Anyone on ADHD meds?

[BellaCriesAndThatsAlright]

I'm due to start on these soon and am worried. I have seen so many people saying that they didn't work for them so am looking for some positives for balance. How have they worked for you? Have they worked long term? I'm supposed to be starting Elvanse.

Elvanse have been wonderful for me. They've:

Quietened my brain
Reduced my anxiety enormously
Enabled focus
Improved executive function
Stopped me zoning out (which I hadn't even realised I was doing)

They did impact my sleep at first, but that sorted itself out after a couple of weeks. They can also give you a dry mouth, bit I just drink more, which I needed to do anyway.

They're not a magic bullet, but they do make my life much, much easier.

Would also recommend applying to Access to Work if you're working, as they can fund workplace adjustments. Part of mine is ADHD coaching. This is hard but useful.

How long have you been on it @Ahsheeit? Have the effects continued over a long time? Sounds amazing.

I started on elcance around March. Not a magic bullet but definitely quietened my brain and lessened anxiety. I can focus on hard things now that I just couldn’t give my attention to. Before I started the meds my overwhelm could get so bad that I couldn’t even write a to do list. Now I can.

I am on medikinet and I cannot manage without them they switch my synapses on every morning

I've been on Elvanse since February. Previously on methylphenidate which was also good. The Elvanse works better for me though. I only take it on working days or other times I need to be on the ball, so no need to tweak or increase the dosage.

Elvanse also - had to start on the tinest dose of dexamphetamine and work my way up till I could tolerate 20mg Elvanse but now I’m taking 60mg quite happily!
It’s kind of miraculous but does has downsides - I feel a bit horrible when it wears off in the evening and if I take too much I can’t get to sleep but overall it’s definitely worth it. Been taking it nearly 5 years but took me quite a while to settle on Elvanse - I tried literally everything there was before coming back to that.

It enabled me to apply for a promotion at work which I got. I feel much clearer and more confident, I don’t know now how I would function without it!

I'm on Elvanse. Absolutely love it. It's made a huge difference to my energy levels and clarity of thought and has also helped with overeating.

There are lots of different meds for ADHD, so if you don't get on with it, you can always try another

Didn't work for me. It's a known issue for people with combined ADHD and autism - it made me feel more autistic, by sort of kicking away the helpful bits of my ADHD. Wish it'd been better. Too frightened by my experience to try other ADHD meds.

Thanks for the positives. I just want to feel less stressed and overwhelmed by general life and not feel so crap at my job. If it can help with that, I'm happy.

Sorry to hear it didn't work for you @JustGoClickLikeALightSwitch

I am not, but I am close friends with someone who is. She says they've been fantastic, but she was slim anyway and they've made her appetite reduce drastically, which has been a bit of a problem for her. Has anyone else had this? I am under assessment currently.

I get on very well with Elvanse. I actually sleep better, am less anxious (this took a while, at first my anxiety increased) and have completely stopped certain compulsive behaviours (like overeating) which I now realise were dopamine chasing. The first week was amazing, my executive function improved hugely but only for that week and then returned to its usual shit level. So overall my life is much better on Elvanse but it isn't a magic bullet and hasn't fixed everything. I don't think I'm going to try anything else because as I understand it there isn't any quick and easy fix, there's no other drug that's guaranteed to suddenly improve executive function so I don't what to risk losing the bits that work.

@SharpLily I would be very happy if it could stop my compulsive behaviour. A slight improvement to executive function would be nice too.

Interesting that you sleep better. Is it easier to get to sleep or stay asleep?

Getting to sleep isn't any easier but I stay asleep now and it's much easier to get up in the morning. I do still need improvement with focus and executive function though.

Thanks for this. I've been following as I have Autism and ADHD but have to see the Cardiologist before trying meds. I've already been told that I'd be staying on a child's dose (assuming I get the go ahead from the cardio) I'm trying be realistic about what if anything, it might offer me as I'm pretty shit with most other meds; they either don't work or I have bad reactions.

Thanks for the thread OP.

If you search “audhd vyvanse” or whatever there will be a lot of Reddit content about this, if that’s of use.

I’d like to hear more about how it affects people with AuDHD - I have ADHD, many autistic traits and very likely dyspraxia too. I know there’s a lot of cross over with the symptoms though, and I honestly believe I’m probably AuDHD.
So for example the Elvanse makes me more sociable and chatty, more confident - but that doesn’t change the fact that I find interactions and social interactions very draining - maybe the Elvanse is just helping me ‘perform’ being a sociable person but I pay even more of a price for it in the end. Does that resonate with anyone?

Elvanse cured my bulimia.

Just to update - my treatment plan changed. No longer going to start Elvanse. I start Medikinet on Friday. Really hoping for some positive effects.

@BellaCriesAndThatsAlright

I don’t know how much use this is as it’s not me personally.. I have 2 older teens both AUDHD and one ADHD. One on Elvanse and one on medikinet.

They both need the meds for 2 completely different reasons.

DD is AUDHD and has depression too. Her medication (Elvanse) gets her out of bed in the morning - she wouldn’t otherwise. On a good day she’ll get out and feel positive and achieve things. But they definitely keep her awake all night if she hasn’t taken them by 7.30am.

DS (recently started on medikinet) has ADHD and has no problem getting out of bed, living a very full / normal teen life without his meds.
His issue (which sounds more like yours is focus and concentration / executive processing)

He has only been on medikinet for 5/6 weeks so it’s early days but the change in him has been amazing.
For the last 4 years at school he’s received detention after detention for not focusing on class, he would leave home in the morning without his school bag, his teachers called me all the time asking why he was like he was in class. Since starting on medikinet this has all changed. He’s actually enjoying school, he says he can focus and enjoy it, he’s getting multiple merits daily. He’s just enjoying the feeling that comes from being able to process information and focus. the effects (as far as I can tell between the two) of medikinet seem to be less harsh as they wear off too. There doesn’t seem to be a big crash and his sleeping isn’t affected either. Just a bit of a drop in appetite.

I know different medications affect different people in different ways - but after lots of trial and error and knowing the difference in what is needed between my two DCs (as a very small sample of two!) it’s evident that it’s definitely not a one size fits all thing.

I hope this is the one that works for you 😊

Thank you for this! So great that your DC are helped by meds. What you have said about your DS and his symptoms and medication are so helpful. I was the same in school and wish I could have tried it back then. Great that your DD is helped too. I have suffered depression and wonder if treating my ADHD would have been so much more than the mediocre antidepressants I have taken for years.

@BellaCriesAndThatsAlright

Yes like you when you were younger, DD (now 18) was put on a multitude of ADs between 14 and 17. They didn’t really seem to do a lot. I think it’s the medical profession’s go to isn’t it ?(as with prescribing ADs in menopause instead of addressing the actual issue)

The ADHD meds have done more for DD with her issues than anything else she’s tried. And now I can see it with DS with his organisational / executive functioning and focusing on medikinet.

You might not feel a great deal at first (as they will have explained to you) as the low doses are just about checking there are no major side effects. But stick with it and I really hope it’s the right one for you in terms of your life / work. What a relief!

I really have my fingers crossed for you!

Following with interest as I have my meds assessment coming up soon.

I have been diagnosed with ADHD, impairments in inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness, not sure if that's just normal ADHD? Report said I have high ADHD Symptom level and my objective levels were all high, again not sure what that means. Only got the report yesterday so will research it.

I have been prescribed Elvanse and waiting for first prescription to come through. I am a bit nervous to start taking this drug. I usually unwind with a few glasses/bottle wine on an evening. She said I am not to drink on the medication as it will make me really ill but it should also stop me self medicating with alcohol, she said on the report risk of alcohol misuse.

I am planning on not drinking when I take it but does anyone know if this is true. Or if I have a social function can I take a day off the meds?

Also, has anyone suffered side effects?

As far as I know, it may change how you react to alcohol, but also, a bottle nightly is a lot
But with ADHD meds, you can skip and restart, yes