Adult adhd and stimulant medication

[AmilyChestnut]

Good morning. I'm on the nhs waiting list for stimulant medication. It's 6 months.

Could anyone who is taking stimulants for adhd tell me what it's like please?

Can you sleep?

Do you get more done?

Can you think straight? Remember things? Sit still? 😆

Hi, I am a doctor with ADHD.

i was diagnosed just over a year ago.

medication is utterly life changing. I was depressed secondary to my symptoms so it helped massively with that as well.

what I notice more than anything else is the clarity of mind, the quiet in my head. My ability to maintain focus on a thought and the lack of any baseline anxiety and overwhelm without a severe amount of pressure or things like put sleep etc.

Sleep is easier and I don’t fidget and bite my nails etc anywhere near as much.

i was diagnosed at work but was fortunate enough to be able to afford to go private for treatment as the NHS is woefully inadequate in its capacity to assess and treat ADHD.

Life changing! I can focus and get things done, my mind is quieter, I sleep better and don't get the huge burnt out crashes. I hope it's the same for you x

Both fabulous answers, thank you! I'd love to not have burn out, so days I physically can't do anything but my mind is still buzzing, it's so frustrating. Mental quiet sounds like a dream!

My DD was diagnosed at 18. She tried stimulants but had a bad reaction and is now on a drug called atomoxetine. It takes 2-3 months to work but she wouldn't be without it now. The diagnosis alone was a huge help for her to understand how and why things happen the way they do. My 21 DS is awaiting a new assessment and seeking treatment after years of saying her didn't want/need it. He now feels it will be beneficial.
Good luck

Just jumping on to say this is so exciting! I've had a prescription for Elvanse for several weeks but nowhere can get hold of it, not even the hospital.

Can't wait to get started on it!

All the best OP!

Where do you live? I’m in chesterfield UK and no problem although I’ve heard of the shortages.

oooh just jumping on this thread if that’s ok, I’ve also been diagnosed with ADHD privately through my work and didn’t know whether to try the medication or not as they said it can cost about £100 a month. Is that correct, and which medication do people generally take? Are there side effects?

I had the long acting stimulant 1st, did have a little trouble sleeping, i described it like all the lights in my head being left on. I eventually worked up to higher doses and my resting heart rate was nearing 100bpm 9hrs after taking the meds and it scared me off them but only once i stopped did i see the difference they had made. I asked for non stimulants, seen they could cause seizures, cue more anxiety and i didnt take them. I then asked for a short acting stimilant. I take a very low dose but i may work up to increasing it but i can top up if i need it and take them on an adhoc basis. Suits me down to the ground and hasnt affected sleep or anything else for that matter at all

It depends on if you feel, or sometimes more importantly as people with ADHD are often inaccurate about the severity of symptoms, how the people around you feel you are impaired. Personally I had severe depression because of it amongst many other problems. It has been the biggest change to my well being in years and I would never want to be as I was before. £100 is fantastically cheap for effective and life changing treatment.

As for what works well that depends on how you personally respond to medicine. For me I’m on the maximum dose of Elvanse with fantastic efficacy and no real side effects. Interestingly lower doses had worse side effects.

everyone with ADHD should at least try medicine and get to an optimal dose before deciding to continue or not as there is little harm in the drugs used unless you have a heart condition, which should then be discussed with a cardiologist first.

Hi, yes I wanted to ask the same question. I am in process of ADHD diagnosis. So far every doc and physiatrist thinks I have it. I am excited to begin CBT but Im nervous about meds. Anyone know anything about them?

I was dx in my early 50s. Taking the meds is like turning off all the noise in my head so I can actually hold a thought.

Just wondering does it take a while to feel the benefits? I strongly suspect my DH has ADHD - he thinks he probably does too and struggles quite a bit, but can't face the effort of trying to get a diagnosis on the NHS and we can't afford private. SIL (his sister) is diagnosed and takes meds. Would it be reasonable for him to try her meds and see if it helps him? I know you shouldn't share medication but just wondering if that could work to show him it's worth getting a diagnosis so that he can access help as well? He's physically very fit and healthy (aged 40, runner) so no worries about cardiac issues etc...

I’ve started taking my Ritalin at night because it makes me sleepy 😂

@Pegs11 but then it's run out by morning?

I started my medication about 3 months ago. And it really is life changing.

Life is so much easier now. It's not a miracle, I'm still at battle with myself at times, but I sleep better, I parent better, I'm generally a better person I feel and life is more enjoyable.

At first it helped with my crazy dreams, but they're back unfortunately. I lowered my dose as I was getting anxiety, no anxiety now but I think I miss the higher dose.

@scruffymama

in process of a diagnosis also.

May I ask how you feel

I realise you posted months ago but please would you explain how you managed to get great grades to get into medical school and then get through medical school with untreated adhd.

I have 3 dc with adhd. 2 are adults. They all struggled so badly with studying and revision and handing in work etc. did adhd not affect you negatively ?

Hi, I’ve had a few issues with the medication recently. Although it’s still really helping me and I’m definitely coping with life better than before meds, I feel like the dosage and timing aren’t quite right. Some days it seems to help better than other days. At first, taking my meds before bed really helped me sleep, but now, although some days it still helps me sleep, on other days it keeps me awake! And if I take it in the morning, on some days it helps me focus whereas on other days it makes me too sleepy, and occasionally it feels like it’s not doing anything at all. So the effects are not consistent, which isn’t ideal. Maybe I need to go back to the doctor and have things tweaked a bit. Overall though, it’s definitely changed my life for the better - because when it works, which is more often than not - it really works - and I don’t think I’d want to go back to being unmedicated.

@scruffymama generally much better (see my above post for more detail). In addition to the meds, having ADHD-specific therapy, from a clinical psychologist who herself has ADHD, has been a godsend. I’d recommend this type of specialist therapy. Good luck to you on your journey x

So with this shortage I'm only taking it every other day. It's still helping but it's not suite right. I've asked the dr on psychiatryUK if I can up my dosage even though I've finished titration. I feel like my life is better but it's not doing what it was before..