My Experience Taking ADHD Meds (& Impact On Autism)
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- Опубліковано 2 лют 2023
- My experience of taking ADHD medication including how this impacted my autism traits. Including;
- the process of titration of ADHD meds
- the benefits I've noticed so far
- how ADHD meds have impacted me as an autistic adult
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This video describing the conflict between autism and ADHD describes a girl I knew at university. She would sometimes be bubbly, chatty and extroverted, doing a million things all at once, constantly hopping from one thing to another but always saying inappropriate things and having meltdowns and outbursts, making new friends and burning bridges, having very little emotional regulation.
Other times though she would act very quiet, closed off, introspective and anxious and very hesitant to start or say anything which was the polar opposite of how she was at other times, I’m guessing this was when she was on ADHD meds revealing her autism.
This is such a powerful description
... this is me 😭 could also be anxiety tho
did you meet me or smth 🤨🤨
Sure she didn't have BPD instead?
@@gSWG3R a lot of high functioning pro-masking ASD + ADHD type girls are initially misdiagnosed with BPD because of the symptom overlap. Some psychologists believe that most women diagnosed with BPD are undiagnosed autism + ADHD.
I think in particular the unstable image/sense of self part of BPD in women could be explained by the subconscious masking, mimicking and repression of their ASD traits for social survival which they have been doing automatically for so many years that they don’t know what is truly them and what is their “mask” anymore. Just my two cents.
Wow, you have perfectly explained the feeling of the 'pause point' when on ADHD meds which I never had a name for. I could never work out what caused me to feel so different as I was growing up and as a working adult, until we had our 14 year old son diagnosed with both ADHD and ASD. Since my son was diagnosed, I was strongly encouraged to seek an assessment for myself. I guess you would know my outcomes from this comment, being in my late thirties, having a successful career and a mother of six I have had a rollercoaster of emotions and self doubt since finally understanding the why to most of my trials in life. Thank you for your videos I find them so relatable and they allow my to feel that I am not alone.
You had six children 😅 also would love to chat over email or something I have so many questions
I am korean women ,57, dignosed 2022 winter
I pleased ur reply
@962bex I'm having meltdowns at work and she's here working and has 6 kids. I'm also diagnosed in my 30's wtf is wrong with me
I had a similar feeling when I started methylphenidate, I was going through titration but during the postal strikes so ended up having delays between my doses at which point I discovered my impulsivity would return. I do find that the meds make the constant 'white noise' that I didn't realise I had, go away. I ended up getting nasty headaches on the higher doses though, and the Elvanse made me super anxious. I settled on a low dose, standard release methylphenidate that is often given to children. It takes the edge off, but avoids the headaches. I now also try to have a matcha latte each morning as I find this gives more stable energy release rather than normal caffeine drinks. And of course, my time of the month, nothing works at all and the world becomes a scary place. It's all a bit of a balancing act but it's amazing how even small changes can make such a big difference!
Guanfacine and Clonidine are excellent non-stimulant ADHD medications, plus they both treat hyperadrenergic POTS right at its source by preventing sudden spikes in norepinephrine and adrenaline. Guanfacine turned my daughter's life around for the better with just a nightly dose. I take a nightly dose of Clonidine since it can also treat restless leg syndrome and migraine issues. Both medications also treat anxiety by attenuating the body's "fight or flight" panic response.
I found this comment too, haha. I also get so much leg pain at night sometimes, so there's yet another thing those meds would help me with.
@@uberrapidash2556 So far, of the range of meds I've been on, Clonidine has been the one keeper, and the one that doesn't do a psychic tap dance on my head. We have a certain amount in common physiologically, I'd say (fight or flight for sure!) so I think it might be worth trying. I have heard Guanfacine may be a bit less sedating, though that improved. Clonidine is cheaper, I think.
Guanfacine was awful for me! I was walking into walls and splashed boiling water on myself while stirring spaghetti. Ugh!
@@sarahlongstaff5101 That's why people take Guanfacine only at night, right before bed.
I just got my ASD and ADHD diagnosis as a 51 year old woman. I’m starting on Ritalin tomorrow. I really resonate with your thoughts and videos. I’m a little anxious about it, but your self reflections are calming me down. Thanx! 🥰
I found that Ritalin was too short acting for my son. It wore off within 3 hours so the upswing was very difficult for him. Now he, and I take long acting med. Maybe try that?
How has your experience with Ritalin been ?
How has it been?
Others have asked but how have you found it?
I’ve taken Ritalin most of my life, but recently made a change to vyvanse. It has honestly saved my life. My brain feels less buzzy and I have MUCH less depressive episodes. Therapy ( with my adhd and autism specialist ) has really been helping too.
Love your videos
I also get down episodes at times I have BPD type 1.. its mostly mania and hypo-mania but sometimes depression
@@missreeise You mean bipolar type 1, not BPD type 1. BPD is not the same thing as bipolar disorder. BPD stands for borderline personality disorder. Two unrelated but possibly co-ocurring mental illnesses.
Oh that is so awesome 😊😊
Elvanse completely changed the trajectory of my life. Was in Ritalin for a long time and the anxiety and comedown was really noticeable. I found Elvanse calms me down and unlocked a new perspective on life for me. Dosage is everything though. I’m also diagnosed ADHD Combined type I’m adulthood and have an ASD diagnosis.
same but i only just heard about elvanse, I am honestly pretty downtrodden, I hear a lot of good things, usually people note how much better it is than ritalin (ritalin kind of stops you from craving dopamine(as much) elvanse apparantly gives your brain the dopamine it craves and that non adhd people have automatically
Your self awareness is just fantastic and it's really helping me to reflect on myself. I'm at the very start of understanding and getting a diagnosis.. So thank you so much for giving me some hope and acknowledgement about why I am how I am. Best of luck with your journey and much love. ♥️
You are so well spoken, thank you
This was wonderful to listen to as I related a lot to the autistic traits coming out while on medication(non-stimulant). Reducing my addictions(Idle games, phone scrolling) have also allowed the traits to come out as well. I see it as such a positive though because my adhd(only self diagnosed at the moment. Going through the steps) would fuel my dissociation and I'd end up doing little to nothing that accomplished anything, even finishing movies or tv shows or whatever leisure activities I normally enjoy. I suspect a large component could also be burnout but I am learning a lot still so I cannot be certain.
I also notice a dropoff over the course of the day, especially by evening, but this could also be due to taking it at the wrong time(my schedule is wonky so I don't know when to take it and am just experimenting with shifting it an hour day by day and noting differences). It's difficult to tell for sure though because my brain might just be worn out by processing a lot of recent trauma and it might not even be a dropoff so much as emotional exhaustion.
All in all, thank you. Between you and Paul from Autism From the Inside, I have found immense relief and understanding and validation through both of your experiences and frankly stunning ability to articulate it in both a technical and lived way. I'm forever thankful to you both and the others that I find randomly.
Thank you so much for making this video!! :)
This is so helpful! Thanks ❤
I love your videos ❤ you explain things so well and your insights help me understand myself better. Seeing my autism symptoms through someone else's eyes, do to speak, is comforting for me and changes my perspective in a very positive way
Thanks for making this video. Some of the observations you've made has helped me and my partner as we also try to figure out ADHD meds. You've illuminated some things. We're grateful to you for sharing your experience.
This was really helpful, I’m possibly about to decide whether or not I’m going to get diagnosed with Autism and possibly ADHD so thankyou for this information, I really appreciate it an I hope you can get the appointment that you want and that it will be helpful for you ☺️.
OH MY WORD! Same. Different meds, but same! This video is extremely helpful because it makes it seem possible to get through! You made a video successfully after all! KEEP ON! No kidding: thank you for this one!
The pause point yes!!!! My meds have given me exactly this, i feel so much better since.
Thank you so much for your total honesty on your channel. As a 41 yo waiting for an assessment, its really helpful for me to understand myself that bit better!
Thank you so much for this content. It’s really hard to explain the meds to family members, this video gave me a lot of useful language for that 😊
I tried ADHD meds (a stimulant of some kind) years ago. I didn't notice much difference and it was definitely harder to sleep. So I went off it.
There's different options, might be worth looking into
Thank you for making this video and breaking down “our “ experience 😩 because that’s exactly what you did. I feel so understood and connected with.
You hit a lot of good points that also resonate with me, especially the meds actually helping with allowing me to step back from things before I get frustrated. It's also done the same thing to (what I say as possible autism symptoms since I still am looking into that possibility) overstimulation, which I had never even noticed before! This point is both positive and negative for me, as learning that some of my anxieties are actually overstimulation, allowed me to be nicer to myself and more introspective on what the trigger was, which, should have been happening with anxiety anyways, but I'm still working on that.
The negatives of that specific thing though, is noticing that it happens more often? Like you said, noticing it so so so much more! I think half of it is not being able to mask as much, which can be good, masking is exhausting for me, but at the same time, the regret of not being able to do as much as I used to is still hard to work though, and will be a long process of accepting. At the moment, since my ADHD diagnosis, which was only months ago, I felt that I am actually simultaneously struggling more but also being better at keeping myself afloat if that makes sense...
But like you, I definitely still feel the need for some tweaking, how the meds wear off is still a struggle, with the long acting dose I used to take two rounds per day, but they wore off right as I went to bed, which was actually a nightmare for sleep, the shorter acting seems more promising, with allowing me to taper off farther from bed, but still giving me the help I need through the early evening, (as long as I remember to take it mid day to avoid the rebound) but I still wonder if mine is right for me in general.
Thank you , You have me realise whats been going on for me as I knew I was adhd and was taking meds for it . I wasn't formally diagnosed untill last week but have been taking meds for a couple of years now anyway i didn't realise that I was on the autism spectrum as well until after taking the meds for a while . I'm going to get my meds from the psychiatrist in the next couple of weeks and hopefully be getting the right meds as I was self diagnosed because I couldn't get the help from the public system and couldn't afford to go private ,Lucky my brother came to the rescue and paid for it for me . I am 56 years old So thanks again Ella.
I was diagnosed ADHD/Dyslexic 1970... was given a short trial on ritalin but it hit me so hard I would shiver for 30 min and I don't think it helped with focus. They took me off of it and that was the end of any real support / accommodations. I think it was the undiagnosed autism that baffled everyone's attempt to understand my challenges. There were no real services then - just put me in the "slow learner's class". 2018 diagnosed ASD - have been trying vyvance - It is a trade off because it affects my sleep/relaxation. It also affected my blood pressure. It does help with concentration / focus. Looking back, I know I've been in denial or maybe its just doing whatever it takes to get through the day since it is not something you can control by will alone. It is so important we define and address our needs and not avoid/ deny them and suffer in silence. Our value as a person is not a measure of our types of challenges: This is what society would have us believe. We are doing our best with the tools we have.
This is so incredibly helpful to know. Thank you for amazing insight into AuDHD and always sharing so much. I don’t have a current psych who can help me with meds yet - but looking. I need to be armed with this kind of info and didn’t even know where to start 🖤 cheers to you!
please don't take it. It is literally poison to your brain and body. It ruined my life in just a few days.
Somehow it feels like as I age, my ADHD is getting worse. Now that I'm in my 40's, trying to focus feels like I'm back in my school days trying to force myself (unsuccessfully) to do my homework. The meds definitely help me to stay more on track & focus for longer. They're like a subtle tap on the shoulder saying, hey... weren't you doing something else? Or maybe you should eat something before continuing this task? I think of it as guiderails, but I like the 'pause point' reference.
When my ADHD feels 'under control' my Autistic traits also become more prominent, so it's relieving to hear someone else have that experience, too. Thanks for sharing, Ella!
Forgive me for being vague and foggy in my memory of this, but I know I've read multiple places where ADHD can/does get worse for women with aging because estrogen levels impact dopamine levels. So when estrogen decreases with age, it further impacts dopamine which is already the main issue of ADHD. I think increasing medication/dosage is supposed to help? It's making me quite anxious to get older because I already feel like I'm significantly impaired now at 25...
I agree that my autistic traits feel more prominent on medication. I was diagnosed first with ADHD at 24, and then after starting Vyvanse and learning about ASD, realized I needed to figure out how to get assessed for that as well. I feel way more rigid, have more difficulty switching tasks, and more quickly irritated by sensory things that normally weren't as much of an issue, maybe because I could sort of tune them out with the other distractions in my brain.
Yes--when your estrogen drops, so does your dopamine! It's common for women to get diagnosed in our 40s....
Thank you so much I needed this right now. I'm a mum to my 13-year-old son who has ADHD he has been on elvance 20mg for just over 2 months. Stopped working so put it up to 30mg for 2 weeks the 40mg for 2 weeks. It was hard the first few days on the 30mg but then was ok. But when he took the 40mg it couldn't control his anger. So we are going back to the 30mg. Was going to give up on medication altogether but I know it helps him even though they are negative when taking them sleep and food issues.
Brilliant video 👍. I've been diagnosed with autism and dyspraxia and currently awaiting an ADHD assessment following a recommendation from the psychiatrist that diagnosed me with autism. I'm hopeful medication may be helpful. I was previously diagnosed with borderline personality disorder mainly because of my impulsivity and difficulty with emotional regulation. It was massive eye opening to discover that these could possibly be ADHD traits and that I may have been given the wrong diagnosis. Will be very interesting to see how things develop.
Very interesting. Thank you!
Relate strongly to this. ADHD meds are very important to my emotional regulation. I'm able to be "more myself" by slowing down my impulsivity and choosing where to put my energy. I also noticed it reduces my bodily stress. I used to have more body pain off the meds because I stiffened up so much from stress. Also rediscovering special interests on meds bc I can finally dedicate the energy/focus to them.
Hello,
I am going through the process of being diagnosed for ADHD and Autism at the moment, and since it has been found at the age of 38 and has caused increased anxiety and depression. I am in a even darker place not knowing atm. reading the side effects of the drugs scares me as the side effects are leaning towards mood swings, stomach issues (of which i already have one) and anger issues which I have had more now than ever!
In 2020 I almost died and got Covid, Pneumonia and Pleurisy and ever since have had Long covid, Juggling being disabled by long covid for nearly 4 years and then having to tackle the part of me I have always hidden away from and avoided is overwhelming. I found this video and will take a deeper dive into your content!
Thank you!
This is really helpful, thanks 👍💗 x x
The pause point is impulse control, if while on the meds, using the new ability to focus, you might try to hyper focus on the pause points or impulse control even if that means creating the opportunity for practice. Soon enough you should see you develop multiple tactics to stop or to contain your impulse. This will become habit for you over time and on or off the meds should net that same result in relation to the impulse control factor. Next apply that attention to the next issues you might be experiencing when not on meds and so forth. As you start to tackle these issues and see clear results on and off the meds I would suspect the anxiety of not having the meds to ease as well. Of course you need to keep a steady eye on not developing addiction to the meds as this will most certainly become a huge anxiety if not your biggest yet
I know exactly what you mean by pause point. I had to learn mine without meds. I've been working on it for 20 years without meds. I still have impulsivity and frustration a lot. I just talked to my therapist last week, and she said my thought patterns sounded like ADHD. Thanks for your videos, Ella.
I have both ASD and combined ADHD late diagnosed I treat the ASD with low dose Lexapro and the ADHD with caffeine
Thank you for this video! I was recently diagnosed with ADHD at 25 and started stimulant medication, as suggested by my doctor. I am beginning to wonder if my ADHD was "masking" my autism, in a way, and sought out other's experiences with this issue. I noticed the same things as you. I feel less excited to talk to other people, less bubbly and chatty, more anxious about entering social situations, but also more aware of what I am saying and taking more time to process before responding. I am better able to focus at work, but also noticing my affect is somewhat flattened when the meds kick in. Thank you, again, for sharing!
This is very much my experience on medication! Ritalin also made me very anxious so i'm on elvanse now which works a lot better for me. I've also found that because i'm less impulsive and much more aware of my body, I stim less instinctively, so I've had to start really trying to pay attention to when I need to stim, and start taking proper breaks!
ADHD and emotional dysregulation … yes, I totally agree and have been there and done that!
Meds help a reasonable amount with this. They also give me a quieter mind and better focus.
Based on my experience, keep trying different ones and doses and possibly combinations with your doctor as there should be a decent option for you. It took 8 psychiatrist sessions to get mine right, but now it’s approaching game changing levels! Feeling like a functional human being…wow! Thanks Elvanse!
YES EMOTION DYREGULATION YES..
I took my first 10mg ritalin capsule just 2 hours ago and I'm so excited and curious about how my experience will be. Thank you so much for sharing yours!
How was it?
@@scarecrowprowler not that impressive, but also without any problems. I was somewhat productive but not as much as on great days. Main thing I noticed was the focus change itself, something that happened before without me being aware of it.
I'm curious what the work week will bring. I'll take 10mg for one week, then increase it to 20mg for another week before changing to the dosage we aim for: 30mg.
Thank you for sharing your experience!
I'm autistic and recently diagnosed with ADHD. I'm not on ADHD medication yet (phasing out antidepressant), but hearing someone else''s view on taking ADHD meds is very interesting. Thank you.
Thanks for this video. I'm autistic with ADHD as well, and only diagnosed with ADHD two years ago. I haven't had a chance to try medication because it's not available in the country where I live, but I'm hoping to be able to try it when I'm back in the USA in 2024. This gives me an idea of what I might expect. I've been curious about how it could affect my autism, too.
You'd be amazed at what you can buy on the internet with an Amex card...
@@themekfrommars I don't want to get arrested, imprisoned, and deported, thanks. They're illegal here, even if I could get the right prescription.
I hated taking amphetamines. I was diagnosed with adhd and put on meds. I hated it, I felt wrong and my family told me I was a different/ hollow person.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I, too, have both. Diagnosed the ADHD 8 years ago, and only discovering the autism 6 months ago. Since then, I've finally understood why I've had so much anxiety, difficulties, and was even easy to take advantage of, on my medication.
Hearing you experience gives me more clarity for how to move forward and process who I am. Thank you!
They are of great help, one just need to take the right dosage, I was guided and also got mine from this plug below ¬¬
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@Mycotenny
Thank you SO much! I've been trying a antidepressant med that's used off label for ADHD, while awaiting an assessment later this month, and SO much of what you experience is spot on for me. The "wait a second" voice is SO real. And yeah, the focus is a problem, but it can't hold a candle to the frustration that has dogged me my whole 60+ years of life.
While I was on an SSRI, my ADHD traits were SO pronounced, which I have now heard is sometimes a thing. The off-label ADHD med makes me feel a LOT more autistic in the socially interactive ways you described, though sound (at home at least) is less of an issue now, as I can filter it out for the first time...and my biggest sensory issue is my own jangling thoughts. I did get wonderful and relaxed and my brain got less noisy on day 1. But I can't take much of the med either, and I'm going to have to find another option too, for similar reasons as yours. I'm on bloody IR, because the SR dose starts too high. That's only good for 3-4 hours, though mood stabilization lasts longer.
Oh, and my titration (didn't know the name) with my psychiatrist has largely been about like yours, and I gather from you and others I've known that it should be more hands-on help and less do-it-yourself. Right now my psychiatrist has concluded I should just drop it, but in spite of the issues I keep taking small amounts. Luckily, I was prescribed for much more than I can manage, so I have plenty to last until I can look at other things.
I’m on bupropion and my psychiatric nurse and i tried something kind of cool. I have my every day XL dose, but I have a small amount of the immediate release I can take around noon or so.
Good plan! A lot of people on meds for ADHD use that method, the sustained release with the “pick me up” supplement as needed. I gather that stimulants behave kind of like gas in a car, the harder your engine is working the faster you burn through your fuel. I’ve managed to avoid crashes by increasing protein at lunch, another common strategy....ADHDers are supposed to need protein to burn, which fits some of my lifelong patterns. But I get tired of animal protein really fast, and I’m not sure it helps my mood either.
The other thing some people on ADHD meds do is to take occasional short med vacations, like on some weekends. It’s supposed to help avoid building tolerance. I’ve been tailing off due to side effects, and I ended up taking some again after a day or so, and it was more like Day 1 than I’d been in ages...happy, productive. I may play with irregular doses a bit, it might be a way I can still use it.
@@ReineDeLaSeine14 I actually suggested this to my psychiatrist today but where I am living only the extended dose is available and also I believe because they are extended dose it is not possible to halve the pill. So I guess I'm taking 300mg extended dose from tomorrow. As for bupropion in general, I'm transformed vs before taking it, but I'm not sure the boost is robust enough for harder tasks. While I managed to clean my apartment in the last few weeks, it still took me 3 days to complete the monotonous task of mopping the floor. I suspect I am being steered to avoid stimulants.
@@themekfrommars yes I'm sure they are. How are you doing now? There's really no substitute for a proper stimulant to help you achieve better overall function.
Also you may like thesis supplements if you're unaware of them.
I wonder if lower dosing of the extended release (if you're not already at the lowest dose) and taking it twice in the day might be helpful and something your doc would be on board with. That's what I had to do, and it's been amazing for me.
my new two doses add up to the same dose as my prior dose--they're not an even split. I take 2/3 the dose at the beginning of the day and 1/3 the dose later.
Thank you for openly talking about this! It helps fight stigma. I was diagnosed ADHD at age 29 and autistic at age 31. I also have POTS and hEDS.
I'm currently on an itty bitty tiny baby dose of Adderall immediate release that I take twice daily, which gives me more control over how it affects my POTS symptoms. In the past, I had a major surgery, and for a year after that, my body would NOT tolerate any kind of stimulant or even non-stimulant ADHD medication, so when I went back on last year, we did it this way, that way if I had a bad reaction to my morning pill, at least it would be out of my system in a few hours and I could just not take my afternoon dose.
I actually found the opposite to happen for me than it did for you--some of my autistic issues calm down when I'm medicated. I'm extremely triggered by sound, and when I'm medicated, sounds bother me much, much less!
Most of the other stuff you described is similar to my experience, though. Especially the emotional regulation.
I have the added benefit of it helping with my POTS symptoms. My POTS gives me low blood pressure, elevated heart rate, temperature dysregulation, blood pooling in my legs, dizziness and light-headedness, etc. When I am medicated, it makes all the difference. It raises my blood pressure just enough to kind of stabilize things. I can do a task in the kitchen without my feet turning bright red and hurting from the blood pooling. I don't experience pre-syncope problems when medicated (unless there are other extenuating circumstances, such as after I had surgery). I wonder if you have POTS problems, since it comes so commonly with hEDS? I've never seen you talk about anything like that, though!
There's a shortage right now and I'm not going to be able to get my meds for weeks... I don't know what I'm going to do. :/ It's not just emotional regulation and cognitive functioning that it helps me with... a lot of it is physical. I am a little distraught about it. I can't substitute caffeine instead because it makes my physical issues worse.
I have hEDS and POTS, too. Have they tried you on nightly low dose Guanfacine or Clonidine to treat the POTS and the ADHD? Clonidine also reduces blood pooling, which then helps to increase circulating blood volume. It's also a migraine preventative, which is nice. These two medications directly counteract hyperadrenergic POTS at its source by decreasing its fuel and by attenuating the body's "fight or flight" response.
@@Dulcimerist I haven't properly had a healthcare provider in such a long time, but this year I get to try to find a doctor that will know what to do with me since moving to a better area and getting married (and having health insurance thanks to that). All I've had is a cardiologist try me on a beta blocker (I don't remember which), and when it made me worse, he immediately gave up on beta blockers and wanted to put me on something for heart failure (don't remember the name off the top of my head). It was incredibly expensive and didn't seem like the right move, so my primary doctor and I agreed to not even try it.
I also get migraines! I don't know which kind of POTS I have because I didn't have that level of expertise in my rural area, but I want to try to go to this specialist I know of near enough (since moving) that I can travel to him, so maybe I'll find out more this year.
My body's nervous system is definitely fried lol, so help with the fight or flight response would be a fantastic help!
Thank you! I'll look up these meds and ask about it.
@@Dulcimerist I thought that POTS caused by EDS is a bit different than hyperadrenergic POTS. I think I have the EDS type.
@@uberrapidash2556 I had adverse reactions to beta blockers as well, including a mild stroke.
Ivabradine is what your doctor gave you next. It's the expensive heart failure one.
There are several other classes of medications that could be tried. Nightly Clonidine/Guanfacine would be the next step. Pyridostigmine is another one gaining popularity, but it's better at treating gastroparesis and intestinal dysmotility. Although counterintuitive, a minority of POTS patients respond well to Doxazosin when other medications don't work. Look up York Cardiology's channel on here and find their video discussing the wide array of POTS medications.
@@Catlily5 My POTS type hasn't been 100% defined yet. Clonidine also reduces blood pooling in the legs and increases circulating blood volume, which would address EDS POTS. Whichever POTS I have, nightly Clonidine has been a huge help. It also has some analgesic properties to reduce my pain a bit, and it also helps treat my restless leg syndrome.
I have a somewhat similar experience with my medication. I often say my meds make me more ADHD and that's a good thing. I feel like they bring out who I actually am beneath the burnout. They make me energized, spontaneous, eager to organize and be productive.
At the same time though, they make me more aware of sensations that bother me (and I already am hyperaware of those) and more prone to overstimulation.
I've found that if I take them for longer periods I get more tense than I already am and get stressed more easily.
For now, I avoid them on days that I have any sort of appointments (to avoid anxiety) and when I know I'm going to have a lot of social interactions. Which is funny because some types of social interactions come even more naturally to me when I'm on meds. Sometimes when they kick in, I will find the nearest person to me (or start a voice message to a friend) and just ramble on for minutes on end).
My meds also kill my appetite and sometimes make me feel sick so it's hard to eat.
Basically, to summarize: they are a great tool for me that are particularly helpful for certain tasks but I need to give my body rest from them and I always need to evaluate my needs and plan a little bit before making decisions about taking or not taking the meds, how much caffeine I can drink and what I can / need to eat that day.
Oh my goodness! I was diagnosed with both in 2019, but have paid more attention to learning about autism. I need to learn more about ADHD. I've tried 5 drugs, none of which worked. So now I'm trying to use lifting weights when my brain gets overexcited.....
I am so stressed right now. After finding that I have both Autism and ADHD privately, I am now told that the diagnosis is not recognised because it's not done by the NHS. This is so unfair. Hopefully, they will listen to my doctor and prescribe me the ADHD medication I need.
I have my triage appointment on the 20th after recently being diagnosed. This video is very useful, thank you.
Hello Ella! I'm autistic with inattentive ADHD. I just started atomoxetine (straterra) 2 days ago. It is a non stimulant, non psychoactive ADHD medication. It is said to help with anxiety also. They say the longer your take it the better it works. I've already noticed my mind and body feeling calmer. I'm still tired and find myself wanting to go lay down or sit frozen staring into space ... just a little less stressed I think. I'm still running on two modes, resting or hyper focusing but I think my hyper focusing has become a little sharper and it seems as though time has slowed down a bit. I'll come back and comment in a month or so to let you know how the meds are working once my body get use to it :)
Excellent video. Thank you
Yes!! Totally! AuDHD
I was DXd ADHD long ago and was able to "manage" it by grade 5.
By age 38, my ASD DX kinda shows that I didn't "manage" my ADHD... I just learned how to make my ADHD and ASD manage each other...
I like ADHD meds and Prozac, better =oD
Excellent video Ella. 👍
It's interesting how different it can be my ADHD makes me less motivated more anxious and depressed. Idk about being on meds since i just started and feeling weirdness. I honestly was curious as to if my autism is adapting to the medication thats why I'm feeling this sense of weirdness this happened with my zoloft. Since Concerta is a little bit more tricky and is something that needs to be monitored closely i get anxious of each little thing i feel since its a totally different class of medication it could mean something differently compared to Zoloft. A lot of the time at least with me it does take a while for meds to work it take me time to consciously understand and process the way, the medication is making me feel. I am also autistic, but I am very in tune with my emotions because of it, so I analyze every little affect which does have its downsides.
In case this might be of any use, I think you may be taking a single dosage as indicated for children, but as far I know for adults it should be twice a day, one in the morning (as you already do), and the second around 12p.m. (otherwise it will impact sleep). This was the dosages that I used for both ritalin and Modafinil. I am pretty sure you should be taking the second dosage, as an adult. That might fix the problem that you are having with it wearing off in the middle of the day
❤ thank you.
@ JUMASTRIP
They on telegram and Instagram,.....
Not to be too dramatic, but I just bursted tears becuase I never knew a "pause period" existed until just now. Suddenly thinking about all the times I've lashed out at things, processes, or people because I didn't just pause, process, and rethink my course of actions.
i relate SO much
What a coincidence, I was wondering abt this bc I just started taking ritalin today :) I'm also AuDHD. Since I just started and am taking a very small dose atm I didn't notice much of a difference. Just a feeling of suddenly being inside my body again (I dissociate a lot). I also got a headache or a feeling that my head was too heavy, and some mild nausea. I'm interested to see if I'm gonna experience more improvements once my dose goes up
@Eleni
Based admittedly on Wellbutrin and some other meds, I would guess that the headache will taper off in a bit. I have had both that and the heavy head, and it got better after some days or weeks. I still get it mildly and briefly with almost anything I’ve taken, but it became short and tolerable.
@@jimwilliams3816 thank you for sharing
I was driving on the motorway in the dark the first day of ritalin, it was so much easier and much less stressful, normally I don't drive on the motorway in the dark.
Also I don't binge eating for dopamine already day one.
I can focus on one conversation at the time.
one of my biggest struggles with ADHD is controlling my emotions sometimes things happen and weather its sad good or bad my emotions are just sooo intense i then become impulsive 😢
I am experiencing the reduction of ADHD symptoms and quite overwhelmed with the rise of my autism traits. It didn't feel like this a year ago and now the masking has really gone! I think I need a middle ground!
You sound like the ‘Ella’ voice option on my daughter’s Aac device 😊
Excellent! xo
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 🧠 *Introduction to ADHD Medication Experience*
- Ella introduces herself as multiply neurodivergent with diagnoses of autism, ADHD, and dyspraxia.
- Mentions the impact of ADHD traits on her life, especially in education and career.
- Expresses the desire to discuss her experience with ADHD medication.
00:55 🚦 *ADHD Diagnosis and Medication Decision*
- Ella reveals her late ADHD diagnosis in 2020 after an autism diagnosis in 2016.
- Describes having combined-type ADHD with inattention and hyperactivity traits.
- Highlights struggles with emotional dysregulation and the decision to try methylphenidate (Ritalin) medication.
02:19 🏥 *Titration Process and Initial Medication Experience*
- Discusses the titration process for finding the right medication and dose.
- Shares challenges with a less helpful nurse during titration.
- Acknowledges ongoing efforts to find the ideal medication and mentions the positive impact despite challenges.
03:17 🌟 *Positive Changes with Medication*
- Describes gradual positive changes on medication, different from an immediate "aha" moment.
- Introduces the concept of the "pause point" and its significance in managing emotions.
- Highlights improvements in focus, impulse control, and better relationships due to medication.
05:07 🕰️ *Medication Benefits and Limitations*
- Discusses the benefits of improved focus, reduced impulsivity, and better addiction control.
- Acknowledges the limitation of medication duration and the challenges when it wears off.
- Describes efforts to manage anxiety during the medication wearing off period.
08:24 🔄 *Interaction of ADHD and Autism Traits on Medication*
- Examines the impact of medication on the prominence of autistic traits when ADHD traits are reduced.
- Shares both positive and negative aspects of increased awareness of sensory processing difficulties.
- Discusses changes in social interactions, increased anxiety, and challenges with sensory processing.
10:40 🧩 *Balancing ADHD and Autism Traits*
- Reflects on the experience of having autistic traits in the lead while on medication.
- Discusses the impact on special interests and the ability to engage in a flow state.
- Concludes with the current state of her experience and the intention to explore better medication solutions.
Made with HARPA AI
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ouh nvm figured it out, thx thats going to be a great help :3
@@grimkitten8254 Enjoy, I love HARPA AI. Sure you will too!
I tried an antiddpressant in replacement for ritalin. The depression it caused me was horrific. I now take nothing but have found ways around it by practicing mindfullness. I also use herbal supplement kratom which often helps with focus.
I take generic adderall and I absolutely feel the exact same way about it making my autistic traits feel more prominent inward and im sure outward too
W❤W!!!
Thank you so much. Xx
Hello thank you for the video. Here is my experience with Ritalin
I think that I have some Autistic traits, ando some difficult concentrating on my projects, but I do not think it’s ADHD.
My doctor prescribe to use Ritalin 10mg once per day, and it helps me to think more about myself. The doctor then prescribe the Ritalin 20mg LA, but I had some problems with this medication because the effects ends after the lunch and I already have problems concentration on this part of the day. Now I’m taking two Ritalin 10mg, one in the morning 7AM and the other about 2PM, and it’s better
For now I'm only diagnosed with ADHD but I think I might be autistic and with the ADHD meds I also feel like my autistic traits get more noticeable
I was put on Ritalin in my mid 20s. I had a horrible experience with it and stopped taking it. My depression was at its worst and if I didn't take my meds within 5 min of the scheduled time I was start having severe withdrawl symptoms getting nauseous and depressed.. just horribly sick. on it, things that I enjoyed and had interest in no longer mattered to me and everyday I only felt like I was awake but emotionless... it was the worst. within 2 months i decided to stop taking them and go back to normal for me. I was so happy to be back to me. Im sure its not like this for everyone, but for the longest time after I felt so bad for those who were on meds because I thought they all had that experience.
Thank you for your story so far, and including the Autism element. I'm the same. I'm titrating off one med that clashes with all but one psychostimulant. It's been a week and a half. Great points; I didn't lose my keys once hehe, no silly goofs like that (as much as I loved walking into a room 5 times and forgetting why I walked in each time, I can let that one go happily 😅), Communication seems a HELL of a lot better, as in, people understand where I'm coming from more easily, I can stop myself from going off on tangents and focus on the person who'd to be heard👌, I'm somehow even reaching through to my band member who has untreated borderline; quite remarkable because that has been touch n go for a few months🙏, and she didn't want me to take psychostimulants! The comedown sucks, but I'm still titrating from a very small dose.
One thing, don't go out and drink a bunch thinking the meds will somehow erase any depression and anxiety in the hangover. That remains the same. I'm surprised I even drank that much. Borderline friend's birthday, I just wanted to relax, but damn, I haven't drunk more than 2 beers in 10 years prior. Gotta watch that.
Most borderlines are aware they're difficult. Okay, some. 😅 I hear they are usually great to hang with on a good day, which is why they still have some family and friends that stick out the bad. I'm audhd and some days I still don't know what my husband was thinking! Or still is thinking. Lol.
I'm trying to research a med to try for the first time, for my adhd, cuz I don't believe there's anything to take for the asd part. My appointment is in a few days. 😵💫
@@Sunnyflower67 The borderline is gone, she wasn't bright. She has zero friends because she is seriously mentally ill and makes zero sense to anyone. Nice clothes and a quirky gimmick though. fun to hang with on a surface level yeah. One comes by my store every month or so still. Fun for 8 minutes, see ya next month. 😉
Good luck with the meds. My first try was unpleasant, but my ADHD is moderate, so it may have been too much. As I know it, ASD is more about learning who you are. Scientifically, our brains send signals around itself at lightning speeds, (don't smoke a bong at 15 with ASD kids, yikes) making us able to see patterns very well. This is my experience, especially the weed issue lol. ASD though, every trait can be spun to either either good or bad, depending on who's opinion it is. That includes the person with ASD themself. Ghandi had ASD. To the English, he was stubbornly thick, didn't recognize his place, didn't follow rules, and was making life difficult for them. To the Indian people, he was unflinchingly loyal, knew his and their rites, he'd worked out the rules that were unjust, and was watching closely enough to see a pattern of servitude that he knew how to break. The ASD person needs to appreciate their inner Ghandi. lol Mainly talk therapy and research can help with this challenge. you are right.
@@markeric1337 I didn't know that about Gandhi! It's probably not mentioned in the typical documentaries about him, and I've never done a deep dive. Too bad that there's people out there who are SO in need of help and don't even know it. There's nothing we can do about it really. I read somewhere that bipolar and borderlines have a 30% suicide rate. (Maybe self awareness isn't all it's cracked up to be.) 🤦♀️
@@Sunnyflower67 True, I couldn't remember what my original comment was actually. I was just responding to your last comment. The Ritalin reacted very badly after 3 weeks. i became very sick and depressed; what I'd imagine a bi-polar episode would be like depression would be like. I just don't know what's going on anymore with the world. My folks were married 59 years before my dad died. Absolutely, just a smooth ride with 2 mutually loveing and caring people. No arguments or anything ever, just happiness and laughter. . Everyone seems not so mentally well in the modern world now. I actually had a close relationship with that BPD person I talked about. I had to end it. i gave it until after her birthday. and I even sounded normal after that day talking to her, like nothing was wrong. I just texted "Please don't contact me anymore" out of nowhere. I have no idea how she took that at all. . I'd started to dislike her behavior more than I loved her. , and when i got sick on Ritalin, the pressure to end it just was unbearable. I hope she's okay. I can't look back though. Damn, I feel bad about this whole situation. She said if nothing worked for her within a few years she'd finally take up the needle until she died. not good. Just the amount of illness in the world, it's getting alarming.
@markeric1337 I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner. ❤️ That's a hard situation. I hope she's ok too. That needle thing was hopefully just something she was saying maybe to shock you. You're a decent person, though, because you didn't do any of that out of malice. You had to protect yourself and get out. I agree with you about how people seem to be getting worse regarding emotional health. There's not enough quality providers to go around, which is a big issue. I think Covid made a huge difference, too. **Plus, there's the fact that we're able to get all the statistics about what people are suffering from, whereas before the internet and social media especially, we didn't have this info right at our fingertips. It's not always a good thing because it's kinda depressing. Yet, I wouldn't trade the community we've developed with each other right here. I learned a lot from you guys, and I feel good about sharing a lot back. I don't feel lost anymore, and I know what's wrong with me, and I get ideas on how to help myself stay more regulated. How are things going with you now? I hope you are well. 😊
I have been diagnosed with adhd 9 months ago and struggled so much getting along with the medication that I stopped taking it. Even the smallest dose would lead to so much stress and anxiety, I just didn't like the feeling being on these meds. For the last few weeks I have been researching about autism and I think I might have it. This would be an explanation. My psychatrist said I might be depressed and he couldn't help me with that so I can decide for myself if I want to take the meds or not. I wish there was more Information about this topic
Ella, how did you get an EDS diag via NHS?? My GP is struggling to ref people.
How do you find your meds affect brain fog and memory. I am waiting for my adhd assessment and wonder if Meds would help with these as thwy are a big issue for me.
Ella .. what meds ? I have some of the same issues . Especially fleeting attention when highly productive
What other autism traits become more prevalent during adhd medication? I was diagnosed with adhd recently with autism under speculation as traits. I was an eccentric kid/teen interested in art but it disappeared in my 20s. Since recently started adhd meds, I feel free to be myself in terms of expression through colors- my clothes, started art again but the most noticeable is I see/feel people as colors depending on their characteristics. I also can’t draw unless I’m listen to music to feel certain vibrant colors. I’m happy I can express myself again but idk what to tell the psychiatrist during the follow up as far as feeling colors. I don’t know if he’ll think I’m crazy or if this is something that happens with people on the spectrum?
Ugh i have have said some insensitive things also at the wrong times so embarrassing, I dont know why then i feel so bad. I been trying to stay quiet now and think later should i say that now. Now im looking into ADHD i might be undiagnosed, i was the trouble kid growing up the hyper class clown, barley made it out of high school. I didn't know what ADHD was & my family was religious & didn't want me diagnosed with anything.
Thank you for sharing your take on meds. I'm still trying to get on terms with mine. What it does and doesn't. And why it's impossible to get the optimal combination of prolonged release and quick. Can only get two different doses of slow release 🤪
dextroamtphinme Makes my heart feel horrible and SOB especially at the end of the night!! And the anxiety is horrible.
My provider recently switched my meds from 15mg Adderall XR and 10mg Adderall instant release, and put me on 125mg Welbutrin and 25mg Adderall XR, and the change has been immense…may be worth you looking into💜
Please could you go into the immense changes you’ve experienced? Every little helps. Thanks
I immediately had the "AHA". Months later, it's gone to crap 😭 My "pause point" works wayyy too well to where I don't do anything at all
You may need to increase your dosage..
I actually left the UK exactly a year ago because I could not get treatment for my ADHD and could not function. I'm Canadian and was diagnosed with ADHD super young in canada, but I moved to Edinburgh 7 years ago and developed an addiction that I firmly believe was a result of trying to self medicate my untreated ADHD. The NHS would not honor my diagnosis even though I had multiple reports confirming the diagnosis. They would not even talk about how to confirm my diagnosis in the UK, just refused to help in anyway. once they knew I had an addiction it was game over. Even my SSRIs I had to fight really hard to be allowed to take. Now I'm 29 trying to get a ASD assessment and realizing it's just as bad in Canada unless you were diagnosed as a kid, there is no way to do it as an adult, unless you pay $6000 for private
So they dont give u meds due to addiction in UK?
How are you doing today???
Thats retarded because Id think the right stimulant meds would reduce addiction since they idk upregulate the frontal cortex?! But because its dopaminergic pharmacists then think it will act as any dopaminergic substance thats consumed for recreation when dopamine well... doesnt do any ONE thing and what it does like many neuro molecules depends on what and were it is acting on in the brain... sorry to hear that your not getting support. Caveat stimulants have a inhibitory effect on hehaviour and judgment proper exitatiin in the excecutive netwotks yet in those who dont need it can have a paradoxical effect because like anything neurologically theres a fine line in a networks regulation from proper noise to signal ratio and when you upregulate too much it introduces noise which effectivly makes it similar to a person whos excecutive functions are too downregulated in those who do not have this disorder and that is why they are resdisent in offering you the help you need which is a failure on their part to validate a DIAGNOSIS because of the scare that occurred were people who did not need them found a psychiatrist willing to give them prescriptions because theyr child could not fulfil unreasonable excecutive functional demands that had been placed on them from passed down expectations if the parent who themselves had to face excessive work demands in their culture at the time and now we have moved in the oposite extreme of not providing enought people support despite the initial reasons for this overcorrection ie Diagnostic process becoming more percise improved significantly. Tldr take what I said with a grain of salt I know not of what I speak since I have not researched this topic at all. Thats why I spoke generally so that way I couldnt be wrong about anything since I hadns said anything specifically.
I am not diagnosed autistic, but I am diagnosed ADHD. Until age 28, I thought I was like everyone else, but I can certainly see looking back that ADHD meant I was quitting jobs and relationships impulsively.
Age 28-34 is a black hole of six lost years. This was when I began to notice my ADHD, which manifested as poor working memory. Finally, during Covid, I went to therapy, because Covid meant I could do so remotely, and after a year I was diagnosed ADHD. I wouldn't be able to get on stimulants for the next three years. Nonstimulants worked as antidepressants, but that was it. Stimulants have helped me get my inner voice back, my ability to think beyond the moment (i.e., plan), and be more involved with family. Without meds, I even lost interest in lifelong hobbies, because I just couldn't pay attention.
I wonder if i should hold off to late morning to take my meds mine wear off around 230 or 3 in the afternoon
i'm curious how you can tell the difference between ADHD meds making your autism seem more apparent and just an autistic regression due to an autistic burnout? i'm experiencing similar things (appearing "more" autistic, being less social, etc.) but i've attributed it to autistic burnout. i've been on ADHD meds for a bit too. how can i tell?
What was the medication called that you was taking?
I’m on dislexamphetamine and split my meds so have 30mg in morning and 20mg later in the day I find this helps balance the crash and come down which I find huge at times
My adhd fights with my Aspergers it’s like living in a war zone at times with my head lol
I have all of those, kinda just comes with the package. Just a half hour ago my wife had my phine ti choos rimgtones i could hear. After she went through about the 50th tone I had a meltdown because the ADHD said ti was too many. ADHD and autism together is often a toxic combination. I l went to the bathroom because she was tryong tomhelp me and I did not want to upset her. She regognized this and just choose one thst I said would work....."Your boss is trying to get a hold of you" lol.
ADHD meds has mademit possible for me to somewhat maiintain more than on interest.
My husband takes adhd meds and through titration found that the best dose involved having some in the morning and a lower dose pop-up after lunch. They wear out at about 7pm. I'd recommend discussing such an option with your doctor.
☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻For me, it feels like being a person without ADHD. I get up and I can do things. The visual buzz quietens - I can actually focus on things without needing to deploy visualization minimization strategies, such as looking down when I walk, or finding material
I'm at 5:00 in and I call this the "sweet spot".
I've also tried a few ADHD meds and it's very hard to tell if they've had any positive effect. there's a good chance I have autism too. I wonder if autism is why you or I don't immediately feel a difference on meds like how many people describe
Any changes now???
Hi Ella. I have ASD with ADHD traits, dyspraxia, sensory processing issues, and a rare syndrome called Bosch boonstra Schaff optic atrophy syndrome. I also have an eye condition called optic atrophy, which is an atrophy of the optic nerve. This causes a thickening of the optic nerve, which means I have no peripheral vision. I have been diagnosed with cluster headaches/migraines with focal sensory seizures in the visual cortex caused by a low-grade glioma tumour. I am on 75mg twice daily of lamotrigine which is helping with the side effect with in joint muscle and sudo neuralgia nerve pain/neuropathic senory pain signals from the brain to the autonomic nervous system and the autoimmune/inflammatory system but I'm waiting for a pain management clinic appointment as several professionals who work with me agree with me that I'm likely to have have some sort of hyper mobility condition. My medication has helped to stay calmer, sleep better, and stay more focused for a little bit longer, but I am still really with that. This has made less snapping with my daughter abd seems to be helping with the pre menstrual stage of my period
I feel my adhd is "protecting" my autism. If i go out to concerts or meet friend i purposefully do not take my medication so my autism doesnt make me stick in a corner or run from interactions
I started on Wellbutrin 4 days ago all of a sudden today I feel like it's not doing anything! I don't know if that's normal or not. What the heck?? I'm an older adult with adhd and "some autistic traits" whatever that means. it seems like it was working great at first!
Bupropion is one of the least effect treatments for ADHD and it’s usually a third line treatment after stimulants and non-stimulants I.e atomoxetine. I would speak to your psychiatrist about a taking a different medication
Could it be a situational change today (like bad sleep, a crappy interpersonal interaction, less physical movement)?
When people have issues with Wellbutrin, often they'll pair the non-stimulant ADHD medications Guanfacine or Clonidine with it to counteract the extra norepinephrine the Wellbutrin causes.
I was misdiagnosed with a number of things like OCD and panic disorder instead of autism years ago, and a treatment for OCD is Wellbutrin. It seemed helpful for a short time but then made me suicidal, and I was instructed to stop it cold turkey which made everything even worse, resulting in a mental health hospitalization. I don't want to scare you, but I just want people to be careful. The only reason they treated me that way was because no one ever considered I could have ADHD and autism, and seeing as you are an older adult, I worry they aren't thinking about it from the correct angle. But of course I don't know your whole picture and I'm not a doctor--I'm just sharing my story in case it might be helpful.
For me, it turned out that I didn't need an antidepressant or anti anxiety medication, and there's a long list of these meds they made me try over the course of about a decade which all made me worse, and the answer all along was just... A low dose of Adderall. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Wow, no more depression or anxiety and stuff! Who knew?! (Sarcasm lol)
You sound somewhat like me, I'm 61, getting assessed for ADHD soon, and if I'm not solidly Aspie I have major traits. I'm two months in on very low dose Wellbutrin, and on the Bupropion Reddit list, and variability seems to be a factor. My first few days were the best too, though I still find it helpful, but days vary. A shortish "Bupropion honeymoon" is reported a lot. A lot of people end up increasing doses, which is not unusual with a med, but the increases I hear about do give me pause. Stiffness and anger flashes are going to make me look elsewhere, but without it, man that lifelong frustration. I can still feel it helping with executive function (I was already on Clonidine, thank god).
You seem very advanced to be honest
I feel like you need a better provider. There are so many different ADHD medications with so many different mechanisms of action and I wish you had a provider who was walking you through each of them and letting you try them for a few weeks at a time on very low doses
I have both ad(h)d and asd and I hate ritalin I used to take it as a child and I hate it, made me so unsocial and boring, stupid drugs in my opinion at least for me. It did help me focus during school but was not worth it in the end just made me worse at social interaction instead of allowing met to improve at this young age by experience also don't have this issue anymore really, I can keep my focus for a long times even tho I might notice small details/distraction. Rather smoke a joint to relax at the end of the day to be honest.