Note: I was overwhelmed with the reaction I had to my first pill, so this is a little overdramatic...
I took my first pill a little over an hour ago. MY BRAIN IS QUIET!!! What is this magic?
I was putting it off for a few days after I got my prescription. New thing, maybe a big change. I cried for 20 min straight. MY BRAIN IS QUIET? This happens? It keeps getting quieter! This is weird, a good weird. I can't beleive it worked! I know everyday won't be like this and the noise will come back but I'm enjoying it for now
Next day edit: thanks to everyone for the positive replies. I appreciate you all. it seemed like I wanted to shout from the rooftops about how I felt. Thinking about it now, I was overly amped up. I told a few friends in detail how I was feeling, I didn't take a nap that day as I usually do and I went out and did a few things in the evening. It was great because I wanted to get out and do things, be social, but I overstimulated myself and wasn't able to sleep until 4 AM that night. So I'm trying to figure this all out. I didn't take any medication today because I only got about two hours of sleep. All of the people who live with ADHD that I communicated with about it said that The "quiet mind" response that I got was an indicator that the medication was working as it should. But no bueno on staying up all night. So I am going to communicate with my doctors and give them a very abbreviated version of what happened and what I would like to happen. And go from there. Wish me luck and I welcome your opinions.
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starsallover
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I had the same experience after taking my meds for the first time - I cried. I couldn't believe this state of being was possible. It just hit me like a ton of bricks that this is what others lived with, but not me.
I know meds aren't for everyone, but they were life changing for me. When I met with my psych to review whether or not the meds were working for me, I again started to cry (much to her chagrin) but I explained it was a good cry. I was so unbelievably happy there was a solution that could at least HELP.
I was in the middle of building a business and was just SO scattered as I built it, but starting the meds allowed me to build it with a solid foundation. Now that business (which was just me as a VA) is an agency with 8 other VAs on the team. Because my life was so changed by my diagnosis, I decided that other ADHDers were who my VAs would support - so we work solely with ADHDers. I honestly don't think things would be where they are right now had I not received my diagnosis and meds.
All of that to say, I celebrate (and grieve) with you. I imagine there are some aspects that you grieve (if only I'd know this sooner), but hopefully not. I chose to let that grief wash over me for the years I struggled without knowing why, but then focused on my new and brighter future. I hope the same for you!
Happy to answer! It's one of my favorite subjects to talk about. lol!
Our VAs will do everything from making appointments for you, handling any and all admin-type tasks, bill paying, email organization and management, to doing your bookkeeping (I have a bookkeeper on the team), scheduling social media, composing emails or texts for you, etc. The range of what we do is pretty vast. We even have a client that we do meal planning for, then order her groceries for her. We literally do just about anything you need help with - as long as it's within our skillsets. We'll build websites, we'll update websites, we'll interact with your clients for you (if you're a business), we'll set up your systems, help set up your calendar with literally "all the things", help you remember family and friend's birthdays, etc. We also body-double with our clients, teach them how to time block, teach them different methods (like Pomodoro technique, for instance) and help them set up a personal system for whatever it is they need. I built an entire schedule for a client once, which she then imported into her calendar, and because she lives by her calendar - as do I - now she sticks to her schedule, which has really helped her stay organized.
I don't personally take clients anymore, simply due to the fact that the running of the business takes up too much of my time, but I have 8 VAs on the team to select from.
We work solely with ADHDers and all my VAs are certified ADHD Virtual Assistants, meaning that in addition to being educated on ADHD when they came to us, they also go through a course that goes over what all is involved with ADHD and different ways to work with brains like ours, avoiding the areas that we struggle with and instead, making use of our strengths. We customize our system to each client, meaning we figure out what works best for the client and build the system around that. We don't have a "box" we expect our clients to conform to.
🤦♀️ I first took VA to mean “Victim Advocate”, also a worthy endeavor, although I couldn’t quite understand the focus on ADHD clients…this is just one example of how my brain works differently!
That said, kudos to you for a job well done and a thriving business helping others.
Isn't it amazing? I cried the first time too Jozlynn. Life changing experience. Pretty much everything Jozlynn said is what my experience was like too.
this morning was a breath of fresh air . Once again, I know every day won't be like this but I felt exuberantly peaceful this morning. So grateful.
I have renewed hope now. Sweet Sydney (name for the ADHD symptoms) finally took a nap. I'm noticing the bouncy chatterbox has woken up, but she's playing quietly and just talking occasionally. Not yelling random things about everything, poking me and tinkering with radios.
I WANT to do things and I have confidence in my ability to do them. Imagine that. I've been trying for years and Sweet Sydney dropped a sparkly rubbish heap on top of each goal just as I was getting started. She thought it was hilarious and beautiful. I got tired of sorting through the mess; I just gave up.
So like my ovary eviction and HRT made life with Sylvia (PMDD) much easier, I think medication will in regards to Sweet Sydney (Scatterbrain). Day one accomplished!
Oh what a wonderful post!! I remember my first quiet moments!!! Enjoy!
Starsallover, I can completely relate with you as yesterday i took my first ADHD med and my world became quite!!! I also cried, tears of joy, tears of sadness that i have missed out on this peace and calm my entire life, and I experienced a huge amount of disbelief that i had been living my life the way i had thinking it was normal!!!! I am so happy for you, well for both of us!! <3
Some are lucky, to find relief right away. For me it took over a year to find the right meds and still never had that euforia feeling. So you are not the only one
HI startsallover, Firstly, I want to say wow, congratulations, and that I am very happy for you are feeling some relief. It's an amazing feeling isn't it! I've been reading all the posts on here and have never been one to post anything online. BUT.... your post is so amazing. With it being the holidays, I am so over-the-moon excited for you, and I just felt compelled to actually write you a post and wish you so much good juju going forward.
For me, I'm 51, and was diagnosed in Oct. Before I took any medicine, I watched a video on YouTube about what it's like to take ADHD medicine (A British guy), and he suggested taking a walk to see how the medicine affected him. I did the same "experiment," or walk the first time I took the medicine, and experienced exactly the same as he explained.
On that walk, I was on the phone with a good friend who has helped me through this journey, and as the medicine began to kick in, my mind slowed, things got quiet and I noticed things I'd never noticed before. (For example, I noticed this beautiful fountain next to our our park; and I'd walked past it for nearly every day for 12 years without noticing it)! As I got to the park, I sat down on a bench and just cried. My only thoughts were, My goodness, what could/ would my life have been like had I just had the courage to get help 20-30 years ago.
My doctor has been amazing and said to expect some ups and downs while we "dial in" the right dosage. He said its a lot of trial and error. Maybe your doc has said the same. I've had 2 dosage increases since starting the medication (unfortunately the noise does come back), but I am getting some REAL hours of clarity, quietness, and focus time that I'd longed to achieve. My medicine is fast-acting so I'm quiet for 1.5-2.0 hours, then the noise slowly comes back, and I have to take a 2nd dose. So I have to plan/ time my day a bit (doc said that will happen), and he is working with me on "tactics" to make the most effective use of that that quiet time. I'm currently putting on headphones, closing my door, have a "do not disturb" on it, and use the Pomodoro technique with a timer. The results for me have been astounding and I am now on-track to potentially finish my doctoral work and defend my dissertation in the next 90-days.
Again, so happy for you and I wish you all the best on this journey.
you need to take it everyday, no matter how bad yu sleep. Get up at the same time, take the meds at the same time, go to bed at the same time. If you can't sleep, read in bed. You'll be like that for the first 4-5 days, but after that, all that disappears, the meds are in and working and your body goes back to normal, sleep and all
Congratulations! Not many people find the right kind and dose first shot! It feels so good to hear succesful stories! The non sleeping effect will be gone after a few days.
Thank you, but that was A sign that it was the right med? Even with the crazy insomnia? I also had horrible dry mouth. I’m thinking about trying it again but it was just, too much?
You'll get things sorted out. You have to figure out timing. Don't accentuate on the sleep issue. While making adjustments give yourself a little leeway. Lack of sleep for a little bit isn't going to permanently harm you.
thanks. I popped another pill today. Going to try and have as little stimulation as possible and see how it goes. Maybe overstimulation was the thing that made it so bad. Experiment #2 👍🤷🏻♀️
Hi Thanks for checking on me. Not the best. after trying for several days straight, I still have mucho insomnia. Even with sleep aids. There were many positive things that happened but I need sleep! As of now I've been up since 7am, and now it's 2am the next day. I'm doing all the right stuff and I still can't sleep. Bleh. Messaging the doctor soon. On to another med I guess.
I took 18mg concerta generic. The insomnia and amped up feeling was too much for me and I switched to generic strattera. I also had the dopamine drop symptoms. Don't like the sharp up and down. I see why people get addicted to stimulant meds. Scared the heck out of me.
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