So, a few weeks ago I got an ADD diagnosis from a private psych. He gave me a ritalin prescription, which is really unusual in the UK. The ritalin helped a bit at 2.5mg and made me jittery as hell at 5mg upwards. Since this wasn't awesome, we switched me to dexamphetamine. I took 5mg a couple of hours ago and I'm way more fidgety than normal. The thing is, I'm not 100% sure I have ADD. The psych is. But I'm not sure that this is more than autism looking a bit like ADD. So, my question is, are these the kinds of ADD meds results I might get if I don't actually have ADD? What do ADD meds normally feel like?
for me, taking meds is a huge relief! (for the record, i take 54 mg concerta [methylphenidate hydrochloride], which is a slow-release medication that lasts the whole day) off vs on is like... Spoiler: comparison spoilered for length off meds: there is a stumbling block between me and the solution. even the solution to things like 'what is the date?' or '25 + 11' or 'what sequence of events needs to happen for me to make coffee?' simple shit! i'll need to pause and think and i'll come up blank for the stupidest things, and sometimes during that pause i'll forget what i was trying to do in the first place. i eat everything not because i am hungry but because i have absolutely zero impulse control! i will buy things i don't need! i will make Bad Decisions! basically my concentration and impulse control go out the window. on meds: fucking hallelujah, i can think straight! or at least i am better at thinking straight! i can concentrate better, i am able to solve problems much quicker, i am not eating my way through the house, and i am slightly more able to conceive of the future as an actual thing and therefore not make as many shitty impulsive decisions. all of my siblings are some variety of ADHD and all of us have reported the same feeling of relief and wonder at being on meds. it's the difference between being a more-or-less functional human being and being a piece of impulsive fluff in the wind. HOWEVER!!! i have, a few times, taken too much, and it's awful. every movement in my peripheral made me jump, my heart was beating too fast, everything startled me. it was the worst. it dialed my anxiety up to 10 and completely ruined my day. i was able to hyperfocus like a motherfucker for like 45 minutes, though. on something completely useless. go figure. so there's my anecdata!!
I don't know much about specific meds, but my experience is thus: -teenagers react differently from adults. I didn't get my diagnosis until age 26 because at 16, Ritalin made me SUPER JITTERY so they concluded that "didn't react well to meds" = "not ADHD". this is wrong. -some people cannot really take stimulants. Possibly ask your doctor about non-stimulant ADHD meds. of course it could still be not-adhd but I would try confirming those angles. Unfortunately I can't personally speak to med effects since I'm still waiting on my first psych appointment in years. However, I do have a friend with severe ADHD that says meds that work make her feel amazingly clear-headed.
To my understanding, knowledge of ADHD has changed and expanded a lot over the past decade or so. I only found that out myself within the past year, which is what made me seek testing again for a proper diagnosis.
for what it's worth, my psychiatrist gave me a test dose of my meds (Focalin) before he prescribed them, and he warned me that they definitely might make me jittery. and he thought I had ADHD at the time, so. they definitely make me more energetic (yay stimulants), and I can see jitteriness happening if I took too high a dose like @applechime, so to me the fact that you reacted badly to a higher dose of Ritalin does not at all indicate that you're misdiagnosed.
Update: So today I took 2.5 mg of the dexamfetamine and WOW. I don't feel that different, but like, I could decide to do some revision and then just.. do it? And then instead of my 1-2 pages of notes in an hour, I'm managing 4-5. This is what it's supposed to be like right? So my optimum dose is just really low I think. Thank you so much for the help guys :)
Just a note - if you do find yourself getting jittery on ritalin or Adderall, try skipping caffeine (or cut back). I found that it it can be particularly bad if you take caffeine before your body starts processing the meds in the morning... getting hit with both highs at the same time can be overwhelming.
