How were your first moments/days/weeks with medication? (I you don’t mind sharing).

I am twice your age so my life looks a lot different that yours does right now, but I was only diagnosed a year ago, so I will share anyways!

I was diagnosed by my GP, after discussions with my therapist so my titration on to drugs was not ideal. I am waiting on a referral for a psych, who I am hoping will help dial the meds in better. They are not doing as much as I think they could, but they are honestly a lifesaver.

Initially, I was given 5 mg dexamphetamine to try out. This drug behaves a lot differently than Lisdex, and I could feel it kicking in on my drive into work because I could feel the road rage melt away in real time, lol. It also wore off very quickly, and I started with lisdex shortly thereafter. The biggest change I noticed was that I wasn't crying every day. I don't think I was depressed, just distressed and it really helped with the emotional regulation. I still have my bad days, but they are far less frequent.

Other than that, I'm not sure I could really tell you what changed, because like many with ADHD I have awful metacognition. I sometimes forget to take them and I think I notice because I become unable to complete a task, I just jump between one thing to another and completely forget what I was doing. I think I also notice them wearing off in the evenings because I feel the same way there too.

ETA: I also lose my appetite, and it comes roaring back in the evenings so this is another way I can tell if I've forgotten to take them!

I am taking 40 mg right now. I feel extremely high strung but I feel that way if I take them or not so I no longer think it might be on the edge of too high a dose, which I did initially. In fact, I feel like it might not be working so well any more right now.

I would encourage you to try and take notes if at all possible. There are templates out there to make it a guided exercise. You could also ask those close to you if they notice a difference.

Good luck and it's amazing you are getting diagnosed in university! I think my biggest struggle with adult ADHD is that I don't know how to exist in the adult world in a healthy way, so learning and accepting my limitations (My whole body tenses when I write that) is extremely hard. I hope this helps your transition into the adult world as smooth as possible 💖

First off: Congratulations on getting diagnosed. It's a huge step and 18 is a really nice timing. Untreated ADHD in adults can be really crippling, because all the supporting structures like school and family break away and suddenly you realize that managing your own time schedule and house hold is really fucking hard. So good job 👍

Second: You took 30 mg of Elvanse/LDX for the first time and you felt nothing? That's... impressive, honestly. Methylphenidate Non Responder are fairly known, but usually that amount of dexamphetamine does something to the human body. From your age I'd guess you are not a regular user of recreational amphetamines and have built a massive tolerance...

I also started with 30 mg Elvanse and was pretty seriously zoned in, deep focus, elevated mood, highly awake, loss of appetite and a very revelatory feeling, that I could finally tackle all the bullshit that I had avoided, delayed, ignored and forgotten. For me, the 30 mg were honestly too much. Over the last year I've built a tolerance and am now taking 40-70mg daily, depending on the challenges of the day.

Still I wouldn't worry. No effect also means no bad side effects. Adjusting the dosage is entirely normal in the beginning and something your psychiatrist should do anyway. The therapeutic dosage goes up to 70 mg and there are edge cases with even higher doses. There is also methylphenidate (Ritalin, MPH, etc) and Atomotexetin. But for now, just stick with what you got.

Dealing with ADHD is a marathon, not a sprint. You've just started, so take the days as they come and trust your feelings above all else. If it works, you'll know. And if not keep at it.

Also check out /c/neurodiverse, there are a lot of good posts and ADHD experiences shared.

It can take time to find the right dose.

I even started with 5 mg only, and it felt great. Crashed after just 3 - 4 hours, and within the first week figured that 12 mg is right for now.

The individual differences can be enormous.

This guide to understand dosage finding is pretty good, but doctor's orders first: https://www.adxs.org/en/page/232/dosing-of-medication-for-adhd

I don't always feel anything, but if I try to do work after taking the meds I can ...just work.

The only exception is when I'm already hyper focused on something other than work.

I started Adderall XR several months ago. My experience during the first week was that I was superhuman and could actually get things done. The first day I think I experienced the euphoria that I presume recreational users go for, but never since. After about a month it wasn’t doing much for me, psychiatrist adjusted the dosage, and it’s been decent ever since. Some days I can really feel it working, other days not so much. I mostly work from home (software dev) so I have a pretty strong control over my environment, but despite that I haven’t been able to figure out what might cause (or even influence) good days and bad days with stimulants. I would encourage you to keep meeting with your psychiatrist, there are like a dozen different medications and maybe this one just isn’t yours. Besides, you’ve arguably the hardest part by getting that first appointment. Best of luck!