Just been diagnosed last year at 54 . I’m on my first day of meds. I feel so so dissapointed. From 1.5 hours after taking it I have been my hyperactive self going from one thing to another, but I also felt “ off my head” I felt high, with blasts of complete hopelessness and dispair. After about 4 hours like that I have felt totally drained and nauseous.
I also have a Binge Eating Disorder which is why we choose this medication.
Any ideas or advice very welcome.
Thank you x
30mg not 50 sorry my mistake
hi, sorry to hear you’re struggling with Elvanse. Could you talk to your provider about alternatives which might work better for you? I hope you find something that helps.
Finding a medicine AND dosage that works for you is a process. Do not give up hope! It takes on average trying multiple different medications (3, I think?) before finding one that works.
Congratulations for taking steps to help manage your ADHD. It doesn't sound like this medication is a good fit. It does help about 80-%mof the people who try it, however it also can have different effects on different people and different effects at different times of their day, week year, etc. Do you have any other diagnosis that might make the stimulant meds a challenge to use? Sometimes people with BPD have difficulty with stimulants , but my guess is that you are having increased anxiety from this formula. You don't have to wait and see with ADHD meds because they work the way the work and will not need a break-in period. Talk with your doctor about trying Methylphenidate or Amphetamine Salts instead. If the stimulant is the issue, then try a non stimulant, like atomoxitine.
I had some bad jittery feelings when I first started vyvanse but by the next day I was feeling normal. In fact they had to up the dosage a couple of time before I felt different from no meds. Each new dose had a similar affect but with a shorter duration. I have also learned since then that if you are used to self medicating with caffeine for focus and calm you may have to readjust what your drinking/eating and when. Some of that stuff affects how the meds work. Definitely talk with a doctor you trust but it may be just an adjustment period.
If you feel a lot of despair and decide to give it a longer try, do not stay alone. Maybe you can try body doubling. Good luck!
You may be on the wrong prescription, but assuming you are not, I can tell you from experience that I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. I recommend you talk to your doctor, start at the lowest dose possible and titrate up very slowy, only increasing it by the slightest increment week after week. After a while I was able to shorten the cycles to 5 or 6 days, but I finally landed on 3 x 10mgs ritalin after about three to four-months. I was prescribed first 10, then bumped up to 20, then extended release to 30 and it almost killed me. I even started losing my balance and could hardly perform ANY physical task. It also made me super, super irritable, aggressive AND it kept me up without sleeping for 7 nights straight. It almost killed me.
I swore - Never again. I bareknucked my way through another 3 months, but no matter how much I exercised, took omega 3's, and a number of other supplements, I simply could not operate after that horrible first round of Rx. So, I tried atomoxetine and it was the same or worse, another round of no sleep for a week, etc. Nope.
Again, another 2-3 months of pure effort with simply not enough executive function juice. Believe it or not, I chose to go back to the Ritalin, but micro-titrating up. I cracked it and I ended up where the doctor ('doctor', right) has STARTED me.
All that is to say, you have to get creative with your own approach and try things from different angles, timing, dose, etc., prescription Rx or not. Take heart, though, you start figuring out what works for you and what keeps you more focused, calm and, in your case, the eating disorder symptoms should start dissipating when you find your specific formula.
I highly HIGHLY recommend you start meditating (just keep it simple - Jack Kornfield's book 'Meditation For Beginners' is the perfect place to start), and that you also check out Andrew Huberman's Sleep Optimization Protocols on HubermanLab.com That guy literally saved my life by teacing me how to sleep after being a life-long insomniac. I'm alive because of him.
For reference, I got diagnosed two weeks before my 50th birthday, roughly 1.8 years ago. That 2 year mark is coming up and I have learned volumes about how to manage my ADHD. Am I where I want to be, no, not yet. Am I where I was just over 1.5 years ago - No Way. I'm MILES ahead of where I was when I started this journey, and you can be too.
Practice self-compassion in everything you do so you also can take full responsibility for your life without living in fear of what's coming next. I know it's super hard, but you'll get there.
All I can tell you is that if your sleep is not optimized (as well as your diet, exercise routine, etc), no pill will do what you want it to do. Good sleep is Top Medicine #1. I just mention it because I did not realize how messed up my sleep was until all this happened. It's not uncommon for adults with ADHD to have sleep issues, so forgive my projecting for a bit.
You'll do great - Call your doctor, and feel free to show him this entry - I have a sneaking suspicion that you are on the wrong Rx, or the dosage is simply way too high, or both.
Be well. Godspeed.
I can’t thank you enough. So grateful for your very helpful detailed response.
I’ve got a feeling the dosage is too high. I will speak to my Dr tomorrow
🙏
Keen to know if anyone else has been advised to take 2 Elvanse/Vyvanse a day.
Atypical Reaction to Vyvanse
Only one task per day please
HERE TO HELP ALL DAY LONG 
ADHD and RA
