04 Sep How to Get your ADHD Stimulant Medication Right
What if your ADHD meds are only working half as well as they could? So many people stop titration too soon—whether it’s because of side effects, or because they feel a little better and assume that’s as good as it gets.
With the right support, patience, and adjustments, ADHD medication can unlock a whole new level of focus, clarity, and ease.
In this video, I explain why side effects don’t always mean you’re on the wrong medication, why “better” isn’t the same as “optimal,” and how to navigate the titration process so you don’t miss out on the full benefits.
Below is a transcript of the video.
This video introduces a guide to managing the cluster of health issues that so often come with ADHD — things like fatigue, pain, PMDD, endo, gut issues, and more.
It was put together by a working group of over 100 experts and is essential info for managing ADHD — and not just for you, but for your kids as well.
You can find the resource here. (Click on the first green rectangle about a quarter of the way down the page).
Managing ADHD isn’t always easy. I love helping others find their sweet spot (combining my nursing background and coaching).
Fancy a quick Zoom chat to help help you get your meds right? Let’s jump on a call whenever works for you – no strings – if it will help.
If you’re considering taking similar medication for ADHD or changing your medication or dose, this video is for you. Most people aren’t given the support they need to go through this process to best manage side effects and, most importantly, to find their medication sweet spot, which is really important for effective ADHD management.
When I started taking a stimulant, it caused awful headaches, even at the starting dose, which is always very low. As I knew my system might need time to adjust, I took it for two days. I couldn’t face the third day, so I skipped the dose on that day. On the fourth day, I took the same dose again and had no headache. I stayed on the starting dose for a week and just had that one day off. Then I increased to the next dose up. The headache returned. I persisted for one more day, but couldn’t face it on the third day, so I went back to the previous dose the next day. The following day, I went back up. And then, no headache.
Every single time I increased, I got a headache, and I had to go quite high to find a dose that best manages my ADHD symptoms. This was just my system adjusting, and because I have more understanding of medications and side effects, I knew to persist.
As one expert says in this article from Attitude Mag, we build up tolerance to side effects of medications very quickly, but we don’t build up tolerance to benefits quickly. There are a couple of exceptions: a low appetite can take longer, but most people can have a huge breakfast and dinner and a snack in the middle of the day and be fine. It won’t affect their weight. While there’s a lot of commentary that stimulants impact sleep, on the whole, this is short term. Too many people find that stimulants, in fact, help sleep, but as your system adjusts, it can take longer to get off to sleep.
If side effects are severe, of course, you shouldn’t persist, but reducing the dose a little can really help.
If this has been helpful, check out my other vids and don’t forget to follow for more and share with others.
Okay, see you later. Bye.
