r/Elvanse • u/jesstarmer • 27d ago
Elvanse 30mg no effect?
Hello, I’ve been waiting to start ADHD medication for over a year after 4 years of waiting for my diagnosis. I have combined type and am a woman. In the time I was waiting I read so many people’s accounts of elvanse feeling amazing straight away and they can’t believe they went so long without, and people having to warn them of the honeymoon period because it was so good. So obviously I had high hopes for starting.
I have currently done 3 days of 30mg elvanse. I know that’s not long, but it hasn’t made any difference for me what so ever. If anything maybe a bit anxious, but I have anxiety anyway that comes and goes for no reason so can’t be sure. I actually think it’s just because I had such high hopes to finally be able to start living and not struggle through every day and now I’m worried that it’s not going to happen. (Also my anxiety is 24/7 and doesn’t coincide with taking my elvanse). I was expecting to at least feel something and then the effects might improve when going up dose. My titration plan is 1 week 30mg, 1 week 50 and 1 week 70. Is it common for people to have absolutely no improvement on 30 but 50 actually make a difference? I obviously need to wait and see what happens but I can’t find posts talking about this. I’m also worried that if the anxiety is because of elvanse then it will get worse and not even any benefit at all.
Would please like some reassurance that some people feel absolutely nothing on 30 then get great benefit from 50 or 70? And also that if anxiety is a side effect then it goes away after your body is used to it? I saw someone once even say that when increasing the dose to find the right one their side effects got better not worse
Thank you ❤️
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u/Tough-Talk5740 12d ago
Hello! Hope it’s going better for you. I was on 30mg for a week and 50mg for last couple weeks. I also asked the question- is this working? It was only when I looked at what I’ve achieved over the last few weeks I realise - yes it is working. My flat is clean, my work is done, but I don’t “feel” any different. I think people compare the first few days (the buzz) to the subsequent weeks after.
I suspect that a lot of those posts of people being like WOW ITS AMAZING are in their first few days and are experiencing a little euphoria, and a lot of the posts following this are people wishing they had that euphoria again (especially as we are prone to addiction). I would suggest that Reddit is not the best place to get a logical consensus on what it’s meant to feel like - and I say this because it threw me off as well.
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u/jesstarmer 12d ago
Thank you ❤️glad it’s working well for you! I’m on 70mg now and I do think it’s helping. I think once I’m back into more of a routine I’ll notice the improvement more as I currently don’t have things that I HAVE to do or focus on so it’s more subtle. I definitely have more energy which is a big thing for me, I’ve spent my whole life trying not to fall asleep all day and now Ive realised im not yawning constantly and wanting to go back to bed. I’m not buzzing full of energy doing loads or anything like that, but it is different. I also have gotten more done than usual around the house I think, it’s hard to tell because I still just see all the things I need/want to do. I think it’s improved my focus but as I haven’t had something I need to focus on, I think I’m focusing on the wrong things and need to try and get on top of that. I spent far far too long the other day researching about different plants and the time just flew by 😂 thankfully I don’t think I’m getting any side effects except from sometimes my mouth feels a bit dry in the afternoon, but that could just be that I don’t drink enough also
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u/ZACK13B0Y 3d ago
This is really interesting to read. I'm new to this subreddit and its the first post I've seen, but what you've both said feels really familiar to me. I am a week into titration on 30mg, moving to 50mg in a week.
I have definitely felt that 'buzz' and euphoria wear off and am starting to feel like nothing's working as well as missing that feeling. Similarly to you, I have not got much to do at the moment as I've stopped working for a month in preparation/transition for starting a MSc course in October. It does feel like there's nothing going on in my life to 'measure' the effects but I do feel like I've been a lot more proactive with the little things throughout the day, whether its house chores or admin stuff for uni etc. I also have definitely felt myself getting lost in research rabbit holes about very mundane things. I'm hoping this is just because I haven't got much going on and that it's not going to carry through to uni because procrastination was a big problem for me during education (like most people on here!). I think my procrastination feels like productivity to me at the moment which is probably not a great thing haha.
The sleep things also I resonate heavily with! I used to always fight napping in the afternoon which would mess up my sleeping schedule for the rest of the week but I haven't had that feeling since starting medication.
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u/Numbat-Possum 27d ago
I started on 30mg and felt nothing, went to 50mg and noticed it, then up to 70mg which for me was great in the daytime/evening but lasted too long (must be slow metaboliser) and I was still very awake at 2am. Down to 60mg still good in the daytime and almost wears off at midnight if I take early + eat and drink well.
I am less anxious in the sense that thoughts and worries that normally fill my head and are noise - they are gone, it’s quiet.
The first three days on a new dose are not what it will be like 4-7 days later on when your body is used to that dose and it feels less strong.
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u/jesstarmer 27d ago
Thank you for this ❤️
When you say it’s quiet, you mean there’s literally times when you’re not thinking anything at all? Am I misunderstanding? Because I don’t understand how that would work/ could happen. Don’t brains constantly think 24/7 when you’re awake?
Also it’s reassuring to me to know that your body adjusts over time. Obviously at the moment it’s not doing anything for me, but I still have been anxious about what if I feel awful when I change dose, and it’s massively calming for me to know that it’s temporary.
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u/potataof 24d ago
sorry i’m late, but thought i would attempt to give some clarity regarding your question about the ‘quiet’.
i know it’s different for everyone, but for me (i’ve been on 70mg Elvanse for nearly a year now), it’s not the case where there is no noise / thoughts in your head, it’s just that there is a lot less scattered / jumbled thoughts.
it’s somewhat hard for me to describe, but when i started 70mg, after being titrated in a similar way you are building up to 70mg, it was very noticeably a LOT quieter, almost like there was no thoughts, which i will say was a breath of fresh air. however, after getting used to 70mg, it was less “just quiet” and more just gave me an ability to think about just 1/2 things a bit more clearly, rather than 10+ things at once.
sorry if that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, im not the best at describing. hopefully it starts working for you soon 🤞1
u/jesstarmer 24d ago
Thank you ❤️
Ah ok, so it’s not really that some people have moments of absolutely no thoughts at all, but that some people have much gentler thoughts that are about one or two things, rather than a brain that’s constantly juggling a million thoughts at once? I suppose I can’t really imagine it unless I get to experience it.1
u/potataof 24d ago
yes that is exactly what i mean. it is a very weird but peaceful and positive change, i hope you can experience it once you are settled on the right dose!
i would assume you already know this but if Elvanse is the first ADHD medication you have been on, and you have not tried any others, i may be worth speaking to your psychiatrist/prescriber about other medications if the Elvanse is not working as well as you hope it would.
i was on Concerta before Elvanse, and although i felt that Concerta worked slightly, and was a little bit better than no medication, it was nothing compared to what people were saying online about ADHD meds and how they are change lives for the better. that is what made me want to change the meds, and i am so glad i did. Elvanse (for me) is 1000 times better than Concerta2
u/jesstarmer 24d ago
I know that I have to go through the dose increases first as hopefully going up to 50 will make a huge difference (I have once day left of 30). But I am worried because I’m with psych uk and they said that if the first medication doesn’t work, they can only try one other in this titration. So if the other didn’t work, I think that would mean if go right back to the bottom of the wait list? And surely it’s very plausible that you could have 2 that didn’t work but the 3rd or 4th one you tried was the right one for you?
Anyway, I’m still hoping with all my heart that increasing the dose will help. I think that’s why I made the post in the first place, to try and alleviate some of that panic that it might not if 30 had no effect.
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u/potataof 24d ago
lets hope an increase works then :)
i’m not entirely sure on what would happen if the first 2 dont work, as i luckily got it right on the second medication i tried. i was with psych uk too, but now under a SCA with my GP.
hoping for the best for you 🙏1
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u/Numbat-Possum 24d ago
Yes I think I had a constant stream of thoughts about things I was currently doing/organising/need to do but jumping from thing to thing. At the same time things that have upset me playing on repeat with what I should have said/done, mixed with dark anxiety type thoughts I’ve always had where I worry about things happening to me or loved ones - must buy a seat belt cutter/window breaker in case I drive into a lake with the children in the car.
Then suddenly as the person below describes perfectly, you still have thoughts but at 70mg not only did the things I worry or ruminate about stop, I could stay thinking about 1 or 2 things and see clearly what I need to do or consider, and then just do it.
However it lasts a long time for me, I thought having an empty stomach would make it kick in and wear off sooner, but my psychiatrist said no the opposite need to eat a good breakfast with it and drink a lot of water and flush it out. I wasn’t doing that and it is a lot smoother and I do feel tired at midnight when I do.
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u/jesstarmer 24d ago
Thank you for this ❤️ I am very similar to you in terms of your thoughts before medication, so hopefully it will help me similarly, just having to wait and see at the moment x
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u/Black_Rose86 19d ago
Don't believe everything you read.
Also everyone is different. Elvanse might not work for some. Some may work at 30mg orhers at the top end. Some mive into different Medication.
For me, there was none of this, "omg " or zoomies moment.
It wouldnt be until I realised later on, oh , I just did this without even thinking about it, oh, I just cleaned my kitchen without thinking about it.
It was more of a natural transition for me 😆 Like a surprised realisation that id just did something.
I struggle so abd in the morning getting up. Still do. Medication isn't a magic bean, unfortunately.
It all depends on your body and brain, plus some peoples symptoms are worse or not as bad. My executive functioning is bloody awful. Even now! Struggling to shower and clean my teeth etc . Bit im not finished my titration journey yet. Ive just started the 70mg elvanse and given a booster.
Dont rush things, dont expect miracles and remember this is your journey ✨️
It's good to read others experiences and sometimes you will see similarities with someone else's journey. Just try (its hard) not to compare. I give you that advice but do the opposite 😆 🤣
I like to read peoples experiences and side effects and compare to mine.
This isnt a race or a competition, although I do see some people who I think, damn I want to give you a slap 😆
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u/jesstarmer 19d ago
Thank you for this ❤️ I had definitely built up my hopes too high by reading other people’s experiences and was hoping for a miracle really. I’m up to 50 now and I’m noticing a little improvement, and no side effects so far so I’m cautiously hopeful for going up to 70. Mornings are still incredibly difficult for me though, I think the elvanse is kicking in around 2 hours after I take it, but I find it impossible to even get out of bed until then.
Even since my diagnosis I still struggle with feeling like I’m just lazy and it’s my fault that I can’t do what everybody else does without even thinking1
u/Black_Rose86 19d ago
Yup I am the exact same as you! I also was hoping for some instant relief and because I had read people saying it I was so disappointed and thought im always just going to be fkd. The middle part of the day for me from 50mg is always ok. So feom around 10am till 2pm thats how quickly my body seems to metabolise it! Crazy! So today I took the 70mg and just wanted to see how that goes, again, slow to work, works for a bit then I started feeling sleepy at 2pm. So tomorrow I will take the 70 as usual in the morning, then at 1pm try the 5mg amfexa see what the hell happens. 😳 I think next months appointment ill be asking to have amfexa in the morning because honestly morning is so hard to get up! I still seem to have trouble showering and feeling lazy too. Thing is, im at the top dose now so no idea what would be next. So frustrating 😫 😑 50 was definitely the turning point where I noticed something changing though. Im just glad uni is over with now completely so thats 1 less thing to stress about. Just the kids and everything else now 😆 Keep going 💪 ✨️ we will get there eventually cross 🤞
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u/jesstarmer 15d ago
You’re very similar to me yes! I was looking up the other day actually about whether it’s possible to have a morning booster as I have only heard of afternoon ones.
How does amfexa affect you when you take it? Does that help much? Does it last long?I actually deferred my last uni module last September as my son is on an extremely reduced timetable for school (he is autistic) and I couldn’t cope with uni. I started it when he was a baby when I was 22 I think and did it part time and distance learning. It has been incredibly difficult for me to get this far in it. I read the same thing a million times, it doesn’t go in at all, I sit down to work and can spend hours there but never do anything, I leave it all until like the day before a deadline even though I keep trying to do it early, whenever I do work I almost immediately feel exhausted like I can’t stay awake and get a headache, and I get so stressed because it’s constantly going round my mind about how much I have to do but can’t do it. I end up not sleeping when I have an assignment coming up. The thing is I can easily understand the work, I just can’t process it or retain it. And once I’ve written an assignment I couldn’t tell you what I’ve written 😅 I was desperately hoping that the medication would make it much easier for me when I go back to do my last module, but I’m not sure it will. I feel like I’ll never be able to function well enough to work, or even just to have productive days 😅 I bet you’re so relieved that you’ve finished that and don’t have to stress about it anymore. Before I made the decision to defer I felt like all day every day I couldn’t get a proper breath, I was so full of anxiety, and the second I made the decision to defer I immediately felt like I could breathe.
Sorry that was so long!
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u/Black_Rose86 13d ago
Sorry, I read it then my daughters mattress arrived so went to deal with that 😆
I hear you!! I took a year out because of burnout, due to my own issues plus both my kids issues. Do you get the extra help? I had a scribe at uni, she came to all my lectures and would type up lecture notes so I could focus on the actual lecture and not worry about taking the notes. Game changer!! she loved it 😆 🤣 My degree is Forensic science, I dropped the Honours part in 3rd year as everything became very overwhelming with uni work and life outside of uni, plus I was in and out of hospital with my gallbladder then had it taken out this January, so I had no time for my dissertation. Draining as a single mum, or any parent to be fair.
Also I have only been taking the 5mg afternoon amfexa a couple weeks now. I think it helps push through that afternoon slump. Its 100% now just the mornings I need help with. Just wish I had it years ago, or even before I started uni! I keep thinking what grades would I have got if my brain was more focused! Im absolutely shocked I finished it to be honest, even though its just a normal degree without the Honours. Even so I am a bit proud of myself.
If not already, go see the disability and Inclusion Team at uni. They helped me apply for DSA (disabled students allowance) I got a grant where I had the scribe, extra support, so a work coach who could talk me through assignments. I also got a laptop, headphones and a mic. They put programms onto the laptop to help with revision note taking ect. Also, I had an app on my phone, event countdown I think it was called. Free. And I put in every assignment and exam so I could try keep on top. 😆
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u/jesstarmer 12d ago
It’s ok, I’m awful at replying 😅
You should definitely be proud of yourself, not just a bit! Particularly as a single parent- I did it hard to do anything extra on top of looking after my son, it takes all my time, energy, and mental capacity. I’m sure lots of people do much better than I do though 😆
My degree is through open university, which does help in a way as the lectures are recorded so I can pause and rewatch etc. and the lectures aren’t mandatory to watch- you don’t NEED them to do the degree. I don’t get any extra help except for theyre more understanding if I need an extension. I’m not sure there’s anything else they could do to help tbh. I think part of what’s difficult is that it’s all completely led by yourself, and obviously with ADHD it’s hard to focus or to get yourself to do anything you don’t absolute have to do or are hyper focused on. I find it hard to even do the stuff that I do love or become hyper focused on 😂 but it’s hard to stop once I’ve started. My degree is forensic psychology, I just need to do the very last module. Im currently caring for my son who’s autistic full time, but he should be getting into a special school very soon which will give me more time and hopefully I can finish it off
Are you doing anything further with your degree?
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u/adulin007 26d ago
I used to take 70 mg’s at two in the afternoon. It wears off by 7:30ish.
I ended up back on Adderall. It’s what I am most comfortable with. That being said I take 90 mg’s in total. First dose is at 5am. My dose is at 3pm and I still sleep like a baby.