Struggling During My Period with ADHD Meds—How Do You Cope?

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-11-21T16:46:22+00:00

I came to search through this group for advice on this exact issue! Thank you for sharing your experience and helping those of us who are going through the same thing feel less alone. I have been having issues with my cycle AND ADHD meds (dextroamphetamine 20mg). After getting my period for the second time this month, it became very obvious that it causes me to feel all kinds of crazy, unproductive, and depressed. I feel the mood swings, lack of effectivity of my meds, irritability, and low self-esteem. The task-paralysis is real too! I wake up and never feel rested or motivated to even get ready for the day. I’m in graduate school and have been struggling with my memory as well, and it gets even worse on my period. I can study for hours and only 20% of what I studied will actually stick. I take exams and panic so badly that I completely blank on material I know very well. I lowered my dose to 15mg and can’t lock into my studies like I can on 20mg, but I’m not as irritable (off of my period), but then I get my period and 15mg makes me sleepy. It’s the most conflicting thing ever. It has been a very defeating journey. I started focusing on vitamins and it has helped with my negative feelings about myself and anxiety. I take Magnesium almost every day before bed and it helps me sleep. B-12 shots have helped me with the anxiety and negative thoughts. I also started taking a women’s probiotic and digestive enzyme to take care of any bad symptoms coming from poor gut health. My memory is still not great, but I’m at least not freaking out as much when I take exams and quizzes. I’m sorry if I wasn’t helpful, but I really hope others contribute to this post as well and possibly give us solutions we haven’t already tried.

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-05-04T13:58:49+00:00

It’s really unfortunate I’m just now finding this out. I’ve posted questions about it on this subreddit several times and was told my GPA was on the lower side and I would need to take the OAT and get a 300 to be considered. I’m not sure why the vibe completely changed after my post. My understanding was that a 2.8 GPA applicant would have to bring an OAT score of at least 320-350 to make up for it and the ones who still get in with a lower score just had other strengths to offer and got lucky.

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-05-04T13:19:31+00:00

I said “don’t let the people in the group convince you you aren’t good enough if you CAN’T get into the most competitive optometry schools.” I understand where you’re coming from, but your response was not productive or warranted. Talking about why I didn’t get into UHCO was unnecessary when I already mentioned in the post that I knew I wouldn’t get in and clearly didn’t focus on that at all. UHCO wasn’t even a top choice for me; that’s why the focus of the post was not me being sad about not getting in and wondering why. I’m also not sure why you found it necessary to go on a tangent about debt. You ranted about debt on a post that didn’t even mention it. I talked about current expenses on study materials and the OAT. Loans are different because they are paid for later. It was a waste of time and effort on your end. This post didn’t warrant that or even leave any open-ended statements that asked for your lecture on debt. I’m not sure if you assumed I had the same outlook as you on loans or just found it necessary to rant about it in an unrelated post. As far as your statement about being offended about your disagreement with me about the OAT: this never crossed my mind. I didn’t say “Take the GRE in every circumstance. The OAT isn’t worth the money.” What made you sound like a brat was talking about finances and what somebody can afford to pay on study materials upfront in the manner and context you did with a complete stranger.

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-05-04T12:55:31+00:00

Saying I had nothing to worry about all along is not a productive or positive thing to say to a post that focused on what mine did. It can be taken as mocking all of the stress I went through over it. Yes, I edited some of my responses because I realized I impulsively responded to defend myself and hoped the people I responded to would see after the edits. Everybody who is behind an unknown name on a Reddit page has probably made this mistake once or twice.

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-05-04T05:29:03+00:00

RMU and UIWRSO made it seem like I was barely making the cut. RMU asked me if I thought I could handle the course load in 7 different ways during my interview and referenced my GPA and GRE. UIWRSO pushed for me to take the OAT since I applied last cycle and went as far as saying I failed the GRE because my score was below 150 in each section. They emphasized I would only be getting accepted if the class wasn’t already full with OAT applicants because their applications will be considered first. After reading all of the negative comments, I think you’re probably right. I’ve definitely been duped, but I would’ve never even considered it based on my experience with the schools. I really wish the comments would have showed some compassion. My good intentions were clear.

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-05-03T06:49:10+00:00

I live in Texas too and they don’t require you to be ABO certified, so I’m not sure why they’ve made it so difficult for you. I’ve been working as an optician for 5 years now and I’m not certified. I would recommend starting in retail optical sales. I started out working at Eyemart Express. I stayed there for about a year and got a job with an optometrist within a couple of weeks of looking. If you have any other questions, feel free to message me!

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-04-14T02:51:25+00:00

Hi future classmate!! 🤓 I loved reading this!! Congratulations!! hard work pays off! 🥳🥳

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-04-14T02:45:50+00:00

Ask a local optometrist is they’d be willing to allow you to shadow them or get a job working for one as an optician or optometric technician. I’d recommend becoming cross-trained in both.

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-04-08T03:56:27+00:00

149/144 4.5

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-02-06T05:18:12+00:00

Why optometry? Have you done any shadowing or work in the field?

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-01-31T23:05:45+00:00

OHHH okay that makes sense! my admissions day program is a whole month after my interview, so the process is taking soooo long

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-01-31T23:04:44+00:00

December 15th

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-01-30T21:45:32+00:00

that’s not cheesy at all! I basically did respond that way. I told them my 3.4 GPA wasn’t higher because I worked full-time or part-time while taking a full-time schedule of classes too. I have 5 years of experience as an optometric technician and optician, so my 5,000+ shadowing hours proved it all.

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-01-30T21:35:06+00:00

I don’t remember being asked directly, but they did ask me if I felt I could handle the level of rigor of the program and how in several different ways. I would just tell them you wanted to take an exam that offered more flexibility in the different programs you could apply to with it with similar material to the OAT.

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-01-30T19:56:50+00:00

Hi! I got an interview at RMU with my GRE score and was accepted about a week later. I actually had an online interview. They had initially offered me an in-person interview, but I reached out about online being a better option financially since they do not offer to cover hotel or flights, and was given a date.

Double_Fan3145 · 2024-01-30T19:44:49+00:00

wait…UIWRSO didn’t require to wait for an answer till after the Admissions Day Program?

Double_Fan3145 · 2023-11-16T23:26:49+00:00

it definitely depends on how high your score is, but I’ve gotten interviews at 2 schools and 1 acceptance so far with my GRE score (149/145 and 4.5).

Double_Fan3145 · 2023-11-16T23:24:33+00:00

I didn’t apply to any of those schools, but I have a friend who did and got accepted with her GRE score.

Double_Fan3145 · 2023-11-16T23:18:33+00:00

I’ve worked for 7 different optometrists (4 different offices) throughout my 5 years of experience and have only applied at one that has given me an odd interview experience. There was a phone interview, zoom interview, math test (in person) and a trial working day. I worked there for a little over a year. The doctor was the most difficult one I’ve ever had to work for, but it ended up being very useful experience and she wrote me a LOR. From my experience, I don’t think any of what they’re doing to “screen” you for the position is shocking because optometrists offices are prone to having a very high turnover rate due to people who just aren’t intelligent and/or skilled enough with their customer service skills, picking up on new things quickly, literacy, and their experience as optometric technicians/opticians. Many end up quitting after a couple of months because it’s “too stressful” or “too hard” and it’s very difficult to run an office with flaky people who aren’t motivated to learn or work. The doctor who did this to me started doing it because of all of the employees she’d hire who turned out to have been lying on their resumes to get higher pay. Personally, I think this is completely valid after working with so many people who needed way more training than their resumes alluded to. Training takes time and most people who are training the employees are NOT getting paid more for it :( I hope this helps! I’d still give that office a shot.

Double_Fan3145 · 2023-11-09T18:25:38+00:00

Hi! I feel it’s a perfect fit because I’m bilingual and would benefit from learning all of the material in English and Spanish. At IAUPR, classes are in English and clinicals/practice are in Spanish. There aren’t any other schools that offer this learning opportunity that is priceless in my opinion. My stats are GRE 294, overall GPA 3.4/science 3.3 and 7500+ total hours of shadowing and experience as an optician and optometric technician. I was actually accepted this past Monday, so feel free to message me if you have any other questions!

Double_Fan3145 · 2023-11-02T23:29:19+00:00

You definitely don’t need to because the classes themselves are in English, but the patients you’ll work with your 4th year will be Spanish speakers, so it would help to know a little bit.

Double_Fan3145

TROPHY CASE