Sorry, this a long one! Also first post on the sub, hope I'm doing this right.
TL;DR question at the end.
For some base-line info: diagnosed March 2025 with PsychUK. Also diagnosed autistic many years ago. Started titration almost 3 weeks ago on Medikinet XL. Started on 10mg, up by 10mg each week so I'm now on 30mg.
On 10mg, I didn't feel much apart from having a slightly noticeable come-up and increased heart rate. The first three days of meds I was incredibly drowsy and slept through most of the day but that had since worn off. 20mgs felt almost exactly the same. Only minor positive effect was feeling more motivated to do things, likely because my sleep has improved and I've been having more physical energy.
On the last day of 20mgs and on 30mgs since, I've had an intense spike of anxiety. The first 2 days of 30mgs were the worst, including some pretty uncomfortable intrusive thoughts (to the extent that I was researching OCD and anxiety to figure out if taking meds had revealed an underlying condition). It's levelled out SLIGHTLY but I've been feeling uncomfortably paranoid still, especially in the evening/night.
Told my prescriber. They suggested not to rule out Medikinet entirely until I've trialled 40mg. I've cautiously agreed but I'm not too hopeful. If I don't feel an imrpovement on 40mg, I was told I can try lisdexamphetamine (from what I've seen online, this will probably be Elvanse?).
I'm a little worried that I'm expecting too much from my medication, but I honestly haven't noticed a significant difference. In most areas, I feel worse. The main thing I want from medication is calmness - the 'quiet' that many people say they have on meds. But on my current med and dose, I'm just as (if not more) internally hyperactive and on-edge. I understand some AuDHD people respond less favourably to medication so I'm hoping I'm not one of them! Unless of course it's just exam stress (2nd year uni student) and I'm overthinking everything.
So, TL;DR - anyone else experienced bad anxiety on Medikinet XL or any other methylphenidate? If you switched to lisdex, was it any better?