ADHD meds for 19yo

[Houseplantmad]

Posted on SN young adults board but not much traffic:
DS was diagnosed at 15 with the main issue being focus and concentration. He’s now at uni and said his focus has worsened. Lockdown obviously isn’t helping as he’s having to work on his own so much so he’s finding it very hard and feeling very down about things. He wants to try medication but isn’t sure what’s best and whether it’s a good idea. Can anyone share their experience please?

The choices are stimulant or non stimulant and short or long acting.

This is quite helpful:
www.google.com/amp/s/www.additudemag.com/adhd-medication-for-adults-and-children/amp/

Thanks you @QuinoaAvo that is helpful.

Hi OP. My 16 year old daughter takes Methylphenidate. She has had this for 18 months now. She only takes it on college days. She does get some anxiety as a side effect which usually passes after an hour or so but it seems very effective in aiding her concentration and made a big difference when she was at school. We can see a difference even in the way she engages in conversation with us when she's taken it. She just seems so much more switched on and interested. We haven't tried anything else so can't compare to other meds.

My daughter started taking meds about 18 months ago, once she found the right one, she said it was like lifting the curtains on her brain.

My husband and I were very much against her taking them and she didn't want to take them either, but she eventually asked if she could trial it and see how it went, so we reluctantly agreed.

She was diagnosed with dyslexia at the same time as ADHD inattentive type, so we put her poor academic performance down to the dyslexia. However, the increase in her grades since she started the meds has been amazing, she really is reaching her potential.

She has tried several that either didn't work or she didn't like the side effects of, (Focalin, Ritalin, Ritalin XR, Vyvance). She eventually found Concerta worked although it does cut her appetite totally during the day.

It really is trial and error and being followed by a very good psychiatrist who can support them through finding the right medicine and the right dose.

My son is on stimulant medication. It can be very difficult to get non stimulants without first trying the stimulants.

My son has had no side effects apart from a loss of appetite at lunchtime that he more than makes up for much later on in the day.

The ADHD brain is incapable of producing enough dopamine (if I'm remembering the correct neurotransmitter) taking the medication causes them to produce the correct amount of it.
There are several different medication the most common is methylphenidate (Equasim in the UK Ritillin in the US) its a tier 1 medication which works for most people however it has a maximum dose of 60mg which for some children and young adults is not enough so they then normally move on to Lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse) or Concerta (can't remember the drug name) both tier 2 medications.
A dr will asses how severely affected your ds is and will work with him to find the right dose and medication for him.
My ds changed to the Lisdexamfetamine in August as he'd maxed out on the Equasim so we're still tweaking the dose but he's already beginning to see a massive difference and he's only on 50mg.
There can be some pretty strong side effects so they start at a low dose and work up it can take a while to get the right dose so he'll need to stick with it but it's worth it in the long run.

So wish I'd started my medicine st 19. Was diagnosed at 45 and it's been spectacular.

Although quite a lot of emotions to process once your get that clarity, and realise what life is like for the majority.

As pp said, best thing to do is go ahead, because any good clinicians will make sure they start slowly and there's several to try. They can always stop, but honestly, it's like night and day.

So excited for you all, good luck!

My son took corcerta xl and my daughter takes equasym xl. Both work and made their lives easier. They didn't take them at weekends or holidays but would take it for a single day if they had assignments.

Thank you all, this is so helpful. Really interesting to hear your experiences. I will share this thread with my son. Thanks again.

Probably not relevant to you, but there are certain jobs which you cannot have if medicated for adhd. I only say this as ds was diagnosed at uni, but couldn't be medicated (even though it was advised) as he wanted to subsequently join the army. You can join up if you have adhd, but not if you are on medications for it.

My ds started medication when he was 10..although much younger.

He went from below age expected to above age expected i half a term..

The other thing about meditation is it is short acting so he can change his mind quite easily

@Starlightstarbright1 did you have sleep issues? Did they subside? My DS10 tried but stopped quickly as was waking at 4 which was a killer...

DD 18 and DS 17 both take Concerta XL and were both late to the party with diagnosis and treatment starting at 16/15

It’s quite common for kids with mixed type who are high achieving to not get help early but when they did finally get help it was a game changer

DD takes it every day as she’s dead in the water without it, DS takes on school days but prefers weekends off although we see a big drop in his functioning ability

DH. On the other hand is unmediacated and scatty 😱 love all of them but they keep me very busy ensuring they stay organised and on track

Ds 20 diagnosed at 18 with inattentive type takes lisdexamphetamine. We had a discussion with the psychiatrist about options and this was the one ds thought best - able to concentrate all day on one pill. It took a while to find the right dose. If he takes it too late he struggles to sleep but he always does and we keep an eye on his weight as it does suppress appetite. Its made the world of difference to him though.

[quote dogsonlead]@Starlightstarbright1 did you have sleep issues? Did they subside? My DS10 tried but stopped quickly as was waking at 4 which was a killer... [/quote]
We have had sleep issues all his life. He is nearly 14 now and recently started melatonin that has made a massive change for both of us
I don’t think medication made it worse

Just to warn you regarding melatonin, it is removed at 18 from your child’s prescription irrespective of need due to licensing, at that point you need a plan B

We moved DD18 to Amitriptyline 10mg nocte at that point, she actually feels less of a hangover and feels the onset of her Concerta is smoother

Medication can affect people differently so the best thing for him to do is talk to his doctor and set up some trials for him to find out whether it's useful for him and what type.

I'm on Elvanse. I find it really good but it is expensive