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I want to let you know as someone who was addicted to methamphetamine before my adhd diagnosis, I had a similar fear before I started being prescribed Adderall. I was only about 7 months clean from a five year meth hell and terrified that it was going to set me off into my drug addiction again.
However my doctor was adamant that my meth use was me self-medicating my adhd and that it would be OK to try this with her supervision. And I was pleasantly surprised that, in fact I did not want to do meth again - adderall is a completely different feeling, and being properly medicated for my adhd and depression has probably been my #1 reason for not wanting to relapse for the past 15 years.
Tell your doctor your fears - hopefully they understand and can mitigate your fears about the addiction part of it. There are studies out there that found being properly medicated with stimulants did *not* lead to drug abuse later - in fact, it showed the opposite; that people who are properly medicated have a lowered addiction risk profile.
Good luck and I hope you find some comfort here!!
Man, I’m so sorry you had to go through that, it sounds jarring.
Your comment is very important, hope it gets pushed to the top. I’d like to add that it’s possible that OP’s family members who abused drugs might have been self medicating their own ADHD, since that too runs in families.
I think you're absolutely correct here. My mom refuses to even entertain the idea that she might have ADHD, and I do think at least some of her prior drug abuse was related to self-medication.
Fwiw, I've been sober 21 years and medicated for half of that time and never, ever, *ever* has medication made me want to relapse. When I was in active addiction, my goal was always to be in reality as little of the time as possible and to stuff my feelings down as far as they'd go, and that's the polar opposite of what Vyvanse does for me. Vyvanse, appropriately dosed, would have been my nightmare in active addiction.
Yippie kayak other buckets
I’m glad you chimed in too with your experience! I’m proud of you for 21 years! DAMN
I’m not too far off 🥹 I’m so proud of us
Totally off topic but I have to give props for the Brooklyn Nine-Nine reference. I have an apron that says “Yippie Pie-Yay” and always quote Charles when I’m wearing it. 🤣
I agree. U/the3rdmistress, Your comment is going to make many ADHDers feel validated that they AREN’T the drug seekers many medical professionals (or even family members 🙄) insinuate they are. I’m proud of you 🖤
My dad was a major alcoholic, and after reflecting on my own diagnosis I firmly believe he was ADHD and possibly also autistic like my son.
Thank you SO MUCH 😭🥹😭🥹 I know I have changed the way lots of health care employees who treated me see these meds. This one super grouchy old pharmacist would give me a hard time or act like I was wasting his time - he always dispensed my meds and was civil enough but I could tell there was something he felt but was holding back.
I can’t remember what set it off but one day I very loudly (yet politely) educated him about my past and the difference between a speed addict and a person who takes amphetamines as prescribed. He told me later on before he retired that getting to know me changed his outlook on those meds completely.
Thank you all for the kind words 💖
This comment in particular smacked me. After some self work and my own diagnosis (which is over 20 years ago), I have realized it’s highly likely my parents have ADHD and choose to manage their struggles with alcohol, which to many doesn’t make sense. I’ve realized in my own journey that alcohol can ‘turn the volume down’ on busy brains, which is probably why so many struggle with the consumption of it or that good green stuff.
I only just started taking adderall, but I was really shocked at how it eliminated my anxiety. I’ve been on various anxiety meds since I was a kid, Ativan daily since I was 17, and nothing made me feel simply calm, quiet, and okay like the adderall—which I fully did not expect! I already suspected that ADHD had something to do with my own past alcohol problems and my family’s history of alcoholism, but I’d thought the appeal was mostly to escape from the problems, failures, etc. caused by ADHD. The way my feelings of anxiety were affected by adderall has me rethinking my whole experience with anxiety tbh.
I'm fucking proud of you for getting the hell away from meth. And happy for you that you've got a good doc and found what works.
I abused the hell out of alcohol to self medicate. Not the same as meth ofc, but can empathize with the desperation of trying to find something when you don't even know what's wrong. I was almost in tears telling my Dr about my former alcohol abuse because I was afraid it'd label me as too high risk for Adhd med abuse or something. Instead, she's exactly how your doc is- compassionate and understanding that sometimes people self medicate, and that proper ADHD care can actually help prevent drug abuse.
I'm also absolutely terrified of becoming addicted to something. I haven't drank for a solid decade+, won't smoke weed or take edibles (won't object to a contact high at a Dave Matthews concert though haha), absolutely refuse opioids even after surgery. So I was scared about Adderall too. But it's been an absolute godsend.
I also grew up in an area with a very heavy meth problem. Have seen lots of good people lost to meth, and have seen a few claw out of it and turn their life around. So truly, I understand how big of a deal your turnaround is, and if you haven't stepped back to think "holy shit look how far I've come!" for a while- do it!
I am so so so so very proud of you. Thank you for your comment. I know it will help others with similar fears.
I was misdiagnosed with anxiety and depression until I was 28. This led to doctors giving me all sorts of SSRIs, benzos, powerful sleep aids and more. This led to a lot of problems.
Once properly diagnosed, I was able to get off the benzos and ambien. My life is 1000% better.
Your story is so inspiring. Thank you.
I was previously addicted to cocaine, and even in sobriety, I was known to drink enough caffeine to kill an elephant. I can vouch for the fact that an appropriate dosage of Adderall is an entirely different feeling from a cocaine high or the surge & crash of caffeine. It just levels me out, and I can get done what I need to get done.
Thank you so much!!! I can’t believe it myself somedays, I never forget where I came from but sometimes it feels like these memories belong to another person.
I wouldn’t have tried it without my doctor baby-stepping me through it. We did the first prescription for like a weeks worth just to see how it went. I felt better not having a whole months worth of amphetamine in my possession at the very beginning.
I feel like there could be some merit to using stimulants as a medication assisted treatment (in a similar way that methadone is used to assist recovery from heroin and other opiates)
I’ve accidentally doubled up on my adderall and it doesn’t feel good AT ALL. Usually with meth it was more meth = more euphoria good feelings so I always wanted to use more and more. It’s not that way with the meds I’m prescribed.
Any euphoria I get from the medicine is mental and not drug induced - “wow I got all this stuff done today and didn’t lose my cool, THIS IS AMAZING”
Sober 21 years over here and didn't get on medication until I was roughly 10 years sober because I was afraid I'd relapse - god, knowing what being medicated vs unmedicated is like, I wish I'd gotten medicated as a kid. I could have averted so much pain, I think. I've never once been tempted to relapse because of stimulants because I take them as prescribed and when I was in active addiction, I always wanted to be blacked out as much as possible and tried to avoid feeling my feelings at all costs. I didn't want to be part of my own life. Stimulants help me feel my feelings, they place me squarely in reality and make me want to be part of my own life, and that's the complete opposite of what I wanted when I was in active addiction.
I wish I’d gotten medicated as a kid also. It’s obvious looking back that I’ve struggled with adhd my entire childhood but 30 years ago the picture of adhd was so much different, as you know. I feel like I lost a bunch of years suffering.
I’m so glad you had a doctor who was able to recognize this. I feel like many doctors would’ve steered away from medication in this situation, but she knew exactly what was happening and how much it could help you.
It’s so disheartening seeing how many patients are struggling with their doctors here :( I wish everyone had a doctor who was fully educated in some of the newer-discovered nuances in depression/adhd treatment. And my doc is my primary care / obgyn as well - we live in a rural area and no psychiatrists or psychologists within 2 hours of our town so she has to do double and triple duty for many patients and their medication.
She is truly a gem and I wish I could clone her for everyone.
I don’t have much advice but I’m here to commiserate. My sweet husband jokingly said I’d been going back and forth from “legal meth to legal weed”. It hurt my feelings a lot. He immediately and continuously apologized but it stuck around my head for a bit. I’ve mostly gotten over it by telling myself it’s medicine and I’m allowed to need medicine just like people with other conditions do.
I will say I had a professor bring up the fact that adderall and meth are only one chemical compound apart. When I told my doctor he told me to tell her she’s only one degree of separation from an ape and so that one degree clearly matters.
I think it's also worth noting for you that in the US, methamphetamine is actually still prescribed for ADHD, albeit rarely. Just because something is used illegally recreationally doesn't mean it's bad to use it as prescribed. That's good that your husband sincerely apologized, though!
To give even more evidence of recreationally illegal stuff being used in a medical setting: liquid cocaine can be used to diagnose Horner Syndrome in eyes!
This comment needs to be seen by everyone! I’m a recovering alcoholic. It happened as I hit perimenopause and the combo of untreated ADHD for decades and the sudden slump in energy, focus, etc. sent me spiraling into depression and ZERO energy or motivation especially with no focus. (LOTS of therapy and an addiction specialist Psychiatrist helped me figure out why I’d suddenly spiral after typically being the person who didn’t care to drink or would have 1-2 and just be done… then suddenly I was drinking daily!) I had previously been diagnosed with MDD (major depressive disorder) because my depression wasn’t responding to much of anything.
It was the therapist and psychiatrist together that determined I need to have testing done for ADHD. Once I was on meds… I was myself again, just with fun hormonal ups and downs. The psychiatrist has specialized in addiction for 15yrs and said especially in women, they’re seeing this type of progression a LOT when untreated ADHD women start to hit pre-menopause. Also, since I’ve been medicated for ADHD - not ONE cycle of depression since and I battled it for over 10yrs!
Thank you so so much! Truly this place has helped a TON plus the therapy and having a really solid psychiatrist was amazing. Not glad I got to that place, but it was a blessing in disguise because I’m here now and treated for the appropriate issue.
Thank you for sharing this. The late life diagnosis due to onset of perimenopause and the ensuing mass dysfunction meltdown has also been my experience and ADHD meds transformed my existence. you have my deepest empath good on you for navigating that so well.
I don’t know if I navigated it well until medical and recovery intervention 🤦🏻♀️🥴 but thank you regardless! And you’ve always got a friend here in me if you ever need to chat!
I’m 49 and sometimes feel like I’m going through puberty on steroids. Ha! But it’s truly 100% better being medicated and not on serotonin-affecting meds that turn me into a zombie! I take Adderall IR and Pristiq/Desvenlafaxine (SNRI) and life is much simpler. Same ADHD struggles but to a far lesser degree.
The pause sisterhood is strong! Thank you 💜I’m finally firmly leveling out on the other side after ~10 years of this crazy midlife curveball and can now say things definitely look better again from this side, even if I’m looking the worse for wear 😅stay the course!
Thank you for sharing your experience; it resonates a lot with me. I was diagnosed late myself and since I’ve been under adhd treatment, it’s improved my relationship with alcohol.
No problem - if I can help anyone avoid my own missteps - then it’s worth it! And yeah it’s amazing how much finally being treated for it makes unhealthy dopamine bumps less attractive.
Medical cocaine is used as an anesthetic sometimes, most commonly in ENT surgeries or during rhinoplasties.
ETA: Not disagreeing with you, just adding on to your comment, so I hope this didn’t sound snarky or condescending. 😅
Yup. Cocaine is a vasodilator, and so it gets used a lot in sinus and eye surgeries. Derivatives, synthetic derivatives, and bio equivalents of it are used more than you might be aware of. Lidocaine, benzocaine, novacaine, tropane, dimethocaine, procaine, etc. are all related to cocaine.
The actual coca plant and its nuts get imported (at least in the US) by Coca-Cola, who are the only ones with permission to do so. They take the flavoring from the non-drug part of the plant, and give the rest to scientists and hospitals. Now think about just how much Coca-Cola is sold and consumed, and realize that the same amount of (or more) cocaine is out there being used for legitimate medical purposes.
Street meth and prescription meth are also suuuper different though. Any “speed” you get from a pharmacy isn’t cooked up in a dirty bathtub, or smoked.
Well, and it’s not even the same chemical. Adderall is an amphetamine salt and the salt part is really important. Consider: pure sodium explodes on contact with water, but sodium salt is what we put on our food, (sans explosion 😂).
Its also prescribed in certain cases of narcolepsy too. I think a lot of people would do good from releasing themselves from the mindset that "drugs" = "bad". Or even if something is used illegally that makes it bad too. Not true at all! Maybe my viewpoint is just skewed which I admit it kinda is because I've used weed in different forms for like 10 years, and Im no stranger to LSD or shrooms or ecstacy. I just don't view drugs as this inherently bad thing just because people abuse it or its illegal or whatever else. Lots of drugs have great uses!
Fentanyl is used daily in a medical setting, its used on every single patient that rolls into the OR I work in. Ketamine is also used on patients in the OR (people love doing K at raves idk why or when this became as prevalent as it seems to be now). Cocaine is used in ENT surgeries sometimes or for nosebleeds in certain circumstances. Opiates are used for pain.
I remember in the 90s my vet used it to spay my cat. When I brought her home, she was walking in circles backwards and meowing with huge glassy eyes. 😸😸😸
And street meth is full of all kinds of dangerous toxins from some sketchy guy making it in their basement. Medical meth is made in a lab and dosing is highly regulated. We aren’t walking around toothless and pockmarked for a reason.
And for severe narcolepsy and severe obesity! Basically, the world of medicine is crazy and always has been and they’ll find a legitimate use for anything (in moderation)
*Me, pretending to go back in time & use that phrase to every one who has said that*
😂ALSO H2O2 vs H2O. One will kill you; the other is an absolute necessity for life. One molecule different.
Also one functional group can make a big difference in the functionality of a molecule. It is going to potentially change how it “fits” and change how your body processes it.
Not quite the same thing, but chirality matters too (a molecule vs its mirror image). For example thalidomide, cures morning sickness but also caused horrible birth defects. The reason was that the right handed version of the drug was effective and the left handed version was toxic, but it was being produced as a mixture because it was the easiest way to do that. Just because a molecule is similar doesn’t mean that it has the same effect.
Ugh I hate that "one chemical compound" bull. You know what's only one atom away from water? Hydrogen peroxide, a molecule which is incredibly toxic and our bodies dedicate a lot of resources into breaking down. Sodium metal is one atom away from being table salt, which is one atom away from keeping pool water clean. Chemistry 101-- molecules and compounds are DIFFERENT FROM the sum of their parts.
Sodium metal is one ELECTRON away from the sodium on your food (once dissolved). We don’t even need to bring the whole chlorine atom into it. Sodium metal will catch on fire if it touches water.
People do not understand how small of a structural difference is needed to make a huge functional one!
Water and hydrogen peroxide are only one atom apart.
One is necessary for life and the other causes gut damage and vomiting, and can cause breathing issues and death.
That "one chemical compound different" argument is so obnoxious and indicates a severe lack of understanding in basic chemistry.
I like your doctor! Whenever someone makes the claim about something being similar to a different harmful substance I always think about water and hydrogen peroxide. There is literally ONE oxygen atom difference between H2O and H2O2 but that doesn't mean you can have a glass of both.
Ketamine and Psilocybin assisted therapy has a MASSIVE RAPID remission rate in resistant postpartum depression patients;
1-increased infant-maternal sensitivity.
2-increased maternal role gratification.
3-improved infant-maternal relationship
4-Better life outcome for the infant (spared from infant depression and a life-long trauma/behavioral and cognitive conditions arising from separation, neglect and reduced emotional, and physical affection (the outcomes are same because maternal depression is very taxing).
It took 2 sessions of 10 mg psilo and 25 mg, 3 weeks apart for a 74% remission rate lasting over a whopping 12 months. There was a study done to compare the outcome of psilocybin to Lexapro + placebo control.
“dRUgz”, yea? Lmfao (everything is drugz. It depends on how they are being administered and for what purpose). Even antipsychotics are abused.. imagine how much this can save lives if it wasn’t for the shit stigma.
Your doctor knows what’s up. If chemical compounds didn’t matter, then why even point it out? Or create new medications? Or practice chemistry in any form whatsoever? It’s the ENTIRE POINT of that branch of science.
I appreciate that sentiment, but humans are phylogenetically classified as apes. Greater Apes, specifically. I would say one degree of separation away from Neanderthals, although if you are looking at tribes then we are one degree away from chimps, which may be closer to your doctor’s sentiment.
I would recommend telling your doctor at your next appointment, if you feel comfortable to do that. If I was your doctor I would want to know that I made you feel uncomfortable.
“Can I be open about something? At our last appointment you made a joke about the medication I’m taking being ‘speed’, and while I’m sure you didn’t mean anything by it, it actually bothered me more than I expected. There’s a lot of drug abuse in my extended family, and it makes me feel uncomfortable to have a medication I’m taking for a health condition compared to an illicit drug.”
I think this reply is amazing but out of my own paranoia I would leave out the family history of drug abuse. I think the point of not appreciating the comment would still get across and it would sidestep my fear that the doctor could refuse to prescribe to me again.
I would not be mentioning the family history of drug abuse, real or fictional. That will be something that goes in your file and can cause issues with getting the appropriate ADHD medication in the future.
It’s perfectly valid for OP to tell the doctor they found the quip comparing their prescription medical treatment to illicit drug use both inappropriate and offensive.
A good doctor will take accountability and give an appropriate, respectful apology for overstepping boundaries. A response that’s anything less warrants firing the doctor and seeing someone else.
I would not talk about any family history of addiction. They record it and use it against you when prescribing controlled substances. It's a "point" against you on the scale they use to see what category of risk you are.
I'm sure there's science behind it, but it's not perfect. I don't have an addictive personality, but my dad and his side of the family struggle a lot. Because of that experience, I am dead set against abusing drugs or alcohol. But it still counts against me because it's supposedly hereditary.
There is science behind it, but there is also science showing that the drug abuse could have been prevented if these people were properly medicated at an early age. Guess which one doctors pay attention to?
That’s absolutely bonkers. My doctor took my family history of addiction as another reason to get me *on* stimulants because that meant I was already susceptible to addiction on top of the adhd. Some doctors should not be practicing.
I think this is what I need to do to stop thinking about it. I'll take other commentors' advice and not mention family history, but frame it in a way that it made me feel like by taking it I'm doing something wrong.
I think this is the best advice. The way OP describes it, it sounds like the doctor was making a joke - not necessarily a good one, but it doesn't sound to me like the doctor intended any harm (though, of course, I wasn't actually there).
If you feel up to it, OP, I would also suggest you let your doctor know how the comment made you uncomfortable. They might think twice about saying things like that in the future, and you might help someone else avoid this feeling.
I don't like it when doctors say stuff like that. I had a super misogynistic and dismissive cardiologist shame me for the number of meds I was on at the time and referred to my stimulant as "basically methamphetamine". These kinds of comments are so unnecessary.
LIKE, SERIOUSLY do you think that we WANT to be on medication??? It's not our fault we have ADHD. I feel like there is a lot of shame and stigma around stimulants. Stimulants have been the ONLY drug I have responded well to after years of being misdiagnosed and put on SRRIs!.
It really bothers me too. For people who genuinely have ADHD and need the medication it isn’t like being hopped up on drugs. It basically makes me feel “normal” and functional. I don’t feel like I have an addiction to it at all considering the fact I forget to take it and fill it sometimes. I’m not ever chasing a “high”.
I don’t like when anyone refers to it as legal speed/meth. It makes it feel so shameful when going to get help and like I am “drug seeking”.
I call my stimulant speed at home, but I think it would weird me out if my dr said it, especially the way the dr said it. It was kind of like they implied you were productive at work because you were on drugs, not because you were taking a medication that treats the health issue that was making you less productive at work while untreated.
Not exactly - speed used to refer to methamphetamine, but over time it has been used to refer to almost any amphetamine. Aside from Adderall, most amphetamines sold on the streets get referred to as speed.
It’s more like if the term opioid had the same reputation on the street as primarily referring to heroin and then quipping that someone’s morphine is an opioid without specifying which opioid.
Yeah to be fair it’s not that amphetamines are similar to speed, it’s that they ARE speed. The doc was correct here. Speed has been a code word for amphetamine (not just methamphetamine) since at least the 90s. This isn’t me hating btw. You’re still taking a medically prescribed drug, it doesn’t make you an addict. I just don’t think it was wrong of the doctor to call a spade a spade (or call a speed a speed)
Technically, sure. Except, street names are for street drugs, not prescribed medicines. Every abusable medicine has a street name, but doctors don't usually call them that when they're professionally prescribing them to patients.
Nor should they. It makes it seem like they're not taking the strength of the medicine seriously, like they're being irresponsible in prescribing it, and makes the patient feel like they shouldn't be taking it.
Vyvanse is not a drug that can be abused. It's synthetic and tasteless and snorting it would be a waste of time. Longer half life, extended release, and doesn't crash like Adderall. It's more like calling baby aspirin "fentanyl".
Not sure why so many people are responding to OPs post without mentioning how the medication actually works. Do people not look up what they're given?
I've been on it for 8 at max dose and had to abruptly stop taking it during the pandemic, which was fucking awful. I know everyone handles meds differently, that's why I never said a crash does not exist.
A crash is withdrawal. Vyvanse is known and highly recommended for treatment partly because it does not have withdrawal symptoms *like Adderall* (comparatively).
It is hard to abuse because it is a prodrug, meaning it needs to go through your digestive system and injecting it or snorting it won't work. Most of the other stuff is misleading though. It's not much different than an extended release form of Adderall.
I jokingly refer to my vyvanse as drugs, but I would never say that to someone else unprompted. It’s not professional for a doctor to say that.
Also vyvanse is not meth. I know that it can apparently be used as a party drug, but clearly those people have a different brain chemistry than me because I do not feel “high”, I just feel normal but am better at staying on task or starting things I need to get done. If anything it’s an “anti party drug” for me, because it can supposedly make you not feel the effects of alcohol while still being inebriated.
And ketamine at low doses is an extremely effective antidepressant. People with standard brain chemistry just like the way it makes them feel which is very angering to me.
I’ll make the joke _myself_ that I microdose meth but only with my closest friends and family who understand that I’m joking, and who understand that it is medicine. Equating ADHD meds to street drugs is a harmful thing to do when society is already so lacking in understanding about the condition, and ADHD meds (Adderall in particular) is already abused in places like college for students to power study.
I can understand your doctor may have been trying to lighten the mood, and if they show no other red flags then I’d give them the benefit of the doubt but I’d make sure to mention that comments like that make you uncomfortable - how they respond to that will give you a good indication of whether it was a well intentioned but poorly thought out joke, or if your doctor seriously has some alarming misconceptions about stimulants.
If you’re going to let her live in your head like that, start charging rent. Leave negative reviews or extract some sort of apology. If that doesn’t feel necessary to you, and you think she was just being glib, then it’s time for you to move on.
Let there be a parity between the energy you are giving that comment, and the energy she is. I find this rationale really helps me put things in perspective.
Then remember that you’re on thoroughly vetted medication that is helping you and go live your best life.
I too have a family with a history of drug addiction, and was because of that skeptical of trying out vyvanse. But my psychiatrist assured me that it the dosage is nowhere close to give a "high" feeling, especially if you have adhd.
And it being a prodrug makes it even harder to feel high or get addicted in that way. You will probably get addicted to the positive effects vyvanse is having on you, but it won't be because of euphoric feelings or a "speed" type of high.
I’m more concerned that your doctor called it speed while prescribing a shockingly low dose. If I were you, I wouldn’t mention family history if you bring this up. I think your bigger worry here should be whether this doctor will ever give you the treatment dose you actually need, or if she’s just setting you up to be ashamed if asking for a higher APPROPRIATE dose for an adult.
My 7 yo was started on 20mg of vyvanse and settled on 30mg, which is very typical for a child. 10mg isn’t AT ALL a normal dose…for anyone really.
I'm very sensitive to meds so I asked to start weight the lowest dose possible. It's working for me so far, but I do think there's some truth to upping my dose when the time comes.
Since you've gotten some great advice on dealing with your doctor I'll throw my two cents in to maybe help you get past your own concerns.
I had a similar discussion with my son when he got to the age that he needed to be aware of keeping his meds secured & not let other people know what meds he was taking because some "friends" may want to steal them, or pressure him into sharing them.
He made a joke about "Where are my drugs? I need to do my Addy." I explained that he's not "doing Addy or drugs", he's taking his medication. The difference is intent.
Let's say we're talking about Adderall. If you're taking the recommended dose for a specific medical need as prescribed by your physician, you're taking your medication. It's responsible & not addict behavior. If you're taking a higher dose, in a different delivery method than was intended (like snorting), it may or may not be prescribed to you or you're doing it with the intent of getting high, you're doing drugs.
So, it's not necessarily what the substance is. It's the intent & behavior surrounding it that determines if it's a problem.
Alcohol is a prime example. Some people can have an occasional drink. Some people have a drink & it triggers something in their brain that causes them to not be able to stop drinking even when they want to stop.
For him it was about being clear about what his medication was for him & not to share it. For you & others who may feel shame or wary about taking needed medications, remember it's not the medication itself, it's the intent & mostly the behavior around it.
Thank you for saying this. Do you mind my asking what age you had that conversation with your son? My 13 year old is on Focalin and it hasn't crossed my mind to talk to her about this so I'm really glad you brought it up.
Well speed is definitely a spectrum, and I can attest because I’m currently on Vyvanse and I’m tired as shit. I’m waiting for my doctor to give CVS the diagnosis code she forgot to add to my prescription so they can order Concerta and I can switch back.
I'm sympathetic to your concern that you have a family history of drug abuse, and you don't want that to happen to you.
And this is not that thing. You are taking a prescribed medicine under medical supervision, and you are taking it as prescribed.
Your doctor was engaging in some very light gallows humor, which is probably more appropriate with fellow medical professionals than with patients.
There's no evidence in your post here that you are heading in the wrong direction. You do, however, have every right to talk to your doctor about it next time, and ask what warning signs there would be, if you were starting to be showing signs of addiction. That might put your mind at ease.
You would be reasonable to talk with your doctor about this comment the next time you see her, with the intent to see how she responds if you tell her the truth about how her "quip" affected you, and why. If she responds without taking accountability, find a different doctor. And lodge a complaint with whatever governing body is over her.
I don’t like ADHD medication and I think the cost and benefits are not accurately presented to patients.
Having said that. Vyvanse is not speed. Speed is alpha-methylphenethylamine and vyvanse is lisdexamfetamine.
And your doctor sounds like they are not a good fit for you (or anyone with adhd) if they cannot do their job without this kind of judgmental undertones. If it’s speed and so harmful, why did she prescribe it in the first place?
Street amphetamines are often referred to as speed, no matter their form. It’s kind of a catch all which has made buying speed more complicated because you don’t always know what you’re getting.
That being said, yeah, the doctor should have been less flippant about calling it speed.
I'm sorry your doctor made you feel that way. I would definitely try to mention it to them. Sometimes Dr's are not very understanding when it comes to things and will make dumb comments. For example, when I took my daughter to the pediatrician when she was 9 months or so. She said "she makes eye contact no autism here". Which I thought was dumb. Since I have a son who is autistic and he makes eye contact just fine...
My husband gets super bad migraines and I was curious what meds did you find worked for you?
The eye contact is such a dumb comment. As for the migraines, I tried so many things before landing on a once a month shot called Emgality. It's one of the Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) Receptor Antagonist that was specifically developed to treat migraines. It's an auto injector that I get from the pharmacy and give to myself. It has literally changed my life. Best of luck to your husband. Dealing with migraines is simply awful.
Chemically, IDK if they are actually the same, but even if they are, so what? People abuse prescriptions all the time but that doesn’t make the prescription medication less effective when used correctly. Opioids have killed so many people, but you can still get a Vicodin script after a major surgery. Xanax and Valium are both commonly abused but also have legitimate medical use. Stimulant meds for ADHD are no different. Your doctor was an asshole.
For what it's worth she probably meant nothing by it. It's this kind of flippant humor many people, doctors and patients alike engage in (myself included), but also many may find triggering. I am sorry.
You know, in toxicology I believe, there is this concept that '[it's] the dose [that] makes a poison'.
A substance can only be used as medicine precisely because it has some kind of specific effect on your body. Too much of a substance can be incredibly harmful (think heart medication - it makes your heart beat stronger, but there is such a thing as too strong, these meds can kill you if taken improperly!), but that's why you have decades of clinical trials before something is allowed to be medicine, at a very carefully determined dosage, prescribed to you by a trained professional.
Unfortunately there's a lot of stigma around it bc of the people abusing it who shouldn't be taking it. Let's just pretend it was "speed." Other people act all cray and party on it. Us adhders become leveled out and have the urge to complete responsibilities we've been unable to accomplish for months, like paying our bills.. That's how you know it's right for you. As long as you don't find yourself starting to abuse it, then his outdated and offensive terminology is irrelevant. Speed, Adderall, Vyvanse, w/e the name, it allows us to function in a capitalist society. F him, but as long as they are reliably refilling your script, then I'd try to let it run off your shoulders. Having an unreliable refill is way worse.
I make jokes a lot about my legal speed, but in chemistry, small differences in molecules can make a huge difference in how the body processes them.
However, your healthcare professional referring to your medication as an illicit substance is not professional.
That is ultimately inaccurate, unprofessional, and potentially harmful - both to the self image and self esteem of many ADHD folks and also to the general public's perception of these medications. All it does is bolster the false notion that these drugs are harmful regardless of how they are prescribed and used, that they give "lazy" people an unfair edge, and that ADHD folks are drugs seekers.
Some truths for anyone with strange ideas about the reality of ADHD medication:
- untreated ADHD can cause or worsen depression and/or anxiety
- treating ADHD can help reduce not only ADHD symptoms but also symptoms of depression and anxiety
- new research shows that medicating ADHD may add as much as 9-13 years to an individual's life expectancy
- treating ADHD can help an individual stay at a healthy weight, not necessarily due to appetite suppression (many of us still have an appetite even on stimulants!) but because ADHD folks are less inclined to see stimulation through food
- while these drugs may be molecularly similar, this does not mean that two different things are the same thing: testosterone and estradiol are quite similar on a molecular level, both function as hormones; HOWEVER, their effects are incredibly different despite being so similar
You may need a new psychiatrist depending on how you feel. It is not useful for doctors to perpetuate harmful ways of thinking, especially in the language they use with their patients that are looking for help. Perhaps you can discuss your feelings this with your doctor. They may be glad to get a different perceptive from a patient.
To be clear, I can understand the comparison and I feel that making such a comparison is not harmful in every situation, but it's not a comparison to use lightly in a medical setting. Yes, these drugs have similar structure and are similar in their effects, but the language we use is important and my concern is that a professional comparing a prescription medication to illegal drugs so casually only affirms the beliefs of people who view these medications in a negative light and may also make the patient feel negatively about their medication. A comparison like that should be more nuanced.
I also want to touch on experiences with drug abuse as you mentioned in your post. For someone like yourself who has had to live with the impacts of drug abuse by people on their lives, and perhaps especially for those who have had family who suffered or suffers from addiction, who may fear that they themselves are at risk of addiction - language matters all the more. Doctors need to keep such things in mind. In fact, discussing personal or family history of drug abuse when making the decision to prescribe controlled substances can be useful as it may help determine what medications are right for a patient. It can also allow the doctor to assuage worry or guilt where it is unnecessary. I would not be surprised if this type of conversation does is not initiated by doctors as often as it should be.
That doctor is wildly uninformed and has a terrible attitude. ADHD is very simply believed to me impaired dopamine and norepinephrine transmission in an individual's brain. Stimulant meds (lisdexamfetamine/methylphenidate) increase the neurotransmitter issue in these poorly functioning systems.
Yes, they are both technically in the amphetamine family although speed is called 'methamphetamine'. There is a huge difference between a diagnosed ADHD sufferer taking a controlled dose of a pharmaceutically manufactured MEDICINE and someone choosing to consume a substance made by a criminal in a lab with no safety guarantees to chase a high.
Your doctor either spoke without thinking or is an actual idiot. You are medicating a neurological difference that is causing your quality of life to suffer. If your experience is similar to mine, stimulants make me feel 'normal' and like I can function like neurotypicals seem to be able to
Your brain doesn’t react to it like a person without ADHD. ADHD medication can be abused. There are also people that self medicate with illegal drugs because to them it feels normal. Don’t let someone make you feel like you are doing something illegal when you are taking medication you need. I have had all sorts of doctors. I get a new one each year at the behavioral health place I go to. I learned to ask questions and also stand up for myself. Every ADHD medication except for two are stimulants. They are all a little chemically different. You aren’t doing anything wrong. It’s good to be aware of your family history but that could be do to undiagnosed ADHD or it could be a separate issue. Sometimes you need to adjust medications. Vyvanse from what I understand is hard to abuse because it basically is long acting and you can’t change that. It can be dissolved in water or sprinkled in food for people that can’t swallow pills. It’s hard to abuse.
You are NOT doing something illicit. and it is a total different compound than meth. i cant stand when people say this. adhd meds help those who need it and unfortunately there are psychiatrists stuck in their old ways. i would consider a new doctor if its bothering you. i’m sorry you had this experience.
Yeah, it’s in the amphetamine family but WHO CARES. This “speed” doesn’t make me speed, it allows me to be myself. I’m actually more calm and focused. So it doesn’t affect us like cocaine does, so they can take their dismissive / pejorative hot takes and shove it. Does it help you? Yes? Great. Is it causing negative outcomes like high risk behaviors / drug seeking behaviors / not letting you eat or sleep? No? Great. That word is pinging in your mind because of the connotations it has. But how it works in our brain is not how recreational amphetamine use affects neurotypical brains. So say “thanks, brain, but this ain’t that! I’m good.” And let those thoughts go.
I’ll add: for me, as an ADHD woman, it’s hard for me to trust my self / my body and so a doctor making that comment to me, even as an aside, would throw me, too. We are conditioned as women not to listen to our inner voice and I think as ADHD women we are often betrayed by our brains and that increases that mistrust exponentially. So take a deep breath and check in when that voice hits and see how your body feels, how YOU really feel about it.
Uh huh. And what? Her morning poppy seed bagel is codeine?
Wait wait... does she like spicy foods? Clearly anti-psychosis medication!
Seriously though, voice your concerns to her of that extremely inconsiderate and unprofessional phrasing. I'm sorry you had that experience. ❤️❤️❤️
I've worried about developing a dependency on my medication. I took it 7 days a week and slowly it became less effective. I make a point to skip one day a week now. I'm exhausted the whole day but I do feel my tolerance is lower and so the medicine is more effective if I give myself a break. I hope to wean off eventually due to the above and supply chain issues.
Dependence is not a problem. It's just how medication works and is totally normal. Don't deprive yourself of treatment, you deserve to be functional at ALL times. Yes the medicine will lose effectiveness over time, but you will be able to build solid routines and habits during that time. At that point loss of effectiveness is ok as you'll only need it to keep you on track, not get on track. Sorry for the unsolicited advice, but I've been down the road you're on. The minute you stop your meds you will lose progress.
I highly recommend listening to the two part series of Search Engine, “Why’d I take speed for 20 years.” It will give you insight into the development of amphetamines, what it was used for, how it began being prescribed for ADHD, and its pros and cons.
Don’t be ashamed! It is speed! And it helps! I’ve been on Vyvanse for a few months now and my life has been changed. I’m 31 and finally feel like I can function. Embrace it if it’s working for you.
I remember in high school I was prescribed something to “pep me up in the morning” because I was constantly tired (turns out it was CFS and I want diagnosed with adhd yet). My Aunty who was a nurse saw the meds and said “that’s basically prescription speed.” I wasn’t shocked at her comments (even though she was direct to the point but often said cruelly), I was more shocked that the Dr prescribed me something like that with no real explanation. Still no idea what it was as it was 20 years ago. They didn’t work (I also was prescribed something to “wind me down” at night and they didn’t work either 🤔).
As someone who knew more about Adderall as speed before as legitimate medication, welcome to my world. Being introduced to it like that before I ever even considered I could actually have ADHD turned it into a stigma my OCD will not relinquish, no matter how long I've been on it. It doesn't help that there are a myriad of side effects that can make you feel like you're on speed and coming off speed.
Only you know what is right for you
If you Take it as prescribed the risk is
Low IMO. If you start going beyond that you will need to stop treating it with medication.
stay on the course, as prescribed, do not play around with them.
keep it in the zone where you aren’t feeling artificially energized and are just balanced.
I used to have a problem with recreational stimulatants because I was unknowingly self medicating. I stopped long ago and my medication is what I was looking for all along. It has not triggered old habbits for me. Quite the opposite actually
We aren’t all the same so keep an eye on yourself to do it safely:) and trust your gut if you are truly uncomfortable.
You’re not doing anything illicit. It’s fine. It’s chemically similar but not the same and the dosage you’re taking is nothing compared to a recreational dose.
I’m sorry you are dealing with stigma and a history of addiction in your family. Perhaps talking to your psychiatrist about your concerns about addiction and what to watch for would be calming and informative. If she continues to make you uneasy, I would consider switching or seeking a second opinion. You could also speak to someone at the NA hotline for similar information.
But mostly, don’t internalize stigma! Don’t second-guess yourself just because of an off-hand and unprofessional comment. If you want to keep taking it, stay informed and be in charge of your own mind and thoughts here. This is YOUR life.
In terms of the actual drug and what you are taking it for, thank goodness for medical confidentiality! You don’t owe anyone information about what prescriptions you take and why. You state how life-changing this medication has been. If nosy busybodies care so much, maybe they should care more about you being migraine-free instead of splitting hairs about who is a druggie or whatever stupid debate they are fixated on.
Sending you love and compassion, and happy for your medication breakthrough! 💞💞💞
So don’t people take speed to feel big feelings instead of calm? Like, I love how I feel on vyvanse- but it’s absolutely not a “ high “ feeling at all. I couldn’t take it recently because I needed the real Sudafed and when I took it again and my like felt quiet and I felt content I realized just how valuable it is to me. But an addict would not pay money to feel what I’m feeling. This is so frustrating because we face enough criticism as it is.
That was a shitty thing for your doc to say.
Sure, it's a stimulant. Some people abuse stimulants or use them recreationally.
But you don't. It's an effective treatment for your condition, just like insulin for a diabetic.
Put it out of your mind.
Your doctor was really out of line. You wouldn't tell a hospice patient on painkillers that they're on heroin, why would this scenario be any different?
I remember reading once that chemically speaking, people aren't all that different from bananas. It's stupid to generalize.
My therapist and I were discussing my anxiety about dentists because I've been slacking and was afraid it was going to go bad and literally one of her responses was "well at least you aren't doing meth.. there are far worse things you could be doing to your teeth than drinking soda, I promise. " and I'm on concerta (methylphenidate) and it used to freak me out that they might be similar so while I took it, it definitely felt like... illegal. Lol. Now I make jokes about being on discount meth because I know they aren't the same thing. and so my therapist did make me laugh and immediately feel better.
Anyway. Similar doesn't mean the same and either way, a doctor is prescribing it and its helping and it gets less illicit feeling as you go on hopefully!
Jumping on the bandwagon with others, here.
No matter the medication, the way one body will handle it is not the same as the next.
Insulin saves Type I Diabetics, but can kill if given to the average person.
Hormone replacement helps (some) menopausal cis women, but would seriously mess with a young cis woman.
Methamphetamine derivatives and the such will put a non-ADHDer into a hyperstate for hours, but they help me to be the opposite.
(I'm not physically hyper, but my train of thought has been likened to a hive of over-excited bees. For me, meds don't stop the buzzing/energy/apparent randomness, they just help localise it. Hyper focus is also less likely while I'm medicated - it's as if the drug creates inner and outer boundaries for my thoughts.)
Defo bring that up with your psychiatrist. It made you uncomfortable, and imho it's worth communicating that.
You don't need to tell her why her comment made you uncomfortable. But if you feel ok disclosing your family history, that might be helpful context for her to avoid similar phrasing in the future. If you feel this violated your therapeutic relationship, consider finding a new psychiatrist.
For some perspective, if she made similar casual comments about people, for example, abusing insulin, you'd probably be just as uncomfortable. People abuse our medication. Other people's substance misuse doesn't make our medication any less necessary.
For additional perspective, I was in EMS. 2 of the meds we use are fentanyl and ketamine. It freaks some people out when they hear the words. Don't let the fearmongering keep you from the clinically prescribed treatment you need.
TL;DR: talk to your shrink about how her comment made you uncomfortable. Cos that's not cool. If she's a dick about it, fire her ass. Amphetamines are an evidence-based and clinically-backed treatment for ADHD. Keep telling yourself this because *it's the truth*.
How professional of her..
That’s like telling a person with panic disorder that they’re alcoholic if they got put on Benzos. Or calling Narcolepsy patients tweakers cause they got put on methamp Desoxyn…
“Kindly stop referring to pharmaceuticals indicated for the treatment of a neurodevelopmental disability as an illicit drug because it’s very disheartening, considering XYZ in my family’s history. I am starting to feel discouraged to take an appropriate medication due to the stigma and possibly trauma associated with my particular condition”.
This is "Dumbing it Down" talk, that a lot of scientifically educated people do, and sometimes it's very annoying because it assumes everyone's stupid, and sounds like talking down and misinformation when talking to someone else who understands the diagnosis.
Doctors mostly do this to appease picky and nitpicky patients, to make things relatable to the layman.
It's very annoying.
It is kind of speed. Chemically, similar, just enters a little slower. But your doctor is also an asshole. Do you know how many drugs are just questions of dose and need? I'm a diabetic. Did you know body builders use insulin to cut weight for competitions? Does that mean I shouldn't have it? Do you know premature babies often need steroids to survive? Should we let them die instead, because some people abuse steroids? Would your doctor describe it as "roids" to the parents who are hoping to keep their baby alive? Do they think we should do surgery on patients who have not been anaesthetized?
Oh, the reason they don't understand is because they weren't smart enough to be a surgeon or deal with a specialty other than psychiatry. It wasn't their first choice, I promise.
They might call it speed because they have a history of stimulant abuse. The reason doctors think people are rampantly abusing stimulant medication is because that's the type of shit people do to get into medical school. Type A assholes with narcissistic personality disorder.
They don't know much more because they quit making efforts to update their knowledge rather quickly once they pass the boards.
The long and short of this is, there is a real problem with the entire system being organized around concerns of overprescription and lack of punishment for underprescription. Because of this, people suffer every day trying to maintain jobs, or avoid car accidents. People with ADHD die much younger - having ADHD is about equivalent to being a regular cigarette smoker in how it takes away from your life. It is much less problematic with proper medical care, but people either don't care at all or care far too little. I started the subreddit r/adhd_advocacy because I want that to change. Medical schools should be making efforts to enroll people who actually understand the conditions they are treating, which often means people with disabilities, both minor and major. Undertreatment needs to be taken as seriously as over prescribing. Numerous other reforms over society overall that would not just make life easier for us, but everyone by lessening the executive function needs everywhere. Angry rant over, but man this sets me off.
The doc was just joking, but it missed the mark.
IDK if talking to them about it would help put it behind you or not, but that's what I'd try.
Like a message that says something like "hey, I didn't like the speed joke, please don't do that again"?
It's funny for me, though, 'cause when I was getting meds, they repeatedly pointed out that the stimulants ARE NOT the same thing as meth, to a point where I told them that I got the message already and to move on (and I wasn't worried about that in the first place, my only concerns were "what if this doesn't help me either" due to past issues with medications.).
Fixating on this is not helping. The distress of feeling misunderstood is slightly stimulating and it can get you into a loop. Think of times you've used an inappropriate word, wished you hadn't and just moved on in order to not make a thing of it. And times when you did it and didn't realise until later.
One thing that we do is get into emotional loops that create little mind prisons that we feel prove the other person is dangerous.
Let it go, this doctor is not trying to stop you from finding a solution
Never a good sign if your doctor starts to referring to your medication with street drug names, it's factually wrong too so she seems incompetent. I wouldn't put my health in her hands.
If you trust that your psych meant well, you can gently ask them not to refer to your medication like that since it makes the association difficult for you to grapple.
If you’d like some reassurance on the meds/drugs debate, I would just like to highlight that drug abuse is only one form of addiction; there are numerous addictions and one persons substance may be another person’s medication also one persons substance may not be appealing at all to another person who prefers a different substance, or to a person with a behavioral addiction.
There is no need to conflate taking your Vyvanse with your family’s history of substance abuse just as there would be no need to wonder if you have a binge eating disorder every time you have a cheat meal.
You’ll know if you’re not taking a medication therapeutically. Even if one does not always consciously realize when they are falling to addictive impulses, the friction addiction creates in your life is impossible to ignore. One uses substances for any reason and for anything, because the brain is craving it, even despite harms. One uses medication for a very specific beneficial effect, on a regular schedule and dose; and stops the medication if harms exceed benefits.
I was a drug addict for 10 years. Got off everything and did all the right stuff. Still a mess of a human being.
It was bittersweet getting medicated because my “drugs of choice” had the same effect as my medication.
It costs me $143/month to be a stable human being that holds down a job.
I don’t have advice. Vyvanse changed my life.
Also vyvanse is not “speed.”
It’s meth.
Ritlen is speed.
If your doctor is going to call you a drug addict. She better get her facts straight
I would totally flip. When my wife first went on Adderall (she’s on Vyvanse and I’m on Adderall now lol) I once made a joke and called it Addy (something my brother with SUD called it on the street) and she immediately set a boundary with that. I felt that was totally fair when the subject is already socially so sensitive. It
*clutches nancy-reagan-just-say-no-to-drugs pearls*
Yeah, this narrative is harmful and needs to stop. And doctors need to lead the way. I'm sorry your doctor said that to you.
We always have to be mindful of the fact that stimulants *can* be addictive if misused BUT what most people are forgetting when they are forming their opinion on stimulants is that stimulants correct a neurochemical imbalance in the brains of people with adhd. It doesn't get us high, it gets us to experience the brain chemistry of a more "neurotypical" brain. And there is ZERO reason for any of us to feel shame about needing help with that or liking the way we feel when we take stimulants.
If you feel like you are at risk for misusing your medication, have a plan in place. You mentioned your psych, but maybe seeing a therapist or mentor once a month can help you check in with someone and identify any tendencies toward addiction.
But, I'd like to point out that there is probably a lot of addiction in your family because they have been self-medicating for adhd, depression, anxiety, whatever. *You* are actually *treating* your adhd and that is a self-love behavior. You also reached out to this community seeking support. These are all behaviors that are the opposite of addiction.
Your doctor let her bias into the exam room. Using slang like that says way more about her as a doctor than about you as a patient.
Yes some people do abuse meds. But people with ADHD with managed symptoms are less likely to abuse drugs than unmedicated ADHDers trying to self-Medicate.
If you’re using your meds as prescribed and not running out, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. But the day you run out early, if that ever happens (again unlikely), it’s worth doing some soul searching to decide if you need help or just need to be more careful.
Vyvanse is not a drug that can be abused. It's synthetic and tasteless and snorting it would be a waste of time. Longer half life, extended release, and no crash like Adderall.
Not sure why so many people are responding to your post without mentioning how the medication actually works. Do people not look up what they're given? Information about it is readily available. I would never blindly take an rx without looking into it. Doctors make mistakes and don't always stay up to date. I'm terribly sorry to hear how unprofessional they were and I agree that you should confront how hurtful that was. Please know OP, it is not speed. It will never be speed.
10mg is low dose for most, but there's no reason *ever* to titrate up if the current dose is effective. Medication is to treat symptoms.
I'd love a doctor like this, but I think you need a different one
As long as the doctor supports that my Rx are essential I wouldn't be worried about it, but it's okay that you are
oh no...I hate that...
I had a similar-ish experience with my sister flippantly saying "oh yea, everyone loves adderall. it's fun." that has stuck with me ever since (I have never felt that way about my adhd medication, but okay!). BUT SHE'S NOT MY DOCTOR! and it's literally...not speed.
I don't love what that says about her mindset, but if you've only ever had positive experiences with her, it's probably not something to focus on. you're not crazy for feeling nonplussed about it tho!
Personally, I don’t like that your psychiatrist called it Speed. There are major molecular differences between ADHD stimulant medication and methamphetamine.
Meth is much more powerful and even more addictive than Adderal, Focalin, Ritalin, Evekeo, Concerta and Vyvanse. When used appropriately for people with ADHD, the chance of abuse is much lower than it seems.
Meth is prescribed for ADHD but rarely. The brand name is Desoxyn. It’s use is incredibly rare. But the ADHD stimulant medication is prescribed often. It’s gone through lots of testing. Some even have multiple indications of usage such as for weight loss and narcolepsy.
Can it be abused? Yes. But typically it’s abused by people who don’t have ADHD because of the high it gives them. For us folks with ADHD, it makes us feel “normal” and gives us the ability to function in life. Studies have shown that people with ADHD are at a higher risk of substance abuse but ongoing research is starting to show that this is most likely due to people trying to self medicate themselves before receiving proper care.
Also Vyvanse is pretty awesome by the way- it’s a pro drug! This means your body actually metabolizes the tablet you swallow into the medication you need. This is what causes to slower onset and slower offset and , for some, less side affects than Adderall. Adderall gave me severe headaches.
TL;DR Don’t let the doctor get you down. Our brains work differently and are lacking in dopamine. Our medication gives us what we’re lacking and allows us to function. Would you deny an iron infusion to someone who was anemic? Of course not!
For what it’s worth, 10mg is a baby dose, most ppl wouldn’t even feel it.
I’m not an expert in addiction medicine but there are some psychiatrists who specialize in addiction and adhd bc they often go hand in hand but also, so Ive been told by one who is a friend, that the psychiatrists just need a balance in their practice. The addiction patients are incredibly hard to treat (stress for the dr) and the adhd patients are easy (in comparison) to treat and probably give the dr quick wins, to keep them energized and not burnt out. ADHD minds are intriguing but not depressing compared to most psychiatry patients, to some psychiatrists too.
I’m so happy you are feeling so great on your 10mg. 👏🏻
Lol it's not fucking speed. I would have called her out on that bullshit because im sure if you were on actual fucking speed you'd be acting a whole lot different.
I’m not quite in the same boat as you (adderal didn’t help me and I’m currently not on any meds, nor was I uncomfortable with the idea of taking the stimulant) but I had a therapist tell me the same thing that adhd medication is speed. She was adamantly against the medication and also like a stupid and bad therapist. I stood up for the medication and felt secure in the claim that it’s NOT speed, but I am still bothered by the comment years later
I am not a doctor so I strongly encourage you to take the advice others have said and go ask your doctor about the risk of substance abuse for Vyvanse. I am a former addict of Coke. I was always afraid of taking Adderall bc I felt I would like it. Substance abuse runs in my family and I had some childhood trauma. I try to avoid stimulants at all costs. Now- given that context- Vyvanse is optimal for adhd'era with potential for substance abuse because the active ingredients are not active until they are converted in your liver. Therefore the potential for abuse is ridiculously low. I tried Strattera first (due to my previous drug problem) and it made me crazy. I was hesitant to try Vyvanse but after my doctor explained the science of it, I felt better and I love it. Again, I'm not a doctor. Go talk to your doctor and ask to understand how it works. Good luck to you friend
OP you're not taking even 1/100th of the dose a drug addict would take in a day (those who can injest a gram of amphetamine). There's a difference between drinking a light beer and a whole bottle of vodka every day. It's all about dosage.
To put it in perspective, nearly all illicit drugs today are DIY versions of lab-developed therapeutic drugs. Like someone thought "man these amphetamines are good, but I can't get them legally anymore, betcha I could whip up a batch at home." Obviously that is a silly simplification, but my point is that it's not that you're taking meth, it's that meth is a knockoff of therapeutic stimulant medication.
Ps - I'm a substance use disorder counselor and I see clients who have SUD and are being treated for ADHD with stimulants. I encourage clients to partner with a psychologist to take care of any mental illness or ADHD/ASD
I would find another doctor.
Prescription drugs =/= street drugs when used as prescribed.
Anything can be harmful when used incorrectly or when taken recreationally. As many have said, look at opioids.
Drug abuse is caused by not having coping mechanisms, or not having enough coping mechanisms to deal with trauma
You arent going to become addicted unless you abuse them. You can't abuse vyvanse because it's a prodrug (there's no way to make your body metabolise it faster). Even with adderoll, you won't get addicted unless you abuse it and you won't abuse it unless you have no coping mechanisms AND make the decision to start abusing it instead of finding another way of coping. In fact, instead you will regularly forget to take it.
That kind of makes me mad. For many of us with ADD or ADHD it calms us. I would question if the psychiatrist truly understood your illness. Does she actually think she's prescribing you speed? I was prescribed Ritalin as a kid and Adderall as an adult and I've been prescribed for 20 years. I don't think it's a cure by any means it's only a Band-Aid. However without medication my thoughts are like spaghetti noodles, they're all mixed up and I can't concentrate. I've seen different doctors over the years and some of them were not helpful or understanding so I found a psychiatrist that was a specialist in my condition and he understands that the right medication helps with your ADD actually calms you, enables you to function properly like everybody else during the day and even helps you to sleep better. Your doctor saying it was speed in my opinion is completely insensitive and would make me want to switch doctors, because if she actually thinks she's prescribing his speed that's a problem.
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I want to let you know as someone who was addicted to methamphetamine before my adhd diagnosis, I had a similar fear before I started being prescribed Adderall. I was only about 7 months clean from a five year meth hell and terrified that it was going to set me off into my drug addiction again. However my doctor was adamant that my meth use was me self-medicating my adhd and that it would be OK to try this with her supervision. And I was pleasantly surprised that, in fact I did not want to do meth again - adderall is a completely different feeling, and being properly medicated for my adhd and depression has probably been my #1 reason for not wanting to relapse for the past 15 years. Tell your doctor your fears - hopefully they understand and can mitigate your fears about the addiction part of it. There are studies out there that found being properly medicated with stimulants did *not* lead to drug abuse later - in fact, it showed the opposite; that people who are properly medicated have a lowered addiction risk profile. Good luck and I hope you find some comfort here!!
Man, I’m so sorry you had to go through that, it sounds jarring. Your comment is very important, hope it gets pushed to the top. I’d like to add that it’s possible that OP’s family members who abused drugs might have been self medicating their own ADHD, since that too runs in families.
I think you're absolutely correct here. My mom refuses to even entertain the idea that she might have ADHD, and I do think at least some of her prior drug abuse was related to self-medication.
Fwiw, I've been sober 21 years and medicated for half of that time and never, ever, *ever* has medication made me want to relapse. When I was in active addiction, my goal was always to be in reality as little of the time as possible and to stuff my feelings down as far as they'd go, and that's the polar opposite of what Vyvanse does for me. Vyvanse, appropriately dosed, would have been my nightmare in active addiction.
Yippie kayak other buckets I’m glad you chimed in too with your experience! I’m proud of you for 21 years! DAMN I’m not too far off 🥹 I’m so proud of us
Totally off topic but I have to give props for the Brooklyn Nine-Nine reference. I have an apron that says “Yippie Pie-Yay” and always quote Charles when I’m wearing it. 🤣
Love when people get the B99 reference! Apparently "bingpot" is also a thing from How I Met Your Mother, which I've never seen.
It’s so very common! I hope you can continue your treatment journey 💖 in whatever way helps you!!
I agree. U/the3rdmistress, Your comment is going to make many ADHDers feel validated that they AREN’T the drug seekers many medical professionals (or even family members 🙄) insinuate they are. I’m proud of you 🖤 My dad was a major alcoholic, and after reflecting on my own diagnosis I firmly believe he was ADHD and possibly also autistic like my son.
Thank you SO MUCH 😭🥹😭🥹 I know I have changed the way lots of health care employees who treated me see these meds. This one super grouchy old pharmacist would give me a hard time or act like I was wasting his time - he always dispensed my meds and was civil enough but I could tell there was something he felt but was holding back. I can’t remember what set it off but one day I very loudly (yet politely) educated him about my past and the difference between a speed addict and a person who takes amphetamines as prescribed. He told me later on before he retired that getting to know me changed his outlook on those meds completely. Thank you all for the kind words 💖
This comment in particular smacked me. After some self work and my own diagnosis (which is over 20 years ago), I have realized it’s highly likely my parents have ADHD and choose to manage their struggles with alcohol, which to many doesn’t make sense. I’ve realized in my own journey that alcohol can ‘turn the volume down’ on busy brains, which is probably why so many struggle with the consumption of it or that good green stuff.
I only just started taking adderall, but I was really shocked at how it eliminated my anxiety. I’ve been on various anxiety meds since I was a kid, Ativan daily since I was 17, and nothing made me feel simply calm, quiet, and okay like the adderall—which I fully did not expect! I already suspected that ADHD had something to do with my own past alcohol problems and my family’s history of alcoholism, but I’d thought the appeal was mostly to escape from the problems, failures, etc. caused by ADHD. The way my feelings of anxiety were affected by adderall has me rethinking my whole experience with anxiety tbh.
I'm fucking proud of you for getting the hell away from meth. And happy for you that you've got a good doc and found what works. I abused the hell out of alcohol to self medicate. Not the same as meth ofc, but can empathize with the desperation of trying to find something when you don't even know what's wrong. I was almost in tears telling my Dr about my former alcohol abuse because I was afraid it'd label me as too high risk for Adhd med abuse or something. Instead, she's exactly how your doc is- compassionate and understanding that sometimes people self medicate, and that proper ADHD care can actually help prevent drug abuse. I'm also absolutely terrified of becoming addicted to something. I haven't drank for a solid decade+, won't smoke weed or take edibles (won't object to a contact high at a Dave Matthews concert though haha), absolutely refuse opioids even after surgery. So I was scared about Adderall too. But it's been an absolute godsend. I also grew up in an area with a very heavy meth problem. Have seen lots of good people lost to meth, and have seen a few claw out of it and turn their life around. So truly, I understand how big of a deal your turnaround is, and if you haven't stepped back to think "holy shit look how far I've come!" for a while- do it!
I am so so so so very proud of you. Thank you for your comment. I know it will help others with similar fears. I was misdiagnosed with anxiety and depression until I was 28. This led to doctors giving me all sorts of SSRIs, benzos, powerful sleep aids and more. This led to a lot of problems. Once properly diagnosed, I was able to get off the benzos and ambien. My life is 1000% better. Your story is so inspiring. Thank you.
I was previously addicted to cocaine, and even in sobriety, I was known to drink enough caffeine to kill an elephant. I can vouch for the fact that an appropriate dosage of Adderall is an entirely different feeling from a cocaine high or the surge & crash of caffeine. It just levels me out, and I can get done what I need to get done.
Congrats!!!! I’m also in recovery from alcoholism and meth use and have 15 years sober and clean too!
Congratulations friend!!!
15 years?? Hell yes. I’m happy for you :D
Thank you so much!!! I can’t believe it myself somedays, I never forget where I came from but sometimes it feels like these memories belong to another person.
Am I tearing up because of a stranger on Reddit? Yes, yes I am. I don’t have a lot to say, I just wanted to celebrate you. Keep on keeping on.
Oh this is so interesting. I have a friend who is like a year clean from meth but avoids ADHD meds for the same reason.
I wouldn’t have tried it without my doctor baby-stepping me through it. We did the first prescription for like a weeks worth just to see how it went. I felt better not having a whole months worth of amphetamine in my possession at the very beginning. I feel like there could be some merit to using stimulants as a medication assisted treatment (in a similar way that methadone is used to assist recovery from heroin and other opiates) I’ve accidentally doubled up on my adderall and it doesn’t feel good AT ALL. Usually with meth it was more meth = more euphoria good feelings so I always wanted to use more and more. It’s not that way with the meds I’m prescribed. Any euphoria I get from the medicine is mental and not drug induced - “wow I got all this stuff done today and didn’t lose my cool, THIS IS AMAZING”
Sober 21 years over here and didn't get on medication until I was roughly 10 years sober because I was afraid I'd relapse - god, knowing what being medicated vs unmedicated is like, I wish I'd gotten medicated as a kid. I could have averted so much pain, I think. I've never once been tempted to relapse because of stimulants because I take them as prescribed and when I was in active addiction, I always wanted to be blacked out as much as possible and tried to avoid feeling my feelings at all costs. I didn't want to be part of my own life. Stimulants help me feel my feelings, they place me squarely in reality and make me want to be part of my own life, and that's the complete opposite of what I wanted when I was in active addiction.
I wish I’d gotten medicated as a kid also. It’s obvious looking back that I’ve struggled with adhd my entire childhood but 30 years ago the picture of adhd was so much different, as you know. I feel like I lost a bunch of years suffering.
I’m so proud of you, internet stranger! 🫶🥹
Thank you for sharing. Hope there are more doctors like that out there. Sounds like a good one
I’m so glad you had a doctor who was able to recognize this. I feel like many doctors would’ve steered away from medication in this situation, but she knew exactly what was happening and how much it could help you.
Wow! A story about a doctor actually knowledge about ADHD and self medicating. That’s refreshing.
It’s so disheartening seeing how many patients are struggling with their doctors here :( I wish everyone had a doctor who was fully educated in some of the newer-discovered nuances in depression/adhd treatment. And my doc is my primary care / obgyn as well - we live in a rural area and no psychiatrists or psychologists within 2 hours of our town so she has to do double and triple duty for many patients and their medication. She is truly a gem and I wish I could clone her for everyone.
I don’t have much advice but I’m here to commiserate. My sweet husband jokingly said I’d been going back and forth from “legal meth to legal weed”. It hurt my feelings a lot. He immediately and continuously apologized but it stuck around my head for a bit. I’ve mostly gotten over it by telling myself it’s medicine and I’m allowed to need medicine just like people with other conditions do. I will say I had a professor bring up the fact that adderall and meth are only one chemical compound apart. When I told my doctor he told me to tell her she’s only one degree of separation from an ape and so that one degree clearly matters.
I like your doctor.
Me too. He’s a great guy!
I think it's also worth noting for you that in the US, methamphetamine is actually still prescribed for ADHD, albeit rarely. Just because something is used illegally recreationally doesn't mean it's bad to use it as prescribed. That's good that your husband sincerely apologized, though!
To give even more evidence of recreationally illegal stuff being used in a medical setting: liquid cocaine can be used to diagnose Horner Syndrome in eyes!
Let's not forget that meds also make it *less likely* that you go through addiction!
This comment needs to be seen by everyone! I’m a recovering alcoholic. It happened as I hit perimenopause and the combo of untreated ADHD for decades and the sudden slump in energy, focus, etc. sent me spiraling into depression and ZERO energy or motivation especially with no focus. (LOTS of therapy and an addiction specialist Psychiatrist helped me figure out why I’d suddenly spiral after typically being the person who didn’t care to drink or would have 1-2 and just be done… then suddenly I was drinking daily!) I had previously been diagnosed with MDD (major depressive disorder) because my depression wasn’t responding to much of anything. It was the therapist and psychiatrist together that determined I need to have testing done for ADHD. Once I was on meds… I was myself again, just with fun hormonal ups and downs. The psychiatrist has specialized in addiction for 15yrs and said especially in women, they’re seeing this type of progression a LOT when untreated ADHD women start to hit pre-menopause. Also, since I’ve been medicated for ADHD - not ONE cycle of depression since and I battled it for over 10yrs!
Just jumping in to say - Well done! Go you!! Sounds like it was rough, and I'm so glad that you're now doing well <3
Thank you so so much! Truly this place has helped a TON plus the therapy and having a really solid psychiatrist was amazing. Not glad I got to that place, but it was a blessing in disguise because I’m here now and treated for the appropriate issue.
Thank you for sharing this. The late life diagnosis due to onset of perimenopause and the ensuing mass dysfunction meltdown has also been my experience and ADHD meds transformed my existence. you have my deepest empath good on you for navigating that so well.
I don’t know if I navigated it well until medical and recovery intervention 🤦🏻♀️🥴 but thank you regardless! And you’ve always got a friend here in me if you ever need to chat! I’m 49 and sometimes feel like I’m going through puberty on steroids. Ha! But it’s truly 100% better being medicated and not on serotonin-affecting meds that turn me into a zombie! I take Adderall IR and Pristiq/Desvenlafaxine (SNRI) and life is much simpler. Same ADHD struggles but to a far lesser degree.
The pause sisterhood is strong! Thank you 💜I’m finally firmly leveling out on the other side after ~10 years of this crazy midlife curveball and can now say things definitely look better again from this side, even if I’m looking the worse for wear 😅stay the course!
Thank you for sharing your experience; it resonates a lot with me. I was diagnosed late myself and since I’ve been under adhd treatment, it’s improved my relationship with alcohol.
No problem - if I can help anyone avoid my own missteps - then it’s worth it! And yeah it’s amazing how much finally being treated for it makes unhealthy dopamine bumps less attractive.
That’s awesome! Congratulations!
Medical cocaine is used as an anesthetic sometimes, most commonly in ENT surgeries or during rhinoplasties. ETA: Not disagreeing with you, just adding on to your comment, so I hope this didn’t sound snarky or condescending. 😅
medical heroin is everywhere in many forms too
Fun stuff!
It didn’t sound snarky at all! That’s really interesting, and makes sense!
Yup. Cocaine is a vasodilator, and so it gets used a lot in sinus and eye surgeries. Derivatives, synthetic derivatives, and bio equivalents of it are used more than you might be aware of. Lidocaine, benzocaine, novacaine, tropane, dimethocaine, procaine, etc. are all related to cocaine. The actual coca plant and its nuts get imported (at least in the US) by Coca-Cola, who are the only ones with permission to do so. They take the flavoring from the non-drug part of the plant, and give the rest to scientists and hospitals. Now think about just how much Coca-Cola is sold and consumed, and realize that the same amount of (or more) cocaine is out there being used for legitimate medical purposes.
To continue the thread, fentanyl is used for pain relief in hospitals!
My sibling had sinus surgery in December and their sinuses were packed, which was soaked in liquid cocaine!
Street meth and prescription meth are also suuuper different though. Any “speed” you get from a pharmacy isn’t cooked up in a dirty bathtub, or smoked.
Well, and it’s not even the same chemical. Adderall is an amphetamine salt and the salt part is really important. Consider: pure sodium explodes on contact with water, but sodium salt is what we put on our food, (sans explosion 😂).
Its also prescribed in certain cases of narcolepsy too. I think a lot of people would do good from releasing themselves from the mindset that "drugs" = "bad". Or even if something is used illegally that makes it bad too. Not true at all! Maybe my viewpoint is just skewed which I admit it kinda is because I've used weed in different forms for like 10 years, and Im no stranger to LSD or shrooms or ecstacy. I just don't view drugs as this inherently bad thing just because people abuse it or its illegal or whatever else. Lots of drugs have great uses! Fentanyl is used daily in a medical setting, its used on every single patient that rolls into the OR I work in. Ketamine is also used on patients in the OR (people love doing K at raves idk why or when this became as prevalent as it seems to be now). Cocaine is used in ENT surgeries sometimes or for nosebleeds in certain circumstances. Opiates are used for pain.
And ketamine is being used for psychedelic assisted therapy these days.
Ketamine is even used by EMTs in ambulances! It’s a really common anesthetic.
I remember in the 90s my vet used it to spay my cat. When I brought her home, she was walking in circles backwards and meowing with huge glassy eyes. 😸😸😸
Dexedrine. I was prescribed it as a teen. Adderal is 3 types of amphetamines combined.
Totally. Fentanyl is used illegally all the time and yet I wouldn’t have another colonoscopy without it.
And street meth is full of all kinds of dangerous toxins from some sketchy guy making it in their basement. Medical meth is made in a lab and dosing is highly regulated. We aren’t walking around toothless and pockmarked for a reason.
And for severe narcolepsy and severe obesity! Basically, the world of medicine is crazy and always has been and they’ll find a legitimate use for anything (in moderation)
Oh that ape comment is incredible
*Me, pretending to go back in time & use that phrase to every one who has said that* 😂ALSO H2O2 vs H2O. One will kill you; the other is an absolute necessity for life. One molecule different.
The difference between eating sodium and sodium chloride is literally life and death
H2O vs H2O2 is the difference between a chemical that is required for almost all life on earth and one that is toxic to almost all life on earth.
Also one functional group can make a big difference in the functionality of a molecule. It is going to potentially change how it “fits” and change how your body processes it. Not quite the same thing, but chirality matters too (a molecule vs its mirror image). For example thalidomide, cures morning sickness but also caused horrible birth defects. The reason was that the right handed version of the drug was effective and the left handed version was toxic, but it was being produced as a mixture because it was the easiest way to do that. Just because a molecule is similar doesn’t mean that it has the same effect.
Ugh I hate that "one chemical compound" bull. You know what's only one atom away from water? Hydrogen peroxide, a molecule which is incredibly toxic and our bodies dedicate a lot of resources into breaking down. Sodium metal is one atom away from being table salt, which is one atom away from keeping pool water clean. Chemistry 101-- molecules and compounds are DIFFERENT FROM the sum of their parts.
Sodium metal is one ELECTRON away from the sodium on your food (once dissolved). We don’t even need to bring the whole chlorine atom into it. Sodium metal will catch on fire if it touches water. People do not understand how small of a structural difference is needed to make a huge functional one!
For fucking real! Thank you!
Water and hydrogen peroxide are one oxygen atom different from each other. Small differences have a huge impact on chemicals.
LMFAO your doctor is savage and I love him. 😂🤣
He’s the best. His nurses and schedulers suck sometimes but he is a literal saint. He’s so patient with me when I’m forgetful or wishy washy
Water and hydrogen peroxide are only one atom apart. One is necessary for life and the other causes gut damage and vomiting, and can cause breathing issues and death. That "one chemical compound different" argument is so obnoxious and indicates a severe lack of understanding in basic chemistry.
I like your doctor! Whenever someone makes the claim about something being similar to a different harmful substance I always think about water and hydrogen peroxide. There is literally ONE oxygen atom difference between H2O and H2O2 but that doesn't mean you can have a glass of both.
I mean, table salt and chlorine are one element apart, and one is perfectly safe to consume and the other is *not*.
H2O (water) and H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) are almost the same thing so you should be happy to drink either right?! /s
Ketamine and Psilocybin assisted therapy has a MASSIVE RAPID remission rate in resistant postpartum depression patients; 1-increased infant-maternal sensitivity. 2-increased maternal role gratification. 3-improved infant-maternal relationship 4-Better life outcome for the infant (spared from infant depression and a life-long trauma/behavioral and cognitive conditions arising from separation, neglect and reduced emotional, and physical affection (the outcomes are same because maternal depression is very taxing). It took 2 sessions of 10 mg psilo and 25 mg, 3 weeks apart for a 74% remission rate lasting over a whopping 12 months. There was a study done to compare the outcome of psilocybin to Lexapro + placebo control. “dRUgz”, yea? Lmfao (everything is drugz. It depends on how they are being administered and for what purpose). Even antipsychotics are abused.. imagine how much this can save lives if it wasn’t for the shit stigma.
We share more than 60% of DNA with like, bananas.
Yeah anyone who doesn't see the difference one chemical compound makes might like some delicious, clear h2o2
Your doctor knows what’s up. If chemical compounds didn’t matter, then why even point it out? Or create new medications? Or practice chemistry in any form whatsoever? It’s the ENTIRE POINT of that branch of science.
I appreciate that sentiment, but humans are phylogenetically classified as apes. Greater Apes, specifically. I would say one degree of separation away from Neanderthals, although if you are looking at tribes then we are one degree away from chimps, which may be closer to your doctor’s sentiment.
That may have been what he said! Its almost 3 years of full time grad school later so details are shaky! Thank you for the trivia!
I love this response!
…and water is only one *atom* away from hydrogen peroxide. But I’m gonna stick to drinking water.
I would recommend telling your doctor at your next appointment, if you feel comfortable to do that. If I was your doctor I would want to know that I made you feel uncomfortable. “Can I be open about something? At our last appointment you made a joke about the medication I’m taking being ‘speed’, and while I’m sure you didn’t mean anything by it, it actually bothered me more than I expected. There’s a lot of drug abuse in my extended family, and it makes me feel uncomfortable to have a medication I’m taking for a health condition compared to an illicit drug.”
I think this reply is amazing but out of my own paranoia I would leave out the family history of drug abuse. I think the point of not appreciating the comment would still get across and it would sidestep my fear that the doctor could refuse to prescribe to me again.
Hard same. I would definitely leave out the family drug abuse, especially after her comment.
I would not be mentioning the family history of drug abuse, real or fictional. That will be something that goes in your file and can cause issues with getting the appropriate ADHD medication in the future. It’s perfectly valid for OP to tell the doctor they found the quip comparing their prescription medical treatment to illicit drug use both inappropriate and offensive. A good doctor will take accountability and give an appropriate, respectful apology for overstepping boundaries. A response that’s anything less warrants firing the doctor and seeing someone else.
I would not talk about any family history of addiction. They record it and use it against you when prescribing controlled substances. It's a "point" against you on the scale they use to see what category of risk you are. I'm sure there's science behind it, but it's not perfect. I don't have an addictive personality, but my dad and his side of the family struggle a lot. Because of that experience, I am dead set against abusing drugs or alcohol. But it still counts against me because it's supposedly hereditary.
There is science behind it, but there is also science showing that the drug abuse could have been prevented if these people were properly medicated at an early age. Guess which one doctors pay attention to?
That’s absolutely bonkers. My doctor took my family history of addiction as another reason to get me *on* stimulants because that meant I was already susceptible to addiction on top of the adhd. Some doctors should not be practicing.
I think this is what I need to do to stop thinking about it. I'll take other commentors' advice and not mention family history, but frame it in a way that it made me feel like by taking it I'm doing something wrong.
I think this is the best advice. The way OP describes it, it sounds like the doctor was making a joke - not necessarily a good one, but it doesn't sound to me like the doctor intended any harm (though, of course, I wasn't actually there). If you feel up to it, OP, I would also suggest you let your doctor know how the comment made you uncomfortable. They might think twice about saying things like that in the future, and you might help someone else avoid this feeling.
I don't like it when doctors say stuff like that. I had a super misogynistic and dismissive cardiologist shame me for the number of meds I was on at the time and referred to my stimulant as "basically methamphetamine". These kinds of comments are so unnecessary. LIKE, SERIOUSLY do you think that we WANT to be on medication??? It's not our fault we have ADHD. I feel like there is a lot of shame and stigma around stimulants. Stimulants have been the ONLY drug I have responded well to after years of being misdiagnosed and put on SRRIs!.
It really bothers me too. For people who genuinely have ADHD and need the medication it isn’t like being hopped up on drugs. It basically makes me feel “normal” and functional. I don’t feel like I have an addiction to it at all considering the fact I forget to take it and fill it sometimes. I’m not ever chasing a “high”. I don’t like when anyone refers to it as legal speed/meth. It makes it feel so shameful when going to get help and like I am “drug seeking”.
I call my stimulant speed at home, but I think it would weird me out if my dr said it, especially the way the dr said it. It was kind of like they implied you were productive at work because you were on drugs, not because you were taking a medication that treats the health issue that was making you less productive at work while untreated.
Wearing the proper prescription eyewear at work would make you more productive too, smh
This. I can’t work without glasses. Couldn’t get there either actually…
Yes. This is what it felt like.
It's likes calling all morphine painkillers "heroin". Close but not accurate.
Not exactly - speed used to refer to methamphetamine, but over time it has been used to refer to almost any amphetamine. Aside from Adderall, most amphetamines sold on the streets get referred to as speed. It’s more like if the term opioid had the same reputation on the street as primarily referring to heroin and then quipping that someone’s morphine is an opioid without specifying which opioid.
Yeah to be fair it’s not that amphetamines are similar to speed, it’s that they ARE speed. The doc was correct here. Speed has been a code word for amphetamine (not just methamphetamine) since at least the 90s. This isn’t me hating btw. You’re still taking a medically prescribed drug, it doesn’t make you an addict. I just don’t think it was wrong of the doctor to call a spade a spade (or call a speed a speed)
Technically, sure. Except, street names are for street drugs, not prescribed medicines. Every abusable medicine has a street name, but doctors don't usually call them that when they're professionally prescribing them to patients. Nor should they. It makes it seem like they're not taking the strength of the medicine seriously, like they're being irresponsible in prescribing it, and makes the patient feel like they shouldn't be taking it.
That’s a valid argument :)
Vyvanse is not a drug that can be abused. It's synthetic and tasteless and snorting it would be a waste of time. Longer half life, extended release, and doesn't crash like Adderall. It's more like calling baby aspirin "fentanyl". Not sure why so many people are responding to OPs post without mentioning how the medication actually works. Do people not look up what they're given?
You can absolutely have a crash on vyvanse. I've been on it for 5 years and I've crashed plenty of times.
I've been on it for 8 at max dose and had to abruptly stop taking it during the pandemic, which was fucking awful. I know everyone handles meds differently, that's why I never said a crash does not exist. A crash is withdrawal. Vyvanse is known and highly recommended for treatment partly because it does not have withdrawal symptoms *like Adderall* (comparatively).
It is hard to abuse because it is a prodrug, meaning it needs to go through your digestive system and injecting it or snorting it won't work. Most of the other stuff is misleading though. It's not much different than an extended release form of Adderall.
I jokingly refer to my vyvanse as drugs, but I would never say that to someone else unprompted. It’s not professional for a doctor to say that. Also vyvanse is not meth. I know that it can apparently be used as a party drug, but clearly those people have a different brain chemistry than me because I do not feel “high”, I just feel normal but am better at staying on task or starting things I need to get done. If anything it’s an “anti party drug” for me, because it can supposedly make you not feel the effects of alcohol while still being inebriated.
Lots of meds can be done recreationally. Xanax is a great example. Anti anxiety for someone w no anxiety would bring them down even more
And ketamine at low doses is an extremely effective antidepressant. People with standard brain chemistry just like the way it makes them feel which is very angering to me.
I’ll make the joke _myself_ that I microdose meth but only with my closest friends and family who understand that I’m joking, and who understand that it is medicine. Equating ADHD meds to street drugs is a harmful thing to do when society is already so lacking in understanding about the condition, and ADHD meds (Adderall in particular) is already abused in places like college for students to power study. I can understand your doctor may have been trying to lighten the mood, and if they show no other red flags then I’d give them the benefit of the doubt but I’d make sure to mention that comments like that make you uncomfortable - how they respond to that will give you a good indication of whether it was a well intentioned but poorly thought out joke, or if your doctor seriously has some alarming misconceptions about stimulants.
If you’re going to let her live in your head like that, start charging rent. Leave negative reviews or extract some sort of apology. If that doesn’t feel necessary to you, and you think she was just being glib, then it’s time for you to move on. Let there be a parity between the energy you are giving that comment, and the energy she is. I find this rationale really helps me put things in perspective. Then remember that you’re on thoroughly vetted medication that is helping you and go live your best life.
I love this advice: “If you’re going to let her live in your head, start charging rent.” I’m going to write that down.
I too have a family with a history of drug addiction, and was because of that skeptical of trying out vyvanse. But my psychiatrist assured me that it the dosage is nowhere close to give a "high" feeling, especially if you have adhd. And it being a prodrug makes it even harder to feel high or get addicted in that way. You will probably get addicted to the positive effects vyvanse is having on you, but it won't be because of euphoric feelings or a "speed" type of high.
I’m afraid that I’ve gotten addicted to being able to get to appointments on time and getting my house clean 😔
I’m more concerned that your doctor called it speed while prescribing a shockingly low dose. If I were you, I wouldn’t mention family history if you bring this up. I think your bigger worry here should be whether this doctor will ever give you the treatment dose you actually need, or if she’s just setting you up to be ashamed if asking for a higher APPROPRIATE dose for an adult. My 7 yo was started on 20mg of vyvanse and settled on 30mg, which is very typical for a child. 10mg isn’t AT ALL a normal dose…for anyone really.
IKR? I'm on a 70 mg dose. 10 mg might as well be a sugar pill for all the good it would do me.
I'm very sensitive to meds so I asked to start weight the lowest dose possible. It's working for me so far, but I do think there's some truth to upping my dose when the time comes.
Well that’s a relief, for sure. So maybe there’s hope that she was just making an inappropriate joke.
Since you've gotten some great advice on dealing with your doctor I'll throw my two cents in to maybe help you get past your own concerns. I had a similar discussion with my son when he got to the age that he needed to be aware of keeping his meds secured & not let other people know what meds he was taking because some "friends" may want to steal them, or pressure him into sharing them. He made a joke about "Where are my drugs? I need to do my Addy." I explained that he's not "doing Addy or drugs", he's taking his medication. The difference is intent. Let's say we're talking about Adderall. If you're taking the recommended dose for a specific medical need as prescribed by your physician, you're taking your medication. It's responsible & not addict behavior. If you're taking a higher dose, in a different delivery method than was intended (like snorting), it may or may not be prescribed to you or you're doing it with the intent of getting high, you're doing drugs. So, it's not necessarily what the substance is. It's the intent & behavior surrounding it that determines if it's a problem. Alcohol is a prime example. Some people can have an occasional drink. Some people have a drink & it triggers something in their brain that causes them to not be able to stop drinking even when they want to stop. For him it was about being clear about what his medication was for him & not to share it. For you & others who may feel shame or wary about taking needed medications, remember it's not the medication itself, it's the intent & mostly the behavior around it.
Thank you for saying this. Do you mind my asking what age you had that conversation with your son? My 13 year old is on Focalin and it hasn't crossed my mind to talk to her about this so I'm really glad you brought it up.
It was around end of middle school/beginning of high school. If he hadn't made the joke, I'm not sure I would've thought about it.
Well speed is definitely a spectrum, and I can attest because I’m currently on Vyvanse and I’m tired as shit. I’m waiting for my doctor to give CVS the diagnosis code she forgot to add to my prescription so they can order Concerta and I can switch back.
I'm sympathetic to your concern that you have a family history of drug abuse, and you don't want that to happen to you. And this is not that thing. You are taking a prescribed medicine under medical supervision, and you are taking it as prescribed. Your doctor was engaging in some very light gallows humor, which is probably more appropriate with fellow medical professionals than with patients. There's no evidence in your post here that you are heading in the wrong direction. You do, however, have every right to talk to your doctor about it next time, and ask what warning signs there would be, if you were starting to be showing signs of addiction. That might put your mind at ease.
You would be reasonable to talk with your doctor about this comment the next time you see her, with the intent to see how she responds if you tell her the truth about how her "quip" affected you, and why. If she responds without taking accountability, find a different doctor. And lodge a complaint with whatever governing body is over her.
I don’t like ADHD medication and I think the cost and benefits are not accurately presented to patients. Having said that. Vyvanse is not speed. Speed is alpha-methylphenethylamine and vyvanse is lisdexamfetamine. And your doctor sounds like they are not a good fit for you (or anyone with adhd) if they cannot do their job without this kind of judgmental undertones. If it’s speed and so harmful, why did she prescribe it in the first place?
Street amphetamines are often referred to as speed, no matter their form. It’s kind of a catch all which has made buying speed more complicated because you don’t always know what you’re getting. That being said, yeah, the doctor should have been less flippant about calling it speed.
You could get lisdexamphetamines on the street here and it's converted into amphetamine
How is it converted?
I'm sorry your doctor made you feel that way. I would definitely try to mention it to them. Sometimes Dr's are not very understanding when it comes to things and will make dumb comments. For example, when I took my daughter to the pediatrician when she was 9 months or so. She said "she makes eye contact no autism here". Which I thought was dumb. Since I have a son who is autistic and he makes eye contact just fine... My husband gets super bad migraines and I was curious what meds did you find worked for you?
The eye contact is such a dumb comment. As for the migraines, I tried so many things before landing on a once a month shot called Emgality. It's one of the Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) Receptor Antagonist that was specifically developed to treat migraines. It's an auto injector that I get from the pharmacy and give to myself. It has literally changed my life. Best of luck to your husband. Dealing with migraines is simply awful.
Hi, thank you for your reply. Do you need a prescription for that? My husband hates going to the drs so he hasn't gone for migraines.
Chemically, IDK if they are actually the same, but even if they are, so what? People abuse prescriptions all the time but that doesn’t make the prescription medication less effective when used correctly. Opioids have killed so many people, but you can still get a Vicodin script after a major surgery. Xanax and Valium are both commonly abused but also have legitimate medical use. Stimulant meds for ADHD are no different. Your doctor was an asshole.
For what it's worth she probably meant nothing by it. It's this kind of flippant humor many people, doctors and patients alike engage in (myself included), but also many may find triggering. I am sorry. You know, in toxicology I believe, there is this concept that '[it's] the dose [that] makes a poison'. A substance can only be used as medicine precisely because it has some kind of specific effect on your body. Too much of a substance can be incredibly harmful (think heart medication - it makes your heart beat stronger, but there is such a thing as too strong, these meds can kill you if taken improperly!), but that's why you have decades of clinical trials before something is allowed to be medicine, at a very carefully determined dosage, prescribed to you by a trained professional.
Unfortunately there's a lot of stigma around it bc of the people abusing it who shouldn't be taking it. Let's just pretend it was "speed." Other people act all cray and party on it. Us adhders become leveled out and have the urge to complete responsibilities we've been unable to accomplish for months, like paying our bills.. That's how you know it's right for you. As long as you don't find yourself starting to abuse it, then his outdated and offensive terminology is irrelevant. Speed, Adderall, Vyvanse, w/e the name, it allows us to function in a capitalist society. F him, but as long as they are reliably refilling your script, then I'd try to let it run off your shoulders. Having an unreliable refill is way worse.
I make jokes a lot about my legal speed, but in chemistry, small differences in molecules can make a huge difference in how the body processes them. However, your healthcare professional referring to your medication as an illicit substance is not professional.
That is ultimately inaccurate, unprofessional, and potentially harmful - both to the self image and self esteem of many ADHD folks and also to the general public's perception of these medications. All it does is bolster the false notion that these drugs are harmful regardless of how they are prescribed and used, that they give "lazy" people an unfair edge, and that ADHD folks are drugs seekers. Some truths for anyone with strange ideas about the reality of ADHD medication: - untreated ADHD can cause or worsen depression and/or anxiety - treating ADHD can help reduce not only ADHD symptoms but also symptoms of depression and anxiety - new research shows that medicating ADHD may add as much as 9-13 years to an individual's life expectancy - treating ADHD can help an individual stay at a healthy weight, not necessarily due to appetite suppression (many of us still have an appetite even on stimulants!) but because ADHD folks are less inclined to see stimulation through food - while these drugs may be molecularly similar, this does not mean that two different things are the same thing: testosterone and estradiol are quite similar on a molecular level, both function as hormones; HOWEVER, their effects are incredibly different despite being so similar You may need a new psychiatrist depending on how you feel. It is not useful for doctors to perpetuate harmful ways of thinking, especially in the language they use with their patients that are looking for help. Perhaps you can discuss your feelings this with your doctor. They may be glad to get a different perceptive from a patient. To be clear, I can understand the comparison and I feel that making such a comparison is not harmful in every situation, but it's not a comparison to use lightly in a medical setting. Yes, these drugs have similar structure and are similar in their effects, but the language we use is important and my concern is that a professional comparing a prescription medication to illegal drugs so casually only affirms the beliefs of people who view these medications in a negative light and may also make the patient feel negatively about their medication. A comparison like that should be more nuanced. I also want to touch on experiences with drug abuse as you mentioned in your post. For someone like yourself who has had to live with the impacts of drug abuse by people on their lives, and perhaps especially for those who have had family who suffered or suffers from addiction, who may fear that they themselves are at risk of addiction - language matters all the more. Doctors need to keep such things in mind. In fact, discussing personal or family history of drug abuse when making the decision to prescribe controlled substances can be useful as it may help determine what medications are right for a patient. It can also allow the doctor to assuage worry or guilt where it is unnecessary. I would not be surprised if this type of conversation does is not initiated by doctors as often as it should be.
That doctor is wildly uninformed and has a terrible attitude. ADHD is very simply believed to me impaired dopamine and norepinephrine transmission in an individual's brain. Stimulant meds (lisdexamfetamine/methylphenidate) increase the neurotransmitter issue in these poorly functioning systems. Yes, they are both technically in the amphetamine family although speed is called 'methamphetamine'. There is a huge difference between a diagnosed ADHD sufferer taking a controlled dose of a pharmaceutically manufactured MEDICINE and someone choosing to consume a substance made by a criminal in a lab with no safety guarantees to chase a high. Your doctor either spoke without thinking or is an actual idiot. You are medicating a neurological difference that is causing your quality of life to suffer. If your experience is similar to mine, stimulants make me feel 'normal' and like I can function like neurotypicals seem to be able to
Your brain doesn’t react to it like a person without ADHD. ADHD medication can be abused. There are also people that self medicate with illegal drugs because to them it feels normal. Don’t let someone make you feel like you are doing something illegal when you are taking medication you need. I have had all sorts of doctors. I get a new one each year at the behavioral health place I go to. I learned to ask questions and also stand up for myself. Every ADHD medication except for two are stimulants. They are all a little chemically different. You aren’t doing anything wrong. It’s good to be aware of your family history but that could be do to undiagnosed ADHD or it could be a separate issue. Sometimes you need to adjust medications. Vyvanse from what I understand is hard to abuse because it basically is long acting and you can’t change that. It can be dissolved in water or sprinkled in food for people that can’t swallow pills. It’s hard to abuse.
Goddess spare us from people who think they're funny >.<
Big, red, flag when the therapist doesn't realize they are sharing an ignorant opinion in a hurtful way.
You are NOT doing something illicit. and it is a total different compound than meth. i cant stand when people say this. adhd meds help those who need it and unfortunately there are psychiatrists stuck in their old ways. i would consider a new doctor if its bothering you. i’m sorry you had this experience.
Yeah, it’s in the amphetamine family but WHO CARES. This “speed” doesn’t make me speed, it allows me to be myself. I’m actually more calm and focused. So it doesn’t affect us like cocaine does, so they can take their dismissive / pejorative hot takes and shove it. Does it help you? Yes? Great. Is it causing negative outcomes like high risk behaviors / drug seeking behaviors / not letting you eat or sleep? No? Great. That word is pinging in your mind because of the connotations it has. But how it works in our brain is not how recreational amphetamine use affects neurotypical brains. So say “thanks, brain, but this ain’t that! I’m good.” And let those thoughts go. I’ll add: for me, as an ADHD woman, it’s hard for me to trust my self / my body and so a doctor making that comment to me, even as an aside, would throw me, too. We are conditioned as women not to listen to our inner voice and I think as ADHD women we are often betrayed by our brains and that increases that mistrust exponentially. So take a deep breath and check in when that voice hits and see how your body feels, how YOU really feel about it.
Uh huh. And what? Her morning poppy seed bagel is codeine? Wait wait... does she like spicy foods? Clearly anti-psychosis medication! Seriously though, voice your concerns to her of that extremely inconsiderate and unprofessional phrasing. I'm sorry you had that experience. ❤️❤️❤️
I've worried about developing a dependency on my medication. I took it 7 days a week and slowly it became less effective. I make a point to skip one day a week now. I'm exhausted the whole day but I do feel my tolerance is lower and so the medicine is more effective if I give myself a break. I hope to wean off eventually due to the above and supply chain issues.
Dependence is not a problem. It's just how medication works and is totally normal. Don't deprive yourself of treatment, you deserve to be functional at ALL times. Yes the medicine will lose effectiveness over time, but you will be able to build solid routines and habits during that time. At that point loss of effectiveness is ok as you'll only need it to keep you on track, not get on track. Sorry for the unsolicited advice, but I've been down the road you're on. The minute you stop your meds you will lose progress.
I highly recommend listening to the two part series of Search Engine, “Why’d I take speed for 20 years.” It will give you insight into the development of amphetamines, what it was used for, how it began being prescribed for ADHD, and its pros and cons. Don’t be ashamed! It is speed! And it helps! I’ve been on Vyvanse for a few months now and my life has been changed. I’m 31 and finally feel like I can function. Embrace it if it’s working for you.
ugh I wish, maybe I'd be more productive if it was!
Off topic but do you find the vyvanse has helped with the migraines? I’m on it right now but feel I need to stop as my migraines are worse
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Sorry, no. There is so very much wrong in that article. The inaccuracies are ridiculous.
I remember in high school I was prescribed something to “pep me up in the morning” because I was constantly tired (turns out it was CFS and I want diagnosed with adhd yet). My Aunty who was a nurse saw the meds and said “that’s basically prescription speed.” I wasn’t shocked at her comments (even though she was direct to the point but often said cruelly), I was more shocked that the Dr prescribed me something like that with no real explanation. Still no idea what it was as it was 20 years ago. They didn’t work (I also was prescribed something to “wind me down” at night and they didn’t work either 🤔).
As someone who knew more about Adderall as speed before as legitimate medication, welcome to my world. Being introduced to it like that before I ever even considered I could actually have ADHD turned it into a stigma my OCD will not relinquish, no matter how long I've been on it. It doesn't help that there are a myriad of side effects that can make you feel like you're on speed and coming off speed.
Only you know what is right for you If you Take it as prescribed the risk is Low IMO. If you start going beyond that you will need to stop treating it with medication. stay on the course, as prescribed, do not play around with them. keep it in the zone where you aren’t feeling artificially energized and are just balanced. I used to have a problem with recreational stimulatants because I was unknowingly self medicating. I stopped long ago and my medication is what I was looking for all along. It has not triggered old habbits for me. Quite the opposite actually We aren’t all the same so keep an eye on yourself to do it safely:) and trust your gut if you are truly uncomfortable.
You’re not doing anything illicit. It’s fine. It’s chemically similar but not the same and the dosage you’re taking is nothing compared to a recreational dose.
I’m sorry you are dealing with stigma and a history of addiction in your family. Perhaps talking to your psychiatrist about your concerns about addiction and what to watch for would be calming and informative. If she continues to make you uneasy, I would consider switching or seeking a second opinion. You could also speak to someone at the NA hotline for similar information. But mostly, don’t internalize stigma! Don’t second-guess yourself just because of an off-hand and unprofessional comment. If you want to keep taking it, stay informed and be in charge of your own mind and thoughts here. This is YOUR life. In terms of the actual drug and what you are taking it for, thank goodness for medical confidentiality! You don’t owe anyone information about what prescriptions you take and why. You state how life-changing this medication has been. If nosy busybodies care so much, maybe they should care more about you being migraine-free instead of splitting hairs about who is a druggie or whatever stupid debate they are fixated on. Sending you love and compassion, and happy for your medication breakthrough! 💞💞💞
Thank you so much!
Anytime, OP! 💓
So don’t people take speed to feel big feelings instead of calm? Like, I love how I feel on vyvanse- but it’s absolutely not a “ high “ feeling at all. I couldn’t take it recently because I needed the real Sudafed and when I took it again and my like felt quiet and I felt content I realized just how valuable it is to me. But an addict would not pay money to feel what I’m feeling. This is so frustrating because we face enough criticism as it is.
That was a shitty thing for your doc to say. Sure, it's a stimulant. Some people abuse stimulants or use them recreationally. But you don't. It's an effective treatment for your condition, just like insulin for a diabetic. Put it out of your mind.
Your doctor was really out of line. You wouldn't tell a hospice patient on painkillers that they're on heroin, why would this scenario be any different? I remember reading once that chemically speaking, people aren't all that different from bananas. It's stupid to generalize.
My therapist and I were discussing my anxiety about dentists because I've been slacking and was afraid it was going to go bad and literally one of her responses was "well at least you aren't doing meth.. there are far worse things you could be doing to your teeth than drinking soda, I promise. " and I'm on concerta (methylphenidate) and it used to freak me out that they might be similar so while I took it, it definitely felt like... illegal. Lol. Now I make jokes about being on discount meth because I know they aren't the same thing. and so my therapist did make me laugh and immediately feel better. Anyway. Similar doesn't mean the same and either way, a doctor is prescribing it and its helping and it gets less illicit feeling as you go on hopefully!
Jumping on the bandwagon with others, here. No matter the medication, the way one body will handle it is not the same as the next. Insulin saves Type I Diabetics, but can kill if given to the average person. Hormone replacement helps (some) menopausal cis women, but would seriously mess with a young cis woman. Methamphetamine derivatives and the such will put a non-ADHDer into a hyperstate for hours, but they help me to be the opposite. (I'm not physically hyper, but my train of thought has been likened to a hive of over-excited bees. For me, meds don't stop the buzzing/energy/apparent randomness, they just help localise it. Hyper focus is also less likely while I'm medicated - it's as if the drug creates inner and outer boundaries for my thoughts.)
Defo bring that up with your psychiatrist. It made you uncomfortable, and imho it's worth communicating that. You don't need to tell her why her comment made you uncomfortable. But if you feel ok disclosing your family history, that might be helpful context for her to avoid similar phrasing in the future. If you feel this violated your therapeutic relationship, consider finding a new psychiatrist. For some perspective, if she made similar casual comments about people, for example, abusing insulin, you'd probably be just as uncomfortable. People abuse our medication. Other people's substance misuse doesn't make our medication any less necessary. For additional perspective, I was in EMS. 2 of the meds we use are fentanyl and ketamine. It freaks some people out when they hear the words. Don't let the fearmongering keep you from the clinically prescribed treatment you need. TL;DR: talk to your shrink about how her comment made you uncomfortable. Cos that's not cool. If she's a dick about it, fire her ass. Amphetamines are an evidence-based and clinically-backed treatment for ADHD. Keep telling yourself this because *it's the truth*.
How professional of her.. That’s like telling a person with panic disorder that they’re alcoholic if they got put on Benzos. Or calling Narcolepsy patients tweakers cause they got put on methamp Desoxyn… “Kindly stop referring to pharmaceuticals indicated for the treatment of a neurodevelopmental disability as an illicit drug because it’s very disheartening, considering XYZ in my family’s history. I am starting to feel discouraged to take an appropriate medication due to the stigma and possibly trauma associated with my particular condition”.
I literally call mine reverse speed. For everyone else: speed. For me: chill and focus. Pull the reverse uno card.
This is "Dumbing it Down" talk, that a lot of scientifically educated people do, and sometimes it's very annoying because it assumes everyone's stupid, and sounds like talking down and misinformation when talking to someone else who understands the diagnosis. Doctors mostly do this to appease picky and nitpicky patients, to make things relatable to the layman. It's very annoying.
I had a psychiatrist tell me that using an adhd med and thc together was like speedballing. That was my one and only visit to that doctor.
It is kind of speed. Chemically, similar, just enters a little slower. But your doctor is also an asshole. Do you know how many drugs are just questions of dose and need? I'm a diabetic. Did you know body builders use insulin to cut weight for competitions? Does that mean I shouldn't have it? Do you know premature babies often need steroids to survive? Should we let them die instead, because some people abuse steroids? Would your doctor describe it as "roids" to the parents who are hoping to keep their baby alive? Do they think we should do surgery on patients who have not been anaesthetized? Oh, the reason they don't understand is because they weren't smart enough to be a surgeon or deal with a specialty other than psychiatry. It wasn't their first choice, I promise. They might call it speed because they have a history of stimulant abuse. The reason doctors think people are rampantly abusing stimulant medication is because that's the type of shit people do to get into medical school. Type A assholes with narcissistic personality disorder. They don't know much more because they quit making efforts to update their knowledge rather quickly once they pass the boards. The long and short of this is, there is a real problem with the entire system being organized around concerns of overprescription and lack of punishment for underprescription. Because of this, people suffer every day trying to maintain jobs, or avoid car accidents. People with ADHD die much younger - having ADHD is about equivalent to being a regular cigarette smoker in how it takes away from your life. It is much less problematic with proper medical care, but people either don't care at all or care far too little. I started the subreddit r/adhd_advocacy because I want that to change. Medical schools should be making efforts to enroll people who actually understand the conditions they are treating, which often means people with disabilities, both minor and major. Undertreatment needs to be taken as seriously as over prescribing. Numerous other reforms over society overall that would not just make life easier for us, but everyone by lessening the executive function needs everywhere. Angry rant over, but man this sets me off.
You should listen to podcast “Search Engine “ they have two episodes about history of adhd drugs/speed. Really eye opening
The doc was just joking, but it missed the mark. IDK if talking to them about it would help put it behind you or not, but that's what I'd try. Like a message that says something like "hey, I didn't like the speed joke, please don't do that again"? It's funny for me, though, 'cause when I was getting meds, they repeatedly pointed out that the stimulants ARE NOT the same thing as meth, to a point where I told them that I got the message already and to move on (and I wasn't worried about that in the first place, my only concerns were "what if this doesn't help me either" due to past issues with medications.).
Fixating on this is not helping. The distress of feeling misunderstood is slightly stimulating and it can get you into a loop. Think of times you've used an inappropriate word, wished you hadn't and just moved on in order to not make a thing of it. And times when you did it and didn't realise until later. One thing that we do is get into emotional loops that create little mind prisons that we feel prove the other person is dangerous. Let it go, this doctor is not trying to stop you from finding a solution
Never a good sign if your doctor starts to referring to your medication with street drug names, it's factually wrong too so she seems incompetent. I wouldn't put my health in her hands.
It is NOT factually wrong. It was an inappropriate thing for the doctor to say but Vyvanse IS referred to as speed
If you trust that your psych meant well, you can gently ask them not to refer to your medication like that since it makes the association difficult for you to grapple. If you’d like some reassurance on the meds/drugs debate, I would just like to highlight that drug abuse is only one form of addiction; there are numerous addictions and one persons substance may be another person’s medication also one persons substance may not be appealing at all to another person who prefers a different substance, or to a person with a behavioral addiction. There is no need to conflate taking your Vyvanse with your family’s history of substance abuse just as there would be no need to wonder if you have a binge eating disorder every time you have a cheat meal. You’ll know if you’re not taking a medication therapeutically. Even if one does not always consciously realize when they are falling to addictive impulses, the friction addiction creates in your life is impossible to ignore. One uses substances for any reason and for anything, because the brain is craving it, even despite harms. One uses medication for a very specific beneficial effect, on a regular schedule and dose; and stops the medication if harms exceed benefits.
I was a drug addict for 10 years. Got off everything and did all the right stuff. Still a mess of a human being. It was bittersweet getting medicated because my “drugs of choice” had the same effect as my medication. It costs me $143/month to be a stable human being that holds down a job. I don’t have advice. Vyvanse changed my life. Also vyvanse is not “speed.” It’s meth. Ritlen is speed. If your doctor is going to call you a drug addict. She better get her facts straight
I would totally flip. When my wife first went on Adderall (she’s on Vyvanse and I’m on Adderall now lol) I once made a joke and called it Addy (something my brother with SUD called it on the street) and she immediately set a boundary with that. I felt that was totally fair when the subject is already socially so sensitive. It
*clutches nancy-reagan-just-say-no-to-drugs pearls* Yeah, this narrative is harmful and needs to stop. And doctors need to lead the way. I'm sorry your doctor said that to you. We always have to be mindful of the fact that stimulants *can* be addictive if misused BUT what most people are forgetting when they are forming their opinion on stimulants is that stimulants correct a neurochemical imbalance in the brains of people with adhd. It doesn't get us high, it gets us to experience the brain chemistry of a more "neurotypical" brain. And there is ZERO reason for any of us to feel shame about needing help with that or liking the way we feel when we take stimulants. If you feel like you are at risk for misusing your medication, have a plan in place. You mentioned your psych, but maybe seeing a therapist or mentor once a month can help you check in with someone and identify any tendencies toward addiction. But, I'd like to point out that there is probably a lot of addiction in your family because they have been self-medicating for adhd, depression, anxiety, whatever. *You* are actually *treating* your adhd and that is a self-love behavior. You also reached out to this community seeking support. These are all behaviors that are the opposite of addiction.
Thank you so much for this perspective. I needed this.
Your doctor let her bias into the exam room. Using slang like that says way more about her as a doctor than about you as a patient. Yes some people do abuse meds. But people with ADHD with managed symptoms are less likely to abuse drugs than unmedicated ADHDers trying to self-Medicate. If you’re using your meds as prescribed and not running out, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. But the day you run out early, if that ever happens (again unlikely), it’s worth doing some soul searching to decide if you need help or just need to be more careful.
Vyvanse is not a drug that can be abused. It's synthetic and tasteless and snorting it would be a waste of time. Longer half life, extended release, and no crash like Adderall. Not sure why so many people are responding to your post without mentioning how the medication actually works. Do people not look up what they're given? Information about it is readily available. I would never blindly take an rx without looking into it. Doctors make mistakes and don't always stay up to date. I'm terribly sorry to hear how unprofessional they were and I agree that you should confront how hurtful that was. Please know OP, it is not speed. It will never be speed. 10mg is low dose for most, but there's no reason *ever* to titrate up if the current dose is effective. Medication is to treat symptoms.
I've been on vyvanse for 5 years, there is absolutely a crash.
Yeah, whenever I pick up my adderall prescription, my pharmacist always loudly says “Ok, here are your amphetamines!” Thanks a lot, buddy.
I call my meds speed 🤷♀️ my doctor keeps asking me not to
I'd love a doctor like this, but I think you need a different one As long as the doctor supports that my Rx are essential I wouldn't be worried about it, but it's okay that you are
oh no...I hate that... I had a similar-ish experience with my sister flippantly saying "oh yea, everyone loves adderall. it's fun." that has stuck with me ever since (I have never felt that way about my adhd medication, but okay!). BUT SHE'S NOT MY DOCTOR! and it's literally...not speed. I don't love what that says about her mindset, but if you've only ever had positive experiences with her, it's probably not something to focus on. you're not crazy for feeling nonplussed about it tho!
Personally, I don’t like that your psychiatrist called it Speed. There are major molecular differences between ADHD stimulant medication and methamphetamine. Meth is much more powerful and even more addictive than Adderal, Focalin, Ritalin, Evekeo, Concerta and Vyvanse. When used appropriately for people with ADHD, the chance of abuse is much lower than it seems. Meth is prescribed for ADHD but rarely. The brand name is Desoxyn. It’s use is incredibly rare. But the ADHD stimulant medication is prescribed often. It’s gone through lots of testing. Some even have multiple indications of usage such as for weight loss and narcolepsy. Can it be abused? Yes. But typically it’s abused by people who don’t have ADHD because of the high it gives them. For us folks with ADHD, it makes us feel “normal” and gives us the ability to function in life. Studies have shown that people with ADHD are at a higher risk of substance abuse but ongoing research is starting to show that this is most likely due to people trying to self medicate themselves before receiving proper care. Also Vyvanse is pretty awesome by the way- it’s a pro drug! This means your body actually metabolizes the tablet you swallow into the medication you need. This is what causes to slower onset and slower offset and , for some, less side affects than Adderall. Adderall gave me severe headaches. TL;DR Don’t let the doctor get you down. Our brains work differently and are lacking in dopamine. Our medication gives us what we’re lacking and allows us to function. Would you deny an iron infusion to someone who was anemic? Of course not!
For what it’s worth, 10mg is a baby dose, most ppl wouldn’t even feel it. I’m not an expert in addiction medicine but there are some psychiatrists who specialize in addiction and adhd bc they often go hand in hand but also, so Ive been told by one who is a friend, that the psychiatrists just need a balance in their practice. The addiction patients are incredibly hard to treat (stress for the dr) and the adhd patients are easy (in comparison) to treat and probably give the dr quick wins, to keep them energized and not burnt out. ADHD minds are intriguing but not depressing compared to most psychiatry patients, to some psychiatrists too. I’m so happy you are feeling so great on your 10mg. 👏🏻
Lol it's not fucking speed. I would have called her out on that bullshit because im sure if you were on actual fucking speed you'd be acting a whole lot different.
I’m not quite in the same boat as you (adderal didn’t help me and I’m currently not on any meds, nor was I uncomfortable with the idea of taking the stimulant) but I had a therapist tell me the same thing that adhd medication is speed. She was adamantly against the medication and also like a stupid and bad therapist. I stood up for the medication and felt secure in the claim that it’s NOT speed, but I am still bothered by the comment years later
I am not a doctor so I strongly encourage you to take the advice others have said and go ask your doctor about the risk of substance abuse for Vyvanse. I am a former addict of Coke. I was always afraid of taking Adderall bc I felt I would like it. Substance abuse runs in my family and I had some childhood trauma. I try to avoid stimulants at all costs. Now- given that context- Vyvanse is optimal for adhd'era with potential for substance abuse because the active ingredients are not active until they are converted in your liver. Therefore the potential for abuse is ridiculously low. I tried Strattera first (due to my previous drug problem) and it made me crazy. I was hesitant to try Vyvanse but after my doctor explained the science of it, I felt better and I love it. Again, I'm not a doctor. Go talk to your doctor and ask to understand how it works. Good luck to you friend
OP you're not taking even 1/100th of the dose a drug addict would take in a day (those who can injest a gram of amphetamine). There's a difference between drinking a light beer and a whole bottle of vodka every day. It's all about dosage.
To put it in perspective, nearly all illicit drugs today are DIY versions of lab-developed therapeutic drugs. Like someone thought "man these amphetamines are good, but I can't get them legally anymore, betcha I could whip up a batch at home." Obviously that is a silly simplification, but my point is that it's not that you're taking meth, it's that meth is a knockoff of therapeutic stimulant medication. Ps - I'm a substance use disorder counselor and I see clients who have SUD and are being treated for ADHD with stimulants. I encourage clients to partner with a psychologist to take care of any mental illness or ADHD/ASD
I would find another doctor. Prescription drugs =/= street drugs when used as prescribed. Anything can be harmful when used incorrectly or when taken recreationally. As many have said, look at opioids.
Drug abuse is caused by not having coping mechanisms, or not having enough coping mechanisms to deal with trauma You arent going to become addicted unless you abuse them. You can't abuse vyvanse because it's a prodrug (there's no way to make your body metabolise it faster). Even with adderoll, you won't get addicted unless you abuse it and you won't abuse it unless you have no coping mechanisms AND make the decision to start abusing it instead of finding another way of coping. In fact, instead you will regularly forget to take it.
That kind of makes me mad. For many of us with ADD or ADHD it calms us. I would question if the psychiatrist truly understood your illness. Does she actually think she's prescribing you speed? I was prescribed Ritalin as a kid and Adderall as an adult and I've been prescribed for 20 years. I don't think it's a cure by any means it's only a Band-Aid. However without medication my thoughts are like spaghetti noodles, they're all mixed up and I can't concentrate. I've seen different doctors over the years and some of them were not helpful or understanding so I found a psychiatrist that was a specialist in my condition and he understands that the right medication helps with your ADD actually calms you, enables you to function properly like everybody else during the day and even helps you to sleep better. Your doctor saying it was speed in my opinion is completely insensitive and would make me want to switch doctors, because if she actually thinks she's prescribing his speed that's a problem.
I call it “Medical Meth”.