Getting things done! on Adderall

[coolwoman]

I am happy to report that Adderall seems to be helping me get things done. I teach in a state university and getting published has been a struggle for me. On Friday I sent my third manuscript in to a journal so I have 3 out there, and hopefully at least one will be accepted. I lost my last teaching position because I had not published anything.
Today I saw my shrink and we are increasing Adderall to 15 mg 2x day. I am also cutting back on Anafranil, but I am having trouble letting that go because I think it is primarily responsible for resolving severe insomnia I had for 3 years. In my last teaching job I averaged about 3 hrs/night during the week.
Also, in the past few weeks I worked on some financial matters that I'd been putting off for almost 2 years. It means saving myself a great deal of money (Now if I could just do my damn 2003 taxes, I'll get even more money).
My 3rd task is to clean out my guest room so when relatives come from out of state on July 3 they'll have a place to sleep. That room is my "failure" room. Boxes and boxes of work from 2 jobs that I ended up losing. Whenever I enter the room, which I rarely do, I feel overwhelmed with depression. I was able to open the door twice this evening and look at it as just a place to clean up, not a place to dread.

[Andrew]

I'm glad that you're having a positive experience with Adderall There's nothing more satisfying than being able function at full capacity, once you've found the combination of therapies that work for you.

[christophrawr]

CW, as a writer and a teacher, could you break down some of the strengths you noticed as pertaining to writing and educating specifically? One of my fears is that it's going to make my work all drugged out (think william burroughs on a bad day, which was most of the time - let's be honest :P) i've found myself catching myself, editing more closely, and being able to seperate ideas more easily. It's been four days and while I'm still a bit "high" as i wait for my body to get used to it, i can see little changes starting to develop. i'd really like to be able to finish what I start, and I'm hoping it's still going well for you. sorry if this post is out of date, but it was kind of a weird question. thanks!

[exeter]

LOL. William Burroughs did enough drugs for you, me, and probably at least 2 or 3 other people.

[coolwoman]

Chris
Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I tried to write the other evening but my home computer is dying and I'm still trying to figure out my new one.
On Adderall, I do think I'm focusing much better. As a matter of fact, I ran out of Adderall 2 days ago and couldn't get out of my house yesterday to run by pharmacy to get prescription so I could come to office to do some work. I took a Ritalin and felt worse. I was at a meeting out of town Th. and Fri. Friday morning speaker was talking about financial matters and I felt disconnected, so I took my last Adderall and seemed more able to focus. The meeting was at the university where my contract was not renewed after 3 years there. It was somewhat depressing to be there but I survived.
In editing, which I have to do a lot of and don't really enjoy, I feel I'm doing better. I've had 2 articles accepted, one more I'm revising for publication, and a 4th which elicited positive comments from reviewers by seemed arbitrarily rejected by the editor. A friend pointed out that that means it probably doesn't need much work to be submitted elsewhere.
What has helped me focus is a person in my field who has published extensively and is from another university, approached me last Feb. and offered to review my work and give me feedback. That has helped me tremendously.
I still have trouble getting into piles of student papers. I have many to do for class tomorrow.
I did get done most of what I need to do this summer, except I haven't been able to do my 2003 taxes, even though I'll probably get about $3000 back. I did finally refinance 2 houses I am buying.
Today I came in to my office to prepare my academic portfolio for contract renewal consideration - a process that makes me VERY nervous since I have had unsucessful experiences in the past. I had to type up student comments from evaluations for 2 semesters and managed to not focus on the negative ones. I think I have more control over what I focus on. If my contract is renewed, I will enter my 6th year here next fall.
Coolwoman

[cualexander]

I thought I'd post my own career experiences with Adderall since I just started it about a month ago. This is my first job in the working world since I graduated in December 2003 with an Accounting Degree(barely, but hey I have a degree and a full time job) Since I work for a small accounting firm, I have to focus on some of the most mundane tasks in the world such as keying in checks and adding up gas receipts and so on and so forth and I was having a hard time getting much of anything done because I'd procrastinate everything and I just hated my job because I thought it was just a boring place to work, but since I have gotten diagnosed and now that I am on Adderall its a complete paradigm shift. I am just in a happy mood, I arrive to work EARLY and leave LATE because I just get so many things done that I just want to keep working. My boss is complimenting me on my work these days which really fuels my self esteem. Its just like I love to work now because everything just comes so naturally and on Adderall I can just hyperfocus on things like huge tax returns where everything has to be done to the letter, so I can actually take a lot of time to do things because I'm being careful, which works out well for adderall. Its actually a really good job for me because it requires a lot of analytical thinking which I love and on Adderall I can analyze things so much better. Adderall doesn't give me a drugged up feeling at all, its more like when I'm not on adderall I get a drugged up cloudly mindstate. My body is adjusting to the stimulant side effects but I can still feel the drug working. I was a bit hesitant at first for relying on medication for my career, but it works so well that it helps me see what I'm like when I'm not on it so I know that I have to work even harder to attain the same level. I keep track of all my important things on my cellphone now and I'll put in little messages to go off every now and then that say things like "Get to work" or "Finish up this project" to remind me to do things. I just love work period and I'm a happy person right now so I thought I'd post these thoughts

[KISSgirl]

Cualexander - I've felt the same way with my boring work ever since being on
adderall - I actually enjoy it! Well, to a certain extent at least. While I don't arrive early (chronically 5-10 minutes late) I do stay late because I just want to "finish one more thing" and it ends up being an extra 1/2 hour or so past my ending time...

Yeah, it's kind of cool, but I'm afraid feeling this way about my office job will keep me from pursuing my true purpose...what that is...I don't know...but it sure as heck isn't working in a cubicle!!

Keep rockin' kids,

Jen

[1civdiv]

I agree, I could not work in a box. The last job I had I was being a horseback tour guide in Sedona, AZ. I love being outside and not having to sit at a desk all day!!! Still if adderall allows you to focus and do the "box jobs" keep doing it until you can get a job that gives you the freedom to enjoy yourself!!!

[coolwoman]

I'm happy to report that my teaching contract was renewed for another year, so I do have a job through May 2006. In the fall of 2005 I go up for tenure.
I have two published articles, another article that is about ready to resubmit, and one more I need to do some more work on and resubmit. This semester is going well. I still procrastinate some but am managing to keep up. I've almost finished my 2003 taxes. In July I had a "falling out" with an attorney friend who has done my taxes the last few years so they have sat here waiting to be done. I've been taking Adderall 10mg in am and pm. Sometimes I forget to take pm dose and then don't feel well, even if I take it a few hours later. Yesterday my dr. put me on 15mg XR which I hope will help.