Early Retirement Extreme Forums

Just doing new post and offer some info and resources on ADHD meds.

Long story but I stopped taking generic Lisdexamphetamine for a while and experimenting with smaller doses off/on. I was on 40 mg but now somedays trying 20 mg or 10 mg by opening the pill and eyeballing rough amount to take (1/2 or 1/4).

Overall effects I experienced with Lisdexamphetamine is increased energy throughout the day and not tired in afternoon, but downsides were more anxiety and not being able to relax. What worked better for me was stopping medication and taking a 10 min nap in my car during lunchtime and I would pull up youtube video on nonsleep deep rest for 10 min. That short rest period where I nod off not only was better for managing mood but I had more of a fuck everything attitude and I don't need to worry as much.

Also another thing that has helped is I try to get in a quick 10-25 min hike by leaving work and driving to a trail somewhere. Sometimes I do this at lunchtime and sometimes I leave work early. I figured out most of the academics where I work don't notice if I am gone and I can put sign on my door that says "in machine shop" or something like that and just leave. Its better for my health anyway and thats more important.

Also there is nationwide shortage of ADHD meds which was stressing me out anyway. I did find one resource that helps find ADHD meds and its a website where some guy has system for checking pharmacies in geographic area. If it helps anyone here is website:
https://findneedle.co/
They charge $1 per pharmacy so what I did was pick 20 pharmacies in area and they checked all pharmacies for me. Out of 20 pharmacies only 1 has Lisdexamphetamine. It was definitely worth $20 for me so I could offload that and not have to call 20 different pharmacies. But of course now I am not taking Lisdexamphetamine so this may not longer be issue for me specifically.

Also some effects that I thought were Lisdexamphetamine were actually due to stress. I was grinding my teeth during the day and getting lower jaw pain and sometimes I could catch myself doing it but it was mostly unconscious. I thought it was due to the drug but it kept coming back even after getting off the drug. I noticed it happened after stress. Longer story but I work in an academic lab in a large institute that doesn't have money. I had my budget review last week and it sucked, basically I had a bunch of professors tell me don't spend money but keep all this old shitty equipment running with no spare parts and by the way, don't spend money. So fuck them all, I fucking hate academics and everything academia. No money, no money and fucking professors having no resources. That is when teeth grinding starting happening again so yeah its stress. So when stress level gets high I go for walk or get in my car and drive and go for hike. University ain't going to change and its better if I get out in nature anyway.

Hope that helps. Please share if you have other medications, effects, strategies. I think diet is also important and experimenting there as well but not enough time to post right now but please share what has worked for you.

Interesting to hear you got away from the meds. They are something I've wondered about, but not pursued, due to the downsides you described. Starting with other tools felt more accessible.

I too have found managing anxiety a cornerstone of working with neurodivergence. A key insight - once a support need is met, it no longer adds to anxious load. That makes tools like movement and intentional rest, more effective. So most of my energy has gone into resolving those leaks.

It helps. A lot.

I'm moving into an intermediate tier of problem solving now. Essentially - finding the freedom of realistic expectations. How do I exercise these tools, looking outwards into the world? Unmasking through selective disclosure. It's more complex than first considered, because the mask is intertwined with my identity. Unraveling happens in layers. Do I not care what anyone thinks? Or is it a protective mechanism, because I'm sensitive to rejection? If that's the case, what degree of vulnerability serves me? Can I heal the underlying sensitivity?

There's also a mourning process - grieving one's limits and death of the masked identity. Dismantling those constructs might be in one's head, but the experience of loss is real.

Thanks for reply Scott2. Recognizing limitations sucks and my reaction is when I recognize a limitation I get mad. But I usually move past it quickly (but not always). One thing I try to catch early is “should” statements. I do a lot of “should” statements like “I should have known xyz about the car and gotten it fixed.” These statements don’t help and also involve forecasting or predicting the future. I have to remind myself of that often and recognize predicting the future is not possible and given complexity of today’s world how the hell can anyone possible predict. But my emotional brain still thinks I “should” have known so it’s a battle to try and give yourself compassion and recognize it’s impossible to predict and “should” statements don’t help. Sorry for long paragraph but it’s one thing I have noticed for myself.

One book I came across is Feeling Great by David Burns. A lot of the book is about recognizing cognitive distortions and how much that can dominate our view of one self. He works with patients in a team setting sometimes and helps patients understand where those cognitive distortions come from and how to recognize them. One cognitive distortion is “should” statements as mentioned above.

Not sure if this thread is still relevant to someone but I take 50mg/day (I started with 30mg/day).
At the beginning I also felt a high level of stress, but actually it taught me that I do way too many useless things in my life I should get rid off.
So I got way more minimalistic and it feels great - but I have to say, I am also very happy when it's evening and I stop feeling the effect of it.

@Flurry - 50mg of what?

I started Ritalin last week. Rx of 5mg before breakfast and lunch. I'm taking half and skipped a day. The difference is unbelievable. I can point my attention at anything and do it. Even stuff I don't want to do.

It hasn't touched the anxiety. It's also left me in hyper focus towards the end of the day, a couple times, which wrecks sleep. Sorting that is my priority 1, as it makes all symptoms worse.

I have a lot of hope for the medicine. It's exceeding all my expectations. There's also grief for time wasted and frustration when my brain slips back into an unmedicated state. The contrast is stark.


My therapist says it's common to have identity struggles, as I meet my medicated self. It's too early, but I believe her. She's also pointed out that it's a form of masking. So I'm anticipating some work.

I take 50mg of Elvanse (which is the primary Lisdexamphetamine brand for Germany/Austria/Switzerland)

Before I had Ritalin, not much effect with the 5mg initial dosage, 10mg were okay, then I switched to Ritalin LA (=long acting, went up to 40mg which basically equals to taking 20mg and then 20mg again after 4 hours) but I have to say, I disliked it because it was such an up and down. Always the feeling of coming down and then feeling the drug's effect again.

I wish you all the best with you medication
It was really a game changer for me. Made my ERE plans less appealing because I enjoy my work so much more with them.