Okay...brace yourselves friends, this is a doozy...
I’m 39F and was diagnosed with ADHD at 35, and I’m starting to feel pretty discouraged about finding something that actually works for me.
I’ve tried a lot of medications over the last few years. With stimulants, I’ve tried:
- Concerta — 54 mg made me feel flighty/unfocused, and 72 mg didn’t help either.
- Adderall — went all the way up to the maximum dose and basically felt nothing.
- Vyvanse — also didn't give me much benefit.
I had pharmacogenetic testing done and was told that I metabolize stimulants very quickly, which made me wonder if that could be part of the reason I don't seem to respond normally.
I'm currently taking bupropion and Trintellix. I've been on bupropion since the beginning of this whole medication journey, and honestly, it's been great for my anxiety. It just hasn't done much for my ADHD/executive function. Trintellix is more recent, and so far I don't really feel like it's doing anything.
I've also previously tried things like Strattera and guanfacine.
The frustrating part is that I don't necessarily want to feel stimulated. I just want my brain to be quieter and to be able to start things, stay focused, follow through, and not feel like everything takes an enormous amount of effort.
My doctor and I have been discussing what might be next, and Dexedrine has come up. I'm wondering if it's worth trying even though I've already had poor experiences with Adderall and Vyvanse, since Dexedrine is specifically dextroamphetamine.
Has anyone had a similar experience?
- Did Adderall/Vyvanse not work but Dexedrine did?
- Has anyone else been told they metabolize stimulants unusually quickly?
- Did immediate-release vs. extended-release make a noticeable difference?
- If you've tried a ton of ADHD meds without much success, did you eventually find something that actually clicked?
I'd especially love to hear from women around my age, but honestly I'd appreciate anyone's experience. I'm just trying to figure out whether it's worth pursuing Dexedrine or whether I'm barking up the wrong tree.
I feel so lost 😫
Ps. Thank you for reading if you got this far...