Treatment Wife wants me to go back on ADHD meds , any self care treatments?

[Juicewrldfan]

So I’ve had no success with non stimulant meds being effective or I didn’t tolerate or contraindicated because my liver.

I cold turkey quit vyvanse last month because it turned into drug abuse eventually. I started abusing my script.

So I do not want to take adhd meds, but it’s kinda in full force and I’d honestly say somewhat more than moderate in severity but I feel like it’s getting better the further I get from my last abused dose. She says it’s still bad though and she can’t take it because I’m too hyper. She said “ it’s never been this bad”

And we just got back together so I don’t want to push her away by hyperfocusing too much or being too hyper or constantly forgetting things that I shouldn’t but I ldrc…

I don’t want to take meds. Concerta is an option but I won’t take any amphetamines yet I don’t want to even go that route unless absolutely life or death as in I can’t work necessary. And to be fair I haven’t been back to work yet but still…

The risk is possible addiction/relapse…idk. Vyvanse triggered euphoria at my prescribed dose and wakened the monster. I think concerta might be weaker but idk. If it but it’s still effective than possibly bug still not worth the risk TO ME…

So I ask, anyone know of effective ways to help with adhd symptoms without prescription meds or drugs? I’m fine with herbs depending on what they are or techniques.


Thanks if you got this far and sorry it was so long.

 

[Pill Clinton]

So I’ve had no success with non stimulant meds being effective or I didn’t tolerate or contraindicated because my liver.

I cold turkey quit vyvanse last month because it turned into drug abuse eventually. I started abusing my script.

So I do not want to take adhd meds, but it’s kinda in full force and I’d honestly say somewhat more than moderate in severity but I feel like it’s getting better the further I get from my last abused dose. She says it’s still bad though and she can’t take it because I’m too hyper. She said “ it’s never been this bad”

And we just got back together so I don’t want to push her away by hyperfocusing too much or being too hyper or constantly forgetting things that I shouldn’t but I ldrc…

I don’t want to take meds. Concerta is an option but I won’t take any amphetamines yet I don’t want to even go that route unless absolutely life or death as in I can’t work necessary. And to be fair I haven’t been back to work yet but still…

The risk is possible addiction/relapse…idk. Vyvanse triggered euphoria at my prescribed dose and wakened the monster. I think concerta might be weaker but idk. If it but it’s still effective than possibly bug still not worth the risk TO ME…

So I ask, anyone know of effective ways to help with adhd symptoms without prescription meds or drugs? I’m fine with herbs depending on what they are or techniques.


Thanks if you got this far and sorry it was so long.

I'll say Concerta imo cant really be "abused" as I "remember" they may have made different versions I'm not quite sure.

Stims are a part of my daily life Ritalin & Adderall, Dexedrine & when I get lucky Desoxyn but that's a hell of a rare item to get.

To help with ADHD NON-STIMULANT you might want to give Atomoxetine aka Strattera a try I've taken that prior to when I was trying to get clean & honestly it worked at high doses. There's Wellbutrin (Works OK) as well as Clonidine aka Catapress & guanfacine aka Intuniv

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Thanks for reaching out.

I'm guessing that a while away from stimulants might be a good idea. Sounds like your relationship is on the line. I think you'll do the right thing.

There are behavioral therapies for ADHD. I just don't know any of them, lol. Rest and digest, take care of the bigger problems first, then revisit less important factors later on. Maybe write a list of priorities and rank them. We are pulling for you!

 

[Juicewrldfan]

Thanks for reaching out.

I'm guessing that a while away from stimulants might be a good idea. Sounds like your relationship is on the line. I think you'll do the right thing.

There are behavioral therapies for ADHD. I just don't know any of them, lol. Rest and digest, take care of the bigger problems first, then revisit less important factors later on. Maybe write a list of priorities and rank them. We are pulling for you!

Thanks!

I do prioritize and execute. I make a list of priorities from greatest to least and then a strategize which ones and how I am going to approach them that day. I am a highly driven individual and have had significant career successes but I’m forgetting words and my thought out if no where in interviews and perhaps interrupting and hyperactivity apparent…never used to be this bad…until I started abusing propylhexidrine. i had 5 interviews for leadership positions over the past week and usually i blow them out of the water and often times even get the offer in the spot. They literally chases me down to my car one time to say they went ahead and talked after I was heading out the door and want to offer the position before someone else hires me. It’s not that I’m not productive. I am highly hyperactive so I am productive just I get distracted and then hyper focus on that distraction. Next thing you know the whole day has went by and idk what happened to it…

think I damaged my brain. I did have a stroke when I was as at the ER a year ago…and it’s been bad ever since but then I relapsed this past December and it’s even worse.

I drive to the wrong places sometimes…l for example had a doctors appointment this morning on the west side of town. I went to the location on the east side of town because I forgot and was thinking it was there because I always go there usually but my wife reminded me immediately before I left for my appointment that it was on the west side this time. I drive by myself to the east side but fortunately they know me and that I have said and still fit me in at that location.

The doctor is advocating for me to try a low dose and said that home remedies aren’t going to resolve my symptoms because they are too severe. That home remedies help some of course but he said for example with schizophrenia…sure nutrition and exercise can help but medication is still required…

But am I just copping out? Fooling myself to try low dose concerta?

Been using kratom to help treat symptoms but it’s not practical. Think low dose concerta is more practical and potentially less drug like behavior (have to redose with kratom every hour now and I take T breaks every week)

Is concerta harder on your cardiovascular system than amphetamines? I dont have u darling heart conditions but thinking long term…I’m 41z

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Thanks!

I do prioritize and execute. I make a list of priorities from greatest to least and then a strategize which ones and how I am going to approach them that day. I am a highly driven individual and have had significant career successes but I’m forgetting words and my thought out if no where in interviews and perhaps interrupting and hyperactivity apparent…never used to be this bad…until I started abusing propylhexidrine. i had 5 interviews for leadership positions over the past week and usually i blow them out of the water and often times even get the offer in the spot. They literally chases me down to my car one time to say they went ahead and talked after I was heading out the door and want to offer the position before someone else hires me. It’s not that I’m not productive. I am highly hyperactive so I am productive just I get distracted and then hyper focus on that distraction. Next thing you know the whole day has went by and idk what happened to it…

think I damaged my brain. I did have a stroke when I was as at the ER a year ago…and it’s been bad ever since but then I relapsed this past December and it’s even worse.

I drive to the wrong places sometimes…l for example had a doctors appointment this morning on the west side of town. I went to the location on the east side of town because I forgot and was thinking it was there because I always go there usually but my wife reminded me immediately before I left for my appointment that it was on the west side this time. I drive by myself to the east side but fortunately they know me and that I have said and still fit me in at that location.

The doctor is advocating for me to try a low dose and said that home remedies aren’t going to resolve my symptoms because they are too severe. That home remedies help some of course but he said for example with schizophrenia…sure nutrition and exercise can help but medication is still required…

But am I just copping out? Fooling myself to try low dose concerta?

Been using kratom to help treat symptoms but it’s not practical. Think low dose concerta is more practical and potentially less drug like behavior (have to redose with kratom every hour now and I take T breaks every week)

Is concerta harder on your cardiovascular system than amphetamines? I dont have u darling heart conditions but thinking long term…I’m 41z

Hey yo!

That's awesome. You seem to have a lot going for you! All the more reason to take better care of yourself. I know I say it like it sounds easy.

Yeah strokes are serious business. Maybe if you're concerned about it you could get an fMRI scan to see more of what's going on in there neurologically.

That's scary about the driving thing, and pretty serious too. Wish I knew what to say. Car crashes are no joke, heavy machinery and all that.

Your doctor would be the one to defer to, assuming you told them everything that's going on. That said, they're trained to base recovery off of medications. Exercise and good diet have a lot of really great research behind them. It's just not as quick as a fix, usually. But if I didn't run a 5k every day, I'd be in dire straits for sure.

I'd say, if you need to take it, have your partner give you your dose every day, or someone else who knows you well, a good friend or family member. Have you talked with your partner in-depth about the situation? Things might seem sketchy, but things work best in this sort of way through transparency. Tough in my case because I don't tend to trust people, but opening up really has served me well. And people I know.

On the heart, stimulants can be a bit hard because they get the whole CV system activated. I think that amphetamines would likely be worse for your heart, but maybe I'm wrong. I think that regular testing can help. Because you had a stroke, though, things get complicated. I don't know much about it.

 

[Juicewrldfan]

Hey yo!

That's awesome. You seem to have a lot going for you! All the more reason to take better care of yourself. I know I say it like it sounds easy.

Yeah strokes are serious business. Maybe if you're concerned about it you could get an fMRI scan to see more of what's going on in there neurologically.

That's scary about the driving thing, and pretty serious too. Wish I knew what to say. Car crashes are no joke, heavy machinery and all that.

Your doctor would be the one to defer to, assuming you told them everything that's going on. That said, they're trained to base recovery off of medications. Exercise and good diet have a lot of really great research behind them. It's just not as quick as a fix, usually. But if I didn't run a 5k every day, I'd be in dire straits for sure.

I'd say, if you need to take it, have your partner give you your dose every day, or someone else who knows you well, a good friend or family member. Have you talked with your partner in-depth about the situation? Things might seem sketchy, but things work best in this sort of way through transparency. Tough in my case because I don't tend to trust people, but opening up really has served me well. And people I know.

On the heart, stimulants can be a bit hard because they get the whole CV system activated. I think that amphetamines would likely be worse for your heart, but maybe I'm wrong. I think that regular testing can help. Because you had a stroke, though, things get complicated. I don't know much about it.

Yes. She is very well versed in it all the way down to the pharmacology…lol…hyper focusing on a problem and then talking about said problem while in adhd mode can be too
Mich for her.

But yes she is very much aware of the risks verse’s benefits and my concerns.

I am still not certain. I want to try it but if I have to take a job as a cook or something like that and I’m cutting vegetables and get distracted still cutting and cut my finger off…almost happened last night x but my wife caught it just before while I was talking to her…

So I’m starting to think that it’s starting to be necessary but maybe I haven’t given it enough time. Thing is is she just got diagnosed with MDD with psychotic features. Had her first psychotic break at 43 and she does not do drugs so dealing with my hyperactivity and that because it’s new to her and very scary is too much and I fear she will have to leave me or we will be annoying her and themat eachthwra throats because I’m mad that she is rejecting me (talking and feel like being told to shut up I’m not so many words) and she is annoyed highly. Sometimes unintentionally I say things that make her paranoid delusions worse…because I’m just spitting words out rapid fire…

Perhaps it’s just a lack of self control…but I’m Leary of my disease tricking me and I’m just talking myself into something that is going to end badly.

 

[Vastness]

I don't really have any input except to say that I think you're making the right choice in quitting amphetamines. I'd say Concerta most definitely can be abused, sure some formulations will be more difficult than others depending on how difficult it is to break the extended release mechanism but frankly just having an XR formulation doesn't make a medication completely non-abusable, IMHO, it's still a fairly blunt stimulant if not quite as blunt as IR amphetamines are.

IMO and hopefully IME at some point a lot of recovery from stimulant overuse - whether or not it qualifies as "abuse" as such - is just waiting out the scatteredness, apathy, anhedonia and such, just trying your best to make good decisions but somewhat accepting you're not gonna be at your best for a little while, probably, and making peace with that fact, not being too hard on yourself etc. That said I don't actually know what the best decision here is for you, I'm not a doctor and have no experience with the complicating factors you mentioned, XR methylphenidate for me was abusable but not something I had a particularly strong impulse to abuse, but also not particularly effective at improving executing dysfunction symptoms, but YMMV.

I'm tempted to suggest asking about being prescribed modafinil or ideally armodafinil off-label which for me is helpful somewhat just in combatting some of the aforementioned apathy, anhedonia, and scatteredness after giving up on the idea of prescribed amphetamine being any good for me except as a very short term mood enhancement with some definite longer term negatives. Again YMMV, of course, since almost everyone has some different mix of those aftereffects and whatever other things I've neglected to mention. I wasn't actually prescribed modafinil, but given your medical history otherwise I'd suggest you do only do it under the supervision of a doctor - but I mention it as it is stimulating but cardiovascularly far more benign AFAIK than either amphetamines or methylphenidate.

 

[Juicewrldfan]

I don't really have any input except to say that I think you're making the right choice in quitting amphetamines. I'd say Concerta most definitely can be abused, sure some formulations will be more difficult than others depending on how difficult it is to break the extended release mechanism but frankly just having an XR formulation doesn't make a medication completely non-abusable, IMHO, it's still a fairly blunt stimulant if not quite as blunt as IR amphetamines are.

IMO and hopefully IME at some point a lot of recovery from stimulant overuse - whether or not it qualifies as "abuse" as such - is just waiting out the scatteredness, apathy, anhedonia and such, just trying your best to make good decisions but somewhat accepting you're not gonna be at your best for a little while, probably, and making peace with that fact, not being too hard on yourself etc. That said I don't actually know what the best decision here is for you, I'm not a doctor and have no experience with the complicating factors you mentioned, XR methylphenidate for me was abusable but not something I had a particularly strong impulse to abuse, but also not particularly effective at improving executing dysfunction symptoms, but YMMV.

I'm tempted to suggest asking about being prescribed modafinil or ideally armodafinil off-label which for me is helpful somewhat just in combatting some of the aforementioned apathy, anhedonia, and scatteredness after giving up on the idea of prescribed amphetamine being any good for me except as a very short term mood enhancement with some definite longer term negatives. Again YMMV, of course, since almost everyone has some different mix of those aftereffects and whatever other things I've neglected to mention. I wasn't actually prescribed modafinil, but given your medical history otherwise I'd suggest you do only do it under the supervision of a doctor - but I mention it as it is stimulating but cardiovascularly far more benign AFAIK than either amphetamines or methylphenidate.

Thanks and don’t take me wrong XR formulations just give me more of a chance to not experience euphoria in a therapeutic dose.

Depending on the day sometimes my vyvanse would give me euphoria and that’s what triggered me…but my inpatient doctor was very aggressive with increasing the dose to the point I had to stop him because I told him I wasn’t comfortable from jumping from 30mg vyvanse to 60 because I don’t want to get triggered…ya know slowly increasing the dose to therapeutic levels IS best practices to help with habituation of a higher dose is needed.

Perhaps I just stay on low dose amps…they do t spark my curiosity at all anymore and I generally hate them so I’d be unlikely to experiment.

Being that I e been off them for 30 days maybe I can use a lower dose that is unlikely to trigger euphoria….sorry going to have to cut this post short…feeling sick to my stomach idk why…

 

[Vastness]

I'd probably suggest (although again - not a doctor, just someone with an ADHD diagnosis who has tried multiple different medications and other stimulant drugs) trying Concerta or some kind of methylphenidate formulation before you decide to go back on amphetamine - just on the basis that with your original post you were pretty set on not going back on amphetamines specifically if you could avoid it, and that 30 days is really not that long in the context of the frustrating gradual readjustment that is usually necessary after quitting many drugs after daily use, but especially amphetamines, IMO.

For the record I was more responding to the post that said that Concerta is not really abusable when I said I thought it was - rather than making any comment on whether or not you should use it. It is (IMO) definitely less reinforcing, less habituating, overall less enjoyable than amphetamines which in this context seems like a good thing. Actually sometimes it honestly used to send me to sleep which I absolutely do not get with amphetamines at all... it was less effective for treating symptoms of ADHD for me, but maybe it was kinda effective, I dunno.

Honestly I went into my entire diagnostic process with the intent of being prescribed an instant-release stimulant, ideally dexamphetamine, which was what happened, eventually, but in retrospect I'm not even sure I should have been diagnosed as ADHD in the first place, I mean I definitely have ADHD symptoms but I think it might not qualify as a primary diagnosis, rather as a symptom of a more complex general burnout and gradually accumulating traumas... I didn't overtly lie about anything but in retrospect I did go into the entire process having already essentially diagnosed and prescribed myself, with enough knowledge of the diagnostic criteria and prescription guidelines to easily take advantage of a medical system which was all too happy to diagnose me and prescribe, essentially, what I asked for, after jumping through the hoops of trying other medications, but already knowing that racemic amphetamine (read: speed) was pretty damn effective and wanting to legitimize my usage with an official prescription...

This surely doesn't all apply to you of course, you did mention complicating factors, and I'm willing to entertain the idea that in some circumstances amphetamines are going to be the only thing that works... I won't say any useless bullshit about just trying harder or whatever like some jaded assholes do having worked their way through the Stimulant Prescription Factory Line and realized it wasn't actually helping them, I'm aware that a big part of the reason amphetamines are so widely prescribed is because of a vast gaping chasm in non-substance oriented mental healthcare, a twisted work culture that makes burnout almost inevitable, and finally capitalism's strangehold on the entire fucked up mess that makes it all but impossible for anything other than the quick fix short term solutions of amphetamines to get a fair chance anywhere, whether at the level of individual lives or on national scales...

ehh, but yeah, so anyway now I'm very very skeptical of amphetamine being a particularly sensible solution as anything but an absolute last resort or in certain medically exceptional circumstances... IMO the science is really not as convincing as is often claimed. But I'd say having had a stroke qualifies you to fit into the latter group of "medically exceptional circumstances".

BUT all that said, personally I'd think trying Concerta/methylphenidate before deciding to go back on amphetamines would be a smart move.

Excuse the long post, today is an armodafinil day.

 

[mr peabody]

Maybe have a look here :

https://bluelight.org/xf/threads/adhd-50-articles.857197/

 

[Juicewrldfan]

Well, I can’t afford the alternatives right now so he put me on and people are going to freak out - adderral…and wait for it….you guessed it IR - so I am not extremely nervous almost fearful of picking up the script today…he just sent it in. Had a telehealth appointment.

I was on vyvanse but I’ll be very honest vyvanse was stronger for some reason to me. I was on adderral first but vyvanse was much more effective for me just can’t afford it and I abused that last so kinda reminds me of getting high because well we relate what we see and hear and taste with memories and vyvanse is tied to that memory.

But adderral is just if not more (some say and on paper it should be ) risky for addiction. Especially IR. I’ll be honest addrrral was not getting me high at therapeutic doses. No euphoria at all at 10mg IR but I haven’t taken addrrral in over a year so maybe my tolerance is low yet I was on vyvanse up until December so I’m hoping it’s not loaded I don’t want to experience euphoria. Maybe I just take a half?

I have a huge interview at 2.

I’m nervous about getting euphoria but I guess I just have to remember that I have a choice. At the end of the day that’s what it comes down to. The biggest lie ever told to me was that I am an addict and I don’t have a choice..

 

[Juicewrldfan]

Maybe have a look here :

https://bluelight.org/xf/threads/adhd-50-articles.857197/

Nice!!!omg that’s right yo my ally friend. So it’s effective? I think Americans take higher doses of everything nearly than needed. Weed for example

Edit: can’t read the study on link…

 

[mr peabody]

Nice!!!omg that’s right yo my ally friend. So it’s effective? I think Americans take higher doses of everything nearly than needed. Weed for example

Edit: can’t read the study on link…

Sorry, which link? Maybe I can help.

 

[Juicewrldfan]

Sorry, which link? Maybe I can help.

The one after you click the link on here and the first article talking about microdosing adderral has a link

Okay took one 10mg and no euphoria! But it’s only been 20 minutes, but still get are IR but I know maybe it hasn’t been enough time to really determine if it will. Hoping that it just treats my symptoms with slight mood lift but no euphoria…

Edit: maybe my symptoms are being exasperated by low T. I just found out today I do have low T and at my adhd appointment. I don’t understand why they didn’t treat that first. Couldn’t that resolve the symptoms enough to maybe it’s manageable? Well aside from hyperactivity?

He said he can start treating it at my next appointment next week but that testosterone is expensive? I thiought testosterone was usually covered if a true medical need? I know it depends on insurance but maybe he thought I didn’t have insurance because I told him I’m in between jobs and can’t afford vyvanse…

 

[mr peabody]

The one after you click the link on here and the first article talking about microdosing adderral has a link

Try this :

Increasing Number of Americans Are ‘Microdosing’ on Psychedelics to Enhance Mental Performance

Whenever an irrational and inhumane law remains on the books far longer than any thinking person would consider appropriate, there’s usually one reason behind it: money. Unsurprisingly, the continu…

libertyblitzkrieg.com

 

[Juicewrldfan]

Try this :

Increasing Number of Americans Are ‘Microdosing’ on Psychedelics to Enhance Mental Performance

Whenever an irrational and inhumane law remains on the books far longer than any thinking person would consider appropriate, there’s usually one reason behind it: money. Unsurprisingly, the continu…

libertyblitzkrieg.com

Great information- so I thought microdosing psilocybin was found to not be effective in the study I saw but lsd I hear has been…I guess I just need to try it and see tho I’ve never had LSD. Have had mushrooms. Just don’t use the darknet. I don’t have the tech know how with all the potential threats

 

[Jnowhere]

So I’ve had no success with non stimulant meds being effective or I didn’t tolerate or contraindicated because my liver.

I cold turkey quit vyvanse last month because it turned into drug abuse eventually. I started abusing my script.

So I do not want to take adhd meds, but it’s kinda in full force and I’d honestly say somewhat more than moderate in severity but I feel like it’s getting better the further I get from my last abused dose. She says it’s still bad though and she can’t take it because I’m too hyper. She said “ it’s never been this bad”

And we just got back together so I don’t want to push her away by hyperfocusing too much or being too hyper or constantly forgetting things that I shouldn’t but I ldrc…

I don’t want to take meds. Concerta is an option but I won’t take any amphetamines yet I don’t want to even go that route unless absolutely life or death as in I can’t work necessary. And to be fair I haven’t been back to work yet but still…

The risk is possible addiction/relapse…idk. Vyvanse triggered euphoria at my prescribed dose and wakened the monster. I think concerta might be weaker but idk. If it but it’s still effective than possibly bug still not worth the risk TO ME…

So I ask, anyone know of effective ways to help with adhd symptoms without prescription meds or drugs? I’m fine with herbs depending on what they are or techniques.


Thanks if you got this far and sorry it was so long.

It is really good that you recognized your abuse of the script and stopped

 

[mr peabody]

Great information- so I thought microdosing psilocybin was found to not be effective in the study I saw but lsd I hear has been…I guess I just need to try it and see tho I’ve never had LSD. Have had mushrooms. Just don’t use the darknet. I don’t have the tech know how with all the potential threats

Re LSD, easy does it. Don't smoke weed.

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

Great information- so I thought microdosing psilocybin was found to not be effective in the study I saw but lsd I hear has been…I guess I just need to try it and see tho I’ve never had LSD. Have had mushrooms. Just don’t use the darknet. I don’t have the tech know how with all the potential threats

shrooms microdose feels just half-baked, even if it has somewhat calming effect. LSD microdose is much more dynamic.

I think that it is not beneficial to look too much at studies-they are not plentiful at this point of human history and we need to remember that if there is not enough studies with different approaches, there is no way to make conclusion that no one is benefitting of microdosing, even if that was average result.

 

[Juicewrldfan]

Re LSD, easy does it. Don't smoke weed.

Yeah I figure that’s definitely part of my problem. I just started smoking weed again a month ago but I got it down to just a hit off a dab or two at night.

I thought if I got down to one to two times a week it should t have huge effects on cognition and surprisingly I was watching everybodies favorite neuroscientist Andrew Huberman and he said that in low doses weed helps with focus depending on the genetics and the problem is he said that the therapeutic window is very small and if you go over it that it does the opposite.

i cut the part I felt odd about talking about though it’s a major concern and im certain that others on here have issues or had have issues with this same concern as me. Just taboo to talk about