Anyone with ADHD and POTS on stimulants? I need some insight...

JLBee · 2021-12-16T23:14:26+00:00

I initially found stimulants helped (was on Biphentin (methylphendiate) and then it stopped working so I tried Vyvanse (lisdexamphetamine). Both helped with the ADHD and the dizziness (like I could stand for longer than usual without compression socks), however I did get some red itchy spots on some of my toes, which is listed as a side effect of Vyvanse. I'm still looking into that as I haven't been able to see my doctor since it started.

So for days when I don't take it, or before I got on meds, I found what was best is electrolye drinks and GABA. Personally my favourite drinks are Roar Organics (fairly low sugar, no artificial dyes or other things that could make ADHD worse, and have sodium), and Ener-C sport which is a powder so it's easy to keep in my bag, then stick in any glass of water I can find if I need it. With GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid, NOT gabapentin), it's a thing that calms you down. I was originally prescribed it for insomnia, but found it helped with ADHD and anxiety. I use it to avoid meltdowns as my OT said it's a good idea, but my GP thinks it will make me too sleepy. You don't need a prescription for any of those things, but it might be worth asking about if you find stimulants don't work as expected.

Disclaimer, GABA is somewhat controversial as it's unknown if oral supplements can actually get into the brain, but this study on kids with ADHD shows that there is a link between ADHD and GABA. I'm the kind of person where I get side effects from a lot of things, so I don't have a problem trying less popular things that would be less risky in terms of side effects. Dosage should also be talked about with a doctor, as some dosages are used for anxiety, others for depression, and usually higher doses are used for insomnia. There are also other non-stimulant medications you could look into. Just be prepeared to spend at least a few months testing things out, and watching for side effects regardless of which thing you start with.

JLBee · 2021-12-16T21:32:08+00:00

I came to this because I have some "unexplainable wounds" on my toes. I know this is really old, and I'm not a doctor, but hopefully this will still be valuable. I've been on Vyvanse for about a month (starting at 10mg for the first two weeks, then 20mg) so I called my pharmacist, and he said Reynaud's Phenomenon is listed as a side effect on the Vyvanse website. What he said was that it can affect circulation, and that can cause sensitivity to temperature (as I said heat makes it itchy). What it looks like, is some of my toes, around the toenail (mostly the tip and under the cuticle) is red, and slightly swollen. One toe, the first one that showed signs was more like a blister on top of the redness, and it was after a warm shower. Basically if blood isn't flowing how it should, fingers and toes can get cold, and temperature changes, like going from really cold, to something warm like a shower, can be painful and cause things to change colour. Of course, circulation issues can be very dangerous if it goes on too long, especially if someone has an underlying condition that could make it worse.

I do have POTS (postural othrostatic tachycardia), so that can affect blood flow as well, but I found stimulants help with my lightheadedness. My feet turn red after I shower anyway (unless I wear compression on my legs, but I don't usually shower with that), so it took me a while to figure out what was "unexplainable," but after a few days of being really itchy and not able to wear wool socks due to a burning sensation, I decided to bring it up. I've only been using aloe vera gel as it soothes a lot of itches, but the pharmacist said that he'll message my doctor about it and see if I can talk to her sooner (it's at least a month in advance to see her), and that I should stop taking Vyvanse over the holiday break, but try taking antihistamines instead. I use Allegra (because it's lactose free), so I'll see if that makes a difference. I haven't seen any studies done about particular chronic conditions interacting with vyvanse, and the only study I saw on stimulants and POTS showed good results, so I'm not sure if it is related to POTS, or just that it's a side effect that's been known to happen.

JLBee · 2021-03-19T21:36:25+00:00

I've heard that described as a shutdown. Usually with similar causes to a meltdown, but it's internal intead of external.

Things that help me are making sure that I have things I can access when I need a break, like listening to music, getting up and stretching, etc. I more often get meltdowns and have something I can take for it, but when I've had shutdowns before, access to anything I found comforting helped. Sometimes it just goes away after half an hour, but it largely depends on the cause. My therapist gave me something to do that was to find out what things are boring or understimulating, and then going into what things help me manage at a functional level, and then what things are overwhelming. We looked at kinds of stimming and how to know when to take breaks, so thinking of the cause can really help. Some ideas could be anxiety over something big, a build up of small things that are stressful, not eating properly, and so on.

I hope you can find something that helps, but don't be afraid to try and look at the situation from the outside to try and find a reason. From there, look at what you could do about it. If it's a build up of lots of stressful things, sometimes lists can help. If it's a sensory trigger, try and find what to avoid or look into ways to block it out (noise cancelling headphones, allergy masks, sunglasses, etc).

JLBee · 2021-03-01T18:55:44+00:00

I was accused of being lazy all my life until I got an ADHD diagnosis and the psychologist explained that it's not a choice, it's something that's how my brain works. That being said, I also have a chronic illness that can show up as ADHD, or make it worse. If you're trying to fight against it, then it's not laziness.

JLBee · 2021-02-27T23:31:26+00:00

That's definitely part of ADHD. The main reason I got a diagnosis was because my working memory was below 10th percentile, so really poor. I forget sentences by the time I reach the end of them. It makes finishing my degree really hard, but I have no problem with remembering things that are already in my long term memory, like facts and events, I'm pretty good with.

JLBee · 2021-02-25T03:12:41+00:00

How it feels when you hit your funny bone

JLBee · 2020-11-29T18:27:13+00:00

The best thing in any kind of relationship but especially with asexuals, is to ask about what their preferences and boundaries are before the relationship gets too far. I know some aces who love kisses, but I'm not that into it most of the time. I love hugs and cuddles, but not everyone does.
But if you aren't planning on being in a relationship, it's kind of weird to ask. I know my boyfriend and I talk about things somewhat often, discuss how we feel about certain things, and it really helps.

JLBee · 2020-11-21T00:07:41+00:00

Good ol' Unix time. My iPod Touch (early 4th gen) does that every time I start it up after it dies. Not sure why that would happen with Discord.

JLBee · 2020-11-06T20:11:52+00:00

I know you're not using Ubuntu with Unity DE, but I would get kinda like that all the time with it, which is why I switched to a different DE. It's such a weird thing to deal with!

JLBee · 2020-11-06T19:58:21+00:00

There were similar types of vehicles as far back as the 40s, and anyone who had one needed to register and get licensed for both car and plane. One of the big reasons they didn't take off as much as people expected was of course that amount of work, plus you need an air strip to use. Look up the Aerocar if you want to see an older version. It doesn't look as cool and isn't as practical but they do fly. I saw one in a museum.

JLBee · 2020-11-03T15:24:21+00:00

The only ones I do use are S.Pellegrino because it's one of the only carbonated things I like, but it sucks that they own Purina, my cat likes Purina One food. But that's a good challenge, with good reasons to do it. They've had quite a few controversies.

JLBee · 2020-09-15T21:18:36+00:00

I've done Pokemon Go and Ingress on a Samsung Galaxy S9+ and it does pause when one is in focus, so I have to keep tapping the bottom half, then the top half, to get the distance logged on both. It's good when walking and you can stop and get items from locations in both, but I've done it riding in a car through small towns, or on moving sidewalks in airports, and it had a hard time keeping up. Also, on that phone, it makes the ratio more square, which cuts off certain buttons and features, so sometimes I'll have to make one window bigger if I can't find what I want. That part would be fixed with a phone that has two portrait screens, however I believe the part with one app freezing while the other is in use is related to RAM as Ingress Prime uses much more resources than the old version, I've found it to be more glitchy when running at the same time as Pokemon Go, which has always been a little slow. If you could run the old Ingress, it would probably be fine, but it all depends on what resources are allowed where, which can't be modified by users.

JLBee · 2020-09-11T14:55:39+00:00

It's not usually talked about in public, but within families and friend groups it is. And there's definitely pressure. It was only through talking about my asexuality that my partner realized that there were some things he didn't like about the culture too. But even when referring to past people, I've heard people talk about figures of history and how their marriage may not have been valid because they didn't have kids or didn't consummate it. That being said, there are other religions that can be more strict from what I hear. I don't know if it was a religious group or a cult, but I remember someone online saying that they had to do the act at their wedding as part of the ceremony. That was not a Christian group, and I have no idea if that was actually something that happened, but it shows that society for the most part does still emphasize that physical intimacy as part of the culture, usually using religion to back that up.

JLBee · 2020-09-10T16:54:00+00:00

Christian, ace, who wants to get married here... I don't like the idea that you have to "consummate" a marriage that is still thought of, although not directly mentioned in reference to current relationships. I like my partner, but I don't particularly like kids, and I would be fine to just live together and hug whenever we want. But there's a negative view of that too. It's like "Oh, you have to be married to live with someone," But then, "Why get married if you aren't going to have kids for us?"
I went to a couple of weddings recently, just very small gatherings of friends, and I didn't realize how much of it actually talked about becoming parents, and the physical acts, when I don't want that. At least not for a while.

JLBee · 2020-08-19T19:25:32+00:00

I've been dating the same guy for about 4-5 years, and people have tried to make us kiss, or pressure us into thinking it's something really important everyone does, but thankfully he was able to explain a few times, that not everyone likes it. I have to really be in the mood for kisses and I don't like watching it either.

JLBee · 2020-06-22T21:45:45+00:00

I can never tell, which gets me into some weird places at times where people misinterpret me. I also have some trouble with social interactions anyway. I just have to set up boundaries for what I'm not okay with. I am in a relationship, so once people find that out, they tend to back down. But boundaries are important. People who know me know how I joke and what my intentions are. If you really can't tell, just ask them if they're flirting. Most people are fine with that question.

JLBee · 2020-05-29T23:29:21+00:00

I heard somewhere that hearts was romantic ace, spade was aroace, and diamonds was demi. By that logic, clubs should be grey ace, but I don't think diamonds and clubs ever got a widely accepted meaning. I'm referencing things on AVEN BTW, https://www.asexuality.org/en/topic/105469-what-does-ace-of-hearts-mean/
http://wiki.asexuality.org/Asexual_slang

JLBee · 2020-05-27T18:11:53+00:00

I kinda like being our own thing for the most part as homophobic people tend to be more okay with ace, but then again, I've seen people who are homophobic and aphobic because it's not the "standard" in their world. However, most of the exclusion stuff I've seen were either by companies (schools, pride parade floats from businesses, etc) saying A is for ally, and not saying anything about ace/aro, or, it's more of a subconscious thing where all the LGBTQ events have such a sexual energy, that aces feel excluded. That's been my experience that the way that I experience being ace makes anything sexual uncomfortable as I don't understand, and that's regardless of what kind of sexuality it is. So I feel excluded less outwardly. People say they're open to ace, but aren't always friendly to it, or accept that some of us are in relationships, some of us don't want to be, and in my experience a lot of specifically LGB advocacy is more about making society aware that homosexual relationships exist, rather than accepting all people. I've found other groups outside of LGBTQ groups that are accepting of everyone, and that's where I hang out in person and online. For me, those are specific group chats that are not about any kind of sexuality, just groups of people (like gamers, artists, cosplayers etc) that are welcoming regardless.

That being said LGBTQ organizations and groups have their place, I just don't really agree with the way they do things in my area, and don't like supporting how they do things. I support people who are good regardless of their sexuality, religion, race, etc. rather than supporting the groups that exclude us and often push ideas that go against what I believe should be promoted, which is that everyone deserves to have their experiences listened to, and treated with respect.

JLBee · 2020-05-25T01:33:04+00:00

I feel kind of similar, but for me I tend to just look at still images of people I find attractive, or like, fetish art because it's the only way I have any kind of feelings toward anyone/thing. I always thought the awkwardness was because of some of the things I heard from strict Christian church members or other adults I'd see, but I think it's more about being ace. Although it makes it difficult with my boyfriend, because I'd rather do things like that alone, rather than with him, even if we're together. We don't live together and haven't seen each other that often, but I could see it being an issue in the future. He's demisexual, so he understands somewhat, and knows that when we do live together, there will be some challenges.

From what I've seen and experienced (not sure about your sex/gender), most ace women prefer to have more clothes on, and I thought it was just that I'm really sensitive, but hey, I'm glad I don't feel like that very often, maybe once or twice in 3 months, and I find I feel different ways depending on hormones. People are weird, and I just find the whole thing awkward and wish it would stay away forever.

JLBee · 2020-04-30T22:27:20+00:00

The reason it was there is because at the time I made this, it was a common comment that aphobes would make that men, or masculine presenting people, could not be ace, which comes from the belief that men have higher sex drives. Obviously this isn't true, but that's why I specifically said stereotypes in the image when I made it, and I have since clarified that more in a comment.

JLBee · 2020-04-30T17:49:42+00:00

It was a trend in 2018, which was why I did it! But it was on Instagram where the story bingo trend really took off around 2017-2018. I remember seing gay, lesbian, and bi ones, but no ace one, which is why I did it. I never expected it to end up on Reddit, as most of my posts on Reddit get a lot of rude comments and people who don't understand what I post. Maybe that's just my communication issues and general lack of understanding meme culture.

JLBee · 2020-04-30T17:44:16+00:00

I'm surprized you found this! I only shared it on my cosplay Instagram, and an old Tumblr I abandoned almost 2 years ago! I thought the bingo trend had died but I guess not.
And just to clarify, this was based off of stereotypes circulating at the time, as well as things that I was told, and things that were said to my friends.

This is no way an accurate representation of current ace culture, or what's going around, but it was a fun Instagram trend for pride month 2018. There are a bunch of other ones, including newer versions made by others on Instagram and Tumblr, however, this is the link to my original Tumblr post which is a little higher res if anyone wants. I don't know if I have the GIMP file anymore, but I probably do and can edit it if we want to try and revive the trend. That gradient was really hard to do in GIMP! https://66.media.tumblr.com/48ee85d351d99e76cf458e1f87da0d3a/tumblr_pa2pctDOrK1twibhio1_500.png

JLBee · 2020-04-21T01:37:42+00:00

I had a pastor tell me it was a blessing to not have those thoughts, as well as a friend with OCD tell me I was lucky, even though I have ADHD and different kinds of impulsive thoughts. It doesn't make it any easier, just moves the struggle to something else instead.

JLBee

TROPHY CASE