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.

  • @douglasg14bEnglish
    1•8 months ago

    My experiences:

    For Adderall:

    • Takes 45-60m to kick in
    • Lasts about 2-3h. Afterwards I feel down, sometimes tired. It’s a slow decline after.
    • If I take l-theanine with it the after effects are anecdotally reduced

    For Ritalin:

    • Takes 45 or less to kick in
    • Only lasts about 2h
    • Sharp, sudden, decline of feeling down and exhausted. Not nice at all.

    I mostly just use Adderall now, and I only take 5-10mg at a time. On days where I feel like I can “do”, I take none. I’ve noticed that the longer I take it without long breaks the higher my dosage needs to be.

    I really should take extended release, but complications between it and pseudoephedrine stop me from being able to. And my sleep quality has been better since I started taking it PRN. Though my chores and other things definitely suffer for it.