So far, so positive, but what use are the schematics to defuse the bomb after it's exploded and decimated my life?
Hello! I also struggle with ADHD. I only got diagnosed about a year ago, and unfortunately, I'm still struggling with other diagnoses that affect my ADHD.
I don't think you'll much care for this answer, but, there's only two options, yeah? Either pick up the pieces and try to recreate the exploded life while rearranging the pieces how you like, or get a new life. I mean, you can probably also do some hybrid of the two, realistically, but yes.
I was lucky in that the first thing I was prescribed helped, and it looks like it's what you're going to start on too. I was put on 20mg of
Vyvanse at first, and didn't notice anything. It was upped to 30mg, and I started to feel it a little bit? And then when she upped it to 40mg, I felt that was a good stopping point for now. It does not cure your ADHD. Nothing can do that. It's simply an aid, and you will eventually increase it again, and the highest you can go is 70mg before you get cut off. It's not a permanent fixture in the lives of most people. I think 10 years of help is fairly common before they switch you to something else?
Are you hyperactive or are you inattentive, or do you have symptoms of both? I have symptoms of both, and the main things it helps me with personally is concentration, distractibility, and executive dysfunction. I still fidget a bit too much, but it does help me channel that desire to fidget into something to do more of than not. And unfortunately, its a bit different from other meds in that it really doesn't affect your mood a lot (although you might experience slight euphoria the first couple of weeks but that will go away so don't chase that), because Vyvanse has a lot softer entry than other stims of its kind, as well as a cap on its release. After I believe 120, maybe 140mg? You can still OD dangerously, of course, but your liver kind of gives up on converting it around that amount, so taking a bunch won't really do the same things as something like Adderall or Coke, aside from get you super sick and possibly kill you from toxicity. That being said, it IS still a stimulant. You might feel a bit wired and wanting to be busy on tasks, you might get engrossed in something you previously wouldn't have and lose track of time, and these effects can be stimulated with caffeine. Try not to drink it in the morning, but if you feel like your Vyvanse is wearing off too soon, a cup of coffee can help get one last jolt out of it to finish of the day, I've found.
For me, I experienced negative side effects of insomnia for about 4 days when I started taking 30mg before it helped regulate my sleep, and upping to 40mg did not repeat this issue, although whereas I would sleep 10ish or so hours before, I do tend to get around 7 now, although that isn't a problem in any way. I had and sometimes still get wicked dry mouth if I don't drink enough water, and rarely it'll make my head feel tight. Not quite a headache, it's not unpleasant, it's just something I notice and might be from screen staring all day. The eyes have a tendency to... stare harder while its active? Sounds weird but you'll know it when you feel it. Your appetite will probably tank until the evening, so if you don't want to gobble up 3 meals at one sitting, try to have breakfast before or with your pills so you don't feel like a food demon at 5pm. Proteins and fat help Vyvanse work really efficiently, as well as light exercise (you won't catch me doing that often enough though, screw that noise), and be
REALLY WARY of fruits and other acidic foods. Vyvanse is different from other amphetamines in that it has to metabolize in your liver to be converted properly, it's not just something that enters your blood stream as is, which is why it has to be taken orally. Eating any acidic fruit before your pills and/or up to an hour after taking them will interfere with how much they help you, if not negate the effects entirely and you'll have taken them for nothing. Obviously if you get anything like bad anxiety, headaches, or other symptoms that really affect your life in negative or dangerous ways, talk to your prescriber.
I really hope your Vyvanse helps you as much as it's helped me. It's not TREMENDOUS in any way, it didn't change my life or anything, and I still struggle mostly due to my other diagnoses, I just struggle less with those specific issues. It's something really easy I can do in the morning (IF I REMEMBER BLEH) that helps me throughout the day to not feel so much like a 6 year old anymore. A tool, not a miracle cure. If it can do that for you too and help you restore or build a good life, then that's really, really good. <3 Good luck~!
