Stimulants = normalcy

[Amiwrong]

I take Vyvanse and it helps with mood, energy, focus. Anyway, does anyone else get excited about certain thoughts and prospects after they take their stimulant? My mind is positive and full of ideas and possibilities. Feel good thoughts. The problem is that it wears off and then you’re left with the typical feels that are all opposite to that. Even thinking “what was i thinking?!” It’s such a contrast.

It’s not like you can use those stimulant times as windows of opportunities to better your life like you’d see in a movie. Because underneath that, and waiting to rear its ugly head at 2-3pm is the real me. while the medicine is working I use it to do my job, get some things done - you know, live normal for half my days lol. There’s no room to write a book or start an online business 😂

Also, is this how some “normal” people feel? What I feel when I’m on my stimulant??

[ADHD2024]

Hi Amiwrong !Yes I guess that's a good sign that the meds are working! I feel super pumped up and energised as soon as I get into work and everything feels a breeze, and then, as you say it gets to the afternoon and, bam! You are no longer motivated 😵‍💫

I just found out recently that it's very common for vyvanse to wear off around 2-3pm. 2pm for me most days and I have just been prescribed Amfexa 10mg to take around 1pm which then lasts another 4 hours to give you a boost for the rest of the day 😀 works wonders 👌🏻

I reckon how nerotypical people feel on a daily basis is what we feel like when we take stimulants...which is rather eye opening! (And frustrating 😑)

Sorry if this doesn't answer your question, just wanted to share! 😁

[Amiwrong in reply to ADHD2024]

Oh it does help me a lot to hear others are like this too. It is disheartening for me to know that I probably won’t feel like this ever without medication. Like today, Sunday, I didn’t take my vyvanse and I am very sluggish, sad, and can’t seem to get off the sofa. I have to do some paperwork for my job today with zero motivation even after a strong coffee. Blah

[Mamamichl]

my partner does well with butane. He did get the pendulum of emotions coming off though. Mid day now he takes a booster of dextroaphetamine. It helps the coming off a lot.

[Amiwrong in reply to Mamamichl]

Ok. I will make a note to discuss with my doctor. Thank you 🙏

[Babyjane1980]

Echoing what others have said here: booster dose of something does wonders. I actually switched from Vyvanse (30 mg, once a day) to Adderall twice a day. I am meant to take 10mg twice a dat. But I actually take 15 mg early on by splitting one of the 10 mg tabs in half. Then, I take the remaining 5mg to soften the come down. I find that way it doesn't interfere with my sleep.

[Amiwrong in reply to Babyjane1980]

I think that’s why I was afraid to try something in the afternoon. I already struggle with sleep, but I think I should try. If it keeps me from crashing maybe that will help with depression a bit. I feel I’m wasting all my days because I can’t move at the end of my work day.

Ty for taking the time to chime in. It helps

[Queen_of_Tara]

I also take a booster at 1-2 pm in the afternoon. 10 mg of the generic adderall (too hard to spell the whole name here). Definitely helps but if you do have a hard time sleeping, then take it earlier in the day. After hearing your description, maybe I should increase my generic adderall in the morning because I don't feel THAT good like you describe. I feel good enough most of the time to just get myself in the shower or out the door. Hmmmm...thinking.

[Babyjane1980 in reply to Queen_of_Tara]

I actually think it is specific to Vyvanse. And like the OP pointed out, the euphoria is great, but then the come down is so disappointing. I found that to be a devil's bargain with that med and just prefer to split the difference with Adderall, which makes me productive, but not blissed out, so the come down just makes me kind of sleepy, but not sad. ..

[Amiwrong in reply to Babyjane1980]

Yea this pretty much sums it up. I switched from adderall to vyvanse because the adderall made me very moody, agitated when it wore off. Sounds like a lot of people her have had good success with it though.

[Broken_Life in reply to Babyjane1980]

Hello, please can I ask if you went private via adhd service for diagnosis and medication? I am currently with ADHD 360 and take Elvanse and Amfexa which worked amazingly to start but now not so unfortunately. I have not found ADHD service this time around, after paying for medication review, to have been very helpful or interested at all.

[Amiwrong in reply to Broken_Life]

Hi Broken_life. I read your profile and you sound just like me!

I’m from Canada so I don’t think I can help much. I paid privately with a psychologist to get a diagnosis because I didn’t seem to fully fit the criteria when I did it with my family doctor. The psychologist was able to break things down and read between the lines with the assessment, which was super helpful.

Perhaps you may need an increase in your medication?

The biggest help I have found is with paid therapists, but honestly, this site is super helpful if you just ask the right questions, or search for specific topics.

[Babyjane1980 in reply to Broken_Life]

Hi there, I actually live in the US and used my general practitioner to prescribe my meds (haven't even gotten the official diagnosis, which would be expensive). He takes my insurance.

[Amiwrong in reply to Babyjane1980]

I get my prescriptions from my family doctor as well. Originally I started taking it for depression and anxiety. It helped my mood and I would talk more so it helped in socializing lol.

[STEM_Dad in reply to Babyjane1980]

Your general practitioner can actually make an ADHD in the US. I know that many doctors prefer for a specialist (such as a psychiatrist) to make a diagnosis of ADHD (or any other neurodivergent condition).

A pediatrician is basically a GP for children, and very often a child's ADHD diagnosis would be make by a pediatrician. (Although, child psychiatrists also diagnose a lot of kids.)

I got my initial diagnosis from a mental health counselor, but the diagnosis was confirmed by my GP at my next appointment.

It probably wouldn't hurt to ask, especially since your GP is already prescribing you the medication.

[2Doggos]

I find that when I take the lower doses regularly in the morning and have a good routine for non-work hours, my anxiety level and manageable. I hate that I feel dependent on it to get things accomplished and not feel depressed. Hoping to work on diet for some improvement.

[Amiwrong in reply to 2Doggos]

Yeah, it doesn’t feel good to me that I have to take it to feel human and when I don’t take it I can be back to square one it feels like. My therapist tries to get me to look at it differently, as if it were like any other illness that I needed medication for.

[Wasted71years]

Vyvanse does taper off in the afternoon for me. If I need to be at full potential I drink a caffeinated soda or a coffee which seems to recover some of the effectiveness for a while.

Before I was diagnosed, I used to self medicate with hundreds of ounces of diet cola every day or lots of coffee to try to make my brain work. Now, I only have a coffee or soda late in the day if I think I need continued effectiveness as the Vyvanse wanes.