Vyvanse making me more distracted? Hyperfocus?

[Brottworks]

Won't go into all my good bad and ugly of rock-bottom ADHD, but I'm a work from home full-time artist stuck in a creative block that has me doing any and everything possible besides what needs to get done. Diagnosed ADHD 17 or so years ago, was on and off meds the first 5 years, but have been on some form of class 2 stimulant first with Focalin and now on Vyvanse at 70mg for the past 8 years. In the past, I was super happy on the outside and making GREAT work on the outside, but depressed as heck on the inside and not realizing how bad up and down my moods were. So I switched MD Dr. and got more aggressive to try to stop this horrible spiral, and just started Wellbutrin XL after old MD had me try Stratara ( that WAS HORRIBLE HATED THAT DRUG!!!) the good news is THANK YOU WELLBUTRIN!!!! Big game changer I feel much better, but creatively blocked stuck in the same stupid hyperfocused loop activities NOT related to what I know has to get done i.e. do your job (that I love and enjoy doing)!!!!. It's like an angle on one arm "NO DON'T TOUCH THAT it's on FIRE and it's the LAST THING YOU NEED TO DO NOW!!! and the devil on the other "Chill out, yea it's on fire let's do experiments" next thing I know it's 8 hours later, nothing is done, except a new mess made that needs cleaning Pre-Wellbutrin I'd leave studio depressed as heck, but not now and wondering if I'm on too much and or the wrong ____ ? I see my new MD in 2 weeks but I want to pay and use an ADHD Life Coach to help end this BS, but not sure it's worth it if I am not ready to change with wrong meds in me. Anyone else had the same or similar?

Suggestions? Any input helps.

THANKS!!!

AB

[Marygr66]

I don't have a solution but I am in the EXACT same situation! Same meds! Except I hated the Wellbutrin as well. I felt like I was having panic attacks. It really sucks. My house is such a disaster from all the projects I have started and walked away from to end up doing God knows what for the next 24 hours. I have been taking ADD meds for 17 yrs too. I took Adderall most of that time but switched. I seemed to feel really agitated. Poeple have mentioned hormone therapy. Maybe for you. I can't. I recently had breast cancer. The type that grows from estrogen. So I have to keep that at a extreme low. Let me know if you come up with anything.

Thanks

[nannew in reply to Marygr66]

I don't know if this is a helpful response. but I take 200 mg. of Wellbutrin, Strattera and Vyvanse 60 mg. total and abilify 10-15 mg. I started add meds in 1984 and finally, we came up w a combination that works, w/ my doc. It has been frustrating over the course of many different combinations and many years. But, I can read now and concentrate. have better relationships. Onward!

[Brottworks in reply to nannew]

Thanks, don't know much if any on abilify, what does that do in the mix? My scatter head forgot to mention I'm also newly on amantadine @ 100mg on what Md says is "off use but can be effective"- for what I don't know. I'm new to all these combinations so big thanks-I will learn as I go, but want to avoid Strattera (Atomoxetine HCl), unless it works for ____? And last, with all these mixes what happens if one hits your sleep? Do u then need another for that? I know diet and exercise, but don't want/need a pill to up then a pill to down and die like Elvis for big pharma...

and thanks for the help!!!

[Brottworks]

Found this on Abilify additudemag.com/medication/...

and this is Amantadine additudemag.com/medication/...

and very little on Strattera (Atomoxetine HCl) combined with Wellbutrin (Bupropion hcl). But learn the slang is "cocktail" (?) for all these mixes MD and their patients have to try and test to find the right mix. Glad you found yours. Mine? I just learned the 3 types of ADHD additudemag.com/3-types-of-... and I'm "combined" (not MD/diagnosed on type yet) but think I'm more "Inattentive type" than "Hyperactive-impulsive type" and calmed by stimulants to focus and shoot straight, but stuck in a horrible behavioral rut looking for answers. i.e. too much stimulant? and or go back to 2 pills a day with no time release?

[angelvictoriab]

I learned over the past few years that focusing on what you need to focus on is always going to be a challenge, regardless of the medication. The stimulants help you focus to a point but it's gonna be up to you to direct your focus. I used to lay down after taking my medicine and think about a memory over and over again. Before I knew it hours and hours have been wasted. I definitely recommend cutting the dosage down . You might be taking more than you need, making it harder to re-direct your focus on what's important. From there you have to train yourself to get out of whatever your doing that's not important. You have to stop and ask yourself if what you're doing is going to have consequence on your goals, but you have to then re-direct your attention in the exact moment you realize it. Taking this action will get easier within time. After you simply start the thing that's important, you'll suddenly be doing it with ease and without even realizing. Once you've completed your tasks you'll feel accomplished and not as guilty to go do something you enjoy. Please don't keep changing all of these medications in your body.

[Brottworks]

Great advise, but I do need the med changes as stimulants alone were not working, and positive response to Wellbutrin and Amantadine, and therapist wants me to ask MD about Vyvanse at 70mg as a link to hyperfocus?... That said I believe the rest of what you said is spot on.- THANKS!!!

I'm also looking at ADHD "Life Coach" vs Ph.D.'s who list "Life Coach" as one of their specialties... The first is out of state, does by skype, NOT covered by insurance, but HIGHLY recommended/accredited by the best of the "experts" as "ADHD Coach". PhD's therapists? Dime a dozen? Much cheaper and local, but I fear it's NOT what I need most. Then there is Dr. Amen's prayers and 7 kinds of additudemag.com/slideshows/... and Mr. Mrs., Ms., or ____ angelvictoriab damn your spot on and I need EDS more than ANY med. tlec.infosome

Thanks again.

[processbadbenny]

Hey i am aware that this is a year old but i know how possible it is that you havent resolved this issue and i dont really have an answer as to whether the vyvanse is causing hyperfocus or what im experiencing the same issue. I did want to pop in and i stg im not a shill but i do recommend a genesight test if u are having a ton of trouble finding the right med. It is normal for people to go thru multiple meds at first or change them a bit over the years but my drhad me take one bc its been 6 years and when they asked me if i had a med i was helped by even a bit i could not think of one. I am glad you are having a good time on the wellbutrin and ive heard its a solid med but there is a chance u are experiencing a processing issue w the way vyvanse is metabolized.

I dont really understand it all the way but basically tje genesight thing is a tongue swab dna thing (and Its expensive off the bat but they have a financial program for every income level so u arent paying a cray amount and other options for ppl without insurance or with medicare and what not. idk it just tells u how ur body processes different medication and whether u will react badly to a med just bc of how u process. Mine showed that almost Nothing was even going thru my system so now we can focus on a small handful of meds which sucks but they might actually help. Vyvanse for me i should mention is one that i process slightly wrong so my and my dr are trying it but tbh its either not been xoing anything or in the last two days i literally just did the same thing only barely tearing myself away to like pee i literally ate once per day bc i couldnt get away from my task.

idk if it is the issue for u but me thinks me weirdo processing thing is at play here and i will probably give it a few more days and give up.