New guy here

[scott]

I'm 33 and recently got officially diagnosed with ADD and have begun medication treatment.
My doctor started me on Ritalin and even with an increased dose, I really didn't notice anything at all. So he had me see a psychiatrist who was more of an expert with ADD - he has me trying Adderal, between 10-30mg to see what works.

From what I understood, many people actually notice a change right away, or actually notice that something is obviously different. Am I wrong to expect that type of reaction to the meds?
I really can't tell if I'm actually able to focus or read better, or if I'm trying to convince myself that I can because the Adderal is supposed to make it so.

I don't feel any side effects, but don't really know if I feel any effects at all. Is this how Adderal should work - just noticing a subtle change in my ability to concentrate, or would there be *something* obvious if it was working for me?

Thanks

[Garry]

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As I am very lazy when it comes to typing so I have created a welcome page and ADDed a link here to get you there

My Welcome Page

Garry

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[apcpapergirl]

Welcome to the ADD Forums, Scott.
You will find a lot of helpful information & support here.
I will be looking forward to reading your post.

[Gregster]

You should notice some effects of the stimulant, especially as the dose increases. Some people do seem to need a higher dose than others, so it's possible you haven't reached an effective dose yet, and there is a percentage of people for whom stimulants aren't effective. I'd keep trying with the psychiatrist to find an effective treatment for your ADD - it does sometimes take a while to find what works.
Good luck,
Greg

[scott]

Well, even at a 30mg dose, I'm finding that it's still not having much of an effect at all. I'll admit that what I'm trying to read is pretty dry, but I'm constantly losing any concentration I have from a sound in the next room, thoughts that just come up out of nowhere, etc. I'll read the same sentence over and over and still not even comprehend what I just read...the typical stuff that was happening before trying the Adderal.

I don't think a dosage higher than 30mg at a time is recommended, so I wonder if there is something else I should try that may work for me. So far Adderal and Ritalin seem to not have any effect on my - or if there is an effect, a very small one.

Thanks,
Scott

[akiss4u]

Hi Scott,
Don't worry too much if you're not feeling any effects. Some people do not have any success with stimulants or there could be some underlying reasons it is not as effective.

1. Take a look at your diet.

Are you eating at the same time you are taking your medication?

Are you drinking soda's or juice drinks?

Are you taking any other medications with your Adderall?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then this may be why your medication is not working well. Be sure to talk to your doctor about these things. There is quite a bit in the forums to help understand things too. Take care of yourself and don't give up. Some people who don't get results with stimulants have good results from Straterra and Wellbutrin and they are not stimulant drugs.

[scott]

Thanks for the information. I'm not eating with the meds, not taking any other meds, and don't drink soda or juices, so that rules that out, which should be a good thing.

I spoke with the doctor Monday and he suggested upping the dose to 50mg (assuming there are no side effects) and see how that goes. I still don't "feel" anything, although I think that it's helping me focus a bit. As I said before, I don't know if I'm convincing myself that I can focus or if it's actually working, but I'll keep it up until my appointment Monday and we'll go from there.

I'm also reading as much as I can and everyone here has been extremely helpful to me. Thanks again and keep your fingers crossed for me!

[akiss4u]

Good Luck Scott! Just dont give up yet.

[scott]

Originally posted by akiss4u
Good Luck Scott! Just dont give up yet.

Thanks. Since the doctor upped the dose to 50mg, I can actually notice some difference from the 30mg, so it would seem that we're making progress.
Last night, I didn't take the Adderall to see the difference and it was obvious - I was much more distracted and unable to read at all without getting restless and having my mind wander constantly. It was also physically uncomfortable to sit still and try to focus.

I'm still meeting with the doctor Monday to see how things are going, but I think the Adderall may just work out, as long as we figure out the right dosage. I don't really feel effects, but can feel that I'm more focused and interested in things going on around me - especially at work. It also seems to quiet the noise in my head to let me focus on what I'm doing. Not that I'm hearing voices in my head, but it doesn't feel so much like my brain is a radio that is constantly having the station changed.

[akiss4u]

Good news! I wish you the best and maybe you have found your correct dose. Take care

[scott]

Thanks. It seems to be getting better (especially with my several cups of coffee - sorry! )
My only concern is that even though it seems to be working very well, now I'm taking amphetamines daily. Not that it's a really big deal, but god forbid I get in an accident at work or something, it will show up in my blood, right?

I know I've got a prescription and it's all legal, but depending on the job, some bosses may look unfavorably upon taking amphetamines on-duty. And technically, I'm supposed to report *any* medications to my supervisor, but in 12 years here, I've never seen it done.

I hate to think about switching to something else if this seems to be working so well, but I wonder if something else works just as well that is a more socially-accepted medication? Who knows if Stratera or something else would even work...I'm having no side effects at all with the 50mg Adderall and I'm happy with the results so far.

Am I just being too paranoid?