Reply To: Generic adderall stopped working?

[Scattybird]

Hi natebot88 – welcome.

The advice you’ve had so far is great – I can’t really add to it but I can tell you my experience because it MIGHT be relevant.

I was diagnosed 15 months ago and it’s taken me since then  (well 12 of those months) to find the right dose (I take fast-release Ritalin) and it took that long to feel ‘comfortable’ with the medication and know how it works for me. Like you I am inattentive (but with some impulsive stuff thrown in). I now know when it wears off and plan my doses accordingly.

Also like you, the first time I took Ritalin (and it was a tiny dose back then) I saw the world like I’d never seen it before – such clarity and focus. Wonderful! But that didn’t last long. I think that’s quite a common experience and it can be frustrating when that goes away. It’s like tasting chocolate for the first time and then someone saying you can’t have any ever again.

Over the months I increased my dose  but also played around with timings of it to maximise the benefit – it takes a long time because you have to give each dose a fair chance and discuss with your doctor and get a new prescription ……and just get to know how you react to it.

Now I am settled on a dose and to be honest I wonder if it does anything at all sometimes. I take it and live my life. I don’t experience that deep clarity and focus with it anymore. BUT, I am able to do my work better and I am MUCH less likely to fly off the handle about something – it’s been great for my emotional regulation. But I am still me and I still have all the ADHD “issues” related to being inattentive , but I am able to bring myself back into the moment now and …well, make a choice about whether I need/want to focus on something or not. Before I didn’t even know I wasn’t focusing until I messed up – there was no choice, or so it seemed. I still need to use other methods – like a 30 minute bleeper if I am especially tired and that just reminds me I should be in the moment, or doodling in a really boring meeting but mostly I can manage.

If I have a medication ‘holiday’ I most certainly DO know the Ritalin is working when I take it. I revert back to my old inattentive and emotionally unregulated self. So in a work meeting the tiny doodle in the corner of a page (when on meds) becomes pages of doodles – in fact my boss commented once on my doodling (pre-meds), particularly as I wasn’t even listening to him!

There is a quote on another thread about knowing your meds are working when you stop thinking about them. That pretty much sums it up brilliantly.

I also discover that I need to eat regularly – don’t skip meals and if you do, then eat a cereal bar or something. It’s really important to eat and sleep well.

Basically, stay patient – work with your doctor and you’ll find the right dose. You might need to modify that as you get older .

Good luck with it and let us know how you get on.

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