Bupropion and Two Years on From Diagnosis
Feb 28, 2018 12:39:17 GMT
vagueandrandom, msmercury, and 1 more like this
Post by gc7 on Feb 28, 2018 12:39:17 GMT
I haven't posted on here for a while and some time back I hit a point where I started to feel as though my ADHD was starting to define who I am, so I deleted most of my old posts.
The reason why I have come back to add something new is that I wanted to write something encouraging that might help someone who is currently struggling to get help for their ADHD to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
Diagnosis was a long journey and I was misdiagnosed twice. After my correct diagnosis, I tried methylphenidate and had a bad reaction to it. It seemed to make my symptoms worse, and there were a few additional nasty side-effects added to the mix. Life felt a bit bleak at that point, but I decided that instead of focussing my energy on things that were outside of my control, I would put energy into something more constructive.
It took me quite a long time, one failed venture and loads of hard work, but I managed to turn a hobby and some skills I had acquired over the years into a business. The business is still small, but it is growing. Being my own boss really suits me and the work turns my tendency to hyper-focus into a real positive. Also, working from home means that I don't have to negotiate office politics, which is the best thing of all.
I have an understanding GP and after discussing with him how my symptoms manifest, he agreed to prescribe Bupropion for me. I had a feeling that it might work for me, as it acts as a dopamine reuptake inhibitor. I started taking it a few months ago and I did experience a rash and itching at first, but now the side effects have settled and this medicine has transformed my life. If the usual ADHD medicines don't work for you, it may be worth reading up on Bupropion and discussing it with your Consultant or GP. It's not an NHS approved drug for ADHD, so your doctor may not agree to prescribe it. However, it has really worked well for me and with little or no side effects. It is also slow release, so the benefits last pretty much all day.
There were times during the period when I was seeking help for my ADHD that I felt really low and that everything was a huge uphill struggle. Life isn't perfect now, but it is a whole lot better than it was two years ago and I feel more optimistic about the future than I have done in a very long time. That's definitely partly down to the medication, but actually I think the feelings of optimism began once I started putting my energy into building my business. I can now happily work a 12 hour day, it fits around my family life and it feels like fun rather than a chore.
If I could have given myself advice back then, it would have been to identify your marketable skills (and what you enjoy doing, so that you can use your hyper-focus tendency to your advantage), try not to dwell on setbacks (or at least forgive yourself if you do) and most importantly - NEVER GIVE UP!
The reason why I have come back to add something new is that I wanted to write something encouraging that might help someone who is currently struggling to get help for their ADHD to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
Diagnosis was a long journey and I was misdiagnosed twice. After my correct diagnosis, I tried methylphenidate and had a bad reaction to it. It seemed to make my symptoms worse, and there were a few additional nasty side-effects added to the mix. Life felt a bit bleak at that point, but I decided that instead of focussing my energy on things that were outside of my control, I would put energy into something more constructive.
It took me quite a long time, one failed venture and loads of hard work, but I managed to turn a hobby and some skills I had acquired over the years into a business. The business is still small, but it is growing. Being my own boss really suits me and the work turns my tendency to hyper-focus into a real positive. Also, working from home means that I don't have to negotiate office politics, which is the best thing of all.
I have an understanding GP and after discussing with him how my symptoms manifest, he agreed to prescribe Bupropion for me. I had a feeling that it might work for me, as it acts as a dopamine reuptake inhibitor. I started taking it a few months ago and I did experience a rash and itching at first, but now the side effects have settled and this medicine has transformed my life. If the usual ADHD medicines don't work for you, it may be worth reading up on Bupropion and discussing it with your Consultant or GP. It's not an NHS approved drug for ADHD, so your doctor may not agree to prescribe it. However, it has really worked well for me and with little or no side effects. It is also slow release, so the benefits last pretty much all day.
There were times during the period when I was seeking help for my ADHD that I felt really low and that everything was a huge uphill struggle. Life isn't perfect now, but it is a whole lot better than it was two years ago and I feel more optimistic about the future than I have done in a very long time. That's definitely partly down to the medication, but actually I think the feelings of optimism began once I started putting my energy into building my business. I can now happily work a 12 hour day, it fits around my family life and it feels like fun rather than a chore.
If I could have given myself advice back then, it would have been to identify your marketable skills (and what you enjoy doing, so that you can use your hyper-focus tendency to your advantage), try not to dwell on setbacks (or at least forgive yourself if you do) and most importantly - NEVER GIVE UP!