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Nastyman
Jul 11, 2007

There they sit
at the foot of the mountain
Taking hits
of the sacred smoke
Fire rips at their lungs
Holy mountain take us away

blueblaze posted:

It's my 4th day on Vyvanse, still taking 30mg, and the effects seem to have worn out a bit. How can that be after only 4 days? Does being tired affect your state of mind as well? I was very hyper and on the go the first two days but I didn't sleep well last night and am pretty tired today. I hope it's just my fatigue and not a problem with the meds.

My appetite is still practically non existant so I haven't been eating much. Could that play a role in diminishing the intensity of the meds?

IANAD, I've never been on Vyanse, and I'm only speaking from experience here, but the doctor may be planning to ease you into a higher dosage. When I started on Ritalin, I took half a tablet 3 times per day for 3 days, then one tablet, then one and a half, then two. Other than that, it might just be your body adjusting to the medication, making it less noticable but it should still be working. Or it could just be fatigue, like you said. Talk to your doctor and see what his thoughts are.

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blueblaze
Jul 31, 2006

Nastyman posted:

IANAD, I've never been on Vyanse, and I'm only speaking from experience here, but the doctor may be planning to ease you into a higher dosage. When I started on Ritalin, I took half a tablet 3 times per day for 3 days, then one tablet, then one and a half, then two. Other than that, it might just be your body adjusting to the medication, making it less noticable but it should still be working. Or it could just be fatigue, like you said. Talk to your doctor and see what his thoughts are.

Thanks, I appreciate the response. My mood has been really down today too. Could be the weather. Feeling foggy again. Ugh.

Passive Aggreeable
May 23, 2009

"Either way, it's going to hurt like crazy."

blueblaze posted:

It's my 4th day on Vyvanse, still taking 30mg, and the effects seem to have worn out a bit. How can that be after only 4 days? Does being tired affect your state of mind as well? I was very hyper and on the go the first two days but I didn't sleep well last night and am pretty tired today. I hope it's just my fatigue and not a problem with the meds.

My appetite is still practically non existant so I haven't been eating much. Could that play a role in diminishing the intensity of the meds?

This is exactly what I went through. My first dose was 30mg like yours and for the first two days I honestly believed that the dosage was too high. 3 Months later and I'm at 70mg. I would recommend getting out an energy drink or cup of coffee a bit after taking the pill and drink it in accordance of your current level of stimulation. At first I was worried about getting addicted to the combination of stimulants, but in my experience I found that I would stop craving the caffeine when I was at a 'good' level. I don't ever recall having an experience with the medication that was as effective, in terms of being able to focus, as the first couple of days were.

As far as appetite goes I would recommend eating breakfast before taking the pill, having convenient food constantly available, (I often found that sometimes I was hungry but not hungry enough to actually go and prepare food.) and for some reason liquid foods are easier to stomach so maybe you should try drinking a protein shake with milk or something everyday. Also drink lot's of water and eat plenty of fiber or add some to your shake, as stimulants can make it easier for your poo to dry up and make you constipated.

blueblaze
Jul 31, 2006

gobertech posted:

This is exactly what I went through. My first dose was 30mg like yours and for the first two days I honestly believed that the dosage was too high. 3 Months later and I'm at 70mg. I would recommend getting out an energy drink or cup of coffee a bit after taking the pill and drink it in accordance of your current level of stimulation. At first I was worried about getting addicted to the combination of stimulants, but in my experience I found that I would stop craving the caffeine when I was at a 'good' level. I don't ever recall having an experience with the medication that was as effective, in terms of being able to focus, as the first couple of days were.

Are you only speaking about Vyvanse or are you referring to all ADD medications you have tried? This is such a joke. It's only the fourth day on this dosage and I've returned to my regular self. It's so heartbreaking. I was still foggy in the morning so I had a strong cup of coffee and that sped him up a bit but it didn't last longer than 2 hours.

Passive Aggreeable
May 23, 2009

"Either way, it's going to hurt like crazy."

blueblaze posted:

Are you only speaking about Vyvanse or are you referring to all ADD medications you have tried? This is such a joke. It's only the fourth day on this dosage and I've returned to my regular self. It's so heartbreaking. I was still foggy in the morning so I had a strong cup of coffee and that sped him up a bit but it didn't last longer than 2 hours.
I was just talking about Vyvanse. I kinda phrased it in a way that makes it sound like Vyvanse completely loses effectiveness after a short while of taking it. Vyvanse still remains effective for me but I don't think I'll get that degree of unnatural focus again. The first few days it felt like a laser beam was shooting through my head and pinning me to whatever task was at hand (Maybe this is what it's like for 'normal' people who take adhd meds?) Things now feel a bit mellower but personally I'm currently ok with the way things are for myself.

But I may be fine with this because I am starting to look at adhd as less of a disorder and more of a different way a thinking. I don't think there's anything wrong with being adhd. It's that the environment we live in was designed to be convenient for 'normal' thinkers by 'normal' thinkers. Kind of the same way how almost everything is right-hand biased (Tool design, desk design, door design, written language, language itself - "right" meaning proper, "left" usually meaning "odd", etc) the world was designed in a way that doesn't take us into account. Schools emphasize learning by repetition through perseverance, instead of our strengths, the preference of understanding the underlying rules/patterns and checking it for consistency with what we already know. Most jobs require long term commitment to a narrow set of duties while we wish to explore many new projects at full throttle but lose interest when it no longer appears worth the effort. In my opinion, medication is just lubrication to fit a square peg in a round hole. That or I have something else besides adhd.

taylor
Nov 21, 2004

blueblaze posted:

This is such a joke. It's only the fourth day on this dosage and I've returned to my regular self.

They should write on the bottle that some initial effects wear off quickly. There's a temporary amazing boost to your mood and drive to get things done, and then when it goes away you will have to put some effort into doing things again. Even the weight loss effect is temporary. But some effects are more or less permanent: you can stay on task longer once you've begun it, etc.

Wartime Consigliere
Mar 27, 2010

by T. Fine
I felt like Adderall was super drug and it felt too good to last. So with that in mind I am very happy with the effects of it now a few months later. It has made a big improvement in my life by improving my habits and my moods so even when it wears off and I am back to foggy brained self I am not nearly as frustrated because I know that it doesn't have to stay that way. Mind is no longer a prison that I am stuck in where everyone else thinks I am smart and I think maybe I am getting Alzheimers in my 20's.

The adderall took my mind from being a beat up old piece of poo poo car that was 20 years old to a goddamned vintage muscle car that could go from 0-60 in half a second. And then it went down to being say a reliable Toyota that's a few years old, it's not a car that belongs at a car show but it's not a car that belongs in a junkyard either. I don't know much about cars.

Wartime Consigliere
Mar 27, 2010

by T. Fine
Yesterday I mowed the yard and then cleaned and polished my mower with wd-40. Then I did it to a snowblower and weed whacker and my wife came out to the garage to get me because 3 hours had passed since I started working on stuff.

Also found a small flood in the basement and took care of that and did a bunch of other stuff like dishes and cleaned up the kitchen.

blueblaze
Jul 31, 2006
I woke up feeling really sick yesterday. It felt like I had a fever, I had chills and aches all over my body. I threw up twice. I left my psychiatrist a message and he said it just sounded like I had a virus. I'm worried it could be something worse, like I was having a reaction against the drug. I was fine the first 2 days though.

I read this from an ADD forum it freaked me out:

quote:


WARNING: VYVANSE, even at LOW DOSAGE, can and has caused Rabdomyolysis (RHABDO). Manufacturer admits this way down on warning list. This is preventable, read on:

This is a SERIOUS, life threatening side effect. Rhabdo can result in Renal Damage (requiring dialysis) or Renal failure.

Manufacturer, Shire, has just listed the results of their latest round of testing wherein they again fail to put the FIRST SENTENCE in the FIRST set of SERIOUS Side Effects. This is the Advisory to prescribing Physicians update 11/2010. Note: The first sentence warns you can be taking Vyvanse EXACTLY as prescribed but still get Rhabdo.
Quote:
__________________________________________

10 OVERDOSAGE

Individual patient response to amphetamines varies widely. Toxic symptoms may occur idiosyncratically at low
doses.
__________________________________________

Symptoms: Manifestations of acute overdosage with amphetamines include restlessness, tremor,
hyperreflexia, rapid respiration, confusion, assaultiveness, hallucinations, panic states, hyperpyrexia, and
rhabdomyolysis. Fatigue and depression usually follow the central nervous system stimulation. Cardiovascular
effects include arrhythmias, hypertension or hypotension, and circulatory collapse. Gastrointestinal symptoms
include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Fatal poisoning is usually preceded by convulsions
and coma.

__________________________________________
MY PERSONAL CASE HISTORY

I am a 31 yr old female med student and was diagnosed with ADHD three years ago after extensive counseling and brain scans by a famous, nationwide brain clinic (featured on PBS). I have been taking a combination of Vyvanse and Adderall (in the beginning) and then Vyvance and Dexamphetimine. I began experiencing serious side effects in this third year: heart palpitations, pounding heart that woke me at night, arrhythmias, elevated BP, difficulty wx sleep and concentration, fatigue, and muscle/body soreness. I reported all to Psych and he said there must be other causes: cardiac or adrenal tumor. NO BLOODWORK ORDERED nor urine tested, despite the manufacturer's stated warning.

When I awoke 11/3/2010 with pain in both upper arms - swollen to double size, I went to local doc (gave steroid, I refused) and ER (gave antibiotics, I refused). I flew out To major US ER and was immediately admitted. I had a cpk of 60,000, normal is 300. My diagnosis was Rhabdomyolis. The cause was Vyvanse and Dex. My tox screen was clean. I had only been taking the meds exactly as prescribed or less, as needed. My skeletal muscles were being destroyed as if I had been in a severe auto accident or an explosion. I was released 4 days later after they IV flushed out my blood and kidneys. I was lucky. There appears to be no kidney damage. I lost an entire semester which I must repeat. I am grateful to be alive but this could have been AVOIDED had my prescribing psych taken a simple blood test when I first reported serious side effects. I have suffered financial loss of $35,000+ for tuition, flights and out of pocket medical costs.

If you are having serious side effects DEMAND to have blood work and urinalysis taken immediately to determine your renal status and cpk levels.

This should be a regular part of routine monitoring while on these serious drugs but is not - yet. More people will have to die or have renal failure before the manufacturer will put the above warning in both the serious side effects AND Overdose categories. Patients need this warning to be their own advocates. At this moment I have reported my case to both the manufacturer and the FDA but they will not act until more cases are reported, more people suffer. A SIMPLE BLOOD and URINE test - cheap compared to getting Rhabdo - could save your life. Demand it.
Okay, rare occurrence? It does not feel rare when it happens to you. Why should it happen to anyone when it is preventable?

Source: http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43669

What do you guys think?

ladyweapon
Nov 6, 2010

It reads all over his face,
like he's an Italian.
go to the hospital if you think youre dying of a rare side effect or overdose

DRP Solved!
Dec 2, 2009

blueblaze posted:

I woke up feeling really sick yesterday. It felt like I had a fever, I had chills and aches all over my body. I threw up twice. I left my psychiatrist a message and he said it just sounded like I had a virus. I'm worried it could be something worse, like I was having a reaction against the drug. I was fine the first 2 days though.

I read this from an ADD forum it freaked me out:

Source: http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43669

What do you guys think?

The pain from rhabdo would be excruciating. It is literally your muscle cells dying, then killing your kidneys with the breakdown products of your muscles.

It does sound like a flu, but get checked out if you're concerned about it.

Chumbawumba4ever97
Dec 31, 2000

by Fluffdaddy
.

Chumbawumba4ever97 fucked around with this message at 12:32 on Sep 18, 2012

DRP Solved!
Dec 2, 2009

Hamburglar posted:

Ugh, this sucks. The Strattera no longer works as well as it used to.

The thing is, there's not really any other options for me. I was on Adderall for a good year and I hated it. I couldn't sleep because of it, and it wouldn't help me focus. It helped me get stuff done, but I think any huge jolt of stimulation would.

The thing is, I don't really want to go off the Strattera because it completely cured my depression. I've had depression since I was a kid and it never went away, even with 12 different anti-depressants being tried. 3 weeks of Strattera I was a new person.

The past week I've noticed I'm impatient, I'm tense at all hours for no reason, and I have racing thoughts when I lie in bed (though I do still fall asleep unlike before I started Strattera). There's literally no other medications for ADHD except stimulants, which I don't like. I've tried every ADHD trick in the book from exercising to eating blueberries. Any advice?

Would you mind sharing which antidepressants you've tried? Stimulants aren't the only other options left for your ADHD, either. Go see your doctor and describe your problems as you did in this thread. Your doctor might consider adding something like clonidine to the Strattera.

ultrafilter
Aug 23, 2007

It's okay if you have any questions.


This isn't directly relevant to ADHD, but I think most of us will find it interesting nonetheless:

Your attention please: 'Rewarding' objects can't be ignored

quote:

The world is a dazzling array of people, objects, sounds, smells and events: far too much for us to fully experience at any moment. So our attention may automatically be snagged by something startling, such as a slamming door, or we may deliberately focus on something that is important to us right then, such as locating our child among the happily screaming hordes on the school playground. We also know that people are hard-wired to seek out and pay attention to things that are rewarding, such as food when we are hungry, or water when we are thirsty.

So what happens when the things that signify a "reward" are actually not important at all? Are they still powerful enough to capture our attention, when so many other things are competing for it?

According a team of neuroscientists at Johns Hopkins, the answer is "yes," especially when those things previously have been associated with something rewarding, such as money. In a paper published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team led by Steven Yantis found that test subjects who were completing a visual search task were distracted when items that had previously been associated with small amounts of money occasionally appeared.

The results have implications for understanding how the brain responds to rewarding stimuli, which may contribute to the development of more effective treatments for drug addiction, obesity and ADHD, said Yantis, professor and chair of psychological and brain sciences in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.

"We know that not everyone who takes drugs becomes addicted to them, but we also recognize that there is some connection between the euphoria that the drugs cause and how that sensation 'rewires' the brain in ways that make it difficult to suppress the craving to experience that again," he explains. "One aspect of this scenario is how reward-related objects capture attention automatically in the way that a sign advertising happy hour at a bar might snag the attention of a recovering alcoholic driving by. Understanding the psychological and brain mechanisms of that reward-object pairing and why some people are more susceptible to it than others could lead to more effective treatments."

The article is available online here: http://tinyurl.com/6xmwqk4

In the study, people first searched for red or green circles in an array of many differently colored circles displayed on a computer screen. One color (for instance, red) was always followed by a monetary reward (10 cents) and the other (perhaps green) by a smaller reward (1 cent). After doing this for more than an hour, the study subjects then were asked to search for particular shapes (for instance, a circle among diamonds) and color was no longer relevant or rewarded. Still, occasionally, one of the items in the display was red or green. When that happened, the study subjects' responses slowed down.

According to Yantis, this proved that an overwhelming number of people in the study became distracted by the red or green objects, even though the study subjects had been instructed to ignore those items and the items were inconspicuous and had no relevance to the task at hand.

"It was clear to us that those red or green items had become valuable to the study subjects, because they were linked in their minds with a reward," Yantis said.

In addition, the study subjects also completed a questionnaire measuring impulsivity. The team found that people who were more impulsive to begin with were even more prone to distraction by the "high value" red or green objects.

"One measure of good cognitive control is how long a person can hold information in his or her short-term memory, and we found that those people who were less impulsive tended to be more resistant to distraction by those things that had no value in and of themselves but had become associated with a reward," Yantis explained. "We also found that the distraction caused by value-related features persists for weeks after the original learning."

The team is now investigating how value is learned, and how learned value can seize the brain's attention circuits, Yantis said.

"We think that this form of attentional capture may play a role in various clinical syndromes like drug addiction," he said.

Kylra
Dec 1, 2006

Not a cute boy, just a boring girl.
Ok, apparently I'm not going to get around to rehitting the "books" to flesh out the more common comorbid disorders of ADHD section, like Tourette's, OCD and learning disabilities, of the OP I am working on, so I'm probably just going to leave it at "To be filled in later" or leave it for not until I get a burst of inspiration to do it.

Unless someone wants to take that on and post it here or PM it to me.

Was going to do a 30-50 word or so brief summary about each, and I don't particularly want to do it from memory and screw it up somehow.

Kylra fucked around with this message at 19:50 on Jun 7, 2011

ultrafilter
Aug 23, 2007

It's okay if you have any questions.


Kylra posted:

Ok, apparently I'm not going to get around to rehitting the "books" to flesh out the more common comorbid disorders of ADHD section, like Tourette's, OCD and learning disabilities, of the OP I am working on, so I'm probably just going to leave it at "To be filled in later" or leave it for not until I get a burst of inspiration to do it.

Unless someone wants to take that on and post it here or PM it to me.

Was going to do a 30-50 word or so brief summary about each, and I don't particularly want to do it from memory and screw it up somehow.

Wikipedia links should be fine.

Kylra
Dec 1, 2006

Not a cute boy, just a boring girl.
Good idea! I'll see about getting it all proofread again and then posted soonish.

sparksbloom
Apr 30, 2006
I've been taking 10mg Adderall XR for a year now, but I decided that I wanted to take the summer off of the drug - just a general feeling that it's not a sustainable medication and I have to have built some other ways to deal with the lack of focus. I was worried, too, that it was blunting me emotionally. Unfortunately, even with the low dose, I'm being kicked in the chest with endless fatigue, a really deep depression, and the total dissolution of all of my social skills. I've been off for over a week, so I would assume the withdrawal effects would go away but I guess that's not the case. I'm seeing my doctor later this week, but I'm worried he's going to peg me for an addict and refuse to write another prescription. (He'd expressed concern for a while that I was taking the medicine on the weekends.) I wonder if some of the effects could have come from an underlying depression that the Adderall was covering up to some extent - I'd had a couple of depressive episodes before discontinuing the meds, but nothing like this.

Anyone have any similar experiences? It kills me that I feel like I can't survive without the medicine.

Aculard
Oct 15, 2007

by Ozmaugh

Bleusman posted:

Anyone have any similar experiences? It kills me that I feel like I can't survive without the medicine.

Unless you're going broke from the medical expense, you shouldn't feel bad about having to take medicine. There are lots of people who have to take medicine for life. Just remember that it's not because you're stupid or any less of a person for having Adhd - My mother in law takes insulin and has to jab herself everyday, and I don't think any less of her for having to do it.

I don't know about you, but I'm on 25mg Adderall XR and if I don't take it for a day or two I definitely feel the same way you do. Depression and Adhd apparently go hand in hand, so it could be that you need to either change your meds to a higher or lower dose, or start an antidepressant.

taylor
Nov 21, 2004

Bleusman posted:

I've been taking 10mg Adderall XR for a year now, but I decided that I wanted to take the summer off of the drug - just a general feeling that it's not a sustainable medication and I have to have built some other ways to deal with the lack of focus. I was worried, too, that it was blunting me emotionally. Unfortunately, even with the low dose, I'm being kicked in the chest with endless fatigue, a really deep depression, and the total dissolution of all of my social skills. I've been off for over a week, so I would assume the withdrawal effects would go away but I guess that's not the case. I'm seeing my doctor later this week, but I'm worried he's going to peg me for an addict and refuse to write another prescription. (He'd expressed concern for a while that I was taking the medicine on the weekends.) I wonder if some of the effects could have come from an underlying depression that the Adderall was covering up to some extent - I'd had a couple of depressive episodes before discontinuing the meds, but nothing like this.

Anyone have any similar experiences? It kills me that I feel like I can't survive without the medicine.
Well first of all, many people take a lot more than this (up to 30mg instant release twice a day, for instance), and take it every day. So I don't understand the concern for taking it on the weekends, or telling your doctor that you would prefer constant treatment. Second, maybe you could try going up to 5mg XR once a day for a couple weeks, then go off it for the rest of summer. Though personally, I don't see why you would want to do that. Why be less productive and happy overall when the alternative has nothing against it but a general feeling that you ought to do it some other way?

Not sure what to make of the other issues you have, but they may be a combination of withdrawal, and a relatively normal reaction to the detrimental effects from withdrawal. Like, fatigue plus worse mood makes poor social skills, which makes worse mood, less drive to do anything, less productivity in general, which leads to worse mood, and so on, and this might be the biggest problem for you right now. If you are a student who is not currently employed and in job-seeking mode (though, with the fatigue, behind on this), or something similar, I would just start back up again, then quit when I'm going to be doing something all day anyways.

Chumbawumba4ever97
Dec 31, 2000

by Fluffdaddy
.

Chumbawumba4ever97 fucked around with this message at 12:32 on Sep 18, 2012

Kylra
Dec 1, 2006

Not a cute boy, just a boring girl.
In my research for the new op, I ran across a newish non-stimulant medication for ADHD besides Strattera, Intuniv. I don't know much about it though because it's pretty new as far as having an indication for ADHD and I'm not exactly a doctor whose job relies on keeping up with this (though in my experience with doctors it would surprise me none if they did not know about it). It may help you out if you don't respond well to stimulants or can't tolerate the side effects.

I'll probably eventually learn more about it, but that's not right now.

Kylra fucked around with this message at 15:25 on Jun 8, 2011

DRP Solved!
Dec 2, 2009

Hamburglar posted:

I brought up Wellbutrin to my doctor but he said it really doesn't help ADD.

I think he's probably very misinformed there. If you'd like to try the Wellbutrin, print the attached image and bring it with you during your next visit. It's got legitimate references and everything. If that's not enough for him, tell him that it's recommended in the NICE ADHD guidelines when stimulants aren't appropriate.

Kylra posted:

In my research for the new op, I ran across a newish non-stimulant medication for ADHD besides Strattera, Intuniv. I don't know much about it though because it's pretty new as far as having an indication for ADHD and I'm not exactly a doctor whose job relies on keeping up with this (though in my experience with doctors it would surprise me none if they did not know about it). It may help you out if you don't respond well to stimulants or can't tolerate the side effects.

I'll probably eventually learn more about it, but that's not right now.

Yup, this medication is in the same class as the clonidine that I brought up in a post above. The reason I mentioned the clonidine is because it's old as hell and thus has a cheap generic available.

See Hamburglar, you've got tonnes of new stuff to try!

Only registered members can see post attachments!

Kuri
Jun 26, 2009

Kylra posted:

In my research for the new op, I ran across a newish non-stimulant medication for ADHD besides Strattera, Intuniv. I don't know much about it though because it's pretty new as far as having an indication for ADHD and I'm not exactly a doctor whose job relies on keeping up with this (though in my experience with doctors it would surprise me none if they did not know about it). It may help you out if you don't respond well to stimulants or can't tolerate the side effects.

I talked about being on Intuniv a few dozen...dozen...posts back. Guanfacine and clonidine are both alpha-2-adrenergic agonists, and are thought to help with the impulsiveness and hyperactivity through both otherwise unknown action on the brain and due to the fact that THEY MAKE YOU A TIRED MOTHERFUCKER.

I take Intuniv and Adderall XR, and typically take the weekends off from the Adderall. The Intuniv does indeed help avert the "Oooh, shiny!" syndrome (along with general organization), but I usually take a nap on both Saturdays and Sundays from the decreased heart rate and blood pressure. I definitely would not be able to take it if I wasn't on the Adderall; I'd go from spastic monkey on a bike to a narcoleptic slug.

As for Wellbutrin/buproprion, it has a similar range of effects to how some of the stimulant medications are thought to most benefit for people with ADHD (norepinephrine/dopamine receptors), but what is also interesting is the effects on the nicotinic receptors. One or two of Big Pharma are working on nicotinic-receptor specific ADHD medications (without the side effects of regular nicotine). Off label, but not uncommon.

signalnoise
Mar 7, 2008

i was told my old av was distracting
Quick question regarding medication

I have picked up from this thread that when taking stimulant medications for ADD/ADHD, some people have said that they stop drinking caffeinated drinks because it wrecks them for whatever reason. I smoke a cigar from time to time, usually late at night, and I'm wondering if anyone has some experience with nicotine and this kind of thing.

Chumbawumba4ever97
Dec 31, 2000

by Fluffdaddy
.

Chumbawumba4ever97 fucked around with this message at 12:32 on Sep 18, 2012

wilfredmerriweathr
Jul 11, 2005

signalnoise posted:

Quick question regarding medication

I have picked up from this thread that when taking stimulant medications for ADD/ADHD, some people have said that they stop drinking caffeinated drinks because it wrecks them for whatever reason. I smoke a cigar from time to time, usually late at night, and I'm wondering if anyone has some experience with nicotine and this kind of thing.

I do, and I find that while nicotine (once-in-a-while pipe or cigar for me) doesn't have the same OMG CANT SLEEP WHY DID I DO THAT effect that caffeine has, it DOES tend to make my adhd medication less effective on the day following my nicotine use.

That said, I was a pack a day smoker for ~10 years so that could also have something to do with it.

blueblaze
Jul 31, 2006
It's my second week on the Vyvanse. Started at 30mg for approximately one week before being bumped to 50mg for the last two days. I felt absolutely no change from 30mg. Nothing has compared to my first two days on the drug. The positive effects were almost completely unnoticeable by Day 3.

I still have trouble with being decisive and my motivation levels; it honestly doesn't even feel like I took any medication.

ladyweapon
Nov 6, 2010

It reads all over his face,
like he's an Italian.

blueblaze posted:

It's my second week on the Vyvanse. Started at 30mg for approximately one week before being bumped to 50mg for the last two days. I felt absolutely no change from 30mg. Nothing has compared to my first two days on the drug. The positive effects were almost completely unnoticeable by Day 3.

I still have trouble with being decisive and my motivation levels; it honestly doesn't even feel like I took any medication.

What, exactly, are you expecting it to make you do? Theres always a drug honeymoon and it always goes away.

Aculard
Oct 15, 2007

by Ozmaugh

blueblaze posted:

It's my second week on the Vyvanse. Started at 30mg for approximately one week before being bumped to 50mg for the last two days. I felt absolutely no change from 30mg. Nothing has compared to my first two days on the drug. The positive effects were almost completely unnoticeable by Day 3.

I still have trouble with being decisive and my motivation levels; it honestly doesn't even feel like I took any medication.

It sounds like you're expecting the drugs to cure you of every problem ever. The positive effects were probably unnoticeable because the honeymoon high wore off and you're left with a lot of work to do.

Start keeping track of things you get done during the day (chores, homework, taking care of yourself/your pet) and compare it to your unmedicated self.

TheBigBad
Feb 28, 2004

Madness is rare in individuals, but in groups, parties, nations and ages it is the rule.

blueblaze posted:

It's my second week on the Vyvanse. Started at 30mg for approximately one week before being bumped to 50mg for the last two days. I felt absolutely no change from 30mg. Nothing has compared to my first two days on the drug. The positive effects were almost completely unnoticeable by Day 3.

I still have trouble with being decisive and my motivation levels; it honestly doesn't even feel like I took any medication.

Wait until you stop taking it and you notice how bad you off you really are without it.

This is why you should couple the drugs with cognitive therapy and coaching because the habits you create while on the drug will carry over regardless of whether you're medicated or not.

There is a chance that Vyvanse isnt for you, so discuss it with your shrink, but my advice still stands.

blueblaze
Jul 31, 2006

2508084 posted:

What, exactly, are you expecting it to make you do? Theres always a drug honeymoon and it always goes away.

I'm expecting them to give me the ability to start something and stay motivated and clear the fog in my head which gets in the way of my decision making abilities. Right now my motivation levels are even worse than before I started the meds. My drive has "calmed down" to the point where I no longer see a point in following through in any of the long-term goals I had planned. It's turned me into a drone.

Sorry, but 2 days of change followed by absolutely negligible change are not acceptable results. How am I supposed to get ADD coaching and change my habits in the TWO DAYS of my "honeymoon period" as you say?

Edit - all right, I am exaggerating a little. Upon taking the pill I do tend to find that I'm more likely to get off my butt and do chores around the house, but I'm not feeling any more inclined to work on my long-term goals. In fact, it completely deadens my desire for almost everything other than organizing and cleaning my apartment. And this was the one big thing that I wanted to fix, as others in the thread have mentioned how they abandoned certain hobbies they used to have while taking meds.

blueblaze fucked around with this message at 07:56 on Jun 13, 2011

TheBigBad
Feb 28, 2004

Madness is rare in individuals, but in groups, parties, nations and ages it is the rule.
We didn't design the disorder or its treatment to inconvenience you.

blueblaze
Jul 31, 2006

TheBigBad posted:

We didn't design the disorder or its treatment to inconvenience you.

I don't understand the point of your snark. I am just venting my frustration - why should that offend you?

I'm disappointed with the results and I was seeking any answer as to why that was. What I hear back is that I'm expecting too much and I should have used my time more wisely in the 2 DAYS the drug actually had any positive effect.

I'll be checking in with my psychiatrist tomorrow and hopefully he'll put me on another med within the week.

blueblaze fucked around with this message at 08:05 on Jun 13, 2011

TheBigBad
Feb 28, 2004

Madness is rare in individuals, but in groups, parties, nations and ages it is the rule.
Because its just been 2 DAYS well 3 since the third day it didnt work enough for you.

TheBigBad fucked around with this message at 08:40 on Jun 13, 2011

Wartime Consigliere
Mar 27, 2010

by T. Fine

TheBigBad posted:

Because its just been 2 DAYS well 3 since the third day it didnt work enough for you.

It's been 2 weeks.



blueblaze, I would try something else because the only thing you've done on Vyvanse is complain about how it does and does not makes you feel.

Qu Appelle
Nov 3, 2005

"If a COVID-19 pandemic occurs, public health officials may have additional instructions, such as avoiding close contact with others as much as possible, and staying home if someone in your household is sick." - Official insights from Public Health: Seattle & King County staff

blueblaze posted:

I'm expecting them to give me the ability to start something and stay motivated and clear the fog in my head which gets in the way of my decision making abilities. Right now my motivation levels are even worse than before I started the meds. My drive has "calmed down" to the point where I no longer see a point in following through in any of the long-term goals I had planned. It's turned me into a drone.


I get what you're saying. Definitely talk lot your doctor about this. There are other drugs out there that may be better for you. Also, ask for recommendations for coaching or therapy; it helped me a lot.

For me, my Dex makes me feel 'driven', and all I want to do is work. So, yeah - like a drone. Fortunately, I channel that into Algebra, which for me means doing all the little problems at the end of the chapter until I get the concept hammered into my head. Factoring 50 Quadratic equations on a sunny day when i'd rather be outside isn't the funnest thing in the world, but needed if I want to master this stuff. So, for me, I like that effect. However, I could see how others don't like it. Talk to your doc.

ladyweapon
Nov 6, 2010

It reads all over his face,
like he's an Italian.

Qu Appelle posted:

For me, my Dex makes me feel 'driven', and all I want to do is work. So, yeah - like a drone. Fortunately, I channel that into Algebra, which for me means doing all the little problems at the end of the chapter until I get the concept hammered into my head. Factoring 50 Quadratic equations on a sunny day when i'd rather be outside isn't the funnest thing in the world, but needed if I want to master this stuff. So, for me, I like that effect. However, I could see how others don't like it. Talk to your doc.
God I wish you lived near me. I don't care how on the ball I am, math still kills me. Id saw through my right arm first.

Links for coping skills? I only know what I know and it isn't enough apparently. I know the basics. Maybe I should just go back to sitting in an ihop with a cup of (decaf) coffee till my poo poo is done like I did before

taylor
Nov 21, 2004

blueblaze posted:

Edit - all right, I am exaggerating a little. Upon taking the pill I do tend to find that I'm more likely to get off my butt and do chores around the house, but I'm not feeling any more inclined to work on my long-term goals. In fact, it completely deadens my desire for almost everything other than organizing and cleaning my apartment. And this was the one big thing that I wanted to fix, as others in the thread have mentioned how they abandoned certain hobbies they used to have while taking meds.

It's easy to recognize all of this. The drugs are working as usual, and you are now procrastinating. Ask anyone: do you clean your room when you have a big project to work on? The answer will always be yes.

Motivation to work on long term goals at any given time is something you have to do yourself. No drugs out there will change that. In fact, you can only get mania like this two ways: bipolar disorder, and as an initial response to amphetamines or cocaine or ritalin. Mania is nice at first, sure, but it's best to think of the honeymoon period as a mild form of a debilitating disorder: if you had that effect long term, you would not in fact be better off, since you'd be switching projects often, starting too many, spending too much money, and so on like other manic people, etc. Just because you didn't have it long enough to have the negative effects emerge, doesn't mean it's even desirable in the long run (if it were even possible to get).

I think a lot of people try drugs like Adderall, get the honeymoon effect, don't really understand it, and then spend a long time chasing it. It's really unfortunate.

If you want to work on long term projects, start doing them. If you've wanted to read a book, then do it. Not at home, but by going to a park or a library or school. Once there, with the drugs, you'll be able to read all day. That is how all of the drugs work, but you do have to do a tiny bit of work yourself to accomplish them.

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Aculard
Oct 15, 2007

by Ozmaugh

blueblaze posted:

I don't understand the point of your snark. I am just venting my frustration - why should that offend you?

I'm disappointed with the results and I was seeking any answer as to why that was. What I hear back is that I'm expecting too much and I should have used my time more wisely in the 2 DAYS the drug actually had any positive effect.

I'll be checking in with my psychiatrist tomorrow and hopefully he'll put me on another med within the week.

Because you're whining about not being high. You are literally posting that you don't feel like a jacked up addict and this is unacceptable.

Let me ask you, how many years have you lived with ADD without being diagnosed? Those are probably 20+ years of learning bad habits and helplessness. So why the hell do you expect yourself to magically feel better after 2-3 days of your body adjusting to the medication?

Most of the time I can't feel my adderall when I take it other than a nice boost to my alertness. This is how it should be - I can now put more effort and time into projects, but I'm still learning how to cope long ter. If you are feeling the medication hit you like in those 2-3 first days constantly, you are taking too much.

So stop whining that a stimulant didn't completely fix every aspect of your personality and lifestyle you've been living with for 20+ years and get yourself into a therapy session to learn COPING SKILLS AND STRATEGIES. The pills aren't going to tell you to get your work done, they aren't going to kick your rear end for not getting the dishes done, and they sure as hell are not going to fix all your problems.

Go to the doctor if you are having nasty side effects, if you truly notice (by documenting) absolutely no change between medicated and unmedicated - but the minute you walk in to say "Hey I'm not as high as the first 2-3 days, what gives" you *will* look like a drug addict.


2508084 posted:

God I wish you lived near me. I don't care how on the ball I am, math still kills me. Id saw through my right arm first.

Links for coping skills? I only know what I know and it isn't enough apparently. I know the basics. Maybe I should just go back to sitting in an ihop with a cup of (decaf) coffee till my poo poo is done like I did before

Yeah, that would work really well. I used to procastinate A LOT over my homework. I learnt if I sat in the hallway infront of my locker until it was all finished then I wouldn't forget it in the bottom of my backpack...which eventually would become a graveyard for all the crumpled homework assignments, finished or not.

Aculard fucked around with this message at 19:03 on Jun 13, 2011

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