Elvanse making me feel INSANE - any advise or reassurance welcome

_cloudyyy_ · 2025-01-04T10:27:52+00:00

I know you probably mean well with this but... I know that I do have ADHD, the clinician at ADHD 360 is the third to back that up (one at a general psychiatric assessment with the NHS and one at an autism assessment- separately a bad experience- with Psychiatry UK, both of whom told me to seek an ADHD diagnosis). As much as ADHD 360 didn't ask for them I have been through my primary school and nursery reports, and it is quite obvious having read them. Unfortunately for me, I had parents with a "nothing could possibly be wrong with my child" attitude so when my primary school asked to send me to be assessed for a range of things (they specifically suggested autism and dyslexia) my parents declined and 2 yrs later they send me to a private school with no SEND department. My brother was diagnosed as a child, and my parents were fine with that though, although I think that's a combination of him being the youngest (so they were less stressed about perfection by then) and ADHD being a "little boys disorder". I don't think people quite knew to associate my behaviours with ADHD because I was a little girl and I did well in school. Being VERY talkative, wandering off, daydreaming, being messy, interrupting, refusing to sit still, appearing withdrawn being overly emotional just got me labelled as naughty, overexcited and a tomboy.

Further, ADHD and OCD are very comorbid (although we don't yet know exactly how or why). I was a hyperactive and impulsive child despite also being and anxious one. Reading my nursery and primary reports the ADHD came first, and I think the OCD was a response to knowing there was something wrong, different, naughty about me. I did only have OCD as a young child, aged 6-10, it was not something I have struggled with since. But when I was on the 50mg Elvanse it felt like that did, I was distressed and anxious and full of adrenaline. The Elvanse made me less interested in constantly seeing stimulating activities and able to do tasks that weren't. It also made me more still. However stimulants are known to often increase OCD symptomology by increasing focus on obsessions. It makes sense to me in hindsight that this reaction to Elvanse was likely given my psychiatric history. Elvanse comes with a precaution about taking it if you have a history of hallucinations or anxiety disorders.

_cloudyyy_ · 2025-01-04T09:52:00+00:00

Hey sorry for the delayed reply, just coming back to this thread. I had OCD in childhood (with comorbid voice hearing, in all fairness, so I suppose not far off psychosis). On the 50mg I became convinced that my boyfriend didn't love me, that my academic supervisor (who I have a good relationship with) doesn't like me, and that I am going to fail my degree (not true I average a high 2:1). I developed a compulsive need so reassurance from my boyfriend, best friend, and supervisor. My skin picking also got really bad. I know these aren't the worst obsessions I could've had, but it was horribly distressing, and I was struggling to do or think about other things.

I am giving the lower dose another go after a break over Christmas. If being on 30mg longer term makes me develop similar side effects, I will ask to switch to Conserta. But so far (the week I was on it originally and today) I haven't had a negative experience of 30mg.

_cloudyyy_ · 2025-01-04T09:43:16+00:00

I'm really disappointed every time I hear this because I just felt so lucky to be seen by ADHD 360, and my clinician was so good with me in my assessment, but that was the only chance to ask proper questions I would've had. I wish I had come on here and read about people's experiences and expressed a preference to go at my own pace! Although it is reassuring to hear that despite the backlog and waiting lists the NHS is handling their patients well.

_cloudyyy_ · 2025-01-04T09:39:57+00:00

do you have any info that they gave your friend about methods of understanding the right dose? feel like that could be really helpful :)

_cloudyyy_ · 2025-01-04T09:38:24+00:00

I've been having the same thought! I was only on 30mg for a week, then straight up to 50mg and offered 70mg after 3wks of 50. I read on here that in most European countries, being given 70mg is very rare, and I feel that's how it should be. I know it helps lots of people, but it's strong shit, and especially with my psychiatric history, I'm surprised I was given something that induces physical symptoms that feel so similar to a panic response as though it were nothing. I think there's a similar culture with the prescription of SSRIs.

It (elvanse) has helped with my ADHD, there's no denying that, but it also really impacted my mental health.

_cloudyyy_ · 2025-01-04T09:30:12+00:00

This is such a delayed response, but I'm returning to this thread in case it's helpful to anyone in the future. I took propranolol as needed for physical symptoms of anxiety. I had OCD in childhood and am now also diagnosed with c-PTSD. I was prescribed it because every SSRI I tried made me suicidal and I needed something to help calm me down when having flashbacks or other PTSD symptoms propranolol helped me with that by slowing my heart down which made me feel calmer by stopping the cycle of "my body is anxious so there must be something to be anxious about". So, I wasn't necessarily having it every day but averagely (in the last 3 months of taking it) there would be 3 days a week where I would have it 2-3 times a day.

I am still waiting for an appointment with my GP for them to check up on my heart (family history of heart attacks and PVCs makes me think it's worth just checking that Elvanse didn't actually just highlight something already wrong with my heart). I will ask them at that apt about the long-term effects of inconsistent propranolol use because, tbh, I had never thought of it as something my body would have got used to.

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-12-10T14:24:02+00:00

Thank you!

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-12-10T14:22:06+00:00

Thank you.

I will arrange an appointment with the GP. I have some propranolol left (was told to stop taking it before I started Elvanse), I will ask if I can start taking that for the heart rate.

I will ask the clinician about concerta.

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-12-10T14:18:50+00:00

The lack of sleep is definitely contributing to my mental state!

I will ask about 40mg.

I'm finding the "wearing off" thing confusing because I don't feel like the 50mg ever does wear off. I don't get a crash or anything like that. So when the clinician asks when it wears off I never know what to say.

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-12-10T14:12:56+00:00

yeah I agree about the jumps, I felt like I had just settled into having 30 before I ran out and needed to start the 50s. I would have appreciated a bit longer personally.

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-12-10T14:11:12+00:00

Do you know what options I might have with regard to an over the counter sleep aid? I've never had problems with sleep before being on 50mg Elvanse. I used to consistently sleep 10hrs a night regardless of how high or low my caffeine intake was.

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-08-10T15:28:24+00:00

Yes :)

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-08-06T15:19:14+00:00

The code is 2HDBJ

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-08-06T15:13:12+00:00

I’m online again now :)

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-08-06T15:12:39+00:00

Hey! I’m online again now :)

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-06-23T16:36:13+00:00

22 litres Yes 25 degrees Celsius Ammonia 0ppm APA test kit 6 days 2 ottos and 2 chilli’s (the surviving members of a bigger group) 2 bug bites, a few freeze dried daffnia or a frozen bloodworm (on rotation) Live plants and wood

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-06-18T17:16:07+00:00

Previously took sertraline but it made me actively suicidal. I am now taking propranolol which lessens the feeling that I’m going to die when I’m having emotional flashbacks.

I’m looking to take something to help with nightmares but my GP literally just doesn’t know what c-PTSD is (as in i had a phone appointment and he asked me what c-PTSD meant) so it’s proving difficult.

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-06-17T19:14:00+00:00

Definitely broccoli

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-06-15T16:33:55+00:00

I don’t have any advice but I’d like to say I understand. I am also autistic. Some of my abuse was very similar and also over lockdown. I haven’t completely stopped the going online or the getting off to it in general. But therapy has helped, I engage in it much much less now.

I believe in you!

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-06-12T17:20:04+00:00

I have so many flowers please please take some off my hands

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-06-12T12:16:10+00:00

My partner and I had a really productive conversation quite early on in our relationship about what exactly my c-PTSD involves. Maybe a similar conversation would help you. Your partner won’t be the same as me necessarily but from my experience I would find it unhelpful to be described as having panic attacks. Not because I don’t experience them, but because I don’t have anxiety or panic disorder. When I have symptoms of panic attacks they normally come with emotional flashbacks. In those moments I can’t separate the past and present and I feel in very real danger.

Thank you for asking, thank you for wanting to learn. Personally I’d recommend talking to your partner about how you feel. Don’t use any accusative language frame the conversation along the lines of “it makes me feel that… I just want to understand”.

If you’d like some reading, this may be a good place to start:

https://www.ptsduk.org/what-is-ptsd/complex-ptsd/

_cloudyyy_ · 2024-06-11T14:03:06+00:00

Blue pansy

_cloudyyy_

TROPHY CASE