this post was submitted on 28 Aug 2024
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ADHD

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Evening focus (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Greetings!

I was diagnosed a few months back and I’ve gotten on Vyvance 20mg to great effect. I’m not perfect, but much better.

However I do find that my focus wanes in the evening when I want to kick back and practice a hobby like drawing or music, I can’t sit down and just do it.

If anyone has advice or experience that might help, I’d be very grateful.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

I would suggest trying to reduce your dose at the day.

I try to have it just about right so that it slightly stimulates me, but it is still me that needs to concentrate.

Then you arent so exhausted in the evening and can do stuff.

On 30mg of Elvanse I was extremely stimulated and completely worn down afterwards.

Now on ⅓ of that dose, this is way less extreme.

Still a bit, but not that much.

You could also try medication that doesnt last as long. You would move the tiredness to the end of the workday, and could possibly have recovered already in the evening.

You know, set priorities. Currently it seems your priority is to work the best you can. But this means your brain is exhausted in the evening.

I oppose the other comment about just taking more. Be careful with your brain.

Cheers!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

I get a boost in the afternoon.

I take 25 mg of adderall extended and I take a 7.5mg instant release at around 1pm and I am good to go until 8pm

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Talk to your doctor, but the simple answer is to take more. Vyvanse has a half life of about 12 hours, so if you take it in the morning then by evening the medicine is starting to heavily breakdown. It's pretty common for people to take more at lunchtime to get them through the evening for that reason.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I experienced that crash and now I take a little Dexedrine in the afternoon. Usually 2.5mg. That may not be easy for you though so maybe see if your doctor would consider lowering the individual dose but letting you take it twice a day?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I have my initial appointment with my new Doc next week!

This will be high on my list of things to talk about.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

I like Dexedrine but I don't hear it being prescribed as much, probably because it has a higher potential for abuse, so keep that in mind. It's a shame bad actors can keep us from the meds we need. But if I had to pick one it would definitely be vyvanse.

Edit: oh and I get the Dex in 5mg, and split them down the middle. I used to take the full 5mg but would get irritable in the evening.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The Vyvance comes in powder filled capsules. Internet says you can subdivide them. But I wouldn't without docs approval.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

You could but you don't know the density that it's packed in. It would be difficult to try and halve them evenly. You would have to get a precise scale and it's really not worth it. I'd recommend maybe 5 or 10mg if you can get it and it's up to you and your doc whether to reduce the first dose or just add this booster on top for an extra wave. Probably take 6-8 hours after your first dose? But it depends on when you get the crash. Everyone is different.

That's really not a lot considering the high end of doses so hopefully your doc will be responsive and it works for you!

Edit: also, I don't know the climate where you are but with first visit to a doc maybe be cautious asking for more directly since they're controlled. Maybe it's my paranoia but I know I'm lucky. Just emphasize the crash. Say you're not able to stay focused throughout the day long enough to complete your daily activities/work (assuming that's true).

Edit2: I'm also not sure what connotations "crash" may have so just describe what you're experiencing.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

I wouldn’t call mine experience a crash, more so my ability to focus starts to slip around 3pm and by the time it’s 7 or so I have real difficulty sitting down to enjoy any past times that take practice.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago (2 children)

What I've done before when I feel like I don't have time for stuff I want to do is shift your hours a little bit to give yourself more time before work. If you take your meds first thing in the morning, you'll get to enjoy all of that focus to yourself first, then work gets the dregs (as is proper)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

Shit, that's a really nice idea.

I feel like I'm not a morning person and my work is pretty locked in 9-5. But we'll see where we can go.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's the spirit

Honestly it can be pretty hard to do that depending on your schedule, though it's pretty nice when it works out

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

During my early adult years when I first moved out on my own and it was just me, I flipped my schedule to sleep 1700 until whenever I woke up. No alarms. Could sleep in every day because the result was "Oh no, still have many hours until work". Would work 0700 until 1600. It was amazing. I was so awake and focused on my own stuff. Could practice piano, write poetry, work on open source code during those wee hours. Early morning work was also very productive. Afternoon work time was meh, but that was okay because of how the work was structured. Would bike into the office since it was only about 8km (5 mile) via residential streets. Do my grocery shopping at a 24hr market. Laundry room at my apartment complex was always open. It was such a magical time. Lonely, but would see friends late nights as their shifts ended or the evening was just peaking. Plus all my internet friends on IRC from all over.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

That's the dream really, for me currently I sometimes find myself getting an hour or 2 of OT at the end of my shift. Which blows.

Don't get me wrong I'm going to try to bend my schedule some more again soon so that maybe I could start aiming to get up by 5 am again as that was pretty damn nice when that was an option.

Getting up for work about 4ish hours before the shift starts is bliss

Edit: By getting OT at the end of my shift I mean I usually find out I'm getting literally as I'm trying to leave. It blows.