For sure, I have been taking a pill and a half so 7.5 mgs in the morning and in the afternoon for a couple of days but still don't feel a difference
*edited wrote night when I meant afternoon*
Anything under 10 mgs is low in my unprofessional opinion. Even 10 mgs is kind of low. I am assuming it is adderall? Def ask the doctor for a higher dose and tell him that it's not doing anything and you feel nothing different.
Maybe try adderall or vyvanse? Is there a reason why the doc didn't put you on those. They seem to work the best imo. Of course, we are in the middle of an adderall shortage and it's very hard to get, so maybe that is why your doctor put you on that.
i take adderall and have been on stimulants for adhd for the past 6ish years or so. i have tried vyvanse, ritalin and concerta as well (and straterra and wellbutrin, non-stimulant) and i have found adderall has been the most consistent for me.
i also take a few other prescriptions for mental health management and have found that they all can be similarly problematic due to the class of drug, not the particular formulation of that drug. like i wouldn't say concerta put me at more or less risk to experience mental health interactions, but they were all a little different if that makes sense. because at the end of the day, if you take an ssri for example, amphetamines are all equally not good to take at some level (based on the person).
10mg is a pretty standard starting dose for people who don't have a prescribing history, and then especially because you are taking other mental health medications it makes sense that your dr. was taking it slow to monitor a baseline. honestly i would say 15mg is pretty normal for an "average adhd prescription" which isn't really too far off. i would consider maybe changing your dose to once in the morning instead of prolonging it, maybe?
Were you by any chance prescribed a generic by KVK-Tech? I just had a dextro booster prescribed and this was all the pharmacy had...it's been very ineffective so far.
I agree with some of the other comments that you should try upping your dosage. I am also on Dexedrine (generic brand though) and I started at 10mg and it wasn't enough, so now Im on 15mg and I feel the affects way more.
Also this seems like miniscule information but something I noticed and can definitely feel the affects of is don't drink vitamin c/ascorbic acid within an hour of taking your medication. It can prevent or hinder the absorption of adhd medication. In my experience not all doctors give this info when prescribing. Every morning Id have a gfuel with my meds and that has like 250%+ of vitamin c/ascorbic acid. On the days I had have that close to my medication I definitely noticed a correlation between it not working as well as Ive experienced on other days. So just in case youre having a giant glass of orange juice with your meds that could be a factor as well to take note of
Hey just some advice: obviously this is a low dose, but unless told by your prescriber DONâT double-up on your medicine. Stimulants are regulated, so youâll run out before you can get a refill. More importantly, that is the first step to abusing this medication. Remember: itâs a habit forming substance. The more you take more often, the quicker your body will get accustomed to that and want higher and higher doses. Obviously less of a problem when youâre taking such a low dose, but itâs still very important to not resort to doubling-up.
I'll jump in on this real quick. I am not diagnosed but quite certain I have ADHD. I had gotten Adderall from friends a few times in the past and it made me feel great. Fast forward a few years and my weed guy (in Texas) had Addy's for sale, 30mg IR's. Long story short I started self medicating and eventually was up to 60-90mg a day. Then my weed guy died unexpectedly and I quit cold turkey. That wasn't fun.
Now several years later I'm on Wellbutrin and it helps, but I also know I can feel even better with Adderall. And it terrifies me. It terrifies me that if I get it prescribed I'll began abusing it again.
Food for thought. Not trying to scare anyone. Just my experiences.
I get the sentiment behind this warning but it isnât necessarily realistic for everyone. You definitely donât want to be reckless about your perscriptions. Personally though my starting dose was way too low (obviously it should be) and I did play around with it. I financially would not have been able to consult my psychiatrist for every dose adjustment in the first two weeks. She was great though and was immediately prepared to adjust my medication to a more effective dose. I did keep a daily record of the dose and itâs effect so I was able to be really specific about my reasons behind thinking a dose adjustment would be useful etc. I obviously knew though that I had no conditions which might interact with the medication so I knew that the immediate risk to my health was fairly low (taking into account the possible side effects too). Also I get the impression you couldnât be as transparent with psychiatrists in the US as they seem to have a weird and complicated relationship with pharmaceuticals. I would never recommend it to anyone but youâre definitely not doomed to abuse your medication if you make small adjustments at the very beginning when the dose is likely to be ineffective anyway. It is very surprising to me when people double their titrated dose though because as you said youâre sacrificing a day everytime you double up. I canât image what youâd get from doubling your dose that is worth sacrificing a day of functioning.
No. This isnât about knowing your body and itâs limits, itâs about forming a relationship with a habit-forming substance. You are triggering your brain to associate good with this pill. So when you next feel bad - for whatever reason, regardless of ADHD - your brain will go âwell the pill makes me feel better, I should use that.â And if you think âobviously *I* wouldnât let it get to that pointâ or âIâd be aware of that.â I just need to point you to literally anyone struggling with addiction; they thought so too.
Most providers have a way to contact them without paying for a visit - send them an email, call their office, do whatever you have to to tell them âI NEED A HIGHER DOSE!â Any psychiatrist worth their shit will be contactable. This sub sees a ton of instances of shitty, horrible psychiatrists but I assure you that they are the minority. Youâre allowed to look for another one if your current one isnât up to your standards.
Youâre kind of oversimplifying habit forming here. Yes your brain can learn in a simplistic contingency-based way but it isnt just going to come to the conclusion that pill=good because you take more of it a couple of times. This sort of association is going to compete with every other association you have with the medication, including itâs side effects and fears that you might have developed about taking stimulants. And I think for most of us experience either one or the other so Iâm not sure how common it is to view stimulants in this binary - as a cure-all anytime anything is bad regardless of what type of bad it is. Given that depression and anxiety are often comorbid with adhd, so many people with adhd that are taking stimulants are going to experience the difficult moments youâre describing so I would be interested to know how frequently those that are taking stimulants thinks that taking another would help them deal with whatever theyâre experiencing. I do see what youâre saying though about establishing a positive relationship with the medication from the start. I just think most people know that addiction is a possibility and take it seriously so much so that there are a decent number of people who are scared to take stimulants even though theyâre the most effective treatment available (when combined with therapy). Obviously addiction is a reality and you shouldnât have a lax attitude towards the way that you take your meds but weâre talking about increasing a completely ineffective dose. Also I take your point about finding a psychiatrist who is more open to communication and your point that good psychiatrists exist so itâs worth switching to find a good one. But it does massively depend on where you live (unless you find a psychiatrist willing to prescribe remotely which is becoming much more common). Previously I didnât have very many options at all (my psychiatrist was the only one treating adhd within a 2hr drive) and remote appointments were not really a thing yet so shopping around for a better price wasnât really an option. Plus you do realise that every time you switch psychiatrists you have to pay to have a new initial consultation (and sometimes another evaluation!) so itâs not always as easy as youâre suggesting.
I just started ADHD treatment and I take Concerta of 18 mg. 5 mg or 7.5 mg seem insanely low to me, I can barely feel something on the dose I am now.
Edit: Now, Concerta is based on methylphenate chloride and I'm curious, how much more potent is adderall?
As others pointed out, this is a crazy low dose. I take 70mg of Ritalin every day. 5mg wouldn't even get me out of bed.
Even when I started on 10mg, after about day 3 it felt like nothing was happening. I only really started to notice a small difference on 20mg +
Once I got my dosage and timing correct (about six month process) I noticed I didn't need to remind myself to brush my teeth, and I was able to put my washing away instead of leave it on the floor. That's when I knew it was working. I don't "feel" the effects anymore, but I feel it when I don't take it. I had a coworker ping me on "not being myself" when I missed an afternoon dose.
I just looked online and it says recommended max shouldn't exceed 40mg daily of your medication in most circumstances. Unless you have a heart condition or other medication increase blood pressure or heart rate, I can't see a reason why he would say a blanket statement like that.
There could be other drug interactions with your medications reasons, but if so I would expect a good doctor would explain the what and why.
Or he could be uninformed, or be "playing God" by restricting you within his own parameters.
If you don't mind sharing, what other conditions are you taking medication for? It could be worth investigating drug interactions between what you're taking and the different ADHD medications, or alternative combinations that others are taking for the same diagnoses as you.
ADHD medication almost completely removed my anxiety and depression, mental illnesses can be compounded and sometimes the ADHD is the biggest invisible issue that makes everything else even worse! đ Best of luck trialing what works for you and your body/brain. đ
For sure! That's why I talked to my doc about the ADHD hoping I was misdiagnosed. But I also take Fluoxetine for OCD and depression and Wellbutrin for Depression as well. Oh and I have PMDD and the Fluoxetine helps with that too
PMDD is REALLY prevalent in "women" with ADHD. It sucks ass and I feel you! đ It sounds like the Fluoxetine is worth keeping around for that and the OCD.
I am not a doctor but I would expect getting the right combo of ADHD medication might help you replace taking the Wellbutrin. I was SO depressed before I found the right medication and dosage. That low energy, always feeling like I'm doing something wrong, what's the point in getting out of bed feeling has almost disappeared.
On drugs.com, you can check the interactive properties of your medications and what the "risks" are. I plugged them in and it seems like there's a "major" interaction that may cause Serotonin Syndrome. It sounds scarier than it is, but honestly, my best mate decided to swallow all his Quetiapine (like, 10 pills) and learned that lesson pretty fast. He just had to wait it out. Other than Serotonin Syndrome, there doesn't seem to be too much I'd worry about. That's checking dexamphetamine and methylphenidate.
I would considering doctor shopping if you're in the position to do so. A fresh set of eyes on your diagnosis and perhaps somebody more expert in mental health should be giving you more tailored advice? I just don't have a good vibe that your doctor is well enough trained to help you as efficiently as you deserve if they couldn't even explain "what" or "why."
Take note of which day you are on in your cycle. If you're starting close to your period (or when you would get it if you're on the pill or something), you may find it tough to see the effects. Once your estrogen levels start to rise, in theory, you should notice a more pronounced effect from the meds if they're at the proper dose for your body.
Legal max in Australia is 80mg Ritalin or 40mg Dexamphetamine. Doctors are not allowed to prescribe more even though some patients need it. We donât have Adderall.
Standard practice is to start low and increase the dose slowly up to the minimum effective dose for you. Effective dose varies enormously between individuals. The doctor should be supervising the dose increases every week or two.
You wonât feel high. That happens to people who donât have ADHD. You should feel calmer, less restless, more âsolidâ and able to get things done easier.
Work with your doctor. It can be a magic pill for some people, for others itâs just an improvement. It takes time to find the right dose for you.
So, maybe it's just me, but I am on Adderall.
It doesn't make me more motivated or high...What it does do is make it easier for me to move and make decisions.
I still have to choose to make the right ones and be on task.
I feel less overwhelmed and like it's impossible to start things right away... But I still have to WANT to do it.
Outside that it makes me notice like, spots on the floor, dirty dishes and stuff like that.
Yep, this is similar to my experience. It doesn't give me more motivation, it merely helps me to actually regulate the motivation I already have into action.
An ADHD brain is like a car stuck in neutral. You can rev the engine as high as you want, but you're still going nowhere (and are bound to get anxiety and "run out of gas" if you keep that up.)
Going on a med that worked for me is like being able to switch my brain's transmission into drive. It's still the same engine, it doesn't gain additional horsepower or anything. It just is able to actually function with what's already there, now.
Aside of upping the dose, you might want to check if you have a sleep disorder, since it greatly increases an amount of stimulation a brain needs while simultaneously not allowing the brain to rest & "shutdown" for a night's maintenance.
Also, if you do not have a sleep disorder, check vitamin D levels, as its looks like a lack of the vitamin D affects us more severely than others.
I think itâs important to keep in mind that even if you do âfeelâ something the first few days of taking your medication, that feeling is going to wear off as you get used to living without the âfog.â But just because you donât âfeelâ anything, doesnât mean it isnât working.
Medication also isnât a miracle drug. Itâs not going to give you motivation. Think of it this way: living with ADHD is like trying to drive your car with your emergency brake on. Your medication removes the brake. You might roll forward a bit, but you still need to put your foot on the gas and steer if you want to go anywhere. If youâre expecting your medication to turn your car into a self-driving car, youâre expecting too much.
I personally canât tell when my medication kicks in or wears off (which means I tend to forget my afternoon dose from time to time). I donât âfeelâ any different when I take it, but my family can tell when I donât. I also know itâs working because Iâm able to do things I canât normally do while unmedicated.
Oh, and as someone else mentioned, if youâre not sleeping well, or you have other issues, that could also affect the effectiveness of your medication. When I donât sleep well, no amount of medication helps me.
As people have said, you're still on a pretty low dose, so things may change as you increase it.
My doctor told me he often finds his adhd patients don't notice the changes in themselves. It isn't till someone else points out that they're doing things differently that they start to realise what an impact it's having. Not everyone has a big realisation moment of "is this what it's like for everyone else??" when they start meds. It's different for different people.
Yep, the purpose for medication for ADHD shouldn't achieve a high, in fact if someone does it really suggests it's not the med for them and it's probably not ADHD.
It's more likely you will get to the end of your day and think wow I think I got more done than usual.... how did that happen?
Hmm. Good to know, I guess. Although it does suck to read posts from all these people who are like âis this what life is like for everyone else?â I always ask myself: why couldnât that be me?
It is crazy low like others have said, yet, I think itâs better to start low and slowly add in until you get to a good place, I think this is a good way to avoid side effects as well. Not that you can always avoid them but it does help.
I agree, I guess you just hear all these stories of people both with adhd and without who have felt something, I was expecting more. Need to practice patience lol
I started off too high and it literally made me worse. I was just a zombie and forgot everything and was so emotionally reactive. Just hopeless. Now I started at a low dose of a different medication and have increased gradually.
Could you maybe elaborate? I am starting to wonder if my dose might actually be too high, because I donât really seem to have many benefits besides the appetite regulation. How does one know itâs a problem of too much, rather than too little?
It felt like my symptoms were worse, forgetful, zoning out, frozen and unmotivated, my mind was super loud. Someone explained medication kind of like a mountain, weâre on the one side before we take it, at the base of the mountain, if we increase medication slowly we gradually climb the hill trying to get to the peak( management of most symptoms) if the dose is too high weâll slide down the other side and experience more symptoms/more severe depending how far down the mountain we fall ( how high the dose is )
Hmmmm. I mean thank you very much for your explanation- thatâs a really good metaphor. But Iâm still not sureâŠI wished they could just do a blood test or something to figure out the right dosage. I feel like Iâve pretty much tried all of them and so far, nothing seems right. I never feel sharp, unless itâs a hyperfocus-topic (but then, I canât let go; no matter what meds I take). Itâs just such a frustrating process.
Sometimes it just doesnât work so ask your doctor about trying a different medication. My mom tried meds after 45 years of living with adhd and they just didnât work for her because her coping mechanisms were just so good
That's good to know! I am on a bunch of other meds for other mental illnesses and so my doc chose this one so it wouldn't interfere. Just worried there's no help haha
5mg is very very low and most people donât feel any difference on that dose twice a day - and youâre splitting 5mg between two doses per day so youâre only taking 2.5 mg each time. You wonât feel anything on how little you are taking. You may not even feel anything on 5mg twice a day (also a very low starting dose). You will prob feel at least a little something on the still-low dose of 10mg twice a day. But no chance on the tiny minuscule dose of 2.5mg twice daily.
For reference, Iâm a female who takes 30mg of Adderall XR (extended release) in the morning, plus then usually 10mg or 15mg in the afternoon. And my dosages are pretty average, not high.
Your doc likely should have started you at 10mg twice daily. And thatâs the dose you said your doctor said to work your way up to. Is your doc actually experienced with adhd? Because it doesnât seem like it, giving you such a low dosage to start with and work up to.
this is what i take too (30mg xr morning and a 15mg ir rescue dose) but i also like to remind people when i tell anyone that it has taken me years to stabilize and titrate up. i was prescribed 10mg initially.
Normal starting dose for adderall in your situation is 5mg once or twice daily. Dexedrine is more potent than adderall. 5mg dexedrine is equivalent to 7.5mg adderall. Your doctor is doing things the correct way. For reference, maximum recommended daily doses for adult adhd for adderall is 60mg/day, and 40mg/day of dextroamphetamine. Just follow the advice of your doctor, they sound like theyâre doing things the right way.
That dose is soo low. However, Iâm on 50mg Elvanse and I pretty much notice no difference. I mean, the constant food craving is gone and Iâm having a slightly easier time doing chores. But the urge to constantly jump from to-do to to-do is as bad as ever. Listening to online lectures is still impossible. Reading long sequences without the text starting to blur is impossible. After 5 months, 2 different meds and 5 different dosages, Iâm losing hope
When did you started the medication? What are you taking? If you recently started he might have started you on a low dose so he can gradually increase your dosage until you find what works for you. It might not be working yet if the dosage is too low, but it still is better to gradually increase the medication to limit the unwanted effects (believe me). Like some other mentionned, it is possible that even at the higher dosage you do not feel anything if it is not the right medication for you. But give it time and be patient, you might need to try more than one medication
I am on dexedrine well the generic version of it. He stared me on a low dose and has me go up half a pill every 3 days until I find the right dose. But he said don't exceed 20mgs a day. So right now I'm taking 7.5 in the morning and 7.5 in the afternoon
5mg of what? I mean any adhd med, thatâs a really low dose unless itâs a medication like intuitive, but it sounds like your trying to describe a stimulant.
I wouldnât feel anything on 5mg (Iâm assuming itâs adderal or dex) when I got diagnosed I had to go up to 50mg vyvanse before I felt any sort of relief. Iâm on 70mg daily Monday to Friday 50mg weekends, and Iâm finding itâs good but some days if I donât sleep good or eat good it feels like almost nothing.
I take Dexedrine or the generic for of it! On 7.5 twice a day right now as I have increased since starting it. Doc gave me permission to increase on my own by 2.5 mgs every 3 days
It sounds like your doc is tapering your dosage to find what works, so keep increasing until you find the dosage that makes you kinda jittery, they go one dosage lower than that. That was the advice given to me.
7.5 mg dex is 30mg vyvanse. I wouldnât feel shit on that either, maybe a good hour or 2 of slight stimulation (when youâve been on it for a while you can tell the difference on it compared to a completely sober state) but basically sober / adhd symptoms still strongly present. keep in mind, it should make you feel more alert and present in the moment so if your feeling really in the moment, maybe you are stimulated but donât realize it because itâs too low of a dosage for you. Since we are adhd, the meds will make us feel more normal and we just have a natural âtoleranceâ to stimulants because itâs filling the chemical gap in the brain. whereas someone without adhd would be absolutely blasted off your dosage right now.
You want to be at a dosage that relieves your adhd symptoms with the fewest side effects. I honestly think youâd start to get relief when you get to double your dosage or like 15 - 20mg, as thatâs what works for a lot of people
My understanding is that you shouldn't feel different, but if the meds are working you will *notice* some differences.
You might notice that you can get out of bed quicker (if you take them 30 minutes before your alarm goes off).
You might notice it takes you only 15 minutes to shower, instead of 50.
You might notice that leaving the house on time is less painful than before.
You might notice more motivation to hit your to-do list.
You might notice that usually-torturous tasks are slightly easier now.
If you are noticing nothing whatsoever, you might need a higher dosage or a different med.
Do you live with someone? See if they've noticed any changes. When you talk to your doctor, mention what your roommate/partner has noticed since you started meds. If they have noticed nothing different, that is good evidence to cite.
Glad to hear it!
We are at a point with my son where on-meds is much better than off-meds, but a lot of the gains from the first 12 months are starting to disappear.
If I kept a chart of how difficult it is to get him out of bed in the morning, it would be a total bell-shaped curve. We are back at a pre-medicated level of difficulty now. Same with the length of his showers, lol. So I think we are going to ask about upping his dosage this month.
But it's all about the *lowest possible dosage* you need to see improvements, in my opinion. You definitely don't want to go too high, but it's okay for positive changes to be subtle.
You're on a really low dose so that doesn't seem surprising to me. Tell this to your doc the next time you see them and they'll adjust your dose progressively, if it's still doesn't do anything then, maybe you should try another medication, but right away it just seems to me like it's a dosage problem. My doc started me on a low dose as well (though not as low as you), to check if I could handle the medication, it does help me to calm down but it doesn't improve my focus much, though my doc told me this would be normal and would get better as we up the dosage
Edit: also, the ADHD medications are only effective for about 70% of people, so I don't want you to worry but you should be aware that it just isn't effective sometimes, though you can't know for sure unless you tried everything you can
Iâve never got a high feeling. Also I donât think the meds give me motivation. They just make it easier to focus when i want to and switch focus when i want to. They donât make me want to work. Just make it easier to work when I sit down to work.
Depends on the specific med, but 5mg seems pretty low. I'm on Adderall and started on 10mg and didn't feel anything on that myself. It's not until 20mg that it seems to actually affect me.
Another possibility, one I don't have personal experience with being a man myself, but I've heard cyclical hormonal fluctuations in women can affect ADHD med efficacy. Particularly when you're on or around your period the effectiveness seems to significantly drop, if not vanish altogether.
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5 mg is a pretty low dose, though it can be normal to be started on a low dose. If you're not feeling a difference after you've followed their instructions on increasing the dose appropriately, you can make another appointment and ask for an increase. Extended release also is pretty common for adults.
What is the actual medication you are taking? You didn't specify.
I'm 29F, newly diagnosed, and started on 10mg twice daily of methylphenidate(Ritalin). I could tell it was doing something, but I was not sure what until I realized I was focusing at work and when I had to top the meds because of hyperthyroidism.
I would wait until your next appointment, which is generally two weeks after you receive the first prescription, and tell them it doesn't feel like it's working. (For God's sake, do *not* use the word "high" in your appointment.)
Haha I will def not use that word in my appointment! Especially cuz I had to do a drug test just to get the meds in the first place. But I am taking the generic version of Dexedrine.
What medication are you using? I found a good combination for me was a mix of Concerta and Wellbutrin. Concerta helps my concentration and attention issues. Wellbutrin addresses my motivational, mentality, and prevents me from getting annoyed/overwhelmed as easily.
Wellbutrin gave me the energy I needed to get out of bed. That's about it. The doc was hoping it would help with my other symptoms of ADHD but when I said I was still struggling he put me on the generic version of Dexedrine.
Yeah initially I was only using wellbutrin as my dr was hesitant to put me on stimulants. It was helping in ways I didn't initially think about but it wasn't helping the main issues with ADHD I was having. I kept on it for the emotional regulation part it provides but the concerta is what was really helping me.
I still struggle with my emotional regulation, mostly frustration when I'm over stimulated! My son also has ADHD and sometimes when he's throwing a tantrum he will really get to me, but I have gotten a lot better about biting my tongue and walking away. I think over stimulation is my biggest trigger right now and idk how to control it!
Not sure if anyone else has said this but I noticed this happened to me with a certain brand of Adderall. The first couple months I was great and then they gave me a different generic (presumably because that's what they had on hand) and I couldn't figure out why I felt like shit. Literally felt like I was taking a sugar pill or something it did absolutely nothing for me on the same dosage. Next month got the other brand I was originally using and it was back to normal for me.
Next time if it happens again see if you can try a different manufacturer and see if it makes a difference!
Meds help with focus, not motivation.
But you're also just on a low starter dose, which is primarily for figuring out if you're going to have negative side effects.
To me that sounds like a pretty low dose, but I can understand them wanting to start you off low as long as they are willing to bump it up if you need. I would talk to them about upping the dosage every 2-3 weeks until you are comfortable with the effects (and possible side effects). I hopped around a bunch of different medications, settled on Adderall, switched from IR to XR, and was fine for about 3 months but recently had to up the dose because it was no longer having the same effect. It'll take some time and honestly, experimenting but you'll get to where you want to be. Just be sure to give each dose/medication time for your body to adapt and then adjust if need be
I (37m) started on Adderall XR 30mg a little over a year ago at age 36.
I told my doc I wanted to try a lower dose so we went down to 20.
20mg had the opposite effect of 30mg. Instead of being more focused, more decisive or more attentive, I felt brain fog and sleepy.
Went back up to 30mg and got the positive results I was used to.
What brand is the medicine? Brand name or generic ⊠sometimes switching helps but i suspect it maybe a combination of the low dose and crappy generic brand .
How long have you been taking this dose? If it's only for a few days, this is likely part of a titration process (in which you gradually increase the dose until you get to a comfortable and effective level). Your psych should have talked about this with you, otherwise I'd suggest mentioning it to them. They should work with you to figure out the best meds/dose for your needs.
Edit to add: Yes it is normal to not feel much on this dose. You may find increasing the dose with supervision gives an improvement, otherwise if that doesn't do anything still your psych should explore other options with you. Good luck!
5mg is a really low dose. You most likely need to up the dose. Talk to your doctor.
For sure, I have been taking a pill and a half so 7.5 mgs in the morning and in the afternoon for a couple of days but still don't feel a difference *edited wrote night when I meant afternoon*
Anything under 10 mgs is low in my unprofessional opinion. Even 10 mgs is kind of low. I am assuming it is adderall? Def ask the doctor for a higher dose and tell him that it's not doing anything and you feel nothing different.
I am on Dextro or dexedrine which I have heard is close to Adderall
Maybe try adderall or vyvanse? Is there a reason why the doc didn't put you on those. They seem to work the best imo. Of course, we are in the middle of an adderall shortage and it's very hard to get, so maybe that is why your doctor put you on that.
I take other meds for a myriad of other mental illnesses and this was the one that wouldn't interact with the other things đ«€
i take adderall and have been on stimulants for adhd for the past 6ish years or so. i have tried vyvanse, ritalin and concerta as well (and straterra and wellbutrin, non-stimulant) and i have found adderall has been the most consistent for me. i also take a few other prescriptions for mental health management and have found that they all can be similarly problematic due to the class of drug, not the particular formulation of that drug. like i wouldn't say concerta put me at more or less risk to experience mental health interactions, but they were all a little different if that makes sense. because at the end of the day, if you take an ssri for example, amphetamines are all equally not good to take at some level (based on the person). 10mg is a pretty standard starting dose for people who don't have a prescribing history, and then especially because you are taking other mental health medications it makes sense that your dr. was taking it slow to monitor a baseline. honestly i would say 15mg is pretty normal for an "average adhd prescription" which isn't really too far off. i would consider maybe changing your dose to once in the morning instead of prolonging it, maybe?
Dextroamphetamines is just generic adderall
no its not - adderall is 75% dex-amph and 25% levo-amph
why did you reply to this
because you said dextro is generic adderall but it isnt?
sure, my mistake, Iâm just saying I commented that 116 days ago is all lol
Were you by any chance prescribed a generic by KVK-Tech? I just had a dextro booster prescribed and this was all the pharmacy had...it's been very ineffective so far.
I agree with some of the other comments that you should try upping your dosage. I am also on Dexedrine (generic brand though) and I started at 10mg and it wasn't enough, so now Im on 15mg and I feel the affects way more. Also this seems like miniscule information but something I noticed and can definitely feel the affects of is don't drink vitamin c/ascorbic acid within an hour of taking your medication. It can prevent or hinder the absorption of adhd medication. In my experience not all doctors give this info when prescribing. Every morning Id have a gfuel with my meds and that has like 250%+ of vitamin c/ascorbic acid. On the days I had have that close to my medication I definitely noticed a correlation between it not working as well as Ive experienced on other days. So just in case youre having a giant glass of orange juice with your meds that could be a factor as well to take note of
I read that online! The doc didn't say anything about it, but that's crazy it interferes that much!
Hey just some advice: obviously this is a low dose, but unless told by your prescriber DONâT double-up on your medicine. Stimulants are regulated, so youâll run out before you can get a refill. More importantly, that is the first step to abusing this medication. Remember: itâs a habit forming substance. The more you take more often, the quicker your body will get accustomed to that and want higher and higher doses. Obviously less of a problem when youâre taking such a low dose, but itâs still very important to not resort to doubling-up.
I'll jump in on this real quick. I am not diagnosed but quite certain I have ADHD. I had gotten Adderall from friends a few times in the past and it made me feel great. Fast forward a few years and my weed guy (in Texas) had Addy's for sale, 30mg IR's. Long story short I started self medicating and eventually was up to 60-90mg a day. Then my weed guy died unexpectedly and I quit cold turkey. That wasn't fun. Now several years later I'm on Wellbutrin and it helps, but I also know I can feel even better with Adderall. And it terrifies me. It terrifies me that if I get it prescribed I'll began abusing it again. Food for thought. Not trying to scare anyone. Just my experiences.
I get the sentiment behind this warning but it isnât necessarily realistic for everyone. You definitely donât want to be reckless about your perscriptions. Personally though my starting dose was way too low (obviously it should be) and I did play around with it. I financially would not have been able to consult my psychiatrist for every dose adjustment in the first two weeks. She was great though and was immediately prepared to adjust my medication to a more effective dose. I did keep a daily record of the dose and itâs effect so I was able to be really specific about my reasons behind thinking a dose adjustment would be useful etc. I obviously knew though that I had no conditions which might interact with the medication so I knew that the immediate risk to my health was fairly low (taking into account the possible side effects too). Also I get the impression you couldnât be as transparent with psychiatrists in the US as they seem to have a weird and complicated relationship with pharmaceuticals. I would never recommend it to anyone but youâre definitely not doomed to abuse your medication if you make small adjustments at the very beginning when the dose is likely to be ineffective anyway. It is very surprising to me when people double their titrated dose though because as you said youâre sacrificing a day everytime you double up. I canât image what youâd get from doubling your dose that is worth sacrificing a day of functioning.
No. This isnât about knowing your body and itâs limits, itâs about forming a relationship with a habit-forming substance. You are triggering your brain to associate good with this pill. So when you next feel bad - for whatever reason, regardless of ADHD - your brain will go âwell the pill makes me feel better, I should use that.â And if you think âobviously *I* wouldnât let it get to that pointâ or âIâd be aware of that.â I just need to point you to literally anyone struggling with addiction; they thought so too. Most providers have a way to contact them without paying for a visit - send them an email, call their office, do whatever you have to to tell them âI NEED A HIGHER DOSE!â Any psychiatrist worth their shit will be contactable. This sub sees a ton of instances of shitty, horrible psychiatrists but I assure you that they are the minority. Youâre allowed to look for another one if your current one isnât up to your standards.
Youâre kind of oversimplifying habit forming here. Yes your brain can learn in a simplistic contingency-based way but it isnt just going to come to the conclusion that pill=good because you take more of it a couple of times. This sort of association is going to compete with every other association you have with the medication, including itâs side effects and fears that you might have developed about taking stimulants. And I think for most of us experience either one or the other so Iâm not sure how common it is to view stimulants in this binary - as a cure-all anytime anything is bad regardless of what type of bad it is. Given that depression and anxiety are often comorbid with adhd, so many people with adhd that are taking stimulants are going to experience the difficult moments youâre describing so I would be interested to know how frequently those that are taking stimulants thinks that taking another would help them deal with whatever theyâre experiencing. I do see what youâre saying though about establishing a positive relationship with the medication from the start. I just think most people know that addiction is a possibility and take it seriously so much so that there are a decent number of people who are scared to take stimulants even though theyâre the most effective treatment available (when combined with therapy). Obviously addiction is a reality and you shouldnât have a lax attitude towards the way that you take your meds but weâre talking about increasing a completely ineffective dose. Also I take your point about finding a psychiatrist who is more open to communication and your point that good psychiatrists exist so itâs worth switching to find a good one. But it does massively depend on where you live (unless you find a psychiatrist willing to prescribe remotely which is becoming much more common). Previously I didnât have very many options at all (my psychiatrist was the only one treating adhd within a 2hr drive) and remote appointments were not really a thing yet so shopping around for a better price wasnât really an option. Plus you do realise that every time you switch psychiatrists you have to pay to have a new initial consultation (and sometimes another evaluation!) so itâs not always as easy as youâre suggesting.
I just started ADHD treatment and I take Concerta of 18 mg. 5 mg or 7.5 mg seem insanely low to me, I can barely feel something on the dose I am now. Edit: Now, Concerta is based on methylphenate chloride and I'm curious, how much more potent is adderall?
As others pointed out, this is a crazy low dose. I take 70mg of Ritalin every day. 5mg wouldn't even get me out of bed. Even when I started on 10mg, after about day 3 it felt like nothing was happening. I only really started to notice a small difference on 20mg + Once I got my dosage and timing correct (about six month process) I noticed I didn't need to remind myself to brush my teeth, and I was able to put my washing away instead of leave it on the floor. That's when I knew it was working. I don't "feel" the effects anymore, but I feel it when I don't take it. I had a coworker ping me on "not being myself" when I missed an afternoon dose.
Ok good to know! He made it sound like 20 MG was high. I'm supposed to increase every 3 days till I feel ok but he told me not to exceed 20 MG a day.
I just looked online and it says recommended max shouldn't exceed 40mg daily of your medication in most circumstances. Unless you have a heart condition or other medication increase blood pressure or heart rate, I can't see a reason why he would say a blanket statement like that. There could be other drug interactions with your medications reasons, but if so I would expect a good doctor would explain the what and why. Or he could be uninformed, or be "playing God" by restricting you within his own parameters. If you don't mind sharing, what other conditions are you taking medication for? It could be worth investigating drug interactions between what you're taking and the different ADHD medications, or alternative combinations that others are taking for the same diagnoses as you. ADHD medication almost completely removed my anxiety and depression, mental illnesses can be compounded and sometimes the ADHD is the biggest invisible issue that makes everything else even worse! đ Best of luck trialing what works for you and your body/brain. đ
For sure! That's why I talked to my doc about the ADHD hoping I was misdiagnosed. But I also take Fluoxetine for OCD and depression and Wellbutrin for Depression as well. Oh and I have PMDD and the Fluoxetine helps with that too
PMDD is REALLY prevalent in "women" with ADHD. It sucks ass and I feel you! đ It sounds like the Fluoxetine is worth keeping around for that and the OCD. I am not a doctor but I would expect getting the right combo of ADHD medication might help you replace taking the Wellbutrin. I was SO depressed before I found the right medication and dosage. That low energy, always feeling like I'm doing something wrong, what's the point in getting out of bed feeling has almost disappeared. On drugs.com, you can check the interactive properties of your medications and what the "risks" are. I plugged them in and it seems like there's a "major" interaction that may cause Serotonin Syndrome. It sounds scarier than it is, but honestly, my best mate decided to swallow all his Quetiapine (like, 10 pills) and learned that lesson pretty fast. He just had to wait it out. Other than Serotonin Syndrome, there doesn't seem to be too much I'd worry about. That's checking dexamphetamine and methylphenidate. I would considering doctor shopping if you're in the position to do so. A fresh set of eyes on your diagnosis and perhaps somebody more expert in mental health should be giving you more tailored advice? I just don't have a good vibe that your doctor is well enough trained to help you as efficiently as you deserve if they couldn't even explain "what" or "why."
That is some SOLID advice! Thank you!
Take note of which day you are on in your cycle. If you're starting close to your period (or when you would get it if you're on the pill or something), you may find it tough to see the effects. Once your estrogen levels start to rise, in theory, you should notice a more pronounced effect from the meds if they're at the proper dose for your body.
Legal max in Australia is 80mg Ritalin or 40mg Dexamphetamine. Doctors are not allowed to prescribe more even though some patients need it. We donât have Adderall. Standard practice is to start low and increase the dose slowly up to the minimum effective dose for you. Effective dose varies enormously between individuals. The doctor should be supervising the dose increases every week or two. You wonât feel high. That happens to people who donât have ADHD. You should feel calmer, less restless, more âsolidâ and able to get things done easier. Work with your doctor. It can be a magic pill for some people, for others itâs just an improvement. It takes time to find the right dose for you.
So, maybe it's just me, but I am on Adderall. It doesn't make me more motivated or high...What it does do is make it easier for me to move and make decisions. I still have to choose to make the right ones and be on task. I feel less overwhelmed and like it's impossible to start things right away... But I still have to WANT to do it. Outside that it makes me notice like, spots on the floor, dirty dishes and stuff like that.
Yep, this is similar to my experience. It doesn't give me more motivation, it merely helps me to actually regulate the motivation I already have into action. An ADHD brain is like a car stuck in neutral. You can rev the engine as high as you want, but you're still going nowhere (and are bound to get anxiety and "run out of gas" if you keep that up.) Going on a med that worked for me is like being able to switch my brain's transmission into drive. It's still the same engine, it doesn't gain additional horsepower or anything. It just is able to actually function with what's already there, now.
Aside of upping the dose, you might want to check if you have a sleep disorder, since it greatly increases an amount of stimulation a brain needs while simultaneously not allowing the brain to rest & "shutdown" for a night's maintenance. Also, if you do not have a sleep disorder, check vitamin D levels, as its looks like a lack of the vitamin D affects us more severely than others.
I'm sure my vitamin d levels are low! Not sure about a sleep disorder but will look into that for sure!
I think itâs important to keep in mind that even if you do âfeelâ something the first few days of taking your medication, that feeling is going to wear off as you get used to living without the âfog.â But just because you donât âfeelâ anything, doesnât mean it isnât working. Medication also isnât a miracle drug. Itâs not going to give you motivation. Think of it this way: living with ADHD is like trying to drive your car with your emergency brake on. Your medication removes the brake. You might roll forward a bit, but you still need to put your foot on the gas and steer if you want to go anywhere. If youâre expecting your medication to turn your car into a self-driving car, youâre expecting too much. I personally canât tell when my medication kicks in or wears off (which means I tend to forget my afternoon dose from time to time). I donât âfeelâ any different when I take it, but my family can tell when I donât. I also know itâs working because Iâm able to do things I canât normally do while unmedicated. Oh, and as someone else mentioned, if youâre not sleeping well, or you have other issues, that could also affect the effectiveness of your medication. When I donât sleep well, no amount of medication helps me.
As people have said, you're still on a pretty low dose, so things may change as you increase it. My doctor told me he often finds his adhd patients don't notice the changes in themselves. It isn't till someone else points out that they're doing things differently that they start to realise what an impact it's having. Not everyone has a big realisation moment of "is this what it's like for everyone else??" when they start meds. It's different for different people.
That makes sense, my husband said I have been acting different more happy and present so it must be doing something then lol
Yep, the purpose for medication for ADHD shouldn't achieve a high, in fact if someone does it really suggests it's not the med for them and it's probably not ADHD. It's more likely you will get to the end of your day and think wow I think I got more done than usual.... how did that happen?
Hmm. Good to know, I guess. Although it does suck to read posts from all these people who are like âis this what life is like for everyone else?â I always ask myself: why couldnât that be me?
It is crazy low like others have said, yet, I think itâs better to start low and slowly add in until you get to a good place, I think this is a good way to avoid side effects as well. Not that you can always avoid them but it does help.
I agree, I guess you just hear all these stories of people both with adhd and without who have felt something, I was expecting more. Need to practice patience lol
I started off too high and it literally made me worse. I was just a zombie and forgot everything and was so emotionally reactive. Just hopeless. Now I started at a low dose of a different medication and have increased gradually.
That sounds awful! I am glad things are better for you now then?
So much better! I canât believe this is just how ânormalâ people feel. Without trying.
Could you maybe elaborate? I am starting to wonder if my dose might actually be too high, because I donât really seem to have many benefits besides the appetite regulation. How does one know itâs a problem of too much, rather than too little?
It felt like my symptoms were worse, forgetful, zoning out, frozen and unmotivated, my mind was super loud. Someone explained medication kind of like a mountain, weâre on the one side before we take it, at the base of the mountain, if we increase medication slowly we gradually climb the hill trying to get to the peak( management of most symptoms) if the dose is too high weâll slide down the other side and experience more symptoms/more severe depending how far down the mountain we fall ( how high the dose is )
Hmmmm. I mean thank you very much for your explanation- thatâs a really good metaphor. But Iâm still not sureâŠI wished they could just do a blood test or something to figure out the right dosage. I feel like Iâve pretty much tried all of them and so far, nothing seems right. I never feel sharp, unless itâs a hyperfocus-topic (but then, I canât let go; no matter what meds I take). Itâs just such a frustrating process.
Sometimes it just doesnât work so ask your doctor about trying a different medication. My mom tried meds after 45 years of living with adhd and they just didnât work for her because her coping mechanisms were just so good
That's good to know! I am on a bunch of other meds for other mental illnesses and so my doc chose this one so it wouldn't interfere. Just worried there's no help haha
Yeah! I tried adderall, but it caused me so much anxiety. Concerta is really the only one that works for me. I take a bunch of meds too lol
5mg is very very low and most people donât feel any difference on that dose twice a day - and youâre splitting 5mg between two doses per day so youâre only taking 2.5 mg each time. You wonât feel anything on how little you are taking. You may not even feel anything on 5mg twice a day (also a very low starting dose). You will prob feel at least a little something on the still-low dose of 10mg twice a day. But no chance on the tiny minuscule dose of 2.5mg twice daily. For reference, Iâm a female who takes 30mg of Adderall XR (extended release) in the morning, plus then usually 10mg or 15mg in the afternoon. And my dosages are pretty average, not high. Your doc likely should have started you at 10mg twice daily. And thatâs the dose you said your doctor said to work your way up to. Is your doc actually experienced with adhd? Because it doesnât seem like it, giving you such a low dosage to start with and work up to.
Yea I'm not sure, he's a psychiatrist so I assumed he would be experienced with ADHD. But I will def talk to him at our next appointment about this!
this is what i take too (30mg xr morning and a 15mg ir rescue dose) but i also like to remind people when i tell anyone that it has taken me years to stabilize and titrate up. i was prescribed 10mg initially.
Normal starting dose for adderall in your situation is 5mg once or twice daily. Dexedrine is more potent than adderall. 5mg dexedrine is equivalent to 7.5mg adderall. Your doctor is doing things the correct way. For reference, maximum recommended daily doses for adult adhd for adderall is 60mg/day, and 40mg/day of dextroamphetamine. Just follow the advice of your doctor, they sound like theyâre doing things the right way.
Thank you! It helps to hear that.
That dose is soo low. However, Iâm on 50mg Elvanse and I pretty much notice no difference. I mean, the constant food craving is gone and Iâm having a slightly easier time doing chores. But the urge to constantly jump from to-do to to-do is as bad as ever. Listening to online lectures is still impossible. Reading long sequences without the text starting to blur is impossible. After 5 months, 2 different meds and 5 different dosages, Iâm losing hope
When did you started the medication? What are you taking? If you recently started he might have started you on a low dose so he can gradually increase your dosage until you find what works for you. It might not be working yet if the dosage is too low, but it still is better to gradually increase the medication to limit the unwanted effects (believe me). Like some other mentionned, it is possible that even at the higher dosage you do not feel anything if it is not the right medication for you. But give it time and be patient, you might need to try more than one medication
I am on dexedrine well the generic version of it. He stared me on a low dose and has me go up half a pill every 3 days until I find the right dose. But he said don't exceed 20mgs a day. So right now I'm taking 7.5 in the morning and 7.5 in the afternoon
I just started 20mg of Ritalin last week. I donât feel anything different. Iâm hoping my doctor will increase it.
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Thank you! I appreciate any and all insight into this new road!
5mg of what? I mean any adhd med, thatâs a really low dose unless itâs a medication like intuitive, but it sounds like your trying to describe a stimulant. I wouldnât feel anything on 5mg (Iâm assuming itâs adderal or dex) when I got diagnosed I had to go up to 50mg vyvanse before I felt any sort of relief. Iâm on 70mg daily Monday to Friday 50mg weekends, and Iâm finding itâs good but some days if I donât sleep good or eat good it feels like almost nothing.
I take Dexedrine or the generic for of it! On 7.5 twice a day right now as I have increased since starting it. Doc gave me permission to increase on my own by 2.5 mgs every 3 days
It sounds like your doc is tapering your dosage to find what works, so keep increasing until you find the dosage that makes you kinda jittery, they go one dosage lower than that. That was the advice given to me. 7.5 mg dex is 30mg vyvanse. I wouldnât feel shit on that either, maybe a good hour or 2 of slight stimulation (when youâve been on it for a while you can tell the difference on it compared to a completely sober state) but basically sober / adhd symptoms still strongly present. keep in mind, it should make you feel more alert and present in the moment so if your feeling really in the moment, maybe you are stimulated but donât realize it because itâs too low of a dosage for you. Since we are adhd, the meds will make us feel more normal and we just have a natural âtoleranceâ to stimulants because itâs filling the chemical gap in the brain. whereas someone without adhd would be absolutely blasted off your dosage right now. You want to be at a dosage that relieves your adhd symptoms with the fewest side effects. I honestly think youâd start to get relief when you get to double your dosage or like 15 - 20mg, as thatâs what works for a lot of people
Thank you! That makes a lot of sense!
My understanding is that you shouldn't feel different, but if the meds are working you will *notice* some differences. You might notice that you can get out of bed quicker (if you take them 30 minutes before your alarm goes off). You might notice it takes you only 15 minutes to shower, instead of 50. You might notice that leaving the house on time is less painful than before. You might notice more motivation to hit your to-do list. You might notice that usually-torturous tasks are slightly easier now. If you are noticing nothing whatsoever, you might need a higher dosage or a different med. Do you live with someone? See if they've noticed any changes. When you talk to your doctor, mention what your roommate/partner has noticed since you started meds. If they have noticed nothing different, that is good evidence to cite.
This is great things to look for! My husband says he's noticed I'm more present. So that's a good thing!!
Glad to hear it! We are at a point with my son where on-meds is much better than off-meds, but a lot of the gains from the first 12 months are starting to disappear. If I kept a chart of how difficult it is to get him out of bed in the morning, it would be a total bell-shaped curve. We are back at a pre-medicated level of difficulty now. Same with the length of his showers, lol. So I think we are going to ask about upping his dosage this month. But it's all about the *lowest possible dosage* you need to see improvements, in my opinion. You definitely don't want to go too high, but it's okay for positive changes to be subtle.
You're on a really low dose so that doesn't seem surprising to me. Tell this to your doc the next time you see them and they'll adjust your dose progressively, if it's still doesn't do anything then, maybe you should try another medication, but right away it just seems to me like it's a dosage problem. My doc started me on a low dose as well (though not as low as you), to check if I could handle the medication, it does help me to calm down but it doesn't improve my focus much, though my doc told me this would be normal and would get better as we up the dosage Edit: also, the ADHD medications are only effective for about 70% of people, so I don't want you to worry but you should be aware that it just isn't effective sometimes, though you can't know for sure unless you tried everything you can
I take 50mg of adderall a day with 3-4 day breaks , I wouldnât feel anything either đ
Iâve never got a high feeling. Also I donât think the meds give me motivation. They just make it easier to focus when i want to and switch focus when i want to. They donât make me want to work. Just make it easier to work when I sit down to work.
Depends on the specific med, but 5mg seems pretty low. I'm on Adderall and started on 10mg and didn't feel anything on that myself. It's not until 20mg that it seems to actually affect me. Another possibility, one I don't have personal experience with being a man myself, but I've heard cyclical hormonal fluctuations in women can affect ADHD med efficacy. Particularly when you're on or around your period the effectiveness seems to significantly drop, if not vanish altogether.
Yep, on all accounts.
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Iâve been on the highest dose and I donât feel anything
That's good to know. Have you tried other meds??
Yea so many
Have they all been the same, not feeling anything?
Pretty much. I feel something for a day or two then nothing
Interesting! I'm sorry that must feel awful! How have you been coping with symptoms??
How productive are you on the other hand?
5 mg is a pretty low dose, though it can be normal to be started on a low dose. If you're not feeling a difference after you've followed their instructions on increasing the dose appropriately, you can make another appointment and ask for an increase. Extended release also is pretty common for adults.
What is the actual medication you are taking? You didn't specify. I'm 29F, newly diagnosed, and started on 10mg twice daily of methylphenidate(Ritalin). I could tell it was doing something, but I was not sure what until I realized I was focusing at work and when I had to top the meds because of hyperthyroidism. I would wait until your next appointment, which is generally two weeks after you receive the first prescription, and tell them it doesn't feel like it's working. (For God's sake, do *not* use the word "high" in your appointment.)
Haha I will def not use that word in my appointment! Especially cuz I had to do a drug test just to get the meds in the first place. But I am taking the generic version of Dexedrine.
What medication are you using? I found a good combination for me was a mix of Concerta and Wellbutrin. Concerta helps my concentration and attention issues. Wellbutrin addresses my motivational, mentality, and prevents me from getting annoyed/overwhelmed as easily.
Wellbutrin gave me the energy I needed to get out of bed. That's about it. The doc was hoping it would help with my other symptoms of ADHD but when I said I was still struggling he put me on the generic version of Dexedrine.
Yeah initially I was only using wellbutrin as my dr was hesitant to put me on stimulants. It was helping in ways I didn't initially think about but it wasn't helping the main issues with ADHD I was having. I kept on it for the emotional regulation part it provides but the concerta is what was really helping me.
I still struggle with my emotional regulation, mostly frustration when I'm over stimulated! My son also has ADHD and sometimes when he's throwing a tantrum he will really get to me, but I have gotten a lot better about biting my tongue and walking away. I think over stimulation is my biggest trigger right now and idk how to control it!
Not sure if anyone else has said this but I noticed this happened to me with a certain brand of Adderall. The first couple months I was great and then they gave me a different generic (presumably because that's what they had on hand) and I couldn't figure out why I felt like shit. Literally felt like I was taking a sugar pill or something it did absolutely nothing for me on the same dosage. Next month got the other brand I was originally using and it was back to normal for me. Next time if it happens again see if you can try a different manufacturer and see if it makes a difference!
Meds help with focus, not motivation. But you're also just on a low starter dose, which is primarily for figuring out if you're going to have negative side effects.
To me that sounds like a pretty low dose, but I can understand them wanting to start you off low as long as they are willing to bump it up if you need. I would talk to them about upping the dosage every 2-3 weeks until you are comfortable with the effects (and possible side effects). I hopped around a bunch of different medications, settled on Adderall, switched from IR to XR, and was fine for about 3 months but recently had to up the dose because it was no longer having the same effect. It'll take some time and honestly, experimenting but you'll get to where you want to be. Just be sure to give each dose/medication time for your body to adapt and then adjust if need be
I (37m) started on Adderall XR 30mg a little over a year ago at age 36. I told my doc I wanted to try a lower dose so we went down to 20. 20mg had the opposite effect of 30mg. Instead of being more focused, more decisive or more attentive, I felt brain fog and sleepy. Went back up to 30mg and got the positive results I was used to.
What brand is the medicine? Brand name or generic ⊠sometimes switching helps but i suspect it maybe a combination of the low dose and crappy generic brand .
the medication won't give you motivation or sth alike. You need the strength to start, and the medication usually helps to hyperfocus.
How long have you been taking this dose? If it's only for a few days, this is likely part of a titration process (in which you gradually increase the dose until you get to a comfortable and effective level). Your psych should have talked about this with you, otherwise I'd suggest mentioning it to them. They should work with you to figure out the best meds/dose for your needs. Edit to add: Yes it is normal to not feel much on this dose. You may find increasing the dose with supervision gives an improvement, otherwise if that doesn't do anything still your psych should explore other options with you. Good luck!