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blackdog

blackdog

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  • in reply to: Setting up desk space #126684

    blackdog
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    nellie- LOL I can go months, even years, not noticing or not thinking about things. Then one day I will suddenly think “Where did that go?”, “What happened to….?” or “OMG, That thing is still there?!?”

    I got out one of my white boards after I made that comment- the one that was originally supposed to go on the bedroom door so I could leave notes for Husband when we were always coming and going at different times. It never did get used for that.

    I wrote a list on it for the next day, left it in my spot on the couch so I couldn’t miss it in the morning, and went to bed.

    And then morning came, I made my coffee, walked over to the couch, shoved the board off to the side, and sat down. Never even read it. It’s still here, somewhere…. under the laundry that hasn’t been put away yet, I believe.

    I have yet to find a system that works and that I can stick with for more than a couple days at a time. Maybe I’ll figure it out some day.

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    in reply to: New Vyvanse user #126683

    blackdog
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    nellie- That makes perfect sense. Ideally, I like to set my alarm for 7:00 am, take my Vyvanse, then reset for 8:00 am and go back to sleep. I feel much better the second time I wake up.

    And  I probably would notice productivity early in the day if I got to work right away, like I keep telling myself I’m going to.

    If I take the Vyvanse later in the morning, it’s like it does nothing at all. I suppose it does kick in sometime in the afternoon, but I don’t notice it.

    I still have a hard time knowing if the meds make any difference or not. Sometimes it feels like it, but I am still very inconsistent. And very lazy. I have a hard time convincing myself to do all those not fun things that need to be done.

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    in reply to: .Struggling With Living The Best Life Possible! #126678

    blackdog
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    @lovelylianneg

    I can relate to what you are feeling. I have always felt the same way, like there just isn’t enough time, I’m too old now, I’ll never be able to learn what I need to, never be able to succeed…. And I have always felt that way, even when I was young.

    I want to be able to do it right now! I don’t want to have to wait, to take a course that will take up two years of my life. I don’t have two years! I can’t afford to lose that much time. I’m already too old now!!!

    But you’re only going to get older. If you don’t start now, then when? The longer you put it off the older you get and the closer you get to where you really won’t be able to do it. Trust me, you don’t want that. It’s better to at least try than to sit around wishing you had.

     

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    in reply to: ADHD and Spirituality #126666

    blackdog
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    @wiredonjava

    Thanks for bringing this thread up. I totally forgot about it. It looked vaguely familiar, and I thought maybe I had posted something…

    And reading that post, I can’t even believe it was me. No idea where that all came from. Sounds pretty good though (if I do say so myself).

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    in reply to: new person here #126665

    blackdog
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    @rollinggcloudd

    Do you mean literally passed out, or just went back to sleep?

    If you actually blacked out, that’s definitely not good. If it happens again after taking your med, call your doctor. One thing you have to watch with Vyvanse is your blood pressure. For most people, it will go up, but it can also drop, which could cause you to pass out. (just a suggestion)

    As for tripping over your feet, that’s just a normal start to the day. I once tripped over a cord and fell while getting ready for work 3 times in the same week. We used to have a central vacuum system and I tripped over the hose while vacuuming pretty much every time I used it. I use an upright now and just have to remember to hang onto the cord. If I let it drop, I’ll trip over it 5 seconds later. I have tripped over just about everything you can trip over, and a few things you wouldn’t even think of. Including my own feet, of course.

    I think I can remember a few times I rolled out of bed when I was a kid and just went back to sleep on the floor.  I have also fallen asleep in the shower. And in my dinner. Did a face plant right in the mashed potatoes. That one was due to lack of sleep though. It was when I was in college and staying up all night trying desperately to keep up with my assignments.

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    in reply to: To Confront or Not to Confront… #126664

    blackdog
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    It depends a lot on the situation, and how important the relationship is to you. I would say rather than using the old start with a positive then hit them over the head tactic it’s better to try framing the whole thing as positively as possible.

    Example: Instead of saying “you’ve been a real b**ch to me”, try saying something like “I’m sure you don’t mean to do it, but you really hurt my feelings when you ______”.

    Gawd, I can’t believe I am saying that. Its the kind of sappy crap that makes me sick when I hear it. 🙄

    I am probably the worst person to give any kind of advice about relationships. I’m the one who tells the boss what I really think, or mouths off to other employees who then go and tell the boss, and gets fired. And certain members of my family will barely acknowledge my existence. It’s not entirely my fault. In fact, it’s mostly theirs. But it all started with me telling them what I think.

    I also endure disrespect for much longer than I should. There were countless times when I should have just said take this job and shove it, but I stayed and kept plodding away, deluding myself into thinking eventually they would notice how hard I’m working, see how valuable I was. I let people treat me like a doormat, just for the sake of keeping the job, or the friendship. Like the one friend who would call me up and ask if I wanted to go shopping with her, and then leave me sitting in the car to watch her kids so she could do her shopping without them getting in the way.

    So I guess the best advice I could give is: Don’t be like me. 😯

     

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    in reply to: new person here #126655

    blackdog
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    LOL 😀 You may find your tolerance and patience level changing a little. When I first started on meds, my in-laws suddenly went from mildly irritating to so annoying I can’t stand to be around them or even talk to them on the phone without wanting to choke them. 🙄

    I believe in my case it’s because the medication brought me up to a level where I am more aware and my brain is functioning closer to the way it should. So I have a lower tolerance now for some of the boring, mundane, stupid stuff I used to be able to put up with. I mean seriously, why do people talk about the weather so much? So it’s snowing, so what? It’s winter. It snows in winter. We all know this. We can all see this. Why do we need to talk about it?

    Anyway… Since I haven’t even had a shower yet, and it’s noon, I better shut up now and go do some of the stuff on my “before lunch” list. Or maybe I should start with the “before breakfast” list. Or I could just scrap the whole plan and make some new lists…

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    in reply to: So we're loners so what? #126651

    blackdog
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    Looks like SPAM to me…

    But spammers sometimes do us a favour by resurrecting these old threads. This is a good topic for discussion and everything here resonates so much with me.

    Like Miguel said in his original post, my mom worried about me being so withdrawn, though she never really tried to force me not to be. Other people have tried to force me and push me into situations that make me uncomfortable, and that was very stressful, to say the least.

    I need my alone time. I like to go for walks by myself, sit in the park and read a book, or just sit by the lake and watch the ducks. It’s not really that I don’t like being around people. I actually get really lonely at times. But I need space, and time to recover after social encounters.

    Like  Scattybird and shutterbug said, it needs to be on my own terms. I get very uncomfortable when forced into a situation I don’t want to be in or don’t know how to handle. Like the Christmas parties at work. They were the worst.

    I always remember one time when I was at a pub with a few friends and they were all playing pool and talking and joking while I sat on a stool by myself watching them, feeling completely relaxed and content. And then one of them came over and asked me what was wrong, why I wasn’t having any fun. I responded that I was having fun. And I meant it. But no one believed me.

    Why is it that people can’t believe that we are happy doing what we want to do? Why do they always think we need to be like them and do what they like to do? Like our spammer friend says, it’s not good to be dubbed a loner. Because then no one wants to be friends with you, because you aren’t “fun”. And that’s when loner becomes lonely. Unless you are lucky enough to make friends with the right people.

     

     

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    in reply to: New Vyvanse user #126650

    blackdog
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    @ramblinon

    LOL That’s good to know. I’ll be there myself pretty soon. Which is nothing to laugh about now that I think about it. 😐

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    in reply to: Setting up desk space #126646

    blackdog
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    I was doing okay with the little white board I put up in the kitchen for awhile. And then I started to forget to update the list on it for a couple of days, then weeks, then finally stopped altogether. Then one day it fell off the wall and I just never put it back up.

    The magnetic board on my fridge still has a to do list on it from December 2013.

    I should try to get back to using them again because it really does help. I also use lots of different colours, one for each category of jobs- green for outside work, blue for the kitchen, pink for the living room,  etc. Very impotant things  were always written in red. I did the same thing for work, when I was still working.

    It’s funny that you switched from daily lists to weekly lists @ramblinon. I went the opposite way, from weekly to daily, because  I found it was just too big, too much to try to remember and plan for. It got confusing. So I made a list for each day and then would take each of those jobs and break them down even further, into an hourly list. I write things that are coming up in the near future that need to be remembered on little tiny post it notes and stick them on the calendar. I never remember to look at them, but my husband does. (I have note books for the stuff I don’t want him to know) I also write notes and stick them to my alarm clock, or sometimes just write them on my arm, so I see them first thing when I wake up.

    And even with all that, I still don’t get things done. So don’t beat yourself up too much. Look at what you have accomplished and celebrate the small victories. It will make you feel better and then you might be able to get more done.

     

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    in reply to: new person here #126644

    blackdog
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    Hi @rollinggcloudd, welcome. 🙂

    You’ve come to the right place. Whether you need serious advice, a shoulder to cry on, or just want to be silly and have some fun, you’ll find it all here. (but please, no conversations about Barney. you can’t be that desperate!)

    It’s impossible to give you any specific advice about medicatoion because everyone reacts differently. But one month may not be long enough to know if the  Vyvanse is going to work for you. It can sometimes take several weeks to start to really feel the effects of a medication. You also need to find your optimum dosage,   which will take a little fiddling.

    It actually sounds like it’s working the way it should. Not having any side effects is a good thing. You won’t really “feel” it working, but it will give you the ability to focus and concentrate better. It’s up to you to use that focus wisely.

    I also take Vyvanse, for a little more than a year now. For me it doesn’t seem to be working very well, but that may be my fault. I am lousy at self regulating and self disciplining. I will sit on the couch playing Candy Crush all day while the dishes pile up in the sink, the snow piles up outside,  and I’m still paying $45/month for a cell phone that I lost 3 months ago because I keep forgetting to call Rogers (need to make a note about that one. again).

    A couple of  tips that might help: Take the Vyvanse early in the morning, no later than  7:00 am, and at the same time every day. Try to get a full night’s sleep and eat a breakfast that includes some protein. Try to eat regularly throughout the day and drink plenty of water and avoid too much caffeine and sugar. In other words, do all the things that ADDers are notorious for not doing. 😉

     

     

     

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    in reply to: New Vyvanse user #126642

    blackdog
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    Oops! I totally forgot about the caffeine thing too.

    I was wondering about the hot flashes and was a little concerned because that seemed like an unusual side effect. But it totally makes sense with the caffeine.

    I still drink coffee and tea just like I always have and I don’t have any side effects from it. Sometimes I wash the Vyvanse down with my morning coffee.  So I didn’t even think about mentioning it. I’ll have to remember that in the future.

    Like Scattybird said, coffee in the evening, when the Vyvanse is starting to wear off, can be a good way to keep yourself going and not crash, as some people do. For me, if I take my full dose in the morning, I feel like I need a coffee by about 3:00 pm.

    One more thing I forgot to mention: It’s very important to take Vyvanse at the right time, and at the same time, every day. When I first started taking it people told me to be sure to take it by 7:00-7:30 am or it won’t work. I thought they were crazy, that it couldn’t matter that much when you take it. But I have found it really does make a difference. I feel much better when I take it at 7:00 am than I do if I take it later in the morning.

     

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    in reply to: New Vyvanse user #126630

    blackdog
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    One more note…

    Scattybird mentioning titration made me think of this. It’s something you might want to try:

    http://www.corepsych.com/2007/11/vyvanse-dosage-water-titration-recipe/#axzz3RBoorf7J

    Dr. Parker has lots of good info on his website and YouTube. I should have mentioned before that’s where I got my info about Vyvanse and Adderall dosages.

     

     

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    in reply to: New Vyvanse user #126622

    blackdog
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    Here are a couple of my posts from when I started on Vyvanse:

    This is my first day on 20mg Vyvanse.

    So far, so good. Feeling a little dizzy and maybe having a bit of nausea. (not sure the nausea is from the medication)

    It’s too soon to tell but my initial impression is good. I feel very calm and relaxed and a little less foggy than usual. I am still getting distracted from what I *should* be doing but I am aware that I am distracted and haven’t completely forgotten what I need to do.

    I will post updates as I go. I am scheduled to stay on the 20mg for 30 days after which it will be increased to 30 mg if I am tolerating it okay.

    ****************************

     

    I guess I should update this, since I started it.

    So, it’s day 5 now, and I feel really good. The last few days I didn’t feel well and I was very anxious. and I was almost more scattered than usual. But today I woke up feeling more rested and energetic than usual and very relaxed again.

    The only problem is that my memory has been pretty bad. Forgetting to put things away when I come home from shopping, locking myself out of the house, losing things. It’s actually a little worse than usual.

    Has anyone else experienced this when first starting a medication, having your symptoms get worse? Is it just a part of adjusting to it?

    *****************************

    Of course, I completely forgot that I started this thread and never updated it again. Also kept forgetting to keep a journal and finally gave up. But it looks like my first reaction was very similar to yours. My side effects all went away, except for the dry mouth, which I just have to put up with, and even at 80 mg I can barely even tell I’m taking it now. But I tend to have a higher tolerance than most people for just about everything. I also have a very slow metabolism, which I suspect makes the Vyvanse less effective. I want to try switching to Adderall, but my doctor will go ballistic if I even suggest it.

    Anyway… I should probably go to bed now.

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    in reply to: New Vyvanse user #126621

    blackdog
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    Hi @intngible

    It’s a little hard to give specific advice about medications because everyone reacts differently. What works for one person will not work for another. You should always consult with your doctor and/or pharmacist.

    That being said, 3 days on any medication is not really enough time to know if it is going to work or not. And it is perfectly normal to have some side effects in the first week or two. You really need to stick with it, if possible, as long as you can tolerate it.

    I take 80 mg of Vyvanse now, and it’s hard to remember what it was like when I first started at 20 mg, but I think I do remember feeling like my symptoms were getting worse for the first few days. It will take time for your brain to adjust. Feeling high at first is fairly normal too.

    All of these side effects should go away in time. If they start to get worse, or if you start to see signs of an allergic reaction, then you should contact your doctor immediately. As a general rule, you should not stop taking a medication suddenly, but you have to use your own judgement there.

    I would recommend leaving the dosage the same, unless you really feel it’s necessary to decrease it. It is better to stay at a steady dose, rather than going up and down, so that you can tell better how it’s working. 30 mg of Vyvanse is not really that much. It’s about equivalent to 10 mg of Adderall, if I remember correctly. But some people are very sensitive to stimulants and need a much lower dose than others. Your metabolism will affect how it works as well, plus a whole lot of other things. Like I said, everyone is different. Again, only you can judge what is best.

    I hope this helps you a little. And again, talk to your doctor about your concerns. I  might sound like I know what I’m taking about, but that doesn’t mean that I do.

    Good luck, let us know how things turn out. 🙂

     

     

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Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 899 total)