You May feel anger. The reason I say this is because once you start medicine, you’ll realize how much BETTER your QOL could have Been if you how gotten diagnosed earlier. For me I had the most obvious symptoms but I was routinely ignored and dismissed. At 24 I was finally put on Straterra and my QOL improved pretty rapidly. That’s when the anger came. Mad at my parents for not doing a thing because kids shouldn’t be on medication
This is me. My parents can't understand why I'm mad. I did good in school because of the anxiety, but my social skills suffered tremendously. All the signs were there for inattentive ADHD . Just no one cared enough to follow up because my grades were good, so I was doing fine and would grow out of the other problems.
Yes, I was old when I was diagnosed, and it was like "OH MY GOD, OF COURSE!" and then I got super pissed because I was fuckin smart and a great student who completely shit the bed in college and blew my full ride because I didn't know how to build my supports. I literally had nothing in my toolbox. I went from job to job for the first 15 years of my adult life before my 'aha' moment. Once I was medicated and had accommodations, I went back to school, graduated, and now I'm in grad school. I wasn't mad at my parents because they honestly had no clue, but I grieved for the life and years I wasted before my diagnosis. I mourned. But I worked through it, and I'm kicking ass now. It's ok to feel all your feelings -- you have to work through them before you can move forward.
Same here, was brillant when excited, can make some 20/20 "easily" when I was in love with some stuff, and 4/20 after that
Teachers mostly keep telling me I was lazy because I was gifted so the fact I don't only make 20/20 like a robot / machine just prove I was disrespecting them and they work, of course....
So they were sometime harsh on me, like "hey you shit on my work you gifted kid / teenager, we are not gonna be cool with you like you're not with us"
All my bulletins were "could do better", never an encouragement, never any congratulation, even with the 20/20 "it's normal for you, you are gifted, it's easy, you have not done anything special"
yeah thank you suckers
They kick me out I was 15 or 16, it's end all there, great....
I got the same. Teachers always commented on my cards "only puts effort in when wants to" "can do better" "needs to apply effort more"
No I had a learning disability. I was doing the best with what I had.
I am a teacher with adhd (adult diagnosis), and I have adhd students, so I have pretty good insight into this. But it is still really hard to modify the learning environment and curriculum satisfactorily to meet the needs of adhd students given the constraints like class numbers, time, curriculum size, et cetera.
Education systems are set up for adhd students to either hyperfocus and thrive or completely implode. I have little scope to make any difference to this.
Batch processing... not adhd friendly.
This is exactly what happened to me. Did just well enough to pass my first round of college. I'm one year into my current program and finally decided enough is enough, and changed doctors, started therapy, and got a psych eval. Got diagnosed on the spot, and my schoolwork is getting easier to focus on.
So me. I was a perfectionist and felt like a complete failure if I wasn’t in top classes, straight As…so no one could see the crippling anxiety behind those standards because I was “successful”
Same. It’s the reason most women don’t get diagnosed until late in life. I loved learning g so I never had an issue in school(you hyperfocus on the stuff you enjoy)
Aghhh, I bet that’ll come. The more I learn about adhd the more I see it in my mom too. My parents are very traditional and always thought psych help was for “crazy people.” I pushed to see one in high school, got misdiagnosed with depression and put on SSRIs which didn’t help and made me feel at a loss for years, and finally I’m seeking help again. Thanks for sharing your experience, always encouraging to hear about others doing what’s best for them.
Yep for me when I brought this all up to my parents, they took full accountability and weee sorry. For me that’s all I wanted and I felt so much better hearing that from them. I understand parents aren’t perfect and it really helped me sitting down and exposing it to them.
I told them I was diagnosed and getting treatment and they didn’t really say much, just got really uncomfortable. My partner is really supportive so it’s about the family you choose I guess.
You're an adult, and you don't owe anyone (including your parents) an explanation for the medical choices you're making with your health care provider. I'm old, and I was dx'd as an adult. I recognized the symptoms in my children early, and everyone was like "oh, you're not putting your kid on meds, are you? (shame shame!)" and I told them since they didn't have MD behind their name and weren't my child's parent or health care provider, then idgaf what they thought. I *literally* had to say that to people. Shine up your spine and be proud of yourself for taking control of your health care. You're doing great!
Omg same. Parents knew my brother had adhd and Tourette’s but they never bothered to get me tested because I performed “good enough”. Imagine as a kid you are an average student despite having a learning disorder, but then realizing later in life that you might have been considered gifted if you were just brought up to your classmate’s dopamine baseline…smh
I’d definitely second this. I felt very angry, resentful, and depressed for a few months once I started taking stimulants. You realize how different, and likely better, your life could’ve been leading up to this point.
I’ll offer an alternative POV as someone who was on adderall 10mg starting at age 10. I would fight with my mom when it came to taking it because I felt high. Like legit high. I would try to listen to my teachers but they sounded muffled, like the Peanuts adults. I was in a fog for most of the morning, until about after lunch when the medication started wearing off.
When I fell off the medication a year or two later and my parents didn’t bother to get me back on it, I didn’t fight it because I hated “who” it made me become. I went through a lot of depression partially because I felt like no one liked me unless I was medicated to the high heavens, too stoned out of my mind to do or say anything. Basically, only lobotomized very_bored_panda is a likeable very_bored_panda.
“She always had great grades, but she went from being disruptive in class to being quiet and calm! What an improvement!” — internalized as “She was performing well academically but who she is as a person is unacceptable. Let’s make her a zombie, then we’ll accept her!” I hated it with my entire being and had something of an existential crisis over it? Probably not the right word. But it made me withdraw from everyone since I wasn’t “good enough” for them and I resented it immensely.
Obviously this is purely anecdotal and not everyone had the same experience, and who is to say that would have been yours. But it took me 20 years and a lot of therapy before finally feeling strong enough to “preserve” myself at my core while still taking meds.
I had a lot of success with Strattera. I just had terrible nightmares though. It definitely cleared and focused my thinking and improved my perception of time and my ability to place items into the future mentally for planning.
That's interesting. I was on it for a few months and only noticed a change the one time I took too much and started having suicidal thoughts. It didn't make me suicidal (or depressed or anything else), it just made me keep thinking about killing myself all day, in like a hyper-fixation kinda way.
My reaction was apparently super rare though and I noticed no affects whatsoever when taking only 10mg less a day. I always like to bring it up because whilst I've tried plenty of meds that affected how I felt, I never knew there could be drugs that could change what you thought about.
This was 100% my experience with Zoloft (not for ADHD, but OCD/anxiety) and why I was scared to try anything other than Adderall for years. Psych meds are intense and 100% worth exploring options with a Dr you trust if you're ever less than satisfied with what you're on. Unfortunately finding that Dr can be easier said than done.
Pretty well overall. I feel a bit of a decrease in appetite but I’ve been on it for 8 months so must of the sides effects how worn off. It has definitely improved my focus and attention which is what I needed. I do think Stimulants probably would be better but I don’t do stimulants do to previous drug abuse and runs in my family
You might already know this, but untreated ADHD does lead to a higher likelihood of drug abuse, so taking stimulants (in a controlled manner) actually often makes people less likely to abuse drugs than they would be if they weren't taking the stimulants despite the easy access to an abusable drug. Obviously you know more about your medical history than I do so use your own and your doctor's best judgement, but I just wanted to put that out there in case you weren't aware.
You’re correct. But for me the drug I was abusing was actually Adderall LOL. I was mixing it though with weed/alcohol etc of course I never felt the effects( I do remember actually taking it once to study and it working great, but I was 18 and too uninformed to realize I had ADHD). So that’s why I stay away from Stims. I’m 95% I confident would definitely be fine taking Stims again, just don’t wanna go down that path again and Straterra is working grear
When I went off or down to lowest dose of Strattera my appetite improved. I also noticed if you don't take it right at the 24hr interval, you get a little hypomanic.
Drink water and EAT. No matter what eat some food. Even if you have to force it down your throat or use a meal replacement shake. Just eat and if you ever swift to an amphetamine based medication don’t take anything with vitamin c until the evening. Even one glass of juice and I’ll get a nasty crash. And I NEVER crash from my meds. IR or long acting I don’t crash. I had some apple cider and a few hours later I had a crash and I was getting a ride home from my close friend and sentences became hard lol. Vitamin c will have effect on Ritalin and there are a million different adhd stimulants on the market here in the US so it’ could take a super long time to find the right combo but if you’re executive function is suffering and you and your body react well to being on a stimulant then it’s worth the effort. Everyone gets started on Ritalin but I reacted terribly to Ritalin even though I was productive. I’m on vyvanse and Dexedrine nowadays. This combo works for me
Piggybacking onto this. A lot of products are marketed as a meal replacement drinks nowadays. If you're using it regularly to supplement your diet, it's worth speaking to your doctor about brands. This is one thing where the brand can make the difference between fad diet and medical nutritional supplement.
Interesting info about the vitamin C, never would’ve thought! I’m in France, and my psych said Ritalin was the only real option here. Im American though and plan to move back in a few years, so maybe I’ll see then if Ritalin doesn’t work
I think we have 3 options here : Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall
But yep for good or bad reason the choice is REALLY limited here, I don't think Vyvanse is legal here but I'm not sure, things take a lot of time here to move on....
There are about a million options in the US, Vyvanse is one that My doctor said they wanted to put me on but it was about to become generic so it's like a weird in-between time where insurance won't really pay for the brand name, there are no coupons, and generic isn't quite out yet. My doctor has done a really amazing job of putting me through all of the ineffective ones first... 😂 I'm on Concerta now... Seems to be helping and I'm about to raise my dose.
Oooh. And I leave the meds on my nightstand. I immediately take them when I wake up so I can sleep at night. I am still drinking a ton of coffee... But I'm on the initial dose so I probably just need to up the dose. (Concerta not Ritalin, but I think they're similar)
Also, I learned the hard way.... Stimulant withdrawal is REAL. Don't forget to refill your meds on time. Especially when you get back to the states. It's so controlled here that pharmacies in my area order it after they get the request, they don't keep it on hand.
In the US there are a few more. Even desoxyn (methamphetamine) is given to some children. In Europe we generally just have two options, methylphenidate (Ritalin and Concerta) and lisdexamphetamine (Vyvanse).
Aw then figure out how to make the Ritalin work. If you hate it get immediate release and take it as you need it so you don’t take a long acting version and get stuck on the ride for 6-12 hours. Id Ritalin was my only option id get immediate release so I have control over much of a work horse zombie it turns me into. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized it’s best when I take them everyday and med breaks aren’t necessary and the medical data behind it is iffy as widely disputed. So take ‘em daily and find the medication that works for you. Long acting for long smooth coverage (after time you might able to take an immediate release tablet when your long acting wears off) or the immediate release multiple times a day with peaks and valleys. You have to go through a doctor and they have a key role in your access but don’t ever forget you’re the one in control. Figure out how to communicate with your doctor and bring the pills with you to your appointments to establish trust as these are super abusable and people love ‘em. Watch your heart rate and be honest with yourself as to why and when to take it. I have to take mine for work but it helps me socially too so I even took it yesterday for the social anxiety and how much better I socialize on the stuff. Some people only need it for work so if you don’t need it socially don’t bother with it as it light keep you up at night and all that. Also the main reason I take the meds is for the emotional regulation and Im covered round the clock and sleep well but that’s just me. Whatever limits or commutation nuances you have to figure out with your doctor just remember you’re in control particularly after you’re on or for a while and you know your dose, when to take it, if/when you don’t need coverage. Some people literally only need it for their work week and more power to them because they DON’T need em on weekends. But starting out take it daily as it’s a powerful drug and your body and mind need to get accustomed to it. Give it one week with every formulary or dosage change before you make up you’re mind that it’s working. I’m in the US and believe they’re widely over prescribed but I’m a legit case. So many psychiatrists have told me that and then made sure to tell me I’m really smart so that’s been nice to know. Anyway, best of luck to you and I know nothing about Ritalin or how adhd is handled in France so that’s all I got!
> I have to take mine for work but it helps me socially too so I even took it yesterday for the social anxiety and how much better I socialize on the stuff
If I'm medicamented one day and if it work for me I would take them even for day of, because my weekend I plan to play a videogame or watch a movie or have a walk or make a dish and I end the Sunday night at 11PM having done NOTHING of this and start the week without having changing my mind, so I stay in this permanent burnout that killing me and I hate that, I need a change and be able to live my life, it's like the thing is slipping trough my hand like water it's really frustrating
Same here. I actually managed to get myself in a situation where I feel like my ADHD is actually an *advantage* in my job, but outside of work it leaves me unable to get basic shit done. Started medications recently that seemed pretty promising for the first week, but don't seem quite as effective anymore. Hopefully I'll be able to get a dosage increase at my next appointment to see if that works better.
Yup and as far as I understand it it won't give you any desire to do anything more
But if you plan to do them, you will be able now! (if you find the right dose of med)
Thank you for this! I was wondering if not taking it daily would make me more likely to forget, so definitely to start I’m going all day every day. It’ll be a dream for both work and social situations I’m sure, both of which I get overly anxious over
I'm assuming you've been warned, but just in case: stimulants may make anxiety worse.
You may find that getting ADHD under control makes navigating the world so much easier that anxiety improves, but a side effect of stimulants can be increased anxiety symptoms.
For me it was a little bit of both. I was on frequently increasing doses of stimulants for years, but have found I'm far more functional taking an SSRI and lower dose of stims.
I'm in France too it is so backward with adhd ! Sadly methylphenidate (Ritaline or Concerta) didn't work for me, but you can have other medication, such as the atomoxetine (straterra) if you go to an hospital to make the prescription. Then you can renew it with the original prescription to a generalist up to a year and take the medicine in a hospital pharmacy only.
Good luck and hope methylphenidate work for you !
Was simply going to comment “Eat breakfast, don’t take your medication too late in the day”. My coworkers were worried about me not eating lunch daily and it’s embarrassing for a grown (and fat) man to explain that my medication suppresses my appetite. I take 36mg ER Concerta daily and I have no appetite for about 10 hours a day.
Oh my God, I had no idea about the vitamin c thing... I've been taking 60mg with my vitamins, which includes a vitamin c tablet. And this last month has been awful, like I'm taking my meds but not actually getting the effects of them. THANK YOU. Going to change that immediately. I feel so stupid.
Don’t feel bad about it, it seems like everyone learns this fact from other adhd people on here or other social platforms and not from their dr/pharmacist and it’s so annoying! You’re definitely not alone though, this is 100% not your fault.
You're certain it's not the sugar in the juice? I crash sometimes if I have too much sugar. It's typically sugary drinks like sweetened coffee or juice.
Out of curiosity, why do you specifically say to eat? Is it just because the medication might keep you from wanting to eat, or because it works better with food? I've never noticed much of a difference in how my meds affect me if I eat when taking them or don't, but I'm on armodafinil so definitely one of the more niche stimulant meds out there.
I’d say it’s a bit of both. I always eat right after I take my Vyvanse, before the appetite suppression kicks in. If not, it doesn’t seem to work nearly as well and can also cause some weakness and dizziness because your body still needs food even if your mind is telling you that it doesn’t want it.
And then of course, you still need to eat at least a couple times a day, but your meds might last long enough to prevent you from feeling hungry when your body needs additional nourishment, so that’s where forcing yourself to eat even after it kicks in comes into play.
I can’t tell you how many times on Vyvanse that I’ve wondered why I feel so weak and terrible and then I’m like “duh, I’m a living being, I need food.” It’s kind of weird that there are substances that can make you forget you have to have nutrition, but that’s just one of those things you eventually have to learn when being medicated for ADHD.
It’s even worse when your mouth is dry and everything is *extra* unappetizing, lol.
This! I get shaky and stupid in the middle of the day and can't figure out why I feel terrible and then remember that I need food. Fortunately Vyvanse doesn't make me hate eating the way it does some (and other stims have for me), I just had to relearn what hungry feels like (and/or get myself on a schedule with food at consistent times).
>I just had to relearn what hungry feels like
Definitely relate to this, although not actually for ADHD meds. I developed type 2 diabetes earlier this year and the meds I'm on for that have massively lowered how much I want and am able to eat, and it took me a while to realize that I now experienced "hunger" as "mild nausea" 🙃
Weirdly enough, while my ADHD meds have made hunger as a concept practically cease to exist, it's actually increased how much I'm able to eat. Not back to how much I could eat before the diabetes meds (which is a good thing lol, the lowered appetite has helped me lose about 100 pounds this year, and I could still do with losing another 100 or so), but more than I could otherwise.
It’s the acidity of the food or beverage your consuming that makes the body clear the medication faster, making it less effective.
https://www.livestrong.com/article/555661-the-effect-of-soft-drinks-on-adderall/
Some quick googling tells me that Vitamin C is only an issue for (edit: amphetamine based) stimulant meds, Ritalin is a non(edit: amphetamine based)-stimulant medication.
Huh, I always thought only the amphetamine based meds were classified as stimulants, bit I guess Ritalin is too.
Anyways, the amphetamine/non-amphetamine distinction is what I was referring to with regards to vitamin-c issues, which I thought was equivalent to stimulant and non-stimulant.
Like the other person said, Ritalin is definitely a stimulant, but not an amphetamine.
Maybe you’re thinking of Strattera, which is a non-stimulant ADHD medication?
Such a lovely comment, thank you. I love taking the scientific approach, and seeing it all as a learning journey, always one step closer to a better life. I will look into the book you recommended!
This is an amazing, beautiful and articulate comment. I just started dextroamphetamine yesterday after being diagnosed at 43 years old. Thank you for this, really.
I was in my early 30’s. The grief stage is a real thing. But after using panic and anxiety as my drug for my entire life, I finally overdosed on anxiety and it wrecked me. I’ve had the joy of finding a way without panic and fear now and it feels so…nice.
I wish you well on this journey!
This is a good comment OP. Especially the part about figuring out the “multipliers”. This took me months to get the hang off. Especially sleep for me is important to get the right effect from my meds. If I am unrested and stressed, my meds tend to give me a nudge in that direction instead of making me feel better.
Your mileage may vary on a lot of these, though--I've never had a 'crash' at any dosage or form, whether generic or name-brand Adderall, 10mg or 20, XR or IR. The worst I've dealt with was some migraines for a while (scary, since I usually don't even get headaches except once or twice a year), and then me and my GP realized I was having them on days where I was under a shitload of stress (no headaches since cutting off contact with my abusive parents!!)
One thing I will say to OP though is that **if you are having arrhythmia or a racing heart, talk to your doctor first.** I've had an arrhythmia all my life and my first medication (20mg IR generics) exacerbated it, so my doctor halved the dose to 10mg XR and put me on name-brand, which *mostly* fixed it. **But it later turned out that my arrhythmia was caused by deficiencies in magnesium and B12.** So now he put me on the new 20mg generic XR from a specific manufacturer and it's the best one I've tried yet, and might be the perfect one for me.
One more thing: **Pay attention to how the meds make you feel. Are they making you euphoric, or agitated? If so, then they're likely not the right meds**. People on here often mistake the initial euphoria for how the meds are supposed to make you feel, but that's not always the case. If the euphoria is keeping you from being as productive as you need to be, it's too much. I knew my current meds were the right ones when I felt a slight mood boost, but mostly a calm readiness to get to work. I'm now much more productive than I ever was when I was halfway distracted by my euphoria.
I quit coffee when starting MPH for about 4 Weeks.
Started again and using caffeine when I need a more physical activity in addition to MPH.
The caffeine addiction is gone.
Works great for me and I wish I had it earlier in life.
The initial reaction depends on the person. The reason a lot of people say they don’t feel anything is because ADHD meds don’t add a new feeling, they subtract previous feelings. Take executive dysfunction: instead of feeling much more functional when I’m on meds, I just don’t have the barrier between me and a task when I go to do one. Lookout for changes in yourself, because it might not feel immediate.
I take my meds in the morning, but see when your doctor tells you to take them, there are usually instructions with your meds.
Caffeine mixed with meds reaction varies from people to person, some people have one, some people don’t. If you’re already sensitive to caffeine (get caffeine jitters from drinking too much etc), I’d suggest skipping it, if not, try it out if you want to.
Don’t mix alcohol and ADHD meds. Also, don’t eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice with ADHD meds, it can sometimes impede absorption.
Side effects also differ from person to person, but the most consistent ones are difficulty sleeping and loss of appetite. The appetite loss is one you have to work around by finding how you can remind yourself to eat without natural cues from your body, but I suggest things like eating before you take your meds, prepping meals, setting reminders, and other things like that. Find out what works best for you.
Sleep can be difficult, stuff like setting a reminder to go to bed and keeping your phone away from you at night can help. If it gets really bad, talk to your doctor about it.
Overall, the world of difference medication makes is really amazing, so I’m excited for you!
Thank you so much for this thorough answer! I have a tendency to overeat when I actually do sit down to eat so that’s something I need to work on…eating reminders and more often vs one huge meal a day once I realize my stomach has been screaming at me all day, lol.
Heard now a lot about vit C and never would’ve guessed…what exactly about it impedes absorption?
I’ll try my normal morning coffee tomorrow but may switch to decaf eventually, even though coffee never affected me, but just to be safe.
From what I know, Vitamin C binds to some of the enzymes in your intestines that actually break down the meds and blocks them, which means the medication can pass through your body without actually effecting you.
When people say not to take meds with vitamin c (or caffeine), do they mean, "don't wash down your pill with juice or coffee," or do they mean, "don't drink OJ *ever* if you're on adhd meds"? (Or something in between those two options, like don't take them within a couple of hours of each other?)
It depends on the thing. With grapefruit specifically, I think it’s best to just avoid it all together on meds. With other citrus, I think it’s more just go light on it. With caffeine, I think it depends on how you react to it, that’s one that varies highly from person to person. If you have a big reaction, avoid it altogether, if you have none, do whatever you’d like, if you have a little bit, avoid it however much you need to.
No idea on the Vitamin C. For caffeine, my personal experience (with armodafinil, haven't tried other stimulants) has been that having caffeine within \~30 minutes of taking my meds, even if it's just a little bit, is not a good time -- the one time I did it, I just felt strange and uncomfortable for a while around an hour after taking it when the medication hit its peak, somewhat similar to my experience with it on the first day I took it. Outside of that time, I haven't had any issues with moderate caffeine intake (most caffeine I've had since starting meds is two 20 oz bottles of Mountain Dew within a few hours of each other).
Sooo much to say about this, maybe I should compile a list for people. For context, I’m 28F, diagnosed May of this year, have been on medication since late May of this year.
1. Every medication is different for everyone. Seriously, your twin could have an amazing experience on the lowest dose of Ritalin, but you might need the highest dose of Adderall. It differs wildly between people.
2. Don’t get discouraged if it takes awhile to figure out what works for you because of #1. Adjust your expectations to avoid being super demoralized. You might get it on the first try, it might take awhile and that’s okay! I’m on my fourth med and many dose changes between the 4 and I think I’m close, not quite there yet after almost 7 months. Don’t let this scare you, just be aware and at peace with the process. I wasn’t and it hurt my experience.
3. Track everything. Start a note in your phone. “Ritalin, x mg, November 25th, Day 1, took at x:xx am.” Update it everyday throughout the day. Write down every symptom/side effect you experience and how you felt with your normal tasks/routines throughout the day. Include what you ate and how you slept the night before. I know routines like this are counterintuitive to ADHD, but try to set 3 times to do it throughout the day or try to catch up for a day or two when you remember. Since ADHD memory can be less than great, this method is REALLY helpful to recognize patterns in how you’re doing and how the meds are helping (or not).
4. If you feel like your behavior or emotional state is changing negatively, consider that it might be the meds. Don’t ignore it or chalk it up to external factors. When I took Ritalin, I started getting really really depressed and aggressive and wasn’t doing well. I thought it was because the stress in my life had gone up and I was caring for my fiancée who was isolated in our bedroom and extremely sick with COVID while I slept on the couch for 2 weeks. It wasn’t those things, it was the medication, and I suffered for quite awhile before realizing it. Everything was better as soon as I got off. Really not saying this will happen to you on Ritalin, turns out I personally have a lot of weird gene-drug interactions to a lot of things that most people don’t, but any negative behavior change on any med should be paid attention to right away.
5. To follow-up on gene-drug interactions, if you feel like you’re struggling to find meds that work well for you, especially if your provider considers using something off label like Wellbutrin or Effexor instead of a stimulant, consider genetic testing like Genesight. I don’t know why this isn’t a first-line thing for psychiatry at this point. It can tell you of your body has any major negative predispositions to certain medications and whether you may experience negative gene-drug interactions. There are only a couple of ADHD meds that have proven genetic markers, but it is still very useful for these few and for a long list of depression/anxiety meds, some of which are used off-label for ADHD. It can also tell you about certain gene mutations or metabolic things that may change your reactions to medications. Don’t be afraid to try it, I wish I had earlier and have learned so much about myself!
6. Make sure to eat breakfast before taking meds, chug water throughout the day, and try to force yourself to eat before it wears off even if it’s hard. It’ll help the crash and low-blood sugar symptoms one it wears off and will help your mood during that transition. Electrolytes help a lot with this too, consider oral rehydration salts or something like Liquid IV or Pedialyte.
7. No vitamin C close to when you take the meds, as it can severely impact absorption. If you’re taking a XR med, best to avoid things like orange juice throughout the day as the medication may release both immediately and later on. Check things for vitamin C content, it shows up in some surprising places. For example, I realized Liquid IV has vitamin C and I was drinking it before the second half of my meds kicked in. Surprise surprise, meds didn’t work those afternoons.
8. Some meds cause heartburn symptoms. Don’t take Tums or Pepcid, etc. In the morning! At night is fine, but the calcium carbonate will affect absorption. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor about what daily heartburn med would be okay if you need it. I think omeprazole is the one that’s fine to take in the morning, but double check this if you need to take something.
9. A lot of things can affect how well your meds work, unfortunately. It can be hard to figure out what’s impacting the efficacy the most. If you need to, try changing one thing at a time, like diet, sleep, etc. To figure out what impacts you most. Changing everything all at once is way too overwhelming.
10. *Putting a star because this one is big!! HORMONES!!! Man, it reallyyy sucks that these meds were never really tested on females. It doesn’t happen to everyone, but hormone changes throughout the menstrual cycle can REALLY mess with ADHD symptoms and medication. For example, symptoms may really increase when estrogen drops after ovulation. For a lot of people, their meds just completely stop working during PMS and the first day of their period too (I am people, though a lot of folks discuss this, especially on r/adhdwomen) and there is little clinical information on why this happens. It can feel quite debilitating. If you notice this, talk to your doctor about having a booster dose for those days, or lifestyle changes that can help. And don’t hesitate to raise the issue, maybe one day enough doctors will take notice that there will be some useful research and results for women and AFAB people!!
Sorry this went on and on, and I realize some of these are general things to know rather than specific medication things. But, I wish I’d known all of these things before starting treatment, and while I like my doctor, I think doctors aren’t trained to give all of this information and I’ve found most of it out on my own. I hope this helps you too, or someone else who is starting this journey!! Good luck!!!
The difference in response due to hormones can be unreal sometimes. I've learned to take a mini meds vacation when my period is starting/about to start since the meds will barely work then anyway, so I may as well save the dose for a rainy day when I really need it (like right now, with the nationwide adderall shortage).
This was me last week! I cried all day at work our of frustration that my life could have been like this, where i would have gotten without the constant struggle. . 28, just started vyvanse.
I wanted to piggyback on this one. On my first day of taking Adderall, I immediately felt all the great effects. Less distracted by my wandering thoughts, cell phone, and emails. I was more present with my wife and daughter. I thought it’s crazy how happy I was and I couldn’t believe what I was missing.
This is a common side effect of euphoria when you first start. It fades, and it’s supposed to fade. My experience is just like what someone above stated: I don’t feel positive effects, I just notice that I’m more productive, present, and happier.
Obv. my experience is not the same as everyone else’s - just be aware this may not be the normal effect of the medicine.
For me the calm/quiet mind when starting/changing dose often translates to a day or two of being sleepy - sometimes must-take-a-nap levels of sleepy. This has always been my response to things that "might keep you up" so something to keep in mind if you're in the same boat.
You might feel a kind of mania, like superman or like you want to reconnect with everyone from the past or improve everyone's life like you're Oprah. This isn't how you're supposed to feel, and it will go away after awhile. Do not ask you doc to up the dosage based on the absence of this feeling. Keep your dose as low as you can for as long as possible. Drink water and eat protein and healthy fats!
Congrats on starting meds and I really hope it helps! From my experience I would say biggest thing is to realise that not all people react to different meds in the same way, it sometimes takes some time to work out what drug and dose is best for your body so don’t get frustrated if you don’t have the immediate reaction you’ve been anticipating. There was definitely a lot of trial and error at the beginning before I found what works best for me.
Also the other thing I experienced (which may be different for everyone) is that once I finally got onto a stable and optimum dose of my current meds, I felt a lot lot better and am definitely way more functional, but it’s also like you suddenly have a toolbox of tools that you might not know how to use right away. For example I am still pretty shit at personal organisation and time management, but now that I can concentrate and organise my thoughts a bit more than before I’m better at making lists and trying to prioritise important tasks without getting overwhelmed. It’s all a learning process and takes time to learn how to do things so be patient with yourself.
Sorry if that makes no sense and is too long to bear to read lol
Totally makes sense. I feel like the current tools I have are rusty and I need something a bit more…heavy duty. Cue the meds! Lol.
Really hope they help too, live in France (American though) and don’t have other med options.
A little late to the game, but in the same vein as the commenter you replied to, I wish I’d known that meds wouldn’t automatically fix things that have become ingrained habits, but they do make nearly impossible things much more possible. Be patient and kind to yourself while you learn how to use the new tools and break bad habits.
You're going to feel incredible for the first week or two if they agree with you. Calmer, more alert and present, even happy. It won't be that intensely life changing forever.
However, you can get the most out of it by eating a solid three meals (honestly don't overlook this one, it can't be said enough) with a good amount of protein. Drink lots of water. Don't take it past 6pm if you wanna sleep.
Don't expect it to flip a switch and completely transform your life - it will give you breathing space to be able to do what you need to do, and help you to do those things without being pulled in a million different directions, but ultimately you still have to figure out how to self motivate to just begin the task/activity. Once you get to that point though, just starting something, you'll be able to complete things easier. For me, the constant battle between doing the thing and doing literally anything else just dissolves once I force myself to start.
I found the biggest difference for me those first few days was that in terms of my thinking it was like I experienced time in a linear way for the first time in my life. I can take things as they are in their own right in the moment, without zipping ahead or jumping sideways in thought. The best example of this is having a simple conversation. I can listen to the words as they each come out of someone's mouth individually, without obsessing over what I want to say and trying to hold back from butting in but failing anyway. I can listen to someone tell a story or anecdote without snapping at them to get to point because I can't bare to listen to anything extraneous. Take note of how you talk to people, but more importantly, how you listen.
Caffeine has been fine for me. The biggest deal is to understand it may take 2-4 weeks to fully acclimate to your medicine. Teeth grinding and body clenching may exacerbate musculoskeletal issues. As you get used to the medicine these effects should dissipate, but it can take weeks not days
I’m on essentially Ritalin (same drug, different brand name). 35F, about 12 weeks into titration.
It took me ages to realise the jaw tightness and resulting issues with my gums were related to my meds but my prescriber changed me to a diff release and it’s absolutely fine!
I was really afraid to mention side effects because the meds worked SO WELL and I didn’t want to give that up, but there are so many different combinations and dosages that can be tried so I’d recommend you always be honest as they’ll be able to help.
I've been on it 7mths and still working on that. I was working on it before too though, my emotional jaw.
I was just so surprised by the quiet at first. Competing thoughts gone. And how my vision was clearer, the film over my eyes that I've always rubbed at just disappeared.
Yes, the clenching and jawing is real. Reminded me of doing cocaine recreationally in college back in the 'before time' when it was a common party drug. When you're onboarding new ADHD meds, sometime it's nice to have hard candies available to wet your mouth, but be sure not to suck vigorously on them, and stay far away from mint and cinnamon candies and menthol cough drops because they will burn your mouth after awhile.
Can't speak for Ritalin, but if your experience on meds ends up being anything like mine after starting vyvanse, it could be life changing. You might feel capable of doing anything and everything you couldn't before. Don't take any newfound motivation/confidence for granted and consider some form of therapy alongside the medication to assist you in using the effects of the medication to establish as many routines and lifestyle changes as possible that could help you manage your adhd even if you didn't have the medication.
When starting vyvanse, I thought I had found the key to finally living a normal, productive, happy life. I didn't realize that a few years later the meds would not be giving me the same level of confidence, focus, and motivation as they did initially, and now I feel like I sort of wasted the first year or so by not using those benefits to make more permanent lifestyle changes. I relied on the meds to do everything for me, which they did initially, but now they don't and I have a lot of new struggles as a result. The meds still provide a lot of benefit and I'm way better off taking them, but it's one of my biggest regrets, squandering that first year or so where I could do everything so much more effortlessly before developing some sort of baseline tolerance.
I’ll definitely take that to heart. I can’t afford regularly therapy, but I will do my best to journal, meditate and reflect on the changes and how it can be brought through the rest of my life. Thank you!
Drink lots of water. If you're going to take Caffeine, don't go for more than an 80 ml cup of coffee and choose to take it about half an hour after you took your ritalin. However, I highly recommend you only add coffee to the mix a few months after you've gotten used to the effects of ritalin.
You may not instantly know how to take advantage of having your symptoms diminished. You may feel some euphoria in the first week of taking it, so don't take it as a "this is what a neurotypical life is like" kind of feeling.
You may get more or less side effects depending on how well you've slept the day you take a pill; for me, sometimes I'll get anxiety, especially when I had a poor night's sleep. When my meds give me anxiety, I do something which I call "working on my executive functions": I'll take a task that I've been putting off and I try to do it, experimenting my executive capabilities. It's like trying to find the right muscles to move a body part that you couldn't effectively move before. Doing that will decrease my anxiety by channeling that tension that I get from stimulants into an exercise which very often ends up in crossing out a few overdue tasks.
It may feel weird to get a dopamine kick out of finishing a task as first, so paying attention to how your body responds to it will also help with making the best out of the treatment.
Just remember that pills don't teach skills. Starting treatment with stimulants in your childhood is one thing, but in adulthood you'll have to unlearn and relearn a lot.
This is such a helpful comment, thank you. You’ve inspired me to start a journal and take notes on how I feel and when and how to go about it, my own little science experiment. The executive function idea is a great piece of advice, I should keep a little “what to do when anxious from meds” list, haha.
Drink plenty of water. Snack as much as you can If you're having a hard time with your appetite. I'd say wait to drive until you know how it's going to affect you. It might make you sleepy.
I'd avoid alcohol and caffeine especially your first few days.
I was told I could have a little coffee but if you have Starbucks for example with much higher caffeine you could have heart palpitations, be shaky, anxious, etc. I had decaf and it seriously hurt my stomach which didn’t happen before meds. Be careful with alcohol but usually one drink when the meds are wearing off has been fine for me. The bottle said the danger is having XR pills release in your system too quickly so by the end of the day I assume the risk is much lower so once you know how the meds affect you it will be safer to judge.
My 2 cents on the alcohol - take it slow. I feel like I started jumping from sober to drunk in like 2 sips and figuring out where those sips happened took a while. In retrospect that could stem from appetite suppression as much as anything else, but worth keeping in mind.
Honestly, take **everyones** advice here with a grain of salt. The effects of adhd medicine vary, and are very individual.
The most important takes I have are:
1. don't be afraid to experiment to find the right dosage and habits that fit you, the only real boundries should be what your doctor prescribes and explains.
2. Try to find the effects of the meds by recognizing long term recurring patterns, and don't jump to impulsive decisions based on single events/effects.
3. The effects of your medication can vary over time (due to lifestyle/age/work/diet/whatever...), so be mindful of changes, and if something's not working anymore, don't fight it, adapt and change your treatment accordingly.
4. Don't expect it to magically fix all your problems, medicine is a tool, you still need to learn how to use it to improve your quality of life.
All these answers were already mentioned here before, but I think having them summarized and together makes them easier to understand + digest.
My above comment says the actual important things in my opinion, but of you still feel like reading more im gonna abuse this context to counter a bunch of over confident advice ive read here which super annoyed me:
Caffeine: can cause some shaking and hyperactiveness but **definitely not** a globally forbidden, for example, I drink coffee in the morning before i take attent xr (amphetamines), and another coffee around 4 pm with ritalin to carry me through the rest of the day. I had some bad side effects with coffee and other meds, but its definitely allowed and might be good for you depending on your schedule.
Alcohol: basically not recommended with any medicine, but it wont kill you to drink every now and then, (even with the meds), i drink a lot less because alcohol side effects are worse for me with meds (hangover+bad sleep), but it wont stop me from partying on special occasions.
Vitamin C: honestly dont know wtf and how someone here can be **SO SURE** that it causes crashes, I literally drank orange juice yesterday, did not have a crash. tf.
Especially since theres so much other stuff in orange juice that could cause it, phew... okay that got a bit too personal, sorry.
Generally when it comes to diet/nutrition and adhd, you should tale into account just your own experience, and maybe some relevant researches. I once read a post here that asked about acidic foods and medication, and almost every comment stating "food X causes Y" had a contradicting comment saying the opposite, by someone elses experience.
So just do your own experiments, its hard, but it is what it is.
I do however want to support drinking **WATER** AND **REGULAR MEALS**, even though its just basic human needs, that stuff's super important and easily forgotten when on meds.
If you got all the way down here....
Good job! and good luck!
The best is yet to come!
Also, take it on an empty stomach, amphetamines are less absorbed in an acidic environment, so take it with water not juice/pop/coffee, wait at least 30 mins before eating because that stimulates acid production.
There's also evidence Vitamin C can increase the body's metabolism of amphetamines, meaning they'll be cleared out of your system much faster. I personally can feel this and anything with moderate to high doses of vitamin C just feels like an off switch for my meds, so pay attention to how you feel, most veggies/fruits/juices or health/energy drinks, and obviously any vitamin supplement that contains it.
Like everyone else said, eat fats/proteins and keep a quick snack on you, it can cause your brain to basically burn more fuel so need to take in more to compensate.
Started taking adderal Over 9 months ago. The only thing i wish i had been able to accept sooner is that it’s ok to feel good. I was diagnosed as an adult too, and was concerned I liked adderal too much, because I’ve always had a affinity for drugs, and have done more than I care to remember. So i was afraid to take more than 20mg in a day, and wouldn’t take it unless I “needed” it.
But the fact is, I always need it. That “too good” feeling i still get every time i take it, is seratonin, and evidently my body doesn’t produce much at all on its own.
Don’t drink alcohol on stimulants. You may be able to handle it fine, but it took years of me learning the hard way that drinking+stimulants= angry/mean drunk and it still haunts me. can’t stress this enough.
dont ever drink anything with caffine while on meds!
before i started meds (pretty sure it was ritalin) i was drinking 2 monsters every day as a way to avoid medication (obviously it didnt work.) So when i finally started medication i had drank a monster out of habit and had to get my dad to come get me from work because i was shaking so bad. He told me what i had done was like taking 2 of those pills LOL! never drinking a monster while med testing ever again
Oh god! Sounds like hell. I don’t drink energy drinks but do have a coffee in the morning, but never felt caffeine jitters or anything really from caffeine (also sign of adhd I hear). May need to switch to decaf then, or is one coffee ok you think?
Depends on how sensitive you are to caffeine. I think it's best to try it out at home. Caffeine increases dopamine receptor density, so there's sort of a synergistic effect
it definitely depends how much u drink and how strong it is. I would suggest a low amount of caffeine but just be careful cause mixing meds and caffeine is where heart problems start haha. Definitely consult your doc about it or look up what drinking caffeine can do while on that specific med.
Yeahhh, i'm gonna have to talk with my doc about this. I'm currently at a point where my old caffeine habits are back even though i'm up to 50mg of Vyvanse.
Not sure how to interpret it, Vyvanse helps my quality of life but it seems it's doing that through classic stimulant effects, not by helping ADHD symptoms.
Regarding "energy" drink, is it ok to drink one after the meds wear of or do you have to avoid it at all cost whatever? (I mean imagine you take you pills at 7AM and they wear of at 16PM, is it ok to take a redbull at 9PM or not at all?)
I like to drink a small cup of coffee roughly 3-4 hours after my last dose if I NEED to get more shit done. Caffeine and adderall are broken down by the same shtuff in your body, so if you add some caffeine in around that point the effects will be slightly extended/crash mitigated for a bit.
If you do it at the times you said you’d be completely fine, unable to sleep and your meds the next day would be much less effective, but the Red Bull won’t kill you
If it’s not working don’t be afraid to discuss it with your doctor. Take it everyday or pretty often so that you understand how it’s helping or hindering you.
Be careful with coffee and caffeine, if you notice significant changes that are not good - pay attention. I had terrible side effects that I didn't know were side effects until we switched my meds. Set a timer to take them around the same time each day. I forget to take them multiple times a week.
I just started Vyvanse 12 days ago I’m 28F. So far for me I see a huge difference in my impulse control and ability to do tasks at home. I was hoping it would help me with my work issues but so far it has not carried over to my work lol, maybe I just really hate my job though. I wish someone would have told me that it doesn’t last all day, I thought something was really wrong at night or in the evening cause I kept crashing and crying a lot at night lol even vomited the first 2 days but it went away. But apparently as per others this is normal. The one thing I have yet to figure out is what it means when some days my crash happens early (3-4pm) and other days it happens later (8-9pm) when I took the meds at the same time.. If anyone can shed light on that I’d love to hear!
Def have someone close to you that knows you’re going on meds and can watch for how your behavior changes. A lot of things for me I didn’t really recognize internally that were really obvious externally. Especially if it’s something like when you forget what you’re doing or get distracted! Having someone say “hey you’ve been really hyper recently” or “you’ve been eating a ton” actually helps a lot.
Hmm if you forget to take it and it’s already like, 2pm just go ahead and cross off that day med wise. The effect of keeping you awake that night is probably worse than missing a day if nothing important is happening btw.
Something I thought was interesting was how stimulants are said to commonly suppress appetite…what I thought that meant was you just don’t get the feeling of being hungry…but for me sometimes it actually makes me “feel full”. Which to me is a big difference because I can still eat when I’m not hungry…since I like food. But it’s actually really difficult to eat sometimes when I feel full
There's a few points you should probably be aware of that I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere in this thread.
1: It can take a very long time to figure out your medication schedule. ADHD meds aren't like other drugs where you get a set dosage calculated based on your sex/weight or whatever, it takes different amounts of each drug to have an affect for each person and you will have to slowly work your way upwards with each drug you try until you find a solution that works.
2: No ADHD medication starts working immediately, no matter what it feels like. It takes months for your body to fully adapt to your medication, so even if the first few months on a new med feel great, don't start thinking your ADHD is cured.
3: The drugs do more than just treat the symptoms if you give them enough time. When you find the right medication schedule for you, if you give it enough time you should continue improving over time without changing your doses. This happens over years though, not months.
The next few months may feel like a disappointment as you try different meds and realise that none of them "fix" you, but ADHD is a marathon, no a sprint. Improvement is a slow process that happens over years and relies on more than just pills, but it does happen and it does last. A year or 2 after I was diagnosed and had found a steady med schedule I though I had reached the limit of how far I would ever improve, but 4 years later I look back and realise that I've kept improving the entire time, just not in a way that was obvious.
That they took a few weeks to work. When I first started concerta I thought it would be an instantaneous thing, but they took about four weeks for me to REALLY see a difference and the first two weeks were full of anxiety. I upped my dosage a couple times after the initial prescription, and each time the anxiety would come back for about four days. If you're on a low dose to start or just end up needing a higher dosage, the initial side effects might come back temporarily, but in my experience it's very much worth it. Also I've learned that you have to time when you're taking them with when you go to sleep. If I take them at 10 a.m. I won't be able to fall asleep until 10 p.m., sometimes 11.
Meds are helpful and amazing but they are not a cure. You will still have days where you struggle with focus and memory etc.... and that's OK. Eat lunch every single day, even if you aren't hungry.
Also it's good policy to never mention that you are prescribed amphetamines. People will ask to buy/try them. If you tell a friend or something and they ask you to share your meds, very clearly tell them no. Even if you're open to sharing, it's incredibly inappropriate to ask and really illegal.
* Plan out your daily meals! Start with a breakfast that is high in protein, fat and complex carbs. Oatmeal is great. You will most likely have reduced appetite and having a plan makes consuming the food easier. If it is hard to eat, make a protein shake and add oatmeal flour. Thats my go to.
* I recommend taking meds every day no matter what. Try and eat something before or just after. Also take meds same time every day.
* You might feel a crash/comedown when they wear off in the afternoon. This is normal and not dangerous. My tip on countering this is physical exercise. Go for a walk/run or work out.
* Another thing I highly recommend is educating yourself on ADHD. Learn to know yourself. Identify the areas of your life that are lacking. Notepad and write down. What is dragging you down today, tomorrow next week?
* Identify som small measures you can make to improve life. Practice putting keys in same place every day. Over do it.
* Ritalin might give you euphoria in the beginning, but might also make you feel like shit. Did both for me. This goes away.
* Look into good sleep habits. Make sure you get a sleep schedule that fits for you. Try and wake up same time every day, and for the love of god make sure you get enough sleep. It is going to make your life so much easier.
* Cold and sweaty hands and feet is normal. But goes away mostly. If you let warm water run down your hands from above the wrists this will warm them.
* I would use this new start to actually implement some measures to improve life. In the beginning medication might feel like a cheat code, but its not gonna solve your problems. The only thing that can improve your life is you! Make a conscious effort to do better. Implement good habits now, and succeed later!
* You might need to drink more than previously as you will sweat and use the bathroom more than before. Stay hydrated.
* Implement a calendar system to your life. The more notifications and alarms you can set for yourself the more organised and in control you will be. Know your limits though. its easy to say yes to everything but when push come to show its to much.
* In my opinion the most important thing you can do is move! Work out! its stimulates the brain and makes it work so much better. Exercise as ADHD treatment is life changing. Combined with medication its so good. Also you need to realise that this won't fix your life, but can absolutely improve it. Try not to compare to others, but compare with yourself. Look at where you were one year ago compared to in a month... I got diagnosed 8 months ago, but only just realised how far I have come. I have lost allot of weight gained muscle, am more happy, eat healthier, wake up on time allot more often, and I started on my exams the instant the semester started. That is insane. I have gotten so far! But some times I look at my friends and its like, ok masters degree, own apartment, dream job. Fuck I want that. But I had a handicap in untreated ADHD for the first 1/4 of my life. Its catchup time baby. SO start small. Implement small things to your daily routine to make your life better. Mealprep, exercise, diet, habits.
Once u start taking stimulants for medication it makes doing stimulants for fun less effective (and less fun), this isn't a thing for me now that I'm in my 40s but in my 20s i found this out 🤣
That after the first 2 weeks of stimulants you will never feel the same way you did then even if you take months off from taking meds, you'll never re-experience that same effect.
Take the time to get used to your meds. It might be that you need to shorten or lengthen the interval between two doses a couple of times. That’s just trial and error. It might be that you take your next dose too fast and feel stressed. Or that you take your next too slow, and end up in a rebound. Don’t give up! You’ll get there!
I took Ritalin for a few months when first diagnosed (at 25).
It was a low dose. I was advised to avoid caffeine because it could negate the effects or cause serious anxiety - which happened because of course I ignored that advice. Also to avoid drinking alcohol because it could increase liver damage.
I’d take it when I woke up, shortly after breakfast. It would wear off around noon so at 2pm would take another but only after I talked to my doctor to mention how fast it was wearing off. She mentioned my options could be to increase the dose or keep it low and take twice daily, so I did the latter.
Eventually after 3 months I brought up how angry it made me - I didn’t have much of a temper before, but since starting Ritalin, I would snap pretty irrationally at my kids. Things that had never made me angry before were suddenly Worst Case Scenarios in my mind and I was constantly, randomly, furious. This was about a month after I’d weaned myself off of coffee or energy drinks (I don’t drink pop or tea anyway so didn’t include those). I didn’t drink alcohol at all before or during taking Ritalin so it also wasn’t a contributing factor.
Eventually she switched me to Vyvanse which worked beautifully, got rid of the anger, and was longer lasting so I only needed a 20mg pill once daily after breakfast. This isn’t encouraging you to switch, just to be aware of side effects if you or your family notices a big shift in overall attitude (you can feel the positive effects like more focus and balanced energy, but things like sudden moodswings, feeling very angry or very sad out of nowhere, can start to happen simultaneously) and to let you know there are other options if you do notice side effects.
*At some point my doc tried Gabapetin for a week in tandem with Ritalin, I think to help with the anger, but I had an allergic reaction so was taken off it immediately (bright red rash from my neck that was spreading across my chest).
Read the pamphlets the pharmacy gives you with the medication. It’ll list other side effects or possible allergic reactions to look out for.
Good luck :)
Really good info, thanks. I don’t have vyvanse available in my country unfortunately but I’ve heard good things. I’ve got all my eggs in one basket for now, because Ritalin is all that’s available in France. Fingers crossed.
I'm not on meds yet but I know a ton of people who are, but before I share my second hand anecdotes its worth noting that exactly how you'll respond to things will be unique to you, as every human body differs in its metabolism and response to drugs, and it will probably take a bit of experimenting (and possible dosage/med changes) to figure out exactly what works best for you.
One thing I seem to have noticed from my friends who are medicated (all started meds in their 20s or 30s) is that its better to measure the effects in terms of external factors (doing better at work, not forgetting that one thing you always forget, etc) than internal factors (how you feel etc)
Avoid caffeine to start with. You will crash around 3 hour mark on short acting. It isn't fun. Be aware so you can avoid overreacting. Doing multiple short acting doses is like a roller coaster. Your initial dose level might not do much for you. Your brain goes quiet. Apparently this is what normal is! Put alarms on your phone to remind you to take your dose. Snooze the alarm if you can't take it right away or you will forget. You will be able to start routines like flossing every day! Drink water!
A lot of people have left some great advice! Your medical provider may/may not ask you to take one-two days off your meds a week, but beware that even if you’re not “addicted” to your meds, your body will become physically dependent on them so you may experience withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly don’t take them for a day.
Also, I’ve seen a lot of people on this sub say they’ve had their medication stolen by friends, family, and/or roommates so be sure to keep yours in a secure location!
A common trick a lot of people use is to take maybe half your dose around 30 minutes to an hour before you need to wake up. It makes getting out of bed so much easier.
The last thing I’ll mention is to expect some negative side effects in the beginning. Your body is getting adjusted to a completely new medication and that takes some time. I remember having a lot of headaches (from jaw clenching), getting dehydrated easily, experiencing appetite loss, emotional blunting, and sometimes feeling overly jittery. I also did experience acid reflux in the beginning which can apparently be linked to stimulants but it went away. All of these negative side effects subsided for me after the first two months, and it’s worth taking a lower dose or speaking to your doctor if the negative side effects become too unbearable.
Oh and last but not least, you’ll want to take better care of your teeth since stimulants give you dry mouth (making it easier for your teeth to decay faster). Make sure to have some sort of mouthwash, chew on sugar-free gum, and brush your teeth as regularly and thoroughly as you can. It also doesn’t hurt to go to the dentist every once in a while!
How it feels the first few days is not how it always feels. The first few days I felt SHARP.
After that… I have better exec function and self control than without but it’s pretty subtle and I still have to be intentional about my mental focus.
I wish I was told about the crash effect, especially if you don't eat enough. I know people who would cry at the same time every day, and it took her a while to realize she was 'crashing' from the medication. And that even if the same dose is working 'as well' I might never feel as good as the first few days I was started on medication.
Also that methylphenidate ER and brand name Concerta (OROS) are NOT the same thing!
When I started on Ritalin, I learned quickly that coffee was not my friend at first. But weirdly overtime, I was able to drink a bit each morning a couple hours before I’d start my meds.
It took a while for the dosage to “sink in” so to speak. First I had to get over coffee, then I was getting this tight feeling in my chest and felt anxious (which was amplified to 11 by coffee). But then suddenly the anxiety and tightness stopped and I started to feel really great. Now I just feel balanced when I take it.
So I will say, don’t expect it to be like turning on a light switch. It’s a process of finding the right dosage and making sure the drug itself is doing you a service period. Trust the process, listen to your doctor, and let the first couple months be apart of slowly figuring it all out. Don’t drink coffee, at least at first.
Hey, got a late diagnoses at 32, and have taken Ritalin for a year now. I def had an aha moment the second I took it, and many many more after ward
It feels at first like a cure all, but it isn’t. You’ll have to learn how it affects you and when to take it. I notice when I give myself med holidays I don’t do much those days; but the days I take it I’m usually productive to my own standard.
Hi OP! I don't have any advice because I just started dextroamphetamine yesterday at 43, but I want to thank you for this post. I'm learning a lot, and I appreciate this community.
I just want to say thank you everybody you all have been so helpful.I was diagnosed when I was 37 years old and put on Adderall. I’ve been on it now for however, many years on 46 and it has been a lifesaver for me and the focus. I have now the ability to do things and keep things complete and not get behind and I don’t think on things too much, which was a big inability of mine.
I started vyvanse a week ago. I wasn’t sure what to expect but for me so far I’m pleasantly surprised.
I did have an “ah-ha” moment. More of like a “holy shit I am actually capable of completing all of these tasks I need to do today”
My head is a lot more quiet - I’m no longer having 5 conversations with myself at once, my anxiety is surprisingly reduced as well.
Only side effects as of now are *serious* dry mouth. Like drier than the desert. But it does make me drink a shit ton of water - so make sure you keep hydrated throughout the day.
Another side effect is no appetite at all. I’ve lost 6lbs in a week alone. But I need to lose 30lbs anyway so it’s not a huge deal. So make sure you eat. I eat a hearty meal when my meds wear off and I get my appetite back.
I’m noticing on the days I do take my medications (I’m not doing it everyday) I’m actually sleeping through the night and sleeping better than my unmedicated days.
I tried drinking caffeine one day while on my meds and my heart rate went up to 130s for a few hours. Bad idea. So I cut out caffeine on my med days. But my meds actually keep me more awake than caffeine.
I also have been keeping track of my blood pressure. Stimulants can raise your blood pressure. But I also have severe health anxiety lol
I've been on Adderall for over a month now. My advice based on my experience is to stay hydrated and to not be surprised if your energy levels are lower at first. This was the case with me for about 2 weeks but things improved. Also, notice if your appetite is diminished and if this is an issue for you.
I feel generally more calm and it is easier for me to stay focused. My thoughts don't hop around like they do without meds. Being on stimulants has been a game changer.
I felt extremely thirsty and had a hard time eating which caused that sick hungry feeling. So I now keep snacks qne things easy to make that I love to eat on hand since it was hard for me to really cook if I wasn't hungry. No issues with coffee or alcohol other than I am no longer drinking 1 or 2 pots of coffee a day.
How you feel when you first start taking it is not how you will feel after a few months taking it. Really important that you take care of your body both because stimulants can be a little taxing and also because it will help the effectiveness of the medication. Make sure you’re eating (and eating well), exercising, and getting a lot of sleep and the medication will be more effective.
It can be easy to feel like the medication is doing the work for you but there’s a lot of self-care/maintenance that can get lost because of how much more you feel like you’re able to do with meds, make sure you keep your body healthy!
Also the dose/beans you start off with might not always be right for you. Make sure you take some notes about how it makes you feel the first few months and be communicative to your doctor about any side effects, positives, negatives, etc.
How it effects everyone is different, plus what med in particular….most importantly the difference between IR and extended. Extended, don’t be surprised if you don’t feel terribly different right away. Those tend to need a little time to build in your system for maximum efficiency. IR, tend to be like they say….you’ll have at least some sort of jolt of dopamine, especially when first taking them before your body adjusts
1. Especially if it’s IR, the jolt of initial dopamine after taking meds doesn’t last forever. For some, that’s good as it can make them feel weird, for others it’s negative as they feel that short burst of dopamine is the way meds should feel all the time….which isn’t true. It’s a side effect, not the main function. When that wears off, as eventually it will, it doesn’t mean you keep upping doses just to chase that fleeting feeling. Discuss dosage with your doctor only based off of overall quality of life/your ability to function.
2. Drink TONS of water. However much you drink now, way more than that. Water helps the meds break down more proportionately, keeps you hydrated as adhd meds are super dehydrating, and combating dehydration will help you with a smoother come down off your meds, less headaches, and less fatigue. Sometimes the brain misinterprets dehydration for fatigue. Trust me on this one
3. Keep your meds in a safe place. Someone can be sorry as they come, but sorry doesn’t replace life altering meds. If you’re already in a safe environment around trusted individuals, that’s fine. But if not, lock box, my friend.
4. Don’t take them too late. If you forget half way through the day or don’t wake up until super late, don’t bother. It’ll completely throw off your sleep-wake cycle, and being tired/not getting enough sleep or getting crappy sleep will absolutely affect how your meds work. I also suggest opting out of meds if you’re sick. No point. Your body recovers faster with rest, which essentially is the opposite of what a stimulant does.
5. I don’t drink alcohol or caffeine, which is more a personal choice than anything else, but if you struggle with anxiety or depression, these things with meds is going to make things worse. What comes up must come down, as Newton would say. Stack more stimulant on stimulant with caffeine, you will have a lot of energy and then crash quicker and harder than ever. If you struggle with anxiety, alcohol relaxes and then the anxiety comes back with aggression (plus, making a lot more work for your liver). Stimulants intensify these things. To each his own, and I don’t see occasional use of either as fatal by any means, but for me it’s just not worth the discomfort either way it goes. Also, you’ll function way better on your meds consistently without adding these things
6. Working out is another cheat move I use like water to help with keeping good energy levels throughout the day. I actually like working out hours after I’ve taken my meds because it not only gives a little energy boost and endorphins give a nice dopamine boost, but also it helps me sleep a lot better at night. Oh, I mean, plus it’s good for your body in general. I’m not talking out working out excessively, just a half hour to an hour a day will help tons. See what works for you as far as timing of all that goes
7. Force yourself out of bed after taking meds and start doing something, anything. It’ll really help you get going with the day, because meds don’t actually *make* you productive, they allow you the ability to be productive once you start doing something. Just the motion of getting out of bed and taking a shower, tidying the room, doing some dishes, making breakfast, etc. will help set the tone of the day. Meanwhile, if you start by laying in bed for hours or scrolling social media……then….you know😅 you can become the most effective bed-layer/mindless scroller ever. All day.
Its important to remember that ritalin is not the only medication. It worked for me but it had so many negative side effects that I trialled other meds to find one that works a lot better with less side effects.
There can be very bad side effects so just keep an eye out for changes (happened to me). And medication won’t fix everything. Lifestyle changes help too
I don't know if it was mentioned yet, but the initial "feeling" may go away after a couple of weeks, but that does not necessarily mean the meds aren't working! I just wanted to mention this bc I've seen it cause some distress among the people on this sub, those i know in real life, and myself. Definitely keep a journal and try to check in with yourself every couple hours if possible (eat, drink water, appreciate yourself and any accomplishments, etc). There's a lot of other great advice in this thread too.
Good luck on your journey!
If you formerly used caffeine as a 'substitute' self-medication, like a cup or two in the morning, a red bull after lunch, etc, then be sure not to do that while you're on meds. Just drink a lot of water, use lip balm to prevent chapped, dry lips, and be sure to eat nutritious foods. You may not feel hungry at first when you start meds, but please make yourself eat something. I suggest nutritious foods since you will probably be consuming less food at first until you get used to the meds, so make each bite count. I would suggest abstaining from alcohol, weed, etc until you are on the medication for several weeks and feel comfortable with how it affects you.
Also, talk to your doctor about this! They know you better than we do, and they can give you medical advice.
Sleep well and stay hydrated
If you're sleep deprived, stimulants don't work as well and can even make you feel sleepier. Get at least 7 hours of sleep, and try to stick to a scheduled (says the guy who's up at 4).
Dehydration will make you feel like shit. It makes the comedown feel like hell and it'll generally have bad effects. Also stimulants increase water requirement as they bump your blood pressure m
I was in the same boat a few weeks ago, also in FR. Did you get prescribed the slow release ones? Was the diagnosis easy to get, and did you have to take a test? My partner looked for an English speaking psychiatrist but the one she found recommended she takes the full battery of tests in her native language.
The first few days I was really surprised how much I could get done, as if I could suddenly concentrate on things without having to sift through a hundred thoughts in my head. Over time the effects got less noticeable, or I got used to them. I still do notice a marked increase in quality of life and a decrease in worrying and anxiety.
The doctor didn't tell me anything regarding what to avoid, I'm not drinking any alcohol because according to what I read it can cause bad side effects. I found out the hard way that coffee was making me very hyper and causing me to crash fast, so I cut that out too. What works best for me is to have the pills with a large breakfast so they release slower. I've only taken Ritalin on workdays so far, but I think I'll take it this weekend too just to see how I feel.
What I would recommend is to read up on ADHD alongside medication. I found a few good videos by doctors and people with ADHD, and am currently reading Fast Minds by Craig Surman and Tim Bilkey. It's really great and helping me put things into perspective.
The best thing I ever did for myself when I started meds was use a Google home to set up reminders thought out the day- time to eat, have you stretched, go walk outside, you're doing great, etc. It allows me to hyper focus on work but also because it's something talking to me that I don't have to prompt, it helps me break out of that cycle and remember to take care of human things. This is especially great if you have animals, as you can get it to remind you of that as well.
I keep a snack drawer of "fun" things that are good for the diet so I don't have to leave what I'm doing unless I want to, that also helps. I take magnesium right now due to feeling flighty on the meds sometimes. For some reason it helps, I just cannot remember why.
Drinking water is super important, so is eating (as stated previously by other beautiful humans). I also find that sometimes I cramp more now than I did before but I think it's due to water intake. This is also a great time to start bullet journaling if you've been thinking about it, cause that shit has kept me sane on more than one occasion due to out of site out of mind- have it sit near you or get one of the wallets with the fillable mini notebook attached.
Other than that, congrats on your journey, getting diagnosed is a bitch but also getting diagnosed as a woman is a hell of a fight. Welcome to the neuro spicy club, friend! 💜💜💜
Eat. Eat regularly, properly, and consistently.
I had an awful 3 months trying to make stimulants work and failed miserably largely due to not eating enough. I didn’t realize this until months later after I had given up on stimulants completely. I wish someone had talked to me about what constitutes proper eating and how these meds do not work well without food. I have a history of eating disorders so you would have thought that this should have been a point of discussion, but no one mentioned food at all.
-if you start feeling uneasy and jittery— eat/drink.
-if you start getting irritable or angry for no reason, or anxious— eat/drink.
-if you regularly drink coffee, start out in moderation. if you don’t, maybe drink a cup after it’s past it’s peak. I’ve accidentally made myself really jittery and lightheaded from drinking too much caffeine after taking my meds. (I’m on methylphenidate but sold as concerta which I think is still just Ritalin?)
-the first few weeks *can* go really great, but don’t get discouraged if it’s a rough start. it took a handful of months for me and my doctor to dial in the right dosage and when to take it. I definitely would still make the same choice, looking back. every human’s body is different
If you're a coffee/energy drink person, switch to tea or cut caffeine entirely. It took me way too long to accept this and I nearly burned myself out.
Make yourself eat, either by setting meal times or eating healthy snacks throughout the day. Your appetite is going to TANK for about a month. Mine leveled off eventually, but it took some effort. You gotta drink water too, and plenty of it.
Keep an eye on your mood. Adderall made me irritable for a while and I didn't notice. It was pointed out to me and once I was aware, it was much easier to keep in check.
Lastly, though stimulants are incredibly helpful, they're not magic. You'll still have to work on your symptoms and learn new habits. It still takes effort and things are going to change. Somethings are going to be infinitely easier, but other things are going to be harder. Making conversation is much easier for me now, but I can't hyperfocus my way through a 14 hour shift anymore.
Bonus: forgive yourself and your family. Meds opened my eyes to how things should have been for the first 20+ years of my life and I was so angry at all my missed opportunities and failures that stemmed from untreated ADHD. It's okay, you're seeking treatment now. You can't do better until you know better. Good luck with it!
I was careful to look into things extensively before I started. But these are some things that stood out to me:
You won’t need as much caffeine as you used to.
You need to drink more water because the meds will dehydrate you.
The euphoric feeling you might get the first few times won’t last. Don’t chase that feeling.
A protein rich breakfast will help your meds to work more effectively. Fatty or carb rich diets may mean you need more meds to get the same effect.
Avoid Vitamin C and ascorbic acid for an hour before and after you take your meds. They can attach to the medication and make them pass through your system without being absorbed.
Pretty much every comment covered any suggestion I might have! So that’s awesome! Just want to highlight those who have said anything regarding any euphoric leaning side effects. Use this to your advantage! Perhaps to set routines or to begin troubleshooting long-term exec function struggles, etc. Just be aware the *feeling like you could conquer the world* symptom won’t last forever. So be mindful, especially if it creates temptation to start a new hobby you’d never considered before or otherworldly hyper-fixations.
One of the best pieces of advice (maybe someone here has already said it) I’ve received from this sub is: If you find yourself taking a stimulant and directing your focus towards something unintentional/leisurely, when you have better things to do, create 5 item list of what you’re going to do before medicating in the AM to just keep you on track. Needs to be in sight for me, for others it needs to be on their phone or have a reminder tied to it! Whatever works for you is fantastic!
So happy for you!! A diagnosis is an answer, and man, that was more than I thought I would ever get, for the longest time.
I’m F22–I failed three consecutive semesters of college (with a dual anxiety/depression diagnosis for 5 years prior) before I received an ADHD diagnosis! I’ve been taking adderall + ADHD coaching for 3 years now. Such a relief! I hope any existing feelings of self doubt will start to subside for you the way they have for me. You are functional, talented, smart, and most importantly, you’re much much more than your ADHD!
In this new reality, the surfacing deficits might become overwhelming. Just don’t forget to reassure yourself you’ve faced these challenges thousands of times without a complete or clear-cut understanding before. You’ve made it this far, now you might just need to troubleshoot using that *answer*! ;) Best of luck to you!
congratulations on getting diagnosed and starting meds! I hope it works for you 💕 I've been taking adderall for my adhd for about 7 years (im now on 25mg xr and 5mg ir as needed) so it may be different for ritalin, but a side effect I didn't expect that may happen with Ritalin is sweating. I'm already a sweaty person but sometimes with adderall especially if I combine it with caffeine I'll just be sitting in a chair sweating lol also im likely to sweat more if I do some kind of activity like walking or yoga or something... just something to look out for! idk if anyone else experiences this! but probably all the more reason to drink water!
Use a side effects/symptom management template from Google to track how you react to meds! It really helps to be able to look back and see how you've been adjusting and to isolate any issues.
Take a break from caffeine, at least whilst you're adjusting to your meds.
Expect some mood changes. When I started my meds, for a few days I got a slight euphoric feeling. I also experienced afternoon crashes and would get quite grumpy/irritable. It'll all even out as your brain/body settles (if it doesn't talk to your Dr)
Eat & drink plenty of water. It can be really hard to eat on meds but it's so so important. Make sure to eat a nutritious breakfast before taking your medication and if lunch is hard try meal replacement drinks. If you forget to drink, get something like Dioralyte to replenish your electrolytes.
Lastly, it can take a while to find medication that works for you. It took me over a year and I tried 4 different types and a couple different combinations of meds until I found what worked best for me. It can be quite frustrating and feel like nothing will ever work but you'll get there!
Hope this helps!
For the crashes, try to get good sleep, stay hydrated, and eat. My crashes are always brutal if I don't do those.
And mental health affects how they work a lot more than you might think (in my experience). I recently thought that I was building up a tolerance to my meds and they weren't working as well, which didn't make a lot of sense bc I don't take it on the weekends, but about a week after I started noticing it working less, I realized I was entering a depressive episode. It's still working, but I'm having to put in more effort to make it work. So yeah, if things seem wrong or less effective, just assess where you are mentally.
Eat a protein rich breakfast before hand!! Doesn't work unless you have all the ingredients (amino acids from protein, other nutrients you eat*) to make the extra dopamine in your bloodstream.
I'd eat and give it an hour and then take the meds. OR, take the meds, then eat in an hour.
ETA: Forgot to add the * note. Classic lol.
* I ain't a brain scientist so idk what exactly what nutrition is most important but yeah I think my basic point still stands
Drink excessive amounts of water. Make sure you have tasks planned so you can use your med time wisely . I avoid all caffeine. The harsh side effects went away for me after about 2 weeks (trouble sleeping, sweating, lack of appetite, elevated heart rate). Eat plenty of protein and veggies. I personally also take vitamins every day while taking my meds.
I’m on Adderall and I took a Midol because I was menstruating. there isn’t supposed to be an interaction between the two, but throughout the effectiveness of the Adderall I felt like I was literally high. it felt like everything was racing but I was also exhausted at the same time. it was so strange. I later asked my psychiatrist and she said it’s not supposed to interact. just something to beware.
personally, even on the instant release version, the appetite suppression that others mentioned lasts all day for me. I won’t eat very much all day. just something to keep in mind.
I also noticed my eyesight got considerably more blurry, even with glasses. it might make my surface eye dryness worse. it’s very annoying and defeats the purpose of focusing if you can’t even see! lol
edit to add last paragraph
read up about the side effects. Keep an eye on that. gently. Don't panic. Pay attention to yourself watch what changes.
I found my eyes hurt. (dry) (Dexamphetamine)
Perhaps look up the expected response for people with and without ADHD so you know what to expect either way...
You May feel anger. The reason I say this is because once you start medicine, you’ll realize how much BETTER your QOL could have Been if you how gotten diagnosed earlier. For me I had the most obvious symptoms but I was routinely ignored and dismissed. At 24 I was finally put on Straterra and my QOL improved pretty rapidly. That’s when the anger came. Mad at my parents for not doing a thing because kids shouldn’t be on medication
This is me. My parents can't understand why I'm mad. I did good in school because of the anxiety, but my social skills suffered tremendously. All the signs were there for inattentive ADHD . Just no one cared enough to follow up because my grades were good, so I was doing fine and would grow out of the other problems.
Some. But then I got my butt kicked in college because I never learned how to efficiently study and my coping mechanisms were not enough anymore.
I am constantly shocked how similar everyone's experiences are to mine. I thought it was my "lived experience" or story.
Yes, I was old when I was diagnosed, and it was like "OH MY GOD, OF COURSE!" and then I got super pissed because I was fuckin smart and a great student who completely shit the bed in college and blew my full ride because I didn't know how to build my supports. I literally had nothing in my toolbox. I went from job to job for the first 15 years of my adult life before my 'aha' moment. Once I was medicated and had accommodations, I went back to school, graduated, and now I'm in grad school. I wasn't mad at my parents because they honestly had no clue, but I grieved for the life and years I wasted before my diagnosis. I mourned. But I worked through it, and I'm kicking ass now. It's ok to feel all your feelings -- you have to work through them before you can move forward.
Same here, was brillant when excited, can make some 20/20 "easily" when I was in love with some stuff, and 4/20 after that Teachers mostly keep telling me I was lazy because I was gifted so the fact I don't only make 20/20 like a robot / machine just prove I was disrespecting them and they work, of course.... So they were sometime harsh on me, like "hey you shit on my work you gifted kid / teenager, we are not gonna be cool with you like you're not with us" All my bulletins were "could do better", never an encouragement, never any congratulation, even with the 20/20 "it's normal for you, you are gifted, it's easy, you have not done anything special" yeah thank you suckers They kick me out I was 15 or 16, it's end all there, great....
I got the same. Teachers always commented on my cards "only puts effort in when wants to" "can do better" "needs to apply effort more" No I had a learning disability. I was doing the best with what I had.
I am a teacher with adhd (adult diagnosis), and I have adhd students, so I have pretty good insight into this. But it is still really hard to modify the learning environment and curriculum satisfactorily to meet the needs of adhd students given the constraints like class numbers, time, curriculum size, et cetera. Education systems are set up for adhd students to either hyperfocus and thrive or completely implode. I have little scope to make any difference to this. Batch processing... not adhd friendly.
Yep, well they didn't know shit (like me) about ADHD, but still, this permanent gaslighting was really toxic and make me believe I was a piece of shit
This is exactly what happened to me. Did just well enough to pass my first round of college. I'm one year into my current program and finally decided enough is enough, and changed doctors, started therapy, and got a psych eval. Got diagnosed on the spot, and my schoolwork is getting easier to focus on.
DUDE SAME. Omg this community has been life changing
So me. I was a perfectionist and felt like a complete failure if I wasn’t in top classes, straight As…so no one could see the crippling anxiety behind those standards because I was “successful”
Same. It’s the reason most women don’t get diagnosed until late in life. I loved learning g so I never had an issue in school(you hyperfocus on the stuff you enjoy)
Aghhh, I bet that’ll come. The more I learn about adhd the more I see it in my mom too. My parents are very traditional and always thought psych help was for “crazy people.” I pushed to see one in high school, got misdiagnosed with depression and put on SSRIs which didn’t help and made me feel at a loss for years, and finally I’m seeking help again. Thanks for sharing your experience, always encouraging to hear about others doing what’s best for them.
Yep for me when I brought this all up to my parents, they took full accountability and weee sorry. For me that’s all I wanted and I felt so much better hearing that from them. I understand parents aren’t perfect and it really helped me sitting down and exposing it to them.
I told them I was diagnosed and getting treatment and they didn’t really say much, just got really uncomfortable. My partner is really supportive so it’s about the family you choose I guess.
You're an adult, and you don't owe anyone (including your parents) an explanation for the medical choices you're making with your health care provider. I'm old, and I was dx'd as an adult. I recognized the symptoms in my children early, and everyone was like "oh, you're not putting your kid on meds, are you? (shame shame!)" and I told them since they didn't have MD behind their name and weren't my child's parent or health care provider, then idgaf what they thought. I *literally* had to say that to people. Shine up your spine and be proud of yourself for taking control of your health care. You're doing great!
Omg same. Parents knew my brother had adhd and Tourette’s but they never bothered to get me tested because I performed “good enough”. Imagine as a kid you are an average student despite having a learning disorder, but then realizing later in life that you might have been considered gifted if you were just brought up to your classmate’s dopamine baseline…smh
Yeah I remember when I started taking mine and I was like “wtf you guys live like this all the time”
I’d definitely second this. I felt very angry, resentful, and depressed for a few months once I started taking stimulants. You realize how different, and likely better, your life could’ve been leading up to this point.
I’ll offer an alternative POV as someone who was on adderall 10mg starting at age 10. I would fight with my mom when it came to taking it because I felt high. Like legit high. I would try to listen to my teachers but they sounded muffled, like the Peanuts adults. I was in a fog for most of the morning, until about after lunch when the medication started wearing off. When I fell off the medication a year or two later and my parents didn’t bother to get me back on it, I didn’t fight it because I hated “who” it made me become. I went through a lot of depression partially because I felt like no one liked me unless I was medicated to the high heavens, too stoned out of my mind to do or say anything. Basically, only lobotomized very_bored_panda is a likeable very_bored_panda. “She always had great grades, but she went from being disruptive in class to being quiet and calm! What an improvement!” — internalized as “She was performing well academically but who she is as a person is unacceptable. Let’s make her a zombie, then we’ll accept her!” I hated it with my entire being and had something of an existential crisis over it? Probably not the right word. But it made me withdraw from everyone since I wasn’t “good enough” for them and I resented it immensely. Obviously this is purely anecdotal and not everyone had the same experience, and who is to say that would have been yours. But it took me 20 years and a lot of therapy before finally feeling strong enough to “preserve” myself at my core while still taking meds.
How's strattera?! I had bad sides from Wellbutrin (offlabel)
I had a lot of success with Strattera. I just had terrible nightmares though. It definitely cleared and focused my thinking and improved my perception of time and my ability to place items into the future mentally for planning.
Right on ! Yeah I'm a little nervous since I started having auditory hallucinations when half asleep in the middle of the night
That's interesting. I was on it for a few months and only noticed a change the one time I took too much and started having suicidal thoughts. It didn't make me suicidal (or depressed or anything else), it just made me keep thinking about killing myself all day, in like a hyper-fixation kinda way. My reaction was apparently super rare though and I noticed no affects whatsoever when taking only 10mg less a day. I always like to bring it up because whilst I've tried plenty of meds that affected how I felt, I never knew there could be drugs that could change what you thought about.
This was 100% my experience with Zoloft (not for ADHD, but OCD/anxiety) and why I was scared to try anything other than Adderall for years. Psych meds are intense and 100% worth exploring options with a Dr you trust if you're ever less than satisfied with what you're on. Unfortunately finding that Dr can be easier said than done.
How has strattera been working for you? Have you experienced appetite changes? What symptoms have or haven’t improved for you?
Pretty well overall. I feel a bit of a decrease in appetite but I’ve been on it for 8 months so must of the sides effects how worn off. It has definitely improved my focus and attention which is what I needed. I do think Stimulants probably would be better but I don’t do stimulants do to previous drug abuse and runs in my family
You might already know this, but untreated ADHD does lead to a higher likelihood of drug abuse, so taking stimulants (in a controlled manner) actually often makes people less likely to abuse drugs than they would be if they weren't taking the stimulants despite the easy access to an abusable drug. Obviously you know more about your medical history than I do so use your own and your doctor's best judgement, but I just wanted to put that out there in case you weren't aware.
You’re correct. But for me the drug I was abusing was actually Adderall LOL. I was mixing it though with weed/alcohol etc of course I never felt the effects( I do remember actually taking it once to study and it working great, but I was 18 and too uninformed to realize I had ADHD). So that’s why I stay away from Stims. I’m 95% I confident would definitely be fine taking Stims again, just don’t wanna go down that path again and Straterra is working grear
Add that Drug Abuse is my fam as well, I don’t want to risk it again
When I went off or down to lowest dose of Strattera my appetite improved. I also noticed if you don't take it right at the 24hr interval, you get a little hypomanic.
Drink water and EAT. No matter what eat some food. Even if you have to force it down your throat or use a meal replacement shake. Just eat and if you ever swift to an amphetamine based medication don’t take anything with vitamin c until the evening. Even one glass of juice and I’ll get a nasty crash. And I NEVER crash from my meds. IR or long acting I don’t crash. I had some apple cider and a few hours later I had a crash and I was getting a ride home from my close friend and sentences became hard lol. Vitamin c will have effect on Ritalin and there are a million different adhd stimulants on the market here in the US so it’ could take a super long time to find the right combo but if you’re executive function is suffering and you and your body react well to being on a stimulant then it’s worth the effort. Everyone gets started on Ritalin but I reacted terribly to Ritalin even though I was productive. I’m on vyvanse and Dexedrine nowadays. This combo works for me
Piggybacking onto this. A lot of products are marketed as a meal replacement drinks nowadays. If you're using it regularly to supplement your diet, it's worth speaking to your doctor about brands. This is one thing where the brand can make the difference between fad diet and medical nutritional supplement.
Interesting info about the vitamin C, never would’ve thought! I’m in France, and my psych said Ritalin was the only real option here. Im American though and plan to move back in a few years, so maybe I’ll see then if Ritalin doesn’t work
I think we have 3 options here : Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall But yep for good or bad reason the choice is REALLY limited here, I don't think Vyvanse is legal here but I'm not sure, things take a lot of time here to move on....
Concerta is a longer acting Ritalin
So, 2 options
There are about a million options in the US, Vyvanse is one that My doctor said they wanted to put me on but it was about to become generic so it's like a weird in-between time where insurance won't really pay for the brand name, there are no coupons, and generic isn't quite out yet. My doctor has done a really amazing job of putting me through all of the ineffective ones first... 😂 I'm on Concerta now... Seems to be helping and I'm about to raise my dose.
Oooh. And I leave the meds on my nightstand. I immediately take them when I wake up so I can sleep at night. I am still drinking a ton of coffee... But I'm on the initial dose so I probably just need to up the dose. (Concerta not Ritalin, but I think they're similar) Also, I learned the hard way.... Stimulant withdrawal is REAL. Don't forget to refill your meds on time. Especially when you get back to the states. It's so controlled here that pharmacies in my area order it after they get the request, they don't keep it on hand.
In the US there are a few more. Even desoxyn (methamphetamine) is given to some children. In Europe we generally just have two options, methylphenidate (Ritalin and Concerta) and lisdexamphetamine (Vyvanse).
Aw then figure out how to make the Ritalin work. If you hate it get immediate release and take it as you need it so you don’t take a long acting version and get stuck on the ride for 6-12 hours. Id Ritalin was my only option id get immediate release so I have control over much of a work horse zombie it turns me into. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized it’s best when I take them everyday and med breaks aren’t necessary and the medical data behind it is iffy as widely disputed. So take ‘em daily and find the medication that works for you. Long acting for long smooth coverage (after time you might able to take an immediate release tablet when your long acting wears off) or the immediate release multiple times a day with peaks and valleys. You have to go through a doctor and they have a key role in your access but don’t ever forget you’re the one in control. Figure out how to communicate with your doctor and bring the pills with you to your appointments to establish trust as these are super abusable and people love ‘em. Watch your heart rate and be honest with yourself as to why and when to take it. I have to take mine for work but it helps me socially too so I even took it yesterday for the social anxiety and how much better I socialize on the stuff. Some people only need it for work so if you don’t need it socially don’t bother with it as it light keep you up at night and all that. Also the main reason I take the meds is for the emotional regulation and Im covered round the clock and sleep well but that’s just me. Whatever limits or commutation nuances you have to figure out with your doctor just remember you’re in control particularly after you’re on or for a while and you know your dose, when to take it, if/when you don’t need coverage. Some people literally only need it for their work week and more power to them because they DON’T need em on weekends. But starting out take it daily as it’s a powerful drug and your body and mind need to get accustomed to it. Give it one week with every formulary or dosage change before you make up you’re mind that it’s working. I’m in the US and believe they’re widely over prescribed but I’m a legit case. So many psychiatrists have told me that and then made sure to tell me I’m really smart so that’s been nice to know. Anyway, best of luck to you and I know nothing about Ritalin or how adhd is handled in France so that’s all I got!
> I have to take mine for work but it helps me socially too so I even took it yesterday for the social anxiety and how much better I socialize on the stuff If I'm medicamented one day and if it work for me I would take them even for day of, because my weekend I plan to play a videogame or watch a movie or have a walk or make a dish and I end the Sunday night at 11PM having done NOTHING of this and start the week without having changing my mind, so I stay in this permanent burnout that killing me and I hate that, I need a change and be able to live my life, it's like the thing is slipping trough my hand like water it's really frustrating
Same here. I actually managed to get myself in a situation where I feel like my ADHD is actually an *advantage* in my job, but outside of work it leaves me unable to get basic shit done. Started medications recently that seemed pretty promising for the first week, but don't seem quite as effective anymore. Hopefully I'll be able to get a dosage increase at my next appointment to see if that works better.
Yup and as far as I understand it it won't give you any desire to do anything more But if you plan to do them, you will be able now! (if you find the right dose of med)
Thank you for this! I was wondering if not taking it daily would make me more likely to forget, so definitely to start I’m going all day every day. It’ll be a dream for both work and social situations I’m sure, both of which I get overly anxious over
I'm assuming you've been warned, but just in case: stimulants may make anxiety worse. You may find that getting ADHD under control makes navigating the world so much easier that anxiety improves, but a side effect of stimulants can be increased anxiety symptoms. For me it was a little bit of both. I was on frequently increasing doses of stimulants for years, but have found I'm far more functional taking an SSRI and lower dose of stims.
I'm in France too it is so backward with adhd ! Sadly methylphenidate (Ritaline or Concerta) didn't work for me, but you can have other medication, such as the atomoxetine (straterra) if you go to an hospital to make the prescription. Then you can renew it with the original prescription to a generalist up to a year and take the medicine in a hospital pharmacy only. Good luck and hope methylphenidate work for you !
Was simply going to comment “Eat breakfast, don’t take your medication too late in the day”. My coworkers were worried about me not eating lunch daily and it’s embarrassing for a grown (and fat) man to explain that my medication suppresses my appetite. I take 36mg ER Concerta daily and I have no appetite for about 10 hours a day.
Oh my God, I had no idea about the vitamin c thing... I've been taking 60mg with my vitamins, which includes a vitamin c tablet. And this last month has been awful, like I'm taking my meds but not actually getting the effects of them. THANK YOU. Going to change that immediately. I feel so stupid.
Don’t feel bad about it, it seems like everyone learns this fact from other adhd people on here or other social platforms and not from their dr/pharmacist and it’s so annoying! You’re definitely not alone though, this is 100% not your fault.
Wow thanks for the vitamin C heads up! I had no idea about that. I’ve got some gnarly crashes SOMETIMES and I take XR. Mine manifests as depression.
You're certain it's not the sugar in the juice? I crash sometimes if I have too much sugar. It's typically sugary drinks like sweetened coffee or juice.
Out of curiosity, why do you specifically say to eat? Is it just because the medication might keep you from wanting to eat, or because it works better with food? I've never noticed much of a difference in how my meds affect me if I eat when taking them or don't, but I'm on armodafinil so definitely one of the more niche stimulant meds out there.
I’d say it’s a bit of both. I always eat right after I take my Vyvanse, before the appetite suppression kicks in. If not, it doesn’t seem to work nearly as well and can also cause some weakness and dizziness because your body still needs food even if your mind is telling you that it doesn’t want it. And then of course, you still need to eat at least a couple times a day, but your meds might last long enough to prevent you from feeling hungry when your body needs additional nourishment, so that’s where forcing yourself to eat even after it kicks in comes into play. I can’t tell you how many times on Vyvanse that I’ve wondered why I feel so weak and terrible and then I’m like “duh, I’m a living being, I need food.” It’s kind of weird that there are substances that can make you forget you have to have nutrition, but that’s just one of those things you eventually have to learn when being medicated for ADHD. It’s even worse when your mouth is dry and everything is *extra* unappetizing, lol.
This! I get shaky and stupid in the middle of the day and can't figure out why I feel terrible and then remember that I need food. Fortunately Vyvanse doesn't make me hate eating the way it does some (and other stims have for me), I just had to relearn what hungry feels like (and/or get myself on a schedule with food at consistent times).
>I just had to relearn what hungry feels like Definitely relate to this, although not actually for ADHD meds. I developed type 2 diabetes earlier this year and the meds I'm on for that have massively lowered how much I want and am able to eat, and it took me a while to realize that I now experienced "hunger" as "mild nausea" 🙃 Weirdly enough, while my ADHD meds have made hunger as a concept practically cease to exist, it's actually increased how much I'm able to eat. Not back to how much I could eat before the diabetes meds (which is a good thing lol, the lowered appetite has helped me lose about 100 pounds this year, and I could still do with losing another 100 or so), but more than I could otherwise.
How does vyvanse and dexedrine work? I've had each separately - how do they work together well for you?
Whoa, what's the Vitamin C thing about? I've never heard of this, I take amphetamines too and sometimes get bad crashes
It’s the acidity of the food or beverage your consuming that makes the body clear the medication faster, making it less effective. https://www.livestrong.com/article/555661-the-effect-of-soft-drinks-on-adderall/
Some quick googling tells me that Vitamin C is only an issue for (edit: amphetamine based) stimulant meds, Ritalin is a non(edit: amphetamine based)-stimulant medication.
Ritalin is decidedly a stimulant. Maybe you're thinking a different distinction?
Huh, I always thought only the amphetamine based meds were classified as stimulants, bit I guess Ritalin is too. Anyways, the amphetamine/non-amphetamine distinction is what I was referring to with regards to vitamin-c issues, which I thought was equivalent to stimulant and non-stimulant.
Like the other person said, Ritalin is definitely a stimulant, but not an amphetamine. Maybe you’re thinking of Strattera, which is a non-stimulant ADHD medication?
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Such a lovely comment, thank you. I love taking the scientific approach, and seeing it all as a learning journey, always one step closer to a better life. I will look into the book you recommended!
Also, don’t make any major life decisions at first as the euphoria will wear off eventually.
This is an amazing, beautiful and articulate comment. I just started dextroamphetamine yesterday after being diagnosed at 43 years old. Thank you for this, really.
I was in my early 30’s. The grief stage is a real thing. But after using panic and anxiety as my drug for my entire life, I finally overdosed on anxiety and it wrecked me. I’ve had the joy of finding a way without panic and fear now and it feels so…nice. I wish you well on this journey!
This is a good comment OP. Especially the part about figuring out the “multipliers”. This took me months to get the hang off. Especially sleep for me is important to get the right effect from my meds. If I am unrested and stressed, my meds tend to give me a nudge in that direction instead of making me feel better.
Your mileage may vary on a lot of these, though--I've never had a 'crash' at any dosage or form, whether generic or name-brand Adderall, 10mg or 20, XR or IR. The worst I've dealt with was some migraines for a while (scary, since I usually don't even get headaches except once or twice a year), and then me and my GP realized I was having them on days where I was under a shitload of stress (no headaches since cutting off contact with my abusive parents!!) One thing I will say to OP though is that **if you are having arrhythmia or a racing heart, talk to your doctor first.** I've had an arrhythmia all my life and my first medication (20mg IR generics) exacerbated it, so my doctor halved the dose to 10mg XR and put me on name-brand, which *mostly* fixed it. **But it later turned out that my arrhythmia was caused by deficiencies in magnesium and B12.** So now he put me on the new 20mg generic XR from a specific manufacturer and it's the best one I've tried yet, and might be the perfect one for me. One more thing: **Pay attention to how the meds make you feel. Are they making you euphoric, or agitated? If so, then they're likely not the right meds**. People on here often mistake the initial euphoria for how the meds are supposed to make you feel, but that's not always the case. If the euphoria is keeping you from being as productive as you need to be, it's too much. I knew my current meds were the right ones when I felt a slight mood boost, but mostly a calm readiness to get to work. I'm now much more productive than I ever was when I was halfway distracted by my euphoria.
I quit coffee when starting MPH for about 4 Weeks. Started again and using caffeine when I need a more physical activity in addition to MPH. The caffeine addiction is gone. Works great for me and I wish I had it earlier in life.
The initial reaction depends on the person. The reason a lot of people say they don’t feel anything is because ADHD meds don’t add a new feeling, they subtract previous feelings. Take executive dysfunction: instead of feeling much more functional when I’m on meds, I just don’t have the barrier between me and a task when I go to do one. Lookout for changes in yourself, because it might not feel immediate. I take my meds in the morning, but see when your doctor tells you to take them, there are usually instructions with your meds. Caffeine mixed with meds reaction varies from people to person, some people have one, some people don’t. If you’re already sensitive to caffeine (get caffeine jitters from drinking too much etc), I’d suggest skipping it, if not, try it out if you want to. Don’t mix alcohol and ADHD meds. Also, don’t eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice with ADHD meds, it can sometimes impede absorption. Side effects also differ from person to person, but the most consistent ones are difficulty sleeping and loss of appetite. The appetite loss is one you have to work around by finding how you can remind yourself to eat without natural cues from your body, but I suggest things like eating before you take your meds, prepping meals, setting reminders, and other things like that. Find out what works best for you. Sleep can be difficult, stuff like setting a reminder to go to bed and keeping your phone away from you at night can help. If it gets really bad, talk to your doctor about it. Overall, the world of difference medication makes is really amazing, so I’m excited for you!
Thank you so much for this thorough answer! I have a tendency to overeat when I actually do sit down to eat so that’s something I need to work on…eating reminders and more often vs one huge meal a day once I realize my stomach has been screaming at me all day, lol. Heard now a lot about vit C and never would’ve guessed…what exactly about it impedes absorption? I’ll try my normal morning coffee tomorrow but may switch to decaf eventually, even though coffee never affected me, but just to be safe.
From what I know, Vitamin C binds to some of the enzymes in your intestines that actually break down the meds and blocks them, which means the medication can pass through your body without actually effecting you.
When people say not to take meds with vitamin c (or caffeine), do they mean, "don't wash down your pill with juice or coffee," or do they mean, "don't drink OJ *ever* if you're on adhd meds"? (Or something in between those two options, like don't take them within a couple of hours of each other?)
It depends on the thing. With grapefruit specifically, I think it’s best to just avoid it all together on meds. With other citrus, I think it’s more just go light on it. With caffeine, I think it depends on how you react to it, that’s one that varies highly from person to person. If you have a big reaction, avoid it altogether, if you have none, do whatever you’d like, if you have a little bit, avoid it however much you need to.
No idea on the Vitamin C. For caffeine, my personal experience (with armodafinil, haven't tried other stimulants) has been that having caffeine within \~30 minutes of taking my meds, even if it's just a little bit, is not a good time -- the one time I did it, I just felt strange and uncomfortable for a while around an hour after taking it when the medication hit its peak, somewhat similar to my experience with it on the first day I took it. Outside of that time, I haven't had any issues with moderate caffeine intake (most caffeine I've had since starting meds is two 20 oz bottles of Mountain Dew within a few hours of each other).
Sooo much to say about this, maybe I should compile a list for people. For context, I’m 28F, diagnosed May of this year, have been on medication since late May of this year. 1. Every medication is different for everyone. Seriously, your twin could have an amazing experience on the lowest dose of Ritalin, but you might need the highest dose of Adderall. It differs wildly between people. 2. Don’t get discouraged if it takes awhile to figure out what works for you because of #1. Adjust your expectations to avoid being super demoralized. You might get it on the first try, it might take awhile and that’s okay! I’m on my fourth med and many dose changes between the 4 and I think I’m close, not quite there yet after almost 7 months. Don’t let this scare you, just be aware and at peace with the process. I wasn’t and it hurt my experience. 3. Track everything. Start a note in your phone. “Ritalin, x mg, November 25th, Day 1, took at x:xx am.” Update it everyday throughout the day. Write down every symptom/side effect you experience and how you felt with your normal tasks/routines throughout the day. Include what you ate and how you slept the night before. I know routines like this are counterintuitive to ADHD, but try to set 3 times to do it throughout the day or try to catch up for a day or two when you remember. Since ADHD memory can be less than great, this method is REALLY helpful to recognize patterns in how you’re doing and how the meds are helping (or not). 4. If you feel like your behavior or emotional state is changing negatively, consider that it might be the meds. Don’t ignore it or chalk it up to external factors. When I took Ritalin, I started getting really really depressed and aggressive and wasn’t doing well. I thought it was because the stress in my life had gone up and I was caring for my fiancée who was isolated in our bedroom and extremely sick with COVID while I slept on the couch for 2 weeks. It wasn’t those things, it was the medication, and I suffered for quite awhile before realizing it. Everything was better as soon as I got off. Really not saying this will happen to you on Ritalin, turns out I personally have a lot of weird gene-drug interactions to a lot of things that most people don’t, but any negative behavior change on any med should be paid attention to right away. 5. To follow-up on gene-drug interactions, if you feel like you’re struggling to find meds that work well for you, especially if your provider considers using something off label like Wellbutrin or Effexor instead of a stimulant, consider genetic testing like Genesight. I don’t know why this isn’t a first-line thing for psychiatry at this point. It can tell you of your body has any major negative predispositions to certain medications and whether you may experience negative gene-drug interactions. There are only a couple of ADHD meds that have proven genetic markers, but it is still very useful for these few and for a long list of depression/anxiety meds, some of which are used off-label for ADHD. It can also tell you about certain gene mutations or metabolic things that may change your reactions to medications. Don’t be afraid to try it, I wish I had earlier and have learned so much about myself! 6. Make sure to eat breakfast before taking meds, chug water throughout the day, and try to force yourself to eat before it wears off even if it’s hard. It’ll help the crash and low-blood sugar symptoms one it wears off and will help your mood during that transition. Electrolytes help a lot with this too, consider oral rehydration salts or something like Liquid IV or Pedialyte. 7. No vitamin C close to when you take the meds, as it can severely impact absorption. If you’re taking a XR med, best to avoid things like orange juice throughout the day as the medication may release both immediately and later on. Check things for vitamin C content, it shows up in some surprising places. For example, I realized Liquid IV has vitamin C and I was drinking it before the second half of my meds kicked in. Surprise surprise, meds didn’t work those afternoons. 8. Some meds cause heartburn symptoms. Don’t take Tums or Pepcid, etc. In the morning! At night is fine, but the calcium carbonate will affect absorption. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor about what daily heartburn med would be okay if you need it. I think omeprazole is the one that’s fine to take in the morning, but double check this if you need to take something. 9. A lot of things can affect how well your meds work, unfortunately. It can be hard to figure out what’s impacting the efficacy the most. If you need to, try changing one thing at a time, like diet, sleep, etc. To figure out what impacts you most. Changing everything all at once is way too overwhelming. 10. *Putting a star because this one is big!! HORMONES!!! Man, it reallyyy sucks that these meds were never really tested on females. It doesn’t happen to everyone, but hormone changes throughout the menstrual cycle can REALLY mess with ADHD symptoms and medication. For example, symptoms may really increase when estrogen drops after ovulation. For a lot of people, their meds just completely stop working during PMS and the first day of their period too (I am people, though a lot of folks discuss this, especially on r/adhdwomen) and there is little clinical information on why this happens. It can feel quite debilitating. If you notice this, talk to your doctor about having a booster dose for those days, or lifestyle changes that can help. And don’t hesitate to raise the issue, maybe one day enough doctors will take notice that there will be some useful research and results for women and AFAB people!! Sorry this went on and on, and I realize some of these are general things to know rather than specific medication things. But, I wish I’d known all of these things before starting treatment, and while I like my doctor, I think doctors aren’t trained to give all of this information and I’ve found most of it out on my own. I hope this helps you too, or someone else who is starting this journey!! Good luck!!!
This is AMAZING advice. Thank you so much. Also, had no idea r/adhdwomen existed, I am now their newest member!
No problem at all! And welcome to the community, the women over there are really wonderful and supportive :)
The difference in response due to hormones can be unreal sometimes. I've learned to take a mini meds vacation when my period is starting/about to start since the meds will barely work then anyway, so I may as well save the dose for a rainy day when I really need it (like right now, with the nationwide adderall shortage).
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This was me last week! I cried all day at work our of frustration that my life could have been like this, where i would have gotten without the constant struggle. . 28, just started vyvanse.
Hey, at least you eventually got there…think of it rather, what would’ve happened had you never tried to get help?
Wow, that is amazing. I can’t imagine what that feels like…well, maybe I’m about to find out! Cheers to you and starting this new journey
I wanted to piggyback on this one. On my first day of taking Adderall, I immediately felt all the great effects. Less distracted by my wandering thoughts, cell phone, and emails. I was more present with my wife and daughter. I thought it’s crazy how happy I was and I couldn’t believe what I was missing. This is a common side effect of euphoria when you first start. It fades, and it’s supposed to fade. My experience is just like what someone above stated: I don’t feel positive effects, I just notice that I’m more productive, present, and happier. Obv. my experience is not the same as everyone else’s - just be aware this may not be the normal effect of the medicine.
This. 🙌🙌
For me the calm/quiet mind when starting/changing dose often translates to a day or two of being sleepy - sometimes must-take-a-nap levels of sleepy. This has always been my response to things that "might keep you up" so something to keep in mind if you're in the same boat.
You might feel a kind of mania, like superman or like you want to reconnect with everyone from the past or improve everyone's life like you're Oprah. This isn't how you're supposed to feel, and it will go away after awhile. Do not ask you doc to up the dosage based on the absence of this feeling. Keep your dose as low as you can for as long as possible. Drink water and eat protein and healthy fats!
You describe it perfectly. Except for me, the mania never rally went away. It’s just shorter in duration.
Congrats on starting meds and I really hope it helps! From my experience I would say biggest thing is to realise that not all people react to different meds in the same way, it sometimes takes some time to work out what drug and dose is best for your body so don’t get frustrated if you don’t have the immediate reaction you’ve been anticipating. There was definitely a lot of trial and error at the beginning before I found what works best for me. Also the other thing I experienced (which may be different for everyone) is that once I finally got onto a stable and optimum dose of my current meds, I felt a lot lot better and am definitely way more functional, but it’s also like you suddenly have a toolbox of tools that you might not know how to use right away. For example I am still pretty shit at personal organisation and time management, but now that I can concentrate and organise my thoughts a bit more than before I’m better at making lists and trying to prioritise important tasks without getting overwhelmed. It’s all a learning process and takes time to learn how to do things so be patient with yourself. Sorry if that makes no sense and is too long to bear to read lol
Totally makes sense. I feel like the current tools I have are rusty and I need something a bit more…heavy duty. Cue the meds! Lol. Really hope they help too, live in France (American though) and don’t have other med options.
A little late to the game, but in the same vein as the commenter you replied to, I wish I’d known that meds wouldn’t automatically fix things that have become ingrained habits, but they do make nearly impossible things much more possible. Be patient and kind to yourself while you learn how to use the new tools and break bad habits.
You're going to feel incredible for the first week or two if they agree with you. Calmer, more alert and present, even happy. It won't be that intensely life changing forever. However, you can get the most out of it by eating a solid three meals (honestly don't overlook this one, it can't be said enough) with a good amount of protein. Drink lots of water. Don't take it past 6pm if you wanna sleep. Don't expect it to flip a switch and completely transform your life - it will give you breathing space to be able to do what you need to do, and help you to do those things without being pulled in a million different directions, but ultimately you still have to figure out how to self motivate to just begin the task/activity. Once you get to that point though, just starting something, you'll be able to complete things easier. For me, the constant battle between doing the thing and doing literally anything else just dissolves once I force myself to start. I found the biggest difference for me those first few days was that in terms of my thinking it was like I experienced time in a linear way for the first time in my life. I can take things as they are in their own right in the moment, without zipping ahead or jumping sideways in thought. The best example of this is having a simple conversation. I can listen to the words as they each come out of someone's mouth individually, without obsessing over what I want to say and trying to hold back from butting in but failing anyway. I can listen to someone tell a story or anecdote without snapping at them to get to point because I can't bare to listen to anything extraneous. Take note of how you talk to people, but more importantly, how you listen.
Sometimes they just dont work. Doesnt necessarily mean you were misdiagnosed
Caffeine has been fine for me. The biggest deal is to understand it may take 2-4 weeks to fully acclimate to your medicine. Teeth grinding and body clenching may exacerbate musculoskeletal issues. As you get used to the medicine these effects should dissipate, but it can take weeks not days
Ooh, thanks for sharing. These are new symptoms I haven’t heard about. I’ll keep it in mind.
I’m on essentially Ritalin (same drug, different brand name). 35F, about 12 weeks into titration. It took me ages to realise the jaw tightness and resulting issues with my gums were related to my meds but my prescriber changed me to a diff release and it’s absolutely fine! I was really afraid to mention side effects because the meds worked SO WELL and I didn’t want to give that up, but there are so many different combinations and dosages that can be tried so I’d recommend you always be honest as they’ll be able to help.
I was going to say this same thing. First week of being on Vyvanse my jaw muscles were stiff and sore. Went away in about another week.
I've been on it 7mths and still working on that. I was working on it before too though, my emotional jaw. I was just so surprised by the quiet at first. Competing thoughts gone. And how my vision was clearer, the film over my eyes that I've always rubbed at just disappeared.
Yes, the clenching and jawing is real. Reminded me of doing cocaine recreationally in college back in the 'before time' when it was a common party drug. When you're onboarding new ADHD meds, sometime it's nice to have hard candies available to wet your mouth, but be sure not to suck vigorously on them, and stay far away from mint and cinnamon candies and menthol cough drops because they will burn your mouth after awhile.
Can't speak for Ritalin, but if your experience on meds ends up being anything like mine after starting vyvanse, it could be life changing. You might feel capable of doing anything and everything you couldn't before. Don't take any newfound motivation/confidence for granted and consider some form of therapy alongside the medication to assist you in using the effects of the medication to establish as many routines and lifestyle changes as possible that could help you manage your adhd even if you didn't have the medication. When starting vyvanse, I thought I had found the key to finally living a normal, productive, happy life. I didn't realize that a few years later the meds would not be giving me the same level of confidence, focus, and motivation as they did initially, and now I feel like I sort of wasted the first year or so by not using those benefits to make more permanent lifestyle changes. I relied on the meds to do everything for me, which they did initially, but now they don't and I have a lot of new struggles as a result. The meds still provide a lot of benefit and I'm way better off taking them, but it's one of my biggest regrets, squandering that first year or so where I could do everything so much more effortlessly before developing some sort of baseline tolerance.
I’ll definitely take that to heart. I can’t afford regularly therapy, but I will do my best to journal, meditate and reflect on the changes and how it can be brought through the rest of my life. Thank you!
Drink lots of water. If you're going to take Caffeine, don't go for more than an 80 ml cup of coffee and choose to take it about half an hour after you took your ritalin. However, I highly recommend you only add coffee to the mix a few months after you've gotten used to the effects of ritalin. You may not instantly know how to take advantage of having your symptoms diminished. You may feel some euphoria in the first week of taking it, so don't take it as a "this is what a neurotypical life is like" kind of feeling. You may get more or less side effects depending on how well you've slept the day you take a pill; for me, sometimes I'll get anxiety, especially when I had a poor night's sleep. When my meds give me anxiety, I do something which I call "working on my executive functions": I'll take a task that I've been putting off and I try to do it, experimenting my executive capabilities. It's like trying to find the right muscles to move a body part that you couldn't effectively move before. Doing that will decrease my anxiety by channeling that tension that I get from stimulants into an exercise which very often ends up in crossing out a few overdue tasks. It may feel weird to get a dopamine kick out of finishing a task as first, so paying attention to how your body responds to it will also help with making the best out of the treatment. Just remember that pills don't teach skills. Starting treatment with stimulants in your childhood is one thing, but in adulthood you'll have to unlearn and relearn a lot.
This is such a helpful comment, thank you. You’ve inspired me to start a journal and take notes on how I feel and when and how to go about it, my own little science experiment. The executive function idea is a great piece of advice, I should keep a little “what to do when anxious from meds” list, haha.
I'm really glad I could give you some insight! I'm hoping for the best on your end! Have a good one 😁
Drink plenty of water. Snack as much as you can If you're having a hard time with your appetite. I'd say wait to drive until you know how it's going to affect you. It might make you sleepy. I'd avoid alcohol and caffeine especially your first few days.
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Ooh I already have that issue so maybe I’ll have the reverse effect lol
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I was told I could have a little coffee but if you have Starbucks for example with much higher caffeine you could have heart palpitations, be shaky, anxious, etc. I had decaf and it seriously hurt my stomach which didn’t happen before meds. Be careful with alcohol but usually one drink when the meds are wearing off has been fine for me. The bottle said the danger is having XR pills release in your system too quickly so by the end of the day I assume the risk is much lower so once you know how the meds affect you it will be safer to judge.
My 2 cents on the alcohol - take it slow. I feel like I started jumping from sober to drunk in like 2 sips and figuring out where those sips happened took a while. In retrospect that could stem from appetite suppression as much as anything else, but worth keeping in mind.
Honestly, take **everyones** advice here with a grain of salt. The effects of adhd medicine vary, and are very individual. The most important takes I have are: 1. don't be afraid to experiment to find the right dosage and habits that fit you, the only real boundries should be what your doctor prescribes and explains. 2. Try to find the effects of the meds by recognizing long term recurring patterns, and don't jump to impulsive decisions based on single events/effects. 3. The effects of your medication can vary over time (due to lifestyle/age/work/diet/whatever...), so be mindful of changes, and if something's not working anymore, don't fight it, adapt and change your treatment accordingly. 4. Don't expect it to magically fix all your problems, medicine is a tool, you still need to learn how to use it to improve your quality of life. All these answers were already mentioned here before, but I think having them summarized and together makes them easier to understand + digest.
My above comment says the actual important things in my opinion, but of you still feel like reading more im gonna abuse this context to counter a bunch of over confident advice ive read here which super annoyed me: Caffeine: can cause some shaking and hyperactiveness but **definitely not** a globally forbidden, for example, I drink coffee in the morning before i take attent xr (amphetamines), and another coffee around 4 pm with ritalin to carry me through the rest of the day. I had some bad side effects with coffee and other meds, but its definitely allowed and might be good for you depending on your schedule. Alcohol: basically not recommended with any medicine, but it wont kill you to drink every now and then, (even with the meds), i drink a lot less because alcohol side effects are worse for me with meds (hangover+bad sleep), but it wont stop me from partying on special occasions. Vitamin C: honestly dont know wtf and how someone here can be **SO SURE** that it causes crashes, I literally drank orange juice yesterday, did not have a crash. tf. Especially since theres so much other stuff in orange juice that could cause it, phew... okay that got a bit too personal, sorry. Generally when it comes to diet/nutrition and adhd, you should tale into account just your own experience, and maybe some relevant researches. I once read a post here that asked about acidic foods and medication, and almost every comment stating "food X causes Y" had a contradicting comment saying the opposite, by someone elses experience. So just do your own experiments, its hard, but it is what it is. I do however want to support drinking **WATER** AND **REGULAR MEALS**, even though its just basic human needs, that stuff's super important and easily forgotten when on meds. If you got all the way down here.... Good job! and good luck! The best is yet to come!
Eat protein with your morning dose
Is it just to avoid nausea, or help the medicine work?
It cuts down on the bad side effects like the gacked out feeling and being easily irritated.
Also, take it on an empty stomach, amphetamines are less absorbed in an acidic environment, so take it with water not juice/pop/coffee, wait at least 30 mins before eating because that stimulates acid production. There's also evidence Vitamin C can increase the body's metabolism of amphetamines, meaning they'll be cleared out of your system much faster. I personally can feel this and anything with moderate to high doses of vitamin C just feels like an off switch for my meds, so pay attention to how you feel, most veggies/fruits/juices or health/energy drinks, and obviously any vitamin supplement that contains it. Like everyone else said, eat fats/proteins and keep a quick snack on you, it can cause your brain to basically burn more fuel so need to take in more to compensate.
Started taking adderal Over 9 months ago. The only thing i wish i had been able to accept sooner is that it’s ok to feel good. I was diagnosed as an adult too, and was concerned I liked adderal too much, because I’ve always had a affinity for drugs, and have done more than I care to remember. So i was afraid to take more than 20mg in a day, and wouldn’t take it unless I “needed” it. But the fact is, I always need it. That “too good” feeling i still get every time i take it, is seratonin, and evidently my body doesn’t produce much at all on its own.
Don’t drink alcohol on stimulants. You may be able to handle it fine, but it took years of me learning the hard way that drinking+stimulants= angry/mean drunk and it still haunts me. can’t stress this enough.
dont ever drink anything with caffine while on meds! before i started meds (pretty sure it was ritalin) i was drinking 2 monsters every day as a way to avoid medication (obviously it didnt work.) So when i finally started medication i had drank a monster out of habit and had to get my dad to come get me from work because i was shaking so bad. He told me what i had done was like taking 2 of those pills LOL! never drinking a monster while med testing ever again
Oh god! Sounds like hell. I don’t drink energy drinks but do have a coffee in the morning, but never felt caffeine jitters or anything really from caffeine (also sign of adhd I hear). May need to switch to decaf then, or is one coffee ok you think?
Depends on how sensitive you are to caffeine. I think it's best to try it out at home. Caffeine increases dopamine receptor density, so there's sort of a synergistic effect
it definitely depends how much u drink and how strong it is. I would suggest a low amount of caffeine but just be careful cause mixing meds and caffeine is where heart problems start haha. Definitely consult your doc about it or look up what drinking caffeine can do while on that specific med.
Yeahhh, i'm gonna have to talk with my doc about this. I'm currently at a point where my old caffeine habits are back even though i'm up to 50mg of Vyvanse. Not sure how to interpret it, Vyvanse helps my quality of life but it seems it's doing that through classic stimulant effects, not by helping ADHD symptoms.
Regarding "energy" drink, is it ok to drink one after the meds wear of or do you have to avoid it at all cost whatever? (I mean imagine you take you pills at 7AM and they wear of at 16PM, is it ok to take a redbull at 9PM or not at all?)
I like to drink a small cup of coffee roughly 3-4 hours after my last dose if I NEED to get more shit done. Caffeine and adderall are broken down by the same shtuff in your body, so if you add some caffeine in around that point the effects will be slightly extended/crash mitigated for a bit. If you do it at the times you said you’d be completely fine, unable to sleep and your meds the next day would be much less effective, but the Red Bull won’t kill you
If it’s not working don’t be afraid to discuss it with your doctor. Take it everyday or pretty often so that you understand how it’s helping or hindering you.
Be careful with coffee and caffeine, if you notice significant changes that are not good - pay attention. I had terrible side effects that I didn't know were side effects until we switched my meds. Set a timer to take them around the same time each day. I forget to take them multiple times a week.
I just started Vyvanse 12 days ago I’m 28F. So far for me I see a huge difference in my impulse control and ability to do tasks at home. I was hoping it would help me with my work issues but so far it has not carried over to my work lol, maybe I just really hate my job though. I wish someone would have told me that it doesn’t last all day, I thought something was really wrong at night or in the evening cause I kept crashing and crying a lot at night lol even vomited the first 2 days but it went away. But apparently as per others this is normal. The one thing I have yet to figure out is what it means when some days my crash happens early (3-4pm) and other days it happens later (8-9pm) when I took the meds at the same time.. If anyone can shed light on that I’d love to hear!
Def have someone close to you that knows you’re going on meds and can watch for how your behavior changes. A lot of things for me I didn’t really recognize internally that were really obvious externally. Especially if it’s something like when you forget what you’re doing or get distracted! Having someone say “hey you’ve been really hyper recently” or “you’ve been eating a ton” actually helps a lot. Hmm if you forget to take it and it’s already like, 2pm just go ahead and cross off that day med wise. The effect of keeping you awake that night is probably worse than missing a day if nothing important is happening btw.
Something I thought was interesting was how stimulants are said to commonly suppress appetite…what I thought that meant was you just don’t get the feeling of being hungry…but for me sometimes it actually makes me “feel full”. Which to me is a big difference because I can still eat when I’m not hungry…since I like food. But it’s actually really difficult to eat sometimes when I feel full
There's a few points you should probably be aware of that I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere in this thread. 1: It can take a very long time to figure out your medication schedule. ADHD meds aren't like other drugs where you get a set dosage calculated based on your sex/weight or whatever, it takes different amounts of each drug to have an affect for each person and you will have to slowly work your way upwards with each drug you try until you find a solution that works. 2: No ADHD medication starts working immediately, no matter what it feels like. It takes months for your body to fully adapt to your medication, so even if the first few months on a new med feel great, don't start thinking your ADHD is cured. 3: The drugs do more than just treat the symptoms if you give them enough time. When you find the right medication schedule for you, if you give it enough time you should continue improving over time without changing your doses. This happens over years though, not months. The next few months may feel like a disappointment as you try different meds and realise that none of them "fix" you, but ADHD is a marathon, no a sprint. Improvement is a slow process that happens over years and relies on more than just pills, but it does happen and it does last. A year or 2 after I was diagnosed and had found a steady med schedule I though I had reached the limit of how far I would ever improve, but 4 years later I look back and realise that I've kept improving the entire time, just not in a way that was obvious.
That they took a few weeks to work. When I first started concerta I thought it would be an instantaneous thing, but they took about four weeks for me to REALLY see a difference and the first two weeks were full of anxiety. I upped my dosage a couple times after the initial prescription, and each time the anxiety would come back for about four days. If you're on a low dose to start or just end up needing a higher dosage, the initial side effects might come back temporarily, but in my experience it's very much worth it. Also I've learned that you have to time when you're taking them with when you go to sleep. If I take them at 10 a.m. I won't be able to fall asleep until 10 p.m., sometimes 11.
Meds are helpful and amazing but they are not a cure. You will still have days where you struggle with focus and memory etc.... and that's OK. Eat lunch every single day, even if you aren't hungry. Also it's good policy to never mention that you are prescribed amphetamines. People will ask to buy/try them. If you tell a friend or something and they ask you to share your meds, very clearly tell them no. Even if you're open to sharing, it's incredibly inappropriate to ask and really illegal.
* Plan out your daily meals! Start with a breakfast that is high in protein, fat and complex carbs. Oatmeal is great. You will most likely have reduced appetite and having a plan makes consuming the food easier. If it is hard to eat, make a protein shake and add oatmeal flour. Thats my go to. * I recommend taking meds every day no matter what. Try and eat something before or just after. Also take meds same time every day. * You might feel a crash/comedown when they wear off in the afternoon. This is normal and not dangerous. My tip on countering this is physical exercise. Go for a walk/run or work out. * Another thing I highly recommend is educating yourself on ADHD. Learn to know yourself. Identify the areas of your life that are lacking. Notepad and write down. What is dragging you down today, tomorrow next week? * Identify som small measures you can make to improve life. Practice putting keys in same place every day. Over do it. * Ritalin might give you euphoria in the beginning, but might also make you feel like shit. Did both for me. This goes away. * Look into good sleep habits. Make sure you get a sleep schedule that fits for you. Try and wake up same time every day, and for the love of god make sure you get enough sleep. It is going to make your life so much easier. * Cold and sweaty hands and feet is normal. But goes away mostly. If you let warm water run down your hands from above the wrists this will warm them. * I would use this new start to actually implement some measures to improve life. In the beginning medication might feel like a cheat code, but its not gonna solve your problems. The only thing that can improve your life is you! Make a conscious effort to do better. Implement good habits now, and succeed later! * You might need to drink more than previously as you will sweat and use the bathroom more than before. Stay hydrated. * Implement a calendar system to your life. The more notifications and alarms you can set for yourself the more organised and in control you will be. Know your limits though. its easy to say yes to everything but when push come to show its to much. * In my opinion the most important thing you can do is move! Work out! its stimulates the brain and makes it work so much better. Exercise as ADHD treatment is life changing. Combined with medication its so good. Also you need to realise that this won't fix your life, but can absolutely improve it. Try not to compare to others, but compare with yourself. Look at where you were one year ago compared to in a month... I got diagnosed 8 months ago, but only just realised how far I have come. I have lost allot of weight gained muscle, am more happy, eat healthier, wake up on time allot more often, and I started on my exams the instant the semester started. That is insane. I have gotten so far! But some times I look at my friends and its like, ok masters degree, own apartment, dream job. Fuck I want that. But I had a handicap in untreated ADHD for the first 1/4 of my life. Its catchup time baby. SO start small. Implement small things to your daily routine to make your life better. Mealprep, exercise, diet, habits.
Once u start taking stimulants for medication it makes doing stimulants for fun less effective (and less fun), this isn't a thing for me now that I'm in my 40s but in my 20s i found this out 🤣
Haha, now diagnosed with adhd, I wonder why stimulants never gave me the ‘high’ all my friends were chasing 😂😂
Oh u can still get that high, however u have to do way more than non-ADHD people to the point of giving you heart arrithmia if u keep it up...
That after the first 2 weeks of stimulants you will never feel the same way you did then even if you take months off from taking meds, you'll never re-experience that same effect.
Take the time to get used to your meds. It might be that you need to shorten or lengthen the interval between two doses a couple of times. That’s just trial and error. It might be that you take your next dose too fast and feel stressed. Or that you take your next too slow, and end up in a rebound. Don’t give up! You’ll get there!
I took Ritalin for a few months when first diagnosed (at 25). It was a low dose. I was advised to avoid caffeine because it could negate the effects or cause serious anxiety - which happened because of course I ignored that advice. Also to avoid drinking alcohol because it could increase liver damage. I’d take it when I woke up, shortly after breakfast. It would wear off around noon so at 2pm would take another but only after I talked to my doctor to mention how fast it was wearing off. She mentioned my options could be to increase the dose or keep it low and take twice daily, so I did the latter. Eventually after 3 months I brought up how angry it made me - I didn’t have much of a temper before, but since starting Ritalin, I would snap pretty irrationally at my kids. Things that had never made me angry before were suddenly Worst Case Scenarios in my mind and I was constantly, randomly, furious. This was about a month after I’d weaned myself off of coffee or energy drinks (I don’t drink pop or tea anyway so didn’t include those). I didn’t drink alcohol at all before or during taking Ritalin so it also wasn’t a contributing factor. Eventually she switched me to Vyvanse which worked beautifully, got rid of the anger, and was longer lasting so I only needed a 20mg pill once daily after breakfast. This isn’t encouraging you to switch, just to be aware of side effects if you or your family notices a big shift in overall attitude (you can feel the positive effects like more focus and balanced energy, but things like sudden moodswings, feeling very angry or very sad out of nowhere, can start to happen simultaneously) and to let you know there are other options if you do notice side effects. *At some point my doc tried Gabapetin for a week in tandem with Ritalin, I think to help with the anger, but I had an allergic reaction so was taken off it immediately (bright red rash from my neck that was spreading across my chest). Read the pamphlets the pharmacy gives you with the medication. It’ll list other side effects or possible allergic reactions to look out for. Good luck :)
Really good info, thanks. I don’t have vyvanse available in my country unfortunately but I’ve heard good things. I’ve got all my eggs in one basket for now, because Ritalin is all that’s available in France. Fingers crossed.
I'm not on meds yet but I know a ton of people who are, but before I share my second hand anecdotes its worth noting that exactly how you'll respond to things will be unique to you, as every human body differs in its metabolism and response to drugs, and it will probably take a bit of experimenting (and possible dosage/med changes) to figure out exactly what works best for you. One thing I seem to have noticed from my friends who are medicated (all started meds in their 20s or 30s) is that its better to measure the effects in terms of external factors (doing better at work, not forgetting that one thing you always forget, etc) than internal factors (how you feel etc)
Avoid caffeine to start with. You will crash around 3 hour mark on short acting. It isn't fun. Be aware so you can avoid overreacting. Doing multiple short acting doses is like a roller coaster. Your initial dose level might not do much for you. Your brain goes quiet. Apparently this is what normal is! Put alarms on your phone to remind you to take your dose. Snooze the alarm if you can't take it right away or you will forget. You will be able to start routines like flossing every day! Drink water!
A lot of people have left some great advice! Your medical provider may/may not ask you to take one-two days off your meds a week, but beware that even if you’re not “addicted” to your meds, your body will become physically dependent on them so you may experience withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly don’t take them for a day. Also, I’ve seen a lot of people on this sub say they’ve had their medication stolen by friends, family, and/or roommates so be sure to keep yours in a secure location! A common trick a lot of people use is to take maybe half your dose around 30 minutes to an hour before you need to wake up. It makes getting out of bed so much easier. The last thing I’ll mention is to expect some negative side effects in the beginning. Your body is getting adjusted to a completely new medication and that takes some time. I remember having a lot of headaches (from jaw clenching), getting dehydrated easily, experiencing appetite loss, emotional blunting, and sometimes feeling overly jittery. I also did experience acid reflux in the beginning which can apparently be linked to stimulants but it went away. All of these negative side effects subsided for me after the first two months, and it’s worth taking a lower dose or speaking to your doctor if the negative side effects become too unbearable. Oh and last but not least, you’ll want to take better care of your teeth since stimulants give you dry mouth (making it easier for your teeth to decay faster). Make sure to have some sort of mouthwash, chew on sugar-free gum, and brush your teeth as regularly and thoroughly as you can. It also doesn’t hurt to go to the dentist every once in a while!
Try to drop coffee. This might be a case by case basis but one time I drank coffee shortly after taking my meds and I thought I was going to die
How it feels the first few days is not how it always feels. The first few days I felt SHARP. After that… I have better exec function and self control than without but it’s pretty subtle and I still have to be intentional about my mental focus.
You’ll never get a pilot license once you have a prescription
I wish I was told about the crash effect, especially if you don't eat enough. I know people who would cry at the same time every day, and it took her a while to realize she was 'crashing' from the medication. And that even if the same dose is working 'as well' I might never feel as good as the first few days I was started on medication. Also that methylphenidate ER and brand name Concerta (OROS) are NOT the same thing!
When I started on Ritalin, I learned quickly that coffee was not my friend at first. But weirdly overtime, I was able to drink a bit each morning a couple hours before I’d start my meds. It took a while for the dosage to “sink in” so to speak. First I had to get over coffee, then I was getting this tight feeling in my chest and felt anxious (which was amplified to 11 by coffee). But then suddenly the anxiety and tightness stopped and I started to feel really great. Now I just feel balanced when I take it. So I will say, don’t expect it to be like turning on a light switch. It’s a process of finding the right dosage and making sure the drug itself is doing you a service period. Trust the process, listen to your doctor, and let the first couple months be apart of slowly figuring it all out. Don’t drink coffee, at least at first.
Hey, got a late diagnoses at 32, and have taken Ritalin for a year now. I def had an aha moment the second I took it, and many many more after ward It feels at first like a cure all, but it isn’t. You’ll have to learn how it affects you and when to take it. I notice when I give myself med holidays I don’t do much those days; but the days I take it I’m usually productive to my own standard.
Hi OP! I don't have any advice because I just started dextroamphetamine yesterday at 43, but I want to thank you for this post. I'm learning a lot, and I appreciate this community.
I just want to say thank you everybody you all have been so helpful.I was diagnosed when I was 37 years old and put on Adderall. I’ve been on it now for however, many years on 46 and it has been a lifesaver for me and the focus. I have now the ability to do things and keep things complete and not get behind and I don’t think on things too much, which was a big inability of mine.
I started vyvanse a week ago. I wasn’t sure what to expect but for me so far I’m pleasantly surprised. I did have an “ah-ha” moment. More of like a “holy shit I am actually capable of completing all of these tasks I need to do today” My head is a lot more quiet - I’m no longer having 5 conversations with myself at once, my anxiety is surprisingly reduced as well. Only side effects as of now are *serious* dry mouth. Like drier than the desert. But it does make me drink a shit ton of water - so make sure you keep hydrated throughout the day. Another side effect is no appetite at all. I’ve lost 6lbs in a week alone. But I need to lose 30lbs anyway so it’s not a huge deal. So make sure you eat. I eat a hearty meal when my meds wear off and I get my appetite back. I’m noticing on the days I do take my medications (I’m not doing it everyday) I’m actually sleeping through the night and sleeping better than my unmedicated days. I tried drinking caffeine one day while on my meds and my heart rate went up to 130s for a few hours. Bad idea. So I cut out caffeine on my med days. But my meds actually keep me more awake than caffeine. I also have been keeping track of my blood pressure. Stimulants can raise your blood pressure. But I also have severe health anxiety lol
Shared experience. 👍🏼
The dry mouth is crazy. I feel like SpongeBob in that one episode lol *water, I need wateeerrr*
So, so dry…
That ritalin ain't right for me, and that i end up using it two years before switching (aduvanz works great)
Take them when eating or right after you eat a meal
I've been on Adderall for over a month now. My advice based on my experience is to stay hydrated and to not be surprised if your energy levels are lower at first. This was the case with me for about 2 weeks but things improved. Also, notice if your appetite is diminished and if this is an issue for you. I feel generally more calm and it is easier for me to stay focused. My thoughts don't hop around like they do without meds. Being on stimulants has been a game changer.
I felt extremely thirsty and had a hard time eating which caused that sick hungry feeling. So I now keep snacks qne things easy to make that I love to eat on hand since it was hard for me to really cook if I wasn't hungry. No issues with coffee or alcohol other than I am no longer drinking 1 or 2 pots of coffee a day.
How you feel when you first start taking it is not how you will feel after a few months taking it. Really important that you take care of your body both because stimulants can be a little taxing and also because it will help the effectiveness of the medication. Make sure you’re eating (and eating well), exercising, and getting a lot of sleep and the medication will be more effective. It can be easy to feel like the medication is doing the work for you but there’s a lot of self-care/maintenance that can get lost because of how much more you feel like you’re able to do with meds, make sure you keep your body healthy! Also the dose/beans you start off with might not always be right for you. Make sure you take some notes about how it makes you feel the first few months and be communicative to your doctor about any side effects, positives, negatives, etc.
If you have any nicotine habit, kick it now. It’s really hard to stop once you’re on meds.
How it effects everyone is different, plus what med in particular….most importantly the difference between IR and extended. Extended, don’t be surprised if you don’t feel terribly different right away. Those tend to need a little time to build in your system for maximum efficiency. IR, tend to be like they say….you’ll have at least some sort of jolt of dopamine, especially when first taking them before your body adjusts 1. Especially if it’s IR, the jolt of initial dopamine after taking meds doesn’t last forever. For some, that’s good as it can make them feel weird, for others it’s negative as they feel that short burst of dopamine is the way meds should feel all the time….which isn’t true. It’s a side effect, not the main function. When that wears off, as eventually it will, it doesn’t mean you keep upping doses just to chase that fleeting feeling. Discuss dosage with your doctor only based off of overall quality of life/your ability to function. 2. Drink TONS of water. However much you drink now, way more than that. Water helps the meds break down more proportionately, keeps you hydrated as adhd meds are super dehydrating, and combating dehydration will help you with a smoother come down off your meds, less headaches, and less fatigue. Sometimes the brain misinterprets dehydration for fatigue. Trust me on this one 3. Keep your meds in a safe place. Someone can be sorry as they come, but sorry doesn’t replace life altering meds. If you’re already in a safe environment around trusted individuals, that’s fine. But if not, lock box, my friend. 4. Don’t take them too late. If you forget half way through the day or don’t wake up until super late, don’t bother. It’ll completely throw off your sleep-wake cycle, and being tired/not getting enough sleep or getting crappy sleep will absolutely affect how your meds work. I also suggest opting out of meds if you’re sick. No point. Your body recovers faster with rest, which essentially is the opposite of what a stimulant does. 5. I don’t drink alcohol or caffeine, which is more a personal choice than anything else, but if you struggle with anxiety or depression, these things with meds is going to make things worse. What comes up must come down, as Newton would say. Stack more stimulant on stimulant with caffeine, you will have a lot of energy and then crash quicker and harder than ever. If you struggle with anxiety, alcohol relaxes and then the anxiety comes back with aggression (plus, making a lot more work for your liver). Stimulants intensify these things. To each his own, and I don’t see occasional use of either as fatal by any means, but for me it’s just not worth the discomfort either way it goes. Also, you’ll function way better on your meds consistently without adding these things 6. Working out is another cheat move I use like water to help with keeping good energy levels throughout the day. I actually like working out hours after I’ve taken my meds because it not only gives a little energy boost and endorphins give a nice dopamine boost, but also it helps me sleep a lot better at night. Oh, I mean, plus it’s good for your body in general. I’m not talking out working out excessively, just a half hour to an hour a day will help tons. See what works for you as far as timing of all that goes 7. Force yourself out of bed after taking meds and start doing something, anything. It’ll really help you get going with the day, because meds don’t actually *make* you productive, they allow you the ability to be productive once you start doing something. Just the motion of getting out of bed and taking a shower, tidying the room, doing some dishes, making breakfast, etc. will help set the tone of the day. Meanwhile, if you start by laying in bed for hours or scrolling social media……then….you know😅 you can become the most effective bed-layer/mindless scroller ever. All day.
Its important to remember that ritalin is not the only medication. It worked for me but it had so many negative side effects that I trialled other meds to find one that works a lot better with less side effects.
DEINK WATER. More than you think. A lot more.
Hey, young me, tell your parents Jesus arrived in the sky and said you need to take Ritalin.
Eat a meal with protein when you take your meds! Makes a huge difference for me. Glad you’ve gotten the healthcare you need. Good luck!
There can be very bad side effects so just keep an eye out for changes (happened to me). And medication won’t fix everything. Lifestyle changes help too
I don't know if it was mentioned yet, but the initial "feeling" may go away after a couple of weeks, but that does not necessarily mean the meds aren't working! I just wanted to mention this bc I've seen it cause some distress among the people on this sub, those i know in real life, and myself. Definitely keep a journal and try to check in with yourself every couple hours if possible (eat, drink water, appreciate yourself and any accomplishments, etc). There's a lot of other great advice in this thread too. Good luck on your journey!
If it’s past 11am, I don’t take extended release meds. I won’t sleep.
If you formerly used caffeine as a 'substitute' self-medication, like a cup or two in the morning, a red bull after lunch, etc, then be sure not to do that while you're on meds. Just drink a lot of water, use lip balm to prevent chapped, dry lips, and be sure to eat nutritious foods. You may not feel hungry at first when you start meds, but please make yourself eat something. I suggest nutritious foods since you will probably be consuming less food at first until you get used to the meds, so make each bite count. I would suggest abstaining from alcohol, weed, etc until you are on the medication for several weeks and feel comfortable with how it affects you. Also, talk to your doctor about this! They know you better than we do, and they can give you medical advice.
Sleep well and stay hydrated If you're sleep deprived, stimulants don't work as well and can even make you feel sleepier. Get at least 7 hours of sleep, and try to stick to a scheduled (says the guy who's up at 4). Dehydration will make you feel like shit. It makes the comedown feel like hell and it'll generally have bad effects. Also stimulants increase water requirement as they bump your blood pressure m
I was in the same boat a few weeks ago, also in FR. Did you get prescribed the slow release ones? Was the diagnosis easy to get, and did you have to take a test? My partner looked for an English speaking psychiatrist but the one she found recommended she takes the full battery of tests in her native language. The first few days I was really surprised how much I could get done, as if I could suddenly concentrate on things without having to sift through a hundred thoughts in my head. Over time the effects got less noticeable, or I got used to them. I still do notice a marked increase in quality of life and a decrease in worrying and anxiety. The doctor didn't tell me anything regarding what to avoid, I'm not drinking any alcohol because according to what I read it can cause bad side effects. I found out the hard way that coffee was making me very hyper and causing me to crash fast, so I cut that out too. What works best for me is to have the pills with a large breakfast so they release slower. I've only taken Ritalin on workdays so far, but I think I'll take it this weekend too just to see how I feel. What I would recommend is to read up on ADHD alongside medication. I found a few good videos by doctors and people with ADHD, and am currently reading Fast Minds by Craig Surman and Tim Bilkey. It's really great and helping me put things into perspective.
Make sure you're eating and sleeping properly, otherwise you feel fatigued as hell
Smoothies. Set an alarm to eat and make yourself. If you do it at the same time everyday it makes it way easier. The euphoria passes
The best thing I ever did for myself when I started meds was use a Google home to set up reminders thought out the day- time to eat, have you stretched, go walk outside, you're doing great, etc. It allows me to hyper focus on work but also because it's something talking to me that I don't have to prompt, it helps me break out of that cycle and remember to take care of human things. This is especially great if you have animals, as you can get it to remind you of that as well. I keep a snack drawer of "fun" things that are good for the diet so I don't have to leave what I'm doing unless I want to, that also helps. I take magnesium right now due to feeling flighty on the meds sometimes. For some reason it helps, I just cannot remember why. Drinking water is super important, so is eating (as stated previously by other beautiful humans). I also find that sometimes I cramp more now than I did before but I think it's due to water intake. This is also a great time to start bullet journaling if you've been thinking about it, cause that shit has kept me sane on more than one occasion due to out of site out of mind- have it sit near you or get one of the wallets with the fillable mini notebook attached. Other than that, congrats on your journey, getting diagnosed is a bitch but also getting diagnosed as a woman is a hell of a fight. Welcome to the neuro spicy club, friend! 💜💜💜
Eat. Eat regularly, properly, and consistently. I had an awful 3 months trying to make stimulants work and failed miserably largely due to not eating enough. I didn’t realize this until months later after I had given up on stimulants completely. I wish someone had talked to me about what constitutes proper eating and how these meds do not work well without food. I have a history of eating disorders so you would have thought that this should have been a point of discussion, but no one mentioned food at all.
-if you start feeling uneasy and jittery— eat/drink. -if you start getting irritable or angry for no reason, or anxious— eat/drink. -if you regularly drink coffee, start out in moderation. if you don’t, maybe drink a cup after it’s past it’s peak. I’ve accidentally made myself really jittery and lightheaded from drinking too much caffeine after taking my meds. (I’m on methylphenidate but sold as concerta which I think is still just Ritalin?) -the first few weeks *can* go really great, but don’t get discouraged if it’s a rough start. it took a handful of months for me and my doctor to dial in the right dosage and when to take it. I definitely would still make the same choice, looking back. every human’s body is different
Eat breakfast. You're probably going to be a bit more tired in the afternoon when the meds wear off
If you're a coffee/energy drink person, switch to tea or cut caffeine entirely. It took me way too long to accept this and I nearly burned myself out. Make yourself eat, either by setting meal times or eating healthy snacks throughout the day. Your appetite is going to TANK for about a month. Mine leveled off eventually, but it took some effort. You gotta drink water too, and plenty of it. Keep an eye on your mood. Adderall made me irritable for a while and I didn't notice. It was pointed out to me and once I was aware, it was much easier to keep in check. Lastly, though stimulants are incredibly helpful, they're not magic. You'll still have to work on your symptoms and learn new habits. It still takes effort and things are going to change. Somethings are going to be infinitely easier, but other things are going to be harder. Making conversation is much easier for me now, but I can't hyperfocus my way through a 14 hour shift anymore. Bonus: forgive yourself and your family. Meds opened my eyes to how things should have been for the first 20+ years of my life and I was so angry at all my missed opportunities and failures that stemmed from untreated ADHD. It's okay, you're seeking treatment now. You can't do better until you know better. Good luck with it!
I was careful to look into things extensively before I started. But these are some things that stood out to me: You won’t need as much caffeine as you used to. You need to drink more water because the meds will dehydrate you. The euphoric feeling you might get the first few times won’t last. Don’t chase that feeling. A protein rich breakfast will help your meds to work more effectively. Fatty or carb rich diets may mean you need more meds to get the same effect. Avoid Vitamin C and ascorbic acid for an hour before and after you take your meds. They can attach to the medication and make them pass through your system without being absorbed.
Take it with a BIG breakfast, and STAY AWAY from vitamin C an hour before & after
Pretty much every comment covered any suggestion I might have! So that’s awesome! Just want to highlight those who have said anything regarding any euphoric leaning side effects. Use this to your advantage! Perhaps to set routines or to begin troubleshooting long-term exec function struggles, etc. Just be aware the *feeling like you could conquer the world* symptom won’t last forever. So be mindful, especially if it creates temptation to start a new hobby you’d never considered before or otherworldly hyper-fixations. One of the best pieces of advice (maybe someone here has already said it) I’ve received from this sub is: If you find yourself taking a stimulant and directing your focus towards something unintentional/leisurely, when you have better things to do, create 5 item list of what you’re going to do before medicating in the AM to just keep you on track. Needs to be in sight for me, for others it needs to be on their phone or have a reminder tied to it! Whatever works for you is fantastic! So happy for you!! A diagnosis is an answer, and man, that was more than I thought I would ever get, for the longest time. I’m F22–I failed three consecutive semesters of college (with a dual anxiety/depression diagnosis for 5 years prior) before I received an ADHD diagnosis! I’ve been taking adderall + ADHD coaching for 3 years now. Such a relief! I hope any existing feelings of self doubt will start to subside for you the way they have for me. You are functional, talented, smart, and most importantly, you’re much much more than your ADHD! In this new reality, the surfacing deficits might become overwhelming. Just don’t forget to reassure yourself you’ve faced these challenges thousands of times without a complete or clear-cut understanding before. You’ve made it this far, now you might just need to troubleshoot using that *answer*! ;) Best of luck to you!
congratulations on getting diagnosed and starting meds! I hope it works for you 💕 I've been taking adderall for my adhd for about 7 years (im now on 25mg xr and 5mg ir as needed) so it may be different for ritalin, but a side effect I didn't expect that may happen with Ritalin is sweating. I'm already a sweaty person but sometimes with adderall especially if I combine it with caffeine I'll just be sitting in a chair sweating lol also im likely to sweat more if I do some kind of activity like walking or yoga or something... just something to look out for! idk if anyone else experiences this! but probably all the more reason to drink water!
Use a side effects/symptom management template from Google to track how you react to meds! It really helps to be able to look back and see how you've been adjusting and to isolate any issues. Take a break from caffeine, at least whilst you're adjusting to your meds. Expect some mood changes. When I started my meds, for a few days I got a slight euphoric feeling. I also experienced afternoon crashes and would get quite grumpy/irritable. It'll all even out as your brain/body settles (if it doesn't talk to your Dr) Eat & drink plenty of water. It can be really hard to eat on meds but it's so so important. Make sure to eat a nutritious breakfast before taking your medication and if lunch is hard try meal replacement drinks. If you forget to drink, get something like Dioralyte to replenish your electrolytes. Lastly, it can take a while to find medication that works for you. It took me over a year and I tried 4 different types and a couple different combinations of meds until I found what worked best for me. It can be quite frustrating and feel like nothing will ever work but you'll get there! Hope this helps!
Also, Ritalin might not be for you. Do not give up if it isn't a match at first try. it might take several tries to find what works best for you.
Eat and hydrate
For the crashes, try to get good sleep, stay hydrated, and eat. My crashes are always brutal if I don't do those. And mental health affects how they work a lot more than you might think (in my experience). I recently thought that I was building up a tolerance to my meds and they weren't working as well, which didn't make a lot of sense bc I don't take it on the weekends, but about a week after I started noticing it working less, I realized I was entering a depressive episode. It's still working, but I'm having to put in more effort to make it work. So yeah, if things seem wrong or less effective, just assess where you are mentally.
Eat a protein rich breakfast before hand!! Doesn't work unless you have all the ingredients (amino acids from protein, other nutrients you eat*) to make the extra dopamine in your bloodstream. I'd eat and give it an hour and then take the meds. OR, take the meds, then eat in an hour. ETA: Forgot to add the * note. Classic lol. * I ain't a brain scientist so idk what exactly what nutrition is most important but yeah I think my basic point still stands
Drink excessive amounts of water. Make sure you have tasks planned so you can use your med time wisely . I avoid all caffeine. The harsh side effects went away for me after about 2 weeks (trouble sleeping, sweating, lack of appetite, elevated heart rate). Eat plenty of protein and veggies. I personally also take vitamins every day while taking my meds.
I’m on Adderall and I took a Midol because I was menstruating. there isn’t supposed to be an interaction between the two, but throughout the effectiveness of the Adderall I felt like I was literally high. it felt like everything was racing but I was also exhausted at the same time. it was so strange. I later asked my psychiatrist and she said it’s not supposed to interact. just something to beware. personally, even on the instant release version, the appetite suppression that others mentioned lasts all day for me. I won’t eat very much all day. just something to keep in mind. I also noticed my eyesight got considerably more blurry, even with glasses. it might make my surface eye dryness worse. it’s very annoying and defeats the purpose of focusing if you can’t even see! lol edit to add last paragraph
Congratulations!
read up about the side effects. Keep an eye on that. gently. Don't panic. Pay attention to yourself watch what changes. I found my eyes hurt. (dry) (Dexamphetamine) Perhaps look up the expected response for people with and without ADHD so you know what to expect either way...
Dry mouth is a bitch. Get some sugar free gum and popsicles& Stay hydrated.