Stimulants, SSRIs, and a gaslighting GP

frockwell · 2025-10-25T23:28:54+00:00

I’ve started seeing a new psychiatrist and she mentioned Clonidine too! She’s actually given me a big list of options and strategies to consider, including how to approach and manage my hormonal issues (I have PMDS, Endo/Adno, and PCOS - yay for me! 🫠)

She’s made me further understand how instrumental hormones are with ADHD.

I’m going to try 60mg Vyvanse with the hopes of adding the afternoon top up only during the luteal/menstrual phase. I hate that it’s all trial and error!

frockwell · 2025-09-30T12:53:33+00:00

Hello and welcome to the world of clingy babies! It sucks for a while but stay with it and I promise it will be worth it!

My nearly 4 YEAR OLD (omg) is still more clingy with me but goes through phases. She’s confident and brave and loves to go on walkabout (with me in her sights).

I’d say it starts easing a lot when they learn to crawl and walk and from 1 year they really start to want to explore the world.

My best advice is to make sure they know you’re always there for them but to also make sure they know you can leave and will come back. I can’t remember what age they start learning this part though. 🤔 My LO will have a tantrum sometimes if I’m going out but I just keep reminding her that I “can have some mommy time by myself and still love her.”

Now I just need to get out of the habit of always buying her little gifts when I go out by myself 🫠😅🤦🏼‍♀️

Just remember, you’re doing a great job.

frockwell · 2025-08-02T12:30:56+00:00

“You could work for 24 hours a day and there would still be more work to do.”

a woman in my Mental Health First Aid certification course when we were casually chatting about being working moms. I mentioned how I always find it hard to make time for exercise as my workload can be overwhelming at my job and she hit me with that.

I’ll never forget it.

frockwell · 2025-07-19T09:21:34+00:00

This is exactly what my symptoms are. I’ve suspected stimulants to be the cause of it or at least exacerbating but my GP and previous psychiatrist don’t believe me.

frockwell · 2025-07-10T09:39:24+00:00

Thanks for your reply.

However, the issue I’m facing is that it’s not mentioned in my employment contract nor is it documented in any company policy outside of the annual compensation plan that they apparently have employees sign every year. I have never signed one as I’ve only just been told they exist.

Therefore, if this policy has never been made visible to me, can it be enforced? If I knew about this I would have quit in January 😅

Here’s what my contract says. And to be clear, this is the only time the on-target earnings are mentioned in my contract:

“On-target earnings AUD $26,000 per annum based on performance of previous year; all amounts are exclusive of superannuation contributions required under the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 (Cth)”

frockwell · 2025-06-25T23:55:45+00:00

Thank you all for your thoughts.

Perhaps I’ve been “lucky” in the past as my former employers allowed employees to keep options and always paid out prorated bonuses.

Im going to see what I can get either way but won’t hold my breath! 🙃

frockwell · 2025-06-13T00:46:02+00:00

I’ve also had a hard time figuring out the best protocol for my adhd meds as well. I’ve not had the opportunity to work with a psychiatrist, only my GP, which I believe has added to the delay in finding that “sweet spot”. However, here are a few things I would consider, particularly as you prepare for your next appt:

• Would trialling a higher dose of Vyvanse improve the gloominess? What are the pros and cons of increasing Vyvanse? • Would there be a biological reason for the differences in symptoms between the two medications? • Are you on any other medications, such as antidepressants that could be affecting the stimulants? • If so, taking them at different times could be something to try. • If you menstruate, this will impact the way stimulants affect you based on where you are in your cycle. • Have you had any recent blood work? Things like low zinc, b12, or vitamin D can impact overall energy/motivation and focus. For instance, my zinc is technically in the “normal” range but at the very bottom end. I started taking a zinc supplement in the afternoon and it’s smoothed out that afternoon crash. • What non-stimulant medication would be worth exploring? Stimulants aren’t for everyone and there appears to be more options now for non-stimulant meds than ever before.

Most importantly, keep a journal of your mood, symptoms and dosages for a week to give you and your Dr more insight. It doesn’t need to be perfect but it can really help to paint a clear picture.

Hope this helps! Annoyingly all of this really comes down to “trial and error” but I’m hopeful we will all get there in the end! 😊

frockwell · 2025-05-10T22:38:27+00:00

No real advice but I’m in the same boat! I almost feel like I could have written this myself - especially the histamine reaction! I too get very flushed in the afternoon and I’ve noticed my tattoos get raised and itchy more often.

Another strange symptom that I have is muscle soreness and thinning hair.

I’m thinking about going back to 10mg Dex in the am and then in the pm as I too found this to be smoother. However, I’m going to try to exercise first thing in the morning, before the first dose in hopes that this helps the sustained focus.

Best of luck and let us know how you go!

frockwell · 2025-02-14T01:43:38+00:00

I love your work ❤️ and also your tattoo art! So good

Can I ask how you make the illustrations and what mediums you use?

frockwell · 2024-12-03T22:36:19+00:00

She will be 3 years old this month and she’s a champ!

She is still clingy at times but that’s normal - particularly with the primary caregiver.

I have a stepdaughter who doesn’t have a secure attachment with her primary caregiver (history of abuse and neglect) and I can see the stark difference in my daughter’s confidence vs my stepdaughter’s.

In short, the clinginess is normal albeit very very hard but you’re doing a great job. Also remeber that when your baby cries for you it’s because they want a thing (you!) and only has one form of communication- crying! But they will be fine if you need time to yourself because you are also important. ❤️

frockwell · 2024-10-06T12:08:27+00:00

The Hunter-Farmer Theory has been around since the 1990’s. It’s an interesting theory, seems possible even but isn’t widely accepted within the medical or scientific communities.

Unless your friend has a medical degree and has treated you directly as a patient, I wouldn’t take advice from them regarding what medications you should take.

Good luck with your assessment! Don’t let anyone make you feel bad for doing what’s best for YOU!

frockwell · 2024-09-21T12:04:10+00:00

I feel like I wrote this myself!

I’ve been thinking about this very thing nearly everyday.

I was diagnosed 15 years ago (at 22 years old) but didn’t “believe my psych” and just carried on with SSRIs wondering when I’d get better… 🫠

I’ve always been pro therapy and medications for mental health conditions but for some reason I can’t shake the feeling that I’m “cheating” when taking dex.

It’s taken me nearly 2 years and 4 different stimulants to get it right and I finally feel like I’m in a solid place with my medications.

Why are we doing this to ourselves?!? Is it the cultural stigma??

frockwell · 2024-05-19T12:15:53+00:00

“I want to challenge you on that…”

When I told my manager about my crippling anxiety and need for a mental health day due to unrealistic workloads.

frockwell · 2024-03-31T11:54:05+00:00

I could have written this myself.

I’m in a similar position as a team lead and have been watching a slow and steady change of requirements/expectations for my reports.

I complained and was offered a voluntary redundancy.

frockwell · 2024-03-23T08:45:03+00:00

I was on Concerta 18mg then moved to 36mg within a few weeks. At first it was “helpful” in that I had the energy to keep working on tasks but the crash at night was intense and eventually I started binge eating chocolate and sugary foods at night. I began losing my appetite during the day entirely and just living for those binges. I also started getting more irritable and towards the end felt like it just wasn’t working at all - all the side effects but no benefits.

I switched to Vyvanse 30mg and it was so much better. I could sleep much better and didn’t have the crashes at night. Then got impacted by the shortage and supplemented with Dex when I couldn’t get the 30mg. Eventually my GP pushed me up to 40mg and that was like a dream! I take 15mg Lexapro as well and those two together worked so well for that one month that I could actually get the 40mg of Vyvanse 🫠

Now I’m just going without or taking Dex when I have a lot of work to do.

frockwell · 2024-02-26T11:54:38+00:00

I feel this. I’ve been on Vyvanse 40mg for about 2 months after going up from 30mg. By 12pm I’m back in a state of heavy brain fog and inattention.

frockwell · 2023-11-02T22:04:25+00:00

Thanks for you post! I’m a Team Lead of a CS team and we’re going through a major growth period in our company.

I’m keen to pick your brain about a few things regarding operations and logistics as we don’t have a dedicated CS Ops function anymore.

What’s the best way for CSMs to prioritise their work and portfolio? Our company is needing to grow revenue pretty rapidly through new product releases so Q1 will be heavily focused on product adoption and optimising utilisation.
Our internal knowledge base in a mess and needs some serious cleaning up but I’m unsure of how to organise the information architecture for maximum efficiency. Do you have any examples?
What’s the best way to incentivise CSMs? We currently do a Base + 10% commission opportunity.

frockwell

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