Does the medication help a lot?

Ive been on adderall for almost 20 years. I wasnt allowed to take adhd meds as a kid (it was taboo then and my parents didnt believe adhd was a real thing, an excuse for bad behavior). My family dr put me on it when i started college. I struggled my entire life with school and felt it was worth trying because i wanted to do well and get a good job. When i took it for the first time I was so overwhelmed by its impact. I could sit down and read, focus on one thing and not have all these random scattered thoughts pop in. Just too much to write. But basically i was blown away that “this is how normal people feel!”. Like the realization of how much harder my life had been than it needed to be was kind of hard to accept. Regardless, THE DECISION TO TRY IT: i knew there was a chance that it might help nd i didnt wanna be on meds forever. So i wouldnt take it unles i was doing schoolwork. But then everything else was adhd messy and after about a year i really thought about it. Medications are to improve quality of life, they have side effects etc. and i knew i needed to just accept it that i need medication and thats ok. I finally did when my friend screamed at me in the middle of the mall because i said i stopped taking it and was talking about all the things i was struggling with. She said YOU NEED THE MEDICATION!!! WHY ARE YOU TORTURING YOURSELF BY NOT TAKING IT WHEN YOU NEED IT!!! YOU KNOW YOU NEED IT, YOU KNOW IT MAKES YOUR LIFE BETTER SO STOP FIGHTING YOURSELF. I never looked back. Now, idc that i need it. I dont even think about it as “medication”. It’s as essential to my life as water. Like my body needs it to be its best. And of course its not a magic bullet and i still struggle, but struggling is differnt than SUFFERING. But it wasnt until i tried the medication that i was able to see the difference and feel so much better about myself because instead of constantly feeling like i was drowning, life became manageable. Also i have always seen therapists since starting the med. its really helpful too. To this day and after all the therapy, if i stop i immediately backslide. Therapy allows me to vent, but personally, the greatest benefit i get from it is that i am consistently being reminded to acknowledge my victories and when im doing well. And most importantly, it being pointed out that i am to harsh on myself - even after 20 years of being reminded. And it allows me to be kinder about the way i think about myself and not dwell on the negatives - because theyll always be there because i will always have adhd and the challenges it comes with. The worst thing i can do is not be reminded of this because then instead i feel frustrated and become angry with myself and this snowballs out of control, i spiral into a negative headspace and i already have enough to overcome - this is just toxic to allow. Ok sorry for the long post.

Yes!

Meds are really useful indeed ! It helps me with concentration and impulsivity so much.

Meds! Huge difference and I was scared but… of what? To feel better?

I can’t make it to my coffee pot even without taking my meds

Here’s my experience. I took slow- release concerta, which I was told was kind of a steady bet. The only side effect I experienced was that I lost my appetite and this made eating really stressful, actually (this is why I stopped taking it after ‘successfully’ being on it for a year). Other than that, I suppose it was good. I turned into what you might call a little business executive, all ‘I’m going to do it’ and then ‘I finished it’. That’s it, really. It made tasks easier to start and easier to finish once started. It didn’t change anything about me or even fix my procrastination, as I could just easily get overwhelmed and decide not to do anything, or start and finish a series instead of actual tasks.

I'd say it's different for everyone, but remember they are not miracle pills in any way. For me, I've tried elvanse, ritalin, concerta and voxra. 3 out of 4 didn't work at all, the forth one helps a little with certain things (which is why I'm still on it) but not enough for me to get as functional as I'd like with daily life 🤷🏻‍♀️

2 Things not already covered 1 - Expectations: meds are not magic. You will still have ADHD but you will have another tool to help you manage it. If you keep your expectations realistic you will see the benefits and the side effects clearer. 2 - Be super honest with your proscriber. They want to hear the truth - they can make adjustments to help but only if they know.

Hey :) Ich habe auch sehr lange überlegt, ob ich medikamente nehmen soll. Seit ungefähr 4 monaten nehme ich Elvanse und muss sagen, dass ich deutliche unterschiede merke: • ich gehe fokussierter an aufgaben und bleibe länger dran. • ich habe mehr energie • meine gedanken sind geordneter als vorher • ich schiebe dinge nicht mehr auf • ich finde leichter in den hyperfokus natürlich habe ich aber auch nebenwirkungen: • hoher puls und blutdruck • innere unruhe - ich muss ständig was tun • ich habe nach der einnahme keinen appetit mehr und esse viel zu wenig • durch meinen hohen dran etwas zutun, vergesse ich oft die zeit • ich muss zusätzlich medikamente zum schlafen einnehmen alles in allem muss man immer selbst entscheiden, ob es einem was wert ist :) ich nehme gerne die nebenwirkungen in kauf, da der positive aspekt für mich selbst überwiegt. ich komme viel besser zurecht seitdem ich Elvanse nehme. zu anderen ADHS medikamenten kann ich leider nicht viel sagen. :) am besten lässt du dich von einem facharzt einfach mal beraten und hörst auf dein bauchgefühl, ob du medikamente probieren möchtest oder nicht :)

Hello, Totally agrees with absolutely everything chappellinglife wrote. As far as my personal experience goes, meds helped A LOT from day 1, but it really takes a lot of time to find the right dosage. Multiple factors involved, as chappellinglife explained. Had a really *interesting* « robot period » on Medikinet 😅 (not sure my husband would term it interesting, more like « freaking annoying » probably !), and still very prone to insomnia on Ritaline, but it’s getting better. Hope you find the right solution - the one that works for you !

Also, DO NOT SELF MEDICATE! Meds have side effects that a doctor or psychiatrist is well aware of. They track your weight, blood pressure, & other factors. It’s all connected. In my first year I had heart palpitations. My psychiatrist took an EKG test to check for any issues with my heart. It turned out to be anxiety combined with dehydration. But meds can affect your heart health or blood pressure. Take meds under a doctor’s supervision. ALWAYS.

I’ve been taking medication for 8 years now. The answer is complicated. Do they work: They work for me. BUT, everyone’s different. It might take a while to find the type of meds that work for you, & then the right dose. I started on the Adderall pills & hated them. They made me agitated, anxious, & hurt my stomach. Then I switched to Adderall capsules, which are extended release. Yes, the effects of pills are different from the capsules. The capsules were a better fit for me. Side Effects: There are a LOT of side effects, short-term and long-term. At least for Adderall. You can look them up. But understand that meds can affect each person differently. I experienced short-term & immediate side effects from my meds. But after taking them for 8 years, my body has learned to deal with them. I’ve also learned how to prevent some of the side effects by working on my diet, drinking water, & workout habits. Is it worth it: You are the only person who can answer this question. If you can manage your ADHD symptoms by seeing a cognitive behavioral therapist or life coach, combined with change of diet & exercise… it’s best to avoid the meds. You can try the meds for a while & decide if you wanna keep using them. Nothing wrong with trying it. Hope this helps! Good luck!