are adhd meds that effective?

[matsuzaka]

hihi!! o/

i have plans to ctb in mid september, but recently i am in a position where i might be able to get medicated for adhd! ive heard people say the meds are really effective at treating it and i was wondering what other people's experiences on this were? ^^

i might postpone ctb just so i can at least try being medicated for it since adhd messes with my ability to kind of do anything so i end up rotting in my sadness all day T~T

i also feel like shit for making my partner cry so much, she knows im suicidal but nothing about specific dates, so maybe postponing would help her feel better even if its just for a little while!

i dunno im kind of grasping at straws here but thank you for reading anyways :>

 

[DanielDanDean]

ADHD medication seems to be effective for the symptoms of ADHD from the testimonies I saw so if your ADHD is THE one reason for your ideas of CTB you can try that but I will not magically flip your life over in an instant

 

[N@te]

hihi!! o/

i have plans to ctb in mid september, but recently i am in a position where i might be able to get medicated for adhd! ive heard people say the meds are really effective at treating it and i was wondering what other people's experiences on this were? ^^

i might postpone ctb just so i can at least try being medicated for it since adhd messes with my ability to kind of do anything so i end up rotting in my sadness all day T~T

i also feel like shit for making my partner cry so much, she knows im suicidal but nothing about specific dates, so maybe postponing would help her feel better even if its just for a little while!

i dunno im kind of grasping at straws here but thank you for reading anyways :>

you won't know until you try. Also it largely depends on which meds you get (and what dose you use); Amphetamines like Adderall tend to be more effective.

 

[matsuzaka]

ADHD medication seems to be effective for the symptoms of ADHD from the testimonies I saw so if your ADHD is THE one reason for your ideas of CTB you can try that but I will not magically flip your life over in an instant

you won't know until you try. Also it largely depends on which meds you get (and what dose you use); Amphetamines like Adderall tend to be more effective.

thank you, im actually currently on adhd meds(that dont work) but in my country the amphetamine ones are banned, though ill be moving countries soon and i'll be able to get access to adderall and ritalin!!

i know it wont flip my life but im hoping it might at least make me able to pour my energy into making art instead of being unable to do anything

i wouldnt say its my sole cause for ctb, my bpd and my family is definetly a bigger cause but who knows maybe this will help lead to bigger change

thank you for your replies!! <3

 

[vivilies]

Hi, I'm on ADHD meds, stimulants to be exact. In my experience, there are pros and cons to taking them, and someone else's experience may be different to mine.

The biggest pro for me is that they help with my executive dysfunction, and I especially struggle with task initiation. When I'm not medicated, I have no motivation or desire to do anything. I don't want to go to work, cook, clean, run errands, take care of myself, or even take care of my pets. I also wouldn't want to do art, play video games, watch TV, or anything else I used to enjoy. I just stay in bed or on the couch and doomscroll. It's not surprising that when I'm unmedicated, I'm hella depressed. It's hard to feel good about myself when my place is a mess, when I call out of work, when I realize it's dark outside and I literally haven't done shit all day even though I had a to-do list in my head or written down. When I'm medicated, it's easier to do all these things, so in return, I feel much better about myself. Being on a stimulant helps my mental health more than any antidepressant or antipsychotic I've ever taken, but there's a catch…

Now to the cons. Personally, for me, the general side effects are pretty manageable. I get dry lips and dry mouth, which causes me to lick and bite my lips a lot, and sometimes my lips get SOOO dry and flaky, even if I use lip balm and drink a ton of water throughout the day. I get pretty hot and sweat more than I usually do. It increases my heart rate, which can be a little uncomfy and anxiety-inducing at times. My appetite decreases, and sometimes I'll have to force myself to eat something. Also, this is TMI, but I usually really have to go to the bathroom 30 minutes to an hour after taking my dose.

But to me, the worst effects are from when my medication wears off. It gives me a pretty bad headache about 30% of the time. I get really tired and all of my motivation disappears. I really struggle sleeping most nights. I have a skin-picking disorder and it gets really bad when my medication starts to wear off. Adderall in particular made me extremely angry and suicidal (I've been switched to Vyvanse and it's better in that regard, but this still applies). There's also the topic of tolerance.. My medication is more or less effective based on how many days in a row I've taken it, whether or not I've eaten and what I've eaten before I take it, and I suspect even where I'm at in my monthly cycle plays a factor. Sometimes it lasts all day and well into the night even though I take it around 8am most days, and sometimes I only get a few hours of benefits. I've also become pretty dependent on it unfortunately. I've come to completely rely on it to get anything done, which has led to me sometimes abusing my dose. I'm also chronically sleep deprived, which I'm sure doesn't help overall.

Anyways, sorry for the long post. As I said before, everyone's experience may be different, but I thought I'd at least share mine. Let me know if you have any questions. :) good luck!

 

[N@te]

Hi, I'm on ADHD meds, stimulants to be exact. In my experience, there are pros and cons to taking them, and someone else's experience may be different to mine.

The biggest pro for me is that they help with my executive dysfunction, and I especially struggle with task initiation. When I'm not medicated, I have no motivation or desire to do anything. I don't want to go to work, cook, clean, run errands, take care of myself, or even take care of my pets. I also wouldn't want to do art, play video games, watch TV, or anything else I used to enjoy. I just stay in bed or on the couch and doomscroll. It's not surprising that when I'm unmedicated, I'm hella depressed. It's hard to feel good about myself when my place is a mess, when I call out of work, when I realize it's dark outside and I literally haven't done shit all day even though I had a to-do list in my head or written down. When I'm medicated, it's easier to do all these things, so in return, I feel much better about myself. Being on a stimulant helps my mental health more than any antidepressant or antipsychotic I've ever taken, but there's a catch…

Now to the cons. Personally, for me, the general side effects are pretty manageable. I get dry lips and dry mouth, which causes me to lick and bite my lips a lot, and sometimes my lips get SOOO dry and flaky, even if I use lip balm and drink a ton of water throughout the day. I get pretty hot and sweat more than I usually do. It increases my heart rate, which can be a little uncomfy and anxiety-inducing at times. My appetite decreases, and sometimes I'll have to force myself to eat something. Also, this is TMI, but I usually really have to go to the bathroom 30 minutes to an hour after taking my dose.

But to me, the worst effects are from when my medication wears off. It gives me a pretty bad headache about 30% of the time. I get really tired and all of my motivation disappears. I really struggle sleeping most nights. I have a skin-picking disorder and it gets really bad when my medication starts to wear off. Adderall in particular made me extremely angry and suicidal (I've been switched to Vyvanse and it's better in that regard, but this still applies). There's also the topic of tolerance.. My medication is more or less effective based on how many days in a row I've taken it, whether or not I've eaten and what I've eaten before I take it, and I suspect even where I'm at in my monthly cycle plays a factor. Sometimes it lasts all day and well into the night even though I take it around 8am most days, and sometimes I only get a few hours of benefits. I've also become pretty dependent on it unfortunately. I've come to completely rely on it to get anything done, which has led to me sometimes abusing my dose. I'm also chronically sleep deprived, which I'm sure doesn't help overall.

Anyways, sorry for the long post. As I said before, everyone's experience may be different, but I thought I'd at least share mine. Let me know if you have any questions. :) good luck!

that's interesting, and seems like a pretty common reaction. Though, in my experience, amphetamines have a different cycle where they make me feel energized/happy the first few minutes (sometimes), and then I usually feel stressed and/or tried and depressed for a few hours. And then I feel better and more energized, but in a stable way as opposed to a high way. And when it wears off I just get sleepy and lazy as opposed to angry or depressed. I take 2 mg guanfacine ER each night, it's possible that's partially responsible for the way I react to amphetamines now. When I first started taking amphetamines it wasn't like this.

 

[vivilies]

that's interesting, and seems like a pretty common reaction. Though, in my experience, amphetamines have a different cycle where they make me feel energized/happy the first few minutes (sometimes), and then I usually feel stressed and/or tried and depressed for a few hours. And then I feel better and more energized, but in a stable way as opposed to a high way. And when it wears off I just get sleepy and lazy as opposed to angry or depressed. I take 2 mg guanfacine ER each night, it's possible that's partially responsible for the way I react to amphetamines now. When I first started taking amphetamines it wasn't like this.

I understand the happy and energized feeling for sure. When I'm on my meds, I'm generally happier and more social, and sometimes I even feel like everything is going to be okay! I don't put myself down as easily. I can think about why I feel the way I do and what I can do to better myself/my life without getting depressed about it. I can get stressed or irritated but I find it easier to pull myself out of it. Once my meds wear off though, all of that goes out the window lol. I also get tired and lazy, along with getting smacked by my depression. But when I'm on them, I'm usually good. I know at least here in the US, things have been funky lately with the amphetamine shortage. Different manufacturers have different formulations which result in varying effects and efficiency. Could explain why you feel differently now than you did in the past. My doctor also tried me on guanfacine but I didn't feel any difference personally, so I'm no longer taking it.

 

[matsuzaka]

The biggest pro for me is that they help with my executive dysfunction, and I especially struggle with task initiation. When I'm not medicated, I have no motivation or desire to do anything. I don't want to go to work, cook, clean, run errands, take care of myself, or even take care of my pets. I also wouldn't want to do art, play video games, watch TV, or anything else I used to enjoy. I just stay in bed or on the couch and doomscroll

woa!! its nice to hear that they help with executive dysfunction, im the same where i just dont have motivation to really do anything and my house becomes a mess and its so depressing to waste away and not do anything, and then it just compounds from seeing the trash and dishes pile up. its comforting to hear someone with similar symptoms have them alleviated with stimulant medicine.

Now to the cons. Personally, for me, the general side effects are pretty manageable. I get dry lips and dry mouth, which causes me to lick and bite my lips a lot, and sometimes my lips get SOOO dry and flaky, even if I use lip balm and drink a ton of water throughout the day. I get pretty hot and sweat more than I usually do. It increases my heart rate, which can be a little uncomfy and anxiety-inducing at times. My appetite decreases, and sometimes I'll have to force myself to eat something. Also, this is TMI, but I usually really have to go to the bathroom 30 minutes to an hour after taking my dose.

But to me, the worst effects are from when my medication wears off. It gives me a pretty bad headache about 30% of the time. I get really tired and all of my motivation disappears. I really struggle sleeping most nights. I have a skin-picking disorder and it gets really bad when my medication starts to wear off. Adderall in particular made me extremely angry and suicidal (I've been switched to Vyvanse and it's better in that regard, but this still applies). There's also the topic of tolerance.. My medication is more or less effective based on how many days in a row I've taken it, whether or not I've eaten and what I've eaten before I take it, and I suspect even where I'm at in my monthly cycle plays a factor. Sometimes it lasts all day and well into the night even though I take it around 8am most days, and sometimes I only get a few hours of benefits. I've also become pretty dependent on it unfortunately. I've come to completely rely on it to get anything done, which has led to me sometimes abusing my dose. I'm also chronically sleep deprived, which I'm sure doesn't help overall.

the cons seem pretty manageable for the most part!! at least from what i can tell. some of them seem similar to my current non stimulant meds (strattera) like the apetite decrease and the meds seem to be less effective at the start of each month as well. it kind of sucks to hear that the motivation kinda dissapears immediately after the meds wear off but im hoping being productive throughout the day might help stave off some of the immediate post medicine depression,,,

Anyways, sorry for the long post. As I said before, everyone's experience may be different, but I thought I'd at least share mine. Let me know if you have any questions. :) good luck!

no worries at all!! this was actually super informative, thank you so so much for taking the time to write this out, really means a lot

I understand the happy and energized feeling for sure. When I'm on my meds, I'm generally happier and more social, and sometimes I even feel like everything is going to be okay! I don't put myself down as easily. I can think about why I feel the way I do and what I can do to better myself/my life without getting depressed about it. I can get stressed or irritated but I find it easier to pull myself out of it. Once my meds wear off though, all of that goes out the window lol. I also get tired and lazy, along with getting smacked by my depression. But when I'm on them, I'm usually good.

this sounds like it would help a lot with some of my bpd related depression, i wont get my hopes up too high for any of the meds but i hope i can experience something similar :>

i would love to be freed from the depression even if its only while im on the medicine

 

[booplesnoot34]

My Vyvanse has been amazing for my ADHD. It's the only reason I can function and stay awake and even treat my binge eating disorder. I have tried so many others and none of them have worked as well and for as long as Vyvanse. (Vyvanse is extended release. The immediate release is called dextroamphetamine.) Other meds have screwed with my heart and liver. Non-stimulants don't work at all.

Hi, I'm on ADHD meds, stimulants to be exact. In my experience, there are pros and cons to taking them, and someone else's experience may be different to mine.

The biggest pro for me is that they help with my executive dysfunction, and I especially struggle with task initiation. When I'm not medicated, I have no motivation or desire to do anything. I don't want to go to work, cook, clean, run errands, take care of myself, or even take care of my pets. I also wouldn't want to do art, play video games, watch TV, or anything else I used to enjoy. I just stay in bed or on the couch and doomscroll. It's not surprising that when I'm unmedicated, I'm hella depressed. It's hard to feel good about myself when my place is a mess, when I call out of work, when I realize it's dark outside and I literally haven't done shit all day even though I had a to-do list in my head or written down. When I'm medicated, it's easier to do all these things, so in return, I feel much better about myself. Being on a stimulant helps my mental health more than any antidepressant or antipsychotic I've ever taken, but there's a catch…

Now to the cons. Personally, for me, the general side effects are pretty manageable. I get dry lips and dry mouth, which causes me to lick and bite my lips a lot, and sometimes my lips get SOOO dry and flaky, even if I use lip balm and drink a ton of water throughout the day. I get pretty hot and sweat more than I usually do. It increases my heart rate, which can be a little uncomfy and anxiety-inducing at times. My appetite decreases, and sometimes I'll have to force myself to eat something. Also, this is TMI, but I usually really have to go to the bathroom 30 minutes to an hour after taking my dose.

But to me, the worst effects are from when my medication wears off. It gives me a pretty bad headache about 30% of the time. I get really tired and all of my motivation disappears. I really struggle sleeping most nights. I have a skin-picking disorder and it gets really bad when my medication starts to wear off. Adderall in particular made me extremely angry and suicidal (I've been switched to Vyvanse and it's better in that regard, but this still applies). There's also the topic of tolerance.. My medication is more or less effective based on how many days in a row I've taken it, whether or not I've eaten and what I've eaten before I take it, and I suspect even where I'm at in my monthly cycle plays a factor. Sometimes it lasts all day and well into the night even though I take it around 8am most days, and sometimes I only get a few hours of benefits. I've also become pretty dependent on it unfortunately. I've come to completely rely on it to get anything done, which has led to me sometimes abusing my dose. I'm also chronically sleep deprived, which I'm sure doesn't help overall.

Anyways, sorry for the long post. As I said before, everyone's experience may be different, but I thought I'd at least share mine. Let me know if you have any questions. :) good luck!

Cortibalm has been the best I can find for really chapped lips. Dr. Dan's brand. I was on Accutane and my lips cracked and bled so badly. Nothing else worked, not even Aquaphor.

 

[N@te]

My Vyvanse has been amazing for my ADHD. It's the only reason I can function and stay awake and even treat my binge eating disorder. I have tried so many others and none of them have worked as well and for as long as Vyvanse. (Vyvanse is extended release. The immediate release is called dextroamphetamine.) Other meds have screwed with my heart and liver. Non-stimulants don't work at all.

Cortibalm has been the best I can find for really chapped lips. Dr. Dan's brand. I was on Accutane and my lips cracked and bled so badly. Nothing else worked, not even Aquaphor.

wouldn't that be quite bad for you lips long-term? it contains hydrocortisone

 

[booplesnoot34]

wouldn't that be quite bad for you lips long-term? it contains hydrocortisone

My dermatologist hasn't said anything about it, so idk tbh

 

[N@te]

My dermatologist hasn't said anything about it, so idk tbh

hydrocortisone is known for thinning the skin. My dad used to use it for his eczema, and recently he got a couple skin tears due to old age and how thin/weak his skin was

 

[booplesnoot34]

Even after stopping Accutane, the side effect of severe chapped lips didn't go away for like a year, so if I wanted to do anything without painful, bloody lip-ripping whenever I moved my mouth, I didn't really have a choice. I still get dry cracking and use Cortibalm, but less often. Aquaphor is probably the second best and safer long term, but it didn't help me at all back when I was on the medication.

hydrocortisone is known for thinning the skin. My dad used to use it for his eczema, and recently he got a couple skin tears due to old age and how thin/weak his skin was

 

[vivilies]

My Vyvanse has been amazing for my ADHD. It's the only reason I can function and stay awake and even treat my binge eating disorder. I have tried so many others and none of them have worked as well and for as long as Vyvanse. (Vyvanse is extended release. The immediate release is called dextroamphetamine.) Other meds have screwed with my heart and liver. Non-stimulants don't work at all.

Cortibalm has been the best I can find for really chapped lips. Dr. Dan's brand. I was on Accutane and my lips cracked and bled so badly. Nothing else worked, not even Aquaphor.

Switching to Vyvanse from Adderall XR/ER was definitely the right move for me! The side effects are more manageable overall. I would crash hard on Adderall. My body would also build up tolerance a lot faster, to the point that taking my dose sometimes did absolutely nothing, even with a 2-3 day break.

I'll have to look into Cortibalm, thank you for the suggestion! I've tried Aquaphor but I wasn't a fan, I hate the super greasy feeling on my lips, lol.

 

[matsuzaka]

Switching to Vyvanse from Adderall XR/ER was definitely the right move for me! The side effects are more manageable overall. I would crash hard on Adderall. My body would also build up tolerance a lot faster, to the point that taking my dose sometimes did absolutely nothing, even with a 2-3 day break.

I'll have to look into Cortibalm, thank you for the suggestion! I've tried Aquaphor but I wasn't a fan, I hate the super greasy feeling on my lips, lol.

how bad is the issue of tolerance for vyvanse in terms of med downtime? do you usually find that a one day break is enough? ^^

 

[nayomi]

yap but fucked my stomach balanced and developed IBS...
if it makes you diarrhea a lot or lots of stomach ache for long time you should stop