TLDR: What is ADHD medication supposed to feel like? Is it supposed to feel like anything at all? Will someone with ADHD feel really gacked out/high? does it change based on food intake or other factors?

So I received an unofficial diagnosis from my AuDHD psychologist a while ago, and then my psychiatrist did a very short written assessment on me and determined a positive diagnosis. I really want to get a full assessment one day, but for now I was prescribed Focalin (dexmethylphenidate). I originally wanted it as a prn.

The first time I took it, I definitely felt "peppy", needing to stand while gaming, needing to move around more frequently, generally more awake. I didn't eat breakfast, and had coffee. My blood pressure was also very high. Within a couple of days I took it again, but being good and eating in the morning with no coffee. I couldn't even tell if it was working. I may have taken it another time soon after and did not notice a difference, so I stopped taking it. I've been extremely fatigued and my executive dysfunction has been off the charts so I tried taking it again. Yesterday I didn't eat right away, and I felt gacked. Tight jaw, jittery, like definitely felt like I was on stimulants. I felt like that today as well; I tried to eat a little something this morning but it didn't seem to make much of a difference. It kicked in during a client appointment, too. Jaw tight, jittery, making a ton of typing mistakes, my body feeling fuzzy.

So, is it something where you should be able to notice a difference when you take ADHD meds? I'm assuming that I felt it so intensely because I didn't eat, but when I do it it literally doesn't feel like anything has changed. I may also not even have ADHD at all and was misdiagnosed (I was informally dx'ed with ADHD, Autism and bipolar disorder).

  • GhostofLeninsGhost [he/him]
    ·
    1 year ago

    ADHD meds can take some getting used to, and funnily enough, routine helps you to level out how they cause you to feel.

    There are a lot of different meds, and some might work better for you than others.

    If it's alright to ask, what were your prescribed?

    • ratboy [they/them]
      ·
      1 year ago

      That makes sense. I was prescribed focalin, I'd never heard of it before and I haven't tried others except for once or twice I tried Adderall recreationally

      • GhostofLeninsGhost [he/him]
        ·
        1 year ago

        I'd say give it a bit longer, see how you feel on it. If possible, keep some notes.

        If your doctor is worth their salt, you should have a follow-up with them soon. Bring your notes with you and discuss how you've felt and whether a different medication might work better if this one isn't doing what you and they are expecting.

        • ratboy [they/them]
          ·
          1 year ago

          I think I'm going to try for another week or so to see how it goes. Taking notes is probably a really good idea. I think my last appointment with my psychiatrist I cancelled and never followed up with lol. I think he is really good with diagnosing mood disorders and such, but not as skilled with neurodivergence, so we were just going to experiment, I think. I really wish I could find something to take as a prn though. I remember taking Adderall recreationally once or twice and I think I remember that helping me to hyperfocus lol. But it's been so long and no one wants to prescribe that to someone with a drug history (even though I don't like stimulants!).