Well this is it, the reason I've been struggling for so long....I have ADHD. At first I was sad but now there's hope, I can finally get treated and I can finally move on with my life and benefit the ones around me.
I just hope this is the right prescription, I'm starting with Strattera which is a non-stimulant I just hope it makes me feel good. Any advice, suggestions? Thanks for reading!
I'm glad that you are seeing the positive side to the ADHD diagnosis. Getting treatment for ADHD can be tremendously beneficial.
I also take atomoxetine (a generic of Strattera).
My advice is to take with food, or within 20 minutes before or after eating. I have had to do this to prevent or minimize discomfort from the medication (in my case, temporary nausea, but others have reported more unpleasant side effects).
My observation is that atomoxetine seems to benefit people with Inattentive ADHD (or Combined ADHD) much moreso than people who have predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD. I don't have any statistics to point to on this, though, just my own observation based on conversations with others who have taken atomoxetine.
Oh my, 2 months went by, thank you for replying! It would make sense about Strattera working on certain types of ADHD as I have heard many find it inneffective. I think I am the combined type. I find it helps my working memory.
The first things I noticed when I started on atomoxetine were: improved working memory, my sense is time became a lot more regular, and my persistent brain fog lifted.
I was put on Adderall first, and it only relieved my ADHD symptoms half as well as atomoxetine does.
Before meds, these were my symptoms:
• Inattentiveness (difficulty maintaining attention on one thing for more than a few minutes, unless I was hyperfocused and couldn't break my attention away)
• Easily distracted (I'm now about half as distractible, but the real improvement is that I can turn my attention back to what I was doing before I got distracted)
• Poor working memory (I couldn't keep a list of more that 2 distinct things in my mind at a time; the average for a neurotypical person is 7 things), which was often limited to no more that 3 minutes
• Time-blindness (which still affects me a lot)
• Variable sense of time (5 minutes could feel like an hour, or an hour like 5 minutes... Adderall helped, atomoxetine helps a lot more...now it's variable at a 2-to-1 ratio, instead of about 12-to-1)
• Persistent feeling of brain fog in the front and lower back areas of my brain (Adderall only relieved the brain fog up front, atomoxetine relieves it all)
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I still struggle with time management.
But my memory is much improved, so I'm much more effective at work.
Adderall did help my motivation a bit more, but only a bit. I still struggle a lot with motivation, more at home than at work.
I have those symptoms minus the brain fog. Gaining working memory has been an eye opening experience. I haven't tried any other medication, but Strattera has enabled me to implement strategies to accommodate the challenges you listed above. I had to put in a lot of structure at home such as giving myself sensory breaks, reorganizing things in the home to help me keep stuff in place, putting up visual reminders and using timers in the past few months to help me stay on track.
Before ADHD meds, the brain fog (which was always mild, but persistent) would only go away briefly when I was shocked into fight-or-flight mode. That was when my mind was clearest and my thoughts went fastest; often in that mode I'd come up with a lot of ideas on the fly, and be able to make quick decisions. Whereas, my normal mode was too have a number of half-formed ideas floating around in my head, but I was plagued with indecisiveness.
Fight-or-flight mode it triggered when the body releases a surge of norepinephrine.
Atomoxetine is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, which (if I understand correctly) makes the nerve cells in the prefrontal cortex that release norepinephrine wait longer before reabsorbing of neurotransmitter.
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Yeah, I know that there's a lot more that I can be doing to build structure into my life, in my home & work environments, and in my routines.
After half a lifetime of having much less control of my attention, it's weird to think that I can do so much more now.
But as a dad, I'm seeing ADHD traits more and more in my youngest kids (ages 8 and 11). It may just be a confirmation bias, because the more I learn about ADHD, the more I think I see it in others.
Hi there, I’m also a recent diagnosis and feel much the same. Finally I understand myself better and there’s something I can do about things that are perceived as bad behaviour issues.
I wish I had the diagnosis sooner so I could understand my child and mother better but that’s not the way things go.
I have heard of Strattera but in the brief read about it, it sounds great. I’d like to hear how you get on.
🙂
Thanks! I've been super happy with it for the past 6 months. Its a little annoying to be so aware of how distracted I am, but it helps me work on it. I hope you are finding good strategies and supports on your journey!
Hi Spa865
Being patient will be very helpful in the coming months as the process of finding the right tools, especially medications, is a slow process. Keep your eye on the end goal - a more fulfilled life.
Absolutely! Have you any tips or tricks ypu would like to recommend?
Also was diagnosed at age 32, terrible sadness at first over what could have been, and then acceptance and realization that the rest of my life can be that much better thanks to the diagnosis.
I haven't taken Strattera before but was diagnosed inattentive type ADHD and prescribed Vyvanse due to my history. Even at 10 mg, I felt immediate effects within the first day. Day two helped me to believe I wasn't just dreaming. After a little over a year since then, I've had to be patient while adjusting my dosage to the right level. That being said, if you can't "tell the difference" right away or at least recognize that your mind feels a little less racing and slightly more still, then maybe the medicine isn't working or isn't yet at the appropriate dosage. Vyvanse is a stimulant and I recognize the many upsides of taking non-stimulants, so don't feel discouraged if you don't feel the way I did in the exact same timeline as you have the rest of your life ahead of you, and I can support you in at least sharing that there will be a day in your future where you get the meds right and life will be different and better then.
Thank you! I have been surprised at how quickly Strattera has been helpful in being aware of how distracted I am. There is so much information out there, and I appreciate this chat for sure. I hope your journey in discovering your potential is one you enjoy!
Welcome to the club! I like your positive outlook; it’s okay if it wanes at times to feel frustrated you’re not getting the results you want. The medicine and dosage is a little trial and error. It helps to keep loose notes about how you feel to report it back to your doctor.
After finding the right medication and dose I’ve personally been able to focus more consistently, develop stronger executive functioning skills and have better emotional regulation .
As a women you may find medication is not as effective during various phases of your monthly cycle. As you build stronger self care routines and learn to tap into and trust your feelings you’ll learn to accept and support yourself more. Such as allowing time for rest and recharge during these ups and downs.
I absolutely agree! Honestly, getting answers about myself and how I go about things was such a relief! Now that I have a diagnosis, I don't feel like a looser, I feel like a person with a medical condition.
Hello! I'm on Strattera and love it, but it affects people in a wide array of different ways. I have very few side effects and find it helps a lot with anxiety and focus.
It made me not want to eat, so I cut back and now I'm fine with eating. Let us know how it goes!!
Thank you! So far so good!
Hi! I'm recently diagnosed and have been on Stattera for about 6 months now. The biggest change for me is access to working memory which allows me to redirect myself to keep on track. Its like I can file my thoughts now. Not much help with my hyperactivity, but I can plan movement breaks in my day to help that. My mind still races, but I can manage a routine and use mindfulness strategies to prioritize what I need to follow up on. Before, I couldn't keep a routine or proactively plan or use strategies. Good luck!
Oh my gosh, that is my experience exactly! Take care!
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