ADHD Women Weekly Check in for Dec 24-30th : How Are You Doing?
ADHD Women Weekly Check in for Dec 24-30th : How Are You Doing?
Hello to all of you wonderful ladies!
Let's check in with each other and give support to those who need it.
All topics are Ok as long as they follow the community's rules.
I am so glad I am off work right now, I really needed it badly. My meds don't seem to be working as well, which I think has to do with my cycle. So, I'm restless and scattered right now, trying to stop spinning and feel more grounded. Coffee is helping :)
Something positive I'm doing is a radical forgiveness session today. I don't really know what to expect, but I have heard great feedback about the people I'll be working with. I have a lot to forgive, and it's about time. Maybe it will also give me some focus since it involves meditation.
Unsure what radical forgiveness entails, but don’t forget to forgive yourself and show yourself patience and gentleness. We are all human and make mistakes. You’re doing the best you can do and that’s always admirable. Cheers.
Thank you so much! Your words really touched me. I couldn't agree more - forgiveness entails a lot of self-compassion.
Unsure what radical forgiveness entails, but don’t forget to forgive yourself and show yourself patience and gentleness. We are all human and make mistakes. You’re doing the best you can do and that’s always admirable. Cheers.
Time off without structure is so hard for me. I don't want to do anything but by not doing anything I am making myself more miserable.
I have started making small to-do lists and I think that helps a bit.
I did the same thing! I had to move my office from the basement to upstairs, so I had a project to work on. I made super short, simple lists for what to accomplish every day. The "big rocks" method, aka list the 3-4 big tasks you absolutely need to accomplish, and a few smaller tasks that need to get done but not necessarily today (The analogy is filling a bottle with big rocks before putting in sand/smaller rocks). That way I can focus on the big tasks while still having some small distractions to keep me "entertained."
Finally got an evaluation and my diagnosis. The specialist I was working with said I scored high and recommended amphetamines. My PCP gave me a very low dose extended release Adderall. Today is my first day on it... I feel weird. I don't feel wired or anything. My blood pressure is lightly elevated, I have a slight headache, and I feel like someone put one of those lead blankets from the dentist's office on me. I feel calmer and like I should be sleepy... but I'm not sleepy. This is a strange feeling. It slightly feels like when I was on Zoloft, which I liken to walking outside into heavy snow and everything is dampened... but it's not quite like that either because Zoloft made me into a lazy potato. So, how long does it take for me to get adjust to this? My PCP told me I don't have to take it daily. I plan on having "off" days when I'm not working or doing grad school stuff.
Congratulations on having clarity when it comes to diagnosis! I hope it's helpful to have a name for the beast.
What you are describing sounds like a pretty typical response to stimulants for someone with ADHD - you feel calmer rather than more wired. The silence can be deafening at first... I remember sitting there thinking "what now?" I'm not sure how long it took me to get used to it - I remember loving the feeling of inner calm almost immediately. I felt way more focused, and like I could prioritize and order things in my head, which I cannot do without meds. I could "map out" my entire day in my head, which was unheard of before.
Keep in mind that this dose may not be a therapeutic dose for you (that's a dose that takes away symptoms to the point where they are completely gone or barely noticeable), and you may need to go up or even change meds. I just want you to have realistic expectations that the first med you try may not be exactly right. Here's hoping that you find what works fast!
Thanks for the kind words! I have a feeling I may need to go up a dose or change/add meds. It's still messing with my blood pressure and I'm noticing the inner calm part less. It's been giving me weird aches and pains, though. And My sleep is fucked up. I'm still trying to figure this out both internally and practically.
Finally got an evaluation and my diagnosis. The specialist I was working with said I scored high and recommended amphetamines. My PCP gave me a very low dose extended release Adderall. Today is my first day on it... I feel weird. I don't feel wired or anything. My blood pressure is lightly elevated, I have a slight headache, and I feel like someone put one of those lead blankets from the dentist's office on me. I feel calmer and like I should be sleepy... but I'm not sleepy. This is a strange feeling. It slightly feels like when I was on Zoloft, which I liken to walking outside into heavy snow and everything is dampened... but it's not quite like that either because Zoloft made me into a lazy potato. So, how long does it take for me to acclimated with this thing?
If I have any more bad luck I'm going to break. Moving, totaled car (not at fault), sick animals, job cut hours, etc.
I'm so tired all the time and no amount of sleep helps. Plus Adderall has a 25% chance of putting me to sleep instead of waking me up.
Just trying to survive.