ADHD meds and eating

[CreationInProgress]

I'm on methylphenidate (concerta) for over a year now and I can't complain too much because it's the little help that I needed. The worst side effect is related to eating. I' m a slim person and for me it's more difficult to gain weight than losing it. Methylphenidate takes my hunger away and I'm doing two things:1. I eat regular food to the point that I feel nauseous because after a few bites I feel that my stomach is full but I force myself because it's not enough.

2. I eat junk food or snacks while I watch TV. Today was one of those days, I ate: some peanuts, chips, cookies, a doughnut, two chocolate bars and two glasses of coca cola.

The second it's easier because I can eat it in a long period not all the same time, I also know that it’s not healthy at all.

Right now I'm taking my meds from Monday to Friday and on the weekends I can eat more without feeling full.

The "ask your doctor option" is of the table because I live in Spain and the health system is miserable here. My doctor let me choose my own medication and everything that I say he says it's fine. We don't go through a psychiatrist because that's for people that need it more, so the general doctor is the one that takes over "little things" like adhd, anxiety, depression... But one time he asked me what was the methylphenidate for...

I don't know what else I can do so if some is struggling with this and has some advice I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!

[BLC89]

Hello CreationInProgress,My daughter is also thin and she made sure to eat a big breakfast before she took her meds. Not sure what your schedule is like but that may be an option.

If you eat before bed that can help maintain your weight. It sounds like planning out breakfast or later meals is key. If you know you're having a meal later, after meds taper off, then maybe it will be easier to resist the call of the junk food.

Experiment with timing and see what works best for you.

BLC89

Full disclosure: I am an ADHD Parent Coach. I have been married to ADHD for nearly 30 years and raised two kids who have ADHD.

[CreationInProgress in reply to BLC89]

Thanks!

In Spain we usually eat a full meal after noon and another full meal for dinner. The one that is on the day it's hard because I know that my meds are still releasing and I'm not hungry at all at that time. Some days I eat my meal later but sometimes I can't do it because of my work schedule.

Maybe a bigger breakfast is a good idea!

[redindia]

Hi, I've recently started concerta, 3 months, not too sure how effective it is compared to other meds. Can l ask you how many mgs you take each day and is it slow release? I am 63 female in UK with recent diagnosis. 😊

[CreationInProgress in reply to redindia]

Hi!I was told that depends on your weight you should take 1mg per kg ( or the closest to that). It sucks that you can't adjust the mg because meds come in tablets. I usually take 36mg but I can also do the 36+ 18 mg but this dose is a little bit over my weight so I usually only take the 36mg.

Some days I have to prioritize if I want more attention or hunger. I can't compare to other meds because it's the only one that I've tried

[redindia in reply to CreationInProgress]

Thank you so much for your reply , this is interesting as my weight did not seem to come into it . I am on 54 mg Xl slow release , and have been given 5 mg tabs to top up with in the morning if I need more focus, so I have been taking 60- 65 mg without and real difference except for a short time when the clutter in my head settles , not for long though , l do weight around 66 kg. I have a consultation on Monday so will see what the doctor thinks , as l said it is early days but I guess after 63 years l was naively hoping for a cure , i know this is not to be

[CreationInProgress in reply to redindia]

There is no cure because you aren't sick, your brain is wired in a different way. We have problems because we live in an environment that is not for us. Adjusting to that is our problem but not our fault. I know that we always talk about the negative things, but there're also positive things too. I struggle every day but at this point t of my life I wouldn't change my brain

[Mamamichl in reply to CreationInProgress]

This is an amazing explanation of our situation! I am trying to break the stigma by telling people whenever I can. It helps me build rapport with my students and has helped with colleagues at times. I finally found a workplace that is totally fine with my adhd and even hired me after I described my rsd in meetings with supervisors. You are right in that we talk about the negatives, but I talk about my positives too, even at interviews. It’s helped me find employment that fits me better when I put it all out.

[CreationInProgress in reply to Mamamichl]

I think that we should complain when we are with others because it's educational and help us to be more visible. But I think that specially when we are with other adhd SOMETIMES we complain too much. We never say that it's horrible to have an amazing long term memory, uggg we always win at games, I wish I wasn't that good at problem solving, it's so hard being super creative... At work when a kid gets an adhd diagnosis the first thing I tell them is: From now on you need to know your brain, to be a team not an enemy. I have teens at work that come with the attitude: "I'm not going to study for the test because I'm going to fail it anyways" I have done that as a teen and it's our fault. I'm the first one complaining about the side effects of meds but lots of people struggle and they don't have meds for it. Dyslexia, autism and many other struggles don't have any chemical help. Meds gives us an invisible wheelchair, we can use it and the rest of the world don't see it. It comes with good and bad things... I think that sometimes we could lift us better if we talk more about positive things. Believe me that this comes after so much thinking, I realized that only complaining wouldn't help me at life. I hid my adhd for 30 years since I was in preschool until I couldn't handle it anymore. Knowing my brain and allowing myself to accept me with my good and my bad parts and trying to learn from the experience worked for me. My life isn't perfect but I it's peaceful in an inner way.

[redindia]

Hi, I've recently started concerta, 3 months, not too sure how effective it is compared to other meds. Can l ask you how many mgs you take each day and is it slow release? I am 63 female in UK with recent diagnosis. 😊

[hyperfocusaficionado]

Yes I find exactly the same! So will appreciate any other responses. Here's some tips I'm trying..

#1 . Eat first! Imagine padding out your stomach to absorb the meds. If you're not a breakfast person or need to take meds early, one solution is to buy or make shakes. My favourite is to blend chocolate brownie protein powder with a banana and almond milk the night before and pop in the fridge. I also fall back to shakes, smoothies and soup throughout the day if I really don't feel like eating. Add bits to tempt you and for the feel good factor; your fave fruit, herbs, spices. I season soup (chicken & chickpeas, enough protein is important!) and add chilli powder. Or vanilla essence drops and ground cinnamon in a shake.

#2. Move it... even a brisk walk is better than nothing. I can guarantee that fresh air and exerting energy will stimulate appetite.

#3. ..also, difficult if you LOVE coffee, tea & chocolate, but try to avoid caffeine. The meds seem to massively increase the effects on hunger & nausea.

That said, on Lisdexamfetamine I'm still trying to navigate nausea, lack of appetite, sweating, agitation, muscle tension, cheek/lip biting, fluctuating emotions... I really need a higher dose for concentration, focus, motivation... but can't face all I mentioned above besides the lack of sleep and resulting exhaustion, mouth ulcers, run down feeling and weight loss which all happens in the first days on a higher dose.

I don't know whether it's my metabolism, my anxiety, or what. Am I trying the wrong meds, or wrong dose...?

Any advice pls?!

[CreationInProgress]

Thanks! Sounds like a good advice. I'll experiment with new flavors. But the caffeine thing sounds impossible at this point 😄😄😄 I'm not a morning person, at all!

I don't know if your side effects are a lot but comparing to me, they maybe are. The only other side effect is that if I do exercise after taking the meds I also get nauseous. But I sleep so much better than before

[Mamamichl in reply to CreationInProgress]

The meds do make us more nauseous. It always helps to eat before meds for this reason. For you, maybe exercising before meds is also helpful? If you insist on caffeine, perhaps put a bit of coffee in the shake that was requested, and slowly wean off how much you put in over a month and see what happens? I don’t have a problem with caffeine myself though, so I do half of a coffee and half creamer each day.

[Poppy234 in reply to CreationInProgress]

My daughter is on elvanse and her appetite is low on it, she eats late in the evening when her meds wear off. During titration they measure your weight for this reason but I think there are some ADHD meds that do not effect appetite? She has always had trouble with sleep and progesterone at night is the first thing to help so maybe she has estrogen dominance.

[Mamamichl]

thank you for sharing!

Here in the United States, we have ensure and similar meal replacement shakes we use in special education for kids who have trouble gaining weight or eating. Many taste pretty good. They are like drinking a chocolate milk with having a vitamin all in one. It gives all nutrients packed in a small drink. Is there something similar in Spain?

[CreationInProgress in reply to Mamamichl]

Yes, when I worked with teens with eating disorders they had those. I asked the other day and when they told me the price I almost fainted hahaha. I thought to myself if maybe they were made of caviar. Som I'm trying the regular ones from the supermarket with extra protein and vitamins

[Mamamichl in reply to CreationInProgress]

Keep in mind though, you are replacing having to get as many groceries.

[ConfusedSam]

I have been on concerta for about 10 years now. In the beginning it was really a struggle with food. Everything just used to feel like sand in my mouth, appetite was gone until maybe nighttime when the meds wore off. Overtime, for me, I realised if I take it after eating in the morning it made it better to be able to eat normal meals throughout the day. If I don’t have time in the morning, I don’t eat, when I take it, I have no appetite and then don’t eat. I try and eat a much bigger meal at breakfast in case I don’t have time for lunch. So sometimes I have what I would have ordinarily had for lunch or dinner but for breakfast. On another note, I don’t know if it’s because of the adhd, but sometimes I’m really food motivated and other times not even if I’m hungry I just don’t want to eat and rather starve. It’s kind of like that other feeling when you find something you really like and that’s all you want to eat for 3 months until one day you just don’t want it ever again.

[Goodtrouble in reply to ConfusedSam]

I can see you did get some responses. I was on Elvanse and lost weight to almost dangerous levels . For me what worked was accidental as due to shortage I was put on short acting medication, same substance. I found this to work much better for me with less side effects and being able to manage eating before and around times when wearing off and my appetite came back. I also found that on elvanse my taste and smell of certain foods was different, topped out to possibly cobod when I lost my taste sense completely for a week. My smell has not fully return about 4 months down the line. I do make sure to have huel greens first thing and some huel based food sometime during the day, their savoury version is really good. I hope this helps