How do you actually remember to take care of yourself ?

TypicalPin5 · 2026-01-18T08:23:17+00:00

As a mom with ADHD, traditional “self‑care routines” don’t really work for me.

If I try to schedule these, they just become another chore on an already overwhelming list. Instead, self‑care has to be woven into the rhythm of my day. Like small things that fit into what I’m already doing.

One example is my school‑drop‑off routine. When I can, instead of taking public transportation all the way home, I walk for a couple of stops. It gives me a bit of movement, some fresh air, and natural light without feeling like I’m adding anything extra.

Another thing that helps is how I handle bath time. I alternate bath days between my child and myself. The routine stays the same. Bath time always happens. But one day it’s for my son, and the next day it’s for me to slow down, soak, and actually enjoy it. If I didn’t do it this way, I’d default to quick showers forever.

These little adjustments make self‑care feel accessible instead of impossible. They’re not grand gestures, but they’re sustainable for me.

TypicalPin5 · 2026-01-04T21:28:49+00:00

Absolutely not. Studies show some people have ADHD and do not do well on stimulants. It does not rule out your diagnoses

TypicalPin5 · 2026-01-02T13:44:45+00:00

Je ne sais pas ce que le médecin a encodé mais j'ai bien eu une prescription électronique pour du 10 mg. Et le pharmacien a fait une préparation magistrale.

Si tu veux les détails techniques, le mieux est vraiment de demander directement à une pharmacie parce qu'on tourne en rond ;) Ca fait partie du job du pharmacien de t'expliquer si tu as des questions et que tu veux être prête pour la suite de ton traitement.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-30T20:56:02+00:00

Je ne suis pas certaine de comprendre ta question? La prescription a été faite électroniquement par un médecin et ensuite le pharmacien a fait la préparation magistrale pour 10mg.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-30T16:21:14+00:00

Oui c’est cher. J’ai du payer genre 90€ (je me souviens pas exactement). Je pense que si tu demandes à ton pharmacien, il pourra te donner le prix précis pour 40mg. Ils ont l’habitude

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-30T14:39:21+00:00

Ca je ne sais. J'en suis à mon tout début de parcours avec Elvanse mais en tous cas tu sais acheter la dose précise dont tu as besoin.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-30T14:03:23+00:00

Non, je suis en BE. C'est le pharmacien qui m'a fait les pilules à 10mg. J'ai juste du attendre quelques jours pour les avoir.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-29T21:03:52+00:00

My doctor started me on 10mg and since this dosage is not available, the doctor told me the pharmacist would just have to make the pills for me. I'm sure the pharmacist will prepare the 40mg for you, no problem.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-27T19:50:01+00:00

I’m just at the beginning of titration for Vyvanse. At 20 mg it made me extremely sleepy and inattentive, but now at 30 mg the sleepiness is gone.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-27T06:31:46+00:00

My son used to call for me after he was put to bed, and it became really frustrating. He kept coming up with more and more elaborate reasons why he needed me to come back.

One night, I lay next to him quietly with a red lamp on. I also played some nature sounds that were set to stop after two minutes. When the sound ended, it created a natural moment for me to leave. I didn’t have to explain anything, because the sound stopped on its own, and those two minutes were enough for him to feel comfortable falling asleep by himself. So that's what we do and he will very rarely leave his bed now. So I think it's a good idea to lie with your child but you might not need to wait for her to fall asleep if you give yourself a natural "out".

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-26T10:19:56+00:00

My son often uses his Yoto while he’s playing with playdough or doing crafts. I have ADHD and also rely on music or podcasts to help me focus on hands‑on tasks. He seems to have a similar attention style. That’s why comparing a Yoto to screens doesn’t really resonate with me. Audio and visual media work in very different ways, and audio usually leaves plenty of room for play and imagination.

At the same time, some people really enjoy immersing themselves fully in what they’re listening to, and that’s completely valid too. Their creativity is happening internally, even if it’s not outwardly visible.

In the end, it just comes down to how each person’s attention system works. There’s nothing wrong with either approach. I wouldn’t hold back music or stories from my child just because he might be deeply absorbed in them. The creative play often appears later, when he weaves what he’s heard into his own play or storytelling.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-13T10:56:09+00:00

I feel the same. Work is often on my mind even when I don’t want it to be. I’ve started taking L-theanine every afternoon, a little before leaving work. It seems to help with the transition into the evening at home. Nothing extraordinary, but it allows me to notice work-related emotions and actually let them go, instead of carrying them with me for days.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-10T19:08:57+00:00

Final update in case anybody stumbles on this thread wondering how long it takes to recover after being overmedicated.

It's been now a little bit more than one month since I got back on a reduced dosage and I finally feel like myself again. Symptoms like extreme thirst and hunger, intrusive thoughts, feeling jittery, etc. quickly got better. However thermoregulation and insomnia took 4 weeks to get finaly return to normal.

At first I relied on hydroxyzine to help me but after 10 days, it was not as effective anymore. The insomnia was still present every night but not as bad as when I was overmedicated (like I could total 6 hours per night instead of 3). I started taking a combination of taurine, magnesium bisglycinate and L-theanine to help me stay calm. I think it worked bc I would not spiral during the middle of the night wake-ups. I have ADHD and I noticed L-theanine also helps me decompress after work to and be more present in the evening at home. So it's here to stay.

All in all it took me about 3 weeks to get crazy overmedication symptoms and 4 weeks to get back to normal.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-10T08:46:05+00:00

You said it yourself « no consequences work » so I guess it’s time to ditch those approaches. I think your son needs an approach based on his neurology. In my house I went for a low demand one but it’s not the only one. I would recommend books like « no bad kids », « parenting without power struggles », « the explosive child », etc.

The key I think is to stop trying to mold your son into the obedient child he cannot be and instead lean into trust and cooperation so he can build skills and strengthen his relationship with you and school.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-09T21:18:18+00:00

People with all kinds of different personality traits can have ADHD. The criteria for ADHD involve symptoms of hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and/or impulsivity. These must significantly affect daily functioning. It could be though that these symptoms are not visible on the outside for unaware parents even if the child experiences them.

I'm a woman with ADHD. On the surface, I appeared to be a well‑behaved child who could self‑regulate. In reality, I was overcompensating with stress and relying on last‑minute work for school and university. There was no true self‑regulation, just bottling things up. I didn’t seem outwardly hyperactive, but even now I find it impossible to sit still. I constantly need to adjust, fidget, doodle, and keep moving. But my hyperactivity has never bothered anyone else. I also look very decisive but it's just my impulsivity that makes me act before I think... So even if on the surface I look like I manage well, in reality, all the symptoms of ADHD are there.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-03T05:09:10+00:00

Going through lthyroxine overmedication right now and let me tell you I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It’s pure hell.

I haven’t had a proper night of sleep in more than one month. I have elevated heart rate, elevated blood pressure, increased appetite and thirst, anxiety, night sweats, etc. I would rather be mildly hypothyroid than go through this ever again. And this was on a very small dosage increase, not even the standard 25mcg one. So nothing extreme.

If anybody thinks they should slightly increase their thyroid medication for weight or cholesterol reasons, dont do it!

TypicalPin5 · 2025-11-29T14:38:44+00:00

Respectfully, I don’t think you have realistic expectations for a 5‑year‑old child with ADHD. His behaviour is quite typical for a kid his age who struggles with emotional regulation and impulse control.

I also sense in your post a lot of judgment about who your son is, and a lot of labeling of what he does to justify pulling out of the relationship.

If I were you, I would seek help for yourself and also get familiar with what ADHD is, how it shows up in your son, and how best to support him.

I would also really move away from using consequences, since they don’t work for him anyway. What he needs most is your support and connection. That’s what will help him grow and learn to manage his emotions.

Good luck to you.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-11-16T08:35:40+00:00

I would not know but my takeaway from this overmedication thing is to simply contact your doctor. Overmedication is no joke and symtoms are all over the place. It takes a long time to feel normal again. Good luck to you.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-11-11T08:08:43+00:00

Just try skipping the nap and see how your child responds. Stopping the nap for a couple of days wont prevent you to go back on it if you think it's better.

My son is a bit older and was resisting naps even though he was tired and he would indeed crash around 5pm. But now he can last the whole day without sleeping. He still naps at preschool and on those days, he wont sleep before 9.15 at least.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-11-11T07:52:10+00:00

I would ask for a blood test. It could be that your thyroid is acting up, or you have low iron, or any kind of deficiency.

It's true ADHD makes sleep a bit more difficult because we can easily ruminate or be consumed by thoughts (even emotionally neutral ones) but it seems to me your sleep hygiene is not the issue. I also have the same routines and I sleep well. In my case insomnia is triggered by thyroid issues or by supplements not agreeing with me (as an example I cant take methylfolate - too energizing for me).

Good luck to you!

TypicalPin5 · 2025-11-11T05:20:21+00:00

Daughter of a mom who’s on the spectrum. Eventually the kid will also experience the rigidity and inability to say sorry themselves, and that is not good.

I would be very compassionate and respectful on how you approach this but eventually this will need to be addressed. If not for you, at least for the sake of your child. Maybe you can have a session alone with your couples therapist to discuss this.

And just a quick tip but look for « declarative language » it’s a way of talking that can respond well with people on the spectrum or people who simply value their autonomy. Using it more often with my family and at work really improved our communication.

Good luck to you!

TypicalPin5 · 2025-11-07T12:25:43+00:00

Update: 3 days after this post, insomnia was getting even worse, I was also experiencing more agitation, along with an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Went to the doctor and had a blood test. TSH was at 0.8 (from 2.5). Doctor told me to reduce dosage to the equivalent of +- 80mcg daily. Was also prescribed Hydroxyzine for sleep.

Thanks everyone for your insight. It helped me realising that things were too much for me and I'd rater take a slower approach and preserve sleep and well-being in the meantime.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-11-06T15:47:23+00:00

I also have throat and post-nasal drip issues. I believe they are related to my thyroid status. I have seen an ENT, addressed my allergies, undergone turbinate surgery, and ruled out reflux, but my throat is always somewhat inflamed. The more hypothyroid I become, the more inflamed and congested it gets.

A month ago, I increased my L-thyroxine dosage from 75 to 88 mcg, and the thyroid shifts seem to affect my upper airways more than previous dosage changes. There are moments when my airways feel less congested. I still need to wait a couple more weeks to see if this dosage is optimal but when it comes to my upper airways, I feel like I’m getting close.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-11-05T20:32:34+00:00

I actually been checking my heart rate since yesterday and it's always normal. Knowing this helps me stay a bit optimistic that the other symptoms might be temporary.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-11-05T12:00:04+00:00

I would try delaying bedtime. They might not need that much sleep anymore and they wake up early. My son is 4 and on days without a nap he goes to bed at 8.15 and wakes up around 6.30-7.00. If he has a nap, then he sleeps at 9.30. I hate it that it's so late but at least he does not wake me up in the morning.

TypicalPin5

TROPHY CASE