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Anxiety and excitement about starting meds.

Anxiety and excitement about starting meds.2012-02-12T17:16:37+00:00

The Forums Forums Medication Anxiety and excitement about starting meds.

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  • #90515

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    Tomorrow I go to my psychiatrist and will begin my next phase of this ADHD adventurre…the meds. I have on one hand anxiety about starting on them and on the other hand excitement about the possibilities. Have you had the same experience? How long did it take to find the right dosage for you? How long did it take for you to see results?

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    #112346

    Anonymous
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    Post count: 14413

    Everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another. For me, the meds do not do a lot. That’s just the way my brain is wired. What does work is keeping track of how you feel and reporting back to your doctor. Be honest. If something is not working or the side effects are too much, you have to let your doctor know. Bear in mind that it takes some time for your body to adjust. It took me a couple of days. It’s not going to be easy, but at least understanding what you are facing is a step in the right direction.

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    #112347

    Scattybird
    Participant
    Post count: 1096

    As TheGameGuy says everyone is different. My personal advice is not to expect too much from your meds. They will help you to help yourself if that makes sense (assuming they work for you).

    You will probably start off on a low dose and your doctor will ‘titrate’ up depending on side effects and whether it’s working or not. That can take some time (weeks). The trick is to get a dose where you feel the benefit with minimal side effects.

    I sometimes wonder if mine are working but if I take a break I realise they are. The effects can be subtle and also variable.

    Good luck and let us know how you get on with them. Be patient and if they work they will make a difference. If they don’t work then try something else.

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    #112348

    anniea
    Member
    Post count: 47

    Carl, The game guy is right, but the med Ritalin SR worked great.. it took a month or a little more to get the dose about right. The job I was working at the time was ridiculously over whelming (day shift charge nurse at a nursing home).. It was also a bit complicated cause the MD that perscribed it lived in a different town 1 1/2 away. She increased the dose by the smallest amt she could then wanted to see me every two wks for a check in. This wasn’t always possible.. she also thought I was Bi-Polar.. and was skeptical of the diagnosis.

    After I left that job, the meds worked even better cause my life was more manageable, and I can take the Ritalin SR ( generic) and get stuff done! I LOVE IT. It isn’t speed, it helps my brain work better.. I don’t see the MD in the other town now, my primary care provider and I work together. She wanted me to try something different last month…but the thought of starting over is NOT appealing..and the generic Ritalin still works for me.. so if it ain’t broke don’t mess with it.

    Good luck with your med journey..it can be really wonderful. You do have to become more aware of how you are feeling, so that is good too. Not always easy but WORTH it!!

    This website has been a god-send too… before I felt like the lone stranger… Now I check in and read stuff and realize I am just right, no matter where I am. Annie

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    #112349

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    I was excited about starting medication and had some pretty high expectations.

    Before going on the Concerta I did know I had a lot of changes to make beyond

    taking the meds (organization, to do lists)

    In late Nov ’11 my Concerta dose started at 18mg and then 2 weeks later increased to 36mg and

    then changed to 54mg

    Side effects

    Initially had some stomach upset (nausea), and headache that lasted for a couple of days

    With each subsequent dose increase same symptoms and then went away after a day

    Improvements

    Concentration/focus, alert, increased energy, no racing thoughts (first time I can ever remember)

    Currently Concerta med schedule

    Morning 54mg

    Early Afternoon 27mg

    In mid January my doctor added the 27mg early afternoon dose after i was mentioning that the morning

    54mg dose was was not effective after 2pm

    I work in consulting so there is pretty high stress level and I am able to accomplish more and stay

    more focused in meetings.

    I notice also that my emotions are no longer a jumbled mess . I can actually aware that i am irritable

    or melancholy and can make adjustments to improve my mood.

    On Tuesday i have a doctors appt. I will be discussing that I am slow to start first thing in the day (takes a

    couple of hours) and I am not able to sustain my concentration much beyond 4pm

    Good luck Carl!

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    #112350

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    Carl,

    I put the detail in my post so you could an idea of time and dosage changes

    that I had since my original diagnosis in late Nov’11

    Please remember everyone has a different responses in terms of efficacy

    and side effects. (I have been fortunate on both counts)

    From what I have read some people have to trial a number of meds before

    hitting the right one. Also some will not tolerate large dosage increases

    The doctor prescribing (including experience and expertise) is what makes

    the DIFFERENCE.

    In my case I decided after seeing a community psych initially who

    really didn’t seem very interested in treating Adult ADHD/ADD on a ongoing

    basis to find a better option. I saw on TV the founder of an ADD/ADHD clinic in my area and

    I didn’t want any more trial and error with doctors. The decision was pretty

    straight forward.

    I have had some out-of-pocket costs. However I can get the proper follow-up

    which in the beginning should be more frequent appointments. The doctor

    I am seeing is also an expert on medication management. She also listens

    to me after i show her the journal I have made tracking improvements, side

    effects, etc.

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    #127200

    verolinia123
    Member
    Post count: 5

    have you tried nootropics ?

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    #127213

    lindsey3
    Member
    Post count: 32

    I agree with other posts here that meds are very helpful and important, but they don’t by themselves sort out all of our individual problems ( or change our personality / unique / special / awesome individuality! ). They are a useful tool that enable us to get things done. What those things are is personal to each and every one of us. Start your med programme with a positive attitude but lowish expectations, and you will be surprised how effective they are. If you start expecting every difficulty that you face to be solved within a week, then you will disappointed.

    I am five months into medication, and without doubt they have got me off the sofa, reading novels and doing some voluntary work. I am still in recovery from a ‘breakdown’ ultimately caused by undiagnosed ADHD – therapy, diagnosis and meds have brought me a sense of future. A year ago I couldn’t see a future – so, I quietly embrace and celebrate the meds.

    Don’t be anxious x

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    #129025

    That Guy with ADHD
    Participant
    Post count: 123

    Hi Grzegorz,
    I would be leery of advice from any website that has a financial benefit from the sale of the product being discussed. Here is another link that is medically based.

    Link: https://www.anxiety.org/effect-of-marijuana-on-anxiety?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email

    In my research Cannabis can improve anxiety in some people but is not effective with everyone and can make anxiety worse in some cases. That goes for ADHD traits as well.

    Regards

    Richard
    AKA That Guy with ADHD

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    #129074

    harry1
    Participant
    Post count: 45

    Hi, grzegorz,
    I’d go with Richard on this one. I’ve used grass for years as recreation, though I never seemed to need as much for effect as some folks.
    Nonetheless, I think the best research these days is coming out of France and Israel. America let itself lose all the info it had, and has drug its feet for about, what?, 80 years now?
    Herbals are time tested and great for health care, but until you find doctors, or (no joke), if you found a “medicine man” in the hills of central or South America, where they still do that and the skill is ancient, stay with what’s known for now.
    The study of ADD as a whole has not been around for that long. I think only like 1965, or 68, or so.
    All our ADD thoughts are with you. Hope you don’t burn up, and don’t let yourself burn out. Yell for help when (not if ) you need it.
    Harry

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