To try my DP medication

[Vestisbest]

I’m mostly joking but seriously tempted!

DP is medicated for ADHD, 30mg Elvanse. First medicine he’s tried, gotten on with it straight away, says it’s great.

I can’t concentrate in work, my job is pretty dull and I’ve winged it most of my life! I will be in meetings and not listen when spoken to directly!

I wouldn’t be surprised if I also have ADHD as I have many traits. DC also have it (diagnosed). I’m currently medicated on SSRIs for anxiety and depression and haven’t been able to be off them long term.

DP paid £££ for a private diagnosis and managed to get himself onto NHS prescriptions via mental health. No point me pursuing a diagnosis and I can’t afford nor willing to justify the cost.

I have been so tempted to try one of my DP’s meds just to see if it’s effective for me!

Maybe No 👍

I won’t lie OP, I’m debating the same thing with my son’s medication! I probably won’t but the thought is there.

If you want to use his medication that right there is justification to get your own assessment

Not suggesting you to try one….but I probably would

I would. But maybe wait till the shortage is over?

Please don’t do it.

Elvanse is a study drug, it helps everyone to focus, not just people with ADHD. But it hasn’t been prescribed for you, you’ve not been assessed by a doctor to check it’s safe for you to have, and also it’s a controlled drug and illegal to share.

Ask for a referral for ADHD assessment if you think you have it.

If you're seriously tempted to try it, maybe your symptoms are enough to 'justify' the private route to a diagnosis

Yeah reading online both ssris and Elvanse can increase your risk for serotonin syndrome, which can be fatal if left untreated (or misdiagnoed because you didn't want to tell drs you've been taking unprescribed prescription medication) so I wouldn't play around with that without a dr's opinion and careful consideration of doses you're on.

I wouldn't. You have no idea how they'll mix with your other medication, or if they are suitable for you.

Type the name of both medications into google together with the word interaction to see professional direction around the combination.

i would also be tempted to try one, but just one.

If it doesn't help you, you've taken a big risk only to learn nothing, except that that drug didn't help you — you might still have ADHD.

If it does help you, that's worse — you then forever more have to deal with the temptation of knowing that it helps you and it's right there, and surely just one more wouldn't hurt, because you have to do x today, blah blah etc. And you still wouldn't know if you have ADHD because many people feel good and focus better with a bit of amphetamine in their system.

Then there's the dangers — have you had all the checks, like an ECG to make sure your heart can handle it and medical checks for contraindications and interactions? Would you be able to resist taking it frequently enough that it would deprive your DP of sufficient medication to function? Would you be able to keep your illicit experience with Elvanse quiet in the future (including whatever interesting information you might feel it gives you about your own difficulties and what might help you), given that it's illegal for you to have it and even more illegal for your partner to knowingly share it with you (technically, it would be supply of a class B drug)?

It's tempting (I know, I'm on it and DP is undiagnosed and refuses to contemplate the possibility but is actually way more ADHDy than me, and I sometimes wonder what it might do for him), but not worth it. I know you were probably only kidding, really, but it's not even worth thinking about.

Given elvanse is likely to be out of stock nationwide till at least mid November I'm not sure your DP will be happy.
If something goes wrong though your DP may get into trouble as stimulants are highly controlled prescription meds. I needed to get an ECG before starting and I don't have family history of heart issues/sudden death or higher BP. It can cause high blood pressure or heart rate. Serotonin syndrome is uncommon but some anti-depressants are higher risk.

Day 1-2 is more intense than rest of time on meds as adjust to it. I was more energetic and so talkative that I wanted to avoid people. I'm not sure it helped focus greatly as while I was more motivated to do stuff it wasn't necessarily what I should be getting on with.
I also had a headache, jaw tension, dry mouth is common and I only slept 2hr max for the first 3-4 days on it so possibly you will be regretting it the next day if your wide awake all night too.
If you decide to try anyway and you usually self medicate with caffeine drinks your supposed to avoid doubling stimulants on meds as can shoot your heart rate up and cause anxiety.

There's some supplements aimed improving focus, that some ADHDers use instead of medication but check that suitable with current prescriptions. Lions mane is one.

If you live in England than look into right to choose pathway for diagnosis. I think currently only 2 do both diagnosis & titration for meds but adhd360 & psychiatry UK have temporarily halted referrals while catch up, others available but will only diagnose then would have to see if local NHS service will do medication side, some it's done one long waiting list for all and others can be months if only medication.https://adhduk.co.uk/diagnosis-pathways/

This!

Without knowing what interactions were possible, those did sound like very strong medicines that could have a dangerous interaction. And even worse if you are combining them without medical supervision

If you can't afford private go gp for adhd referral. Yes there will be a wait list but better to start now. With my asd referral our area were paying for a private company to do assessments to get wait list down. I was seen and diagnosed in 6 months.

I'll caveat this by saying I know I shouldn't have done but I tried one of my teen DS's a few years ago (Elvanse).

He was having loads of MH problems at the time, school refusing and Elvanse seemed to be making things worse. He also stopped wanting to take it as he hated how it made him feel.

So out of concern about what was going into his body I tried one. He had been put increasingly on a higher dose as the lower ones hadn't worked (big mistake made by the private clinic that diagnosed him -as they were only able to see things through an ADHD lense)

If anyone has ever taken speed (as I had at uni) then it's exactly like that. Unsurprising as it's an amphetamine. I talked and talked all day, didn't feel like eating for the whole day and couldn't sleep (I know they wear off but I had taken it later on In the day)

I appreciate that if I actually had ADHD then there would have been some benefits there too - but this one experience was enough for me to agree with DS that we wouldn't be going near them again.

Sorry to hear that @lemonsaretheonlyfruit . I hope your DS has found a more suitable medication for him?

I won’t, and I haven’t, but yes it is tempting! I hadn’t thought about potential mixing side effects with my other medication though so excellent point wise mumsnetters.

GP for ADHD is a waste of time here (not England). My DH was refused and he’s got a lot more on paper evidence than me.