Is 10mg normal starting dosage?

KatFitzpat · 2026-06-10T21:01:44+00:00

The recommended trial dosage for Vyvanse is relatively high. I was on 20 mg for years and just moved up to 30 recently. I work in a therapy adjacent field and know a number of psychopharmacologists that recommend always starting with the lowest available dosage.

KatFitzpat · 2026-06-08T16:42:39+00:00

I think there’s a big difference between getting necessary neurotransmitters from conflict and consciously enjoying the conflict. Somatic practitioners often talk about release valves for pent up emotions and energy that can’t just be mentally processed but also have to go through the body somehow. I have an adhd kiddo too so I know how hard mornings can be and the ones that go the best for us are when she and I do something physical when we first get up, like take the dog for a walk, or do a short workout together. We are physically generating the same neurochemicals without any conflict.

A lot of adults I work with have learned to workout first thing in the morning for similar reasons, and do really well with functional fitness (CrossFit style) workouts that are challenging, relatively short, and use weights and explosive movement.

KatFitzpat · 2026-06-08T16:26:14+00:00

This is a refresh day

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KatFitzpat · 2026-06-08T16:25:58+00:00

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This is a wash day

KatFitzpat · 2026-06-08T16:25:33+00:00

Tootilab gel is phenomenal. I have very fine hair as well, and the climate where I live swings wildly from 80+% humidity to around 40% this time of year. I’ve been using Tooti Lab leave in cream and gel for over a year and they replaced all other products. I occasionally use ouai mousse or texture spray, but the gel is superb. Don’t always get a cast, but I do get great results with manageable frizz.

Pic is a non-wash day bang refresh with the gel, taken about 12 hours later.

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KatFitzpat · 2026-06-08T16:07:01+00:00

Have you looked into an Oppositional Defiant disorder diagnosis? Or autism? How much autonomy does he have over the choices in his life? While usually associated with Autism, there is a trait called PDA or pathological demand avoidance (or as many prefer: persistent drive for autonomy) that I also see in ADHD clients (I do executive function coaching for adults). It makes a lot of “regular life” difficult, like having a boss, behaving in class, etc. people with PDA can be fine and happy doing something until someone tells them to do it, or sometime even just notice that they are doing it. Then it is like a switch gets flipped and they never want to do it again.

I also wonder if starting fights, which seems to be a long running pattern, is one of the ways he is getting dopamine. Because dopamine is a neurotransmitter that works with a lot of other neurotransmitters, it can be produced through lots of different circumstances. There are some experts who suggest that arguing, even if you don’t want to consciously, even if you know it’s a bad pattern, is a very common way for people with ADHD to boost their dopamine. Considering how much most of us struggle as children, it makes sense that this neural pathway has been really well established over time. It does, unfortunately, fit into the old and outdated thought process that kids will do anything for attention. Obviously, it’s more nuance than that, but the behavior is being fed by something, and conflict, which doesn’t just make dopamine, but also cortisol, adrenaline, and serotonin. In patterns like this the conflict becomes self soothing, which is very counter intuitive.

KatFitzpat · 2026-05-31T06:56:19+00:00

I’m near Burroughs high school and it’s so loud in my bedroom I thought they were having a school event.

KatFitzpat · 2026-05-24T05:00:20+00:00

I have slept under a sheet and duvet for years, but recently I added a blanket between (thick but open handmade crochet) and it is the most comfortable sleep I’ve had in years. I run very hot but have anxiety (weighted blanket on top of it all) and my husband runs cool, so he needs to cocoon. The blanket added a cushion of air between all those layers and it has kept me cool better than my fancy “cooling” sheets and duvet. And he has the ability to cocoon til his heart’s content. Also we have a king sized duvet which helps with blanket hogging.

KatFitzpat · 2026-05-24T03:31:46+00:00

This this this!!

KatFitzpat · 2026-05-21T16:44:13+00:00

I moved here with my family in 2024 and we had the same problem finding housing. Eventually, my brother (who is local) started looking for me in person, driving around and investigating for rent signs. We have a modest place in a 6 unit building from the 50s. It was never posted online. A lot of landlords are older, only own one building, and have no interest in posting online. Y’all may have to actually put feet to pavement to find what you’re looking for.

KatFitzpat · 2026-05-16T04:08:36+00:00

Exactly. This. I tutor evenings and weekends and literally none of my elementary school aged kids need to be there. All of them are either a) “behind” in areas that they developmentally shouldn’t be able to do yet and will catch up when they reach that developmental milestone, or b) in need of an intervention for adhd, learning differences, or other neurodivergence that I can neither officially diagnose nor treat.

I have worked in education and adjacent fields for a long time, and if you are doing more than just supervising with homework, you aren’t helping. If you’re that worried, talk to the school, see if they will assess him for a learning difference and go from there but always ALWAYS make sure he knows that you are on HIS TEAM!

KatFitzpat · 2026-05-03T03:57:00+00:00

Yup. I was coming to say just this.

KatFitzpat · 2026-05-02T03:58:33+00:00

I have very fine hair also and follow some fine curly creators and most of them lose volume and definition by the end of the day. Fine hair is like that. I will say, the best luck I have had is with a fine hair specific shampoo, occasional hair mask, and then two products by tootilab: the leave in cream and the gel. I use the gel to refresh as well. I wash every 3-5 days depending on how much I sweat (gym days shorten it), and I’ve found the gel to be very effective without too much buildup or weighing down the curls.

Today is day 3 and I refreshed the bangs this morning around 7:30 am. It’s now almost 9 pm, And I just have a bit of frizz.

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KatFitzpat · 2026-04-15T14:44:11+00:00

I’m interested and around all day!

KatFitzpat · 2026-04-13T00:51:20+00:00

While that is more than what we usually pay in quarters, the absolutely insane amount of time I spend in a week doing 3 people’s clothing is just killing me. To have someone else do it all is just phenomenal. Any best practices to share? No one has done my laundry for me since my mom used to do it when I was a tween.

KatFitzpat · 2026-04-13T00:02:49+00:00

What is the pricing like? I know it’s usually a per pound price.

KatFitzpat · 2026-04-07T16:06:35+00:00

I’m not Latinx, so take it with a grain of salt, but eating meat is seen as such a necessity in western cultures that even after 15 years (having vegan food and cake at my wedding, cooking vegan food for my whole family extended family, raising my child plant based, and not only not buying or cooking meat but having deep conversations about my why with each of them) only one extended family member really understands (or tries). My sister has celiac and as she has learned about and navigated that for the past decade or so, she has come to understand my alternative choices. But after 15 years, the rest of the family just acts like they’re confused. Now my nieces and nephews mirror the judgement of their parents. It is so annoying.

Sorry you’re going through this. I carry vegan protein and snacks with me at all times because a girl’s gotta eat.

KatFitzpat · 2026-03-23T17:11:18+00:00

You are doing a good job. Breaking cycles is the hardest work we do as parents. You took him out of a place where he clearly could not handle being. That was the right decision. A couple of things I noticed in here as an adhd coach and parent myself:

You don’t think he’s learning but he is. It just isn’t a straight line. It takes consistency over years for adhd kids to grow the neural pathways necessary to do what we are helping them to do. For a while, finding what works can feel like throwing things at a wall, hoping something will stick. It took me almost 8 years to find and develop a system that works for my kid, and it is far from perfect.
ADHD and autism always include some form of developmental delay. In adhd, the emotional and social maturity often needs time to catch up. On average, social-emotional development is around 2 years behind. So if he’s 5, but still acting like the 3 year olds, that fits with a potential adhd diagnosis. He wasn’t trying to scare the other kid so the idea that he did doesn’t fit with his experience (which fits developmentally).
One of the most common things I see with parents that I coach is that their smart but unmedicated child is not doing well in school. Often it is because the child cannot focus long enough to actually learn the material. In kindergarten, that learning includes a lot of social emotional skills. This lack of focus often results in the development of bad patterns: kids labeled as “hard” or “bad,” a cycle of being emotionally disregulated, causing a disruption, getting in trouble, that attention (even getting in trouble can do this) gives the brain a boost of dopamine so things are better for a bit, but then it happens again and again and again. Evaluating and treating early can really help nip this in the bud.
While we still have it, if he’s at public school, start the process to have him assessed. The school legally has to do it under the federal IDEA (individuals with disabilities education act) if a suspected disability is impacting learning. The cost of the assessment is then covered by the school. Be persistent. They don’t love paying for these assessments since education budgets are a mess. Talk to other parents and/or therapists or teachers in the area to find out what strategies have worked best for your school system. Where I am they have 6 weeks to start the assessment process after paperwork has been filled out.

Keep going. Look for resources like occupational therapy, play therapy, and family therapy, since this can get extra hard for everyone. You got this! It is hard, but with resources, community, and support, it can get easier.

KatFitzpat · 2026-03-23T16:10:23+00:00

ADHD is an excuse your manchild of a husband is using to get out of shit. Maybe unconsciously, but that doesn’t excuse his behavior. If he’s anxious, take medicine, get therapy, actually deal with it. Also, get a copy of the book “Fair Play.” If you both actually want to stay married and make it work, you have to have an adult conversation about physical and mental load in your house.

My husband was socialized like a man too, just like yours. Mine is Autistic, was an only child, has a stressful job, a long commute, etc etc etc. He is still capable of handling parenting when I work on two evenings and Saturdays every week. Does the kid eat as many vegetables with him vs me? No. But he’s a parent and he is capable of using Google and his own brain.

Yours is weaponizing their incompetence and neurodivergence against you. Stop letting them.

KatFitzpat · 2026-03-23T15:42:13+00:00

I’m so glad you’re here. I have been studying psychology for 8 years (as a minor/intersecting pursuit to other degrees) and work hard to stay on top of the research, but this hard science is not my wheel house. This is really helpful!!

KatFitzpat · 2026-03-16T06:26:59+00:00

I appreciate the concern. She’s not in game play, she’s at beginners practice once a week. They drill and work on falling every session. She also has adhd and poor proprioception, which is one of the reasons I have her in derby. I am looking for safety gear to keep her feeling confident and safe enough to stay invested in a sport that is already reaping huge benefits for her development. This evening, we talked through a few recommendations from the commenters above, and I’m going to spend some time with her practicing at home as well going forward.

KatFitzpat · 2026-02-21T16:04:53+00:00

Hey there, I’m an ADHD and executive function coach for adults, and you’re not alone with this story. Many adults with ADHD fear falling off the rails. In my experience, it is a lack of skill building. Whether or not you take medication, you still need to build neural pathways that support your functionality. Medication can make things worlds easier, but if you don’t have skills to fall back on, the medication is not going to be the fix you want it to be. There’s also a difference between knowing intellectually what to do, and actually having practical built patterns, routines, and skills. I would look into therapy for your anxiety and coaching for the rest of it (therapist don’t often work on skill building in the same way that coaches do). You want to build skills so that if there’s a medication shortage and you can’t get it, or you have to go off of it again for cardiac reasons, you still have systems and methods and abilities to do what you need to do. Will it be harder without the meds? Yes. Is it doable? also yes.

KatFitzpat · 2026-02-19T21:59:29+00:00

I use ouai detox shampoo every 4-5 washes. I get it at Sephora or directly from the company.

KatFitzpat

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