ADHD people, question

[Bernadine]

I should feel some kind of difference on Adderall, right?  Like, how will I know it's working?

I started at 10mg, now I'm on 15.  Other than feeling a little more awake during the day, I'm not really feeling any different.

[verycontrary247]

Adderall makes a massive difference for me in terms of concentration, energy, general mood etc, but I take 40mg of the XR kind in the morning.

[lilac05]

I was told when I found the right medication and dose, I’d know. And I’d feel that it was worth every penny that I paid for it.

Unfortunately, I gave up before I found the right one, so I’m back to white-knuckling through life. I don’t recommend it.

[lightbulbsun]

You may need a larger dose. I was on 10mg and it did nothing, then I went to 20mg and it's a huge difference in my concentration. It's not like when it kicks in I automatically want to work, but when I do work, I find that I'm able to concentrate for longer, and my productivity really improves.

[pooh8402]

Yea you may need a larger dose. I know I felt a difference when I took my H's ritalin, before I was diagnosed. Not much difference on Evekeo or the 10 mg Adderall that I was on after diagnosis. However, I haven't taken anything in s few years thanks to TTC and pregnancy. I'll probably ask for 20 mg Adderall next time.

[sangria]

I'd say you may want a higher dose. It was life altering when I started Vyvanse.

[sapphireblue]

Mar 6, 2019 16:40:56 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

I was told when I found the right medication and dose, I’d know. And I’d feel that it was worth every penny that I paid for it.

Unfortunately, I gave up before I found the right one, so I’m back to white-knuckling through life. I don’t recommend it.

This is where I'm at too.

I find it so incredibly hard to get my shit together also to pursue medication again. The one doctor that is the expert ADHD doctor in my state and who diagnosed me takes a long time to get in to see and I have since moved over an hour away, etc. etc. 

Ironically, my ADHD makes it so much harder to actually address it and be proactive about trying to make it better. It is so frustrating.

[lucybrown]

I only have experience with DD. I echo the others who say you'll know. If you don't notice a difference, you may need a higher dose or different medication.

I had literal tears when we first medicated DD. Even on a low dose, the effect was immediate and so positive.

[eb777888]

That is a really low dose. My ten year old is on that dosage and it's considered a very low dose for even him. His doctor said he can increase up to 40mg and he's 80 lbs. I'd definitely increase the dose and see if that helps. Good luck!

[bugandbibs]

Mar 7, 2019 11:50:58 GMT -5 eb777888 said:

That is a really low dose. My ten year old is on that dosage and it's considered a very low dose for even him. His doctor said he can increase up to 40mg and he's 80 lbs. I'd definitely increase the dose and see if that helps. Good luck!

Is he taking short acting or XR? DD1's doc is giving us pushback on increasing her dose from 30mg XR to 40mg XR and she's 16. It's been frustrating.

[lightbulbsun]

Mar 7, 2019 11:36:16 GMT -5 sapphireblue said:

Mar 6, 2019 16:40:56 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

I was told when I found the right medication and dose, I’d know. And I’d feel that it was worth every penny that I paid for it.

Unfortunately, I gave up before I found the right one, so I’m back to white-knuckling through life. I don’t recommend it.

This is where I'm at too.

I find it so incredibly hard to get my shit together also to pursue medication again. The one doctor that is the expert ADHD doctor in my state and who diagnosed me takes a long time to get in to see and I have since moved over an hour away, etc. etc. 

Ironically, my ADHD makes it so much harder to actually address it and be proactive about trying to make it better. It is so frustrating.

I stopped taking adderall 3 years ago when my insurance changed and my doctor didn't accept my new insurance.  This thread is reminding me how much more together my life is when I'm medicated. 

Finding a new doctor and making an appointment seems so easy, and I feel stupid for living this way when it's so easy to make a change.  I totally get the frustration.

[lilac05]

sapphireblue, lightbulbsun, it’s a cruel irony. Calling a doctor for an eval was on my to-do list for literally years. I got in, then switched doctors because my first one sucked. Met with the new doctor twice, was supposed to go back to get med changed, but he had a family emergency and had to cancel. That was 2+ years ago. I never got around to rescheduling it. Then he moved his office. I called about a year later to FINALLY make an appointment, but they needed me to fill out a new patient thing online. Never happened.

[eb777888]

Mar 7, 2019 15:14:14 GMT -5 bugandbibs said:

Mar 7, 2019 11:50:58 GMT -5 eb777888 said:

That is a really low dose. My ten year old is on that dosage and it's considered a very low dose for even him. His doctor said he can increase up to 40mg and he's 80 lbs. I'd definitely increase the dose and see if that helps. Good luck!

Is he taking short acting or XR? DD1's doc is giving us pushback on increasing her dose from 30mg XR to 40mg XR and she's 16. It's been frustrating.

He’s taking the XR. His doctors pretty much leave it up to me if I want to increase, which I appreciate. I’d be really frustrated if I got push back when I knew he needed an increase.

[lostrn]

My 10 year old, 70-80 lb DS is on 15 mg XR Adderall. By the time he's home from school it's pretty much worn off. I think you may just need a bigger dose. DH takes 30 mg XR twice a day. That's fairly high from what I understand but I just wanted to give you a comparison.

[sapphireblue]

Mar 7, 2019 17:17:01 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

sapphireblue , lightbulbsun , it’s a cruel irony. Calling a doctor for an eval was on my to-do list for literally years. I got in, then switched doctors because my first one sucked. Met with the new doctor twice, was supposed to go back to get med changed, but he had a family emergency and had to cancel. That was 2+ years ago. I never got around to rescheduling it. Then he moved his office. I called about a year later to FINALLY make an appointment, but they needed me to fill out a new patient thing online. Never happened.

It is a cruel irony.

What you described here is pretty much just like me. Got the doctor's name and carried it around in my purse meaning to call him for probably a couple of years. I'd email myself at work so I would see it when I got in and call the doctor right away, etc. When I would finally actually call him, he is notoriously difficult to get in touch with. 

Meanwhile, my car repair place now has a website where you can go online and pick your available appointment time and do it all online. THAT I can take care of! i think the ADHD doctors would do well to develop some alternative methods of scheduling and so on that cater to their client population!

[lightbulbsun]

Mar 8, 2019 6:29:15 GMT -5 sapphireblue said:

Mar 7, 2019 17:17:01 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

sapphireblue , lightbulbsun , it’s a cruel irony. Calling a doctor for an eval was on my to-do list for literally years. I got in, then switched doctors because my first one sucked. Met with the new doctor twice, was supposed to go back to get med changed, but he had a family emergency and had to cancel. That was 2+ years ago. I never got around to rescheduling it. Then he moved his office. I called about a year later to FINALLY make an appointment, but they needed me to fill out a new patient thing online. Never happened.

It is a cruel irony.

What you described here is pretty much just like me. Got the doctor's name and carried it around in my purse meaning to call him for probably a couple of years. I'd email myself at work so I would see it when I got in and call the doctor right away, etc. When I would finally actually call him, he is notoriously difficult to get in touch with. 

Meanwhile, my car repair place now has a website where you can go online and pick your available appointment time and do it all online. THAT I can take care of! i think the ADHD doctors would do well to develop some alternative methods of scheduling and so on that cater to their client population!

Yes, I do sooo much better when I can make appointments online.  I don't know why.  It's not that I'm scared of the phone, since I call people for work all the time.  Anyone without ADHD reading this is probably like "WTF, just do it."  My goal for next week is to find a doctor that takes my insurance, and make an appointment. 

[lilac05]

Mar 8, 2019 10:50:47 GMT -5 lightbulbsun said:

Anyone without ADHD reading this is probably like "WTF, just do it."  My goal for next week is to find a doctor that takes my insurance, and make an appointment. 

Yes!  Hence why we end up feeling “Crazy, Lazy, and Stupid.”  It’s maddening.  I finally broke down in tears with my mom one day and said, “If it was as easy as just doing things, don’t you think I would have done it years ago?”  I wish it was that easy.  I wish I had gotten her brain instead of my dad’s.  (But then again, my ADHD brain has LOTS of perks, too!  I can problem solve with the best of the best and am NEVER bored!)

My psych wrote digital prescriptions, so I wouldn’t have had to actually go to the office to pick up the script all the time.  If only I had found the right one...

[hopecounts]

There are so many options now if you can stick with it you can absolutely find a good fit and dose.

Some people do better on non-stimulant options.

I have a friend who is on a stimulant patch and Ioves it.
Because it’s a patch and lasts up to 12 hrs she can put it on in the morning and leave it until evening (early enough for it to wear off but late enough that she doesn’t crash doing the evening stuff at home)

[yentl]

For me and being on Adderall, I noticed a difference with 10 mg fairly quickly, but the 20mg XR has really been the most effective. I find I have a more higher functioning form of ADHD in general though and I'm not surprised I didn't need a higher dose. For an adult, 10-15 mg is a pretty low dose and I think you can increase or change meds if needed and that should help.

I can't echo others enough in here about the hoops you have jump through to get and stay on medication and how someone with ADHD is set up to fail. The frustrating part for me is that they are paper prescriptions I have to drop off and then go back to the pharmacy once filled. Unlike every other medication I've ever been on, they will not automatically fill it and there are no refills. I get that it's a controlled substance but that is crazy making for me.

[lexxasaurus]

Mar 8, 2019 10:50:47 GMT -5 lightbulbsun said:

Mar 8, 2019 6:29:15 GMT -5 sapphireblue said:

It is a cruel irony.

What you described here is pretty much just like me. Got the doctor's name and carried it around in my purse meaning to call him for probably a couple of years. I'd email myself at work so I would see it when I got in and call the doctor right away, etc. When I would finally actually call him, he is notoriously difficult to get in touch with. 

Meanwhile, my car repair place now has a website where you can go online and pick your available appointment time and do it all online. THAT I can take care of! i think the ADHD doctors would do well to develop some alternative methods of scheduling and so on that cater to their client population!

Yes, I do sooo much better when I can make appointments online.  I don't know why.  It's not that I'm scared of the phone, since I call people for work all the time.  Anyone without ADHD reading this is probably like "WTF, just do it."  My goal for next week is to find a doctor that takes my insurance, and make an appointment. 

I don't have ADHD but struggle with other mental illness and I do this too. My psychiatrist has to cancel or I have to for some reason out of my control and it's on my to do list for way too long and I just.. don't get to it. It's frustrating that people look at it as laziness when that isn't what it is at all. I agree that online scheduling would be a huge blessing.
I hope you find a doctor that is a good fit!

ETA: lilac05 I told my mom this last weekend the same exact thing. Thanks dad, for my shitty genes. Why couldn't I have some sense of normalcy in my brain like she does? Hugs to everyone in this thread who struggles.

[pooh8402]

Mar 8, 2019 11:23:23 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

Mar 8, 2019 10:50:47 GMT -5 lightbulbsun said:

Anyone without ADHD reading this is probably like "WTF, just do it."  My goal for next week is to find a doctor that takes my insurance, and make an appointment. 

Yes!  Hence why we end up feeling “Crazy, Lazy, and Stupid.”  It’s maddening.  

Omg yes. My H should understand but he doesnt because he's been medicated for most of the past 25 years. I was only diagnosed 2.5 years ago, and have spent the majority of that time TTC or pregnant, so I've not had the chemical help that he has. It has been extremely difficult dealing with family, the house, work, grad school, and keeping up with 5 million dr appointments for everyone. I feel good when I just get to places on time but I do drop things or move them down my priority list. Because I just. Cant. Remember. Everything.

[sapphireblue]

Mar 8, 2019 11:23:23 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

Mar 8, 2019 10:50:47 GMT -5 lightbulbsun said:

Anyone without ADHD reading this is probably like "WTF, just do it."  My goal for next week is to find a doctor that takes my insurance, and make an appointment. 

Yes!  Hence why we end up feeling “Crazy, Lazy, and Stupid.”  It’s maddening.  I finally broke down in tears with my mom one day and said, “If it was as easy as just doing things, don’t you think I would have done it years ago?”  I wish it was that easy.  I wish I had gotten her brain instead of my dad’s.  (But then again, my ADHD brain has LOTS of perks, too!  I can problem solve with the best of the best and am NEVER bored!)

My psych wrote digital prescriptions, so I wouldn’t have had to actually go to the office to pick up the script all the time.  If only I had found the right one...

Agreed on all.

I can put myself in another person's shoes to really see why they are thinking "Just do it, pick up the phone. Make it happen." but it still isn't that easy.

I have been told I am a great "ideas person" and I am definitely never bored. I didn't identify those things with ADHD until your post. Interesting.

The digital prescriptions are a great idea!

[lilac05]

Mar 8, 2019 19:05:47 GMT -5 sapphireblue said:

Mar 8, 2019 11:23:23 GMT -5 lilac05 said:

I have been told I am a great "ideas person" and I am definitely never bored. I didn't identify those things with ADHD until your post. Interesting.

Yep!  These are common strengths of people with ADHD. It’s why many super successful entrepreneurs have ADHD (often with someone else doing their clerical work).  With my 8 year old, who I’m convinced also has ADHD-Inattentive, I call it being an “Outside of the box thinker.”  It’s also why we sometimes name a little off-the-wall things instead of common responses.  (Like naming a fruit, instead of apple, orange, banana, someone with ADHD may start with blueberries, peaches, and mangos.)  It’s a pretty cool feature of our wild little brains, and makes us more likely to gravitate towards careers that require more flexible thinking.

[downtoearth]

Sorry to revive this, but how long should you notice a difference and what did you notice? I am taking a slow release Adderall-type (Vyvanse) and have used for a few days, but I'm not noticing anything that isn't what I get from coffee and exercise in the morning.

I go back for a dose change in about a week, but also might look at a cheaper option (after insurance I think it will cost about $70/month and that's not doable right now). But what am I supposed to feel or notice?

[treschic]

Apr 16, 2019 10:52:26 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

Sorry to revive this, but how long should you notice a difference and what did you notice? I am taking a slow release Adderall-type (Vyvanse) and have used for a few days, but I'm not noticing anything that isn't what I get from coffee and exercise in the morning.

I go back for a dose change in about a week, but also might look at a cheaper option (after insurance I think it will cost about $70/month and that's not doable right now). But what am I supposed to feel or notice?

What mg are you taking? You might bump it up if it is low. I started at 20 and ended at 40. Vyvanse has a coupon that made it only $15 with my insurance.

[downtoearth]

Apr 16, 2019 12:17:10 GMT -5 treschic said:

Apr 16, 2019 10:52:26 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

Sorry to revive this, but how long should you notice a difference and what did you notice? I am taking a slow release Adderall-type (Vyvanse) and have used for a few days, but I'm not noticing anything that isn't what I get from coffee and exercise in the morning.

I go back for a dose change in about a week, but also might look at a cheaper option (after insurance I think it will cost about $70/month and that's not doable right now). But what am I supposed to feel or notice?

What mg are you taking? You might bump it up if it is low. I started at 20 and ended at 40. Vyvanse has a coupon that made it only $15 with my insurance.

I am at 20 mg/L, but have had a lot of caffeine for the last two days too. I sort of want to stop caffeine and see if that matters. Does it take a couple of hours to kick in or anything?

ETA: Might ask about the coupon at the pharmacy or through the doctor. Thanks.

[winecat]

downtoearth- It's weird. I can feel it kick in each morning. It's almost like I can feel my brain shifting gears from my typical morning haze to seeing what needs to be done and figuring out how to do it. I can direct myself vs staring off into space or going off into a rabbit hole. FWIW, Adderall didn't work for me. I'm on Ritalin.

[treschic]

Apr 16, 2019 13:47:39 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

Apr 16, 2019 12:17:10 GMT -5 treschic said:

What mg are you taking? You might bump it up if it is low. I started at 20 and ended at 40. Vyvanse has a coupon that made it only $15 with my insurance.

I am at 20 mg/L, but have had a lot of caffeine for the last two days too. I sort of want to stop caffeine and see if that matters. Does it take a couple of hours to kick in or anything?

ETA: Might ask about the coupon at the pharmacy or through the doctor. Thanks.

I’d say your dose is probably too low. When I first started taking it, I couldn’t have caffeine at all. It probably took about 30 min to kick in? It’s slow release so that could be your issue. I’m on Adderall now due to a change to high deductible insurance, and I’m only taking 5mg of it a day instead of the 20mg prescribed. That makes me think 20 of vyvanse is too low for what you need. You might talk to the dr to see what they think. You should be able to notice it working.

[stephogirl]

Apr 16, 2019 13:47:39 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

Apr 16, 2019 12:17:10 GMT -5 treschic said:

What mg are you taking? You might bump it up if it is low. I started at 20 and ended at 40. Vyvanse has a coupon that made it only $15 with my insurance.

I am at 20 mg/L, but have had a lot of caffeine for the last two days too. I sort of want to stop caffeine and see if that matters. Does it take a couple of hours to kick in or anything?

ETA: Might ask about the coupon at the pharmacy or through the doctor. Thanks.

Ask your doctor for the coupon. He/she should have it. Otherwise, there's a coupon directly from Vyvanse for $30/month. The doctor tends to have a better value coupon, though.


www.vyvanse.com/coupon-adult-adhd

[wildrice]

Apr 16, 2019 14:16:52 GMT -5 treschic said:

Apr 16, 2019 13:47:39 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

I am at 20 mg/L, but have had a lot of caffeine for the last two days too. I sort of want to stop caffeine and see if that matters. Does it take a couple of hours to kick in or anything?

ETA: Might ask about the coupon at the pharmacy or through the doctor. Thanks.

I’d say your dose is probably too low. When I first started taking it, I couldn’t have caffeine at all. It probably took about 30 min to kick in? It’s slow release so that could be your issue. I’m on Adderall now due to a change to high deductible insurance, and I’m only taking 5mg of it a day instead of the 20mg prescribed. That makes me think 20 of vyvanse is too low for what you need. You might talk to the dr to see what they think. You should be able to notice it working.

Why couldn't you have caffeine? Because it interfered with effectiveness, or did it make you feel jittery/crappy?

I'm asking because I recently re-started Ritalin and I've had varying side effects. Last week I was pretty sure my heart was going to beat out of my chest  (and fast!) and sometimes I crash really bad and feel like crap by the end of the day. A couple of other days I've been mostly normal. I'm trying to figure out how I can keep taking it without the anxiety and potential heart issues.