r/ADHDUK

Hello. I've just had a chat with my prescriber and have been informed i have finished my titration. started on medikinet xl for 4 weeks with zero effect all the way up to max dose. i then had a very frustration pause on my titration as my prescriber went on holiday and i needed a new one which took weeks. then tried elvanse for 4 weeks to mixed results.

didn't feel much from the first few doses but the first 3/4 days on 70mg were pretty great. i felt so focused for the first time in my life. so focused in fact i found it very hard to control, i would lose hours each day to a random task i became insanely focused on. still felt a lot of resistance to start work but once i started i would blitz through it one sitting. lot of headaches and stomach pains but overall it was great. after those first few days the effects kind of just disappeared. i do have a massively reduced appetite still which is great, ive always struggled with an unending hunger so its very nice to not have that looming anymore but thats pretty much the only effect of the meds. I'm self employed and love my work more than any other aspect of my life but I'm right back to spending day after day failing to finish any tasks

What are my next steps? this was the end of a 5 year journey to get medicated and I'm very upset with where i am at now. my prescriber suggested seeking help with depression but my struggle to keep up with work really is the only cause of depression in my life. i just know if i can tackle that i would be golden.

hey all,

bit of a long shot here, but just wondering if anyone has a close friend or family member with bpd? or even better, if they are/have been in a relationship with someone with bpd?

i have been in a relationship since november with someone who has bpd, for the most part it’s been going pretty well but of course there are times when we clash because we struggle to understand each others needs so just want to reach out for some advice on how to deal with it?

tia ☺️

I received the message on my portal with psychiatry UK that I was now at the top of the list for titration.

Can anyone give me any information on how long before you speak to a prescriber after receiving this message.

It’s taken a year in total after diagnosis and to say it’s felt like it’s dragged,would be an understatement.

Currently taking Xagglitin 56mg and I'm now at a stable dose with ADHD. This is great because I now get my 6 month checkups for free and I can order 2 month supply at once so I save £20 getting the prescription.

I usually get my meds via IHS directly. I pay ADHD Direct £20 for the prescription and then I pay IHS £45ish for the single month of meds. total of around 65. I messed up this month and actually chose the option to have the prescription itself mailed to me without the meds so I had to go into boots.

I was dreading it because it was my first 2 month supply and I expected boots to be more expensive. IHS would have been around £90 for the meds (45x2).

I handed over the prescription and the lady went "oh it's quite expensive" my heart dropped a bit and then she came back with a price of £65!!!

I really wasn't expecting that! I'll be making this same 'mistake' again! Anyone else had similar? My monthly bill is now only 42.50 now! Most people probably spend more on coffee.

To be honest I've found the process much more cheaper than I've seen on here. I think I've paid much less than £1000 to get from 0 to stable dose (excluding the actual meds)

I guess it depends how fast you titrate.

I'm currently on adhd medication and one feeling I constantly feel while on it is this intense feeling of empathy and care. not to say I'm not a caring or empathetic person but on medication, and even if I miss a day, I get this overwhelming desire to love, share and help people. It began with my starting to spend more time speaking with my mother, which also helped reveal where some of my own characteristics stemmed from, since starting medication and has now gone to guilt over how I've treated people in the past and a desire to be more charitable. sometimes I even get depressed and sad since I feel like I have no outlet for my passion and care and I really just wanna share an intimate moment with someone.

can anyone relate?

I started taking Concerta 18mg recently and wanted to share my experience after the first week.

Day 1:

Overall, it was very positive. I felt slightly more agitated than usual, but generally quite good. However, bedtime was difficult — I struggled to fall asleep and ended up having an anxiety episode.

Days 2–4:

I continued taking it, but with some anxiety about not being able to sleep again. Fortunately, those nights were easier, and I managed to sleep reasonably well.

Days 5–6:

These were the most balanced days. My focus was noticeably improved, and I felt like my body was getting used to the medication. For context, I’ve never used recreational drugs or alcohol because I dislike the feeling of being “high”. I did experience a mild version of that sensation in the first few days, possibly because I’m not used to anything like it.

Day 7 (today):

This was the first day I didn’t feel that “high” sensation at all. I felt stable and clear-headed.

Overall, I’m quite happy so far. I’ve noticed better patience with my wife and daughter, improved concentration at work, and even a slight improvement in something I’ve always struggled with — sense of direction and remembering routes. I’m not sure if that’s related to ADHD, but it’s been a noticeable change.

Curious to hear if others have had similar experiences, especially with sleep and the initial “high” feeling.

on 20mg fluoxetine and 30mg elvanse and haven’t had an urge to be freaky in about 2 months HELP i’m not someone that had a naturally high libido to start but now it’s absolutely nish and i want to get my freak on ☹️

An update to my previous thread https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHDUK/s/3bX9RUnqXj . I have finally made it to the top of the CARE ADHD list! I made a formal complaint on March 17th and was told on the 23rd that I should be contacted by April 3rd. I was not so on Tuesday I sent a follow up email to which they said I should be contacted by the end of this week. I got the call today and they've given me my initial Teams call appointment for tomorrow!

Best of luck to everyone still on the lists!

We are all Human which means we are full of soo much. So many emotions so many memories so many dreams so many fears. Just because we have ADHD shouldn’t mean we should feel any different than our neurotypical counterparts. Yes we may feel different than others our experience in life may also differ but again is that what in essence makes us humans. I have been there in the moments of questioning myself. Always thinking to myself “ I dont know who I am.” However with time and reflection I realised That question doesn’t need a definite answer. Every social interaction may give us a different answer. Some may think we are too much or arrogant. Some may think we are kind hearted and people pleasers. What matters for me and something I want to share is. As long as you try and do good towards yourself and towards others then It doesn’t really matter does it? Every single one of us is an individual yes we as a community share similar experiences but again isn’t that what being human is. I hope this message is a gentle reminder that in this unpredictable world we are all going through our own journey of life, of self discovery, of love or of dealing with a negative experience. Its not easy I still fall into negativity but having a fall, taking time to get back up is okay and it will always be okay. I never had another ADHDer to speak to and at the age of 25 I am finally beginning to be more positive about my ADHD and accepting that actually why should i think i am any different than neurotypicals. we all have something to give to this world and we all deserve to feel happy and loved as we are not as the masked individual we curated. Happy Friday!

P.s. not sure if this even made sense but felt the need to share 😂

TL;DR: I have ADHD and autism and made something that helped my friend and my dad - both small business owners, both have ADHD. I don't know if I solved a small business problem or an ADHD problem. How do I validate a concept for neurotypical people and avoid projecting my own experience?

Basically I'm trying to figure out how to build something for people whose brains work differently from mine, and I don't know how to get past my own reference frame.

Quick context so this isn't too abstract: my dad ran a small construction firm and has ADHD. He was brilliant at the actual work and completely defeated by the business side - paperwork, admin, tax returns, all of it. From about age 12 I took over the admin side because he just couldn't do it. I'm ADHD and autistic myself, and the autism side has helped me in building tools and systems to make admin stuff manageable.

I'm now thinking about turning that into something for small business owners more generally - essentially starter packs with guides, tools and standardised documents templates.

I know that paperwork and admin are especially brutal for people with ADHD. I've watched my dad drown in it, I've drowned in it myself, I've watched ADHD friends do the same. What I genuinely can't tell is whether the need is the same for neurotypical small business owners: you can find document templates free online, as well as information about specific processes, etc. It's not all in one place, but is that an impediment for a neurotypical person who doesn't get overwhelmed, paralysed, distracted, etc?

My worry is that I'll build something that's brilliant for people like me and my dad, and then discover the wider market of neurotypical tradesmen and small business owners don't actually want it because the problem, for them, is just mildly annoying rather than existentially overwhelming. That they just happily muddle through, because a free (albeit less optimal) solution is "good enough". I've always struggled with understanding the concept of "good enough" - my brain says "it's either appropriate or it's not" but I know that the autism can make me see things as black and white.

So basically the question I'm wrestling with is how do you do this? How do you design for, build for, or validate demand from people whose relationship with a problem is fundamentally different from yours, when your own experience keeps pulling you back to your own reference frame? Has anyone here navigated this - whether in building products, doing design work, writing for neurotypical audiences, or anything else where you had to translate between how your brain works and how theirs does?

A few questions in particular:

1. How do you know when a problem you feel acutely is also felt (even if less intensely) by neurotypical people, versus when it's a specifically neurodivergent problem that you're projecting outward?

2. What methods have actually worked for you to understand what neurotypical people want when you can't just trust your own intuitions?

3. Have you ever built something for a wider audience, thinking it was a universal problem, and found out it wasn't? Or the opposite: built something for "people like me" and found it worked brilliantly for everyone?

Not looking for validation of the specific business idea, I'm more trying to work out how to think about this honestly.

Quick question:

How do I properly take multivitamins (That include vitamin C) without it impacting my ADHD medication?

I am in titration and currently on 30mg of Elvanse. Every time I take it, I am awake for two days at a time; it's annoying because the dosage feels about right, but it is lasting far, far too long in my system.

I have tried a few tricks such as getting up super early to take it, taking it then going back to sleep, cutting out caffeine, etc, but it seems to last over 24 hours. I go to bed sometimes and it's like it kicks in then! I'm not sure if I have a weird metabolism or what is going on.

I have had insomnia my whole life, and do suspect that I may have a non24 circadian rhythm anyway, but the Elvanse is making it even worse. A few times a month, my body will not naturally get tired and I may be awake for two or three days at a time, but the Elvanse seems to be making this into quite a regular ordeal! I am unable to actually take the medication daily because of this. If I did force myself to for like a fortnight, I genuinely think I would go into psychosis from sleep deprivation. I am already hallucinating before I go to sleep, then the cycle starts again.

I have heard getting instant release medications can be pretty difficult here,` but I'm starting to consider that an instant release may be better for me than an extended release. I am interested in hearing people's experience with IR medications if they are willing to share :)

Yet again, all of this is quite annoying because it seems like the right dose in terms of intensity, but it's just lasting bloody ages. I know I need to talk to the doctor, but I would still like to know what options are available, or if there are any lifehacks that might help without having to change meds.

TLDR: Elvanse dose is right in terms of effectiveness/intensity, but lasts so long that the sleep deprivation basically cancels out all the productivity! I also would like opinions on IR meds :)

UPDATE! I GOT MY DIAGNOSIS!!! Combined type ADHD.

My local ICB had ran out of funding, so even though my initial referral and invitation to book an appointment all went very quickly, my referral ended up on pause.

I was told to wait until the start of the new financial year. I suddenly remembered yesterday afternoon and called up. Was told it was good news and that I could book an appointment.

Got one for this morning at 10am.

I asked the person on the line if there was anything I needed for the assessment. She had ADHD herself, told me she understood and could relate to things I was saying. And she told me that although I didn’t necessarily need anything for the assessment, she said that she had made a list of bullet points of stuff for her assessment.

I intended to do the same last night, but then kept putting it off/getting distracted. So I’ve woken up this morning with so much fear and anxiety that it feels like the entire internal contents of my body is jelly.

I’ve got just over an hour until my assessment, I’ve been waiting for over 4 years for this. I am terrified somethings going to go wrong and I don’t get the diagnosis.

Is there anything I can do to prepare? What can I expect? Will they ask me stuff that prompts me to tell them relevant things?

I’m suspected of having autism too, so there are definitely some conflicting/contradicting symptoms going all the way back to childhood.

I’m concerned that because I didn’t present in a way you might expect as a kid, that they might not diagnose me. Although, I know that it’s generally accepted now that girls present differently and mask a lot (which I did). I have suffered from PTSD since my early twenties too, so I’m terrified that they’ll tell me that it’s just my PTSD.

SEND HELP! DYING OF ANXIETY! 😂

TLDR: Finally got my assessment at 10am! Full of anxiety. Scared, excited, shaking. Haven’t prepared, worried I won’t tell them all they need to know.

Is there anything I can do to prepare at all?

i’m being referred by my GP though i’m stuck between 2 providers: Harrow Health & HealthHarmonie Minds. can I know peoples experiences with either of the 2 providers and like the pros and cons so i can decide which one to go with please

Hi , I’ve just started Elvanse (30mg) I’m on day 5 of my titration , I feel much more level headed and emotionally regulated which is great . My side effects are mainly dry mouth , my appetite has been nerfed and sometimes I feel nauseous but that’s rare. I’ve noticed I have been waking up early everyday and being productive but just on the wrong things - I have assignments due at the end of the May but because I’m so anxious about them and wanting it to be perfect I’ve been avoiding those tasks . Sometimes it feels like the elvanse isn’t as intense as the first day or two so I worry it’s not working .

Another problem is that I have smoked - Tuesday was so bad I couldn’t eat until like midnight after not eating since 9am . I smoked so I got munchies … I did but barely to the extent of usual I still had to force myself to finish the food . I don’t want to really smoke though and when I have it’s been the evenings when it’s worn off , but yesterday and another I observed I had crazy nausea after smoking and felt like I could actually be sick .

Just wondering if you have any advice for task initiation , if not feeling the intensity is a problem and smoking ! Thanks

Hi, I have Asperger's syndrome and ADHD. I have trouble eating. In recent months, I've been having frequent episodes of severe binge eating, literally eating everything I see and spending a lot of money on junk food. This has led me to gain 8 kg.

A moment ago, I ate a bowl of plain yogurt with fruit and granola, but immediately afterward, I reached for a very large spoonful of Nutella and some sweet cookies.

After a six-month break, I returned to medication and am currently testing Elvanse (my doctor prescribed a 70mg dose once a day in the morning). I don't feel hungry while taking the tablets, but I have a strong craving for different foods in the evening.

I try to control this by planning my meals, eating healthily, and learning to eat when I'm truly hungry, not out of stress or boredom. At the same time, I'm picky and don't like to eat new things. Every attempt to introduce a new ingredient or dish ends badly, and I always decide that it's not worth experimenting and that just eating what I always eat is enough. I'm trying to get this under control, learning to eat only when I'm truly hungry. But often, because of this, I only eat junk food because that's the only time I feel safe with food.

I want to fix this so that, regardless of whether I take medication or not, I can still have a good relationship with food.

Do you have any tips or life hacks for fixing my relationship with food? I would be grateful if you wrote about your safe food)

First day 30mg elvanse. Took about an hour 30 mins to kick in. When it did felt a slight mood energy boost for an hour but felt restless no improvement in focus or concentration . Then felt slightly anxious for a couple of hours. My appetite was also normal. Is this means it is too low?

Hello all,

I was referred at the start of November to RTN Solutions for both an ADHD and an autism referral. I’ve heard nothing back since then, and I’m starting to grow concerned because I never even got a confirmation that they received a referral. Based off of what a lot of other people are saying, they’ve heard back or even received a diagnosis in this amount of time. I have no idea what the waiting time is at this point, and I will be contacting RTN just to see what’s happening. I just wanted to see everyone’s opinions on whether this is normal or not? I’m really scared that they haven’t received my referral, and I’ve just been sitting on my arse to hear back from absolutely no one at this point.

Thank you!!