CW: References to suicide.
I will try and keep this succinct.
I was diagnosed with ADHD-C in November 2022 and started on 20mg Elvanse/Vyvanse/Lisdexamfetamine. By Spring 2023 I’d worked my way up to 40mg. Two weeks ago, February 2024, I started on 50mg.
The 50mg has been a massive help to me. I’ve been much more productive and felt much more fulfilled. I stopped feeling suicidal. Around a week after upping the dose, I began noticing my heart racing and occasionally feeling tense or hyper-aware of parts of my body. The racing heart in particular is kind of irritating and I’d rather it stop. I’ve checked my blood pressure and it’s healthy.
I recall similar sensations for maybe around a month after I was first put on Lisdexamfetamine but I am not sure how long they lasted for. I don’t recall these sensations when I went from 30mg to 40mg.
I’m looking for some assurance that if I maintain a healthy lifestyle and check my BP regularly, that this will resolve itself in-time?
Relevant medical info:
- Cisgender man
- Late 20s
- approx. 90kg/198lb
- approx. 22% bf
EDIT: Updated with this morning’s BP reading.
119/79 80bpm
EDIT 2: I’m going to provide reasoning as to why I haven’t gone straight to my doctor about this. Firstly, the dose increase has been life-changing and I’d be so upset if I had to go back down. Secondly, I live in the post-satirical apocalypsescape formerly known as the United Kingdom and am therefore under the care of a private psychiatrist. Just to get on the phone with them would cost £100s and I’m relying on family assistance, which I feel guilty enough about spending. I could, within a few weeks, arrange to see my general practitioner for free but I don’t think they’d be able to suggest anything aside from reducing my meds. Thirdly, I have faint memories discussing palpitations with my psychiatrist last year and he said that as long as I was monitoring my BP they’d pass.
EDIT 3: I honestly appreciate the concern of all of those who have taken the time to post. I’ve decided to send a message to my psychiatrist explaining the situation.
EDIT 2024-03-21: Received an email from my psychiatrist stating that as long as they’re manageable and the dosage is helping, I’m safe to continue. They encouraged me to keep monitoring my blood pressure and heart rate. They suggested I be vigilant of chest pains or shortness of breath.
I am currently on vyvanse myself, originally 40mg down to 20mg (at my request, was lasting too long affecting sleep). Something I’ve noticed about it in particular is making sure to eat and avoiding caffeine. I get the jitters and heart racing if I don’t eat enough, vyvanse also decreases my appetite a bunch and makes me thirsty (I suggest water as the drink of choice).
This is only anecdotal experience, I also talked to my doc about it and it is being monitored. so as others also suggested, talk to your doc about it too, it’s more important and cheaper long term to get it correct and handled now than not.
Thanks for your perspective. My morning coffee definitely agitates it but I’m pretty good at drinking lots of water.
Will update the post with my psychiatrists perspective, if I can without compromising my privacy.