Got diagnosed at 45 and got some meds, absolutely life changing
That is until your pharmacy runs out and you have to call 10 other places to find it while falling back on your old coping techniques that are way more work than you realized
Something that changed my life in the US: Skip the big name pharmacies entirely. Look for the local small pharmacies. Fewer people go to them so they usually have a better stock, and they generally give a damn about the people that come in so even uninsured their prices are far far far more reasonable.
Silly question, but how do you even begin that process when you’re not a kid? I’m 34 and feel like I might have had ADHD my whole life, but never bothered looking into it. I’ve made it this far into a successful career without meds and I just assume that any doc will think I’m a wannabe pillhead or something.
Ask PCP for referral. Talk to psych lady. Try some meds. See how it goes.
I originally went in for post-lockdown depression, but as I was describing my life and symptoms, she realized there was more going on. First she gave me prozac, which was terrible. Then we tried some Wellbutrin and Adderall, and that was the ticket.
I feel like my kids having it diagnosed helped me a bit but it started with getting a therapist and talking about my life experiences. I expected to have to take a test but they just put me on the meds pretty quickly. My 3rd grade teacher suspected me but my parents never acted. I guess I am a clear case so testing wasn’t involved in my diagnosis
I asked a therapist for a diagnosis, and she didn’t even attempt to do the questionnaire bcz it was so obvious. My family doctor took her word for it, lol.
As someone who’s in the same boat as you, what makes you think you’ve got it, out of curiosity (unless you don’t want to share, which is completely fine too)?
you can book a consultation with a psychologist or a psychiatrist. In order to be diagnosed, the symptoms you have must have been present before age 12. They will likely have you sit and do a 20 minute test to measure attention and memory. It will sound like it’s going to be easy. If you have the condition, I assure you it is not!
Then your provider can talk meds. There’s lots of options. The lambo of pills is Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine), but there are a lot of others w various benefits and drawbacks.
e: the doctors are only there to prescribe pills, more or less. they won’t think you’re abusing the system
Vyvance is the lambo? Bruh it’s maybe the Honda Accord, reliable, long lasting, but definitely nothing flashy. Maybe a chip tune because it is technically dex. But seriously, straight dex is the Lambo. Hard to control, 0-60 in Oh fuck me, almost no levo side effects, put it anywhere and it works. As an undiagnosed individual I have run the gamut of different chems and Dex is beyond my favorite
maybe the wrong analogy to use for people that actually know cars lol. thats just how my psych described it. Probably because it’s top of the line and everyone wants it. I don’t want a come-up or down. I don’t want to feel wired for 4 hours then crash. Some people do, but that’s why I avoided adderall and friends. I didn’t ever want to feel the urge to abuse my drug either.
Vyvanse is so smooth and lasts so long that I’m on the lowest dosage and plan to stay there forevs by taking tolerance breaks. Lasts all day into the evening so I can be productive at more than just work. shits real nice
Honestly it’s what I should probably accept and go beg for, because A) they will never give me IR anything, I have been too honest, and B) yea you really cannot abuse it. It’s just some days I don’t feel like being stimmed for 16 hours straight and just need a morning boost. I’m also very sensitive to phenethylamines, stimulants in particular and 10mg of mixed salts at 9am has me still chatty 12 hours later…
Got diagnosed at 45 and got some meds, absolutely life changing
That is until your pharmacy runs out and you have to call 10 other places to find it while falling back on your old coping techniques that are way more work than you realized
Ain’t life grand
Something that changed my life in the US: Skip the big name pharmacies entirely. Look for the local small pharmacies. Fewer people go to them so they usually have a better stock, and they generally give a damn about the people that come in so even uninsured their prices are far far far more reasonable.
Silly question, but how do you even begin that process when you’re not a kid? I’m 34 and feel like I might have had ADHD my whole life, but never bothered looking into it. I’ve made it this far into a successful career without meds and I just assume that any doc will think I’m a wannabe pillhead or something.
Ask PCP for referral. Talk to psych lady. Try some meds. See how it goes.
I originally went in for post-lockdown depression, but as I was describing my life and symptoms, she realized there was more going on. First she gave me prozac, which was terrible. Then we tried some Wellbutrin and Adderall, and that was the ticket.
I feel like my kids having it diagnosed helped me a bit but it started with getting a therapist and talking about my life experiences. I expected to have to take a test but they just put me on the meds pretty quickly. My 3rd grade teacher suspected me but my parents never acted. I guess I am a clear case so testing wasn’t involved in my diagnosis
I asked a therapist for a diagnosis, and she didn’t even attempt to do the questionnaire bcz it was so obvious. My family doctor took her word for it, lol.
As someone who’s in the same boat as you, what makes you think you’ve got it, out of curiosity (unless you don’t want to share, which is completely fine too)?
you can book a consultation with a psychologist or a psychiatrist. In order to be diagnosed, the symptoms you have must have been present before age 12. They will likely have you sit and do a 20 minute test to measure attention and memory. It will sound like it’s going to be easy. If you have the condition, I assure you it is not!
Then your provider can talk meds. There’s lots of options. The lambo of pills is Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine), but there are a lot of others w various benefits and drawbacks.
e: the doctors are only there to prescribe pills, more or less. they won’t think you’re abusing the system
Vyvance is the lambo? Bruh it’s maybe the Honda Accord, reliable, long lasting, but definitely nothing flashy. Maybe a chip tune because it is technically dex. But seriously, straight dex is the Lambo. Hard to control, 0-60 in Oh fuck me, almost no levo side effects, put it anywhere and it works. As an undiagnosed individual I have run the gamut of different chems and Dex is beyond my favorite
maybe the wrong analogy to use for people that actually know cars lol. thats just how my psych described it. Probably because it’s top of the line and everyone wants it. I don’t want a come-up or down. I don’t want to feel wired for 4 hours then crash. Some people do, but that’s why I avoided adderall and friends. I didn’t ever want to feel the urge to abuse my drug either.
Vyvanse is so smooth and lasts so long that I’m on the lowest dosage and plan to stay there forevs by taking tolerance breaks. Lasts all day into the evening so I can be productive at more than just work. shits real nice
Honestly it’s what I should probably accept and go beg for, because A) they will never give me IR anything, I have been too honest, and B) yea you really cannot abuse it. It’s just some days I don’t feel like being stimmed for 16 hours straight and just need a morning boost. I’m also very sensitive to phenethylamines, stimulants in particular and 10mg of mixed salts at 9am has me still chatty 12 hours later…
That is a silly question. Everyone knows this. If chalupapocalypse wants to explain it anyway for those of you who weren’t paying attention though…
It’s all in our heads anyway.