The Forums › Forums › Medication › Anxiety and excitement about starting meds.
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February 12, 2012 at 5:16 pm #90515
AnonymousInactiveFebruary 12, 2012 at 5:16 pmPost count: 14413Tomorrow 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?
REPORT ABUSEFebruary 12, 2012 at 5:23 pm #112346
AnonymousInactiveFebruary 12, 2012 at 5:23 pmPost count: 14413Everyone 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.
REPORT ABUSEFebruary 12, 2012 at 5:39 pm #112347As 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.
REPORT ABUSEFebruary 12, 2012 at 5:42 pm #112348Carl, 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
REPORT ABUSEFebruary 12, 2012 at 7:04 pm #112349
AnonymousInactiveFebruary 12, 2012 at 7:04 pmPost count: 14413I 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!
REPORT ABUSEFebruary 12, 2012 at 7:05 pm #112350
AnonymousInactiveFebruary 12, 2012 at 7:05 pmPost count: 14413Carl,
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.
REPORT ABUSEJune 3, 2015 at 1:53 pm #127200have you tried nootropics ?
REPORT ABUSEJune 4, 2015 at 1:30 pm #127213I 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
REPORT ABUSEApril 12, 2018 at 3:01 pm #129025Hi 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.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
REPORT ABUSE
AKA That Guy with ADHDApril 12, 2018 at 9:53 pm #129074Hi, grzegorz,
REPORT ABUSE
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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