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Just wanted to say thanks to the people that are sharing their experiences. It's been cathartic to read about other people and recognise myself, that it isn't just me, it's actually a problem. I especially need to make a giant reminder about how it feels like the meds aren't effective after I've been using them for a while, but that's because I forget what a poo poo show I am without medication and start questioning if I really need this.
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Apr 18, 2019 05:19
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| # ¿ May 22, 2024 14:32 |
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BoneMonkey posted:Take a day or 2 off. Its good for you, and you will soon remember. After making that post, I went back to where I was up to earlier in the thread and completely forgot about checking for new responses. Whoops. I have at least a day off on the weekend. That and the days where I delay a dose for a few hours are a great reminder. Earlier in the year I had a really rough patch despite the meds. I didn't have much on that I felt were "worth" taking them for, so I wasn't taking them with any regularity. Once I got depressed and anxious again things got worse. For me, consistently taking the meds so I'm actually getting poo poo done seems to be a really important plank in my mental health. If nothing else, when I'm taking the meds I'm much more aware of myself, I can generally see the undesirable habit/behaviour and intervene, it's not so autopilot. Therapy has been invaluable. I've improved loads since combining therapy with consistent adhd meds. Keret posted:It would be a good idea, I think, for me to do the same thing. Have you found that after being on meds for a while, it sort of bleeds over into your off-med days in terms of how you're able to approach things and function? Or do you find that off-med days are pretty much the same as they were before meds? I find on my days off I'm pretty much the same capacity as before meds, higher if anything as I'm not as depressed/anxious as usual. I've also had a bunch of days to plan and organise stuff so that my day off is better prepared/supported, so I get more done than completely unmedicated. Good habits established do carry over, but it isn't magic and takes more effort. As an aside, I've recently allowed myself to take the meds when I'm doing leisure stuff, like watching a more involved movie, reading, talking to people, even just to sit and think and it's been really positive. Movies especially are a completely different experience for me.
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May 4, 2019 11:39
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I was intending to read the thread but let's be real that ain't happening. What systems do you set up to stay on top of things? It occurred to me that I keep trying the same thing, writing notes haphazardly across notepads/phone. I end up with three/four different things I have to check to make sure I'm not missing anything, and even then tasks fall off the radar if they're not completed on time. A physical calendar was ok for big stuff like Dr appointments but doesn't have enough room for day to day stuff, I also lose visibility on far out stuff coming up. I tend to use the same systems over and over despite failing repeatedly, then blame myself for not being X or Y enough to make it work, give it a rest for a while then try the same system again. I've started using a bullet journal which sounds like the wankiest thing but I'm enjoying the flexibility. It's great being able to go, "Ok page 20 is now my notes about the airport shuttle price, departures etc so I can just read and relay it when I talk to the traveller in a month when they're returning", shove page "Airport Shuttle notes p20" in the index and it just exists in and around my day to day stuff, and I'll be able to find it again easy. Rather than having day to day notes, another journal for "special things", but then I need a third journal for "other special things" oh god there's a fourth "most specialist things" journal oh god they're all crossing over please help. I've been trying to learn more about the mechanics of ADHD inattentive. I've especially been listening to people talking about their experience and strategies for dealing. HowtoADHD on youtube can be good, sometimes it's really bang on, especially about negative feelings around being unable to do seemingly simple stuff without medication/a lot of support/work. It's cathartic that I'm not a one of a kind gently caress up. I've been listening to ADHD Essentials, a podcast on spotify, it's really aimed at parents of kids with ADHD but I keep hearing things that I missed out on in childhood that I'm like "gently caress I wish I'd had that drilled into me". From it I've made a hard rule of no computer/tv/phone/electronics at 9. It's removing a choice so I don't have to worry, plan or calculate what time to stop. Manipulating my phone to put on/stop a podcast is the limit. 10pm I take a melatonin tablet, no more phone at all, I read a physical book or write. By 11 I'm ready for bed and go. My phone doesn't go near my bedroom anymore, as I tend to get bored trying to sleep and reach for it, or when I wake up I watch poo poo on it too long, stay in bed way too long and can fall back asleep, which fucks my schedule, which makes things worse. The melatonin is great for getting me consistently tired and actually to sleep before 2, 3 or 4 am. Since starting that I've been waking up naturally very early. Because I get bored and don't have anything in bed I get up faster and don't risk falling back asleep. I've even been exercising first thing which I've noticed improves my thinking a lot even before medication. If you have any other helpful resources or tips, please share.
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Jun 10, 2019 02:24
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Tenacious J posted:So I am wondering if my symptoms sound like ADHD. I'm having a hard time truly believing they are, but a psychiatrist believes I do after a very brief interview. I could relate to a lot of what you said and I have ADHD/I, take that how you will. I found that I couldn't relate to the diagnostic criteria that much and doubted my diagnosis for a time. Listening to people talk about their experience of ADHD and psychiatrists talk about ADHD in adults made it much clearer for me to the point I could see it in myself and accept it. Apparently the diagnostic criteria are aimed squarely at researchers observing kids or teenagers at best. By adulthood people learn either concealing or compensating behaviours to mask it. If you have a partner, showing them some information about ADHD, especially stories of adult ADHD, their input would be invaluable. You don't have to be 10/10 for every symptom or impacted equally in every area of your life. Generally, ADHD people will have situations where they're not impaired at all, others where they're terribly impaired, even if the situations are superficially similar. This is a huge generalisation, but an ADHD person just can't seem to do the things they know they should do, things they know they can do, know their are consequences for not doing or rewards for doing, until they're either really interested in some aspect of the task or the consequences of not doing it are dire and literally about to grind them into paste. With ruling out other disorders, that's a conversation for your doctors, or for you to learn about those disorders and see if they apply. It's common for ADHD people to have co-morbid disorders, or for ADHD impairments to give rise to them. E.g. failing at school/work due to ADHD, feeling depressed or anxious about it is pretty understandable. About meds, your response can change over time, talk to your doc. I found that I went through multiple stages of ritalin where it would be amazing, then not, increase the dose, it's amazing again, then not, increase. I actually went down somewhat last time. My current does is not as noticeably amazing as before, but it's still an incredible difference, it's just a more subtle than the initial. Yakiniku Teishoku posted:It seems like it could be to me, and 10mg is a starting dose for that so you might just need to have it adjusted. I’ve read that meds aren’t a magic bullet but they seem to allow your willpower to actually work better when on them. I’m still in the beginning stages of trying meds too and while I’m still distracted it’s much much easier now to recognize where I’m wandering off and pull myself back. Pretty much. ADHD is a poo poo name. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. You don't have to be outwardly hyperactive to have it. You don't have a deficit of attention, if anything you have too much of it, what you have is an inability to regulate and direct your attention as the situation requires. With meds I get much more of a choice in what I'm doing, I can get started on and stick to stuff I'm not interested in. Or choose not to do things, that's ok to, but before it wasn't really a choice. I was really weirded out when I started meds and realised I could just choose to do things without having to push through wall of procrastination. That came and went over time, I went through a fair few adjustments to get to now, where I'd say I'm 80% happy with the dose. But gently caress me if I don't get a full nights sleep I am beyond hopeless the next day, meds or no meds. e: meds still massively help getting poo poo done it's just the inattentiveness ramps up to 11.
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Nov 23, 2019 08:20
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Considering that's basically the stereotype for adhd inattentive type, I imagine you'll be in good company. I'm more shockingly forgetful type. I do day dream a lot.
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Dec 12, 2019 02:42
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Yeah me either until I started meds and realised I wasn't doing that much any more, I framed it as I was just thinking about things.
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Dec 12, 2019 09:05
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YggiDee posted:The first symptom of ADHD is trying to find a good analogy for ADHD. Yeah. The first one I got was brains are horses, getting you where you need to go. With adhd, your horse can be fast as gently caress and it can run forever, but it's an absolute willful rear end in a top hat that only goes where it wants. Sometimes that lines up with where you're going, most times you're being taken for a ride. And humanity thinks they're centaurs. It came out better the first time I swear. I think that the time between when you first became aware adhd was possible and the time you started seeking diagnosis is an indicator. Been talking with family for a loving year now and they're still like "yeah i should do that! "
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Dec 13, 2019 22:34
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Corte posted:I was diagnosed with "Adult ADD" in my early 20s while attending university. I have tried a number of medications throughout the intervening time which have helped but have never engaged with learning on the subject. Someone recommended the ADDitude podcast but at 300+ episodes it's a little daunting to dive into. There is A LOT of material on the subject and I honestly have no idea where to begin. I struggle with addictive behaviours and found Gabor Mate's book In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts helpful, he has one on ADD called Scattered Minds but it's 20 years-old, any read it? I liked Barkley's book Taking Charge of Adult ADHD. I wouldn't really call it starter but he also has a series of (old now) lecture videos on youtube that were pretty good. Other people swear by Delivered from Distraction by Hallowell and Ratey, but personally I thought they were good for going "ADHD is a thing! You too could have it!" but absolutely sucked for "Ok what do I need to do about it?" I scroll through ADDitude's podcast, ignoring something like 80% and just pick based on my own interest at the time. There's a good few on shame that I find very helpful when I'm deep in it and starting to wall myself off from life again. I'd listen to anything with Drs Nigg, Dodsen, Hallowell on it regardless of the topic though.
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Aug 27, 2020 14:05
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YggiDee posted:I don't know how accurate all of that information is, but it seems to check out after a cursory Google and I knew if I investigated deeper I'd never get around to posting it It's from a fairly well respected Dr Dodsen. I've heard him say some of it verbatim on podcasts.
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Oct 13, 2020 21:05
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Ayin posted:Thanks YggiDee, I certainly understand the research rabbit-hole I'm on concerta and I had noticed I was sometimes struggling after lunch more than I used to. I did not connect that to the soft drink habit I'd developed. More testing is needed.
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Oct 14, 2020 23:02
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Depends on the person and the meds. For me, alertness, concentration definitely. Memory yes but lack of sleep kills this very quickly. When I first started stimulants, I found that I was tracking passing time much better. I didn't need to set reminders while cooking, my brain would just send up a flag that it's been X time, and it was accurate, but that disappeared over time. Still better than unmedicated. When I started meds it cut through procrastination insanely well, it was so easy to do things, but that's faded as well. Currently fighting with my psychiatrist, I want to try other medications, they believe it's psychological. Emotional dysfunction yeah incredible benefits. Emotions aren't as sudden, or as overwhelmingly compelling. I'm not blunt, things still hurt, still give me joy etc, but I have little insulation. Sometimes I can leverage that to do CBT style stuff to change my actions. Before it was like a lightning bolt and the chance of successfully intervening was minuscule.
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Oct 25, 2020 22:38
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Knobb Manwich posted:I'm on concerta and I had noticed I was sometimes struggling after lunch more than I used to. I did not connect that to the soft drink habit I'd developed. More testing is needed. Re soft drink and extended release meds, concerta in particular. Since I stopped getting a coke with lunch the afternoon struggle at work hasn't been as bad. I think it also carries into a better evening too. It's not empirical proof but it's enough for me to stick to water.
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Oct 27, 2020 22:27
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sporkstand posted:- Things get 'stuck in my head' very frequently. Sometimes it's song lyrics but more often it's just a word, phrase, sentence or a person's name. Whatever it happens to be will just repeat over and over in my head. Sometimes the repetitive thought can last for days. I hate it but feel as if I have no control over my own brain. Due to this I can no longer really listen to music that has lyrics. -yes, in the morning before my meds kick in there is a constant refrain of something echoing in my head. It's irritating. It vanishes about an hour after I dose. -yes, I find it a lot harder to get into something initially as I've aged, but I find if I persevere and find something that either challenges me or interests me I'll be glued to it like old times. I often remember though even when I was 10 years old, the Lord of the Rings loving suuuuuuuuucked and was a slog until Gandalf fell in Moria, then I was hooked except skipping every poem and song. It's not a new trait it's just exaggerated. Medication actually hurts this a little, as stuff I was really interested in like gaming doesn't do as much for me and I'd rather do something real when medicated. Often that bounces off my procrastinating/perfectionism and I do nothing so hooray. -yeah, though much less when medicated. I suspect it's pretty normal for effectiveness to drop once you get used to your dose. I take Concerta (Ritalin extended release basically) for about two years at the same dose. It is getting significantly harder to do things for myself but conversely I'm noticing my work performance regarding memory, organisation, attention to detail has been improving and I can't explain it or square it away. Re getting addicted to stims, it's a risk in theory, I was worried about it, but the minute I realised I have to fight to get out of bed to take it and often almost forget my dose means I'm a pretty poo poo addict. The long release versions are much harder to abuse. I wouldn't factor it into your decision making, they're not addictive where you have withdrawal if you miss a dose or five, but mentally you'll be like "gently caress I need my meds" but it's coming from fear of the garbage fire life quickly becomes rather than addiction.
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Jun 15, 2021 23:38
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signalnoise posted:About a week ago I tried to go to sleep and couldn't stop thinking about how if you follow the circumference of an oval centered on 0,0, you can take the values from the X axis alone to show a line segment with a point bouncing between both ends, accelerating toward the middle and decelerating toward the ends, and that this could also be used to create a corresponding sine wave holy poo poo username/post combo
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Jun 16, 2021 07:32
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Miss Broccoli posted:I self medicate with caffeine which leads me to beleive that stimulants (vyvanse is all thats available to those diagnosed as adults here) will be beneficial. The other long release stimulants are available, but vyvanse is the only one listed on the PBS scheme for that sweet commie health care discount. It was added relatively recently. I'm still on concerta as a diagnosed as adult, it's roughly $85 for a month's supply which sucks but the benefits are worth it. If I was unemployed though I'd back down to dirt cheap Ritalin.
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Jun 23, 2021 00:43
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Miss Broccoli posted:I haven't been told first hand about the painkillers thing, thats from other (may or may not be trans) people talking about stuff on reddit etc. tldr is that its a scheduled drug so they are nutso about it. Australian healthcare basically considers ADHD a childhood disease too, its pretty ableist. Gotta stop the 1 person abusing it at the expense of the 99 patients. Honestly stop the tiny majority of abusers and gently caress the people who need this is our governments MO Yeah the stimulants are restricted, it's annoying, but it's more your script stays with the pharmacy, it will expire 6 months from issue date so if you're slow going through your dose you might miss the last repeat, and they won't dispense it if it's too close to last time. I can't tell you about painkillers though which I imagine are a lot more tightly controlled than stimulants. Some doctors will be tighter than others. The biggest issue I've had is finding my script expired and needing to call my psych to get a new one faxed to the pharmacy. RE PBS It's purely cost to gov vs benefit to gov, it doesn't reflect healthcare professionals opinion. I'm honestly surprised vyvanse got added to the PBS given our current gov and their love of bootstraps. What's amazing is that the PBS subsidise the easily abusable instant release stimulants for adults but not most of the long release, which require a lot more effort to abuse, so it's not about preventing abuse.
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Jun 23, 2021 08:15
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What country are you in? Having a bunch of family also be ADHD doesn't really change the path to diagnosis, it's just another tick for the doctor. Generally you talk to the GP, say you want a referral to a specialist. You can look around to see if there are any nearby and ask for a direct referral. If you have a choice, always go for someone specialising in adult ADHD over a general psych or child ADHD specialists. If the GP tries to diagnose you (some will say "you can't be adhd you've done X/Y/Z") insist on the psych. Doctors will want corroborating evidence if it exists that you had problems in childhood to rule out something that developed after. That would be school reports, might be asking your parents. They might want to speak to your partner as well. E: in Australia I have to have a referral from a GP to see the psych. It expires every 12 months. It's great.
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Sep 6, 2021 08:15
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signalnoise posted:Today I told my dad that yeah I'd have lunch with him but ya know, my memory for appointments isn't great, and I wonder if it's a thing among psychiatrists and psychologists that ADHD patients have a greater tendency to forget their appointments. He insisted that if something was important to me I'd remember. lmao. lol. no One time I flaked on dinner with my mum who was, unknown to me, very suicidal. I have no memory of offering to get dinner with her that night at all. I suspect I said "we should get dinner when I'm back in hometown next" a week or two beforehand. That was great, only had like six months of her alternately refusing to talk to me or ringing to let me know it was all my fault she was suicidal. Shout out to the rest of my family who ignored mum being totally suicidal and said I had to fix it. Ok so maybe that was not as lol as I thought when I started typing.
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Oct 3, 2021 07:20
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Yeah don't disagree. One day at a family thing she pulled me aside, we talked like reasonable humans and it was back to normal. Never apologised for it. I think it was a combo of depression, anxiety, undiagnosed adhd & RSD, opening doors to old trauma from her marriage. She couldn't vent at any of my siblings because of grandkids, I right place right timed into the crosshair.
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Oct 4, 2021 02:59
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Car Hater posted:I'm undecided whether I can blame Adderall for something that was a concern before I started meds but the idea of taking Viagra to deal with my lack of libido is funny like giving a fish a bicycle Just the other day I read an offhand comment by Barkley that stimulants are vasoconstricors, that wouldn't help ED. It really bothers me that I've been on meds for like two years and still find out poo poo my doctor or pharmacist should lead with. Maybe they did and I forgot idk. Like I've been struggling to do things on meds for a while and I couldn't figure it out. If I did engage, I'd be fine, but getting started and engaged was not interesting at all, and I'd do other stuff instead, or do nothing and just daydream while on meds. At times it's been easier to get poo poo done without meds which blew my mind. Even stuff I enjoy. Another comment was about the emotional blunting effect of stimulants. I really enjoy the extra emotional stability from stimulants, but I didn't link the blunting effect to procrastinating until I realised it's reducing positive emotions to a degree, which are really important for getting motivated to do things like paint models. It's not depression, at times it could be anxiety but mostly isn't, just choosing again and again not to do things.
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Oct 21, 2021 22:39
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| # ¿ May 22, 2024 14:32 |
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A Festivus Miracle posted:Adderall is fine but the crash is ooph. Vyvanse gives me rumble guts. Adderall XR is ok but the 3 PM irritation and rage I get sucks. What about meth(ylphenidate(ritalin)) or strattera?
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Aug 20, 2022 10:29
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