ADHD - Adults

Author
Discussion

Woodrow Wilson

342 posts

161 months

Friday 15th September 2023
quotequote all
After over a year of medication, a change of workplace/role (and genuine effort, demonstrating that I am not lazy) and a lot of effort to be more organised and effective, the results are in...


....I have pretty much the same problems as I had before.



It is extremely frustrating.

Agghhh.

Sslink

101 posts

42 months

Friday 15th September 2023
quotequote all
Woodrow Wilson said:
After over a year of medication, a change of workplace/role (and genuine effort, demonstrating that I am not lazy) and a lot of effort to be more organised and effective, the results are in...


....I have pretty much the same problems as I had before.



It is extremely frustrating.

Agghhh.
My ADHD symptoms became much more pronounced after changing jobs. Previously, my jobs were very much dictated work, with quite strict deadlines each day. I changed jobs and I can basically do whichever task I want in whatever order I choose, and therein lies the problem!

I started on Elvanse 30mg in August, little to no change, titrated up to 50mg, I can now feel a bit of a difference but it's still not as life changing as I thought. Two of my good friends have had a diagnosis for a while and they were the ones that pushed me to get assessed, they claim remarkable improvements (night and day) on 30mg Elvanse. I was so disappointed after 3 weeks with little to no improvement, just dry mouth and lack of appetite.

There are no suggestions, help or guidance here, just showing solidarity, it's incredibly frustrating, but you're not alone, although I don't know if that makes it better or not.

KTMsm

26,905 posts

264 months

Friday 15th September 2023
quotequote all
I CBA going through the wait and diagnosis so was just going to buy some of the meds online

Luckily I saw the news the other night

yikes

Fastdruid

8,651 posts

153 months

Friday 15th September 2023
quotequote all
KTMsm said:
I CBA going through the wait and diagnosis so was just going to buy some of the meds online

Luckily I saw the news the other night

yikes
...any chance of a clue?

Woodrow Wilson

342 posts

161 months

Friday 15th September 2023
quotequote all
Sslink said:
My ADHD symptoms became much more pronounced after changing jobs. Previously, my jobs were very much dictated work, with quite strict deadlines each day. I changed jobs and I can basically do whichever task I want in whatever order I choose, and therein lies the problem!

I started on Elvanse 30mg in August, little to no change, titrated up to 50mg, I can now feel a bit of a difference but it's still not as life changing as I thought. Two of my good friends have had a diagnosis for a while and they were the ones that pushed me to get assessed, they claim remarkable improvements (night and day) on 30mg Elvanse. I was so disappointed after 3 weeks with little to no improvement, just dry mouth and lack of appetite.

There are no suggestions, help or guidance here, just showing solidarity, it's incredibly frustrating, but you're not alone, although I don't know if that makes it better or not.
Thanks. Sometimes it is just good to know that there at least some other people experiencing similar things.

The new job is far more suitable for me (overall), but I continue to receive the same sort of feedback on aspects of it that I always have done, from different people who are probably a bit frustrated/mystified as well as annoyed, as people in the past have been.

Probably not as much as I am with myself, though.....

I'm just too odd, but look and sound normal!

First world problems etc. -I do have a roof over my head, I'm not in a warzone and I can afford to eat.

Edited by Woodrow Wilson on Friday 15th September 13:24

Sslink

101 posts

42 months

Friday 15th September 2023
quotequote all
Woodrow Wilson said:
Thanks. Sometimes it is just good to know that there at least some other people experiencing similar things.

The new job is far more suitable for me (overall), but I continue to receive the same sort of feedback on aspects of it that I always have done, from different people who are probably a bit frustrated/mystified as well as annoyed, as people in the past have been.

Probably not as much as I am with myself, though.....

I'm just too odd, but look and sound normal!

First world problems etc. -I do have a roof over my head, I'm not in a warzone and I can afford to eat.
Have you raised your diagnosis with your employer? Without wanting to sound like a "woke moaner" but ADHD and other neurodivergences are considered a disability and thus protected by the Disability and the Equality Act 2010.

It can be a bit of a battle to get people to understand how difficult it CAN be. My partner was staunchly against the whole idea initially, I just needed to "try harder and not get distracted" etc. The same old tropes, but now I've been officially diagnosed, a lot of my behaviours make sense to us both, not that I can use it as a crutch but at least it provides some insight in to why I do things the way that I do.


Just because someone has it worse than you doesn't mean your issues aren't important and deserving of attention.

Woodrow Wilson

342 posts

161 months

Friday 15th September 2023
quotequote all
Sslink said:
Have you raised your diagnosis with your employer? Without wanting to sound like a "woke moaner" but ADHD and other neurodivergences are considered a disability and thus protected by the Disability and the Equality Act 2010.

It can be a bit of a battle to get people to understand how difficult it CAN be. My partner was staunchly against the whole idea initially, I just needed to "try harder and not get distracted" etc. The same old tropes, but now I've been officially diagnosed, a lot of my behaviours make sense to us both, not that I can use it as a crutch but at least it provides some insight in to why I do things the way that I do.


Just because someone has it worse than you doesn't mean your issues aren't important and deserving of attention.
I have not.

I didn't mention it before I started (I doubt I'd have been given the job) and I'm not sure whether it will be better or worse if I do. Once it is said, it cannot be unsaid.

Not sure if it will be any more or less career-limiting to be a seen as "frustrating" or "frustrating with a bloody wokeish label"

I have discussed some of it in very broad terms with line manager, (who appreciates my positives, but can clearly see where I have struggles/quirks, and reasonably understanding) without any labelling or declarations.



KTMsm

26,905 posts

264 months

Friday 15th September 2023
quotequote all
Fastdruid said:
...any chance of a clue?
That the legitimate looking sites openly selling prescription drugs online are frequently not only "not the drugs they say they are" but in a few cases have contained poison and directly killed people

It was on the News at 10 and apparently they exposed the sites a year ago and nothing has changed


Woodrow Wilson

342 posts

161 months

Friday 15th September 2023
quotequote all
KTMsm said:
That the legitimate looking sites openly selling prescription drugs online are frequently not only "not the drugs they say they are" but in a few cases have contained poison and directly killed people

It was on the News at 10 and apparently they exposed the sites a year ago and nothing has changed
"Buying drugs from an unregulated source is risky" shocka!

KTMsm

26,905 posts

264 months

Friday 15th September 2023
quotequote all
Woodrow Wilson said:
"Buying drugs from an unregulated source is risky" shocka!
Risky as in might be confiscated, might be old and less effective... is somewhat different to, some are laced with poison

timeism0ney

103 posts

94 months

Sunday 17th September 2023
quotequote all
Do you have a link to the program/article etc please? It's of a particular interest to me because one of my teenage children is considering drugs off the internet due to impossible waiting lists and lack of help from NHS. I do not support this but understand their frustration. It's quite a worry that they are so easily available.

timeism0ney

103 posts

94 months

Sunday 17th September 2023
quotequote all
Woodrow Wilson said:
I have not.

I didn't mention it before I started (I doubt I'd have been given the job) and I'm not sure whether it will be better or worse if I do. Once it is said, it cannot be unsaid.

Not sure if it will be any more or less career-limiting to be a seen as "frustrating" or "frustrating with a bloody wokeish label"

I have discussed some of it in very broad terms with line manager, (who appreciates my positives, but can clearly see where I have struggles/quirks, and reasonably understanding) without any labelling or declarations.
It's a common worry. I have never seen an ADHD disclosure without a disclaimer in the end to the effect of: "I am now worried that you will think less of me".I actually think this further demonstrates ADHD traits such as self-doubt. In reality most people think that those who disclose their ADHD are strong and brave to be open about it.

I do regular presentations/talks about neurodiversity at work and find it empowering and helpful. I think it helps others also, not just me because not everyone is in a position to speak about it openly, it's not easy, and you have to be in a safe kind of position to be able to contemplate it.

I think what doesn't work is just dropping a 'label' and not having the time/opportunity to explain. In this case there is a substantial risk that people will make judgements based on what they know about ADHD, and let's face it, most people don't know very much or worse still are misinformed by the media headlines about naughty american boys who get a diagnosis left, right and centre! I also think you need to make a disclosure at the right time, from a position of strength, and not after a major blunder, so that it isn't misinterpreted as an excuse for poor performance.

Woodrow Wilson

342 posts

161 months

Sunday 17th September 2023
quotequote all
timeism0ney said:
....I think it helps others also, not just me because not everyone is in a position to speak about it openly, it's not easy, and you have to be in a safe kind of position to be able to contemplate it.

......I also think you need to make a disclosure at the right time, from a position of strength, and not after a major blunder, so that it isn't misinterpreted as an excuse for poor performance.
And therein lies the problem:

If I had no difficulties, I wouldn't even be considering raising these issues or labels.

There was some sort of global neurodiversity presentation Teams invitation in the work calendar. I obviously didn't join in because it would have been akin to hoisting a neon "Neurodiversity" sign and wailing siren over my desk.

I'm don't regard myself as "disabled" anyway. I'm very capable of all kinds of things, other than the things described earlier.

KTMsm

26,905 posts

264 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
timeism0ney said:
Do you have a link to the program/article etc please? It's of a particular interest to me because one of my teenage children is considering drugs off the internet due to impossible waiting lists and lack of help from NHS. I do not support this but understand their frustration. It's quite a worry that they are so easily available.
It was the ITV News at 10 apparently they did similar a year ago to so a quick Google should bring it up

cashmax

1,106 posts

241 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
timeism0ney said:
Do you have a link to the program/article etc please? It's of a particular interest to me because one of my teenage children is considering drugs off the internet due to impossible waiting lists and lack of help from NHS. I do not support this but understand their frustration. It's quite a worry that they are so easily available.
I would strongly caution against this. Not everyone gets on with the drugs - 3 of us in my family have ADHD and none of us got on with them. The kids used them sparingly for exams and studying, but the side effects were not sustainable, even after trying nearly every option. The good thing is that with many of them, you know very quickly if they are going to help.

If you buy something that is not genuine, even a subtle ingredient abnormality might make the drug work very differently. My suggestion would be to tap up somebody you/they know for a few and check if they help in the first instance.

pherlopolus

2,088 posts

159 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
cashmax said:
I would strongly caution against this. Not everyone gets on with the drugs - 3 of us in my family have ADHD and none of us got on with them. The kids used them sparingly for exams and studying, but the side effects were not sustainable, even after trying nearly every option. The good thing is that with many of them, you know very quickly if they are going to help.

If you buy something that is not genuine, even a subtle ingredient abnormality might make the drug work very differently. My suggestion would be to tap up somebody you/they know for a few and check if they help in the first instance.
Even in my prescribed drugs I get a difference from batch to batch. You may as well just buy speed off the street corner if you are buying online.

KTMsm

26,905 posts

264 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
cashmax said:
My suggestion would be to tap up somebody you/they know for a few and check if they help in the first instance.
Agreed but I don't know anyone on them

I just want to quickly test to see if the results make the hassle of the testing worthwhile particularly as so many don't get on with them

Whilst I'm affected by ADHD I (feel I) also get a great benefit from it

Woodrow Wilson

342 posts

161 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
Anecdotally, (some?) people with ADHD are less affected by stimulants than Joe Average.

I've never taken cocaine myself, but caffeine and Concerta don't have much notcebale effect. My wife got some sort of coconut-based(?) energy boost thing recently. She said she felt a bit buzzy after taking it (possibly placebo, I suspect), as did her friend. It did nothing to me.

Dental anaesthetic doesn't work very well on me (or members of my family) unless delivered in horse stopping quantities.

RUI488

316 posts

14 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
ADHD doesn’t exist.
It’s a complete figment of the imagination.
Much like addiction and other such nonsense it is a fantasy of the modern world.

KTMsm

26,905 posts

264 months

Monday 18th September 2023
quotequote all
RUI488 said:
ADHD doesn’t exist.

It’s a complete figment of the imagination.

Much like addiction and other such nonsense it is a fantasy of the modern world.
The traits exist

I would suggest "real man" could have been used as the name rather than ADHD

wink