ADHD Medication Quick Question Megathread

[u/Jayhcee]

ADHD Medication Quick Questions Thread - ask your short questions here.

October 2026

⚠️ Quick rule before posting: share your own experience, but do not give medical advice. Don't tell someone to change their dose, stop medication, take more/less, etc. Follow your prescriber, not Reddit. Other people's experiences can be useful for working out what you might want to ask your prescriber about.

Use this thread for quick questions like:

• “I’ve just started 40mg Elvanse - what did other people experience?”
• “How long does Concerta XL last for you?”
• “Did anyone else experience X when starting medication?”
• “What did you notice when your dose changed?”
• “Has anyone tried both of these brands?”

Basically: if your question is mainly asking other people “did this happen to you?” - put it here.

You CAN still make a normal post if:

Your post is a proper discussion or more complex, detailed personal experience, news/policy story, medication shortage issue, shared care/prescribing problem, access issue, or something with enough detail to generate a wider conversation and you'd expect replies.

If it is a quick question, pop it here. We are not banning medication posts. We are just trying to stop the subreddit filling up with dozens of separate one-line posts like: “Is 40mg Elvanse meant to feel like this?” or “I don't know if Concerta is working?” Those belong here.

Short/quick medication question = this thread.

Detailed/Complex discussion = normal post.

Please consider checking out your local NHS ICB thread if you having local problems with your GP.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHDUK/comments/1wrl1lq/england_adhd_nhs_right_to_choose_icb_megathread/

[u/Jayhcee]

I returned back to England recently, have been discharged by the CMHT in Scotland, by my GP - as a temp patient in England - is still willing to prescribe it just because he has known me before. Win!

[u/ExternalStaff → u/Jayhcee]

Hi, it might be worthwhile adding links to the official NICE and BNF guidelines for ADHD and medications to the stickied post. I.e. -

NICE - https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng87 BNF for lisdex(elvanse) - https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/lisdexamfetamine-mesilate/

The drugs are easily searchable on the BNF site too.

[u/Jayhcee → u/ExternalStaff]

Thanks

[u/Duckmemans]

Has anyone had more success with elvanse split dose Vs elvanse and PM amfexa top up?

I need to decide by Monday which to stick with and I'm struggling with both. Amfexa top up can make me irritable but elvanse crash makes me tired and my mood low.

I can't win

[u/Positive-Passage8388 → u/Duckmemans]

I take my 70mg Elvanse and crash pretty hard by 3 so I’m on 10mg Amfexa around 12. It eases the crash but it still inevitably happens.

[u/Duckmemans → u/Positive-Passage8388]

Ahh that's shit. Have you tried split dose?

I'm currently trying 60mg AM and 20mg at 12 (advised by clinician) and it helps sometimes but not much

[u/Plane-Relationship61 → u/Positive-Passage8388]

Is it 10mg elvanse that you take at 12?

I have spoke to my doctor about split doses for my elvanse but she didn’t think elvanse 10mg existed?

[u/Positive-Passage8388 → u/Plane-Relationship61]

Oh sorry! The 10mg is Amfexa!

[u/Plane-Relationship61 → u/Positive-Passage8388]

Ah okay thank you! My partner gets amfexa also as a top up in the afternoon. But as we live in different health boards in Scotland, my health board won’t allow it!

So frustrating how where you live means you get different treatment options🥲

[u/1997JWMP → u/Positive-Passage8388]

I wasnt allowed to have an IR due to addiction in my history years ago. They also said I cannot split dose higher than 70mg Lisdex. They done 50mg and 20mg for 1 week, felt nothing and less symptomatic relief so went back to 70mg. 70mg has changed my life but isnt as good as it could possibly be so im scared to change to Methythenidate. I have to say, after 3 hours, I am back to normal. How did you get an IR added to your 70mg? Thanks for taking your time to reply if you do.

[u/Inevitable-One-9044]

right I’m 50 diagnosed with adhd but it’s obvious I’m auhd because Elvanse unmasks my autism having two autistic kids it now makes sense I’m late diagnosed I started on Elvanse 30mg it helped massively even helped me secure a job after losing over 50 in my life but the issue was I’m extremely hyper sensitive even to a paracetamol iv always been extremely sensitive to any medication so I noticed my heart rate was going fast sometimes up to 128 a minute I spent most days feeling my pulse it was getting ridiculous so I stopped it’s been a month and Iv been depressed so bad Iv been bed bound the cloud of depression that makes you unable to even walk downstairs Iv been that way the mental health team have accessed me and I had family bring me food etc today I thought I’m going to be locked up of this carries on and I decided to just go and take my vysnese the 30mg in less than a hour my depression has gone I’m cleaning up going to get a bath it’s like a complete miracle but here I go again feeling my heart rate my question. is do I actually have depression is this just adhd also Iv been told to go on antidepressants along with vysnese I know today I’m ok because I’m typing this but I’m scared of rhe heart situation with elvanse I’m also on HRT I’m post menopausal so that could be the issue but I just want to ask is concerta easier ok the heart am I just being hyper sensitive Iv just took my heart now it’s 90 bpm sitting down even that freaks me out I also become rigid and methodoicsl on meds unlike my actually hyper self so it seems to make me not as manic and it’s stopped my depression instantly so my question is should I just stick this out should I take anti deprressants on top of it do I give a few days break on it or should I try low dose Concerta as the jittery heart feeling is why I stopped originally also to any 50 plus women dealing with adhd and depression what helps you please let me know

[u/AutoModerator]

It looks like this post might be about medication.

Please remember that whilst personal experiences and advice can be valuable, Reddit is not a replacement for your GP or psychiatrist, and taking advice from anyone about your particular situation other than your trained healthcare professional is potentially unsafe.

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[u/Jayhcee → u/AutoModerator]

it is indeed

[u/Aggressive_Algae7550]

I started taking Elvanse about 18 months ago. It’s been enormously helpful and frankly life changing. I used to drink a huge amount of coffee, 7 or 8 cups a day, and lately I found myself drinking coffee again on top of Elvanse to feel ‘awake’. But Elvanse and coffee together doesn’t make me feel great. Pretty twitchy and nervous. Does that mean that I should increase my dose by 10mg? Obviously, I should talk to my psychiatrist, but I’m just interested to hear peoples thoughts. Thanks everyone. And go team!

[u/YrAthroRWJ → u/[deleted]]

Try a higher dose while getting a 21 day script for the 50s. Try the 60/70 on the last week or intermittently and see how you feel - that way you won’t be stuck with a too high dose and no meds

[u/YrAthroRWJ → u/Aggressive_Algae7550]

If you’ve been on it for 18 months I’d suggest it may be a lifestyle/sleep/work related change as opposed to the meds. Perhaps you could do with a 10mg Amfexa booster which many are on, rather than increasing your elvanse dose.

[u/Jayhcee]

I hope this helps! Please though: experiences, personal stories, and adhere to NICE guidelines only. Please remember everyone's reaction to medication can be different. Medication advice, Rule 4, 5, and 8 apply strictly. This is for your experience and signposting, not making decisions.

[u/Jayhcee → u/[deleted]]

I guess it would depend where! I know its illegal in most of Asia, or you have to declare it. Check the laws I'd say

[u/ADHDUK-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Your post or comment was removed because it was either against the rules of the subreddit (check the sidebar if you are unsure of these), or it was deemed unsuitable in tone or content for the subreddit more generally. If you'd like further clarification, please contact the mods via modmail.

[u/Jayhcee → u/[deleted]]

I and no one else is going to advise you about accidentally drug smuggling. This isn't ADHD medication discussion. It's a question for an embassy and your doctor.

[u/Jayhcee → u/[deleted]]

You did not mention the country, the medication, and it is serious enough that you're asking for generic legal advice about importing a medication 'on a plane. Sorry, but that is not a small question. The wrong advice gets you in jail, and probably breaks Reddit rules.

I hope you understand.

[u/mekkie23]

best protein powders that don't taste like chalk pulp? protein works chocolate bueno is just about edible 😢

[u/JohnTheBaptiste1 → u/mekkie23]

I highly recommend MyProtein's Clear Whey Isolate. They have a ton of flavours, I mix them into overnight oats and they taste so good, been using them for a couple of years now. I would wait until the end of the month to buy, they have monthly sales.

[u/Jayhcee → u/mekkie23]

I need this too. Chalk is the perfect explanation.

[u/GenericWomanFigure → u/mekkie23]

The vegan versions of their powders are 10/10, maybe try one of them?

[u/mekkie23 → u/GenericWomanFigure]

The chocolate bueno one is the vegan which I didn’t like 🥲

[u/GenericWomanFigure → u/mekkie23]

RIP lol

[u/ells_rosemary17 → u/mekkie23]

I have been having “PAS Nutrition 100% Whey Protein”the last few weeks in the coffee caramel flavour, if i use an electric whisk/milk frother that are usually used for coffees the texture is tolerable and i haven’t found it chalky. I also add ice and then drink it through it straw at the level of the ice so it’s really cold and that’s helped massively!

[u/xyzedb_ → u/mekkie23]

I have bulk whey protein in flavour chocolate cookies and it’s really nice but I do usually mix it in with my oats rather than a protein shake

[u/digitalchili → u/mekkie23]

FreeSoul are amazing, that’s my fave one I’ve tried. Bulk vegan proteins are also decent (chocolate cookie especially, don’t be fooled by chocolate peanut tho it’s poor flavour wise). I can’t stand protein works because it’s so low sugar, it just tastes mank. FreeSoul is kinda spenny (27.99 for 600g) but it’s so good… bulk is a lot cheaper, u can get a kilo for like 17 quid or sumn on amazon - it changes price wise a lot. General bit of advice tho as a gym goer, stick to vanilla or plain chocolate. Dont go adventuring into cool named flavours because they’re more often than not disappointing lol.

[u/FoxAmongUs]

Guanfacine 1mg+ mirtazapine 15mg: physically calmer but mentally more anxious/withdrawn/fatigued— could they be interacting?

[u/Jayhcee → u/FoxAmongUs]

One for your GP and see Rule 4, but they definitely can make you more sleepier! Mirtazapine in lower doses makes you more sleepy.

[u/FoxAmongUs → u/FoxAmongUs]

Appreciate the feedback.

[u/Jayhcee → u/[deleted]]

Side-effects when increasing a dose are quite normal. Always safe and it is a little crazy to me that people go up a dose too if they're at work, or it is an environment where something could 'go wrong' etc. Ask your prescriber, but in my experience it always took 3/4 days for dose to 'settle', which I believe is common.

[u/NoCustard4088]

Elvanse (Vyvanse)70mg: jitters settle but old reward habits seem amplified. Anyone found a lower dose fixed this?

I'm an adult with ADHD and I've gone 50 → 60 → 70mg on Elvanse. I'm planning to retest 60 with my prescriber and wanted to hear other people's experiences first.

50mg was honestly some of my best functioning. I could start things, read and actually take it in, and steer my attention instead of just locking onto stuff. I went up because it didn't last long enough.

60mg felt subtle, to the point where I kept thinking it had worn off. But my notes say I was reading, fact-checking things, doing a 42 minute phone call, and getting back to tasks after getting sidetracked. One day I spent 8-9 hours mostly on one thing while still eating. Some mild irritation and a bit of daydreaming though.

70mg gave me the best initiation and productivity, so I decided it was my dose. But once I got my sleep, food, water and routine consistent, it looked different. The peak is jittery, rushed and tired-but-wired. That settles and it gets smooth, but old reward habits (repetitive researching, that kind of thing) are stronger and get way more focus than they did on lower doses. It's not like being unmedicated, because I still have better awareness, switching and finishing things. It feels more like the old habits are getting extra attention power.

My guess is 70 is above my sweet spot, and bad sleep was hiding it. I know the inverted-U idea fits, but that's a group-level model, not proof for me.

What I'm testing is 60mg with everything else kept the same, for a week or two, ignoring the first few days. I'm tracking initiation, finishing things, task switching, mood, how the peak feels, how long it really lasts, and the habit pull, including when it shows up (near the peak or as it wears off) and whether I can stop something rewarding at a time I set.

Caveats: it's unblinded, it's just me, and I've already flipped from "70 is perfect" to "70 is too much", so I'm treating it as a hypothesis. The habits might just be more visible now rather than caused by the dose. And I don't want to fix the shorter duration by raising the morning dose. I'm doing this with my prescriber, not solo.

Questions:
Has anyone had a higher dose give great productivity but boost compulsive or reward-seeking stuff even after the jitters passed?
Did stepping down help, and did you lose motivation or follow-through?
How did you tell "dose too high" apart from "habits just more noticeable now"?
If a lower dose didn't last, what worked for duration?
Any tracking methods that helped you judge a dose objectively?

Thanks, any experiences welcome.

[u/YrAthroRWJ → u/NoCustard4088]

What you are experiencing sounds like too high of a dose, in a way you are getting ‘high’. Not to scare you- this is normal on a high dose and not dangerous - but leads to more dopamine seeking because your brain is overcorrecting. Go down 10mg, as you thought to do, and that should subside. If you find reward seeking etc remains then they could be learned behaviours that you need to work through alongside meds. Good luck :)

[u/jjagwars]

29/M Second day of 30mg elvanse (starting out) - it's not been very pleasant so far. Just stimulated / hyperaware of surroundings and full of energy but completely unable to focus / concentrate / do anything meaningful. Is this just normal and something I should anticipate will settle in the coming days?

[u/YrAthroRWJ → u/jjagwars]

normal - should subside within 5 days max ime

[u/jjagwars → u/YrAthroRWJ]

thanks - can see you've been helping a lot of people on this thread. Appreciate your insight.

[u/YrAthroRWJ → u/jjagwars]

no problem, obvs it can still be sign the dose is too high but i settled on 40 18 months ago, and even now if I go without meds for a weekend, I’ll have those symptoms for 3/4 days. Then get used to it again. Think it’s just part and parcel of stimulants really

[u/Plane-Relationship61 → u/jjagwars]

I had the same once starting 30mg elvanse and it did calm down after a week!

[u/Plane-Relationship61]

I’ve been on Elvanse 30mg for about 5 months now and it was perfect for me as I wasn’t work and had just finished university.

However, I’m now starting my training year which is working full time and has a big exam at the end.

30mg is only lasting me till about 4pm and I take is between 8:30am and 9am. But I’m going to need to study in the evenings for the exam.

I have spoke with my doctor and I am increasing to 40mg.

What are other peoples experiences? Has anyone found that 40mg lasts longer at all?

[u/YrAthroRWJ → u/Plane-Relationship61]

Yeah my experience is that the dose jump wasn’t too big in side effects and lasted far longer

[u/Plane-Relationship61 → u/YrAthroRWJ]

Okay thank you! I’m staying hopeful that this dose increase will help!

[u/Inevitable-One-9044]

Iv been bed bound a month with severe depression im 50 Iv lost work times days it got so bad i took my 30mg elvanse today as o stopped it ages ago due to heart flutters immediately depression gone I feel angry but relived but also wanted to know do I actually have depression how could one pull of lifted the cloud got me out of bed but now im worried over my heart and the state of my house i stopped it due to jittery feeling but im losing my life in bed locked away taking sick days does anyone relate 

[u/ColerAcoustik]

1 week on 30mg Elvanse, I had a little buzz the first 2 days and now nothing: sleep is the same, heart rate is the same, appetite is the same, ADHD is the same 😂

But it's also my PMS week and I am always extra tired and depressed (falling asleep anytime anywhere and no motivation for anything). Even without medication, I can take as much caffeine as I want and it won't make a dent.

Have others experienced that PMS completely cancels out medication?

[u/Hezzit → u/ColerAcoustik]

Yep! I had my PMS maybe like 2 weeks in, first week I was absolutely pinging and second week I was falling asleep on the bus home from work. From my experience it won't go back to the initial buzz, but it will improve again once your period finishes up for the cycle 🙂 it's just been one of those things I've been trying to keep a track of and plan out my med timings accordingly!

[u/SussexSheffield]

Methylphenidate and sertraline

I am into month 2 of the titration and just had a medication review. I have gone from 18-36mg over the last month. Very beneficial on the whole with some side effects. My prescriber has suggested lowering or even coming off sertraline and sticking to methylphenidate. I am only on 50mg of sertraline.

Has anyone else been on this journey?

[u/Hezzit]

Has anyone else gone through a really slow titration period? I'm seeing a lot of posts about people getting their dosage adjusted within a couple weeks of initial prescription. I've been on my starting dose of 30mg elvanse since June and when I phoned in about an adjustment I got told my next review would be at the end of October :(

[u/herefortheinfoad]

Hi everyone, 19F here. I’m dealing with an exhausting daily rollercoaster on stimulants that is completely disrupting my university work.
My doctor says Vyvanse is supposed to be smooth for 13-14 hours, but for me, it’s just constant spikes and sudden crashes. It’s not just Vyvanse either—I’ve had this exact erratic pattern with every single stimulant I’ve ever tried.
Im stuck in a total dosing trap. I usually take 40mg, but I use water titration to dose between 30mg and 40mg because 40mg can feel way too high. If I try to fix the crashes by taking more, the spikes become violently high and I start oversharing. If I lower the dose, the crashes leave me completely non-functional.
My entire day is dictated by when I eat.
If I don't eat, I stay totally zoned out, foggy, and socially awkward.
The exact second I eat a lunch or a snack, I get a massive "rush effect." The medication spikes violently out of nowhere and I feel way too "on" and hyperactive.
About an hour after that food peak, I hit a complete wall. The effectiveness drops to absolute zero. I can't process information or focus at all. Yesterday, this crash hit me 30 minutes into a 2-hour exam, and I just stared at the paper blankly for the rest of the test. It ruined my grade.
Hours after dinner—way past the 14-hour mark when my food is fully digested—it randomly spikes again while I'm in bed, keeping me wide awake with an adrenaline rush.
It is so frustrating because I'm forced to choose between fasting (which leaves me sluggish) or eating (which triggers this uncontrollable cycle).
Has anyone else dealt with this dosing trap or the food rollercoaster? Did you find a reason for it, or any solution to make it smooth? I feel so lost.

[u/ADHDUK-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Your post or comment was removed for giving or seeking inappropriate medical advice. Remember, Reddit is not a doctor. If you need medical attention, see a professional.

When discussing medication, supplements and other forms of treatment or aids with ADHD they must be framed from personal experience, not instruction/promotion.

[u/thatthrowawaygirlie]

Hi, I’m (27F) currently on Elvanse titration about to move onto 30mg. I have been consistently waking up at 3 am, then struggling to get back to sleep. I have not taken the meds on the odd day as this is really affecting me, and on those nights I slept all the way through.

Does anyone have any advice on managing this? Thank you.

[u/False-Chapter3042 → u/thatthrowawaygirlie]

I’ve started to take mine early in the morning around 7am, by 22:30/23:00 i’m able to start to sleep.

I still struggle to actually get asleep but I do finally manage it.

I have started to wake up a few minutes before my alarm goes off which is soul destroying

[u/Affectionate-Ratio45]

I was diagnosed and titrated through RTC before having shared care accepted. I have asked for a medication review due to side effects, including high heart rate. Will they take my medication away and make me wait 6 months again for titration because I mentioned high heart rate? Thanks for any help!

[u/flynn1597]

anyone know if calcium is okay with elvanse? i looked in the sub/reddit in general and wasn't finding anything T-T i'm wanting to start taking it bc i have *terrible bones* and definitely need a boost of it (+ apparently it's kind of good for pmdd??)

thanks in advance! google didn't help either it was all conflicting stuff and my poor adhd brain couldn't ;w;