Hello, one and all. This is my first post. I would like to share with you my experience moving through the above medications.
A bit of background, before I was diagnosed I had been on Sertraline 100mg, pregabalin 300mg and diazepam 10mg a day for the last 10 years. I was first started on XagXL at the lowest dose once a day but as Sertraline is an SSRI I wanted t come off it. I dropped from 100mg of Sert a day to 50mg 5 days before my first dose of XagXL. Coming off Sert so quickly can give horrendous side effects known as brain zaps. Like electric shocks going through your body when you move your eyes.
Well, I had come off them before and knew I was highly sensitive to BZ's but I was so desperate to get on ADHD meds as it had taken nearly 3 years to get on them, that I threw caution to the wind and just went for it. I was also formerly alcohol dependent and used that to self-medicate due to having very loud tinnitus, you might see where this is going!
So I'm getting zaps, and side effects from the XagXL like strange tingling in my brain, headaches, poor sleep etc and on top of this I was using alcohol which was a big mistake and adding to all my woes. I'm 52 and had a hellish childhood which set me on the path to a certain lifestyle which itself led to self-destruction as my go-to escape.
So I stay on the XagXL for about 3 weeks going up in dose, whilst coming totally off sert and still drinking. (When I say drinking I'm talking a bottle and half of red wine a night) So this does not go well. I ended up coming off the XagXL until the zaps went (or so I thought) for about a week before starting on Elvanse. This time with no alcohol.
We are all different but I had an allergic reaction to Elvanse, my face got swollen and very very red, I would have very hot flushes and my breathing became shallow at certain times each day and I felt terribly ill for about three weeks until I again stopped taking them as it was too much. My BP was through the roof.
I again had a week off, no alcohol, and am about to start ConcertaXL today.
NOW WHY SAY ALL THIS?
Well tbh, I wanted to be a warning of what not to do when starting ADHD meds. If you are on anything your Psyc says you will be better off without, come off it very gradually and well before you start your new meds. SSRIs like Sertraline are not good for ADHD anyway as I found through research, they are helpful for those that need a balanced amount of serotonin but again my research suggested that they are more damaging to those misdiagnosed with depression who actually have ADHD and need dopamine more than serotonin as is what happened to me.
Also, keep clear of alcohol! Now if you do plan on having the odd social drink that's up to you. My advice would be to plan ahead. If you are going on a night out, do not take your ADHD meds that day or the day after, well that's what my Psyc told me. However, for me, I find it hard to do that so I am keeping off the booze.
As far as Elvanse is, well I am 1 in 1000 that suffered from the more severe side effects, so don't let it put you off. You may be fine. I think all the years of abuse, mentally, physically and via substances have made me very sensitive to meds as a whole. So I have to keep a written diary each day of exactly how I am doing including the good the bad and the ugly. I share all my notes with my Psyc.
Also on a side note these medications have varying ways of delivering the active ingredients and of course, your body has varying ways of handling the load. This is called your pharmacokinetic profile.
A PK profile is generally the result of four key physiological events: absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, typically referred to as A.D.M.E.
The med I'm taking today for example ConcertaXL, works as follows. The tablet coating of Concerta dissolves within 1 to 2 hours and releases 22% of the total dose of MPH. The remaining 78% of the dose is osmotically controlled (osmotic-release oral system [OROS] technology) and released over 10 hours through a laser-drilled hole. The maximum effect occurs 6−8 hours after dosing.
Each med has its own way of delivery: OROS MPH
This means: Osmotic-release oral system of Methylphenidate. Different brands have patents that deliver the MPH in different ways. This can have a dramatic effect on how your body reacts to the osmosis and the concentration of each released dose. The tablet coating of each brand has variables in terms of its breakdown within the body and the release of MPH within it. Some are quick some take much longer.
It's a good idea to do some research on this which can readily be found online, just so you are aware of why and when you may be feeling like you do when taking certain medications for ADHD.
I hope my body accepts ConcertaXL, I have had real moments when it felt like my brain was awake in a new and exciting way, I could think more clearly and see what I needed to do but sadly my body rejected the med and here I am again. Though, I will not stop as I believe these medications can be life-changing and am learning each time when I need to eat, to drink a lot of water, and most of all to be patient with myself.
I will post an update at some point during this next new phase. Have a great week everyone.
Johnny
Quick tips.
Get a BP machine from Amazon for £17 and I bought the cheapest Fitbit which gives me invaluable data that helps me see my HR through the night how long I slept, how my breathing was and my readiness for the day. Trust me the data does not lie! 
PS. I make films and attached is a poster from my award-winning short film from a year ago JFYI.
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