42 year old and Vyvanse

I’m new to this site and super excited to find some people that finally get adult add, in addittion to my doctor and wife, of course. I was diagnosed around age 40, after having questions about why I was different than most other people I knew. I’ve had social issues since I can remember even as far back as elementary school and had significant problems running my company located here in Pennsylvania.

I’ve been taking Vyvanse 60mg (increased dosage from 40mg) since my diagnosis at the University of Pennsylvania Behavioral Medicine department. This is not a plug for UPenn but they have a great staff and a program dedicated to adult add. Vyvanse helps with my focus but I still have issues with addiction to caffiene, nicotene, and sometimes alcohol. Vyvanse is outragousely expensive and definately not a cure, as you may know, it is designed to stimulate the brain which actually provides a calming effect on the user. I still feel like there must be something else in regards to medication that could be more effective. I take it in the early morning and I’m super motivated until around 2-3:00pm, I usually am not hungry until 6:00pm and then I can eat my portion and all the leftovers. I know I need to snack during the day but there is no time for that, though, I do love almonds and I try to keep a bag handy.

I’m now focusing on getting organized, and its been a couple of years trying to find things that work. I have extreme problems with clutter and I am absolutely distracted by it and external stimuli, like people talking or chewing their food. I can’t help focusing on someone that is crunching and crunching when we’re sitting at the same table eating. People talking in my office prevents me from being able to focus on the task I’m trying to complete. Heck, maybe I’m just “nosy” and can’t help but listen to conversations?? Jokingly, but the reality is that many of those symptoms don’t go away with medication. Being diagnosed with ADD has given me reason to see many of my attributes as strengths, living in a non-ADD world, can be a challenge when you need to thrive without being able to create an ADD friendly environment at home or work.

I still lose my keys, wallet, and cell phone but not as often. My humor and creativity are still vibrant, and no problems with intimacy with my wife (just thought I’d mention that). I found this site after watching Maryland Public Television last night and seeing this ADD program. Thank you for producing this video and creating this site.

As my Kamloops, BC friends say- “Cheers”~

Mike Mankin