My first post (yay!).
I'm a little bit leery of some of the side effects that may accompany prescription use and not totally convinced that the pro's will outweigh the possible con's. If there are any willing to share personal experiences, it would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for sharing!
Welcome! I haven't really posted yet--I am all over the place emotion-wise. I am 52 but have had ADD-PI or the Inattentive type ADD all my life, My first medicine I was given was Vyvanse 50mg. I read that normally they start you out at 30mg but for some reason I was given more. The one advice I would give anyone is that it is truly best to start low and work your way up. It is so hard to be patient as that is not in our nature! But in this case, tread lightly.
For me, that made me feel really zoned out and I became less productive and had more internal chatter. Like in my head going over ideas, etc. But my body was stuck in Zombie Land. I stopped those and am taking Adderall 10 mg twice a day. The thing I like about this is you have some control over when you need it. Everyone has different time periods of the day they focus best. Or perhaps you work 3rd shift, etc. My goal is not to stay on this dose or this exclusively but I really wanted to be able to try this first.
If you try to read what works best you will be overwhelmed and it is different for everyone. Dr. Charles Parker has a book on medications I bought and that was helpful. I do believe that the type of ADD you have does play a role. And also your metabolism, etc. Do share how things go and there are plenty of non-medication routes to go and some vitamins and nutrition that contribute to brain health/focus.
We are here if you need us!
Kari
I understand your concerns as I have never been one to like taking medication. In this case, however, medication changed my life! I am on Adderall. I started on the long acting, but was switched to short acting when I was working the 3-11 shift. I have remained on this since it gives me control over taking it when I need it most if my day is gong to be particularly long. I would have to admit that I haven't been great about trying a certain diet, etc, but I can't imagine not taking the med in order to try something else. It works for me and I don't experience any side effects that I've noticed. This is just my experience and everyone is different, but with ADD, medication is necessary, in my opinion and that of most professionals.
I hope your experience with medication is as helpful as mine. Good luck.
Thank you for sharing. I am hoping that it does have that life changing affect, I am scared though :(. . I don't want to be let down if the intended affects don't meet my expectations. Perhaps a bit of anxiety is creeping up on me as a result of treading unknown waters. I'm hoping that by reading these forums and some replies I'll be able to alleviate some jitters. Thanks again!
Taking new medications, especially ones that do have known side effects can always be a bit daunting. However, it's important to take it as directed and monitor how you feel on a daily basis. Make sure that you let your doctor know, if you are experiencing any of these side effects.
One thing i wish I knew more about and that I had started to implement earlier is that managing ADHD symptoms goes far beyond simply taking a prescription.
While, prescription medications can and do certainly serve their purposes, it is crucial to recognize the importance of a well-balanced nutritional diet, establishing routines, making certain that you are getting enough sleep, and even trying things to relax the mind, like meditation.
The prescriptions will help address some of the symptoms, trials and tribulations that are associated with ADHD, but managing the disorder as a whole takes work. It takes practice. Simply taking the medications will not "cure" ADHD or it would already be called a cure. However, we CAN manage ADHD.
Discuss these things with your doctor and I believe that as long as you closely monitor taking the new medication, you will not only be fine, but find that certain symptoms are alleviated easier for you.
All the best!
Howie
Thanks for that! This is all new territory for me and I really appreciate the thoughts and recommendations, it is very encouraging :-).
Hi Zman,
Noticing what changes when the medication wears off is one way to assess how it helps. For example, after taking a medication, work may be easier to organize, focus may improve, and distractions from the external environment may lessen. When the medication wears off you may notice that whatever you were doing becomes slightly overwhelming, or you might notice a change in your temperament. For an adult those feelings are usually manageable, so just take note. Positives and negatives can be reported to your doctor.
Whatever your expectations are, you'll want to assess your response to the meds from scratch because as an individual you'll respond to meds in your own way. You might have specific expectations and goals that will be possible to reach with the help of meds.
Howie's points about healthy lifestyle, routines, and sleep are so important! They keep you at your best every day, while you are medicated and while you are not.
I'm curious about what you'll learn from the med trials if that's what you decide to do. Good luck!
Our daughter has been on Vyvanse for 2 years. It takes time for the side effects to pass (everyone is different). It’s taken upon waking and lasts in their system from 6 to 8 hours. The most common side effect is stomach upset (nausea), lack of appetite and insomnia. In regards to the nausea our daughter still deals with it from time to time, but it is manageble. In our situation the benefits out weighed the side effects. We have to make sure eats regular healthy meals or else her blood sugar gets low. We also have her on a regular dose of melatonin to help her sleep.