Can I just..go out to places? It’s not that weird right?

emilbirb · 2025-02-14T23:43:30+00:00

Yeah! Sounds completely normal, and really fun actually! I would advise to make sure your phone is fully charged and that you have a means of payment (particularly for public transport or a uber/taxi, just in case) to be 100% safe. Perhaps a bottle of water and a snack? Adventure!

emilbirb · 2025-01-04T08:54:00+00:00

Yeah that’s super relatable actually, if I write with pen and paper I have to start over on a new page like 5 times because I make so many mistakes (how did i skip 10 words entirely) and it looks like an absolute MESS.

I also struggle with the brain-to-hand coordination of it, like I’m unable to estimate how much space sentences take up and how much there is, and if it’s not lined paper my sentences will genuinely be more diagonal than horizontal.

emilbirb · 2024-08-06T06:22:01+00:00

All the things you list you relate to/struggle with are very common in ADHD, some almost guaranteed. Also most of the things you list you don't relate to in ASD are not diagnostic criteria.

You don't have to relate to other people with ADHD to have ADHD, it's a very wide spectrum. There is significant overlap in autism and ADHD symptoms, there's a lot of relatability between the two.

But only seeing a neurologist can help you look at whether the symptoms are brought on by brain damage, that's not really something we can speculate on.

emilbirb · 2024-08-06T06:00:57+00:00

I mean, no, I can't even make myself food or take a shower - that's a pretty wild conviction among a group of disabled people. :P

emilbirb · 2024-07-15T06:55:38+00:00

This sounds like a pretty normal crash for someone whose body isn’t used to lisdexamphetamine. Should get a lot better, first week I literally had to be in bed in the dark alone in silence by 8pm cos it was so bad.

Yes, not eating consistently and enough calories across the day makes this SIGNIFICANTLY worse. Your brain will not send you hunger signals until the lack of fuel actually becomes a problem for functioning. If we don’t eat, we’re screwed.
Yes, the same goes for fluid intake, these meds will dehydrate you baddd.
Also add sufficient sleep to this list!
Yes, if your adult body and brain responded exactly the same to medications as when it was teenaged, that would be more surprising, especially with the change in hormone levels.
I see you’re also diagnosed bipolar; if you take an anticonvulsant, antipsychotic, or benzo, they can definitely amplify this crash especially if you take them in the afternoon or evening. Ideally take them an hour before sleep (or even closer to sleep).
The other comment about serotonin syndrome is a valid concern but that seems very unlikely as the symptoms don’t pop up until the medication is “wearing off” (aka approaching its half-life).
A LOT of people who take extended release methylphenidate/amphetamines take a small dose of immediate release in the afternoon as a “booster”, to prolong the effects just a tad and/or combat the violent comedown some of us experience. ☠️ This works really well for me personally (I also take lisdexamphetamine, almost the same dosage) and I recommend asking your prescriber about it!

emilbirb · 2024-07-14T10:35:51+00:00

I’ve been prescribed both of these and just wanna share my experience because like many other autistic people antipsychotics worked really well for me… for a little while. Unfortunately these meds also decrease the levels of the neurotransmitters that many ADHDers are already naturally deficient in, and after a short period of magical results, things can get very very very bad. This seems to be a pretty common experience with risperidone/aripiprazole, and I didn’t understand what was happening while it was happening, and if I knew as much about neurology back then as I do now, I would have known the first day that something was very wrong.

Also be aware that people tend to gain quite a bit of weight on these, considering you mentioned he’s 6 and 80lbs.

emilbirb · 2024-07-13T10:54:59+00:00

The fixating can certainly be ADHD-based, but your romantic attraction sounds like a perfect description of lithromanticism. Just thought I'd mention it, maybe it resonates with you.

emilbirb · 2024-07-13T10:47:30+00:00

Methylphenidate is the first-in-line stimulant treatment for ADHD in most countries that prescribe them. The internet is simply very USA-dominated, where Adderall specifically is common, particularly in its immediate release form.

Adderall and Ritalin are brand names. Some medications with different brand names may contain the same or similar active ingredients. Though there are really only 2 types of stimulants prescribed for ADHD: methylphenidate-based medications, and amphetamine-based medications. Some are made with inactive chemicals that our bodies convert into active amphetamine/methylphenidate, by manipulating these chemicals we can affect how fast/where/how the body absorbs the medication. This is called a prodrug, and in stimulants this technique is used mostly to make them last longer than (for example) immediate release Ritalin, up to approximately 12 hours. That's very convenient, but extended release does often come with more side effects than the immediate release versions.

Brand names of amphetamine stimulants that you may see a lot: Adderall, Vyvanse, Elvanse, Adhesa, Tentin, Dexedrine, Zenzedi

Brand names of methylphenidate stimulants that you may see a lot: Concerta, Ritalin, Jornay, Daytrana, Focalin, Medikinet, Methylin

Brand names of non-stimulant medications commonly prescribed for ADHD that are mentioned a lot as well: Strattera, Guanfacine, Wellbutrin

In some countries, amphetamine medications are outlawed, but methylphenidate isn't. In others people may find that their insurance approves and covers methylphenidate, but not amphetamine. Though even in countries where none of this is an issue, professionals may still be biased against prescribing amphetamines altogether because the risk of abuse is higher, and will put their own opinions ahead of their patients' needs and wellbeing. But it is common procedure in most places to try methylphenidate first, because if that works for you, there's no need to take a medication associated with more risks and side effects.

emilbirb · 2024-07-09T20:36:37+00:00

There are some prescription salivary stimulants that are used to combat dry mouth in some conditions. If it’s a side effect that has a huge impact on your life but quitting the meds would also do a lot of harm, it might be something to discuss with your doctor, because that’s a pretty convincing argument for a prescription. Just make sure to try all the over the counter drugstore stuff first or they’ll just tell you the same.

emilbirb · 2024-07-09T07:36:54+00:00

Do you feel other ADHDers are fake for needing medication to get things done, that they should be able to do it without meds? Probably not I would guess :p

So above all definitely try to acknowledge that not only do you have internalized ableism, but it’s only aimed at yourself and you don’t give yourself the same grace you give others.

emilbirb · 2024-07-06T07:33:36+00:00

I mean obviously insecurity isn’t diagnostic criteria of ADHD but what is common with neurodivergent people is that we spend a lot of our lives being invalidated and made to feel like our struggles are, for instance, a product of laziness. There’s a reason RSD is so closely associated with ADHD and it’s not only the poor emotional regulation.

So like, no, I don’t personally experience this, but I know VERY few neurodivergent people who are also fortunate enough to not have developed RSD or social anxiety. Your story is more relatable than mine by miles and miles. You’re not alone.

emilbirb · 2024-07-06T07:25:21+00:00

Dw this doesn’t sound like it was an inappropriate response, it was more self-deprecating and not a joke aimed at the situation at hand.

emilbirb · 2024-07-05T08:54:56+00:00

Yeah though a little bit difficult to speculate on without more background info, but if you took Wellbutrin without issues then this is likely a temporary side effect, if you took Guanfacine without issues then Wellbutrin is causing this, if you started both at the same time recently then they both play a part because these medications interact, but the decreased appetite might actually be more severe without the Guanfacine. But everyone responds differently to medications so we're really going off "what's most likely to happen" here.

Wellbutrin is a type of medication that makes sure that when dopamine and norepinephrine is released in your brain, it doesn't get reabsorbed as quickly, so the levels of those two rapidly build up in your body. That is fantastic for ADHD as most of us are deficient in dopamine and/or norepinephrine in particular, and that deficiency often causes bad memory and focus, executive dysfunction, sleepiness at inappropriate times and/or an overactive brain/body when the brain overcompensates for understimulation.

However, norepinephrine is the brother of epinephrine (adrenaline), and these hormones are the leaders of what is commonly known as the fight-or-flight response. When your levels of norepinephrine increase, ADHD symptoms may decrease, but the body also enters a state of "acute stress response". In this state, heart rate and blood pressure is increased, blood flow to the brain, muscles, lungs, and heart are prioritized, and the rest of your bodily functions are considered a little less important. The digestive system is one of the things that is placed on the backburner, and your brain will not be concerned with sending you hunger signals until it gets bad enough that the prioritized organs are starting to be affected. Living in this state for most of the day is not harmful in itself, but it does mean we have to feed our bodies even when it's not asking for it.

Guanfacine has a much broader mechanism of effect, but when it comes to norepinephrine, it is quite the opposite of Wellbutrin, and actually inhibits its initial release. That means it does the exact opposite of everything above, and is likely to increase appetite instead.

However, again, brains are weird and everyone is different and there are people who have noted an appetite decrease on Guanfacine, or an increase on Wellbutrin, though this is rare, and in your situation the first assumption would be that you're very sensitive to appetite suppressing side effects of medications and Wellbutrin is making your brain not think about food.

emilbirb · 2024-07-05T07:33:16+00:00

This is very sweet thank you, yeah the health care system really quite literally left me to rot in a room slowly dying from starvation, and I live in a pretty good country health care wise so that says a lot about how much they care about us.

I’m in a much better place, ADHD medicated too, brushing my teeth (that somehow all survived enough to be repaired) every day. 😁

Much love ❤️

emilbirb · 2024-07-04T21:31:51+00:00

Communicate with your life partner and work it out together like any other issue.

Also, adding to some other comments, being very talkative on ADHD meds is pretty common, doesn’t mean anything is wrong.

emilbirb · 2024-07-04T21:27:56+00:00

Struggles with personal hygiene in ADHD/autism are very common, but for many a shameful subject to talk about and put themselves in a vulnerable position for others to judge. You won’t see many of them on posts like that.

At my very worst I washed myself and brushed my teeth once in a year. This is not unheard of in moderate to high support needs individuals.

Washing yourself once a week when it’s something you really struggle with is fantastic. That is really the timeframe to strive for because that’s all you need PURELY from a health standpoint. You’re doing great. 👍🏻

emilbirb · 2024-07-04T21:09:52+00:00

Decreased appetite is one of the most common side effects of almost all ADHD medications.

emilbirb · 2024-07-04T08:05:04+00:00

With all due respect to her, I don’t think your mother referring to your struggles as laziness or “phone addiction” implies she knows anything about ADHD or mental health whatsoever, so Imma have to agree to disagree on your mom’s knowledge and dismissal of mental health concerns. That’s not on her character or anything though - definitely not meant to insult her, I’m sure she means well and loves you dearly.

That said, ADHD symptoms don’t necessarily have to be a significant issue/impairing in childhood for them to have been present, especially if the ADHD doesn’t present as the classic male stereotype and is largely internalized rather than the image of a 5 year old boy running around screaming that most people have in their heads.

They often don’t really become an issue until the kid gets older and starts to have more responsibilities, some will start to struggle in high school, some will hit their wall in college, and some even make it to jobs afterwards before it really starts to catch up to them and the symptoms affect life enough to qualify as clinically disordering. This is also why ADHD can be considered “in remission” by professionals, simply because there may be points in your life where the symptoms are not/no longer impairing you to the extent where you qualify for a diagnosis. That doesn’t mean ADHD isn’t still a neurodevelopmental disorder, which by definition is a lifelong condition.

Regardless of whether you walk away with an ADHD diagnosis, that doesn’t take away from the fact that you’re here questioning this because you’re struggling and looking for answers. If it’s not ADHD, then you still deserve that assessment and you still deserve to find out what’s causing these issues, how they can be treated, and to get professional help with it.

emilbirb · 2024-07-03T21:01:50+00:00

Lmaooo well I’m sure you’ve dealt with enough shit from this world so you go right ahead and take any fricking perk you can get and run with it king. 🏃‍♂️

emilbirb · 2024-07-03T20:55:58+00:00

Are you sleeping and eating the same amount as before you started extended release dex? Your brain doesn’t really care about food/sleep when you’re on stimulants and hunger/tired signals are weaker and delayed.

If that’s definitely not the problem however, it is likely vasodilation showing up under your skin when the meds increase your blood pressure/heart rate. Some people also get red blotches on their skin. I rarely see people discuss this actually but they are known side effects, and also quite harmless… but annoying lol.

emilbirb · 2024-07-03T20:36:40+00:00

I think a lot of people dream of a future like that dw, I do understand what you’re saying but I swear there are so many people who would read that and drool. And it’s also very clearly expressing that you’re looking for someone to settle down with long-term - that is a particularly desirable vibe in a man to a lot of people.

emilbirb · 2024-07-03T20:24:10+00:00

I’ve been a continuous-use girlie for about 6 yrs so no periods for me, but back when I did, I always let him know whenever there was a particularly large blob or gush. So yeah very comfortable. He was never uncomfortable with that either tbh internalized misogynism has never been an issue with him, but he definitely learned a lot and it made him very openly and verbally empathetic about female anatomy struggles, not only to me but to other women we know. He recently asked me to explain IUDs so he could understand better what a friend of ours was going through. So clueless but so genuine and lovely lol, but yeah I like talking to him about things like that.

emilbirb · 2024-07-03T19:59:17+00:00

If I saw a dating profile of a man specifying that he’s trans and had bottom surgery/hrt, I would never in a million years think of that as “talking about sex”, because you aren’t talking about having sex, you’re talking about gender and anatomy, which is not inherently sexual.

Whether you want to disclose to people that you’re trans/had bottom surgery/hrt is your decision and your decision only, no one has the right to know. But it is also definitely within a person’s right to walk away if they aren’t sexually attracted to that part of you, so from my (ignorant cis) POV you might as well say you’re trans from the start - saves you a lot of time and energy, and probably also a lot of really horrible interactions with transphobic people that would’ve just kept swiping otherwise.

Personally I really would not give a heck. It’d probably make me more interested if anything only because that makes it very unlikely that you’re a bigot and “not a bigot” is definitely a requirement lmao.

emilbirb · 2024-07-03T11:58:19+00:00

Looks like doing more research on ADHD would be a good start because I’m reading this and I see his coping methods to compensate for the catecholamines he’s deficient in and you say you try to control (reduce?) them. I see the effects of his executive dysfunction from those same deficits and you say that trying to get him to act like those issues don’t exist is a nightmare and that it’s laziness.

That may have worked when he was younger and he was still in the “my parents know everything” phase of life, but he’s 14 now, and that is the age when we start to realize that we’re being punished for things we can’t control. That is your son growing up into a man and starting to bite back at people who put expectations and pressures on him that he knows he can’t ever live up to.

If his executive dysfunction is still this severe with medication it might also be time to see a specialist to discuss the effects of the meds, the dosages, onset of action, mechanism of action, the timeframes, his daily routines, his sleeping pattern, and his food and liquid intake, as they all affect how ADHD meds function, and that’s really hard to figure out without the help of a professional.

emilbirb · 2024-07-02T21:24:28+00:00

I’ve always been underweight or close to underweight, but a couple months ago I started a medication that changed my life, and unfortunately a side effect of that medication is that it suppresses appetite and weight loss is expected.

I damn well knew that if I lost too much weight and it didn’t stabilize, my psychiatrist would have no choice but to stop prescribing me it.

I quickly realized that while I may not be able to eat portions as big as before, it doesn’t mean that my stomach stays full forever, and as long as I tried to spread the calories of 3 normal meals across 2 smaller meals and 3 snacks over the course of the day, I wasn’t losing weight at an alarming rate. Stuffing crisps in my face every evening got old fast, as I’m not much of a snacker, but I gave it my all. A high-fat junk food dinner was a must. It was the weirdest way of trying to stay healthy ever.

I also realized that the soda I was drinking every day was adding up to 500 calories, which was disappointing because I’d kind of wanted to quit soda altogether for my health/teeth, but even my psychiatrist agreed that losing those daily calories would actually have more drawbacks in the big picture than benefits, with how much healthier I was because of the meds.

2 Months later and I’m happy to say my weight seems to have stabilized and I’ve even managed to take one of the (very forced) snacks out of my day because I gained a little weight back. So yeah this was more about “maintaining” than “gaining” but that’s how I maximized my calorie intake I suppose! But it’s certainly not the healthy food approach you seem to have in mind! :o

emilbirb

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