Aaaaaand sometimes is a “controlled substance” so you have to get a new prescription every month. No 90 day supply, refills, or auto renew. 🥲
What’s that? You can message through the app to refill all the other ones easily but not the magic one requires calls and in-person visits to remember and juggle? Cool cool cool.
I have to renew mine every 28 days… Because it’s so incredibly dangerous that they don’t trust the public with any longer prescriptions. I hate it but ahhh, the things I do for that juicy methylphenidate…
Aaaaand if your doctor gets a stick up their ass they can humiliate you with piss tests all they want and you can either endure it or go back into the unmedicated TV static 🥳
That’s terrible! Thankfully I’ve never had a Dr give me a hard time for ADHD meds. Is there any chance you could see a different Dr in your area? You don’t deserve to be treated like that.
Stratera actually isn’t a controlled substance since it’s not a stimulant (it’s an NRI), but my Ambien is, so I know the pain. It’s literally easier for me to get legal weed in multiple states around me than it is to get Ambien, which I’ve been taking for like 20 years.
Ritalin is the only medication I’ve taken for the last 15 years and I stg someone still fucking hassles me at least once every few months. Either it’s insurance, the doctor, or the pharmacy. Someone ALWAYS makes it a pain in the ass. It’s beyond absurd how many hoops I still jump through after over a decade of the same dose of the same medication.
Adderall here, and yeah it’s nuts how much I have to fight to get the shit I have been taking since I was 10? 12?, I dunno when it’s been a few decades
Pre-authorization gang! Doesn’t matter that I’m regularly prescribed by the same doctor for over 10 years… my insurance wants to double check once a year to make sure it’s still “medically necessary”. Like yeah, my ADHD might just fucking go away one day. I fucking wish it would ya assholes, but could we not hold my script for 3 extra days, every year, just to “make sure” I’m not cured‽
You can get it for 90 days. At least you can get Adderall for 90 days at a time.
Where? I get my prescription renewed every 90 days, but it has to be sent as 3 separate prescriptions, and you have to wait at least 28 days in between filling each one.
That’s harsh. It’s controlled where I’m from but that just means I can’t refill on day 89.
Oh my God dude it’s such a pain! Also I can’t refill on day 30. I have to be completely out, but the pharmacies don’t open until 9. So if you need to be a work at 9, you get to pick between being late for work or nit taking medication. 🙃
I can deal with calling to get a new prescription every month but all the other bullshit that comes with my medication being a controlled substance is what I fucking hate. Oh we are sorry but your prescription is out of stock because the DEA is worried about diversion… Oh and don’t call other pharmacies because you are shopping pharmacies and now we are going to flag you…
Also god forbid you might need to refill early if you’re going out of town or something. I knew they’d get weird about that so I just refilled it late when I got back and they made me piss in a cup for two months in a row. For refilling late because that could indicate I was selling it apparently??? I still get so upset remembering it. I can’t believe how they’re allowed to treat us sometimes.
I think that’s a sign you are selling because if you aren’t taking your medicine to sell it then it becomes a touch harder to remember when you are supposed to actually be out (which completely ignores how ADHD effects people)
I fucking hate this, and I moved so now my doctor is 30 minutes away. I could find a new doctor but, you know… adhd
Fortunately they can write up 3 Rx and then send to the pharmacy every month until my next appt.
Of course my pharmacy can’t get the stuff due to the shortage so I have been without for 2wks now. It’s a process to have the Rx sent over to a different pharmacy. Easy for someone normal. But ADHD without meds? Yeah.
But with CVS at least, they won’t schedule out the fill, only place the second and third on hold on your profile. So you have to call and ask them to fill it 2/3 months , can’t do that part on the app either. So to have a continuous supply, you’ve got to do go doctors appointment, then pick up meds on first month (assuming no complications, there are always complications)… then the next two months you have to call like 28 days after your last pickup, ask them to fill, and pickup within 2/3 days.
“Cure”
Fking lol
And stimulants are insanley addictive, terrible for you, and make you go crazy
**in a non ADHD brain
Stimulates are not as addictive for people suffering from ADHD because it physically effects us differently. If you have ADHD then you have issues with negatively skewed dopamine responses and stimulates help by inhibiting the reuptake of dopamine causing the dopamaturgic response to seem more powerful than what it is (because again I can’t stress this enough the dopamine response does not function correctly) (source)
I’ve taken Adderall for over a decade now and am still able to stop taking it on a dime. I recently took a 3 month break (because I wasn’t working) and was able to instead, lean on my “trusty coping skills” that I learned as a kid.
I have a bit of an addictive personality (still need to quit smoking (again)), but Adderall isn’t an issue of addiction for me… just an issue of how much easier it is to function. But I’m ADHD, so I guess it checks out.
Appreciate the source! I never did fully look into it.
Russell Barkley is a top researcher in the field (well, was, recently retired) who now makes videos on state of the art research on ADHD. He definitely has a few videos on stimulants.
Also, Adderall or other adhd meds may help your self control to stop smoking.
I appreciate the info, I’ma have to look him up and his research. I would like to try Vyvanse now that they have a generic version; see if it planes me out a little better. I did quit smoking for 2 years once, so I know I can do it again. It’s kind of a mental gymnastics thing lol
Can you share thise trusty coping skills you learned as a kid ? I got diagnosed as an adult
I really really wish I could… I can try as much as I want, but I really wish I had words for it. It’s complicated, and I truly wish there were a silver bullet, but I got lucky
I think “breathing” has become one of the most important things I’ve learned. Didn’t honestly realize “breathing” was such a big part of me dealing with things until I was already an adult (realized in my 30’s)
When I was little, I was prone to “tantrum throwing”; but I wasn’t “allowed” to do that (not just by fear of consequences, but it hurt my feelings afterward). While I was in a tantrum and wanted to break the world, people whom I loved were calm with me; trying to make me realize that it didn’t make a difference, no matter how much I raged… and it kinda broke me
I had to learn how to control my “rage” and my emotions. And I kinda think (now) that I learned how to do that by breathing through it; cause it didn’t matter if I threw a fit or not, the outcome was ultimately the same. The only person hurting was me, because of me… regardless of what set me off. My headaches, face-red, violent thought, shaking mad at the unfairness; it was all dependent on me and whether I chose to let it take over me or not.
And it turned out that (to me) “love” didn’t care how physically strong I wanted to be… how angry I could be. “Love” was patient with me and waited for me. “It” didn’t care how big I acted… it just waited. It pretty much broke me and my childhood tantrums/rage, and I started fostering patience… not easily, but steadily.
Instead of wanting to punch down a brick wall… I breathed through it. If you pissed me off… I paused, and breathed before responding. Breathing is about the best I got, but I try to choose that over losing control and hurting my own head.
Fast-forward to being an adult: I had learned a lot of emotional control. I still have that rage and I wish I didn’t; but I do my best to breathe through it. And spoiler alert: I don’t always win. I would LIKE to break that brick wall (cause I’m strong/mad/worthwhile/something to prove), but I’ll only hurt myself in the end and help no one else. It’s a lose-lose for me to lose control. So I breathe and try not to engage with my racing thoughts
But I did learn triggers. I hate looking for shit… I can’t stand it. I don’t want to waste 2 seconds of my life looking for my keys or wallet. I only have so much patience and my brain is already against me trying to focus. So my wallet and keys are in the same place EVERY time without fail. It they aren’t… I better start breathing while I search. I have to remember “patience” and “breathing” while I try to focus
I use earplugs when I’m overwhelmed by sounds and stimulus. Just 5 minutes of silence and (once again) breathing; and then I can usually resume my thoughts.
I finally allowed myself to ask my doctor for an anti-anxiety medication (klonopin for me) when I was 33. I didn’t want to be addicted or crutched, and wanted to be able to deal with it like I always did… but I really wish I would have asked for help sooner. I felt silly when I realized how much it helped. I felt silly when i realized how much Adderall helped. I didn’t want to “rely on a crutch”, because I had learned (over many years) how to rely on me. And I felt silly… dumb… ignorant… stupid for wasting so much energy fighting against my own damn head
I need my things (like my wallet, keys, toothbrush, hairtie, etc) to be in the same place EVERY TIME, so I don’t have to waste focus on finding them. If they get moved; I try to breath through it while I find them
If things get “noisy” and overwhelming, I pop in some earplugs for a few minutes; and I sit in silence and breath.
When I want to just POP!, because my brain doesn’t let me move forward and adjust… more breathing.
I lose things, as I’m finding/gathering other things; I get frustrated because I can’t hear or because I hear too much; I forget faces, names, thoughts, ideas, or sometimes blank completely; I get frustrated. I get angry because I’m frustrated. And it ain’t nobody’s fault how I feel or why I feel… it’s something I have to deal with as best I can. So I breathe through it the best I can
It sucks. It really fucking sucks sometimes. But it’s also ok. Sometimes it’s beautiful, and sometimes it’s awful; the way my brain works. But it’s mostly ok.
And I’m ok with that. I like me (enough). I just have to really remember and remind myself to breathe sometimes. It’s ok. I’m ok. Look at all these little good things happening all around me, all of the time. Let me try and be a part of that little bit of good. Inhale. Exhale. I’m ok
TL;DR - I use breathing exercises, routine, and mental gymnastics. It’ll all end up the same in the end, so I might as well try and enjoy the “good things” that feel more than superficial… for as long as I can. Cause fuck it; the only person it matters to is me, in the end. I guess it is what I make it
Also it’s likely genetics and not your personality.
I say “addictive personality”, but it’s absolutely genetics (or highly genetically linked). It’s like being aware that your family has a history of cardiac issues… mine has a history of addiction. I should try and retrain my brain to say, “I have a family history of addiction”. But I appreciate the read!
Risking to repeat myself, but this is exactly why medical cannabis is a valid option.
The dopamine/reward processes in your brain are controlled by the inherint endocannabinoid-system. More and more evidence exist that many neurodivergent people (including adhd, autism and even schizophrenia) suffer a lack or imbalance to native endocannabinoids. I firmly believe the right mix (which should be the personalized for each person) can do almost Miracles to our well being, focus and ability to function.
If only I could use medical cannabis as an adjunct therapy. It helps me tremendously, but my license board won’t get on the same page as medical science. If I got prescribed, it would still put my license at risk :(
Could hemp derived cbd/delta8 (federally legal in many edible formats) possibly help?
Maybe? A higher thc ratio helps me more and I’m not quite sure if mixing delta 8 and cbd would help me in my daily life. It’d probably be good to help me sleep, but that’s not really an issue of mine.
But I’m not sure, I just keep holding out for a time when it’s legal and I can try different blends/ratios that would actually help, without fear of trace amounts of thc popping up in a test. It becomes an anxiety issue because it’s tied to my career/livelihood, and kinda defeats a key aspect of how it helps. It’s all dumbshit in the end
1to1 thc/cbd is amazing for reducing the angst and pain.
Agreed 100%. That the concerns over federal legality is still an issue with employment. Thanks , in part, to the race war and the pharmaceutical lobby. (My opinion)
Idk bro I have adhd and have taken stimulants for over 5 years now. These days I take less than when I started, and I sometimes take weeks off by accident. I’m more addicted to caffeine than dexedrine lol.
If you have ADHD and you drink coffee, there’s a good chance you are inadvertently doing the same thing as the medication. I don’t take medication for my ADHD anymore, I just drink a cup of coffee in the morning and then one in the evening, the caffeine calms me down and acts the same as if I took the medication. It’s weird that stimulants work that way but it’s cheaper then concerta
Sure that works for me but last time I tried medicating w caffeine I ended downing monsters basically constantly I even js fell asleep a few times so its def not like I’m being sped up if u think the issue is js w nonster and not caffeine whenever I used coffee well shit idk how much I drank but atleast a few litres sized bottles a day with js good ole stimulants 1 pill thats me set for the day.
Sure that works for me, but last time I tried medicating with caffeine I ended downing monsters basically constantly. I even just fell asleep a few times so its definitely not like I’m being sped up. If u think the issue is just with monster and not caffeine, whenever I used coffee, well shit idk how much I drank but atleast a few litres sized bottles a day. With just good ole stimulants 1 pill has me set for the day.
FTFY.
Yk u somehow added punctation to every sentence yet missed the actual spelling mistakes and missing word
And it’s still better. Made my point I hope. Seems not however, jfc.
Not sure why your being downvoted because besides addiction that was 100% my experience. They ruined so much of my formative years.
I do acknowledge that they can work great for some people, but so does cannabis which improved my quality of life and emotional regulation directly rather then turning me into a docile mindless drone.
They’re being downvoted because their statement is provably false.
…people with ADHD who take these medications as prescribed are lesslikely than their untreated counterparts to drink or abuse drugs.
https://www.additudemag.com/the-truth-about-adhd-and-addiction/
Maybe its just me but i see no conflict on how both cant be true. “Less likely” == “not”
I’ve known more then a few people with adhd who snorted their prescription ritalin and abused multiple other drugs on top of it.
I hated what it did to me to much to get addicted, my experience was definitely that they made me go insane, quit cold turkey the day after my last exam, it took a long time and alot of therapy to feel somewhat like myself again.
That doesn’t take away that some people are absolutely helped by such medicine and do not experience the same side effects.
Everyone is different and the same counts for how we respond to any given drug.
Oh yeah, to be clear not everyone with ADHD responds well to every stimulant, or stimulants in general. It’s even more complicated if you have a co-morbid condition such as bipolar type II. They can make bipolar symptoms worse, and trigger a manic episodes.
i understand the sentiment and I appreciate the irony but medication is only as much a ‘cure’ for ADHD as ‘having no legs’ can be ‘cured’ by a wheelchair.
Stimulant medication isn’t a cure, you don’t have to take it every day, and it doesn’t matter when you take it as long as its far enough away from when you sleep.
I could never remember if I took my pills, so I bought one of those weekly pill organizers. I used it for a few weeks…But now I don’t feel like filling it up each week, so I just take them in the morning when I go to the bathroom… Then later on in the afternoon I wonder if I have taken my pills because I was on autopilot in the morning.
Don’t bother filling it. Close it at the end, and pop open the lid for each day. I keep my pills in the bottle.
Yes but how do you remember to do that every day?
How do you not forget that you even have the organiser?
Mate I’ve forgotten the concept of eating food, I’ve misplaced my phone that I was holding 30 seconds ago, I’ve not been able to recall every card in any of my magic the gathering decks from memory ever since I started playing about 10 years ago.
I’ve forgotten what I was talking about mid sentence because I had to get a sip of water. You can forget about anything with ADHD, just different people remember things differently. I can recall my partner’s favorite colors and hobbies, I can barely recall my own favorite media I saw.
I think you missed the “not” in my comment
Reading the comments here makes me overly conscious about choosing my word carefully. Say “cure” instead of “medication” and there goes the point you wanted to make!
Lemmy definitely inherited reddit’s pedantry, lol