Suggestions for ADHD Combined Severe

[billygunn1881]

I will add that in my early teen years to my mid 20's, I was doing a lot of drugs and alcohol. I am 51 and have been clean since 31. I mainly used alcohol and marijuana but did divvy one time in a little acid hit, actually half a hit, and a few times with crank. I quit the crank very shortly afterwards because I had more bad side effects that good effects.

Any who, I believe a lot of my ADHD symptoms came from the alcohol/drug effects on my brain. And yes, possibly stresses of being an adult and father as well as a little from PTSD from a rear end accident, but that was more recently, like about 4 years ago, so I would put that as the far end of the ADHD symptoms.

I am currently doing treatments of Spravato (Esketamine) for depression, but one of the benefits of Spravato is that can promote synaptic connections, basically helping to rewire my brain. So hopefully, it will help reverse the damage I did when I was younger.

Combining Spravato with Tirzepatide may help reduce and eliminate my anxiety and thus alleviate my ADHD symptoms.

I was just hoping there were some peptides that would help in conjunction with the Spravato to help heal/repair my brain and give me back my focus and concentration again.

So, go ahead and suggest away.

 

[pavlovs]

Vyvanse is 100% a stimulant. A schedule II controlled substance.

Also, Strattera is VERY expensive.

Oops! you are right, I was thinking of viloxazine.

 

[pavlovs]

Omg! You are so right! Yes, yes, and yes. I do have ptsd. I often wondered about that. Damn you're good. You know this much. You should also know that I stopped going to that doctor 6 years ago And thank you!

Yay! Knowing what is causing your focus and concentration symptoms is the best place to start. Instead of listening to all of us rando Chinese drug addicts, here's a good site .gov site with information on PTSD meds. If you were able to tolerate Wellbutrin, then that paired with Effexor can be a godsend for people with PTSD whose symptoms include impairment of concentration and focus.

I'm a total noob in the peptide world, so can't make any recommendations at all.

VA.gov | Veterans Affairs

Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.

www.ptsd.va.gov

 

[Iamnew2this]

Yay! Knowing what is causing your focus and concentration symptoms is the best place to start. Instead of listening to all of us rando Chinese drug addicts, here's a good site .gov site with information on PTSD meds. If you were able to tolerate Wellbutrin, then that paired with Effexor can be a godsend for people with PTSD whose symptoms include impairment of concentration and focus.

I'm a total noob in the peptide world, so can't make any recommendations at all.

VA.gov | Veterans Affairs

Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.

www.ptsd.va.gov

Thank you!

 

[AKC97]

Please make sure you're under close watch with straterra. I personally had a very bad experience with it, so I am a little triggered when it's thrown around lightly. It caused my first psychotic episode, which eventually led to my bipolar diagnosis (which means I'm no longer allowed on stimulants.)

I am not inclined to suggest a pep for ADHD. You should see a qualified doctor (not an NP- especially if you have trauma issues. NP's are good for run of the mill, and many NP's would disagree with me, but 90% of the ones we have now are not qualified for anything more than a basic case.) A MD or DO can best help get to the bottom of the problem of it is complex.

Please do not take the inability to read when you used to be able to as evidence you do not have ADHD. ADHD burnout can result in depression and anxiety and prevent you from engaging in hobbies you love. Untreated ADHD can lead to a myriad of other problems, trauma, anxiety, depression, and even personality disorders among them. You need someone qualified to help you, and you won't find that looking for peps on the internet.

I wish you luck. Mental health struggles can be so complicated.

I'm sorry that happened to you and you are triggered but I don't think it's being "thrown around lightly" simply because it was mentioned as a course of treatment. Serendipitous that you were able to be alternatively diagnosed though.

OP - atomoxetine is the generic name as the EL patent expired and they discontinued manufacturing the Brand Name so it should be affordable.

Also Qelbree is a newer option that is a non-stimulant option, my daughter has tried it and it works well for her.

Hope you get to feeling like your old self soon.

 

[Lifeworthliving]

I have ADHD Combined Severe. The worst of the worst. Any suggestions for focus and concentration?

The kind of focus that I can read a lengthy book and block all others and distractions out.

Right now I can't read 2-3 pages before I get, tired, bored or distracted by even a fly or the light moving through the window blinds.

When I was younger I could sit in my local public library and read a book from end to end.

I want that same feeling and cognitive health, focus and concentration back.

ADHD here, diagnosed as an adult. We were getting the kiddo screened, and my husband kept pointing out how I do a lot of things as well, which led me to get screened (also, women are grossly underdiagnosed, but you could apply that to a lot of things).

I also struuuugled as a kid. I'm just an adult now, and have a name for it and tools to help me manage (unmedicated), the ADHD is annoying as hell, but it also makes me very good at specific parts of my job.

I'd ask, what else is going on in your life? ADHD is something you have for life. If you didn't have challenges as a child, I'd look to see what else may be contributing to the lack of focus.

Pressures, worries, changes? What else is going on? Any new medications? How is your sleep? If possible, it may be worth seeking out a medical professional; a good psychologist is worth it.

 

[billygunn1881]

ADHD here, diagnosed as an adult. We were getting the kiddo screened, and my husband kept pointing out how I do a lot of things as well, which led me to get screened (also, women are grossly underdiagnosed, but you could apply that to a lot of things).

I also struuuugled as a kid. I'm just an adult now, and have a name for it and tools to help me manage (unmedicated), the ADHD is annoying as hell, but it also makes me very good at specific parts of my job.

I'd ask, what else is going on in your life? ADHD is something you have for life. If you didn't have challenges as a child, I'd look to see what else may be contributing to the lack of focus.

Pressures, worries, changes? What else is going on? Any new medications? How is your sleep? If possible, it may be worth seeking out a medical professional; a good psychologist is worth it.

I posted a lengthy post towards the bottom of my original post going more in depth with my history.

 

[chmuse]

I'm sorry that happened to you and you are triggered but I don't think it's being "thrown around lightly" simply because it was mentioned as a course of treatment. Serendipitous that you were able to be alternatively diagnosed though.

OP - atomoxetine is the generic name as the EL patent expired and they discontinued manufacturing the Brand Name so it should be affordable.

Also Qelbree is a newer option that is a non-stimulant option, my daughter has tried it and it works well for her.

Hope you get to feeling like your old self soon.

I said that mainly because a lot of the people here have the inclination to self treat perceived issues; just a few posts down, someone mentioned that you can just get it from India. There are a lot of medications people here are "alternatively sourcing" without the oversight of a medical professional, and I wanted to stress the importance of medical help. We have conversations about farma on this forum regularly. I don't like people playing doctor on themselves with something like their brain.

 

[mousey]

Please make sure you're under close watch with straterra. I personally had a very bad experience with it, so I am a little triggered when it's thrown around lightly. It caused my first psychotic episode, which eventually led to my bipolar diagnosis (which means I'm no longer allowed on stimulants.)

I am not inclined to suggest a pep for ADHD. You should see a qualified doctor (not an NP- especially if you have trauma issues. NP's are good for run of the mill, and many NP's would disagree with me, but 90% of the ones we have now are not qualified for anything more than a basic case.) A MD or DO can best help get to the bottom of the problem of it is complex.

Please do not take the inability to read when you used to be able to as evidence you do not have ADHD. ADHD burnout can result in depression and anxiety and prevent you from engaging in hobbies you love. Untreated ADHD can lead to a myriad of other problems, trauma, anxiety, depression, and even personality disorders among them. You need someone qualified to help you, and you won't find that looking for peps on the internet.

I wish you luck. Mental health struggles can be so complicated.

I feel it's a mixed bag with going to a professional vs self treating. Alot of doctors don't have the knowledge around peps or alternatives or the ability to prescribe even if they do. Alot of them are still behind even on glp-1s. Like I started with semaglutide 3 years ago on my own. Before that I was always going to doctors about struggling with my weight but they never suggested getting tested for insulin resistance. Once on semaglutide and then tirz the weight started falling off so fast. I'm sure they fixed something that was wrong with my body and I wouldn't have gotten there if I didn't self treat. I'd likely be over 300 pounds today if I didn't take that risk.

unfortunately, weight loss didn't really help with ADHD. so are stimulants the only way to go for ADHD? I was diagnosed with it as an adult by an actual doctor who did the testing and everything. It actually led me to the rabbit hole of nootropics 15 years ago. I read about all of the side effects of stimulants, tolerance, needing breaks, how they stop working but modafinil was suggested and that led to racetams, etc as safer alternatives. I'm not sure if any of them worked or if there was a placebo happening. I still take modafinil (from India) because I feel it helps with fatigue and the burnout.

Since then I have only been able to go to NPs thanks to insurance. You are right, they are only good for basic cases and they always throw bupropion and SRRIs on me. Alot of them are so against stimulants because they are worried about addiction. So I've never been able to try a stimulant or vyvanse etc.

The last NP gave me Rexulti as an add-on for depression . Like always, I go to doctor google and look up the side effects and reviews. The side effects are weight gain and high blood sugar/diabetes. They never told me these possible side effects, if I didn't search on my own I'd have gone in blind. This doctor had my whole history and asked about the notes on binge eating from years ago since I now don't look like I'd have a binge eating problem. Not sure where their mindset was but taking a chance on regaining weight or diabetes isn't going to fix ADHD or depression.

So I've kinda given up on professional mental health care for awhile but thinking of trying another dive in. As you listed all the things that happen with untreated ADHD, if someone looked at my every day to day life it'd be clear it's something I'm still stuggling with. I'm not sure what to really ask or say on first appoitnments to make sure I don't waste time on the wrong doctors that lead to doing nothing.

 

[Calm Logic]

I said that mainly because a lot of the people here have the inclination to self treat perceived issues; just a few posts down, someone mentioned that you can just get it from India. There are a lot of medications people here are "alternatively sourcing" without the oversight of a medical professional, and I wanted to stress the importance of medical help. We have conversations about farma on this forum regularly. I don't like people playing doctor on themselves with something like their brain.

I have sought medical help for OCD for three decades, including seeing the psychiatrist who developed the scale that measures OCD. It was all mostly a waste of time. What helped the most was peer support, self-care (what is good for the body is good for the brain), and two out of twelve therapists.

Exercise over the long-term is certainly good for the brain , and, coincidentally, stimulants can help increase exercise endurance.

Most of us have seen so many health professionals, we are burned out or close to it.

But yes, if you have never seen a doctor about your condition or never got a second opinion... Even then, most healthcare professionals are more concerned about liability than any individual patient. At best, you are on your own to "advocate" for yourself in broken system.

Assuming one can find a psych provider to provide stimulants, a goal of the provider is to find the therapeutic window:

Stimulant meds don't last all day, thus the problem with timing. Everybody is built different metabolically, thus the problems with dosage.