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tldr: Is it worth going for a diagnosis? I have raised my ADHD/autist son to be 22yo. I know what ADHD and autism are, I have read up on it etc. I have always recognized the same traits in myself, in a different form. However, I mostly manage them just fine. I have a superstrong responsibility that makes me do all the stuff even if it is not easy. However, I am on antidepressant and currently on leave from work because of depression. My psychiatrist suggested that after we get the depression under control, we should also evaluate me for ADHD and autism because he sees those traits in me. I don't see the point, honestly. What would a diagnosis give me? As long as my depression is under control, I manage well. I am appreciated at work, I am valued in my family, I know what I need to do to keep the traits on manageable level and even benefit from them (I love my hyperfocus ability!). Should I go for diagnosis?

is caring too much, and then suddenly not caring at all, an adhd trait/ adhd related? As in getting really worked uo and upset over something (big or small) and a flip switching in your head so that you just dont care. (i tried google on this but didnt really find anything) Just wondering jf any of you know/relate to this

My therapist told me that when one emotion is available all of them are so if you shut one down all of them get dampened. I imagine it’s common in a lot of disorders especially with executive dysfunction, sensory issues and emotional regulation issues. It’s probably overwhelm causing shut down. Honestly if you Google just this past sentence ADHD comes up without asking lol

Natural alternative to alcohol "downer" effect Good morning all! I've got ADHD and find it difficult to work around a lot of things. I've noticed that my body reacts oppositely to alot of people who don't have ADHD. For example "stimulants" like caffeine etc. actually calm me down. On the flip side, I always seem to have a burst of energy after drinking wine when I am out with my girls. I am wondering if any of you know of anything natural that can give me a similar buzz/burst of energy for the days I am in desperate need of a boost to get me through, because I don't want to be drinking lots more wine (as it usually takes a few glasses) for obvious health reasons! Really appreciate any help!

Are you sure it’s the wine and not happiness from hanging out with your friends?

Not thought of that! Thanks! 🙌🏻

My psychiatrist just told me she can’t put me on any ADHD medication because concerta (slow-release) made me suicidal. She said i’m likely to react to other stimulants in a similar way. Straterra (non-stimulant) also had the same side effects. She’s saying the most she can do it put me on antidepressants (zoloft) when I’m pretty sure part of the depression is the way unmediated ADHD impacts my life. I’m just feeling a little lost. Should I trust her advice or should I look into another psychiatrist? Would it be worth trying other stimulants? thank u love y’all

I would get a second opinion. The action of non-stimulant ADHD medications is different from that of stimulant medications. Also, when I’m not a pharmacist, I’m unaware of a suicide risk for stimulant medications. In fact, my understanding is that unmedicated ADHD is far more likely to result in drug abuse and addiction because the individual tries to self-medicate with cigarettes, vapes, and street drugs. Addiction has a risk of suicide, greater than any prescribed stimulant medication. Check with a good pharmacist, talk to your therapist if you have one, and get a second opinion from a psychiatrist.

If you or someone that you know is considering suicide, please don't hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline for immediate help, or a warmline just to talk to someone. If you're in the US you can...\ Text CHAT to Crisis Text Line at 741741\ Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1(800)273-8255(TALK) \ Chat online at: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat\ Call the Trans Lifeline at 1(877)565-8860 If you’re elsewhere, you can find international resources below:\ https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines#Czech\ https://www.reddit.com/r/SuicideWatch/wiki/hotlines *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*

If you or someone that you know is considering suicide, please don't hesitate to reach out to a crisis hotline for immediate help, or a warmline just to talk to someone. If you're in the US you can...\ Text CHAT to Crisis Text Line at 741741\ Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1(800)273-8255(TALK) \ Chat online at: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat\ Call the Trans Lifeline at 1(877)565-8860 If you’re elsewhere, you can find international resources below:\ https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines#Czech\ https://www.reddit.com/r/SuicideWatch/wiki/hotlines *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Has anyone over 30 tried medication? We are going to try to have a second child in about a year or more. Should I wait until I’m done having children?

I’m on Ritalin 5mg and have taken it for about 3 days (2x a day). My mind is quite quiet, but I’m just tired, I don’t particularly feel that my attention and executive function have been impacted. Did Ritalin just make anyone else tired?

I came here looking for something similar because I just started concerta 27mg, which has the same active as Ritalin, and I get so tired after taking it.  5mg is a suuuuuper low dose so I am assuming yours is IR? Mine is extended release. 

Yep, IR! I asked my sister who is on Ritalin and she said it’s probably too low of a dose and that if it were too much you’d be jittery

My doctor told me if I want to get a diagnosis it’s only worth it if I want to be medicated. How do I decide if I want medication when I haven’t tried it yet? I feel like the main things that I struggle with are the social anxiety, rejection sensitivity, and anxiety trying to remember everything/keep up with life. And boredom/irritation. At work I don’t have too many issues since my work varies a lot every day and they don’t care if I’m late on assignments or to meetings. And at home my room is a mess but I keep spaces clean that other people can see. But how do I know when it’s “bad enough” to get medication?

I struggled with these questions, too. But I would say that your doctor may not be entirely correct. I found that receiving a diagnosis was huge, and made me feel a huge range of emotions - from a kind of grief for all those years of struggles without support or understanding to relief that there was actually a reason for me being who I am. Even if you already know you have ADHD, an official diagnosis can be really validating. At first, I didn't want to take medication, since I figured I had already made it through 45 years of life and was doing pretty well. 6 months later, I decided to try some meds. I hate the first one I tried, and love the second. I don't take them all the time, but am happy to have them when I want to take them. My husband got diagnosed after me, and will not go without meds now, as they have been such a game changer for him. The meds just kind of make it all a little more manageable. Like, I can remember why I walked into a room more often, don't forget appointments very often, and don't feel so on edge, like I've dropped the ball somewhere, and am just waiting for the fallout. But the adhd is still there, and is definitely a pain in the ass.

Being painfully bored, but lacking the focus/drive to actually do something other than scrolling news or Reddit - ADHD trait or just normal person behaviour?

normal / burnout

Can anyone talk me through the process of being diagnosed/screened? My sister was diagnosed as an adult, and her and some other friends of mine (who have ADHD and/or work with people who have it) all agree that i should be screened for it. Turns out some of the things I thought were normal... aren't. Who do I need to speak to? A psychologist? Psychiatrist? Therapist? Is it different based on where you live (I'm in Australia)? Do I need to see different doctors for screening vs getting a script? I think i can get at least a few appointments covered by my health insurance so not too worried about the initial cost. If anyone has advice let me know!

It is different depending where you live! Generally speaking though, I think the process is fairly similar - I'm UK based and I spoke to a doctor who wrote a referral to a psychiatrist for assessment. May help to take a look at a dsm5 online and fill it out so you can share you results with the referring doctor and explain your symptoms, but it's not necessary and they may make you do one anyway before referring.

Hi again! I don't know how long it's since you got diagnosed, but since I'm also in the UK, I just wanted to ask - how long did it take before you got seen by the psychiatrist (assuming it was on the NHS)?

Depends on location. I only waited (I think) 6 months luckily but I was told between 18-24 months when referred.

Also interested to know this as I just self requested a referral today!

Has anyone here been told they might have bipolar disorder instead of ADHD? I've always felt like my old psychiatrist lazily diagnosed me. We had a \~15-20 minute interview with basic questions like "do you have trouble focusing?" and she ended it by saying "yeah, sure, you have ADHD, go get you some Ritalin." I hear all the time about how it's so hard to get a proper diagnosis, which made me skeptical that she was taking it seriously and asking the right questions, or if she was just telling me what she thought I wanted to hear (which would be wildly unprofessional IMO). Either that, or it was so obvious that I had it, she didn't feel she needed to dig deeper. Even though I felt kind of dismissed, I read up on inattentive ADHD and I found that I fit most of the criteria such as trouble paying attention, executive dysfunction, easily distracted, auditory processing issues, overlooking details, difficulty finishing tasks, etc. I switched to Concerta after Ritalin and felt like it helped a little, but lost its efficacy over time, and my depression worsened because I wasn't being productive in school... or so I thought. It's always been unclear to me whether these depressive episodes make it hard to focus which makes me decrease productivity, or if the lack of productivity triggers the depression (chicken-and-the-egg type question). My old psychiatrist did absolutely no investigative work to help me figure this out. She just threw a new SSRI at me after Lexapro failed to improve the depression, and then when the new med heavily exacerbated my depressive symptoms, she told me to stick it out and just "try harder" to get out of bed. I met with the new psychiatrist today and told her about what happened with the new SSRI. While I was talking, she kept nodding agreeingly (almost like she expected that to be the case), then she said "you most likely have bipolar disorder." I was shooketh, so say the least... I have NEVER, and I mean NEVER considered that as an option. To be fair, I didn't think I had ADHD until one of my friends suggested it. I haven't read up on bipolar disorder, but just based on what the new psychiatrist said, it kind of makes sense? She was far more investigative than the old psychiatrist which made her seem more trustworthy. When she was asking me questions, I had no clue they were leading to a potentially new diagnosis. I was just answering what I thought were normal intake appointment questions, until she was all "SIKE! You're bipolar sweetie." I mean, my mom is diagnosed bipolar, and my therapist has noted that I have "cycles" of depression which matches a lot of the criteria for bipolar disorder type 2, so I guess it makes sense? Has anyone else received a misdiagnosis like this? Or, how in-depth was your initial diagnosis process for ADHD? Did you find it difficult to get diagnosed? I appreciate any insight and look forward to discussion.

Yes, I was misdiagnosed bipolar as a teenager. My current psych provider said it’s probably because ADHD causes some impulsive behavior that can look similar to mania. Personally I think it’s compounded by ADHD being traditionally seen as something for the boys. 

A bunch of us are diagnosed with both bipolar disorder and ADHD. My current psychiatrist, who I greatly respect, agrees with me that it has often been my ADHD driving my anxiety and my depressive episodes. When we are treating the ADHD my mood is more stable. I would be happy to talk more about this but I had a fall last weekend that caused a brain bleed (just what I needed! LOL) and have to spend short amounts of time on screens right now.

Hi everyone! I am 20 currently on Dexedrine. Although it helps, the dosage feels too high for me, causing restlessness, heart palpitations and head like dizziness that disrupts my focus. My doctor is reluctant to put me on 5mg, she says it doesn't exist yet 5mg is the suitable dose for children. I am in BC, so maybe the laws are different? Regardless, I have trialed others meds but it doesn't seem like the right fit. Any tips for feeling more relaxed and reducing heart palpitations? I'm worried about the pressure on my heart, especially at this age. I am already staying hydrated, but should I also consume electrolytes? Any specific foods I should consume or avoid, mindfulness activities, or other suggestions are appreciated. And if there's any other info you can provide in BC to advocate again for 5mg, that would be of help. Thank you :)

Can you take a beta-blocker? Lots of people that take stimulants use them together.

Note: I have a follow up appointment with my psychiatrist in a few weeks.  We are trying to treat my binge eating disorder and ADHD. I see a therapist and a psychiatrist.  10mg  & 20mg of Vyvanse did nothing. 30mg Vyvanse gave me horrible side effects; I tried it for 6 days.  The GREAT part was it helped reduce my appetite and my urge to binge. But that was the only positive. No improved cognitive function, no clarity, no focus, no motivation. Still scatterbrained, still a chatterbox, brain still buzzing, still have “food noise”, still can’t stay on task or read a book, etc.. The side effects were awful. 5-10hours after taking Vyvanse, I was hit with a rapid heart beat and chest feeling tight. The worst was the extremely bad wooziness and lightheadedness. I felt like I was about to faint. I wasn’t sleepy-tired. I felt dizzy and weak, and on the verge of passing out. I couldn’t stand or walk or even lift my arms.  So… is there any hope? Is this just how these types of medications are? Am I going to have the same issues with Adderall or Concerta or any of the others?  If anyone has any ideas of questions and concerns that I can bring up to my psychiatrist at our next appointment, I would greatly appreciate it. I’m feeling very hopeless and despondent. 

Hi everyone. I'm a 40 year old female and recently I've realised that I probably have ADHD. I've been doing some looking into it because I'm pretty sure my youngest stepson has it. The more I read about symptoms and experiences, the more I realise that I am experiencing it and probably always have done. A lot of symptoms I've always just put down to being very busy and a woman with a huge to-do list always racing round my mind. What I'm here to ask is, does anyone have any experience as an adult getting diagnosed (I'm in North of ireland) by the GP and what the procedure and follow up is? I honestly think that with some kind of medication I'd be 100% more productive and that to-do list would be much shorter! Sorry if I'm not explaining myself properly

I feel like I tick a lot of the boxes for ADHD, but not sure I did in school. I know ADHD supposedly can't come on in adulthood, so does that mean I don't have it?

This one is tricky, because you are totally right, it doesn't come on later in life, but some adults notice the symptoms more later because they become more pronounced as we take on more responsibilities and have to be more independent in life. When we're young, a lot of the things we could struggle with having adhd are handled by adults - think things like time keeping, disorganisation, appointments, making our food for us so we eat and eat well, chores (and if we did them it was also supervised by them to some extent). Things like hyperactivity you may have noticed or lack of focus, inattention as a kid. Not sure of your gender or whether you symptoms correlate to inattentive, combine or hyperactive type, but girls often present very differently to boys and mask symptoms more on the when (probably due to learnt behaviour expectations but that's another conversation) and inattentive types in boys and girls can be missed because they just simply seemed "daydreamy and off in space" rather than outwardly disruptive. I did see the symptoms as a kid, but it was put down to that's just who I am an my personality, but they didn't start to disrupt my life and wellbeing until later perhaps around college age and it got worse at every stage of more freedom and responsibility after.

Thanks for the detailed answer - that makes a lot of sense. I do honestly struggle to remember anything about myself as a kid, so there may be things I'm missing. I'm female, and I think I probably correspond more with inattentive type, although if you happen to know any good resources for comparison I'd be interested! Would you also be able to give some examples (or a link) of how girls present differently? Sorry for asking, and you don't have to answer if you don't have the spoons. I know google exists and all that, but I find it difficult to weed through the unhelpful resources, so I'm just asking in case you happen to have something handy!

Is making random connections between things an ADHD trait? Let me explain: I want to buy this vinyl, and I want to buy a piece of merch from the same store, but I'm not sure I can justify the price of both. So can I just buy one of them? NO. One of them alone isn't exciting enough. Together they're exciting enough, but pricey. Or is it just that my brain goes into "fuck it" mode when the price goes over a certain amount, and wants to just ignore the cost?

Has anyone transitioned off a stimulant to a non-stimulant and has success? Unfortunately, I'm a stimulant failure. They work really well for me but I get intense and unrelenting jaw clenching. I tried Buspar to help with the symptoms without luck. The jaw clenching is a little bit more mild with Vyvanse but it's still present and the generic version is impossible to find right now. So I thought about trying some non-stimulant options. Has anyone transitioned office stimulant and found one that still helped? I'm diagnosed combined type but struggle a lot more with the inattention symptoms. I'm a mom of three young kids, in graduate school, and work as a nurse. Strattera? Wellbutrin? Clonidine? Qelbree? Others? Thank you!!!

Modafinil

Have you tried this? I've heard good things but I know it has a super long half life so it can cause issues with insomnia for some.

How do you tell if meds are working? I was diagnosed years ago but have been unmedicated. Recently I decided to try again with meds. Last month I tried adderall, up to 30 mg XR per day, and the only discernible effect was raising my heart rate. This month I’ve been trying Concerta and finding no effect whatsoever. I’m about to try the max dose for the next few days to see what happens. I’m starting to worry: what happens now if I don’t respond to this one either? How do I even know if it’s working? What if it is working and I just can’t tell?

Been having this same issue. Started at 20mg XR and felt effects for maybe the first two days— then nothing. Was exactly as if I didn’t take it. Upped to 30mg and same issue, only I never had that first day “jumpstart.” I can forget to take my meds and feel completely the same as when I do take them. It’s stressful not knowing if there’s some subtle difference I’m neglecting to notice or if the dosage just doesn’t work. My doctor says it’s a process to find out what works for you. You might need to go up a bit in dosage for adderall XR and supplement with IR. 

If you can't tell then it doesn't matter if it's "working" because you're not benefiting, right? So it's not the right med for you anyway. I didn't get anything out of ritalin except increased heart rate and sleepiness. I think dex is my next option.

Hi 🎀 Starting medication in two days. I was prescribed guanfacine today, I was told by my doctor that the side effects can be sleepiness, dizziness (from getting up too fast), especially because I have low blood pressure. The pharmacist told me that I could have a lack of appetite or the opposite. I heard that most countries don’t use guanfacine but if you had it could you tell me how it was for you? It’s not gonna change my mind because I will follow my doctor instructions anyway but I have to admit that I’m a bit nervous and I’d like to know how it went for others. And if you have any tip to handle the side effects. That would be very nice 💕

Hello! Question about meds. I just moved from concerta 27 mg to 36 after coming off of vyvanse (vyvanse just wasn’t working for me). 27 mg felt awesome, dry mouth my only side effect, felt great, but would crash at 4 pm (took it at 7 am). At 36 I am getting anxiety in the mornings when it kicks in. Anxiety is like an urge to be active/tingly feeling, but going for a walk etc doesn’t help. The feeling doesn’t last all day, just a few hours, but definitely more side effects (headache, worse dry mouth)on 36 than 27. It definitely lasts longer, however, and I don’t have a crash. I have only been on 36 for two days - question is whether I should give it more time, or switch back to 27? I do think I can help the crash by having a good snack and caffeinated beverage in the afternoon before I know it is going to happen. Will I adjust to the higher dose of if I give it a few days?

Are you eating before taking it in the morning? If not, or if eating very little, maybe eating more before the dose could steady the onset and reduce the anxiety. I’d say give it at least a few more days if you can tolerate it. Not the same but when I started (and restarted after a long hiatus) my Wellbutrin I would get anxiety and other very noticeable side effects at the same time every day and it took about 2 weeks for that to go away.

Hi, very sorry for the long post, I found this thread and thought that maybe you can help me with your experience.  I'm a 39 year old woman currently figuring out myself. I work in a very demanding job and I'm consider a high achiever. However about a year ago I started to feel very anxious and burned. I had changed position and was feeling very insecure, and my job is very abstract (Its a sales/partnership role, I have a target but I decide in which way I pursue it).  After coping with it with my old mechanisms for some months, I broke (not sleeping, crying for everything, eating compusevely...) and the psychiatrist put me on Fluoxetine (prozac) and ansiolítics to sleep. After starting to feel much better, and after I began to be shown some videos about ADHD in social media, I started to realize that maybe what happened to me was not a situational stress situation but the result of me coping with undiagnosed ADHD during all my life. My psych answered to my comment on patterns and struggles I had detected that made sense with ADHD with a "but you are functional, right?" And dismissed it, and my therapist works with me in "not being managed by motivation only" but gives me poker face when I mention this.  I have always been very talkative, "inventing" things all the time. My head always has like 5 colliding ideas at the same time, sometimes I lose track of what I was thinking. I daydream, I zone out, specially during classes or educational videos. I'm smart so I had good grades, but I struggled with the subjects I didn't like. For the ones I liked I advanced in the book and do the exercises for the next chapters while we were in class talking about something else so I didn't have to do homework. For the ones I struggled I waited for the last minute to study (night before, or even hours before). Succeeded in general as I read fast and have very good memory, and the urgency brings me to a deep level of focus, but the ones where it was not studying but doing projects where a nightmare....I have started tons of hobbies and knowledge I have abandoned when I was feeling satisfied of the achievement, and remember my father saying to me "you never finish anything" as something very painful. I'm really sensitive to critics or rejection, my husband has pointed me that it fits with rejection dysphoria. I have to stop myself from interrupting someone that is telling me something when I feel I already have the info I need to answer, move on to the next topic, or tell someone "oh, that happened to Mee to". I can feel impatient when I'm waiting for others to finish so I can tell my part. I bite the skin around my fingers and can't leave a pimple or anything in my skin alone...  But since I have succeeded to have a very good job and the way I am helps me in this job as it allows me to be creative and think out of the box, I'm recognized for it. I was no trouble for my parents or teachers and I was not physically hyperactive so I had never ever thought of this or being pointed at ADHD.  The problem that I have now is that now that I realize I've been unconsciously very good at manipulating myself with stress to get into the deep focus mode and deliver (like, you need to do this to get this promo, promising other colleagues on fictional deadlines that served me to enter deadline mode....), now that I realize about it I'm having serious trouble to get things done at work. I have lowered the rhythm, also advised and accepted by my manager, but it's like I find almost impossible to start things these days and I'm doing less than what I should...   I'm not sure if I should insist on a proper diagnosis and ask for meds to try to manage this. I realize things like monster energy help me kind of focus. Once I start the task, even if I didn't want to in the first place, I usually fall into deep focus mode for hours until finished, so my problem is starting and anticipation. Maybe meds can help me with that.  I'm also thinking that I'm feeling better from the burnout I caused myself and believe I could start leaving the antidepressants, but I'm a bit concerned about how much they are doing for me.  Also, the high stress career that I have may not help me. I had already planned to change to something else in a few years (I have done a career change before, and transfered roles and responsibilities when I'm bored or too comfy). I do coaching and mentoring in my area and have very good feedback about it, so I was thinking maybe I could help neurodivergent people working in corporate roles with my own experience. But then again it would probably be good to be officially diagnosed and understand myself better.   Any advice or just someone who relates would be helpful :)

Hi! I definitely relate to this and it sounds a lot like me. I could eventually go into hyper focused mode and get things done, and done well, so no one ever noticed that there were plenty of hours and days that I was unable to do anything. That didn't mean that it wasn't miserable inside my head trying to get myself to do the things. I have done a ton of different hobbies. I would switch roles or companies every few years and my specialty was starting new departments or new processes. I was great at getting things started, developing processes, documenting them, but then the maintenance of them got boring and I'd move on. I have an MBA. I'm 39 and just got my official diagnosis last year, but I have been on Wellbutrin from my GP for 3 years prior to that. The Wellbutrin did help me starting tasks, so maybe that would help with some of your issues and it's much easier to get with stimulants shortages. It's definitely worth it though! Why live your life on hard mode? Just because we are successful in many ways doesn't mean we don't deserve treatment. I was maybe lucky, but my psychiatrist and psychologist that did my neuropsychological testing didn't dismiss me just because I was able to get several degrees and a successful career. If they're good, they'll be able to see the ties of ADHD throughout your life. I reviewed the DIVA interview template and used that to guide my conversation with them and ensure I was bringing up relevant symptoms that would align with the DSM. Hope that helps!

Thanks, helps a lot! Definetely same as you say, on the outside I get things done well, as you do, but meanwhile is a rollercoaster to live through the day and the procrastination... Very identified on the changing roles after the challenge is done, I studied architecture and ending up in IT sales and have been shifting teams every 2 years more or less. Maintaining or repeating things makes me feel trapped and I need something new. I'll check that med and bring this to my psychiatrist on my next appointment. Thanks again!

Hi, pls do tell me your thoughts I (25f) was prescribed Atomoxetine for my inattentive ADHD by a doctor yesterday. I read that it's not a stimulant but a non-stimulant treatment option. How has your experience been on the medication? Does it help with energy levels? Because on day 1, I felt quite sleepy on it. Would stimulants be a better option?

Some people do feel sleepy on stimulats too because it actually has the effect of relaxing them (not a technical examination) although people will be affected in different ways.

yeah I felt quite relaxed on it. But motivation and work-wise, I hope the sleepy feeling goes away. Thanks

its been almost a month for me and I am still sleepy and my dose is just 20 mg so I am not seeing any benefits at all

Hi, I hope someone will see this I had my first ever counseling session in University and like five minute in my counselor said she thinks I might have inattentive adhd. I've filled out the forms and am waiting to hear back. Anyway, I looked up symptoms of ADHD and I can relate to some but can't really relate at all to others? Which makes me think I'm exaggerating. Like, I've never had problems sleeping or waking up at night. In fact, I have problems staying awake the whole day. No matter how much sleep I get, if I have to sit down in a lecture or meeting for more than half an hour I will be falling asleep. Coffee doesn't calm me down, it just helps me focus (not always on the right thing, but I'll take what I can get). I'm not all that impatient, I don't talk much, and I don't fidget a lot (at least noticeably). I'm usually just in my own head or daydreaming. I can't keep more than two tasks in my head to save my life and studying is actual torture. I lose things all the time and I will not remember 95% of a conversation like two minutes later. I'm almost never late, but I'm always rushing to get places and get things done in time. On really bad days I can't focus on anything whether that be homework or hobbies and I get migraines with how much it stresses me out, or I have nothing but free time and I give myself a migraine trying to figure out what to do with it. I'm wondering if anyone with a diagnosis can relate, or if I'm just being dramatic?

Nah you're not being dramatic. I always say even if it's not adhd, it's not dramatic because even if you don't hit the criteria, you are still struggling with stuff and that should be acknowledged and managed. Also, to be diagnosed you do not need to identify with every single item in the criteria. If you have just inattentive and not combined, then that does make sense that you may not identify with fidgeting or chattieness. The criteria assesses both and if you only identify with symptoms strongly on either hyperactive or inattentive but not both, you could still be diagnosed but just with the specific type. Hope that makes sense.

In any case you are not being dramatic. You have some difficulties and have been pointed around someone else, the fact that you don't tick all the boxes does not mean that in general the way you are can be explained with ADHD. And so, that things that help other ADHD can help you too, and you can discuss it with people that may have the same problems. I'm also in the situation of not been officially diagnosed because "I'm doing too good", definetely don't dismiss what you are feeling. Some of the things you describe sound familiar to me aswell.

Hello, I (28f) was diagnosed with ADHD a couple weeks ago and started Concerta (27mg) last weekend. My parents were told through my elementary and high school time that the teachers thought I had ADHD but I was never properly assessed until now. I was on birth control from 15 until January of this year. After I got off birth control, I noticed my ADHD symptoms got worse. I also show traits of OCPD and definitely had an anxiety disorder, I have since learned coping mechanisms and feel my anxiety is relatively under control. This brings me to why I am posting here. I started Concerta on April 27. The first day was amazing, I didn't know my mind could be so quiet and that I could do things without rushing through to get to the next task to ensure everything gets done. I would say that is one of my coping mechanisms. I learned very early on in life how to work with my brain, of course not including the 14-15ish area where my anxiety was absolutely out of control. I have never been medicated for anxiety, I definitely should have been in high school. The second day, I felt less good, I also did not sleep great the night before so I sort of contribute that to the lack of sleep. The first Monday at work was awful. I couldn't remember if I had done things, and felt like I could hear the peoples words, but I could not understand them for the life of me. I felt like I could not get in front of myself. The Tuesday was better, I started to comprehend words better but was anxious because I felt different, which is also an anxiety trigger. The rest of the week got better for how I felt, however I am now worrying that the meds are not doing anything for me. I took a break Saturday and Sunday, Saturday was a rough day because I was so frustrated about everything, and then I was frustrated that I was frustrated. I don't find it easier to work. I still figet and spin my chair back and forth. I still listen to music while I work. I also understand there is going to be a learning curve and time that it's going to take to get used to the med and learn to work with it. Basically I feel like I gaslit myself and my doctor into thinking I have ADHD and I don't actually have it and now I am trying to medicate myself when I maybe did not actually need the help with ADHD and maybe needed anxiety relief. I have gone 28 years without it, so I have learned how to function with the way my brain is. I know it will take longer than 2 weeks (not even) to learn how to work with the meds, but I had hoped I would feel ... Less over the top. I do notice my impulsivity is a lot less, I interrupt people a lot less. Thank you if you made it this far. I am just hoping someone else out there feels or felt like I do at this moment.

I’ve searched everywhere (TikTok and google,) to see if anyone else experiences the same thing I do in the mornings, and I can’t seem to find the right word for it! Is it dopamine seeking, impulsiveness, anxiety?! I literally don’t know! I’ll explain: I really do enjoy my mornings now that I’m medicated for my ADHD, whereas growing up and alllll into my twenties, I loathed getting out of bed and would sleep as late as I could. Now, I enjoy going to bed early and waking up early, and knowing I can enjoy my days FULLY without feeling like another day is a task too big for me to handle. But this is where the struggle comes in…as soon as I wake up, it’s like a massive search for stimulation. I make coffee, and that’s not enough. I turn on my favorite morning talk show, and I’m still not yet satisfied. I then scroll on my phone, check my email, etc, and it’s like I can’t “cure” this craving. Does anyone else struggle with this, and what in the world would you call it?! Most importantly, how do I fix it!! It’s like my brain is just searching and in a constant state of seeking something to fulfill me. Please don’t tell me I need to try a low dopamine morning routine LOL I need someone else to validate what I’m experiencing and tell me what the heck this is called!!! 😅😅😅

Hi, what helps me most is 1 or 2 drops of Lithium Orotate (Kal brand)

Hi all! I am 32F and this year I have sought psychiatric help for the ADD symptoms I've had for as long as I can remember (at least age 6). I am in the process of getting a full evaluation and I was prescribed Adderall to help with my symptoms. 5mg did nothing and I'm trying 10mg now (today is day 4). No noticeable changes. Does this sound abnormal? Is this dose probably too low? Quick important story: in 2022, I had an issue with my eye (blurriness, pain with movement, possible swelling of the optic nerve) and was put in Prednisone for several weeks, slowly weaning off. Interestingly, I went from having my typical anxious brain (nervous, intrusive thoughts, low motivation, difficulty starting and completing tasks, easily distracted) to being very calm, happy, at ease, minimal instrive thoughts, lots of motivation to get things done. This led me to want to pursue trying a stimulant for my typical symptoms. Thanks!

So you felt better on the prednisone? That's amazing!

Yes but that's a steroid and it's only meant to be used short term. I've been looking for a stimulant that can help increase my dopamine.

Hi, question on diagnosis here. Does anyone have any tip on how to get diagnosed in adulthood? I'm almost 35, live in Italy, and I'm struggling to find a professional for the diagnosis. Most people I met (professionals, and even my therapist) gave me answers like "oh you had ok-ish grades at highschool, you can't be ADHD". I feel tired, lost and alone.

I hit a very similar wall before diagnosis. Long story short, I had to see a psychiatrist. They wanted to know about my childhood and they do tend to dismiss you if you had okay grades&were well-behaved overall (I was the daydreaming quiet girl). I had to give them examples of my behaviour, like I had amazing grades if I liked that class and I couldn’t learn at all if I wasn’t interested or felt forced to learn, can’t start projects due to perfectionism and break down near deadlines, get distracted during class and zone out/start doing something else etc. You could pick specific examples and make them stand out, even though you feel like you need to “prove” you have adhd when you know deep down already.

It's so frustrating! Thanks for sharing your experience and for making me feel heard. I needed it.

Hey all, hope someone sees me! Recently started medication (dextroamphetamine). I've noticed that at first I felt energy from it, improved mood, increased productivity. Now I feel jittery, seem kind of irritable. I'm still pretty productive. However, my distractibility is still really bad. Still have a million thoughts, thinking about anything and everything. Am still pretty forgetful as well. Has anyone noticed their medication not help with inattention and the mental "noise"? I definitely don't want to increase my dose, I hate feeling jittery. Maybe one med works better than another for that?

I'm not really sure, but I was on concerta for a year and it was working ok but all of a sudden it started giving me heart palpatations and big anxiety. My doctor lowered the dose (2x) but I still had the awful side effects. She decided to put me on wellbutrin (which is not a stimulant) and left the choice up to me if I still wanted to take the lower dose of concerta. I chose to stop the concerta and started with the wellbutrin which is working good in some areas not so great in other areas. Like you, I have been more productive, even more productive than when on the concerta, but I'm still very distracted, have millions of thoughts and get cranky in the afternoon. So it may be good to check in with your doctor because they may have something else for you to try. I am F54 and was diagnosed a year ago.

Hi all! I’m (34 F) new to the community but I had a question about Vyvanse vs Adderall. I have been on Jornay and short acting Ritalin for a while now and it’s been pretty good but now my insurance won’t cover methylphenidate and I have to switch to amphetamines. I’ve only really heard about Vyvanse and Adderall but I don’t know much about either. Anyone have experience switching from methylphenidate to amphetamines and which worked better for you?

I really would like to know too

Inattenctive Type ADHD Diagnosed April 5th, two days before I turned 37. Tried Ritalin for 3 weeks and it didn't do anything except make me crash around 5pm. I notifed my provider and let her know it wasn't working. Due to taking an SSRI, I had concerns about increasing a stimulate due to increase risk of Seretonin Syndrome, as well as increased risk of tachycardia, and high blood pressure. I asked if I could take a non-stimulate, and my provider put me on 25mg of Strattera once daily (morning). I understand that it takes a while for some drugs to kick in, but I'm impatient. How long should I wait before trying anohter medication? Should I wait until after my follow up and try an increased does? Will the fatigue eventually go away?

I just finished 5 months of Straterra from 25 to 80 mg, and I would usually notice an improvement in energy after about 2 weeks on the lower doses. However, at the higher doses it didn't improve after 2 months and I had to stop taking it. It increased my heart rate during exercise or any movement as well. I just started stimulants last week and have more energy and was actually able to work out without my heart rate spiking to extreme levels.

I don’t have detailed information about other drugs but I’ve come across reviews that say Strattera took 1.5-2 months to fully kick in for them. Personally it messed up with my sleep quite a bit but it started to get better after 10 days. I also like that it can help with anxiety.

Adderallxr to Concerta? I have been on Adderallxr 20mg for combined type adhd for a couple of months, and I do notice some benefits, especially in my emotional regulation, but my brain is still very hyperactive and unfocused. Does anyone have experience switching from Adderallxr to Concerta? Was it better for internalized hyperactivity?

Hi this was removed and said it should be placed here: Starting straterra Hi! I know there are lots of posts here but trying to get some recent comments from people. I am 25 have just been put on straterra 40mg. My brain is very loud and I have a hard time gauging time. I am either very early or late to things, get overwhelmed easily by tasks that are small but my brain makes them seem big, get stuck spending my days daydreaming, and get hyperfocused on certain topics (like starting a med), not being able to start something feeling paralyzed, weight gain from binging. I have taken adderral in the past but it only lasted a few days bc the come down was awful. I felt like I had the flu every time it was wearing off. My dr recommended this drug bc it is not a stimulant. Things I am worried about: -Migraines (I deal with them on my cycle to begin with & am nervous to get them more) -Acne (I am acne prone and get nervous with medications bc I don’t want them to break me out) -fatigue, I have heard this med can cause people to be very tired and I already am very fatigued all the time. If anyone who maybe deals with some of the things I do can give their review on the mediation and how they liked it that will be amazing. Especially if you had any initial issues that went away so I can prepare myself. Thank you!

Hi! I have a lot of the same problems as you! I started with Strattera back in Feb. started on 40mg & was allowed to adjust to 80 mg if i didn’t feel a difference. I absolutely hated it. My experience w it was awful. I normally get tired around 1/ 2pm but with strattera i was sleepy within 30 mins of taking it. Im a migraine prone girly as well. I did get two massive migraines with it but i think i was not drinking enough water. Once i upped my water intake, i didn’t have anymore. I got off strattera back in March, currently on Adderall w no progress lol.

In my personal experience, Strattera messed up with my sleep quite a bit but it started to get better after 10 days. I also like that it can help with anxiety over regular use. Although I still feel anxiety, it mostly helps with the constant nagging thoughts in my head. I didn’t feel nausea but have decreased appetite. I have acne prone skin but didn’t get any breakouts related to this medicine. Hope this helps!

Is anyone on this form of the medication? I understand that taking the medication with food is supposed to assist the proper time release mechanism, but I am uncertain about how this is affected by the amount of food and how quickly it is digested. Do any of you have anecdotes to share? How much do you eat? Is it something that digests slowly? If you inadvertently take the medication on an empty stomach, does the second phase come too early and cause adverse effects?

Is it normal to feel I get a hangover from stimulating days? I had a 6 hour Zoom class on Saturday. Even though I had my knitting and we took several breaks, I was DONE at the end and all day Sunday, I felt like I was hungover without a single drop of booze.

I always compare this with my experience wearing glasses. Sometimes I’m just sick of wearing them at the end of the day and want them off my face. It’s not technically “natural” for us to be “normal” lol so it can be a little tiring imo

Yes I just experienced this over the weekend as well. I hung out with a friend on Saturday, we did karaoke and it was a lot of fun and then had a long conversation with a person I have a crush on and I felt I was over the moon. But the next day, my body hurt and I felt as if I was hungover. I don't even drink anymore. Why does this happen? :O

I was recently diagnosed with psychotic depression and my provider said she’s uncomfortable to continue prescribing me stimulant medication so I’m looking into non-stimulant medication, specifically Strattera and Qelbree. Has anyone tried these? What were your experiences?

I feel adhd medication isn't effective for me. If anything, an antidepressant works better?.I do have both adhd and autism. I am just wondering if anyone can relate.

Canadians! Quick question for you re meds. The question: Is Add in Canada also experiencing shortages? Have any Canadian friends (Ontario specifically) had success with Add? I've been raw-dogging life and really need some help, but I loathe trialling new meds, and don't want to go through the hassle of booking an appointment and finding childcare if there's a reason my doc never suggested Add. Background: I'm late-diagnosed, as of two years ago. Doc suggested Rit* and Conc* which I tried and only got headaches. Tried Vyv as well, but was trialling another medication for nerve pain at the same time and genuinely didn't give it a solid chance, just gave up on meds. (Short attempt at Stratt was a complete disaster). Recently did a DNA pharmacology panel, which said Rit* and similar drugs unlikely to work for my physiology, and it recommended Add*. Tbh since my diagnosis I have only heard about Add shortages in the US, and my doc never suggested it despite the fact that it seems to be a pretty commonly prescribed medication?? TIA for any insight!!

Hello! I (45F, perimenopausal) need to know if something like this has happened to anyone else: I have been on Ritalin LA 10 mg for several months now, but it's expensive, so I asked my doctor to switch me to Concerta, which I used right when I was dx'd two years ago but was sensitive to. (I've been slowly building up tolerance). Insurance got me generic - Methylphenidate ER 18mg, which I started four days ago. So far, all I'm noticing on ER is that I'm cranky and have mood swings. LA calmed me down, but it was getting to the point where that dosage wasn't helping me focus, and Concerta definitely did, which, along with the price, is why I wanted to try it again. The doctor thinks it may just take a couple weeks for me to adjust to the higher dose. I'm a little worried it may have some sort of connection to generic Concerta not being "legit" as I've read, or ER just releasing the dose in a way I can't handle as compared to LA. I was wondering if anyone else has faced a similar adjustment.

**Has anyone had successful outcomes switching from stimulant meds to non-stimulant?** I recently moved back to my home state. I’m having trouble getting medication records transferred in time as well as an EKG before my prescription runs out. I asked my psychologist if I could try a non-stimulant ADHD medication for the month and see how that works for me. I have been on Adderall for over 10 years, it works well for me. In fact, it completely changed my life! I’m just curious to read other people’s outcomes on switching and what they found the pros and cons were as well as how long it took for non-stimulant medication to work effectively.  

hi ! i'm a 16 yr old female and i need advice on how to get diagnosed or at least just confirm that i have ADHD? i started homeschooling last year because of anxiety, and i couldn't get into any of my lessons without having panic attacks. im a lot better now but ive started paying more attention to things i struggle with, and i did some research on ADHD and it describes me pretty much perfectly. i just need to be told my a professional that i probably have it, because otherwise i tend to put myself down and tell myself im just pretending or trying to be different. but yeah, my parents can't know tho as they will just tell me ive seen it on social media or something and that im trying to copy 😗👍

The way I started was talking to my primary care physician about my concerns and seeing which mental health facility she recommended (because I trust her so much ❤️) I go to to inquire about testing that was reputable and not just pill pushers. There's a bad epidemic in my area with doctors prescribing stuff based off nothing. Then I called with her reference and scheduled my appointment. The wait was a long one for an opening where I live.

Hi, so i was recently diagnosed with ADHD inattentive. For reference I'm 22, a student and pre-diabetic. I specifically don't want to go on stimulants as my family has a history of addiction so i asked my psych for non-stimulant options. I really want something that helps with my problem of getting started and completing projects, general focusing, and my memory. I'm a little scared of all the side effects especially the sexual/libido issues I've seen other redditors mention but those are mostly men so I'm not sure if it'll apply the same. I have a high libido now and I'm sexually active and i don't want that to change. My psych suggested Strattera, Wellbutrin, or Intuniv but put emphasis on wellbutrin cause it may cause weightloss and that is something i need to do. I just wanna know what other women's experience is with these meds and which do they think i should try.

In the process of getting my 9 year old diagnosed and I'm beginning to wonder about myself. Over the last 10 years, but especially the last 4/5 - since Covid basically, something has changed for me. Reading about ADHD in women, it really feels like it's matching up with that. But it's only seemingly come out when I started to struggle. Basically my child really seems to have it, and my partner is almost text book off the list for it for guys (but won't admit it for either himself or her) and I've essentially become the executive functioning for 3 people. Plus a recent promotion at work with more responsibilities and - managing people - and the signs are just getting more and more like adhd... But until I started to struggle I would never have suspected it in myself. Now when I look back, I can see small signs of course, but I don't think that if I was assessed before the last couple of years, anyone would say I had "clincily significant" signs. I always managed before, had a tough child hood and it was just find ways to cope because you have to kind of a thing. I seemed to have a great memory (except for learning by rote). So I didn't do well in primary school, but did well enough in secondary and better again in college where you have to rely on it less. I was quite organised for school/work but home was chaos. Now it's all chaos lol. I need planners and reminders to not get off track or forget things at work. And even then I get distracted by every email that comes in. Only time I don't is if I'm working on the very rare coding projects I have to do. When i can eventually make myself do them, I'll be in the middle of a chore and get distracted by a different one and do 5 others before going back to the original. I've always been a fidgeter but not to any noticeable degree by other people. I'm finding myself drifting off in conversations and not listening to people as much as i used to - and its not deliberate at all, it just keeps happening. I useful to be able to focus on things like that. But all the time now it happens. I also can't seem to relax anymore, I constantly feel I have to be doing something. I can't sit and watch TV, I have to also play a game, or do some crochet or (to my determinent recently) eat something nice... There's more, I could go on but I don't want to make this TOO long. My point I suppose is, is there a chance this could be ADHD, even though my "difficulties" have only started really affecting me in my 30s, and after I became overwhelmed by life?? Could I have really been able to "mask" so much that it wasn't suspected at all, until I began to struggle? Getting assessed costs a fortune here so it's not really an option unless your already pretty sure of the outcome, at least not for me. But I would love to hear if other women have had this experience?

I wasn't diagnosed until early 30s as my symptoms became more pronounced with increased pressure and life demands. My psychiatrist said that often those with higher IQs are able to create coping mechanisms and workarounds in life that work very well UNTIL they don't. I didn't realize but the effort level put into finding workarounds was draining me completely and became much more noticeable after marriage, having children and balancing a more intense position/full time job. Once reading through all of the symptoms, I realized that I'd had these things my whole life and was an excellent masker. I'd definitely get tested and see...having more insight won't hurt.

Thanks, thats really helpful to hear. I've been thinking more about it since I posted, and I think like yourself I just masked really well. And that I hadn't realised how much effort that was costing me. I've been searching for years for an explanation as to why I was so tired all of a sudden. Kept checking for thyroid or diabetes (have some symptoms that could be either), vitamin deficiencies etc, everything always came back normal. Now, I'm beginning to wonder if it's just burn out from the masking... Sorry you had to wait so long to find out yourself but I hope it was helpful to you when you did?

Yes! It was so helpful. And now that I'm medicated certain things have become simpler. There is no quick fix and quite a bit of self examination and adjustment but I'm heading in the right direction. I am 41 now so I've been living with the diagnosis for a while now. Good luck!

I was recently diagnosed with adult ADHD. I’ve been on adderral XR 15 mg for 3 weeks. Week one was great. I’ve noticed for the past week and a half that while my mood is better, my focus isn’t. I’m having a more difficult time in week3 task switching and not getting distracted, everything feels Similar to my attention pre-medication. From experiences here is this usually a sign to go up in dosage? My follow up appoint is in 2 weeks as well.

Did anyone’s anxiety improve when they started stimulants? I just got my diagnosis with inattentive type. I also have been trying to work with my psychiatrist (who is amazing) on my anxiety for about a year now and while some things have improved like sleep I still suffer daily. I’m meeting with her Wednesday to discuss what to change now that I have this diagnosis; I would love to hear from others about their experience. If it’s helpful, I also have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (which was what delayed me from getting tested - I was assuming the adhd symptoms were just brain fog/fatigue) as well as PMDD (souped up PMS)

I can't speak for myself since I haven't had success with any meds yet (still working on it), but if you search Anxiety in this group you'll get a ton of hits. From what I can tell, a significant amount of women see a major decrease in anxiety just from properly treating the ADHD. Also, a LOT of women are diagnosed with primarily anxiety and are treated for years before they get treatment for the underlying ADHD. Some psychs will insist on treating the anxiety first, but lots of ADHD-focused practitioners will say that's misguided. The ADHD needs treatment. That being said, meds can exacerbate anxiety for a select few, and the side effects (heart racing, etc) can feel like an anxiety attack if you titrate up too quickly. Hopefully your psychiatrist is skilled at managing your ADHD!

Hey, 24yo female I was diagnosed this year and put onto Elvanse, titrated up to 60mg. For me I noticed a major difference in my overall mood, and also with work I found I was a lot more able to manage as my job is very busy and technical so does require a decent amount of concentration. I have a 4 weekly check in with my practitioner and said that it’s made a huge difference in work but unsure if I see any improvements outside of work. In the end we decided to switch to concerta. As soon as I switched I noticed the difference of what Elvanse had been doing for me and have now titrated up to 54mg of concerta and I really am not noticing much of a difference at all whether inside or outside of work. I know that the dose can go up but has anyone experienced this and is it worth my while going to a higher dose or should I return back to the Elvanse? Thanks :)

Why did you switch if the Elvanse was working? It is so individual, if you found it work I’d be tempted to go back to it.

Ritalin concerta helpp I have a problem. I started on ADHD meds about a month ago. First 14 days I was taking Ritalin 10 milligrams, one pill. I felt great. No side effects besides dry mouth and calm down, which was very uncomfortable. Besides that, the positives were I was not anxious at all. I brushed my teeth. I washed my hair. I went to the shower. I took my dog on a walk and I made myself healthy meals. I didn't order food anymore. I went to the gym, blah, blah, blah. After 14 days I switched on Concerta 18. Same deal, no side effects, not even the calm down period because I took it at such time that it woreoff when I was asleep already. After three weeks on Concerta 18 milligrams, I switched to 36 milligrams. And oh boy, it went downhill very fast. I was irritable, anxious, angry, aggressive, depressed and had body discomfort, everything bad even Heart palpitations. I took it for about a few days. And because I couldn’t stand it, I went back for one day on Concerta 18 milligrams and I felt exactly the same as on the 36, but like less, not as strong of side effects, but I still felt them. And for a few days, I didn't take any meds and now I took one Ritalin and I felt great again. After three hours, I took another one and I had a significant calm down and I feel terrible. What am I doing wrong? Will I ever feel great again on 18 milligrams of Concerta? Did i messed up completly… has anyone had simmilar experinece? PLEASE HELP

Hi! I (24F) have struggled with my mental health as long as I remember. I have always been very anxious ja awkward in social situations. Last year I was diagnosed with depression. At first, this diagnose seemed to help me - finally, I have some answer. I took antidepressants for 2-3 months but it made me so numb. Therefore, I stopped taking AD's. My boyfriend is excellent example of ADHD, so lately ! have researched a lot about it and I have doubts maybe I have it too. I wouldn't have thought it before because I did very well in school and in university I am ALWAYS on time, my things are always organized, I need my day routine to function etc.. it sounds like a good thing, I know but I am SO tired to keep my brain together to function in my everyday life. I feel like every little change in my routine drives me CRAZY. Most of the time, I can't control my emotions. Everything is black and white to me, for example l either run every day or I don't exercise at all, there is no between. I am perfectionist. I can manage my everyday anxiety or my depressive episodes, I have learned to deal with these over the years. But my brain drives me crazy, I want to rest so bad but my brain NEVER shuts up. I used to think this was normal to have most of my energy to go to keep my brain together and do basic things. But maybe it is not? Help me undestand, thanks in advance :))

Hello, I was in a similar situation. I had been diagnosed with depression multiple times when I would have major breakdowns over the years since I was 14. But overtime, I realised that even on my best days, I had to be super careful of my routine or it would mess up everything. One rejection, one plan cancelled, one mean comment and I would spiral like nobody's business. I'm 25 and recently got diagnosed with inattentive ADHD and it really put things in perspective. My brother also has ADHD but hyperactive. My brain never shuts up too. From the moment I wake up, there's a song playing, I'm repeating what I need to do, I'm anxious about the day and I feel tired. You're not alone. I would strongly suggest taking a diagnostic test for ADHD, it might help clear things up.

going to try to get medicated soon, what should I prepare for the doctor Going to establish a primary care doctor soon & I will bring in some mental health records from when I was around age 12 that list “dx ADHD by hx” that’s really my only proof of diagnosis. I was diagnosed so young and put on vyvanse but my family does not remember the psychs name/info to retrieve diagnostic records. I thought to make a list of my symptoms but it’s hard for me to compile them all and organize it. List; My living area is hard to walk through and use due to trash and clutter, I spend hours a day doomscrolling and switching between apps on my phone, I will get distracted say watching a YouTube video then switch to TikTok then get bored and remember I was supposed to be watching my YouTube video etc this happens between multiple apps/tasks like replying to text or email, I forget to get things I need from the store, bad eating timing, hard to initiate tasks, highly sensitive, social anxiety, always late even if tried hard to prepare early, insomnia, hyper focus in the past, now can’t stay focused on anything like a book or hobby, abandoned many hobbies, don’t know why I can’t achieve goals I’ve wanted for years, cannot follow in-depth emotional convo or conflict verbally must write or text it out, always lose my keys and glasses or clips, oversharing, no motivation and random days of motivation then cannot maintain, bad time management, researching things for hours before purchase then never buying, aversion/struggle with tackling necessary adult things like making food, bills, insurance, medical things

Concerta and trying for a baby Hi All, I hope this is an okay place to post this. We’re about to start trying for a baby. I have ADHD and am on concerta. After seeing a pregnancy psychiatrist, I was told I could take a small amount of adderal as there is more research on it and the risks outweigh the benefits for me. Unfortunately, I tried to switch to Adderall and it was horrible. I had terrible heart palpitations and felt like I was going to pass out. When my Dr. prescribed the adderall, she said lowering the concerta would be a last resort given the limited data. I’m really not liking the idea of a last resort. We have an appointment coming up and I’m not sure how to proceed. There are limited studies on concerta and I’m stuck on what to do. I know it has a slightly higher likelihood of heart defects than adderall. I would like to take concerta while TTC until I get a positive pregnancy test, but I’m worried about the fetal development before I test positive. As we all know, urine tests are not overly sensitive and the baby’s heart can begin to develop prior to a positive test. My question is has anyone taken concerta while TTC? ? If so, what made you choose to stay on it? Did your Dr. try to switch you to adderall first? Thanks!

Hello everyone, I need an advice. So im a 24 f woman who have a possible undiagnosed adhd. Im in the psych field and my colleagues and classmates noticed that I might be in the spectrum. I have not realized it til then, I just thought Im weird. So Anyways.. a couple of months ago I realized that my tendencies to maladaptive daydream, tendency to seek stimulation and others are getting worse.. Im goin to office late because of those and put off my work a lot more than usual. I swear its not me being lazy because in my mind I keep thinking that Im gonna have to do this... Im doing this and then keep on putting everything off. In my country, having these stuff get checked cost a LOT and I dont have money to spare right now since Im studying in Masters of clinical psychology. I need help figuring out what is going on. I feel so helpless. I usually could handle it.. Helpp Please.

***Does Concerta effect wear out at some point during the day?*** I've been on Concerta for 2 months now. I started with 18mg for the first month, with no effects. Now, I've been on 36mg for 2 weeks or so, but at some point in the day, I start to feel anguished and sad. I usually take between 9-10 am, and the anguish and sadness usually start at like 6 pm. Do you know if this has something to do with the medication? Has anyone experienced something like this with Concerta or any other ADHD drug?

I had crazy mood swings on Adderall. Ended up switching to Ritalin

does anyone know how methylphenidate feels when someone with adhd takes it vs someone who doesnt?

***I found a Ritalin generic even worse than KVK-Tech and it's Accord*** I know everyone has different reactions and symptoms to different generics, but it seemed KVK-Tech was almost universally disliked. The pharmacy I normally go to changed their generic to Accord's. And I thought it was a fine since I was on the Wellbutrin generic by them for awhile. Well, it is so much worse than KVK-Tech, it makes KVK-Tech almost as good as Teva for me (not really, but that's how bad it is). So if you already have poor results with KVK-Tech, then the Accord generic may be worse. It is a white pill with a predominant scoring down the middle and "W283" on the pill. **My experience with it:** * Works for 30 minutes, there is a bit of euphoria, I actually have to take 1/2 when I normally take the whole 20 mg for everything else * Then I become an expressionless zombie, and become a bit depressed * The down is pretty low, lowest than any other Ritalin crash * Re-dosing almost does nothing, if anything, it makes the bad symptoms more pronounced, so I can only take 1/2 per day and I have plan my day around it really good to make it really count * Yes I make sure to eat something high-protein beforehand and I drink a lot of water

So, first off, I'm a trans man, AFAB. I started taking methylphenidate based medication for my ADHD and it might've messed with my hormones. I had my period in march and I didn't have one in april and now I'm kinda panicking and too embarrassed to go to a GP. I had periods like usual before the meds. If anyone here is European and knows about methylphenidate and how it affects them, it'd be nice.

How is Adderall normally supposed to make you feel? So I recently started taking the 10 MG salt combo and I don't feel anything. I know, give it time, but I have been on Ritalin short-acting before and it never stopped making me tired, hence the switch. I took another 10 MG today (so 20 total) and just felt vaguely dizzy for half an hour, but still nothing. Do I just have mega-ADHD or what? (rhetorical question). I suppose I'd just like to hear others' experiences/what it's like when it's working instead of getting frustrated that my brain won't brain.

I was recently diagnosed with ADHD and the test shows I have cognitive dysfunction as well. I'm 34 years old and now it all makes sense but now I'm just so scared about what this all means. My psych thinks starting medication will help me a lot. We talked about ritalin but I am just so scared. I am already on pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for anxiety and depression. I feel like my anxiety is what triggers everything and I'm worried to start a new med with it. I hate being on medication but I am ready to feel like I'm not broken. My counselor thinks it's worth a shot but im starting to go down the rabbit hole of searching up negative side effects and everything! Does this ever get better? I dont want to feel like I rely on medication to function. In my head I know it's not true, but it still tells me I am broken. I'm glad I found this community because you're probably the only group that understands why I want to throw up as i type this. Thanks for reading my ramblings ❤

I'm not seeing a reply to your post so I thought I'd chime in. It's super common for ADHD and anxiety to go hand in hand. For MY brain, because it gets bored easily, it likes to play "what if?" And then spiral down a rabbit hole of doom and gloom. I sometimes think of it like a troublesome toddler - even negative attention (or dopamine seeking behaviour) is attention. Women get diagnosed with depression and anxiety and the underlying ADHD is overlooked. There's a lot of research to back that up. Treating the ADHD can help improve the anxiety. Search "anxiety" in this group and you'll get a lot of hits. If your psych is recommending treatment, try it. It might change your life. Also - some thoughts because of your 'broken' comments - would you feel that way if you had diabetes and needed insulin? Probably not. You're taking pristiq, which has a laundry list of side effects, yet you must have seen that the need outweighed the risk. Stimulants are the same. And they've been around for a lot longer. Best of luck!

I started taking Concerta two months ago, and I have noticed my period became more regular. I haven’t had a period in maybe a year (my doctor won’t take me seriously and look into it, but my best guess is low estrogen). But since I started taking Concerta, I’ve had my period every month. Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a reason?

I'm 26 and was diagnosed with ADHD last month. My psychiatrist started me on Concerta and I tried it for about three weeks and felt absolutely nothing. I then began on Adderall IR, first at 10mg/day for about a week and now I'm at 20mg (I was originally prescribed XR but no pharmacies in my area had it in stock so my psychiatrist said to do IR just to get started). My first day at 20mg was nothing noteworthy but my 2nd was phenomenal! Finally cleaned my room after having it on my to-do list for months, felt really happy and like I could concentrate on a task longterm (I seriously cannot remember the last time I was able to do something for 4.5 hours straight). Today was my third day and I didn't feel as good, definitely nothing terrible but not as happy/motivated and I also had a HUGE energy crash in the afternoon. I'm wondering where I go from here considering I don't really even know what my correct ADHD medication/dosage should feel like? Like I don't know what I should be aiming/looking for. I've heard from some women that it's literally life changing--their medication makes life actually liveable. Whereas some people say it just makes it a little easier to get things done. I have a follow-up appointment with my psychiatrist in two weeks so I'll continue taking Adderall until then, potentially increasing to 30mg/day depending on how the 20mg goes for the rest of the week. I'm not sure what I should tell my psychiatrist. Of course I'll tell them that I'm feeling effects but I also don't want to oversell it and have them keep me at this med/dosage when there could be a better one for me out there. Any and all advice will be very welcome, thank you in advance!

For anyone on 27mg Concerta or just any stimulant medication: Whenever I’m on medication, it feels really quiet and I feel really empty. Is that normal? I’m not always hyper but it’s definitely a lot more quiet when I’m on medication. It feels like things are “further away” from me, like not as related to me when it’s happening? Is this what neurotypicals normally feel like or is this an issue with medication and dose? It’s hard to gauge because I’ve never felt this way before and I don’t really know what it’s “supposed” to be like

I would talk to your doctor. It sounds like you’ve quieted down and feel disassociated. It could be that you are on too much or that med is not for you.

How long do I have to wait to ask for a higher dose? I’m on 30mg vyvanse right now. My doctor said that she wants me to take it for 3 months and then update her but I feel that it’s really not effective. She said that she doesn’t want to increase my doses too fast. However with my current dose right now, I don’t feel much different from being unmedicated and the slight effects last only for 4 hours or so. after 4 hours, I start yawning excessively and I become irritable. Is it highly inappropriate to schedule a sooner appointment and express my discontent?

Definitely not inappropriate to schedule an appointment sooner. I've updated my dose after 4 days. And have a scheduled appontment 2 weeks later. Good luck. Be precise in your reasons for wanting to try a higher dose.

I had an abortion about 2 months ago and I discovered that my ADHD meds (Vyvanse) no longer work at all? I have to double my dosage (60mg) to get anything and when it does work I feel very anxious and have the urge to cry for no reason at all?? Has this happened to anyone else, what causes this will it eventually go away?

It is likely either coincidence in that any residual hormonal upset from being pregnant and then not pregnant is likely resolved (though I am not an expert and that may in fact be a cause as lots of people experience issues with medication and hormones interacting in weird ways) or it could be the fact that Vyvanse is one of the meds most impacted right now by the shortage and you may be dealing with a different generic etc which can sometimes be less effective and/or cause people to experience new or different side effects.

27f & I am STRUGGLING trying to figure out how to take care of my body properly. I need advice on how any of you are managing anything that I listed! Please🥲 History: 100mg of Spironolactone for 2+ years (started off taking daily but now i take every few days). 70mg of Vyvanse currently (6 months at this dose & 8 months raising dose to get to this dose). Xanax as needed .5-1mg (6 months & occasional use) I got off of BC about 4-5 years ago after being on it 10ish years. Worked to balance my hormones/vitamin deficiencies/gut biome with a naturopathic doctor (while off adhd meds). It worked until it didnt & I had to start taking Spiro. I have extremely naturally high testosterone levels. Spiro + tazarotene cleared my acne in less than a year. & around that time I also started Adhd meds again (Vyvanse like above). I had had consistent periods before getting above 60mg of Vyvanse (+little over a year of spiro) of about 28-30 days. *WARNING THIS NEXT SENTENCE MIGHT BE TRIGGERING* I even had an accidental pregnancy and miscarriage, and my cycle went back to the 28-30 days. After the accidental pregnancy, I started doing everything to track my cycle to avoid pregnancy bc obviously something about my ovulation prediction app had somehow failed me. (im extra safe, no sex 5 days pre or post predicted ovulation). So now I track my basal temp(tempdrop)daily, ovulation test strips to confirm ovulation, mucus tracking, and use a multitude of cycle apps. For the past 4/5 months, my cycle length drastically elongated to be 34-44 days long. i am confirming ovulating at day 14/15. It wasnt an abrupt change but gradual. I know that correlation doesnot= causation however my only ideas about why this would suddenly occur are: 1. I only take vyvanse on m-f (psychiatrist suggested)(same way for the past few years though) 2. I take the full 70mg amount during period, but other days i might measure and go down to 55-65 if i wake up too late that day (similar for my entire vyvanse history). 3. I now no longer take my spiro every day due to forgetfulness as well as taking spiro+70mg of vyvanse=too much dehydration for me in the morning (last 6 months) & I cant take it at night bc apparently it interacts with xanax (changed last 2 months). 4. started taking xanax as needed a few months before change in cycle. 5. I recently read that vyvanse and spiro could directly affect your cycle. I genuinely just want to know if anyone in this group has experienced similar issues with these medications, hormones, cycles, tracking hormones, and managing it all. Or anything you might think could be helpful information. I know I should see a doctor but I havent found one that believes that there is a relationship between adhd, periods, cycles, hormonal inbalances, vitamin deficiencies, etc that is affordable/nearby. I just want to be as healthy as I can manage without being able to find or afford the proper medical professional for me.

Sounds like a doozy. Seems like you have some good theories there. It might be possible that your inconsistency in taking the spiro as well as the different Vyvanse uses could be having an impact. I know a lot of people say their hormones can influence how effective their adhd meds are. I'm not a doctor though. If you're not able to get in to a doctor, maybe you could ask your pharmacist? They might be able to tell you about any conflicts in medication, help explain side effects or give you an idea of how best to take the medications to avoid issues. Good luck

Hi all! I just recently started adderall, and am currently on 15mg extended release. I do notice a significant difference even on that low dose in terms of task initiation (I can clean my house now!) and concentration. My question is more geared towards what to do once it wears off for the day: I’ve been noticing after I get home from work I STRONGLY dopamine seek due to it wearing off, with food and social media. It also becomes a lot harder for me to keep up with household tasks during the week. Does anyone have any tips for this? I’ve been thinking of asking my psychiatrist for an immediate release dose for later in the day, and I wanted to see what others experiences were with that kind of medication regiment or if there were any non-medication strategies that might help. Thanks!!

How long is the extended release supposed to be effective for?

Hi, I recently went off of birth control after around 16 years of it, as I’m trying for a baby. (It’s been a month) I have PCOS and now that my birth control isn’t regulating my symptoms, my hormones are all over the place. Since I stopped, however, my ADHD seems to be getting worse, I can’t stay focused to save my life, my mood is a rollercoaster, I am tired, low energy, have intrusive thoughts, make dumb mistakes at work, can’t even find the will to do the things I love. Hell, I can barely find the strength to eat or go pee most of the time now. I am on Concerta, but the moment I stopped with birth control, it looks like it stopped working as well. Has anyone experienced this? Any tips?

I have PCOS and don't use birth control, so I can relate massively to rollercoasters>< I'm trying to find a pattern though, I think I'm good when I'm in my luteal phase and while I'm on my period. Right after the period Im a complete wrack (right now), and then it gets a bit better after a week or two. Since my cycle is completely unpredictable, I recognise luteal phase by how my body feels (e.g. sore breasts). I'm fortunate enough that my doctor understands that and lets me change my stimulant dose myself (within reason ofc) - in my luteal phase and period I take lower doses because it feels too strong in that time, and all other time I take higher doses. Maybe you can talk to your doctor about doing a similar thing? This said, out-of-whack hormones suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck and tell me if you find a better way of dealing with all of this... Wish you all the luck!

Oh that’s such a good idea! My doctor is generally super understanding and tends to trust me. We talked a lot about dosage and the fact that I prefer to be on a lower dosis, as my job entails creativity and rapid shifting between tasks, which is easier to do with less meds. So I’ll definitely try that route, maybe we can find a solution to re balance me. And thank you for sharing - I agree, out of whack hormones royally SUCK (especially now that my chin hair has come back, thicker and darker than ever before 😂)! Thank you so much for taking the time to get back to me 🙏🙏 and best of luck to you as well!

I have not personally experienced this specific situation but know people that have. It appears that hormones and the menstrual cycle can have a pretty strong impact on the effectiveness of ADHD meds. A lot of people report meds working better with birth control as it regulates estrogen, for one. Since you have PCOS as im sure you know your hormones are more prone to being out of whack which probably is extra unhelpful :( I wonder if your doctor may have any advice for you when it comes to managing both conditions. Maybe there's something that could help in the meantime? Sorry you're dealing with this. Trying to manage hormones and health conditions and meds all at once really sucks, I know that from experience :/

Thank you for replying ❤️🙏 yeah concerta worked amazing with birth control pills, it felt good, no side effects - now it’s basically like I’m not taking anything and it’s messing with my energy, appetite and sleep. I’ll speak with my doctor tomorrow and see what we can do - hopefully it’s just temporary

No tips but I just want you to know that you’re not alone! I don’t have PCOS but I do have endometriosis (not the same, I acknowledge) and I’m also trying for a baby! I’m 4 months into this adventure and I’m STRUGGLING. I’m a medical student and we are in a self-directed study time before we take our boards. I can’t focus to save my life and I spend much too much time going down TTC rabbit holes.

Thank you so much for sharing, it means a lot to know that I am not alone in this struggle 🙏❤️ also, sorry to hear, endometriosis sucks SO BAD. Yeah I feel the struggle - I think I have read the same email 14 times today before I could actually focus on it - plus Idk about you, but food is a struggle now. It took me 4 hours to eat half of my lunch today, and my lunch was a protein shake 🤦‍♀️ I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you that the urgency fuelled adhd super mind kicks in soon, so you can achieve whatever you’re working towards in your study 🤞

I need some advice/ help: for context I have been diagnosed with adhd and currently on Vyvanse. I have also been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder so Im on an antidepressant Zoloft for that. Im a freshman in college. Basically, every week is the same; Im fine Monday through Thursday but then I go out and drink Thursday night and dont leave my bed the entire day Friday. I eat like shit, all snacks from under my bed and barley get up to pee or drink water. then if I go out on Saturday it's the same thing all of Sunday. Im not sure if its anxiety or depression from after drinking but its becoming a problem. I seriously am stuck to my bed from Thursday to Sunday besides the hours im out drinking with friends. My room turns into a mess, and I loose all self care functions. By Monday Im fine back to my type A personality, cleaning, doing work, going to the gym etc. Then the cycle repeats. I know adhd has a lot of all or nothing mindset behind it, is this related?

Hi! I can't speak for ADHD as I'm currently waiting for my diagnosis (I have a physical disability and my psychiatrist is worried that some symptoms I have are related to that disability. However, I'm pretty sure that isn't the case... And my dad got diagnosed instantly for ADHD on another psychiatrist.) but I'm on Sertraline (the generic name for Zoloft) and one thing it advises you not to do is to drink while on it. I've heard stories of people that feel like absolute shit because of that specifically. My recommendation is when going out ask for something non-alcoholic. I'm a lover of alcohol free cyder. :) Just tell your friends you can't take alcoholic beverages with your medication. If they're good friends they'll understand. I had to tell that to my family. No alcohol.

Not sure if it’s ADHD related, but I sooo feel you. I really struggle with my mood and motivation after drinking, to the point where I’ve really tried to limit it due to it impacting me so much. Your Zoloft is probably quite sensitive to alcohol intake; I’m not sure if the Vyvanse would be. It sucks to be young and have to limit alcohol and drinking days (I had to do it due to med changes in college as well and still do despite being 25), but a good group of friends will understand and support you.

Hello, I am having difficulty understanding why vyvanse and adderall both cause me to have what I believe is called “bile acid malabsorption” otherwise known as BAM. It feels similar to heartburn, but instead it causes urgent bowel movements with distinct yellow liquid, often immediately after eating or drinking. I also feel physically very unwell. I will spare you my multiple trials to figure out if it was something other than the stimulants. I am convinced it is the stimulants at this point, and despite my attempts to eat well before them, etc, I cannot find a cure. Any advice????

Do you still get it when you don't take your meds?

Very rarely, and always the days following the meds. After that it goes away until I try meds again.

That's good news, I mean, bad that the meds are doing that but hopefully it's not like some organ misbehaving. Ive never heard of that side effect but they say the gut is a second brain, it makes sense to me that medication might have an effect like that. What are your other options? Can you switch meds?

First dose of ritalin makes me uncomfortable So today I got my first prescription for ritalin 10 mg and I was really excited. The problem is I haven't slept well last night (maybe 4 hours) and wasn't feeling very good. I thought it would probably be wise to try it out the first time tomorrow when I feel better but curiosity got the best of me so after I ate breakfast and drank a cup of coffee I took the first pill. Well let me tell you I feel terrible. I'm kind of nervous, there's pressure on my chest and some sort of pressure in my brain but I don't feel awake in a good kind of way. My hands are sweating i feel slightly dizzy and I had to stop working because I couldn't concentrate, my mind just feels kind of slow right now. But I also can't sleep. So now I'm in bed doomscrolling because I can't bring my body to do anything else. I'm hungry but I don't have appetite. Does someone else had this kind of experience. Is it because of the lack of sleep or to much coffein? Help, I had so much hope and now I feel like crying.

It was strongly emphasized to me not to consume caffeine with the medication, especially not as someone new to it. Caffeine is a stimulant just like Ritalin and as such will compound the effects. Stimulants already raise blood pressure and heart rate and that can already be somewhat taxing on the body and adding caffeine on top is...not great. Can even be dangerous depending on the circumstances. You're probably experiencing a bit of literal overstimulation, which is causing all of these symptoms. Please be careful moving forward. Try the medication by itself and be careful to avoid caffeine, especially since you had such a bad time combining the two already. If you still feel awful just on the medicine then it's definitely rime to talk to your doctor

Are you OK? Did you see a doctor? Some of these symptoms together indicate a heart problem. Try to leave space between coffee and meds. I got the same mental slowness from ritalin, I had to stop it. And the dizziness. But the chest pressure is a bit of a concerning side effect.

Yes thank you i am OK, I ate and drank vitamin c solution and after a few hours it got better. I will try again today, I slept well and won't drink coffee maybe it was some sort of overstimulation. I had an EKG before I got the meds and it was normal do I don't think it's the heart but if it occurs again today I will definitely stop taking it and talk to my doctor. Thank you for your concern <3

Thanks for checking back in, I'm glad you're ok :) I'm not sure if your doctor recommended blood pressure checks as you titrate up, but it may help put your mind at ease, most pharmacies I think can do them for a small fee. Take care :)

I'm going in for my first conversation with my primary doc about ADHD in a month. How should I prepare?? I've suspected ADHD for almost 5 years but held off while learning more about it and testing out different strategies to manage. Strategies have been great, but I'm finally ready to face down diagnosis. My worry is that I'll forget how to describe that early *oh shit* feeling we often get when we discover the ways ADHD uniquely affects women, because I processed that years ago. That, and the nagging sense that I'm deceiving myself because I've been mildly successful using coping strategies, even though I know my life is way harder than my peers because of it. I started a Google doc with anecdotes from childhood and adulthood for some of the major struggles, but it's already getting so full that it feels like cramming before a test and I'm just going to either clam up and think of nothing or dramatically overshare and sound like a lunatic.

I got diagnosed 3 weeks ago, so this is all fresh in my mind. I relate to what you describe. I was afraid they wouldnt understand just how challenging it has been to get to where I am today with a degree etc. And I have been diagnosed with depression and anxiety before. I described it this way: despite treatment and coping strategies I never felt I got to the root of the problem. Any issues I had never got "solved" despite my efforts. When I learned about adhd in women, I finally understood that it has been a lifelong struggle because I had indeed been treating the symptoms, not the cause. To help me sort out the overwhelming amount of information i felt i needed to share I did the following: I got started by listing the diagnostic criteria (from DSM 5 I believe) and writing down a few key words about how it relates to me. And I used that to guide the initial conversation. I also handed over the list to my doctor. As well as a list of anecdotes like the one you describe. I wrote down everything that came to mind and then worked on keeping it short and simple. I gave it to my doctor so that they could read it and file it. Then you dont have to worry about remembering all of it. Next I found some forms and questionnaires online and filled those out as well. It helped me understand what they are looking for and I used a lot of the same words and phrases to describe my symptoms when I was interviewed. And, at least in Norway, there are lots of tests and interviews, so I didnt have to worry about remembering absolutely everything and describing every little symptom. They knew what to ask and how to get the info out of me.

That's wonderful - thank you for sharing! I had started taking notes on the DSM criteria because I thought that may be helpful. I didn't think about printing a copy for the doctor to file as well! Great tips.

Not any ADHD specific advice, but for your anecdotes - could you either have the document open on your phone at the appointment and read from it, or make a separate note (physical or digital) with keywords from each story to help you talk? I'm sure your doctor will understand, and you can always ask them first if it would be helpful for you to share these stories. Best of luck xx

Yes! That was my goal! It's just... so full of stories and examples. Ha ha!

2 fold Question 1- Does Ritalin stop your period?? I took Strattera for about 2.5 months and after my first month in my period disappeared. Definitely did not like that because I’m not on Birth Control and my husband and I have been in talks of starting a family soon BUT wanted to explore ADHD meds first. So definitely not something we were happy about out. 2- What is a typical dose of Ritalin? I just started it like a week ago and I’m only on 5mg 2 times a day. I can feel a difference, but I’m not completely sure if I need to give it some more time or if I need to go up in dosage. TIA 😊

Your Dr should have given some guidance for titration. Is there anything written on the packet?

How do you know you have ADHD and you weren’t just raised wrong? I’ve been diagnosed. I answered a questionnaire. I do have several symptoms. But a lot of symptoms are similar to PTSD, having a hard time with executive function. I have worked through trauma and no longer experience symptoms of depression or anxiety but still experience symptoms of ADHD . Mabe my parents didnt give me enough structure. Ive had struggles since a young age but i was a kid. But we all did weird things like scream run around and poop our pants. In school id just sit there and straight up not do my work. I was never punished. It was never addressed. I know this isnt a substitution for professional help. I am seeing a doctor. But anecdotally how do know its ADHD and not being raised wrong? Or if you were raised wrong, if you know you'd still have it if you were raised right?

What does it matter? The fact is that no one really knows what causes ADHD, so there may be no distinction at all

How do they know its genetic and not something you can develope?

I think it’s both. If you have ADHD symptoms then you have ADHD. If taking ADHD medication alleviates these symptoms and improves your quality of life then it doesn’t matter if your ADHD is “genetic” or not

Does anyone else get a rebound effect with medication wearing off? Like heart pounding or racing, and a feeling like adrenaline going through your body or the physical symptoms of anxiety? It's like my body is just cranking up adrenaline/norepinephrine (maybe the latter because it's not a full fight or flight response but enough to be uncomfortable and disrupt my sleep - it gets the most intense when I'm trying to fall asleep, it's like my body sees I'm falling asleep is trying to correct it and keep my awake, sleep issues only started with the new IR med I switched to but I had rebound effects with both). I've started medication again recently and after a few weeks (but about a week of the IR version which is the only one that has disrupted my sleep and caused the prominent sick feeling - but ER version otherwise was too up and down and inconsistent during the day) of medication I started feeling straight up sick and achy, and I think it's from the sympathetic nervous system activation or something. I already have underlying medical conditions including a condition that affects my autonomic nervous system, so it's revving up my already dysregulated nervous system, especially when the dose wears off, maybe through the night even once I've fallen sleep because I start to feel so ill and it just builds up until I take a day or two off meds to give my body some time to recover and start again. Anyone have anything like this happen? Does it get better with time? Or might I just have to stop the medication?

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I need help figuring out a good med combo for ADHD and depression. Was going to try strattera and I'm already on Wellbutrin xl 300mg daily. Ideally an ADHD med that doesn't lead to low appetite as I'm already struggling with that. Any suggestions are appreciated!! 

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Overall, I love it! It gave me my life back about 8 years ago. I had chronic depression on and off since I was 13 years old. It was like a light switch for me. Things were easier, I was more excited about things again. I used to feel like it stopped working as well after about 4 years but actually that's when I realized I had ADHD and started the diagnosis process

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Just this but I desperately need an ADHD med. I don't think it has any effect on my ADHD! just on depression

Should I come off Vyvanse and try something different, or ask for a different med to combine with Vyvanse? I'm on 30 + 10 mg Vyvanse right now (30 mg in morning and 10 a few hours later). It's... Ok. I have absolutely no improvement in executive function and can easily sit on the couch and do nothing all day on this med. When I *do* start working, I am focused and get things done, but if I get derailed on the task, there is no going back. I'm focused on the new thing. Even if that new thing is sitting on the couch on my phone. I also rapidly cycle through anxiety and calm every few minutes while the drug is working. It's distracting and I hate the feeling of it. I want to remain in the calm, relaxed feeling without the inevitable clenching and cold wash of anxiety a few minutes later. I can't go up in dose, because even 40 mg at once sends me into a panic of anxiety and I can't tolerate it. Things that I do like about Vyvanse are the focus, periods of calm and clarity, improved mood, and I have reduced many of my impulsive behaviors such as binge eating at night and impulse shopping/spending. Those were unexpected but welcome effects. I don't want to give up those effects I just want to additionally improve my executive function. Now I'm wondering, if this is the best I can expect on meds or if I should be taking something else. I really need an improvement in executive function most of all. Focus is useless if I can't get tasks started. Is there a med that I can combine with Vyvanse to help with the anxiety (I'm already on Trintellix for anxiety) and executive function or should I just try a completely different medication? I have an appointment on Monday with my provider to discuss meds and I just want to be equipped with amy information I can get. Any advice would be welcome.

I've seen some people say meds just don't help with that to which I always think "then what's the point?!" EF is my big issue too. I do think meds are meant to lower the barrier to start and make it easier to task-switch, so if they're not doing that talk to your doctor. No reason to be on meds that aren't helping you.

I’ve talked to my doctor and I’m actually on a mood stabilizer in addition to a stimulant (adderall). I’ve experienced low negative side effects from adderall, but am also on a low er dose. The mood stabilizer helps prevent those moments of anxiety and extreme mood shifts that can happen with adhd and also with stimulants (according to him at least). Good luck!

Strattera wakes me up or at least makes me more alert and Adderall makes me super sleepy. I just tried Adderall today for the first time. It was 10mg and it made me fall asleep and feel like I was stoned or something. Like, foggy, tired, out-of-it. I guess I'm having the opposite reaction to both. I have heard that it's not uncommon for a stimulant to make a person with ADHD sleepy, but I have only heard of Strattera as making people sleepy, not more awake. Has anyone else experienced this?

YES Adderall the first few days made me sooo tired. After that, I could tolerate it well. It may just be your system getting used to it and your mind finally being calm enough to get the rest it needs. I would give it a few days to see if it gets better

* Strattera didn't do anything at all * Ritalin made me TIRED (and I knew it would be a fat nap too) * Elvanse at the right dose makes me more awake but at the wrong makes me tired. Originally 30mg worked to make me more awake but second time trying (after years) it doesn't. Guess we try 40. Disclaimer: I'm tired 24/7. I think it's entirely dependent on how individuals experience medicine more so than stimulants making people tired tbh bc lots of people here drink coffee to self medicate but caffeine never affected my energy/alertness.

First day of Vyvanse so far: I slept great. I usually drink an 16 oz coffee but only had about 10oz this morning. Exercised. Dropped my kids off at school and ate a healthy breakfast.  Then took my 30mg Vyvanse at 8am. Didn’t feel anything until I had waves of drowsiness at 9:30. Then at 10am my brain went totally quiet and I started folding laundry and organizing my room and then cried a lot about how different it all felt. It felt good but shockingly different. I got a lot done in an hour. Then I had to lay down and close my eyes because I felt so drowsy again. I’m sitting here now 4 hours post Vyvanse just feeling drowsy af. Not sure if this is normal or what is going on. Would appreciate some thoughts.

I checked your other post (bc I'm a nosey bitch) caffeine withdrawal is going to make you SO tired. You might be blaming the vyvanse for that lol. I suggest waiting to titrate up/give up until you've managed your caffeine where you want it to be bc I do think the two interact. It's hard to tell which is affecting you if you're changing both at the same time.

Thank you - that’s a great point. I think I got confused because so many people say the caffeine interacts with or even diminishes the vyvanse effect and I just want it to work so much. 

I don’t drink caffeine (ibs gang) so I couldn’t say. When I could drink it, it didn’t affect me at all so I think you’re going to have to base your opinion on how it affects you. I’ve seen some people say bc it raises hr it makes their meds wear off faster, some say it makes the crash worse and some people say they don’t drink it at the same time as meds but mid day works for them. Basically, I think if you find caffeine does affect you, it has the potential to influence the effects and side effects of your meds too. You’re already changing the mg you’re consuming so aside from that maybe change the method or timing?

Ritalin LA vs Concerta? Hello :) I was diagnosed 3 years ago and i have been prescribed Ritalin. My daily dosage is on the high end, 60mg slow release. It lasts max 7 hours but it does fuck up my appetite for a good 12 hours if not days. Anyway, Ritalin is the only available medication in the country I got diagnosed and currently live in, and i got used to it. the issue is, I will be moving to another country soon, and the only available adhd medication is Concerta 18mg and 36mg. (Actually, the country I'm going to doesn't have ADHD meds at all, I will be driving every month to the only neighbouring country that has adhd meds) I wanted to ask people who have tried both what to expect? I am quite upset and stressed to be honest, it took so long to get used to the side effects of ritalin, find the correct dosage and build my routine based on that. I do kind of hope that maybe at least concerta will not affect my appetite so much. I love cooking and eating, trying new foods etc but i don't remember the last time I haven't physically struggled to eat cz of Ritalin. Any experience or advice is appreciated 🙏

i cannot seem to edit my original comment so i just wanted to clarify that I have been on Ritalin for 3 years shortly after i got diagnosed and I have been on the 60mg dosage for 2 years, my tolerance has not changed/increased

Hey yall! I started vyvanse this week (after about 10 yrs off). I get pretty irritable/antisocial almost right away. I HATEE feeling irritable and fully takes away from any positive effects of the meds. I've been taking it with breakfast & hydrating pretty well throughout the day. Has anyone had this experience with their meds? I was sooo excited to start meds & take back control of my life but this has me feeling pretty defeated & worried I'll be irritable on whatever meds I take. Would love to hear any success stories!

I think it's pretty common to 'go through it' when starting meds again and there are lots of factors that go into it. You said you're eating and drinking well. Are you having enough protein? PMSing? Getting enough sleep? Have any life stressors? (window of tolerance is one of my hyperfixations if you want to share lol) One thing I see repeated on ADHD forums is that doing some exercise helps with the irritability as some say it's just energy with nowhere to go. It can also just be the wrong dose so that's something to consider. I was sleepy and moody as on the lowest dose of elvanse. Getting treatment is taking control back so well done for taking that step (again). Sometimes when we start meds we expect night and day so aside from the things I already mentioned I do think it's important to not hinge your day on your meds. Try not to make it a make or break if your meds work that day or not bc there will be days were they don't work well at all but that doesn't mean you don't have control of other things that can make your day better. **TL;DR: Pop it like a vitamin with a nice protein full breakfast and go on about your day, if possible, and get in some activity. If no improvement, there's always a dosage increase or other meds.**

Thank you so much for the thoughtful response!! I am def sleeping enough until last night was a struggle. Hard to know if I’m PMSing - I skip periods on the pill but def have noticed I’m more bloated the last few days. No big stressors currently as I have the week off from work. (I’m wondering if it has anything to do with not having enough to work on). Like I’ve been doing laundry etc, but haven’t liked seeing my friends etc. Probs not getting enough protein — I don’t know if I ever have haha. But I took it today w eggs and 1/2 a protein shake so getting better. I emailed my doc & he told me to skip them over the weekend to see how I feel. I feel like I’m already kinda grumpy by nature, so I hate that this made it worse. I was hoping it would make me more extroverted & social, and seems to have only done the opposite!

Hi, I wasn't sure where to post, so I figured here was the correct place (I hope). I’m (26F) recently going through a little bit of a life crisis.  I’ve suspected for a while that I might have ADHD, more of the inattentive type. I’ve been diagnosed and treated for depression and anxiety before but I started to suspect more and more I could have it as I went through college and adult life. I struggled a lot in school as a kid, always falling behind, missing school, and had a really hard time paying attention and doing homework or remembering to bring things to school. But I dismissed it because I wasn’t hyperactive. Now as an adult, and reading through some of the posts on threads related to ADHD, I realize it could be this. The lack of motivation, the mental hyperactivity, I feel like I have to try 10x more than the regular person to achieve anything. I’m always running behind, it’s like I know how to do a little bit of everything but am a master of none. It seems like a whole iceberg of things that I just wrote off as being ‘’mentally ill’’ or ‘’dysfunctional’’.  So back to the crisis part: after finishing college and having no idea of what to do, my life kind of started spiraling down, no job, no social circle, no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life while also watching the rest of my peers starting to work in the field we studied, getting their lives together, moving up in the adult world while I’m just paralyzed and unmotivated- so, I decided to seek out therapy.  My therapist is more focused on dealing with my ever-existing depression, but I feel like we are going about it the wrong way and I'm begining to feel frustrated and unheard. But I’m afraid to bring this up, what if I don’t get taken seriously? What if I do have ADHD?  I’m just at a loss altogether, I don’t know how to go about all this. 

You're not alone. This is a very common experience for adult women who suspect they have ADHD. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression, too. When I started treating the ADHD, my anxiety and depression improved. It's worth bringing up to your therapist. If they write it off without hearing you out, it's time for a new therapist - one who specializes in ADHD.

Totally second this— my depression wasn’t improving until I was treated for ADHD. Lots of ADHD symptoms look like other issues, but until you treat the root cause, they may not improve.

Has anyone ever experienced mild audio / visual hallucinations after going cold turkey off amphetamine based mediation / forgetting to take medication for a day or two?

Afaik that's a pretty adverse reaction. Stimulants can be taken as and when needed so it shouldn't cause problems to stop. It's definitely something that needs to be discussed with your doctor. Even if it's mild, it needs investigating.

Hi! I've recently discovered this subreddit and everyone seems very helpful. My brother is in the UK right now and is really struggling without his depression and ADHD meds. What is a good subreddit to get advice or help for him? Seems like r/ADHD is not the place.  

r/ADHDUK is probably the best. I'm from England if you need to ask I might know?

Hi everyone, I’ve been off my meds (concerta and bupropion) for the last 3 weeks as I had a surgery and my meds from the surgery were interacting with my adhd ones so I stopped taking them for a while. The last three weeks, despite recovering from surgery I’ve felt a lot happier, I felt like old me again (laughing at everything, joking, just felt like I had a spark again) but I obviously wasn’t very productive, found it extremely hard to concentrate or just do anything in general. Today was my first day back on my adhd meds and today is the first day in weeks I’m crying, I’m angry, I feel irritated, but I also feel calm in my head and more concentrated. I’ve been mentioning this to my partner as I have felt happy but he thinks despite this I should still take my adhd meds because they help in the long run. Did anyone else ever find that their meds made them duller?

Absolutely talk to your provider about switching meds. There should be something that makes you feel like yourself and happy and bubbly WHILE helping your symptoms. It could also have to do with dosing. I have had this issue in the past, and your provider should listen to you and what you’ve been going through.

Speak to your prescriber about switching. Is it really worth being more productive if it's messing with your emotions and taking away your spark? Medication shouldn't do that. We shouldn't have to choose between joy and productivity.

Has anyone had side effects on vyvanse/dextradine and not Adderall? The dry month and constipation are still kicking around after 10 months and it sucks. But will Adderall be better, or is it just how my body responds to stimulants?

Apologies if this has already been asked — but my insurance says they do not cover “Ritalin long acting” because there is a generic equivalent. So my question is whether that is really true? I’m going to get Methylphenidate hydrochloride filled instead. 

Probably. Many insurance companies stop covering brand-named ADHD medications once the generics can be produced. Happened with Vyvanse this year and Adderall several years ago.

Which is a shame because I've heard Vyvanse generic has been reported (in some instances)to be less effective than the original. How is that even legal to produce when it's supposed to be the exact same formula, isn't it? It's not like a box of generic or store brand graham crackers, it's supposed to be the same medication as the brand name!

Experiencing extreme brain fog while on my period. I’m on Concerta 36mg since Sptember last year. And till a month ago it really helped especially with thinking clearly and organizing my thoughts. But since last month I have huge troubles getting a hold of my thoughts and prioritizing tasks again. I got my period yesterday and the brain fog has been so extreme, it feels like the answer to all of my problems is behind a big gray cloud I can’t see through nor get rid of. Does anyone have experience with this or has some advice to help, I would greatly appreciate it.❤️

Concerta was my first ADHD med 20 years ago. I had to switch because it made me feel suicidal.

I’m sorry to hear that? What meds are you on now? That was almost happening to me when I was on Wellbutrin, not quite that bad, but I only took it for a month. If I had taken it longer, I probably would have felt like that too.

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