I’m a newly diagnosed 61-year-old woman (diagnosed Monday before last, predominantly inattentive) and I’ve become addicted to asking Ai question, mainly on Google and Claude. I ask it about ADHD, family history, everything! I’m driving myself mad. I know it’s weaknesses and I often find myself telling it off for making things up, but I can end up spending hours in the evenings going down rabbit holes and it’s making my focus and concentration even worse than usual. I tried blocking stuff a couple of years ago when it was mainly twitter and facebook, but just constantly circumvented the blocks 😩 Now I know about the ADHD I can see how I’m much more vulnerable to this. Can anyone help? I live on my own so don’t have anyone to give block codes, etc., to.

A man who was told he was "naughty" before being permanently excluded from school says misunderstandings around ADHD were to blame - and now wants mandatory education on it. Ryan Swain, 36, was excluded from mainstream education at the age of 14 after his disruptive and impulsive behaviour was seen as 'difficult.'

Full article: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/expelled-ryan-kicked-mainstream-school-143733791.html

35/M, diagnosed with inattentive ADHD via RTC/PUK in summer last year. I'm now just over a month into titration on Xaggitin XL.

My first day was the 'classic' story you hear quite often. My mind quietened down, and instead of a thousand half-finished racing thoughts, I had a prominent, focused, single train of thought. My fatigue was (finally!) gone, and I wanted to start and finish things!

By midday, the house was cleaned and tidied, I'd uploaded a few things to Vinted, and had walked down to the post office and delivered another package for the platform. When my girlfriend came home later that day, she said I was more attentive, my mood was perkier, and when we went to the supermarket together I wasn't zoning out, and seemed proactive as a whole. I'm thankful it didn't affect my sleep or appetite either.

Later on into titration, I tried doubling my 18mg dose as suggested. Anecdotally, it was a net negative, and despite having the usual level of focus from before, I felt like a wired 'work zombie', and I was noticeably agitated towards minor things quite often. This was a net negative for the both myself and my girlfriend, and I discussed it with PUK and went back to 18mg as this seems to be 'all I need'.

Now that I'm a month in, here's how it's gone.

Pros:

• My fatigue is right down! It's always been something I've struggled with, even after enough sleep, water, exercise, caffeine, clean eating, etc. I've been diagnosed with a condition called hemochromatosis as well, so I was caught in the middle of both fatigue from this and ADHD-I. I'm now longer heavily reliant on caffeine just to function, and don't constantly feel on the bring of falling asleep.
• Task initiation is MUCH easier. I get through my to-do list with ease, and I've even been the one to start tasks in the house that my girlfriend and I have been putting off for a while - and she thanked me! I feel motivated for my career, and produced a personal project I'm super happy with that I put off for months.
• I'm fidgeting a lot less.
• Eye contact is seemingly a lot better!
• My quality of speech has improved (no more stuttering) and my vocabulary has improved as a whole.
• It feels like my brain has 'lit up' and I'm the version of myself I've always wanted to be.
• Rumination is right down, and I finally think of the future and planning ahead rather than dwelling on the past (either in a bad way with regrets, or for comfort with nostalgia).
• My attention to detail has improved. This includes both at work as a graphic designer, and with day to day tasks like missing details when doing chores.
• I'm engaging a lot less in dopamine seeking vices. I rarely snack for the sake of it now, and I've not touched an energy drink in over a month!
• I feel more confident as a whole. It was noticeable when seeing friends for my birthday, I crushed it with a client call yesterday (I've always been a shy boy/man), and my aunt said it's the happiest she's seen me.
• My mood has improved overall as a whole.
• Impulsivity is right down. Spending, blurting things out, saying inapproprate things without thinking, you name it.
• I'm using social media and my phone a bit less.

Cons:

• I'm sensitive to lactose (and take lactase tablets when I have dairy), and initially when I took meds, I was getting insane stomach cramps from the lactose in them. I now take lactase with them each morning and they help significantly.
• They seem a LOT less effective if I've not had protein for breakfast.
• I've been to the gym since taking them, and that big 'dopamine blast' I'd get from the gym before feels a lot more subtle. Perhaps from dopamine now being regulated?
• I don't feel I'm addicted to these meds whatsoever, but I do have a slight fear that because I associate so many pros with them, I fear shortages with availability etc to maintain this.

Overall, I'm excited for the future and 'life part 2' with these now.

It's so nice having hope again.

After a year and a half of waiting, I finally have a call with my Access to Work case worker this week.

I’m the director of a one-person limited company (London), so close to self-employed, and this is my first time going through the process. I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone in a similar position:

• What did you get approved?
• What helped your case on the call?
• Anything you wish you’d done differently, or things to avoid saying?

Any experience as a sole director or self-employed applicant would be especially helpful. Thanks in advance!

I'm currently titrating Xaggitin XL. I started on 18mg and had some positive effects, but felt there was still room for improvement.

I increased to 36mg but reacted quite badly (extremely jittery, anxious, racing heart and feeling like I was going 100mph). After 5 days, I went back to 18mg.

I've now started 27mg, but because of my experience with 36mg, I'm feeling quite anxious about it.

It's only been an hour since taking it and I'm already feeling a little foggy with a slightly raised heart rate. Nowhere near as bad as 36mg, but I'm unsure whether it's the medication or my anxiety!

How do you know if a dose is too high or if your body just needs time to adjust?

Do you generally know straight away, or do you give it a few days to see if the side effects settle?

I'm torn between giving 27mg a proper chance and worrying I'll end up feeling like I did on 36mg again.

Would love to hear other people's experiences!

Having insomnia and being bored 🙄😩

I can’t do anything in case I wake anyone in my house up.

The struggle is real!

I was diagnosed yesterday morning and spent the entire day crying.

I am 29F, so I am reflecting on my entire life and the things I struggle with. Has anyone else felt this way and what was the first thing you looked into/did?

I am awaiting his written assessment and then a follow up appointment to discuss next steps. How did you decide what next step to opt for?

Has anyone gone from NHS Right To Choose in England to living in Wales? Just looking for some advice from anyone who might have experienced this before…

I got diagnosed privately about 4 years ago when I lived in Wales as there was no ADHD assessment unit near me at the time, but I ended up not being able to afford my medication privately (it was costing over £150 a month for the prescription and the medication so it wasn’t sustainable at the time). I then moved to England about 3 years ago, but the GP there wouldn’t accept my diagnosis so I had to go through Right To Choose. I eventually got diagnosed through Psychiatry UK but then had to wait over a year for my titration to start, by which point I was about to move back to Wales.

I asked them what would happen if I moved to Wales again and they said that I’d have to pay £750 for the titration, so I decided that I’d register my GP where my parents live in England so I could at least do my titration without having to pay extra.

I’ve now finished my titration and am still registered to a GP in England, but it’s over 3 hours away so I can’t really go there for actual doctors appointments unless I’m visiting my family. The GP I’m registered at rejected my shared care so at the moment I’m having to order my medication through Psychiatry UK still.

I don’t really want to have to pay for my prescription and medication privately again as I know it’ll end up being expensive, so just wondering if anyone has experienced this before and if so what did you do?

Hi, I'm looking for an employment solicitor in England and would appreciate recommendations from people who have used one themselves.

My situation is related to ADHD, reasonable adjustments and performance issues, with possible disability discrimination. There are also concerns about a discretionary bonus. I'm still employed and trying to figure out what my options are and whether taking things further would be worth it.

Ideally I'm looking for someone who works with employees and has experience with Employment Tribunal cases, even if things can be settled before that.

Cost matters, so I would prefer smaller firms and the option to do some of the work myself. Working online or by phone is fine.

If you can recommend someone, I would appreciate it if you could share here or privately how they helped you. Just general details: what sort of issue they helped with, whether it was advice, settlement negotiations or tribunal proceedings, how they communicated and how clear the costs were. It's difficult to judge someone by their name alone, so having some context would be very helpful.

Thanks!

Long term partner who I live with told me he’s leaving me. He can’t move out yet. I feel broken. I have been having issues with emotional regulation, I have also been physical unwell and dealing with a recurrence of my severe mental illness symptoms which I cannot see my psychiatrist for next week. My ADHD plays a big part in all the reasons he gave me.

How can I get through the next few weeks living with him? How do I process the heartbreak? I feel like I can’t do anything normal. I’m just sobbing all the time. But I have a job, so I need to be able to get through that. My job is high pressure and stress so it may be somewhat distracting but every time I think about him leaving me I break down, despite it probably being for the best after the cruel things he’s said to me.

Started on 18mg methylphenidate slow release and felt immediate benefits.

Wore off after a week, raised to 27mg. Didn't make a huge difference, so up to 36mg.

36mg felt great, clear-headed, optimistic, focused.

Wore off after maybe 9 days so per psychiatrist went up to 45mg.

First day on 45mg I felt overstimulated, unfocused, and then very very irritable about 6-8 hours after my dose, and remained in a bad mood the rest of the day.

Is it normal when going up a dose to have a day like I did on 45mg?

Trying to understand whether I'll adjust to it or whether it's just too high now.

My review appointment is in 2 weeks and the plan was just for me to keep taking 45 in the meantime.

Hey everyone I was just wondering if anyone’s found any fun resources that breaks down what it’s like to have ADHD but in a easy chill explaining rather than lots of information? When family and friends ask me stuff I don’t always know how to answer.

I heavily suspect that I have ADHD and I have BUPA insurance through work that covers my diagnosis of ADHD. Issue is, it doesn't cover the cost of medication and titration, and as much as it impacts my daily life, I really can't afford to pay that much. Would it be worth it to get the diagnosis through BUPA anyway even though I can't get the medication? Is there maybe a way I could take the diagnosis and find a way to get the medication another way? Just curious what people who have experienced the same thing have done/would do since I'm very new to this

I'm 6 months in to titration, so far I've tried Elvanse 30mg, 40mg, 30mg with 5mg amfexa booster, then concerta 18mg, 36mg and 54mg, now I'm back on Elvanse at 20mg, going up to 30mg in 2 weeks.

I find Elvanse actually helps me with energy and motivation, the two things that affect my life the most ADHD wise. But the side effects are difficult to tolerate. It's mostly the headaches when it starts to wear off. I eat high protein meals throughout the day, take magnesium, and drink 3L of water.

Concerta had almost no side effects for me (until I hit unbearable 54mg dose). I felt calm and confident. My sensory issues were less. But I struggled almost worst than I did before meds with motivation, finding it almost impossible to pull myself away from my insane phone scroll research cycles. It did not help my ADHD outside of some better emotional regulation, which was pretty nice.

Now that I'm back on Elvanse, I'm getting the dreaded headaches again. I also find it heightens my sensory issues (mainly noises) and makes me not want to socialise, where concerta made me more confident and chatty.

I suppose I'm just frustrated. I want to keep going with Elvanse as it is the only one that's given me respite from the most debilitating adhd symptoms I have, the day dreaming doom scroll paralysis. But the emotional stability concerta gave me was quite nice.

I'm not sure where to go next. I don't feel CareADHD have been very supportive or informative and have mostly left me to decide what I want to do, hence bouncing all over the place meds wise.

I don't really want to try Strattera as I have endometriosis and rosacea and I've heard it can make these much worse.

Not sure what I'm seeking by posting on reddit, just at a bit of a loose end and feeling a bit hopeless meds wise.

Thanks for reading.

I just finished week 4 of Elvanse (currently on 70mg) and I am lost on how to evaluate if it is beneficial or not.

The Good: In terms of mental clarity and executive functioning, it is truly a game-changer for me. For the first time, I truly feel like I am in the driver's seat of my life. I am finally able to navigate everything on my plate and actively work on improving my life.

The Bad: I am stuck with this intense fear that I look "activated," tense, or on drugs to other people. I work in customer service, and I started feeling like people are uncomfortable around me. It might be hyper-vigilance, but I know what I am sensing is real. As a migrant from a different ethnic background, navigating negative looks or projected energy in the West is already a baseline reality. If this high dose makes me physically look like a "migrant on drugs," that negative judgment is amplified massively. Or it might be simply that I am able to notice this energy more vividly, this has spiked my social anxiety, and it feels no matter how much I force a smile and welcoming attitude, I am not able to manage how this interaction lands.

The first two weeks on this dose were an absolute nightmare physically (heart rate, blood pressure). My body is now semi-adjusted, but the social tension remained.

The Experiment: I decided to take a 3-day break from the meds to test my baseline. The difference was night and day. By day three, my ability to relax during social interactions was amazing. I am normally a smiley person, and that came back. The interactions were smooth, my confidence was back, and I didn't feel that uncomfortable energy from others. Possibly I am just not noticing it any more and possibly noticing the positive instances only, or it could be that I am relaxed and able to give positive energy to others which gets projected at me in return. However mental clarity and executive functioning went down the drain, things I did daily with no questions asked, became something of the past and feels difficult to maintain.

I want to evaluate my next steps before speaking to my new prescriber.

My questions for the community:
1. Should I push through on 70mg and see if the social anxiety eventually settles like the physical side effects did? I work part time, should I take it on my days off, when I normally need the mental clarity the most?

1. Should I ask my prescriber to redo the titration so I can see if a lower dose gives me the clarity without the social tension?

2. Did anyone experience this specific "wired/tense" feeling around people, switch to a completely different medication, and find their natural social relaxation again?

Appreciate any help, by week 2 I was planning to stop the medications because of physical symptoms, but reading on users experinces and how symptoms disappear is what kept me going until those physical symptoms disappeard. I wonder if those social or psychological symptoms will disappear as well?

I'm trying to get some information together for a complaint.

I am just wondering how long you have been waiting for titration from Care ADHD / Noodle since returning your health forms? Or how long you did wait.

Their website states the wait is "under 3 months" which is a clear lie.

Hello all, just after some advice or peoples experiences please 😊 I started adhd medication about a 6 weeks ago. I started on concerta xl 18mg for 2 weeks then up to 36mg for 2 weeks and they had no effect at all. I then got put on 54 mg of concerta xl and am suppose to be going up to 72mg in a few days. However when I started the 54mg I started to feel this sort of euphoric feeling like a come up. Sort of how I felt when I was in my youth taking ecstasy (sorry best way I can describe it) just not as intense but a very similar feeling. I wouldn’t say my concentration got any better I was just sort of feeling wired. Is this how I should be feeling? I have no idea what I’m actually suppose to be feeling. I’m so confused and have no one to talk to about except my provider at titration meetings but that’s not for a week or so. Also some day I take the medication and after like an hour of taking I just crash instantly and feel awful for the rest of the day. Any help is much appreciated thanks everyone who takes the time to reply. I’m new to this sort of thing and not very good at explaining my self.

Hello all! I'm looking for a bit of advice. This is a bit of a rant so I apologise! I'm 21 and finished uni May. I've been unemployed since then and start my full time job in December.

I've been titrating meds since August and it's been good! My problem is, I'm having troubles identifying where my meds are working for me. Overall, they've been an incredible mood booster. Especially when I was on holiday, I could communicate better with family. I'm not groggy or irritable, and I can regulate my emotions much better. I didn't start noticing effects on my focus until going to 60mg elvanse, which is where it started getting difficult during my unemployment/time off before work starts.

There are some days where I don't have much to do at all. I'm still essentially on holiday from uni before I start work full time. Most days I'll try to incorporate exercise. I can do my daily chores MUCH easier. Bedroom is tidy and no clothes everywhere. But when I have nothing else to do, I tend to fuel the focus on my phone. Today I spent 2 hours researching my skin care routine, only to realise a cleanser I've used for 2 years has stripped my skin barrier. So I ordered a new one of course! 🤣 I've found it's hard to choose what to focus on when I don't have much to focus on.. if that makes sense. I have a publication to write and some books I could read, but the getting up to do it is hard. I have to have my mind put to it, and things have to be perfect before I start a task (I'm being referred for an autism diagnosis too). But I'm having a little trouble at home post grad life.

I'm struggling in the sense I'm living back home with parents. I miss my freedom that I had at uni. They're near retirement and always in the house. They're fine to live with and I love my parents, but it's so boring here. It's like Groundhog Day. My dad will literally sit in the living room all day watching the news. Luckily I got them both into golf which is a hobby we share together. But that's it. It's almost like it makes me more unmotivated to do the things I COULD be doing because I'm feeding off their boring lives. So i wonder.. what actually ARE these meds doing for me? And what COULD they do for me? I know they're not being used to their full potential. I won't know this until I start work in a month. I'm worried as my shifts will be 12 hour days and nights. I've not yet completed those shifts to know where my dose is best and if I need any boosters. I can't really identify the symptoms on my meds as... I'm not doing anything tiring!!

Im at 70mg elvanse now. It feels pretty much the exact same as the 60. Maybe a little easier to do basic tasks? But it's so hard to pinpoint. I'm keeping a journal to reflect. Have any of you guys titrated/been on meds during unemployment? Do you take meds on days off/long breaks? How do you know what dose is right for you? It's tricky for me as I've not had any major adverse side effects. Elvanse for me is super subtle!! So it's difficult.

Id really appreciate any advice or if anyone is willing to share their experiences :) Thank you ❤️

I, 32F, have been going through the motions of realising I may have ADHD. So, so many of the symptoms explain my present and past experiences. I'm outwardly "high achieving" - I have a PhD, I now work at a university - but I've often felt on the brink of meltdown for all it's taken me to get here.

I'd like to go for a formal assessment, which I know is a long process, but I'm struggling with feelings of doubt, worrying I'm "forcing" my memories to try to fit the diagnosis as I brainstorm examples to demonstrate how I fit the criteria.

I just don't know whether my experiences as a child align with what I see online. I was a "good" kid, not very energetic, not especially shy, I didn't really get in trouble. I did well in school. I have very little memory of what I was like before I was 12. I asked my mom, who said I was happy and sweet. I asked my sister, who said I was relaxed and seemed like I had it all together.

What I do remember of my childhood is this:

- I had an amazingly active imagination from a young age. I'd have stories that went on for months and I'd be so excited for bed because it meant I could return to my daydreams. I'm not sure that I was ever "told off" for daydreaming.

- I had very bad anxiety from a very young age. I think this is what drove a lot of my achievement.

- I hid a lot of my feelings from my parents. I knew my feelings upset my mom and she would often overstep boundaries when I shared things I was struggling with so I learned to keep them to myself.

- I wet the bed until I was around 10 or so.

- I developed trichotillomania at age 13. I still have it.

- Around age 10, I remember my hair being totally matted for a few months. I wouldn't brush it for long stretches of time.

- I was often late to my first class. I often forgot things like my PE clothes and lunch.

- I spent much of my early and mid teens online. Like, hours and hours and hours. I'd mostly be talking with strangers or reading fanfiction.

I'd really like some perspective on this. I'm driving myself crazy fixating on whether I do or don't have ADHD. Anyone with a similar childhood that doesn't necessarily align with the textbook?

Just watched the tom hanks movie big from 1988 and it hit me hard. The story of A child being trapped in an adults body. I related so hard how i don't fit in and just want to have fun and laugh when people my age just want to adult. Made me sad that I'll never feel like an adult even at 46.