ADHD...how to get diagnosis, and medication

[Chrissy7]

Hi I lived most of my life as a person who was "over the top" in many ways, would drive myself to exhaustion, excel at everything I focused on until I exahusted myself and quit..

I have been diagnosed with ADHD several times by a psychologist--(not accepted as legitimate medical diagnosis here in Canada) - I have a lot of difficulty with organization, over focused on my work (which happens to be my own company I can work from my computer, so that is the only thing that has worked for me long term). Because I am sucessful with my work, people think there is nothing wrong with me, and I hide my physical exahustion and need to stay in bed most of the day.

I am exhuased in the morining and work usually from Bed on my computer and phone because I physically just can't get moving sometimes the whole day...I feel physically exhuasted and then when I try to do social things/going out etc.- I burn out quickly,...usually I drink alcohol for the stress in the evenings, which only makes my mornings worse..

Recently I asked my doctor about trying medication for ADHD, and he said that because I have an arrythmia I can't take the stimulats. (sometimes I wake up and need coffee just to get back to sleep in an hour or so...and I rarely sleep more than 4 or 5 hours at a time...leaving me exausted)

What are some types of medication that are non-stimulant and what are some types of treatment that are non-medical?

Thank you in advance!

[Prairiefrontporch]

nootropics have helped me a lot . Specifically noocube

I always take magnesium

[Chrissy7 in reply to Prairiefrontporch]

Is this a stimulant?

i will research it….

Thank you!

[Prairiefrontporch in reply to Chrissy7]

No, I drink coffee wifh it and I see great results. Yes give it a try , it changed my life for the better 💕

[Chrissy7 in reply to Chrissy7]

It has caffeine.. I cant use it because I have an arrythmia …

[AuDHD3245]

Strattera is a non stimulant ADHD medication

[Chrissy7 in reply to AuDHD3245]

thank you… I will look into this. I tried taking a stimulant medication for ADHD once seceral years ago … (I had a different doctor then. I don’t think my new doctor believes that I have it. .)

and every day when I take it it would wear off around 5:00 PM and I would start feeling very angry… Is that something normal? It was so bad that I had to stop taking it otherwise I felt great on it and accomplished a lot more..

Does anyone know? I had to stop taking it because of this..

[wtfadhd in reply to Chrissy7]

yea, thats a typical reaction for stimulant and non stimulant meds. they give so much relief that when they wear off in the afternoon, our core symptoms( anxiety, depression, rage, etc) can come back Huge. In US, lots of doctors will prescribe a 5 mg or something to take a litle edge off in afternoon.

i used to rely heavy on my adderrall but i only take it when i need it now.

[Chrissy7 in reply to wtfadhd]

I also have an arrythmia and I have one cup of coffee a day, but other than that, it will set off my atrial tachycardia which is dangerous

[AuDHD3245 in reply to Chrissy7]

I've never been angry, but do feel it when it wears off. I have 70mg Elvanse in the morning and 2 x 5mg Dextra in the afternoon. ADHD is a dopamine deficiency and dopamine is the happy chemical, so I suppose it is considered 'normal' in some people when it wears off. Maybe timing your initial drop time to a few hours later may work better to get you into the evening? Get up, work out, eat, clean up, etc.. and then take the dose?

[wtfadhd]

if your doctor said she wont prescribe a stimulant… what is her proposed treatment options?

what are your thoughts on those options she suggested?

in the US, some of us take our stimulant meds before bed vs the AM. thiis is because stim meds reduces our 500 thoughts to only 50 so that we can actually calm nervous system down n get self to sleep.

in US, doctors typically will not prescribe stimulant to anyone who has alcohol use problems or self reports alcohol related coping skills-

i dont agree with that n nor do the experts- but in US the experts are not the ones who make decisions about healthcare

[Chrissy7 in reply to wtfadhd]

I don’t think my doctor believes I have it and I don’t think he believes it’s important because that’s all he said he never brought it up again.

he did not offer any solutions.

I wouod not drink ar noght if i had medication that worked. I would be afraid to combine them.

[tdcolwell76 in reply to Chrissy7]

I would find a different doctor, specifically one that is educated about woman and adhd.

I would also highly recommend reading the book ADHD for smart ass women by Tracy Otsuka. It is best ADHD book that I have read so far with ton of great advice! She also has a six step program that i am just reading about. She also specifically talks about exactly what you're doing with with your doctor and how to deal with that frustrating situation. I have dealt with many times myself.

Being a female with ADHD can show up very different than it does in males, and can very commonly go undiagnosed and misdiagnosed.

She also has a podcasts, etc.....

youtube.com/@tracyotsuka4796

adhdforsmartwomen.com/aok-s...

I wish you the best!!

by the way, I am 48 years old and just now getting it all figured out after years of being misdiagnosed and untreated and feeling as if I just sucked at life!!! It all makes sense now!! Tracy makes you feel amazing and hopeful!!!

[Chrissy7 in reply to tdcolwell76]

Thank you

I feel like it shouldn’t be such a battle… too tired to move but muzt keep runnjng my business from my computer…

[Iboo]

Chrissy7, I can relate. I’m also in a similar position. I am literally putting one foot in front of the other. If you can find a partner to help you. I had to hire an organizer because I was so overwhelmed and under my covers. It still happens. Don’t be tough on yourself. And I know you hear this all the time but any exercise does help. A routine could help. I empathize with you. I can’t use drugs either. Best of luck. You go girl. You can and you will. Patience with yourself. Hope this helps

[Chrissy7 in reply to Iboo]

I also cant usevtimulats because they trigger my heart arrythmia (speeds up too fast) atrial tachycardia

[Mamamichl]

the non stimulant meds work well for me. 2 of them lower blood pressure, and stratera has a chance to raise it. Because my anxiety and depression meds lower it and my blood pressure is already low, I went with stratera. It helps with stress and anxiety too. Guanfacein had some extreme side effects for my family, but I know people that praise it. If you’re concerned of side effects, get a gene sight test. It will tell you which medications you will have adverse effects on.

[NotAChevy]

I'm on 40mg of Strattera and it works really well for me. My negative thoughts are fewer, my anxiety is much lower, and my concentration is 1000% better. But, I know there's others who find no benefit from it (Strattera)..

[Chrissy7 in reply to NotAChevy]

Thank you for your info!

[KentuckTD]

Qelbree is the latest non-stimulant med to be approved in the US.

[Chrissy7 in reply to KentuckTD]

Thank you… I wilk check it out!