anyone on ADHD meds?

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Trying to make long story short, I do not know if I am on the autism spectrum but I do certainly know that my mind is neurodiverse, which is why I find great comfort here sometimes.
I found out a year ago that I have been struggling with generalised epilepsy. I've had it ALL of my life and therefore, it affected the way that my brain functions. I am now on the appropriate med for it but I wonder if I am getting symptoms of ADHD and fatigue.

Some of the symptoms (not necessarily bound to ADHD/ADD) I notice - I cannot switch from one subject to another. I have to literally do one subject one day and another subject the next day. My motivation is sometimes there, sometimes absent, but I cannot get myself to really do any work. When I do end up forcing myself to work, it feels very empty and I am only half present, the rest of me is zoned out. I have a lot of trouble organizing information into the correct categories. (This one is not a huge problem, I think my mind just wants to know the 'why' behind why things are grouped together. But it would be nice if I could organize a bit better). There are probably more that I am missing but I honestly do not know a great deal about ADHD/ADD.


Well, my question is,
Do you take stimulant medication and does it help you? I am curious what stimulants can be like for the neurodiverse mind.
I might have to take it anyway for the massive fatigue I keep experiencing. But I am a little scared. I have a video appointment with my psychiatrist tomorrow and I hope she knows how to help.

Yes, I take stimulant medication for my ADHD. It’s a lifesaver. That, and leaving Post-It notes everywhere. As well as engaging in talk therapy with a therapist.

I have ADD and have tried Methylphenidate IR, SR, CR, Concerta, Wellbutrin SR, XL, Dexedrine IR, Vyvanse, Adderall XR. While they worked for my ADD and Adderall XR even helped my social skills immensely, I just couldn't tolerate the side effects. They destroyed my appetite, altered my taste so everything tasted like cardboard and they caused my mood to go on a rollercoaster everyday. I felt wired too and had more difficulty sleeping than I already had. My grades went from 60's to mid to low 90's over night but the drugs were unsustainable for me so I stopped taking them. I doubt I will ever take them again. I'm on disability anyways for other health issues so I don't think I will be needing them for school anytime soon. I guess I am stuck with my ADD *shrug*

I have been taking dexamphetamine for over 15 years and I'm fine taking them. Sometimes I'll lose my appetite but if I eat when I take them then there's no problem. I take 15mg in the morning and 15mg in the early afternoon.

Vyvanse, which is long-acting dexamphetamine, is set to become cheaper later this year in Australia. I'm really looking forward to that because it will be a lot more convenient to just take one pill in the morning.

my personal experience is that they give me an intense desire to do something. not always the task at hand, though. For example, I often feel tempted to work on my novel instead of do schoolwork.

a pro though is that sometimes if i'm taking a new combination or dosage, i get this tingly feeling in my head when the effects are at their peak.

please keep in mind that everyone's med experience is different and that mine shouldn't decide whether or not you try medication!

Yes I just started ADHD meds for combined presentation prior to lockdown. The dosage hasn't increased according to the plan, because I haven't been able to see my GP doctor for adjustments. I'm in a holding pattern at a relatively low dose. I will talk to my Neuropsychiatrist this week on Zoom and he will be advising my GP if there is a change of plan.

I'm not good at self-observation or noticing patterns in my own behaviour because of alexithymia. I hope the Neuropsych has some very specific questions for me about the efficacy because otherwise I can't judge for myself. What I've noticed is that I'm not tired during the day (or ever) and I get a lot less sleep. I've dropped a lot of weight effortlessly, which wasn't really needed. I seem to have more mental energy too but .... a) I still have executive dysfunction and can't necessarily do anything productive with that energy -- but maybe this would be different if we weren't in lockdown? b) When I do focus on something it is more of a hyperfocus than a productive focus. For example I spent 18 hour days on Ancestry last week in a flurry of obsession but still had no ability to approach it systematically or with a plan. I just went at it in every direction all at once.

I feel like no matter what the ADHD meds does for my energy, Autism will trump it because of my executive dysfunction, my special interests, and my alexithymia.

I have been on meds for a couple of years and they have significantly altered my life in a positive way. I realize now that I have had massive social deficits, and with the medication, I am better able to identify and work on those.

The opposite of fatigue, for me. I take my meds as soon as I wake up and I actually feel awake. Not high, not wired, not over-caffeinated, but for once in my life I'm awake. I don't crawl through the day like before. About 12 hours later I start to feel sleepy, not exhausted, not drained, but regular sleepy. Within about three hours of that, I'm in bed.

It's nice to feel an actual cycle of awake vs. sleepy. Prior to the meds I was just tired all the time and couldn't tell the difference between "just waking up", "dragging through the day", and "tired for bed".

I've also lost a lot of weight, but that might be because I only drink water now.