Its been quite a few years since i took any meds for my ADD
I just got a new job where i am going to need to pay attention and focus well again, so i am considering taking meds again.
I cant remember the name of the meds i used to take. It may have been adderall... I just cant even remember,

Anyway, what are your opinions on the best meds youve taken for ADD?
Which do you prefer? Any side effects to watch out for?

(I plan on doing more of my own research before i got see my pdoc on a couple weeks, but i thought i would start here with peoples opinions first)thanks

[Perna]

I think most of what you take will depend on what works for you and what your pdoc thinks best, etc. Did the meds work back when you took them? Why did you stop? How are you coping without them?

Meds are great but are usually only a help and one has to decide for one's self if the side effects one experiences make it worth the benefits. Sometimes we don't get a choice, my asthma and thyroid conditions, both poorly understood by doctors as of this time, require that I take meds, whether I want to or not. Hopefully there will be better understanding and medicines in the future and maybe some true "fixes".

[Redsoft]

My boyfriend's best response overall for ADD was a patch, Daytrana. It can stay on for an entire day, and in doing so released the med evenly throughout that time. He was a totally changed person having that all day extended release, moreso than with just the pill-form equivalent med. Unfortunately, he had a painful skin reaction and couldn't continue it. Now, we are constantly looking for a solution that will help him as much as that did! Really. Night and day difference.

Looked in my old diary and it was stattera that i took back in 2005. It worked well but it gave me terrifying nightmares and hallucinations every day that i took it. So that didnt last very long. So strattera is definitely out. I really loved being able to concentrate and get so many things done though!!

Appt with my pdoc is on the 31st of january

[katgalaxy8606]

My story is similar to yours, I have a job now where I have to be as focused as possible, so I just started Straterra. Straterra is a non-stimulant med, where a med like Adderall is a stimulant. The stimulants made my heart race and made me feel panicky, like anxiety, so I didn't like the stimulants. My doctor told me to stop taking them. This doesn't happen with everybody though. If your doctor thinks you should be on a stimulant, Vyvanse is pretty popular these days and unlike the regular Adderall, the Vyvanse is time released. I was on Straterra when I was in high school so I recommend it as well (for non-stimulants). You can get fast-acting or extended release medication. I'd have a talk with your doctor and see what would be affordable for your situation and what would fit your lifestyle best.

-KAT

[sunrise]

I have taken Vyvanse and liked it. It is very smooth and lasts quite a while. I have taken it at the same time as Wellbutrin for ADHD. The Wellbutrin is not a stimulant and acts in a different way. I have found both helpful in different ways. I am now not taking the Vyvanse but just a low dose of Wellbutrin SR daily (100 mg). I have found I like the immediate release stimulants now, when I need them in the late afternoon and my ability to concentrate and focus wains under high cognitive load and growing mental fatigue. So I will take an immediate release Adderall then if I need it. I like this now better than the daily Vyvanse because I only take it if I need it. With the Vyvanse, I had to take it in the morning, so if I ended up not needing it after all, it was too late because I had already taken it. I don't like to take unnecessary meds so this is working well for me now.

I've had really good results from Adderall. I like the non-XR because I can taylor it to my day. Minimal side effects and generics are cheap.

[EverythingNothing]

I've been on Dexedrine, Adderall, and Vyvanse. I find Vyvanse to be the superior drug for productivity. Once you find the dose that suits your needs, you're good to go.

While it may not last a full 12 hours, it comes pretty close. I just prefer it because I only need to take one dose, and that one dose provides effects that last a long time. The altered metabolism of Vyvanse allows for a very gradual come up and come down. This is a good thing as it lessens the "wear and tear" on your mind and body.

Ultimately, you'll need to try out the meds for yourself to see which one suits you best.

[2_b_free]

I take adderall every 4 hours and I write things I have to do in my planner so I don't forget. I have SMALL list of daily goals to complete before the end of work, or the day, or before I go to bed. Medications are a great tool, but to get the most out of them, you should have a plan to follow.

[Scbabygurl820]

I have been down a long path of getting diagnosed with ADHD. I was not diagnosed til 22 or 23. I am 25 now. I was not tested for it when I was little, but I did end up being diagnosed with a learning disorder. But ADHD was over looked. In elementary school I was not really hyper or on the go, but as I got older that changed. When I was in high school that was when I started to have behavior problems, and I started to feel very hyper and could never sit still. I was always feeling anxious as well. There again, in high school I was not ever referred to get tested. It wasnt til that I reached 22 that I finally got diagnosed and took a test to see if I was ADHD. Now that I have ADHD I am on medication. I take Concerta XR and it helps a lot. I am calm and I dont feel so anxious or hyper when I am on it. But I also am bipolar disorder and that can affect my ADHD, esp my moods and anger. I currently am not on medication for bipolar because I cant afford the meds. My ADHD medication is expensive. But it does help. I have taken Adderall before. I did not like it and it made me very angry. But Concerta is good for me.