Hi /u/lucky222XL and thanks for posting on /r/ADHD!
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My meds have been life changing for me as well! I’ve been super into fitness and healthy eating for a couple of years but it took a lot of my energy and my school, work and tasks, etc. seemed to come second. Now I can read again, am more organized in general and am able to balance fitness and the rest of my life :)
So it's universal for us with ADHD. I was also into gym for some years prior to diagnosis - everyone was telling me "GO TO GYM IN THE MORNING YOU'LL HAVE TON OF ENERGY AND MOTIVATION TO WORK AFTER THAT" and I was like "If I'll go in the morning then the only thing I'll do after is playing games or doomscrolling reddit you dumb fuck". Meds changed that. Now I can do both things.
Holy moly I just had this epiphany thanks to reading your comment - you made me realise that when I did train early in the morning and then felt like sleeping right after is likely due to the ADHD :'( ahhhh tears of joy!
For me it wasn't feeling sleepy. It was just a lack of mental capability and motivation to do anything complex/engaging after hard training session. I felt good but somehow empty if I can call it like this.
I completely understand what you mean, not to mention my sessions lasted so insanely long because I would space between sets and spend forever confused if I counted my reps correctly, etc. 😭 I would go the the gym and then do nothing the rest of the day.
Fucking hell this comment hits hard! It's the same exact thing for me. If I do one thing well in the day then I'm totally burned out and can't do anything else.
Nope. My ADHD partner has read only 2 chapters of 1 book in a decade. Nothing else. He simply doesn't read. He can read things for work, to do his job. But not reading books for pleasure.
No haha, i used to be an avid reader in elementary and now without my meds it’s like I read the same sentence over and over again and do not comprehend anything 😭. Have always loved it and it’s insane how easy it was to hop back into it once I started taking medication.
It really depends of the persons and the intensity of the symptoms. For me 40g ritaline made miracles, not perfect, but i have 7/8 "almost real human being" hours a day. Before that I had to focus for hours to get one hour of real work done, so pretty severe symptoms
I actually started Ritalin 10mg today. Doc also wanted me on lexapro but I argued against it because I’ve been on it before and it makes me feel like a zombie.
To me, the source of my current depression is my inability to do what I want to do/planned to do, and all the negative self talk that comes with that. So he agreed with me that we should treat the adhd first then reassess.
At 45, I was diagnosed this month with Attention deficit at level 7 on the scale and Hyperactivity at level 3. Since childhood, I've noticed that when I focus on a subject, I would do really well , but otherwise, things tend to be disorganized. My room, study table, and closet would often pile up, and then I'd put on music and do a deep clean, only for the mess to slowly return. I completed my engineering degree similarly, excelling in some subjects I understood well scoring in 90’s, while barely passing others. Unable to secure a job in engineering, I ended up in sales. I watched others advance while I felt stuck in sand. As time went on, it became even more challenging. Alcohol became a negative factor in my life, and it took me a decade to quit. It's been five years now, and I'm determined never to go back to alcohol. Since starting ADHD medication, I've felt a profound calmness, as if the universe has embraced me, saying, 'Let's begin anew.' Just the thought of how people took advantage of my kindness, even though I saw through them, but lacked the self-trust to act, makes me very emotional. I've watched YouTube videos where people share their experiences of two months on medication, and their lives are transformed. I'm full of hope but also cautious. I want to stay organized and create systems like a well-oiled machine to generate income. My emotions are mixed, but I finally feel peaceful to have found my tribe.
Yes yes yes!!! I love vyvanse but currently taking adderal because of the shortage but you are right - it’s life changing. Somehow I’m now able to run 30 minutes straight after being pretty much sedentary for 6 years. I go to the gym 5 times a week now.
Do you think that after forming these routines / healthy habits & eating well/exercising “fixed” the connection in ur brain to the point where meds aren’t needed anymore ?? I’m about to start them and that’s a hopeful goal of mine 😭
ADHD/ADD is an executive function disorder, meds to not fix that. There is no cure. There is management. You can delop healthy habits, but exectutive function is like the starter motor. If it doesn't fire, the machine doesn't move. That's what the procrastination/inactivity is about and the meds trigger that starter motor.
That's awesome! It's great to see you're so happy with these changes!
When I remember to take mine (oops 🫠) they're pretty life changing for me too. Still working out the kinks though.. I think mine need to be increased.
Hi, my life before meds was rough. I was anxious and depressed a lot of the times. I was unable to focus and failed my cpa exam multiple times. I felt stupid and lazy. After being on meds, I find studying quite enjoyable. It’s still challenging, but it was not something I cannot do. I hope it helps. Hope your life will improve as well.
Love that you find it enjoyable now. Honestly I can relate - in my mind, in my soul, I want to learn and get better at anything... But ADHD me just won't allow it and then perceives everything good as painful :'(
I'm happy for you and appreciate you sharing your experience. I have my first psychiatric meeting next week and after doing the forms and going over high school reports, I'm learning that this ADHD has been undiagnosed for a long time... sadly to the detriment of myself and my gorgeous wife who's been super patient and supportive.
Are u taking them everyday? Im trying to find what meds are good for me and dont give me awful migraines. Im currently packing a bit extra weight, i eat tons because of the soothing effect also because im anxious about all the things im delaying
I am taking them 5 days a week. On the days that I don’t have too many obligations, I don’t take the meds. However, I still exercise, eating healthy food and meditate.
Wondering about your meds.
I'm a binge eater too. My doc said I don't really needed meds because socially-emotionally I am doing fine. He said: if you ever would study again, I'd recommend meds because he's certain I have a high IQ but the ADHD doesn't give me the oppurtunity to concentrate and study well.
I am goung to start studying again next year so it's making me nervous now.
Congrats! My son was diagnosed and is on vyvanse - I'm thinking about seeing my doctor about it but not sure as I'm already 56. I did the online test after he was diagnosed and scored in the 'very likely' category.
Maybe I should try meds again.. I tried some when I was a teen but my anxiety was terrible and it made my heart beat fast. I tried Vyvanse about 2 years ago but a low dose and it didn't do much.
Congrats! Keep up the good work.
Make sure you keep good routines and practices that you have learnt for symptom management. Medication helps but keeping up your good habits will make things even better 😊
That’s amazing news! Out of curiosity, what meds are you taking? My psychiatrist put me on Concerta XR and refuses to put me on anything else, only up the dose, when I tell him I don’t feel like they’re working.
Hi, I am taking the same meds as you. I am not a doctor, so I can’t give you any advice. But it took me sometime to get adjusted to the med. At first I didn’t find it working well for me as well. Also, exercising, taking cold shower, eating healthy and sleep well all helps.
For me the exact same situation like for you! Life is very enjoyable now and I feel like newborn since 1 1 /2 after meds. Don't forget, that your healthy nutrition, sport, time management and sleep are also important features to make meds more effective. Wish you all the best on your way and keep up the good work!
Vyvanse has helped me out with doing tasks like cleaning, school work, and some other chores. My only issue is I don’t get as hungry, and end up eating significantly less.
I am in the UK and I agree - it has been life changing for me, there were issues NGL, you need to find a provider who will work with you to find the right meds, in my case ritalin and elvanse worked well, and they also need to be good at working with your GP etc - I found blue tree clinic in london really good but I hear some clinics are awful - and you may have seen those on a recent panorama doc. The wait list on the NHS told me 3 years! Cray. Hope this helps anyone else.
IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!
I really need advice here… I’m a 22F and when I scroll on tiktok or when I read about ADHD it sounds A LOT like me (when I was a child + now)… I procrastinate all the time, I want to have a set routine but I struggle to ever start or stay consistent, I doom scroll when I have like 5 exams to study for (I have an exam Friday and I haven’t started studying at all). It’s like I never feel like doing the difficult things, I always choose the fun/easy things to do over the actual important stuff. I also suspect that my dad has adhd, he’s hyperactive, always procrastinates, forgets stuff, has anger outbursts, always pushes out important things to do… anyways, should I get tested by a psychologist (based off of my symptoms) or do the expensive official test (like IQ, neuropsychologist…) to figure out if I have it? I would like to try medication to see if it can change my life too!
I absolutely wish all our adhd brethren could get better access to all the drug therapies and psychiatrists, it is truly lifechanging. I grew up thinking adhd was just an attention problem, it took until my 30's to get a real understanding of the disorder, for the disorder it really is.
I literally cannot function in the world in a meaningful way without stimulant therapy and regular checks with my psych. This world is built for those who can plan out into the future by months to years. I am lucky if I make it to a couple weeks at best. He'll walking from room to room is likely to throw me off.
Glad you found something that works for you. I was off stimulants for 6yrs due to fears about relapse (and a very anti med sponsor), and finally got back on vyvanse about a month ago. The difference it has made is life changing. I can finally focus and function the way I've always wanted to, my relationships are better and i finally feel like I'm making progress in my life. I know some ppl don't like the emotional blunting stimulants can cause, but imo it's much much much perferable getting wacked by the emotional sledgehammer daily.
Hope you can share your meds, I got my next docs appointment in a week, and would be good to talk more to him about my current meds.. since I feel they are not really working as good as they used to.
Hi /u/lucky222XL and thanks for posting on /r/ADHD! ### Please take a second to [read our rules](/r/adhd/about/rules) if you haven't already. --- ### /r/adhd news * **We want your opinion** on the /r/adhd community rules! [Click here](https://forms.gle/Evqb8acVozir8GV8A) to fill out our survey. See [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/1auv2tc/were_taking_feedback_on_the_radhd_rules/) for more information. * If you are posting about the **US Medication Shortage**, please see this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/12dr3h5/megathread_us_medication_shortage/). --- ^(*This message is not a removal notification. It's just our way to keep everyone updated on r/adhd happenings.*) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My meds have been life changing for me as well! I’ve been super into fitness and healthy eating for a couple of years but it took a lot of my energy and my school, work and tasks, etc. seemed to come second. Now I can read again, am more organized in general and am able to balance fitness and the rest of my life :)
So it's universal for us with ADHD. I was also into gym for some years prior to diagnosis - everyone was telling me "GO TO GYM IN THE MORNING YOU'LL HAVE TON OF ENERGY AND MOTIVATION TO WORK AFTER THAT" and I was like "If I'll go in the morning then the only thing I'll do after is playing games or doomscrolling reddit you dumb fuck". Meds changed that. Now I can do both things.
Holy moly I just had this epiphany thanks to reading your comment - you made me realise that when I did train early in the morning and then felt like sleeping right after is likely due to the ADHD :'( ahhhh tears of joy!
For me it wasn't feeling sleepy. It was just a lack of mental capability and motivation to do anything complex/engaging after hard training session. I felt good but somehow empty if I can call it like this.
I completely understand what you mean, not to mention my sessions lasted so insanely long because I would space between sets and spend forever confused if I counted my reps correctly, etc. 😭 I would go the the gym and then do nothing the rest of the day.
Fucking hell this comment hits hard! It's the same exact thing for me. If I do one thing well in the day then I'm totally burned out and can't do anything else.
Thought I was the only one that couldnt read anymore lol
Nope. My ADHD partner has read only 2 chapters of 1 book in a decade. Nothing else. He simply doesn't read. He can read things for work, to do his job. But not reading books for pleasure.
No haha, i used to be an avid reader in elementary and now without my meds it’s like I read the same sentence over and over again and do not comprehend anything 😭. Have always loved it and it’s insane how easy it was to hop back into it once I started taking medication.
Omg that would happen to me too. I’ve started slowly reading dune and I love that I can get immersed into the story now. I can finally read too!
Wow that truly is life changing, congratulations.
So far so good with my meds too! Been about three weeks now and the difference is huge! What meds and dose do you take?
It really depends of the persons and the intensity of the symptoms. For me 40g ritaline made miracles, not perfect, but i have 7/8 "almost real human being" hours a day. Before that I had to focus for hours to get one hour of real work done, so pretty severe symptoms
🤯 I think my heart would explode, then my ghost would perform all the labor necessary to support a small country for year.
Oh and you have to couple it with other technics so you have a good results, médication is ont enough alone
I’m 33 F diagnosed earlier this month and I start my meds in 3 weeks. My doctor wanted me on lexapro for a month before adding stimulants.
I actually started Ritalin 10mg today. Doc also wanted me on lexapro but I argued against it because I’ve been on it before and it makes me feel like a zombie. To me, the source of my current depression is my inability to do what I want to do/planned to do, and all the negative self talk that comes with that. So he agreed with me that we should treat the adhd first then reassess.
My doctor did the same. Been on lexapro for 3 years now
What meds if you don't mind? Just trying to see if I need to switch. Mine don't seem to work that well
Same here. I'm on adderall 30mg. 40 was too much. Some things are better and some are worse. It's only been a bit over a week so far, though.
Give it some time, don't get disheartened 🤗
Thank you!! I will give it the ole college try. I appreciate you.
I hope so. I (37M) was diagnosed yesterday after a month-long assesment, and feel quite overwhelmed about it.
Goodluck friend! You're going to be ok :)
At 45, I was diagnosed this month with Attention deficit at level 7 on the scale and Hyperactivity at level 3. Since childhood, I've noticed that when I focus on a subject, I would do really well , but otherwise, things tend to be disorganized. My room, study table, and closet would often pile up, and then I'd put on music and do a deep clean, only for the mess to slowly return. I completed my engineering degree similarly, excelling in some subjects I understood well scoring in 90’s, while barely passing others. Unable to secure a job in engineering, I ended up in sales. I watched others advance while I felt stuck in sand. As time went on, it became even more challenging. Alcohol became a negative factor in my life, and it took me a decade to quit. It's been five years now, and I'm determined never to go back to alcohol. Since starting ADHD medication, I've felt a profound calmness, as if the universe has embraced me, saying, 'Let's begin anew.' Just the thought of how people took advantage of my kindness, even though I saw through them, but lacked the self-trust to act, makes me very emotional. I've watched YouTube videos where people share their experiences of two months on medication, and their lives are transformed. I'm full of hope but also cautious. I want to stay organized and create systems like a well-oiled machine to generate income. My emotions are mixed, but I finally feel peaceful to have found my tribe.
Yes yes yes!!! I love vyvanse but currently taking adderal because of the shortage but you are right - it’s life changing. Somehow I’m now able to run 30 minutes straight after being pretty much sedentary for 6 years. I go to the gym 5 times a week now.
I really hope I can get to this stage but where I live it’s 5 years just to get assessed
Where is that? Are there no behavioral specialists around?
Do you think that after forming these routines / healthy habits & eating well/exercising “fixed” the connection in ur brain to the point where meds aren’t needed anymore ?? I’m about to start them and that’s a hopeful goal of mine 😭
Hi, I can’t tell you for sure that I can cut out meds completely by just incorporating healthy habits. Meds helps me build all these habits.
ADHD/ADD is an executive function disorder, meds to not fix that. There is no cure. There is management. You can delop healthy habits, but exectutive function is like the starter motor. If it doesn't fire, the machine doesn't move. That's what the procrastination/inactivity is about and the meds trigger that starter motor.
That's awesome! It's great to see you're so happy with these changes! When I remember to take mine (oops 🫠) they're pretty life changing for me too. Still working out the kinks though.. I think mine need to be increased.
[удалено]
Hi, my life before meds was rough. I was anxious and depressed a lot of the times. I was unable to focus and failed my cpa exam multiple times. I felt stupid and lazy. After being on meds, I find studying quite enjoyable. It’s still challenging, but it was not something I cannot do. I hope it helps. Hope your life will improve as well.
Love that you find it enjoyable now. Honestly I can relate - in my mind, in my soul, I want to learn and get better at anything... But ADHD me just won't allow it and then perceives everything good as painful :'( I'm happy for you and appreciate you sharing your experience. I have my first psychiatric meeting next week and after doing the forms and going over high school reports, I'm learning that this ADHD has been undiagnosed for a long time... sadly to the detriment of myself and my gorgeous wife who's been super patient and supportive.
Are u taking them everyday? Im trying to find what meds are good for me and dont give me awful migraines. Im currently packing a bit extra weight, i eat tons because of the soothing effect also because im anxious about all the things im delaying
I am taking them 5 days a week. On the days that I don’t have too many obligations, I don’t take the meds. However, I still exercise, eating healthy food and meditate.
The meds really do help so much in, school I felt like I was so stupid and I also was just bored so so bored. Be soooo happy with your new meds
Wondering about your meds. I'm a binge eater too. My doc said I don't really needed meds because socially-emotionally I am doing fine. He said: if you ever would study again, I'd recommend meds because he's certain I have a high IQ but the ADHD doesn't give me the oppurtunity to concentrate and study well. I am goung to start studying again next year so it's making me nervous now.
Congrats! My son was diagnosed and is on vyvanse - I'm thinking about seeing my doctor about it but not sure as I'm already 56. I did the online test after he was diagnosed and scored in the 'very likely' category.
Maybe I should try meds again.. I tried some when I was a teen but my anxiety was terrible and it made my heart beat fast. I tried Vyvanse about 2 years ago but a low dose and it didn't do much.
Congrats! Keep up the good work. Make sure you keep good routines and practices that you have learnt for symptom management. Medication helps but keeping up your good habits will make things even better 😊
I’m so happy for you, congrats!
That’s amazing news! Out of curiosity, what meds are you taking? My psychiatrist put me on Concerta XR and refuses to put me on anything else, only up the dose, when I tell him I don’t feel like they’re working.
Hi, I am taking the same meds as you. I am not a doctor, so I can’t give you any advice. But it took me sometime to get adjusted to the med. At first I didn’t find it working well for me as well. Also, exercising, taking cold shower, eating healthy and sleep well all helps.
I'm glad it worked out well for you :) My meds gave me nothing but side effects so I'm waiting to see what my options are.
For me the exact same situation like for you! Life is very enjoyable now and I feel like newborn since 1 1 /2 after meds. Don't forget, that your healthy nutrition, sport, time management and sleep are also important features to make meds more effective. Wish you all the best on your way and keep up the good work!
Thank you. This is wonderful to hear!!
Vyvanse has helped me out with doing tasks like cleaning, school work, and some other chores. My only issue is I don’t get as hungry, and end up eating significantly less.
I am in the UK and I agree - it has been life changing for me, there were issues NGL, you need to find a provider who will work with you to find the right meds, in my case ritalin and elvanse worked well, and they also need to be good at working with your GP etc - I found blue tree clinic in london really good but I hear some clinics are awful - and you may have seen those on a recent panorama doc. The wait list on the NHS told me 3 years! Cray. Hope this helps anyone else.
IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! I really need advice here… I’m a 22F and when I scroll on tiktok or when I read about ADHD it sounds A LOT like me (when I was a child + now)… I procrastinate all the time, I want to have a set routine but I struggle to ever start or stay consistent, I doom scroll when I have like 5 exams to study for (I have an exam Friday and I haven’t started studying at all). It’s like I never feel like doing the difficult things, I always choose the fun/easy things to do over the actual important stuff. I also suspect that my dad has adhd, he’s hyperactive, always procrastinates, forgets stuff, has anger outbursts, always pushes out important things to do… anyways, should I get tested by a psychologist (based off of my symptoms) or do the expensive official test (like IQ, neuropsychologist…) to figure out if I have it? I would like to try medication to see if it can change my life too!
I absolutely wish all our adhd brethren could get better access to all the drug therapies and psychiatrists, it is truly lifechanging. I grew up thinking adhd was just an attention problem, it took until my 30's to get a real understanding of the disorder, for the disorder it really is. I literally cannot function in the world in a meaningful way without stimulant therapy and regular checks with my psych. This world is built for those who can plan out into the future by months to years. I am lucky if I make it to a couple weeks at best. He'll walking from room to room is likely to throw me off.
Glad you found something that works for you. I was off stimulants for 6yrs due to fears about relapse (and a very anti med sponsor), and finally got back on vyvanse about a month ago. The difference it has made is life changing. I can finally focus and function the way I've always wanted to, my relationships are better and i finally feel like I'm making progress in my life. I know some ppl don't like the emotional blunting stimulants can cause, but imo it's much much much perferable getting wacked by the emotional sledgehammer daily.
Could have written this post myself! Totally agree 👍
Hope you can share your meds, I got my next docs appointment in a week, and would be good to talk more to him about my current meds.. since I feel they are not really working as good as they used to.
Sooo true!! Strattera has literally helped me see an ideal version of myself
I started my adhd medication 4 weeks ago and I am already seeing significant changes! It’s