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Me and ADHD

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Re: Me and ADHD

#131

Post by renewiltord »

madamelic wrote: post #20

Fellow ADHD person: Get diagnosed and get a low-dose of meds. It helps _a lot_. You will likely hate the feeling they give you for the first week (you will genuinely feel high even on 10mg Adderall XR), along with nightmares and night sweats but after a few weeks, you'll suddenly be productive at a very normal level. I don't feel strung out nor is it some addiction. Ignore the people screaming about Adderall being "l…

How strange. My initial dose made me feel almost sleepy. I'm usually high-energy at night time, but now I go to bed before midnight.

Re: Me and ADHD

#132

Post by bootstrapping »

xyzzy_plugh wrote: post #93

A lot of comments here are warning about the addictive properties of stimulant medications. For folks without ADHD, you should know that stimulants, like Ritalin and Adderall, do not usually cause the same response as in non-ADHD people. I've spoken with many people on stimulants, and none of them enjoy taking the medication, beyond what it has done to improve their lives. Furthermore, most ADHD people develop tolera…

I'll echo this; I'm a serial founder who was diagnosed with ADHD in his mid-forties. The stimulant medications do not make me "high", do not provide any kind of buzz. Rather, they have a moderating effect. Explaining this requires correcting the misunderstandings in the public realm of how adult ADHD presents, but in nutshell:

* The (largely mental) hyperactivity is controllable, that is, I retain my creative ideas generation and interest in new things, but I am no longer governed by it, and

* The rarely discussed hyperfocus behaviour (which I frankly regard as a superpower) is more easily snapped out of.

To the uninformed, the most paradoxical outcome is that I can take a powerful stimulant medication, lie down in bed, and fall asleep easily, when normally I'd be staring at the ceiling pondering anything from CSS to soldering and unable to sleep for the rush of ideas.

This response to medication is not diagnostic, but it is indicative that the medication I have is correct. Moreover it allows me to both retain the two traits that have made me a successful systems maker, but permits a less chaotic engagement with the neurotypical-oriented processes of modern human society, so for example I renew my passport before it expires.

I self-medicated with a variety of over-the-counter substances for decades, including nicotine, sugar, and coffee. I am super grateful for the medication since I have now dropped the nicotine and sugar.

My psychiatrist believes the condition is a) misnamed, and would be better titled "Attention Difference Disorder", and b) points out that the twin traits of rapid ideas switching and hyperfocus are only a problem in some aspects of engagement with modern society and that in an pre-agrarian society they'd be excellent traits for a hunter.

Re: Me and ADHD

#133

Post by adhsdeutschland »

knowhy wrote: post #63
schoolornot wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm still not sold on the medication and prefer to follow strict routines + good diet + exercise. To me, it's obvious who is taking ADHD pills. People are almost zombie like or they space out, or even on low-doses they almost can't "keep up" in conversation or meetings. Not being drugged and finding coping mechanisms has allowed me to plow through multiple degrees and find career success, albeit at the cost of "other…

I got diagnosed with ADHD age 15. Methylphenidate gave me these zombie like spacing out symptoms. I later switched to Amphetamine and didn't feel the negative side effects of Methylphenidate. Methylphenidate is the only authorized substance for ADHD treatment here in Germany. I had to pay for my Amphetamine treatment by myself. I had the impression that the pharmaceutical industry doesn't have an interest in getting…

Amphetamine got authorised in Germany a year ago in the form of Lisdexamphetamine under the name of Elvanse: https://www.adhspedia.de/wiki/Elvanse_Adult

I got it from my doctor and have been taking it for a year after trying Methylphenidate which did not show any positive effect on me.

Re: Me and ADHD

#134

Post by jayonsoftware1 »

I am very good at creating detail To-Do list and I am on Adderall thus I can concentrate but my biggest issue is doing the most important tasks on the To Do list. These tasks may be things I do not like to do but I have to to do. The feeling is like an invisible rope has tied my hands. Been suffering with this for a long time, has affected my life a lot and still cant find a solution.

Re: Me and ADHD

#135

Post by tudelo »

rejectfinite wrote: post #100
commandlinefan wrote: post #75

> hard time focusing on things that I don’t like or want to do Not trying to be insensitive, but doesn't that describe everybody? At what point does difficulty motivating yourself to do something unpleasant become an actual pathology? I identify with a lot of the symptoms he lists, but I've never thought that meant there was anything "wrong" with me, I thought everybody felt that way. Are there really people out ther…

Fuck you

I'm not gonna lie, OP seemed pretty reasonable here. Why do you feel so angry about his comments? They seemed to come from a place of curiosity and understanding...

Re: Me and ADHD

#136

Post by disabled »

Spivak wrote: post #6

Getting tested & treated for my ADHD was genuinely life-changing for me. It's one of those insidious disorders that doesn't let you know how bad you actually have it until you experience what it's like without it for the first time. The inattentive type is nothing like the stereotypes. One of my favorite signs you might have ADHD. Caffeine doesn't do anything for you and/or makes you sleepy. You've never know what ot…

> One of my favorite signs you might have ADHD. Caffeine doesn't do anything for you and/or makes you sleepy.

Caffeine is an adenosine A2A antagonist, which has therapeutic potential in ADHD, except the half-like makes it an improbable candidate.

Ironically, I just started taking an adenosine a2a antagonist, known as Nourianz (istradefylline) (link: https://www.nourianz.com/), as a last-resort drug for my severe restless legs syndrome, which has been going phenomenally well. I also have ADHD combined type (inattention and hyperactivity), and fairly severely. I take Vyvanse for my ADHD.

Anyways, I have been taking the the istradefylline for a week now, and it has made a tremendous difference in many of my ADHD symptoms. Additionally, it greatly increased my sense of wellbeing within 1-2 hours of initially taking it, and it has been sustained for the entire week.

Thanks to istradefylline I can now focus seamlessly and without effort. I can just "lock in" to whatever I want to do. Before, it would require some static force ("friction") to be able to "lock in" my concentration to do the task. I can also now just focus, without hyperfocusing. It now comes naturally to me. I also no longer find myself pacing around the house aimlessly. I also do not randomly get up from my seat or fidget hardcore. I can also lock back into a flow state without effort if I am disrupted.

I hope you find this interesting! The adenosine a2a antagonist made a huge difference in both my restless legs syndrome and ADHD symptoms. I cannot imagine NOT being on this medication for my ADHD.

Re: Me and ADHD

#137

Post by mbgerring »

forgotmypw17 wrote: post #125
mbgerring wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had the opposite experience -- for a very, very long time I assumed that a bunch of harmful, chronic behaviors were just a result of some unspecified personal or moral failing on my part. I would beat myself up about it and tell myself to "do better," without a path forward for how to do that. 2 years ago a friend who was diagnosed with ADHD started describing some of her symptoms and I realized it sounded exactly…

i don,t think it is either, but an environment way more demanding than what we previously lived in trying to squeeze every last drop of productivity out of ,,the stock,, and calling anyone who falls short disordered.

I think that our culture definitely demands more productivity out of people than is reasonable, but that's not really the issue I'm referring to. I'm referring to things like not being able to take my focus away from, for example, reading social media posts, in order to make an appointment or social event on time. Not being able to correctly conceptualize how long it will take me to get ready, leave my house and travel to where I need to be, no matter how many times I've done it. Doing this so often that it hurts friends, family, and work.

I think there is an argument that western medicine sometimes pathologizes people having normal responses to the insane demands of our society and economy. In my case, I have been struggling with my healthcare provider's bureaucracy to get a diagnosis because I really, really need help.

Re: Me and ADHD

#138

Post by tudelo »

specialjack wrote: post #126
logicslave wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How long have you been taking it? The cracks will show years down the road, not initially.

Curious if you have any sources for this? I have heard this before and struggled to find data that backs it up.

I have heard it can be bad for oral health due to dehydration. Not sure how much of that ends up being a feeling versus physically needing water, and how dehydration affects oral health, or exactly how I would connect all of the dots there (or if I even should attempt it), but it seems reasonable.

Re: Me and ADHD

#139

Post by 0xb0565e486 »

renewiltord wrote: post #123
0xb0565e486 wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As far as I can tell, empathy goes both ways, and I think it's a bit unfair of you to call me unempathetic for simply expressing how I'm feeling. I also don't think the examples you give are great analogues to the situation (although highly related) as I've not meet a lot of people using alcoholism, bulimia and asthma as a way to avoid everyday tasks in contrast to ADHD.

I think you've misunderstood, which is natural considering feedback like this can be easily perceived as an attack, but GP's response was actually well-worded. You have a lack of empathy for the conditions these people have. That doesn't mean you are unempathetic. It means your behaviour to these people exhibits a lack of empathy for their condition. That is objectively true. And it's worthwhile to remember, sometime…

Yup, thanks for pointing that out. I did interpret it as "you are an unempathetic person" while that wasn't the case.

Re: Me and ADHD

#140

Post by devmunchies »

borski wrote: post #14
logicslave wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but in the long run amphetamines will do significant damage to your health.

Only if abused at high doses. I was recently diagnosed with ADD and the adderall XR is incredibly helpful, and at my 10mg dose on an “as needed” basis (since I don’t need productivity every day) I’m not concerned at all.

I do 3-5mg IR so it has minimum impact on health but take on an empty stomach so its effective. My goal is to feel it just enough to get a little help.
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