Diagnosis and meds

[eaglecolleen]

Okay so...

Had my doctors appointment today. I recently went to a psychologist who recommended I see a family doctor to discuss ADD and medications. I have some pamphlets and things to work on from the psychologist as well that I need to start on before I see her again in February. My doctor diagnosed me with ADD and prescribed me a dose of 30 mg of vyvanse once a day in the morning. Now, as someone who has never been medicated in her life (seriously not even for an ear aches!) I’m a little bit nervous of what to expect. I have a follow up appointment with the doctor in 2 weeks and he’s given me enough pills for a month. Now, vyvanse is a stimulant so should I expect the same kind of feeling from caffeine? We discussed some side effects but it sounds like vyvanse is the medication that has less side effects? I intend to start the meds tomorrow morning around 8 am. From what I’ve read on here, I should continue taking them for the two weeks at least (obviously as long as I don’t experience drastic side effects) and then let the doctor know how it’s going. Anyhow maybe someone else who’s kind of new to this could chime in for me? Thanks!!!

[sarahsweets]

Originally Posted by eaglecolleen

Okay so...

Had my doctors appointment today. I recently went to a psychologist who recommended I see a family doctor to discuss ADD and medications. I have some pamphlets and things to work on from the psychologist as well that I need to start on before I see her again in February. My doctor diagnosed me with ADD and prescribed me a dose of 30 mg of vyvanse once a day in the morning. Now, as someone who has never been medicated in her life (seriously not even for an ear aches!) I’m a little bit nervous of what to expect.

30mg is about right for starting and I believe its a starting dose recommendation. I understand your trepidation but keep an open mind. Do not have expectations good or bad just try and slowly roll with it.

I have a follow up appointment with the doctor in 2 weeks and he’s given me enough pills for a month. Now, vyvanse is a stimulant so should I expect the same kind of feeling from caffeine? We discussed some side effects but it sounds like vyvanse is the medication that has less side effects?

Its sort of a myth that stimulants work like caffeine. In fact many people with adhd are calmer on stimulants. Calmer and more focused. At the same time if you do feel jittery do not think that stimulants wont work for you or that you do not have adhd. That is also a myth. I did not like vyvanse but many people do well on it. It is very slow acting and gradual. If I remember right part of the way the active ingredient in vyvanse is releases is through gastric digestion. I have always recommended people eat with it because it kicks off the digestion but you will have to do your own research on that and trial and error.
Taking the meds for two weeks is a good trial period. Keep a med journal in a notebook or pad. write down the time you take it, time you feel something good or bad and peridodically note the time during the day a few times about how you feel. Also note when you feel the med wear off. This will help you remember how it worked when you have your appointments.

[PoppnNSailinMan]

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

Its sort of a myth that stimulants work like caffeine. In fact many people with adhd are calmer on stimulants. Calmer and more focused.

This was one of the most surprising things for me when I started taking Vyvanse three and a half years ago. The first day I took it, I experienced this amazing sense of inner calmness and quietness descend on me and the inner restlessness I often used to feel subsided.

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

Keep a med journal in a notebook or pad. write down the time you take it, time you feel something good or bad and peridodically note the time during the day a few times about how you feel. Also note when you feel the med wear off. This will help you remember how it worked when you have your appointments.

I agree with Sarah that keeping a journal is important not only for writing down any side effects, but also to keep track of what effect the Vyvanse is having at each dosage level on your ADHD symptoms. And you might also want to ask someone who knows you well to take note of which of your ADHD symptoms seem to be improving since it's sometimes hard to observe or notice more subtle improvements yourself.

Books on ADHD often have a list of symtoms to keep track of such as:

• Distractibility
• Fails to finish things
• Disorganized
• Poor time management
• Forgetful
• Loses things

Some books also list side effects to look out for:

• Poor appetite
• Sleep problems
• Irritability

For me, one of the first improvements I noticed after I started taking Vyvanse was in my driving. I felt so much more focused on my driving and more aware of the other cars around me. I definitely feel that being on a stimulant medication has made me a better and safer driver. By the time I got to 40 mg, I noticed that I could sustain my attention for longer periods when I was reading a difficult book and didn't start to feel drowsy a little while after I started reading like I used to. By the time I got to 50 mg, I was definitley feeling more energetic and found it easier to start and finish tasks that I previously had a hard time doing. I now find it easier to get chores done like house cleaning or washing dishes or doing laundry. I also found at this dosage that I felt less indecisive and that it was easier to make decisions.

But not everything has improved. Unfortunately, I still lose things all the time and still have a hard time managing my time as well as I would like.