Hi, my name is SteveKC! Diagnosed with ADD in December 2021. Am I on the best medication?

SteveKC

I am 75. Diagnosed with ADD in December 2021 and been on monthly face-to-face with psychiatric support ever since...
my concern is whether I am on the best medication...

SteveKC

To be clearer, I have been prescribed Equasym XL which is in the methylphenidate class. I began on 10 mg and progressed by 10 mg each month until 40 mg, where, sadly, I began to have side effects which made me uneasy so I reduced the dose to 30 mg. It has helped me so I can read without as many external or mental distractions I have experienced throughout my life. However, I do not have the focus/ attention I hoped to have so I still end the day having drifted from one task to another... other ADD friends indicate their attention is good on their prescription... my next face-to-face is on 17th May... so any feedback would be gratefully received in preparation for that appointment

Ross_Alumni

Hello @SteveKC and welcome to the community.

Regarding your medication, it's good that you have an upcoming appointment, do you plan of discussing it at that? That would be my most recommended course of action, different people will respond differently to medication, so if you are having concerns about what you are currently on then talking about it with your GP would be the best way to try and resolve it.

This is a very supportive and welcoming site to be a part of so I’m sure you’ll find it to be a positive outlet, feel free to have a look around and get involved wherever you’d like 😊 A few notable pages I’d recommend visiting would be:

• The virtual coffee lounge which is one of our categories, in which we play games and talk about general subjects such as hobbies and interests
• The recent discussions page, which shows an overview of everything happening across the community
• The categories page, which shows a full list of discussion groups on the community

If you have any questions at all then don’t hesitate to ask.

SteveKC

Thank you, both, it's good to have some interaction. I understand your comment regarding medication, Teddybear12. However, it's more than that really. I just wonder whether some medicated ADDers have found the appropriate meds and, of course, dose to help them focus. I am considerably calmer but still get to the end of a day having drifted from one topic to another. Can't medication help in such cases or do I have to go on to some CBT, or other therapy, or do mindfulness? Although I occasionally do the latter, I haven't, like so many other things been able to routinize/ habituate this, which, of course, is the very reason I wonder whether I have to try other medication... and your comments may help, that's all...

Alex_Alumni

Hi @SteveKC and welcome to the community  

Thanks for explaining, that's understandable, it's always good to chat to anyone going through a similar experience to you.

With that in mind, I can recommend visiting our Autism and Neurodiversity category and starting a discussion if you'd like.

Do keep us up to date with how your appointment goes, and let us know if we can help with anything further.

Alex

Tori_Scope

I'm glad that you're feeling calmer @stevekc Perhaps you could speak to your psychiatrist about changing your dosage, to see if that helps you to focus a little better?

Many people find therapy and mindfulness in conjunction with medication helpful, as the medication can give them the brain space to learn time management and concentration skills, and embed positive habits etc. Does that make sense?  

Have you spoken to your doctor about the possibility of accessing some talking therapy, or guided mindfulness?

You might find ADDitude magazine a useful place to visit, including their page on exploring medication and treatment.

I've moved your post into the category that Alex mentioned, in the hopes that another member with a similar experience will be able to offer you some advice or support.

SteveKC

Thank you, Tori, for the advice and transfer, I hope it will help. I enjoy mindfulness, when I do it and even devised my own times 25 minute session with Insight Timer. I have also read most of Lydia Zylowska's book on Mindfulness Prescription and tried her downloadable Mindfulness sessions. But, I can go on for days and not do it. Getting to the end of the day having not been affected by external distractions and being calmer is the wonderful result of culminating in 30 mg Equasym XL (as a higher dose introduced worrying side effects). But, for all the positives, I still feel/ conclude I'm surfing on the crest of my stream of consciousness and get into issue after issue, more deeply than without the meds but never focused on one thing... I guess, I wanted to know whether those of you on meds have found focus enough to concentrate without too much internal distractions? Or, is that it? As you know routinizing supporting activities, such as mindfulness is a problem with ADHD, for the very reasons I've outlined...
I'll have to wait to speak with my registrar psychiatrist on Tuesday 10 am and see what he says but any reassurance from any of you regarding meds ability to help concentration would be very, very helpful...

Jo_2022

Hi @SteveKC!  A friendly welcome to you on Scope. Thanks for disclosing your ADD diagnosis. It’s fantastic you have reached out! 

I would suggest your GP doctor, and psychiatrist are the best people to ask about medication. Perhaps you can request a medication review if you are having bad side effects, or feel it isn’t working for you. Good luck 

SteveKC

Thank you, Jo_2022