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ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

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Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#431

Post by zackmorris »

rustybelt wrote: post #51

Thousands of words and no mention of diet. I was diagnosed ADHD in 5th grade, tried just about every medication out there, and never landed on a workable long-term solution until I modified my diet. Medication always had mixed results. Many allowed me to focus and better control impulses, but the emotional crash at the end of the day was too much. Others caused insomnia or palpitations. Cutting sugar and limiting car…

I'm a recreational weightlifter/bodybuilder and I agree that diet makes a huge difference. But, I am concerned about all the talk of cutting something out, like with keto. We should be talking about balance and increasing nutrients that are lacking instead.

In my case, I got some rather severe digestive issues similar to IBS that turned out to be similar to what vegetarians get after several years if they don't watch their nutrients and vitamins. I spent 2 years battling it without knowing what was causing it. After days of conversations with some very smart friends, one of them suggested a connection between tryptophan and serotonin (which is made from it in the gut).

Long story short, I started eating pork again (mainly bacon) after avoiding it for 20 years due to ethical concerns, and my digestive issues cleared up in a matter of days. My acne went away and my mood stabilized almost overnight. It was one of the most miraculous things I've experienced in many years. I also added psyllium husk fiber with meals 1-3 times a day and have maintained proper digestive function for several months now.

Some things that really help me are zinc gluconate for immune function and recovery from exercise 1-7 times per week (too much will make you feel bad, a headache in my case), omega 3 capsules and glucosamine/chondroitin (which is for joint health but the mechanism likely happens through the gut as well). I also eat 2-4 whole eggs per day based on how hard I'm hitting the gym. My feeling is that the lack of fat in our diet from the 1980s till today has really wrecked most people's metabolisms and they are simultaneously frantically starving, fat from eating too much, and chronically malnourished.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#432

Post by celdon25 »

gaspoweredcat wrote: post #406
gremlinsinc wrote: post #397

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I went down into dark depression 2 years back. Wife just had our first baby. I was 38. I used my kid to draw me out of depression so I didn't do anything stupid to myself. Went to therapy over a year ago, was diagnosed with ADHD. At the same time I started doing crossfit and lost 90 pounds in 3 months. My PCP prescribed me Vyvanse, and just being able to focus a little better and see my life change for better and may…

im having a similar issue and am also prescribed vyvanse (or elvanse as its called here) i like to test theories out myself so ive tried taking extra and it does seem to help so i plan on asking about a dosage increase at my next review i also tried cold turkey for near a month in the hope it would lower my tolerance but sadly no such luck, it did however give me some spare meds with which to try the higher dose

Taking extra is a fast track to burnout and disaster. Do it at your own peril.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#433

Post by celdon25 »

khalilravanna wrote: post #80
vonseel wrote: post #47

I’m 31 and have ADHD (diagnosed in my teens) and I’m pretty sure NOBODY with ADHD is going to have the wherewithal to read this entire article! Unless it happens to magically coincide with their hyper-focus topic of the moment! In all seriousness, I skimmed parts of the article and kept scrolling and it just kept going and going and going... like the Energizer bunny. I guess the author found a doctor to prescribe sti…

That's interesting to hear about ADHD causing mood swings/anger/irritability and the stimulants doing away with them. Is that a common trait of the illness? I only noticed that after I started taking stimulants my temper became a lot more short. It's to the point that I have to be really cognizant of it lest I inadvertently snap at someone due to some biological response (really not good as a leader in an organizatio…

The types of medications prescribed for ADHD tend to make one overconfident. They may stop certain variants of mood swings but do they really make you a more pleasant person to be around? My experience and observations tell me that's unlikely to be the case.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#434

Post by lutorm »

What I'm struck with reading this post, and the comments, is that all we know is how our own brain works. None of us can share the thoughts and experiences of someone else.

As far as I know, my brain is "normal" (whatever that means.) But I still think I have plenty of problems concentrating, forget what I'm doing in the instant, get hyperfocused on some topic and get very aggravated if I'm interrupted, etc. How do we know whether my problems concentrating are worse than someone else's? Maybe everyone's brain has the same innate issues but some people have just happened to develop coping strategies that work better for them?

It just seems really difficult to have a rational discussion about something where literally no one has a shared experience with anyone else.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#435

Post by esch89 »

munk-a wrote: post #250
esch89 wrote: post #158

After reading this article, I think I have undiagnosed ADHD...

Please do seek professional care and don't try any of the self-medicating techniques mentioned here. From someone else with ADHD, there's nothing to be ashamed about and if it's hard right now - I hope it gets easier.

Agreed - thank you!

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#436

Post by khalilravanna »

wahern wrote: post #161
khalilravanna wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's interesting to hear about ADHD causing mood swings/anger/irritability and the stimulants doing away with them. Is that a common trait of the illness? I only noticed that after I started taking stimulants my temper became a lot more short. It's to the point that I have to be really cognizant of it lest I inadvertently snap at someone due to some biological response (really not good as a leader in an organizatio…

Is that while the medication is at its peak, or more toward the tail end of the cycle? The extended amphetamine release Vyvanse, for example, can leave you feeling tired after it wears off. Especially on "vacations", like weekends or other extended periods, until you readjust. Such exhaustion would likely shorten anyone's temper, but especially someone with ADHD.

For me it's while it's at its peak. I personally use IR as opposed to XR. This was because I personally have a high propensity for insomnia (to the point that if I have coffee after like 2 or 3 PM I risk not sleeping). So I essentially am prescribed to take it twice a day but rarely go for the second dose. If I do take the second dose I have an insanely productive day but often get no sleep.

Back to the topic of the irritability/temper, yeah it's basically when it's active. Afterwards I'm a bit tired but otherwise totally kosher. For context, I am also on a very low dose of 5 mg. 10mg starts putting me on "talk really fast, move really fast" sort of stimulant buzz. 20mg was utterly uncomfortable. IIRC the higher doses exacerbated the positives and negatives: even better focus, even less patience, even shorter temper.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#437

Post by munk-a »

celdon25 wrote: post #433
khalilravanna wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's interesting to hear about ADHD causing mood swings/anger/irritability and the stimulants doing away with them. Is that a common trait of the illness? I only noticed that after I started taking stimulants my temper became a lot more short. It's to the point that I have to be really cognizant of it lest I inadvertently snap at someone due to some biological response (really not good as a leader in an organizatio…

The types of medications prescribed for ADHD tend to make one overconfident. They may stop certain variants of mood swings but do they really make you a more pleasant person to be around? My experience and observations tell me that's unlikely to be the case.

ADHD is related to some dopamine dysfunctions which a decent proportion of people correct for with aggression[1] - I think predominantly men do this - since conflict will supply the reward response our brains should have given out for success. So a lot of confrontational people that have un-diagnosed ADHD will actually level out with medication.

1. Sort of a vast simplification, but basically hulking out and raging - maybe physically, maybe passive aggressively, maybe verbally - the form it takes varies wildly.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#438

Post by munk-a »

CathedralBorrow wrote: post #414
DudeIsJammin wrote: post #324

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I agree. But also it's curious that so many people feel like they have it. Makes me wonder if in addition to people that were born with ADHD, these sites like youtube/reddit and video games can create ADHD symptoms over time as your brain adjusts to constant dopamine. Kind of like how constant sugar can spike insulin and with weight gain over time can creates insulin resistance/diabetes. It's like type 1 vs typ…

> But also it's curious that so many people feel like they have it. My hypothesis: ADHD is defined as X out of Y listed symptoms, almost all of which people experience in some way at some points in their lives. The difference is between "I sometimes have problems with some of these things" vs. "I have significant problems with many of these to the point where it is a big and constant problem in my daily life and caus…

I mean, that's sort of normal with neurological disorders though - a few have really clear symptoms that are blindly obvious to anyone from the outside. We, as humans, both can't see into other minds and can't let others see into our minds. If you analogy for ADHD is building a wall of awful[1] then normal people do place bricks in front of their actions, it just doesn't spiral in the same way as people with ADHD tend to do regularly - most of the bipolar people never act "inhuman" they just spend a lot of time at extreme emotional levels that most of us, thankfully, only visit occasionally... OCD (specifically, as a disorder) isn't liking things neat, it is harming yourself trying to keep things in a certain state - being late to a meeting because when you locked the car the click of the keys didn't sound like they should.

And everything is a spectrum, everything - nobody is immune to indecision fog, getting sidetracked, feeling helpless in front of a decision that feels bigger than it rationally is, etc... but those moments usually happen rarely, for some people it is a constant fight that actively lowers their quality of life.

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo08uS904Rg

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#439

Post by munk-a »

tartoran wrote: post #419
klipklop wrote: post #264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not a doctor but sometimes ADHD-like symptoms can be other things like being bipolar. There are a lot of non-stimulant and non-drug options to explore.

No, certainly I am not bipolar. It’s the nowadays distractions that get at me..

I don't know how much patience you have for trialing drugs but some people have reported responding very well to Wellbutrin. In my own life, ritalin was terrible for me but switching over to concerta - a slower dispensing XR methylphenidate - did wonders.

There are a lot of options a neurologist can explore and everyone's brain is different.

That said... if non-pharmaceutical coping mechanisms work to your satisfaction that's great to hear.

Re: ADHD, a Lifelong Struggle (2018)

#440

Post by brailsafe »

40acres wrote: post #9

I was diagnosed in 2019 after a long series of conversations with a therapist following a work disaster that nearly cost me my job. Getting diagnosed was like finding the missing piece of the puzzle regarding my life. My schooling history suddenly made sense, the poor financial decisions, etc. everything became clear. The biggest thing I realized is how tightening feedback loops is the key to my productivity, I gravi…

28 here, diagnosed in 2019 as well. In 2016 I actually lost a job because of the 5 - 10 minutes it took to rebuild Tomcat after I fixed a JS typo. Finally the server starts up and I get called into a retro, or a planning meeting, or town hall. Then I fall behind and feel the need to catch up on work at 10pm. 4am I get to sleep to be late for the 10am standup. Meanwhile the guy adjacent to me is typing on a mechanical keyboard amd screaming through a bluetooth mic on a sales call.
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