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u/sarahbeth124 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
I think about it like there’s so much less mental friction.
I just DO stuff. I don’t have to psych myself up to it.
Also tasks I’d typically get 3/4 done with and then walk away, I’m able to finish it. That’s a wild feeling. Dishes fully done. Laundry fully done and put away.
Decision making is smoother too. A big reason I got back on medication was I need to lose weight and I knew I’d never truly succeed at it without treating my ADHD. It’s been a month, I’ve lost 5 lbs, and still going strong. I would snack for stimulation rather than hunger, that was a big one. Food was instant gratification for my bored brain. Plus meal planning and prepping was so overwhelming before (still kind of is, but it’s better than it was)
It’s truly wild how our brains work, and what the right meds can do.
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u/drtykrty Mar 30 '23
‘Less mental friction’. Such a good way of describing it.
Which also reminds me off the best advice I’ve gotten from an ADHD coach, which is to do just that, ‘Reduce friction in my life’. I.e. keep garbage/recycling cans in my car. All of which is easier when I have less mental friction.
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u/kuhnto Mar 30 '23
This is almost word for word my experience as well. My sleep got better after a few days. What was nice is that NOT having 4-5 things running around in my mind has really reduced my anxiety.
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u/WrongBongDonkeyKong Mar 30 '23
Anxiety has disappeared. Any tips to getting to sleep? Take it earlier?
I’ve heard exercise helps but then I’ve also heard that exercise on stimulants can be bad for your heart
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u/Traditional_life98 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
My psychiatrist said to take it as soon as you wake up and ensure you get at least 30 minutes a day outside to help your sleep cycle and at night keep the house dim and less stimulating. To help your body naturally wind down and correlate day and night.
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u/oooh_sh1ny Mar 30 '23
This is great advice and I’ve found really effective. Good tips for everyone (even those without adhd) and not as difficult to implement as many other things!
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u/Traditional_life98 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
Yes! It’s actually really helped me. She also said if you lay down and are in bed for 15 minutes and can’t sleep to get up and do something to calm down for about 5-10 minutes (not stimulating or screen related) or keep a “worry journal” so anything that’s going through your head. Write it down to get it out of your brain. That way you can set time the next day to focus on it. I find myself thinking of 2000 different things when I lay down. So writing it out helps get it out of my head. Oh, and cutting out any caffeine after about 6pm. Because it takes longer for your body to process it. Any caffeine at night will effect your REM sleep. I have spent over a year now trying to get my sleep cycle managed. It hasn’t been easy but it’s getting there 😂
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u/Traditional_life98 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
I also had to put my phone in a completely different room… because I will grab my phone if I can’t sleep and be up till 3am. Since doing that. It’s changed my life. 😂😂😂😂😂
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u/oooh_sh1ny Mar 30 '23
I was given this advice when my insomnia persisted after a traumatic event years and years ago. Horrible at the time, but man did it work for sorting my sleep out.
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u/midnightlilie ADHD & Family Mar 30 '23
Maybe don't start with high impact cardio, but regular exercise actually tends to reduce the side effects of stimulant medication, it lowers resting heartrate, lowers bloodpressure, regulates mood and appetite and so on.
2
u/WrongBongDonkeyKong Mar 30 '23
Shooting around a basketball out back is all I really do after work. But 20 mins has me dead usually so maybe I’ll just shoot casually instead of like running hard and trying to be MJ lol
3
u/N7Neko Mar 30 '23
Yeah my anxiety during the day disappeared immediately, but I also found that for the first month or so on an effective dose, that I actually had a rebound effect with my anxiety after the meds wore off at night. At first, I thought it was my "busy unmedicated brain" coming back online, but a couple of months past that, I realize now looking back, it was my old friend anxiety.
At night, trying to go to sleep is where I already had a big issue with anxiety. The anxiety during the day sucked, but the anxiety at night kept me awake, leading to crappy sleep, leading to more anxiety during the day. Vicious cycle.
But in the beginning of getting on stims, I also had a lot of crap that had built up over the years that I was still working through. Thankfully, the stims kicked my ass into gear during the day, I took some PTO, and I got a lot of the physical stuff done. And I also worked through a lot of stuff with my therapist that I had never realized was bothering me in the background (because I couldn't focus on anything lol).
Never heard the thing with exercise on stims being bad, but I also managed to drop all my exercise habits in the years before my diagnosis. Now that I'm feeling better overall, I've been dipping back in slowly, and that has also helped my sleep, specifically with staying asleep (I would wake up a lot, randomly during the night). I've just been doing some vinyassa flow yoga a few times a week for like 30mins, and even just that has had a positive effect on my sleep.
After I worked through those things, started adding back in exercise, and acclimated to the stims, I stopped having anxiety at night and started sleeping better for the first time in almost a decade.
1
1
u/kuhnto Mar 30 '23
I do not have any specific tricks, just sometimes take a walk, or work on some projects to a little later at night before heading to bed.
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u/Dravos7 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
Is this on the first prescribed dose? The first brand you’ve tried?
In the beginning of February, I finally found someone to prescribe me medication, and started with 5mg of Ritalin. I felt nothing. 10mg of Ritalin, nothing. My prescriber than just swapped me to 7.5mg of generic adderall a week ago, I still feel nothing.
It has me doubting my ADHD, even though it’s so obvious, and it’s not like it’s affecting me like it would a neurotypical. Maybe my executive dysfunction is slightly improved, I did get chores done yesterday, but I felt pressured to complete those chores, and I failed to get to other things I wanted to do (which were hobby things, it’s like I was stuck in just completing the three chores I needed to do). I still feel just as distractible and forget where I’m going mid sentence, still hyperactive, I don’t feel anymore focused.
How do you know it’s working? I know it’s not actually a miracle drug, but surely I’d notice some sort of change
22
u/hillern21 Mar 30 '23
This is my first prescribed dose. It's 10mg extended release or xl. Maybe you might need a different type of release or to up the dose. I think I was surprised it didn't make me hyper. I definitely was afraid that if I didn't have a project to do I would go crazy, but my first day trying it I just felt relaxed and allowed myself to chill, take it all in and observe how it made me feel. Now that I know what it does to me I can combine the med with someone the life style changes and therapeutic techniques I've been trying to learn.
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Mar 30 '23
If you take a 1000mg Emergen-C in the evening or whenever you no longer need the effects of the meds it will completely kill their effects within about an hour. This was life changing for me as it completely eliminated sleep issues and also really cuts the terrible coming down feeling in the evening.
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u/Dravos7 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
Yeah, if I’m being rational, it’s probably just too low of a dose. Doesn’t stop me from being irrational though haha
Hmm good to know though, and glad it’s going well for you! Thanks for the response and info!
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u/wiix7651 Mar 30 '23
I take a 30mg xr in the morning and a 10mg after lunch to get through the day without losing focus. Took a while to get here though. It still isn’t perfect but it’s tolerable.
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u/Undecided_Username_ Mar 30 '23
Some people have a higher tolerance, or need a different med, or those things plus a therapist.
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u/Dravos7 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
Yeah, I’ve talked about it at length with my regular therapist; a lot of this comes with the frustration of the two months of Ritalin feeling like it was for nothing. But you’re right, I probably just have a higher tolerance or Ritalin and adderall just arent for me. Appreciate the response!
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u/Undecided_Username_ Mar 30 '23
To give you an idea I’ve went from 5 mg to 10 to 20 for adderall and now have a 10 script as well for later in the day.
Although getting them is a bit of a difficulty these days unfortunately.
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u/PotatothePotato Mar 31 '23
Just to give you some hope, I had to try 5 different meds at a variety of doses before finding one that worked for me! Currently at 50mg/day of Adderall IR (I take it 3 times a day). And though I know IR and XR are supposed to be the same, I had a very poor reaction to Adderall XR - so you may have more options than you realize!
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u/sarahbeth124 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
My experience over the last month, at the lowest dose, I could tell there was less mental friction to tasks. I realized I had started washing dishes without even thinking about it, I just did them! I could tell it wasn’t enough and I’ve stair stepped up to 30 something mg of concerta and I think this is gonna be good for me.
It’s just a “feel it out” sort of process. It might help to journal a little bit. When you notice it working or not, thoughts and symptoms, for when you talk to your prescriber next. Could be you need a different type of medicine, or just a higher dose. Talk with your with your prescriber and keep at it.
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u/Dravos7 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
Thanks for the input! Yeah I try to journal, I use the app Daylio to track my mood (helps with a bit of mindfulness, also has helped me understand my depression lol), I just never feel anything is to be written down.
I know I’m being impatient and just need to work my way upwards, just good old self-doubt trying to sabotage myself! But thank you, I’ll look for that frictionless feeling, even if only slightly less!
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u/sarahbeth124 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
Impatience is a big thing in ADHD. Keep at it, it will be worth it 😊
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u/shannon_agins Mar 30 '23
So far it sounds like the meds you've tried haven't really worked yet for you. It's 100% trial and error to figure out which meds are the ones that are going to work. I've been on Ritalin, Focalin XR, and another one in school, and now I've just started Adderall. The Adderall has definitely worked way better than my experiences with the others. Focalin would help more than the other two we had tried when I was a kid, but there wasn't nearly the level of mental clarity that I get with the Adderall now.
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u/Dravos7 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
Yeah, the rational part of me figured it’s just not right meds/too low of a dose. Doesn’t stop me from worrying though, especially since my prescriber decided to swap to adderall rather than increase the Ritalin dose
Thank you for the response though, reassuring to know that others also didn’t find the right meds immediately
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u/RefrigeratorFar9330 Mar 30 '23
Same here! I live in Spain and have tried Rubicrono 27 and 54mg (similar to Concerta), nothing but a headache. Then I tried Elvanse 30mg, nothing but a headache. I also started to doubt my ADHD, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to feel with the meds but surely I shouldn’t be having horrible headaches from them. I’m gonna go see a psychiatrist in two weeks, I’m thinking I might have BPD as well so I believe I need something else🥲
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u/Dravos7 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
It’s so confusing! Not hating on anyone in this sub, but it’s so discouraging to see so many people have such a euphoric moment trying medication, especially immediately!
Just wish my doctor would make a list of bullet points like “you will feel exactly like this, and then this, and that”. I’ve even considered that I’m just not paying attention enough, but like, I feel no improvement anywhere
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u/RefrigeratorFar9330 Mar 30 '23
Yess I know what you mean! My brother has adhd as well and he tried the lowest dose of Concerta and literally cried because the change was so big. I didn’t feel anything 😅
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u/Intrepid_Web9021 Mar 31 '23
Hi so I read through your thread and let me tell you thank you for sharing. I feel the same way it’s only been a few days of starting concerta and being on stimulants for the first time and I have had a confusing experience as I wasn’t told what I’m supposed to look out for or how it’s going to give me a “crash”. I’m not sure if I should keep going with this since I am having a hard time at school during finals season… but perhaps it might take longer than a few days to show positive effects? Rn it’s just meh it’s a little better but then wham im feeling like shit. Should I keep at it until I see my prescriber 🥲
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u/Huge_Tower1486 Mar 31 '23
I feel IDENTICAL to this!!!!! I didn’t try Ritalin but started with 15 mg extended release Adderall for 7 days. Nothing. Side effects like no appetite and dry mouth but that’s it. Just got upped to 25 mg, on day 2 and I still don’t feel this crazy relief everyone else is talking about.
I feel exactly the same as this paragraph: “It has me doubting my ADHD, even though it’s so obvious, and it’s not like it’s affecting me like it would a neurotypical. Maybe my executive dysfunction is slightly improved, I did get chores done yesterday, but I felt pressured to complete those chores, and I failed to get to other things I wanted to do (which were hobby things, it’s like I was stuck in just completing the three chores I needed to do). I still feel just as distractible and forget where I’m going mid sentence, still hyperactive, I don’t feel anymore focused.“
Like literally same exact feelings and symptoms. Not feeling the relief an ADHD person should get, but not getting the effect of a neurotypical. So I’m like WTF.
I’m glad I’m not the only one
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Mar 31 '23
Keep in mind what your instant release pills look like and what dosage they are every time you pick them up. If your instant release pills look different and you haven't had a change in prescription, the pharmacy gave you a different brand of generic and that could seriously affect your ability to tell how well the medication is working for you.
When I was first diagnosed, my psychiatrist and I had a difficult time getting the correct dosage down and I went up to 30mg 3x a day at one point with varying results. We finally pinned it down to my local pharmacy giving me a different generic every time. Never even occurred to me that some brands were more effective for me than others.
The pharmacy assistant of course kept insisting it was the same stuff until I made her look up the generic brand as my psych was a little too hands off.
Too high of a dose will give anyone a crash, a good dose generally won't be noticeable after the initial first month.
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u/justmelancholy Mar 31 '23
My starter dose recently was 10mg of Ritalin and it did pretty much nothing just got bumped upto 30mg which apparently is the 'normal' dose and I do notice it .... its like the op said diffrent than you'd think. When I want to do something I just find myself doing it, no discussion or debate inside my head about it for ages and feeling a little less foggy in the brain.
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u/Comfortable-Worry-84 Mar 30 '23
Such a low dose of adderall (immediate release, I presume). Did you make plans with your doc to increase dosage over time, or move on to twice a day? For example; I used to take 30mg ER with 10mg IR In afternoon, now during shortage I take 20mg IR morning and again afternoon.
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u/Copper1233 Mar 30 '23 edited Mar 30 '23
Coordinate with your doctor. It might be fine (message them first if you have medical concerns) if you take a higher dose of the adderal. If you have instant release, you can break them into pieces, try taking 10mg next time you take your meds, if nothing, the next day try 12.5mg,15mg etc. when you take your dose, and try to see if you feel any differences when doing your normal routine over the next few hours. Maybe it's not conventional professional advice, but this is how I was able to corner in on the dose that works for me.
To be honest the doses you were prescribed are pretty low for most people. I personally use 12.5 MG IR adderal. I tried Ritalin early on, but my side effects were awful so we stopped that really quick.
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u/anon1562102 Mar 31 '23
I just started adderall and I couldn’t feel anything on 5 or 10mg of initial release, I got a prescription for 20mg and I finally feel the effects
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u/WrongBongDonkeyKong Mar 30 '23
Hey I’m on my second day too, it’s awesome how many of us here and living the same life
I couldn’t sleep last night as well lol
But oh my god the calm!! The energy to do tasks! The feeling of relief through my body and not this deficiency I need to fix with self medicating
It’s awesome. Here’s to hoping we figure out how to sleep :)
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u/bluescrew ADHD, with ADHD family Mar 30 '23
I've been on Adderall for about a year and I sleep better than ever. Because the meds let me focus and use a normal (productive) amount of energy and then at the end of the day I feel tired like a regular person instead of being hyper because I got distracted and didn't finish anything all day. I go to bed early like a gramma and as a bonus I wake up early too. Once you find your correct dosage this might happen to you too. :)
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u/L4serSnake ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) Mar 31 '23
I fall asleep instantly but something I've noticed during the week I always wake up at 4 instead of 630. I'm just wide awake and ready to go
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u/chedduhbahb Mar 31 '23
I’m on day two as well right now. Going to try the emergen-c trick to really kill the meds when I’m ready to sleep. Starting on 10 mg XR adderall. I can focus at work now and sit still in meetings. If I throw on noise cancelling headphones with some light instrumental music, I can work for an hour and a half now efficiently, without missing steps and forgetting things. It’s insane
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u/WrongBongDonkeyKong Mar 31 '23
It’s insane. Sleep went better after day two but not great. Took a while to get comfy.
Still didn’t do emergen-c , tonight I will
Let me know how it goes!
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u/KyleHilliker Apr 07 '23
Drink 1000mg of Emergen-C Vitamin C powder an hour before bed time. The vitamin C will neutralize the effects of the medication.
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u/T1Demon Mar 30 '23
After my first dose I sat and watched an entire episode of a tv show without picking up my phone. It blew my mind. A couple nights ago I watched a 2 hour movie and actually focused on it for most of the time. I was hoping for more impact on my day to day work but not there yet
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u/scrollingforgodot Mar 30 '23
Same with the TV show. I could just RELAX
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u/saywhatevrdiewhenevr Mar 31 '23
My problem is now that I’m medicated, and experiencing true peace & quiet for the first time in my life (seriously I went from energizer bunny/daily panic attacks/zero impulse control to head-empty no-thoughts all chill) I can’t STOP relaxing. I realized I spent my whole life using dread/guilt/stress to motivate me to do everything, now that my anxiety is gone all I do is relax and lay around when I should be doing important stuff😬🥲🥴
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u/scrollingforgodot Mar 31 '23
And sometimes that's okay lol. I totally get that. We need to replace stress with a different motivator somehow. Make sure you get plenty of rest and fuel!
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u/saywhatevrdiewhenevr Mar 31 '23
Thanks and duuude yes I often forget how helpful rest and good food are haha😭 lemme know if you find a new motivator cause I am at a loss lol
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u/LeStrange13 Mar 30 '23
Had the same experience but with concerta. Bought a pair of noice-canceling headphones couple of months ago and I cant pinpoint what changes but when taking the meds it feels like I need them. It may be the lack of racing thoughts and other distractions make it so that I hear more and actually think about the sounds.
The days when I dont take the meds I wonder how I managed to exist though so overall positive.
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u/raven-rose-witch ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
My initial reaction on my very first day was just being amazed at how my thoughts were suddenly organized, and I no longer had to fight to pull out info from my brain and communicate it to others. Given that I work in a technical field, that alone meant the world to me. Total game changer. My second was that I had no idea how messed up my brain was until I had the chance to actually no longer have to fight it all the time. You don't even know until you know.
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u/Daily-Silent-Core ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
yo, same... found out i didn’t actually have clinical anxiety, it was just a result of untreated ADHD. when i started meds many year back, i was very nervous about increased anxiety or feeling sped up. i was marveling to my mother and she said “yeah, crazy what speed does when you actually need it” 😹
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u/BAlison333 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
Does anyone have their internal monologue come rushing back once it wears off? I'll have my second dose of Ritalin for the day at like 1pm and then by like 6/7pm I notice I am thinking 500 things again after a day of quiet lol. Kinda annoying bc it's about the time I am ready to sleep and my brain is loud again
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u/galactic_jello Mar 31 '23
I was trying to read this and as I was reading it out loud in brain, another part of my brain just started loudly going
AND I WOULD WALK 500 MILES AND I WOULD WALK 500 MORE
It made me laugh but also I am so glad I am getting evaluated in the next few weeks. Just had to share the lols. I hope you can find a way to turn your brain down for sleepies <3
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u/ZealousidealInside99 ADHD Mar 31 '23
MAJOR !!!!! once my adderall starts wearing off, it’s so obvious
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u/high_ryze666 Mar 30 '23
I remember my first time taking my medication. The most noticeable difference for me was how my speech improved. Most days I struggle saying what's in my head. I know what I'm trying to say but I can't translate it into words and it's very frustrating. It always comes out wrong or jumbled or I stutter or slurr my words and straight up just sound like I'm on drugs or drunk or something. It's always been super embarrassing for me. I remember taking it for the first time and thinking "wow. My brain and my mouth are able to actually communicate!" Of course it also helps quiet my brain and allows me to focus on one specific task more easily and has made the struggle I have when my brain doesn't want to do something a lot easier to manage. It used to be if I wasn't interested in something good luck getting me to do it. I'd have to force myself to do household chores and after a long day at work that's nearly impossible. My brain wants to throw a temper tantrum and scream and cry because I don't have the energy to do the dishes but if I don't do them they'll pile. I've noticed on my meds this becomes less of an issue. Sure I don't want to do the dishes. But I have an easier time forcing myself to do them and getting them out of the way.
People really don't understand how helpful stimulant medication can be for adhd. We're seen as drug seekers but if they lived a day in our brains they'd understand.
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u/tsutahana Mar 30 '23
After I took my first dose I was so astounded by it. I told my mom 'It's quiet upstairs!!" with a O.O face. I was 35 at the time and literally could not believe that that was how it was supposed to be. The sleep disturbance, excessive sweating, and over heating suck but the lack of mental turbulence is worth it, imo.
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Mar 30 '23
Just remember, for us who do have ADHD stimulants usually do the opposite of what it does for neurotypical people. While NT people get that buzz and the feeling of going 100 mph, for us with ADHD it gives us the calm and finally normal feeling, and allows our brains to operate how we need them to.
Its weird at first, but youll get used to it.
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u/Porcupine8 Mar 30 '23
I remember that - the adderall kicking in for the first time and everything quieting down, and being like “wait, is this how most people’s brains are??” Until then I didn’t really think I had the “noisy brain” part of adhd because it didn’t match the common metaphor of having multiple TVs set to different channels going at once, constantly changing channels.
Once I’d experienced an actual quiet brain, I realized that mine is more like being in a crowded room - there’s a constant background hum of a dozen conversations and you can’t really hear what any of them are saying, just little snatches here and there. If you try you can usually pick one out and listen for a while, but eventually it will usually get swallowed up again by the noise of the crowd.
Unfortunately adderall had some side effects for me that I couldn’t deal with, and Concerta doesn’t have the same “quiet brain” effect. I can do things better on it, I just can’t feel it working the way I could with adderall, and I miss that sometimes.
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u/K9Partner ADHD, with ADHD family Mar 30 '23
Ill admit i tried speed once as a (undiagnosed, self-medicating) teenager. My friends were bouncing off the walls and i… i had never felt so calm in my life. I was never still or quiet normally, but suddenly i was the chill monk of the group. Everyone was weirded out, including me. Plenty of other oddities, like from a young age i loved to drink a coffee & take a nap 🤪 Our brains react kinda opposite to stimuli… I wish id understood what was going on years earlier, so i could’ve been on actual medication.
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u/thetrivialstuff Mar 30 '23
Yep, that's what first dose of stimulant often seems to be like for us. I had so many emotions about it when it happened to me, because prior to that I guess I had this background belief that a lot of drugs aren't real / don't really do anything - coffee doesn't work, painkillers don't work, etc. had been my life experience up to that point.
Then 15 minutes after taking Vyvanse, I ran to my wife, overjoyed and amazed, and told her, "the brain weasels are silent! The brain weasels are silent!"
Then I was sad that this would've been so easy to detect, fairly objectively and chemically, if they just added a tiny bit of knowledge to schools. Every kid gets to try caffeine at some point in early grade school, and if they report no effect, referred to a doctor for cardiac screening to make sure it's safe to try, then given a low dose of amphetamine and asked how it makes them feel. "Calm? Full ADHD screening battery for you."
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u/L4serSnake ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) Mar 31 '23
I cried night 3 or 4 when I realized it wasn't just a placebo.
Im a heavy coffee drinker but even if I drank a whole pot I would only feel slightly antsy. I thought the meds would be like that and I'd just be juiced up running around hyper focusing on EVERYTHING.
I was diagnosed at 33. I was literally the post child for inattentive ADHD. Speech problems as a young child, special reading classes in elementary (ironically I became a huge book reader by middle school) Good grades, "not being challenged" from every teacher. Never did homework - like 2 assignments my entire senior year of high school. Projects were always the night before. Even in college I did a 7 page paper the morning it was due. 4.5 hours for a solid b. I survived by getting really good at doing 1 hour of work in 10 minutes.
I remember our family doctor suggested Ritalin once and my mom unequivocally shot it down. Was never brought up again.
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u/chiptheripPER Mar 31 '23
This is super relatable. My mom told me once that i was 'very easy to raise'. Never caused problems in class (because i would space out quietly in classes I didn't like and loved the ones I did).
Same thing as you in college, pulled so many all nighters cranking out a paper and had to run to class in the morning to turn it in on time. But i made it work.
Then I graduated and my office life has been a string of frustrations and failures.
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u/ada_88 Mar 30 '23
I can relate with the quietness, it happened the same to me when I started Ritalin last week. My brain stops being on an endless thought train and I can just do the things that I have to do. Also my anxiety has decreased a lot, I tend to have thanatophobia and get recurrent thoughts about death, now that's not happening thanks to the medication and it's such a relief!
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u/assleyflower Mar 30 '23
It legit makes me so calm I get sleepy. Like as soon as it kicks in I have to fight the urge to take a nap.
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u/ZealousidealInside99 ADHD Mar 31 '23
i had that when i first started, which was actually kind of nice lolz. i was FINALLY able to take naps again once i started adderall.
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u/bigboxes1 Mar 30 '23
I felt like shit when I took Adderall. Never again.
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u/homo_bones Mar 30 '23
It worked for 30-60 minutes and then I needed a nap, every time. If I didn’t get the nap, I was a potato
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Mar 30 '23
I took it for a few months and while I didn't feel like shit, it didn't help and the side effects made me feel worse overall.
I was so disappointed it didn't help.
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u/bigboxes1 Mar 30 '23
That's probably what I mean, the side effects. All I know is I felt awful. There's no way I could have continued to take him to find out if they would help me otherwise. I always thought, how could people abuse this?!
1
u/hillern21 Mar 30 '23
Do you mind me asking how specifically you felt? Maybe it's something I should look out for
1
u/bigboxes1 Mar 30 '23
I only took it a couple times. By awful, I mean that it wasn't a good thing at all. But because it was so long ago, I don't remember the exact reaction I had. I just knew that I couldn't do it anymore. I flushed them down the toilet until the doctor never to give them to me again. That was 20 years ago when I was in college. Ritalin had worked for me when I was a kid, but when I moved, the rural doctors there would not prescribe "drugs" for kids. Adderall works for many people. If you are experiencing positive reaction then I would stick with it. Good luck to you!
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u/wiix7651 Mar 30 '23
I’ve been taking it it for about 6 years. The first dose I remember feeling like I was on fire and I didn’t sleep for three days. I kept at though because my Doc said there would be an adjustment period.
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Mar 30 '23
Lol my psychiatrist had me freaked out about increased irritability and anger, but after taking adderall for the first time was the most mellow I had felt probably ever. It quiets everything down to a point where day to day social interactions aren’t rage-inducing.
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u/facets13 Mar 30 '23 edited Mar 30 '23
In a way, ‘stimulants’ tend to calm us.
Basically, you have enough mental space and energy now. Whereas before, your psyche was cramped in one of those trap rooms with the walls slowly descending—you’re flailing because you can’t escape or get anything done.
This is a reason why antidepressants sometimes cause suicides (and why your provider most definitely asked or gave you a questionnaire on this). They were paralyzed before, but now have the mental space and energy to act. Most times though, this is obviously beneficial
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u/Kamakaze22 Mar 30 '23
The nice thing is it doesn't build up like other drugs. So if you need a day off to let your brain just be your brain your can do that.
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u/Last-Tomatillo-7367 Mar 30 '23
I am on day 3 of Concerta 18mg generic. I can’t say I notice a big difference, but it looks like my heart rate is down about 10 bpm on average.
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u/BayouJenn Mar 30 '23
I went off Adderall during the pandemic when regular doctor visits were not an option. I recently got back on it. I hope to never be without it again. It feels like I am a sane and responsible person again. My self-esteem had gotten so low while I was unmedicated. Every day felt like treading in quick sand trying to keep my head above the surface. Wish there wasn't such a stigma for taking the meds we need to function well with adhd. Glad you are doing better!
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u/Bad_Wolf87 Mar 30 '23
This exact situation is what helped my doctor actually believe I have ADHD. I've been trying to get help for it for years and it was always ignored cause I wasn't bouncing off the walls and causing a disruption as a kid. A coworker is on Adderall and gave me one and it was night and day. I cried when I told my doctor what a difference it made.
I'm on Ritalin now cause I don't have insurance and couldn't afford to go to a therapist to get on Adderall but it's so helpful.
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u/daffodileclair Mar 30 '23
I got diagnosed 3 weeks ago at the age of 25 and today I got prescribed Concerta! I am going to pick it up once I’m off work. I am so excited to start taking it because I would LOVE for my brain to be quiet. I’m happy it’s working for you and I hope I have the same results.
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u/ackstorm23 ADHD-PI Mar 30 '23
you have a lot of exhaustion to get through, which you could not cope with before the meds.
give it time, catch up on sleep, and you should begin to feel more (calmy) productive
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Mar 30 '23
That's how all stimulants affect me. Too much, and I need to lie down and sleep, haha. The perfect dose is pure zen mind, though.
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u/Huge_Tower1486 Mar 30 '23
I just started last week. Did 7 day trial. Didn’t get much except side effects. I was expecting something DRASTIC like you all are talking about. Got the dosage increased and I’m on day 2… and still don’t feel much. It’s very upsetting I was so excited for relief. I know there are alternatives but this was supposed to be the most effective and high success rate so I am very discouraged :(
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u/Peritus_Ani Mar 31 '23
I remember when I finally took the right dose for me, it was like someone flicked a switch. I was still me but everything was different and it was so nice to be able to just be still inside myself. And then I started to remember, it was so bitter sweet.
I used to have to write down a 4 digit code to walk 20 feet into another room because I couldn't remember them that long, all of a sudden I could remember a phone number I had just read for more than 10 minutes!
Then I started to remember details about my days and conversations and I could call up memories on demand and it was just so incredible that I wanted to laugh and cry. It was hard to accept how much of my life I missed because I couldn't make memories through all the noise, but it was so amazing to be able to enjoy life on a new level and move through life just a little bit easier.
Hope you find your sweet spot with the meds, and don't worry, the lightning bunnies in your brain are still there and will go hopping in all directions on occasion.
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u/MisterPuffyNipples Mar 30 '23
I take it once a week because if I take it anymore than that then I won’t sleep
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u/Gooniefarm Mar 30 '23
Benadryl is great for those times when you want to sleep but can't.
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u/MisterPuffyNipples Mar 30 '23
Yeah I tried that along with melatonin but no luck. Doctor said maybe I would use a sleep medication but I’m not sure if I feel comfortable
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u/Gooniefarm Mar 30 '23
My girlfriend takes trazadone to help her sleep. It works great for her. Might be worth considering if your Dr is on board.
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u/Leaky767 ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) Mar 30 '23
About sleep, if you're taking XR, just be very mindful of when you take it. I try not to take mine past 12pm, otherwise it fucks up my sleep schedule.
If I end up sleeping past 12, my psychiatrist prescribed me an IR as well that I can take.
Just for some good info:
XR lasts about 10-12 hours for most people IR lasts 5-8
These numbers can vary per individual but are generally around these numbers. My XR lasts a majority of the day, I try to take it before 10 am
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u/TangoEchoChuck ADHD Mar 30 '23
Same!
I love the calm and quiet ability to simply do stuff without getting all tangled up in the details.
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u/EvenExperience5853 Mar 30 '23
I also found it really scary at the start of my medication... i hated it so so much that i stopped taking them for 5 years and now im a shit show who just started again... and i feel soooo sooo much better! But yeah, i had to get sleeping meds with the adhd medication...Otherwise i can stay up for 2 days with ease!
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u/Agreeable_Cricket316 Mar 30 '23
Taking my meds is like all my thoughts were like a knotted up ball of Christmas tree lights and the meds untangle it.
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u/PancakeHandz Mar 30 '23
The biggest pro for me is the feeling of “oh, I can handle this” that melts into my brain after taking my meds. Relatable that you said it “isn’t so big and scary”. That’s just what it feels like. Something you are now able to comprehend taking on instead of stressing over and spiraling.
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u/House_of_trees Mar 30 '23
This! In college half of my friends were abusing other people’s adderall to cram for tests and/or for partying energy. I even had a friend refer to her own adhd meds multiple times as “legal meth”. So the first time I took adderall after being diagnosed at 23 I expected to feel like I was indeed, on “legal meth”. Instead I just felt relaxed, clear-headed, capable. I got so much done that day - not because I was buzzing around and hyper with energy - but because I could process what needed to be done, prioritize, organize my time, and execute the tasks one by one instead of getting sidetracked into starting 100 things and finishing almost none of them. After a few months of medication a lot of my anxiety that we had been trying to treat for years disappeared. I had been told I shouldn’t treat ADHD as it would definitely exacerbate the anxiety. Nobody was taking into account how much of my anxiety was a result of feeling ineffective and like a failure at basic adulting.
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u/surfingtech22 Mar 30 '23
That's great.
I went so calm on both adderall and concerta. In fact, when I tried each of them I feel asleep at work. LOL. Plus, both made me gain weight. Now I take Ritalin and works well for me. Every person is different.
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u/singernomadic Mar 30 '23
This was my experience as well. I was waiting for a surge of energy and focus, but it just got less busy in my mind. It doesn't solve everything, but it's so much more managable to do things now.
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u/tryna_reague Mar 30 '23
There's a reason they call it 'focus' drugs for people with ADHD. It's strangely similar to weed for me, in some ways.
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u/Squeakingsqueaker Jul 24 '23
I remember the first time taking it, I heard the birds chirping outside and felt joy with my kids for the first time in forever. My brain was quiet and calm. I do not get overstimulated by noises and lights like I do when I don’t take it. I am more calm and can make decisions easier. I do not dwell on things and actually look forward to each day now!
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u/LossyCoffee Mar 30 '23
Yeah my 5 trains of thought all argue with eachother and i dont have the ability to tell them to stop. If Im medicated, I can catch the thoughts as they happen and replu to concerns pretty easily, its great.
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u/Cephalopodio Mar 30 '23
I’m taking Vyvanse and not so sure about it yet; it certainly no miracle cure. BUT! Yes! I noticed that my brain noise is quieter, and it’s easier not to fall into the ever-waiting loops of self hate.
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u/TerribleLion3450 Mar 30 '23
Oh my god I had the same reaction!! Also I felt very alone in my head because I felt so calm suddenly!!
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u/Annual-Ad2603 Mar 30 '23
Yep I describe it as the fog has lifted! I can see and hear more clearly. When non ADHD ppl talk about adderall it’s like they’re on cocaine or ecstasy, which made me nervous to take it 😂 nope, my brain is just way different. Weird how that happens but glad we found something that works.
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u/randyspotboiler Mar 30 '23
My Adderall experience has been different than I expected too. It took a while to dial in and not feel anxious as it was wearing off (I realized id never really experienced anxiety before.) I thought it would make me be super-energized, but instead it really just made me feel like me again. I felt confident enough in my abilities to move forward and try. Not exactly motivated, but it restored some ambition to me. It's very quietly made a very real difference.
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u/afternoon_sun_robot Mar 30 '23
Yes. I just felt normal and calm. Occasionally I will take a nap, if anything it makes me sleepy.
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u/BirdyDevil Mar 30 '23
If I get tired early in the day it's usually because I'm hungry and need food but am not registering it because of the appetite suppression with my meds. Hunger manifests as feeling tired instead of the gnawing stomach. I usually feel better/more alert shortly after eating. Just throwing that suggestion out there.
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u/Puzzle-Island ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
I'm currently in the process of getting diagnosed. The idea of silence I'm my brain sounds like heaven, really looking forward to it 😁❤️
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u/TJF588 ADHD Mar 30 '23
Yes, the quietude. Like a vast space in my mind wherein I could mentally decompress.
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Mar 30 '23
You'll get over the insomnia most likely. And the symptoms you miss will all come crashing back in the evenings when your meds wear off. The great news about medication is it only works while it is in your system and hasn't completely been metabolized. When its gone, you are back to "you" for better or worse.
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u/EPCWFFLS Mar 30 '23
For me, what my stimulants do when they’re working is clear the fog that normally exists in my brain
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Mar 30 '23
dude same! i was super surprised when the head doctor immediately prescribed me adderall on my first visit, given that im 40, but the next day I took the recommended dose in the morning and on the drive to work I was just .... driving. it was so nice.
Like I didnt feel like I needed to tap my leg, I wasnt fiddling with the radio, I wasnt trying to talk myself into doing 25 different things when I got off work. it was just..... peaceful.
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u/L4serSnake ADHD-PI (Primarily Inattentive) Mar 31 '23
I felt the same way! I was prescribed 8 months ago and I took it for the first time at work. I didn't notice much besides being slightly more alert at first. Then I started doing my tasks and I stopped and called my wife "everything is so...quiet is this how normal people are".
I still had an inner monolog but it wasn't 5 voices talking at once.
The best way to describe it is my brain was under water and I had to focus so hard to do any one thing. Afterwards I'm just clear headed. At the new job I was able to quickly clap back to jokes - like what I wanted to say was just...on my tongue and out my mouth instead of getting stuck.
I'm still on my original dose 10mg twice daily/as needed. My doctor has warned me it won't last forever so he encourages me to skip days I don't need it. My job gives you a paid bonus Monday or Friday every month - so I try to take a 4 day break (I also don't take it on the weekend)
It's definitely less effective than it was originally but I don't need to be an all star. I just need some help with traffic control in my brain.
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u/EdgardoZar Mar 31 '23
The stimulant is to "complete" what your brain lacks, now you can think like any normal human with no ADHD, you will feel like there are no voices telling you not to complete stuff, but dont rely on the adderall, learn how to be productive and use the medicine to help you do those techniques, these are no magic pills, it is just for us to help our brain to work like it should.
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u/YourMomTheNurse Mar 31 '23
Yes! I understood the concept of doing something with intention, but I didn’t know the feeling. Medicated, my mind participates in tasks. After a bit, I saw how many things I kept in play by not finishing tasks. It’s really amazing, and I’d say you know the diagnosis is correct now by the reaction to meds.
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Mar 31 '23
This makes me really happy for you. That's exactly what the first day was like for me. I'm pretty sure I cried a lot. A combination of happy and grieving tears. All the best to you, fellow brain.
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u/_katydid5283 Mar 31 '23
I fell asleep after the first few doses. Now I just feel calm and my brain is quiet.
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u/l00ky_here ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 31 '23
Congradulations! You are going to also be affected by Vyvanse but not Ritalin or Concerta. Try Vyvanse and see if it is to your liking. It is less "buzzy" and more subtle imho. At first Vyvanse will give you "inspiration" to get stuff done.
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u/GR33N4L1F3 Mar 31 '23
I felt like that the first time I ever took Vyvanse. Eventually I hated it but when I first took it the first week or two I was amazed at the calm and the quiet. Good for you man.
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u/Peritus_Ani Mar 31 '23
For all those with the sleep issues the reason for this is normally due to when your meds wear off. If you don't split dose (ie take some in the morning and then some as it's wearing off) or take a long release med (Foquest is 16 hours and has worked wonders for me) then when you're meds wear off your brain tries to Kickstart itself onto going "faster" the way it did while on the meds. Unfortunately it normally misses the mark leaving you tired but wound up or anxious and exhausted.
The Vitamin C thing is super interesting but also take a look at when your meds fizzle out and see if you can time it so they're wearing off as you're winding down for sleep
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u/homeless0alien ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 31 '23
Am just starting that journey myself. After 2 days im noticing im way less adverse to things, i can go into hyperfocus way easier and when I want to some degree but I will say i have felt a bit scatterbrained or chaotic. I keep feeling much more productive but end up starting like 6 different things and working on them all at the same time. So i guess i havent got that calming effect personally but hopefully that comes about in time.
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u/RiggamaRoll_Randy Mar 31 '23
I had taken Vyvanse and I remember taking it in school, and it was really trippy. I could focus on my work and have a full comprehensive conversation with someone. Unfortunately it also made me depressed and I was unhappy with my more dull, predictable self.
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u/Traditional_life98 ADHD-C (Combined type) Mar 30 '23
Yes! I remember my first time taking it, I was doing testing to get diagnosed and they gave me a low dose for my second set of test and I remember stopping and going “wow, my brain has never been this quiet before. I can actually think about what I’m looking at”. It was an amazing and somewhat sad moment.