TLDR: What is ADHD medication supposed to feel like? Is it supposed to feel like anything at all? Will someone with ADHD feel really gacked out/high? does it change based on food intake or other factors?

So I received an unofficial diagnosis from my AuDHD psychologist a while ago, and then my psychiatrist did a very short written assessment on me and determined a positive diagnosis. I really want to get a full assessment one day, but for now I was prescribed Focalin (dexmethylphenidate). I originally wanted it as a prn.

The first time I took it, I definitely felt “peppy”, needing to stand while gaming, needing to move around more frequently, generally more awake. I didn’t eat breakfast, and had coffee. My blood pressure was also very high. Within a couple of days I took it again, but being good and eating in the morning with no coffee. I couldn’t even tell if it was working. I may have taken it another time soon after and did not notice a difference, so I stopped taking it. I’ve been extremely fatigued and my executive dysfunction has been off the charts so I tried taking it again. Yesterday I didn’t eat right away, and I felt gacked. Tight jaw, jittery, like definitely felt like I was on stimulants. I felt like that today as well; I tried to eat a little something this morning but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference. It kicked in during a client appointment, too. Jaw tight, jittery, making a ton of typing mistakes, my body feeling fuzzy.

So, is it something where you should be able to notice a difference when you take ADHD meds? I’m assuming that I felt it so intensely because I didn’t eat, but when I do it it literally doesn’t feel like anything has changed. I may also not even have ADHD at all and was misdiagnosed (I was informally dx’ed with ADHD, Autism and bipolar disorder).

  • ilyenkov [she/her, they/them]@hexbear.net
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    1 year ago

    I don’t feel anything at all, as in like, I don’t feel high, or jittery or anything like that. I feel “normal.” I do, however, feel completely different than when I don’t take it, like, my actual “normal” which is completely lethargic, brainfogged, unable to focus in on something enough to make a decision or complete at task. It doesn’t effect my eating at all, but I basically eat because I enjoy the sensation of eating food, and not because I’m hungry anyways, lol.

    It sounds like maybe you are on too high of a dose? Idk though. I’d talk to you psychologist about that.

    • ratboy [they/them]@hexbear.netOP
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      1 year ago

      thanks for the response. I have a friend who says he will feel jacked if he skips days when taking it, but I’m wondering if that depends on the prescription you have?

      • ilyenkov [she/her, they/them]@hexbear.net
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        1 year ago

        Probably does, yeah. These meds can effect different people differently, but also there are different ADHD meds that are all a little different. And different doses. I take Adderall. 60mg of extended release in the morning, then 20mg of instant at noon