2 ms·

I honestly think it’s probably 2. I’m on 36mg of Concerta and .2mg of Clonidine. The combo has helped with my mood regulation, working memory, attention, and (t

I honestly think it’s probably 2. I’m on 36mg of Concerta and .2mg of Clonidine. The combo has helped with my mood regulation, working memory, attention, and (to a much lesser extent) my motivation. But it’s not a cure-all. I feel like it helps me to get to Everest base camp, but I still have to climb the damn mountain. My wife is a litigator, and I am daily made very aware of the differences in our ability to organize and execute tasks. I’ve found that medication will get you to a baseline ability to function, but it’s on you to develop the external structures that can enable actual success/productivity/etc. If you aren’t already familiar with the work of Russell Barkley, I’d highly recommend it. He emphasizes the need to create informational strategies to supplement the medication. The meds are helpful—tremendously so—but they are a starting point.

hirvi74 4y ago
I think you are right. It's taken me many years and many bouts of trial and error to come to that conclusion. > I feel like it helps me to get to Everest base camp, but I still have to climb the damn mountain. I feel like I can climb the mountain most days, but I can't get to the base camp to get started. I've actually considered if there is something else lurking in the shadows like Sleep Apnea or something else? I just know I have an odd issue where no matter when I take the meds, they do not work until around 1:00/2:00 in the afternoon. I have no idea why -- maybe I need to build a base level for them to start working? Doctors think it's highly unusual, but seem to offer little to no advice past that point. > I’ve found that medication will get you to a baseline ability to function I will say, it does wonders for my physical hyperactive symptoms, but it does tend to make me talk faster (I've always talked fast to begin with) and I tend to want to talk more/longer. It's nice to not have to pace and bounce around all the time. Still, I have noticed I tend to feel a bit more impatient in someways -- like I doubt I could sit down and just read a book. I'd still get bored or distracted and feel compelled to do something more stimulating as my mind tends to feel a bit overclocked. > If you aren’t already familiar with the work of Russell Barkley I am familiar with him. I do respect the work he has done, but I also have some qualms with him. I feel like he tends to overemphasis the effects of medication, and it feels kind of odd coming from him since according to his Wiki, "He has been a paid consultant, for pharmaceutical companies including Eli Lilly, McNeil, Janssen-Orth, Janssen-Cilag, Novartis, Shire, Takeda pharmaceuticals, and Theravance." I do appreciate his research and opinions, and I think he means well, but just because he is the leading researcher in the field does not mean he cannot be incorrect about some things.

hirvi74 4y ago

I think you are right. It's taken me many years and many bouts of trial and error to come to that conclusion. > I feel like it helps me to get to Everest base camp, but I still have to climb the damn mountain. I feel like I can climb the mountain most days, but I can't get to the base camp to get started. I've actually considered if there is something else lurking in the shadows like Sleep Apnea or something else? I just know I have an odd issue where no matter when I take the meds, they do not work until around 1:00/2:00 in the afternoon. I have no idea why -- maybe I need to build a base level for them to start working? Doctors think it's highly unusual, but seem to offer little to no advice past that point. > I’ve found that medication will get you to a baseline ability to function I will say, it does wonders for my physical hyperactive symptoms, but it does tend to make me talk faster (I've always talked fast to begin with) and I tend to want to talk more/longer. It's nice to not have to pace and bounce around all the time. Still, I have noticed I tend to feel a bit more impatient in someways -- like I doubt I could sit down and just read a book. I'd still get bored or distracted and feel compelled to do something more stimulating as my mind tends to feel a bit overclocked. > If you aren’t already familiar with the work of Russell Barkley I am familiar with him. I do respect the work he has done, but I also have some qualms with him. I feel like he tends to overemphasis the effects of medication, and it feels kind of odd coming from him since according to his Wiki, "He has been a paid consultant, for pharmaceutical companies including Eli Lilly, McNeil, Janssen-Orth, Janssen-Cilag, Novartis, Shire, Takeda pharmaceuticals, and Theravance." I do appreciate his research and opinions, and I think he means well, but just because he is the leading researcher in the field does not mean he cannot be incorrect about some things.