I have ADHD and I’m finding it really hard to focus. I’m weary of medication but I think it may be time to speak to my doctor about it. For those of us with ADHD, did meds work for you? Thanks!

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Yes. I take Adderall. I can focus on my tasks much better. I went without it for awhile and it was like living in a cloud where everything is blurred.

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I hate meds :/ I’ve been taking it since 1st grade and after awhile it’s had a very negative effect on me. I don’t take anything anymore but feeling like I should again

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It definitely works, depending on your role I’d say experiment and find your boundaries. As a Creative I can find it counter productive to the creative process but perfect for in house executions when work conditions are overstimulating. It’s really a personal formula that needs to be decoded and properly maintained. Best of luck!

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Vyvanse is a lifesaver to me. I would say I have moderate ADHD, most days I wouldn't be completely disfunctional without it, but I'm markedly more productive and focused with it. And without it, there are certain days I am completely worthless from being so scatterbrained. Less of those bad days when I'm taking it consistently.

I'm lucky in that I don't really have any negative side effects. And I don't find that it hinders my creative thinking. I think if you overdo the meds it could have that effect, but start small and see what your threshold is between feeling focused and productive vs. verging into maniacal tunnel vision. I also find that it helps calm anxiety, not because the drug itself but because I feel more organized and in control when I am consistently taking it. The only shitty thing is they make it a pain in the ass to actually get a hold of it. Bi-monthly office visits, pharms are always out of stock, Vyvanse is $$$$$$$, etc.

I've taken Vyvanse, Adderall and Stratera. From my experience, Vyvanse is longer lasting and has fewer side effects than Addy, but there's no generic yet so it's hella expensive. Stay the fuck away from Stratera, I took it for like a week and it was the worst week of my life. I literally fell face first into a spiral of extreme depression. Like couldn't stop crying for no reason at all. It was scary. I found out after the fact there were warnings about this that this shitty doctor (had just moved to a new city) didn't mention at all. But everyone is different, so figure out what works for you.

Good luck!

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Yes. Adderall.

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I’m a poster child for ADHD, was on adderall/vyvanse for long chunks of my life. For me personally the side effects are tough. The worst being that it made me less spontaneous and funny. Not good for a writer. So now I rarely take the meds but i have non-time release adderall and occasionally break it into small crumbs and essentially micro-dose it. One thing I’ve done to help stay on top of tasks is make to-do lists in my phone notes, screenshot it and set it as my background. Not sexy, but it works. Good luck!

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If you’re diagnosed there’s no reason to not be medicated. It’s the first thing you should explore once diagnosed. What works for you will be unique to you. All depends on where you are on the spectrum and your body chemistry. But step one is medication. Just a reality of the condition.

The ADHD brain is wired differently and the world we live in is not going to rearrange for us. Also, ADDitude Magazine, which nowadays is a website and a podcast, is a super helpful resource. Highly recommend it.

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Yes, adderall. Agree that it hurts creativity though. If I’m working on concepts I won’t take it since the random / weird thought processes lead to novel ideas. Downfall is that it can cause insomnia, makes you hot and sweat more, can cause breakouts. But hey, it keeps me functional enough to remain employed.

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As a former (LONG time) resister to meds, I will say it dramatically changed life finally allowing it to assist the struggle. It’s like spending your life refusing to use the windshield wipers when it’s raining - and given the resiliency and determination of the ADHD brain, you can get by and make it happen. But finally using those wipers (aka meds) is not a failure. Suddenly once you aren’t directing all your stubborn energy at one task, you can kick ass at a range of things. Just remember to be your own doctor in the process and decide what’s good for you along the way: as many here mention, there’s no singlular solution or formula for everyone, so go with your gut

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I don't feel meds "kick in" but I've heard some people do. If you feel it too extreme you're probably taking too high of a dosage. You feel scatterbrained without them right, well meds are supposed to bring you back to normal or baseline. You might feel a little jittery or hyper focused, definitely try to take note of how you feel, but ultimately it shouldn't be something that's super noticable. It's just supposed to work.

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@havas1 does your insurance cover vyvanse? If so, what’s the co-pay for it?

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@SS1, No it's not covered until my deductible is met so I pay ~$300 a month ($10/pill!! 🙃) for a few months and then it's covered entirely for the last few months of the year. There's coupons from Shire that will give you like $60 off too. But yeah, it's expensive.

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Jeeeeeeez that’s crazy

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Thank you all for the helpful advice! I really appreciate it. I’ve been resistant to meds because I’m scared of the side effects. My family has a history of heart issues so I’m worried about how meds will affect my heart. I’m speaking with my doctor this week and will decide which medicine might work for me and start slowly from there. I plan to start on the weekend and see how it works and how my body reacts before trying it during a work day. Quick question, how do you know it is working and are you supposed to feel something when it does; or are you just able to get your work done and that’s how you know it’s working? Thank you again for the advice and suggestions. I know it’s time for medication and I’m excited to be able to reach my full potential.

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Update: I started adderall and so far it’s worked well for me! I’m calm and able to focus better on tasks and I found my writing abilities improved as well. I’ve always been a good writer but being able to focus and organize my thoughts has helped greatly. One thing I noticed is I don’t feel hungry, will this go away? I’m taking the time release version since the short acting gave me bad headaches after it wore off.

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