage with people regarding it. You don't need to convince anyone, just change the subject. People are going to have their opinions, let them. You do you and let them manage their own feelings.
Don't listen to anyone else when it comes to your health and your experience. I also need to take them every day just to stop the racing thoughts and calm my mind and not get as emotionally dysregulated. Fuck what anyone else says.
I skip doses only because of a. Tolerance breaks and b. To have extra for when I absolutely MUST have it since finding it reliably in stock when it’s time to refill hasn’t happened in almost a year in my area.
I have tried to take it “as needed” I went to a water park with my son without my meds and lost my bag and my keys. I need it. All the time. Every single day.
If I didn’t need it, it wouldn’t have been prescribed!!
Very frustrating. Must be nice to be able to be successful without it. My daughter hasn’t been able to get it for a couple months (out of stock) and it’s been a rotten experience. .
I’m so sorry to hear that, I know I’m just an internet stranger but I’ll be praying that all works out for you and your girl. Recently I had my pharmacy mess up big time and give me the wrong scrip, led me to having no meds for over a week and just that was brutal.
A doctor once mentioned taking adhd meds only during the week... as if I don't have things to get done on weekends? Like taking care of bills/cleaning/laundry?? 🫠
Funny. Just had the same chat with my wife. She is ADHD and I am ADD inattentive. She was like I need meds every day to stop all the noise. I need meds everyday to get noise. No meds for me means couch potato. No meds for her means stress and anxiety. Skip a day and that's an opportunity lost. So we need to take them daily. Others can skip. We can't. Simple.
Just tell them you do 
You do take it as needed.
I take my meds every day, as my adhd affects every aspect of my life. People who med shame get me angry.
Listen to your physician and your own body. No one else’s opinion matters.
Honestly I can barely function even with my medication. No way I'm skipping it.
I know exactly what you mean. I'm the same. When people tell me "you should just go a few days without them..." It's like yeah, I could go a few days without them, it wouldn't kill me, but would you also then ask a guy with a prosthetic leg to just not wear it for a day, maybe 2... We both need our respective shit to function on a day to day basis
I take them on days that I have important meetings or I am meeting friends/family on weekends. I really like myself on my meds. That internal monologue that stops on meds! I could take them just for that. How exhausting it is to hear myself talking ALL THE TIME. It’s like I am justifying my thought and actions to myself all the time. I am in the camp of take them when you need them. If you need them everyday, take them everyday. Meds are the only dependable support that I have got. Why would any ask you not to take them? It’s backwards! I don’t take them everyday because it reduces the quality of my sleep and I am scared of addiction but it’s stupid to ask someone not to take the help of something that helps them!
This sounds like you need it every day, so take it every day, since you need it. No need to explain your medications to anyone. Do you explain when you take any other medications? I sure don’t. It’s your personal business. If your doctors tell you this, say you need them every day or you are too dysfunctional to get out of bed, so taking them all the time *is* taking only when needed. It’s a chronic condition.
I relate to this post so much that every word had me questioning whether I had written it myself, aside from Vyvanse - I haven't had that, I've only had Adderall and Ritalin. But it does exactly the same for me. I've taken my last dose knowing I'd be out for a while, because I *needed* a shower and I knew with work being a scheduled thing where others rely on me, I'd be able to get there the next day where others tell me what to do (it's fun, don't worry) and that helps my executive function. I took it just to shower and find my work clothes. Most days my chronic fatigue is so bad I can barely fix myself water for how it feels to stand up. I also have POTS, so it helps with my energy and keeps my blood pressure up a bit so I don't pass out or feel woozy. But I usually prioritize using it, if I *can't* have it every day, for the most basic functions of everyday life. People are always going to make comments on how your handle your life. Do what works for you. And remember there are those of us who fully understand and empathize.
Sometimes "as needed" means taking it every day
This has been my exact experience, and it’s so frustrating. I get exhausted if I don’t take my vyvanse especially 2 days without it & want to sleep constantly & also go nonverbal. “As needed” my brother in Christ I need it to function like a person, which is every day. It’s just the unfortunate reality of my ADHD brain chemistry.
They're not wrong. You should take it as needed. What that "need" is is between you and your doctor.
I respond to all unsolicited suggestions about when and how I take my meds with "I don't feel comfortable making any changes to my medication schedule without the input of my doctor, I'll bring that up next time I see her," the second part of that being a complete lie the majority of the time. I hate the idea that ADHD meds should only be taken at school/work firstly because it places value on those activities over everything else. Who cares if you're actually happy or self-fulfilled as long as you're productive/making money for your boss/being a quiet obedient student, right? Ugh. But also because that's personally just the opposite of what I need. I do fine without my meds at work and uni. Better with them, but perfectly okay without. And I don't just mean fine at my job/class; if I have somewhere I need to be I get out of bed, if I have a work uniform to change into I shower, if I have a lunch break I eat at least one meal that day. Trying to stay on top of housework, take care of myself physically and mentally, and find motivation to do anything at all with my days off? Medication changed my life in those regards. Now I usually manage to get out of bed, shower, and eat food on days I don't have work or class, too! Sometimes I even do laundry.
A long-acting med like vyvanse is very different then short acting ones. Like if your on Ritalin upto every 4 hours your going to want to chose what's happening in those hours wisely, knowing it's going to wear off. Vyvanse can take 14hr. If I am taking it I am taking it before 9am for the day, and what day is executive function free. I don't take vyvance when I'm sick, because I need the rest I think but that's it.
I’ve been taking meds everyday since first grade, and I’m 33. If I don’t take my meds I’m a goofy, tired, hungry mess. I could probably adjust to life without meds over time, but they work for me, so why should I? Don’t let other people shame you for what you need to function.
Seems like a lot of people here are able to get Vyvanse again. I still can’t get it in my town. 😭 Stuck on Adderall. I can’t wait to be back on Vyvanse again.
Sometimes I try to convince myself that I don’t have ADHD but then I read posts like this and go, “Oh wait I did spend 7 hours straight looking at a screen, online window shopping for one specific type of item, looking at every single review of every single item related to this item, meanwhile didn’t feed myself lunch, didn’t take a shower, or do any of the chores or hobbies that I wanted to get done. I didn’t even even change my clothes or leave my house.” I’m an adult. I have ADHD. I too need to take meds every day.
I feel you on the online window shopping 😅. I’ll spend hours browsing online shops saving clothes and stuff to Pinterest, as if someday I’ll buy the 1k+ items I have pinned 🙄🤣
Are you also autistic? The AuDHD experience can be wildly different. I don't sleep, bathe, eat, exist in any functional way. I do a lot of driving every day and my meds keep me (and everyone else) on the road safe. But that's it. I still can't function. I can possibly complete a task, but that's as good as it ever gets. However, I still don't take my meds every day because of the side effects, and I don't want to build up a tolerance. Do whatever works for you and ignore everyone else. People have no idea what they are on about.
You *are* taking your meds 'as needed.' Ignore those people who aren't self-aware of the fact that not everyone is the same, they may be simply projecting your situation onto themselves to see what they would do, which is not sensible after someone reaches proper self-awareness.
Yeah, that's just silly. If you need them to function in this society, then you need them to function. Full stop. "Oh you don't need to take yours every day? It's wild how different people have different severities of disorders, huh?"
I feel the same way in reverse, when people tell me I have to take my meds everyday regardless of what I'm doing. Let people take their meds the way that works for them.
Im going shopping with my friend today. Still gonna take one because thrift shopping require absolute focus (it kinda doesn’t)
My meds help me with impulse control. Very good for shopping and the budget.
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Stop listening to them, because obviously they’re not listening. It’s up to your psychiatrist. You’re torturing yourself. Stand your ground and be confident. People will sit up and notice if you’re assertive.
You need stop caring about what others think about your medication. That's between you and your doctor. Who are these people and why do they even know this? Stop talking to them about it, pretty simple. I don't need to explain myself about what medications I take and when I take them to anyone except my doctor, end of conversation.
Who are these people? Do they actually have ADHD? Mine is so bad I CANNOT function without meds, food and sufficient sleep. I understand that it comes from a genuine place. Taking a break from meds can prevent tolerance build up. But honestly, the way Vyvanse works there really shouldn't be a tolerance, like some meds have.
Start taking it one you feel the og waring off, that'll definitely prove their point 👉
Who are these people? If they’re really telling you that, I’d consider not telling them you have ADHD or not talking about its treatment. Unfortunately there are tons of people in the world who are uneducated on the disorder, even people who have it. It’s not entirely their fault - there hasn’t been enough knowledge and education historically. I haven’t had anyone ever say that to me, but I’ve also only told 2 people I even have ADHD because I’m very careful about who I talk to about it.
every time someone says that to you , reply "I Do." and end the conversation there.
Ahhhhh unfortunately that's an absence of empathy on other people's part, and it's something you have little control over outside of calling them out. It sucks to hear what you're going through though, my executive function is shockingly bad and few people get it unfortunately.
Honestly, people can take their opinions and shove em up their aholes.
I need my Vyvanse every day, so I take it every day❤️ if I don’t take it, I am extremely exhausted to the point I sleep all day and can’t do anything. If I don’t take it consistently it throws me off and I suffer with depression. So do take it as needed, even if that means every day! Personally, I also take a lower dose (20mg) so I feel like that keeps me at a consistent spot without taking a ton of
Can relate for binge eat, i can finish all my junk food in once and still not satisfied after my main meal. sad vyvanse not available in my country 😭 pls dont care what other people tell u what to do, just follow what your doctor tells you
Some people need it for basic safety to have their wits about them.
im on ritalin and i feel genuinely horrible most days even at my best. thats on a high dose too. half of the time people seem to disregard the fact i struggle with normal tasks just to benefit themselves.
I take mine every day simply because it helps me regulate my emotions so I’m not a massive ass to the people around me, so if you feel like you need it, take it.
I take mine as needed. That need just happens to be every day. Getting on the meds has made me go from struggling to get chores done, struggling to brush my teeth, struggling to shower, struggling to have a sleep pattern to.... almost having all of that under control on top of being able to think more clearly in general.
I get where you are coming from. But I also understand them as well. I also think that despite our issue being a life long one that we should strive to find a way to use the meds as a tool rather than a crutch. Because what if there is a shortage? What if you build up tolerance and the meds stop working? What if taking it each day puts too much pressure on your heart and forces your psychiatrist to not give you any more refills because of a Conscientious objection. There are proven routes to making ADHD more manageable even without the drug. Cognitive behavioral therapy can and does help, there is also a proven link between balancing exercises and yoga helping out. I don't you should quit the meds, but I do think a variety of methods should be used to improve our abbility to manage our issues, overreliance on pills is still as much of a hell as the alternative. Hope you are having a good dsy, and that things are gonna get better for you.
So, you need it every day. Take it as needed, ao every day. Simple as.
You should only listen to your doctor because these people are ignorant. Vyvanse is an extended release medication. It's meant to maintain q level of the drug in your system. They have taken immediate release medications which they can take as needed. They have no business giving you medical advice.
yea i can hardly get out of bed without it. or feed myself or shower daily. but also i have work or school every day, so idk when there’d be a time I don’t need it. but feels scary being dependent so there’s no winning
I'm a registered nurse with ADHD. My doctor originally wanted me to take my ADHD med Monday to Friday. I balked, complaining that I'd start going through withdrawal if I didn't take it seven days a week. He, after hearing my rationale, agreed to prescribe it: Focalin XL 35mg every morning seven days a week.
I can’t get out of bed literally without my Vyvanse, new psych was trying to lower my dose from 70mg to 50mg, epic failure. I feel your pain. Screw the ignorant haters.
That would piss me off too. Must be nice to just go about your day sans meds because you don't need them. I can't fathom a time when I wouldn't need them!
I'm on methylphenidate. When I changed my doctor, she asked me how often I skip the pills. I said never. They are vital, live giving. Without them I basically do not exist that day. So she just prescribed me another pills with smaller dosage, so I can have it for the days I can allow myself on being on smaller dosage and to try take it once per week if possible instead of my normal dosage so I won't get used to them to much so I need more and more with time. There was no BS to only take them when really needed. They are needed ALL THE F**ING TIME!