I am on day 7 with adderall. 20 2x per day. Who needs sleep? It was really bad for the first 4 days, but I kept telling myself to wait and see if it takes some time for the body to adjust. My body seems to be leveling out now and I am very pleased. I slept better last night.
The focus is a bit disconcerting. One of my major problems was forgetting what I was doing when going from room to room. At work I weould get up to leave my office, get 10 paces out and forget what I was doing. About 20 times a day. Today it only happened once on the way to pcik up my son from football practice. Changed the radio and forgot where I was headed, came right back when I saw the school.
Hang in there and give it a few days. Don't forget to eat. Adderall has greatly diminished my appetite. This is a good thing for me.
I wrote a post on here a few weeks ago titled "I think I am crazy". I went to the psych the other day and told him about my issues. I don't think he was totally convinced that I was ADHD because he said that "even though I have most of the symptoms" if I was truly ADHD I wouldnt have been able to have gotten through highschool with A's and graduated from a masters program. However, he did agree that it was worth a shot to try meds, especially since it runs in my family and my daughter and sister have had good luck with medications and since I do meet a majority of the criteria. I am now on my third day of Adderol. He originally wanted me on Concerta, but the insurance wouldn't pay. I have been going a hundred miles an hour. I didn't sleep at all the first night. I am still late to everything, but now for a different reason. I am so HYPERFOCUSED I can't QUIT doing the project I start. I searched the internet for 5 hours the other night for something I was looking for and had to make myself quit then. Normally, I wouldnt have had the patients to do that. Anyway, my husband, who is a doc says that this might wear off. The last two days I couldnt shut up, I was talking non stop....today, it doesn't seem as bad, but I still am hyperfocused. Unfortunately today it is not on my work, but on the projects I have been putting off at home for weeks. I need to get my work done.....I spent 2 hours on an email for work last night and was late getting my daughter picked up. I was suppose to have company for supper and had to call and invite them out for supper. At 4:15 I was going to work for just a couple of minutes on this email. At 5:55 I had to make myself quit working on it and send it. I am not sure which is worse, not be able to finish something because you cant stay focused or not being able to quit something because you are too focused......Any similiar reactions or ideas.
Hi passion_junky!
Although I wouldn't wish my disorganization on anyone, it's so nice to see I'm not alone!!
I was recently diagnosed with adhd (inattentive type) and I finally started meds after trying to go the alternative route for awhile --- it's sure been interesting. I was prescribed adderall xr 20 mg, used it for a week and felt nothing (except that my headaches, even migraines, have virtually disappeared). Dr. raised it to 40mg and still I felt nothing so the next week he said to raise the dose one more time to 60 mg.
The day I took the 60 mg I wrote out a list of nine errands that had to get done. This alone was a big accomplishment - almost like actually sorting all of the laundy into neat piles. (without actually washing anything of course!!) Imagine my surprise when I completed my whole list!! Before dark even! This never happens with me and I was thinking this medicine might just help me use all the tools our therapist has been teaching my family for the last few years.
This is when the hyperfocus started. I just couldn't break away from the computer. The benefit of this undivided attention was my work, which was unfortunate because I have a million things I need to finish around the house and every drawer, closet, cabinet, shelf, bag, and box is ready to burst from my problems catching up with me. I won't bore you with all the details but from reading your post I'd say we went through the same type of thing. I called my Dr. again and he assured me this was really trial and error and that maybe I should try concerta. Today was my first day on concerta and I can tell you, I won't take it again. Headaches are back with a vengance and I'm so tired that I can hardly keep my eyes open.
I'm thinking maybe I need to go back to the adderall and maybe give it some more time. I'm not sure what kind of response I should get from the medicine, I guess I was waiting for some switch to flip. I'm going to call my Dr. in the morning and see what he suggests. I'll let you know.
Thanks for the posting, it was perfect timing! I needed to know I wasn't the only one having this response to the medication.
I think the first few days are not indicative of what the medication will do for you in the long run. I find that if I have stopped taking meds for a bit and start back up again that there is a period of time where I am really on a high. I clean the whole house, think great thoughts, call everyone... It seems to level out after a week. I think it's more about what you can live with until it levels out. I usually get headaches, too, if I have upped the dosage or switched medications, but that goes away for me, as well.
Passion_junky writes "I don't think he was totally convinced that I was ADHD because he said that "even though I have most of the symptoms" if I was truly ADHD I wouldnt have been able to have gotten through highschool with A's and graduated from a masters program."
That is me too! I ran into the same issues when I first came looking for help. I was told that unless I could "prove" that I had had attentional problems as a child that it must be something else. I finally found a book by Sari Solden titled "Women With ADD". What a life line! She writes in there that it is very common for women (or those with non-hyper add - I'm not sure if you are a woman) to not have their symptoms present problems until later in life - maybe when they stay home to raise children and suddenly become responsible for setting the structure for others. This can be because non-hyper ADDer's may be dismissed as spacey, forgetful or daydreamers (but we are certainly not stupid!). She also says that if there was a lot of stucture in childhood, that the ADD may not have had the chance to show up as much as when we become adults responsible for our own lives. I was a great student - straight A's - until the year after my parents divorced, and my mom was excommunicated from our church (non-attendance, over-zealous religion, long story). In that year, I went from honor society student to having to take summer school just to graduate.
Blueman, I have also been told that on ADD'ers, too much medication can make you tired. Just as it would drive a non-ADDer up the wall to be on stimulants, it could have the opposite effect on you. Maybe less is more for you.
Good luck! The road to the right med/dosage may take awhile, but it can also be so worth it.
Great, I am glad someone can relate to the over focused problem. I am actually on day 4 today and I seem to be having an easier time not over focusing. I did sleep pretty well last night. I was very cranky last night when I got home and was pretty short with my hubby and daughter. Hopefully this will not be a permanent effect. I am willing to give a shot. I love the loss of appetite. I have gained some weight lately and was wondering how I was going to take it off. I still feel a little high and anxious. I am suppose to take my Lexapro with it however and I have forgotten to take it the last couple of days. I went home last night and cleaned my car though....I have been putting it off for a few weeks. I think my daughter was going to quit riding with me if I didn't clean it....when I picked her up last night she said "mom, can we please clean the car tonight, it is embarrasing." She only 7, so it must have been pretty bad....I know my husband thought I had forgotten her the other day because he couldn't see her in the back under all of the piles of junk....I do need to say though that my car, while always messy, was in a really bad state due to my grandmother sending me home the other day with toys, pictures, and keepsakes that she had saved since my birth....a very overwhelming job to put all of that away.....anyone need a cheerleading outfit or a 3 tubs of barbie dolls?passion_junky: I believe getting A's and graduating doesn't mean you don't have ADD.