ADHD - Adults

Author
Discussion

TheBinarySheep

1,332 posts

65 months

Saturday 1st June 2024
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I'm back on proper Concerta today, let's see if there's any improvements.

Off the belt, I can feel there's more of an initial 'hit'.

hepy

1,342 posts

154 months

Saturday 1st June 2024
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TheBinarySheep said:
I'm back on proper Concerta today, let's see if there's any improvements.

Off the belt, I can feel there's more of an initial 'hit'.
I didn’t notice any difference, but I know everyone is different.

Woodrow Wilson

365 posts

174 months

Saturday 1st June 2024
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TheBinarySheep said:
I'm back on proper Concerta today, let's see if there's any improvements.

Off the belt, I can feel there's more of an initial 'hit'.
I suspect that could be placebo effect.

I am continuing to take Concerta, but unsure whether it is having much effect.


TheBinarySheep

1,332 posts

65 months

Monday 3rd June 2024
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I'm definitely seeing a difference on the branded stuff.

It's not back to where it was before I moved off it, but I'm starting to see some of the benefits I saw previously coming back, along with some of the side effects (mainly cold hands). On the generic stuff I had zero side effects, but also I didn't see any benefits.

The generic stuff was almost half the price though, but I'd rather pay £130 for something that works rather than £70 for something that doesn't (for me at least).

pherlopolus

2,126 posts

172 months

Monday 3rd June 2024
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Had a happy moment today, my GP accepted my shared care agreement. No more £180 a month, got a prepayment certificate and that will cover my Blood Pressure meds too 👍

TUS373

4,923 posts

295 months

Monday 3rd June 2024
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TLDR

TheBinarySheep

1,332 posts

65 months

Tuesday 4th June 2024
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pherlopolus said:
Had a happy moment today, my GP accepted my shared care agreement. No more £180 a month, got a prepayment certificate and that will cover my Blood Pressure meds too ??
Who did you get your diagnosis through?

I'm about to ask for shared care, but I've read loads of stories about GP's rejecting shared care for any number of reasons, including only accepting diagnosis from NHS approved places. I've read about people who've had a private diagnosis, been turned down for a shared care agreement, then having to join the NHS waiting list to get diagnosed again by the NHS before they can get their prescriptions on the NHS.

PlywoodPascal

5,874 posts

35 months

Tuesday 4th June 2024
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I would suggest to anyone looking for shared care that they approach their gp for a referral before just taking a diagnosis to them. Involve your gp from the start and they’ll be much more comfortable being involved at the end, if you see what I mean.

I don’t mean wait for a diagnosis on the NHS, I mean discuss the wait time and suggest to GP that you’d be happy to go private for diagnosis. Explain why the wait would affect you negatively. Ask them at that initial consultation point if they’d do shared care, if you were indeed diagnosed.

If you do then come back with a diagnosis it’s not a surprise to them.

TheBinarySheep

1,332 posts

65 months

Tuesday 4th June 2024
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PlywoodPascal said:
I would suggest to anyone looking for shared care that they approach their gp for a referral before just taking a diagnosis to them. Involve your gp from the start and they’ll be much more comfortable being involved at the end, if you see what I mean.

I don’t mean wait for a diagnosis on the NHS, I mean discuss the wait time and suggest to GP that you’d be happy to go private for diagnosis. Explain why the wait would affect you negatively. Ask them at that initial consultation point if they’d do shared care, if you were indeed diagnosed.

If you do then come back with a diagnosis it’s not a surprise to them.
I initially went through my GP, they referred me to a local mental health place who didn't think I met the criteria. My take was that they were really really busy and were knocking back people who like me who were functioning.

I went private in the end, but my GP did blood tests and health test for me so I could provide those to the private company.

Hopefully that'll go towards me when I ask for shared care.

pherlopolus

2,126 posts

172 months

Tuesday 4th June 2024
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TheBinarySheep said:
pherlopolus said:
Had a happy moment today, my GP accepted my shared care agreement. No more £180 a month, got a prepayment certificate and that will cover my Blood Pressure meds too ??
Who did you get your diagnosis through?

I'm about to ask for shared care, but I've read loads of stories about GP's rejecting shared care for any number of reasons, including only accepting diagnosis from NHS approved places. I've read about people who've had a private diagnosis, been turned down for a shared care agreement, then having to join the NHS waiting list to get diagnosed again by the NHS before they can get their prescriptions on the NHS.
I went through a local private place, who also undertakes work for the NHS, and Right to Choose.

It's been 16 months since I was diagnosed. It was accepted within 24 hours.

PlywoodPascal

5,874 posts

35 months

Tuesday 4th June 2024
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TheBinarySheep said:
I initially went through my GP, they referred me to a local mental health place who didn't think I met the criteria. My take was that they were really really busy and were knocking back people who like me who were functioning.

I went private in the end, but my GP did blood tests and health test for me so I could provide those to the private company.

Hopefully that'll go towards me when I ask for shared care.
I reckon you'll be fine then smile

Woodrow Wilson

365 posts

174 months

Sunday 16th June 2024
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TheBinarySheep said:
I'm definitely seeing a difference on the branded stuff.
How is that going now?

Woodrow Wilson

365 posts

174 months

Sunday 16th June 2024
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Having been diagnosed, given medication and working in a more suitable job, I have actually been able to accept my tendencies, and feel more comfortable in my own skin, far more over the last couple of years than I ever have done before.

I am now unsure whether the medication is still really doing anything and doubts in myself are creeping back in.

I am trying to find another job (my current one is poorly-paid, under-resourced and involves too much fire-fighting, which is quite wearing. There is a high turnover and burn-out of staff), but the sort of jobs elsewhere that are at the level that I feel should be at (as I was previously), or able to do, mostly do not interest me or play to my strengths.

I was diagnosed via ADHD360, but they are no longer used by my local authority, so any support will need to come via my GP practice, which I feel will be a bit of a lottery, as it was previously.


TheBinarySheep

1,332 posts

65 months

Monday 17th June 2024
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Woodrow Wilson said:
How is that going now?
They're definitely working to an extent, but I'm not seeing the benefits that I was seeing in the first 3 month. So while I was quick to blame the non-branded stuff, I'm not so sure that was the issue now.

I've decided to take some time off them, and then start again but on a lower dose as I'm starting to wonder if my does is too high. I seem to recall having the best experience on 36mg, and when I think about it, things started to tail off not long after I switched to 54mg.

TheBinarySheep

1,332 posts

65 months

Tuesday 18th June 2024
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I've had a few days off the meds.

Yesterday I really struggled to get much work done, just couldn't find the motivation to start a task. Only did the stuff I knew I needed to do.

This morning I've struggled even more than yesterday.

So I've given in, and took the meds (36mg instead of my usual 54mg as I'm trying to work out which is best).

30 minutes later, I'm able to actually start doing some work.

It's strange how once you get used to them you think they're not doing anything, but once you stop taken them, it's apparent that they were doing something.

hepy

1,342 posts

154 months

Tuesday 18th June 2024
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In my opinion, meds are only part of the answer, and looking at other aspects of your life should be considered.

May be try CBT counselling? Helped me this year and in the past.

Showed me how to recognise when things are becoming a problem, or negative habits. I realised I was using food and alcohol as a crutch when my brain was overwhelmed. Now I’ll do something different such as go for a walk, talk to the dog (he is very helpful) or do some gardening.

Sounds daft, but one other thing that really helped me was changing the music I listened to when I was overwhelmed. Rather than listening to ‘angry’ music, switching to softer stuff helped me.

It ain’t one size fits all!

lifeboat22

100 posts

47 months

Tuesday 18th June 2024
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hepy said:
In my opinion, meds are only part of the answer, and looking at other aspects of your life should be considered.

May be try CBT counselling? Helped me this year and in the past.

Showed me how to recognise when things are becoming a problem, or negative habits. I realised I was using food and alcohol as a crutch when my brain was overwhelmed. Now I’ll do something different such as go for a walk, talk to the dog (he is very helpful) or do some gardening.

Sounds daft, but one other thing that really helped me was changing the music I listened to when I was overwhelmed. Rather than listening to ‘angry’ music, switching to softer stuff helped me.

It ain’t one size fits all!
100%

My meds aren't nearly as effective when I don't run in the morning. Or when I eat sugary/fast food, or when I drink. It all needs to come together for it to work.

TheBinarySheep

1,332 posts

65 months

Tuesday 18th June 2024
quotequote all
hepy said:
In my opinion, meds are only part of the answer, and looking at other aspects of your life should be considered.

May be try CBT counselling? Helped me this year and in the past.

Showed me how to recognise when things are becoming a problem, or negative habits. I realised I was using food and alcohol as a crutch when my brain was overwhelmed. Now I’ll do something different such as go for a walk, talk to the dog (he is very helpful) or do some gardening.

Sounds daft, but one other thing that really helped me was changing the music I listened to when I was overwhelmed. Rather than listening to ‘angry’ music, switching to softer stuff helped me.

It ain’t one size fits all!
I've started to reduce the amount of external stimuli I'm getting as well in a attempt to spend more time with 'myself' and listen to 'myself'. The problem I've found with ADHD is that I've spent so many years frustrated with myself, and annoyed that I've not found any direction. Now my head is a little more clear and I can walk myself further down a given path then I could before, I don't know what path it is that I want to walk down. So now I need to reset, listen to myself and decide what I want and where I want to go, rather than relying on social media and other external stimuli to tell me where I should be going.

I found when I started meds that my taste in music changed, from dance music to country music. Now I like both and listen to them when I'm in different moods, but I listen to dance music less since taking meds than I ever have done in my life. I work at home, so I'm constantly listing to music whilst I work.

Any recommendations of the best place for CBT? I remember during titration they mentioned 'Access to work', but I think that was more about getting support/coaching at work rather than CBT.

hepy

1,342 posts

154 months

Tuesday 18th June 2024
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Both CBT courses I’ve had have been funded via medical insurance. One face to face, one via zoom.

Some employers do offer counselling as part of the employment package.

Woodrow Wilson

365 posts

174 months

Wednesday 19th June 2024
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TheBinarySheep said:
I found when I started meds that my taste in music changed, from dance music to country music.
Given such side-effects, you really should stop taking that medication.