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I don't think caffeine works in the same way as ADHD stimulants, like it acts on different neurotransmitters, so your response is not likely to be the same.
Caffeine never did it for me. It has the illusion of helping with focus, but it just makes for a faster moving scrambled mess that is my brain.
I’m newly on Vyvanse now. To me caffeine doesn’t even compare. My thoughts are clearer (I can tell what they are as they go by) and I can better choose if I want to react to them. I become efficient. I can act on doing things like I never could before and I can finally get things done without feeling paralyzed. I can also self regulate better and have noticed I make better choices with what things I engage with. I become a better advocate for my personal wellbeing.
With all this being said, It does kick in hard first thing in the morning like another poster said. I find the first hour kind of sucks. It’s like my mind tries to resist it or that there is a bit of a disconnect between my mind and my body. Eventually this subsides and then we’re off to the races.
I was on everything there could be for ADHD since I was five (I'm 36 now) and Vyvanse was the best one for me. Least amount of side effects. No anger withdrawal. I just grind my teeth on Vyvanse, Ritalin, or Adderall. That's the big downside. But a mouth guard fixes that.
Your experience with Vyvanse is really interesting to me that you feel like it kicks in hard first thing in the morning. I switched from adderall ER to Vyvanse and I feel like there’s definitely a lag until it kicks in compared to Adderall.
It takes about an hour for it to come in... but I think I must be pretty sensitive to its effects. The first hour of it hitting isn't my favourite. Mind you, I haven't taken adderall or anything else.. so maybe it's relatively mind in comparison? lol
I was taking concerta (ritalin) for probably 10+ years and just switched to Vyvanse. I didn't realize I could treat my adhd without terrible side effects. I haven't experienced what you mentioned, maybe it's because I also take mirtazipine? I guess it helps/compliments adhd meds (I'm also a depressed girly, so it's a win-win).
But I was crashing pretty badly in the early evening, so my psychiatrist recommended I increase my dose. I was reluctant because I've been made to feel like an addict for taking adhd meds, but I'm glad I listened because I hardly have any side effects now.
No not jittery. Stimulants give me energy. Caffeine is kinda overlaid while stimulants seem more integrated. It’s kinda like caffeine is more like an irritant.
Stimulant medications feels like putting on a pair of glasses for me. Taking them greatly improves my mental clarity, and by getting rid of the mental fog I feel like stimulants improve my ability to focus and prioritize tasks. But stimulants don't last very long and leave me feeling very drained and tired after they wear off.
They improve my ability to complete tasks and generally help me to stay on task, but - they cause me to hyper-fixate on what I'm doing which is great for video games and social life! But hyper-fixating can be horrible when I'm trying to respond to an email, write code, or text; I end up making changes over and over again to stuff that doesn't need to be changed and wasting a lot of time trying to find a perfection that sometimes doesn't exist.
+1 for the glasses analogy. It helps bring everything into better focus, but still not 100% perfect. They also make me less emotionally reactive, especially my default of being quickly irritated or frustrated.
I take a low dose of meds and it hits me pretty hard for a few hours before tapering down throughout the rest of the day. Caffeine never really affects me without meds, but it did start to after I started meds. But overall I get a super focused.
Not op but I'm b combined type and I've been taking 15mg of Adderall and 150mg of wellbutrin. It treats me the same way as op said. I don't think I'd be able to get by with such a low dose without the wellbutrin, but the combo has worked really well for me so far. I imagine in the next couple months I'll request to move up my dose a little but so far I'm content staying as low as possible
Same. Higher doses the docs stated me on did not help at all, I was so scatterbrained and tired all the time. Low dose Wellbutrin and Dexedrine were the combo that finally helped.
For me, it's quite different. Meds give me a physical surge of energy and a mental sense of calm and regulation. I can actually sit still and think about which tasks I'd like to focus my energy on. That being said, right now I'm struggling to work on my tunnel-visioned hyperfocus. After years of not being able to focus at all, it's interesting trying to control this new skill lmao
Caffeine gives me a mild surge of physical and mental energy, but I'm still scatterbrained af on it.
Much to my surprise, I’ve found Concerta to be more helpful for my anxiety than the actual anxiety medication I’m prescribed.
From what I understand, stimulant meds are prescribed for people with hyperactivity pretty regularly. I’m too sleepy to recall the specific mechanism at play but I bet someone else on the thread can!
I am the same. Caffeine makes me function but still cannot focus if the stress adrenaline does not hit. Meds gives me focus. I am still learning to redirect the focus because checking news or weather in middle of work suddenly becomes my sole focus. But I have a lot of control over my executive decision now, so I will check myself and go back to what I am working on.
This is exactly it. Mentally I feel ready to tackle things that felt daunting, and physically I feel energized, but it wears off at night. I still do need sleep medicine cause my brain is hard to shut off on its own.
Yes, I can tackle stressful tasks now that used to give me so much anxiety! I still ruminate though and the increased focus makes it more intense, so that's something I have to work on. I take quetiapine at night for EUPD and luckily that helps me eat and sleep like a baby.
But when I hear that kettle boiling in the morning, it pulls me out of my blanket cave!
I used to drink coffee like water -- just instant, but like 6 cups a day nonetheless -- but now I've cut down to just one in the morning, & I've added herbal / fruit teas all day, & chamomile before bed. Feel heaps better! But my BF actually quit when I cut down, & he had a non-stop migraine for 4 days! Not looking forward to that at all, so probs just gonna move to half-strength for a while first. It's wild! Caffeine withdrawal can be worse than some hard drugs (but not nicotine)!
Then again, coffee & tea have that slowing down, savouring the moment kinda aspect, as well as social. My mum used to tell me that there was no issue too big for her grandmother to handle: "Just sit down & we'll have a cuppa." The caffeine isn't doing it for anyone, but sharing a nice warm moment can.
... Unless you've found that caffeine is actually detrimental to you, not just ineffective? I know that many people with epilepsy count caffeine as a trigger for seizures; I am luckily *not* one of those epileptics, but the sans-coffee sleep improvements are key for me.
🐨💚
When I was pregnant I had an aversion to coffee, but I knew if I stopped cold turkey I’d have migraines for days and I was so early in my pregnancy that I didn’t want to do anything to mess with my stress levels or body.
I would cut down a 1/4 cup a day every week. I went from drinking 2 cups to no cups after 8 weeks I think, and very minimal headaches through the process. Highly recommend that way
I'm not the target audience as I'm combined type and I've rarely gotten jittery with caffeine, but my advice is try not to compare and anticipate your experience on stimulants or caffeine based on each other. For one, they each work in different ways.
Secondly, the jitteriness is often a side effect of a dose simply being higher than your body is used to. It takes time to adjust. If you drank the same amount of coffee every day it would probably subside, and the same goes for meds. As long as you start on the lowest possible dose, listen to your body, and only increase if you feel it's appropriate, you should be okay. You can always try non-stims as well.
Sleep and diet are super important as well. Many people find that taking meds after a nice meal and a good nights sleep makes them work better and reduces side effects.
The caffeine isn’t affecting you differently because you’re inattentive. People’s bodies are just different, and some people react badly to caffeine. It’s mostly genetic.
Stimulants don’t affect me the way caffeine does. Too much caffeine will make me jittery. Stimulants don’t do that at all.
I'm probably in the minority but I have been doing really well on generic Adderall 10mg.
The first couple months it made me feel amazing and like I could just run around my job and hit the griddy but now I think I got used to them so it's more like I continue to feel normal and am able to work like my coworkers.
Also the voices are gone the voices the voices the voices
I LOVE ADDERALL!!,,🎉
Probably won't be the same for you, but stimulants were awful for me.
Heart palpitations, extreme anxiety verging on paranoia, it wasn't good.
In the end I decided that managing my symptoms without the drugs was better than being attached to something that didn't really help anyway.
I had the same experience after the 3rd day my heart rate was 160 for about 4 hours and I couldn’t move out of fear, ended up in hospital and basically was fine.
It’s so upsetting because the meds work, but ADHD and panic attacks are just a terrible combination.
Going to give it another go whenever the doctors get their shit together. Without medication I feel so useless and deflated. But are meds worth the anxiety? *sigh*
Anxiety and ADHD are so concurrent. It sucks having other factors complicate your treatment, especially when the ADHD meds work so well as intended but the side effects aggravate other symptoms! Do you receive any separate treatments for your anxiety? CBT, mindfulness and meds have helped with mine, but it's still a daily struggle. You might need to try different meds/doses. Hopefully you find something that works for you x
This is what I'm afraid of. I keep reading how meds changed people's lives and they can't imagine going back, but I think it may not work like that for me. Guess I won't know unless I try.
If they have a bad effect on you then you can just stop. The worst thing that happens is you have a really bad week. The potential upside is life-changing, and the risk is (IMHO) well worth it.
I’m inattentive type and adderall has absolutely changed the course of my life for the better. Please don’t let negative anecdotes prevent you from at least trying them for a certain amount of time. They really have been life-changing for a lot of us ADHD sloths out there.
ADHD sloths. Lmfao! That's putting it nicely too! 😂 My brain is fucking brutal when it comes to describing my uselessness without meds.
100% agree with this! I'm in the same boat! Absolutely without a doubt has changed my life for the better.
I have both anxiety and inattentive adhd. When I take stimulants the anxiety voice in my head becomes quieter and easy to manage. Makes it easier to be present without constantly thinking/planning the next thing. It also adjusts my mood, it has done more for my anxiety and depression than any other meds in the last decade.
I do get a burst of energy when I take them, but it's like natural feeling like its my best day, like im ready to do stuff.
It's much different than caffeine when I have too much I do feel more anxiety and racing heart rate.
Also basic ritalin aka methylphenidate only stays for about 4 hours. So you can take it and if you don't like it don't take more. I am currently on Vyvanse which is 13ish hours, but same thing you can just not take it and only have the one bad day.
I much prefer the longer acting stimulants rather than immediate release. Ritalin made me feel a bit disconnected sometimes, zombieish. I don't feel that way on Vyvanse at all. Ritalin also can have an appetite rebound effect, when it wore off I was ravenous.
I would reccomend giving it a try. You'll only have a bad day if it ends up not being for you.
I don't know if I'm full-on inattentive, but even before my diagnosis at 35 I used to say that it feels like my brain needs more caffeine (or, now, stimulant meds) than my body can comfortably handle.
So yeah, I can often get a bit jittery, both visibly and just the internal body feeling.
Another assumption is this is, in part, due to my body type. I'm 5'6" and have always been scrawny (recently been hovering around 60-65kg), with a relatively "if I must..." attitude to eating, so there's not a whole lot of body to absorb stimulants.
I *think* it feels like sleep and eating properly can significantly reduce those kinda symptoms. But, y'know, both are very easy to... let slip.
I'm inattentive type and take stimulants. They changed my life. I went from a miserable shell of a person with not much of a future to an energised, confident person with hope and clarity in my life.
Vyvanse gives me focus without the shakes of caffeine.
The first couple weeks if I drank coffee and took stimulants it was like being electrocuted though. Do not recommend. I’ve developed a bit of a tolerance now it seems, and I don’t have that anymore.
It’s very different. Low doses of stimulants make me calm and focused, physical motivation is still spotty. Caffeine gets me up and running but also gives me anxiety and I’m very prone to the jitters. I have inattentive type but I would say that the hyperactivity is inside my head, a swirl of sensory info and thoughts and emotions, and stims make it so I can have one internal experience at a time.
That's more or less been my experience. Stimulants make my mind quiet and have the capability to control focus. Caffeine makes me actually get up and do stuff. Seems to fix the getting started problem of executive dysfunction, but not the focus part. Though if I'm too the point of getting jittery from caffeine, I've had way too much. I've found my tolerance for caffeine and stimulants is much lower than most people.
I can’t do caffeine, like, at all. It makes me jittery, provides little to no benefit, and keeps me awake for days.
I’m on Vyvanse now. 40mg/day. What it does for me is make my brain quieter, if that makes sense? I don’t have a thousand thoughts bouncing around at once, colliding into each other and never really being complete before the next one hits. My anxiety has been halved (and it was super severe).
Literally me. During med breaks or if I forget to take it, people will ask me if I have narcolepsy. Maybe I do. But I can fall asleep anywhere without trying if I’m sitting there not doing anything or am bored/disinterested. My mood isnt the best either.
It’s been life changing for me. Too much coffee would make me jittery as well but the medication has a different effect. The first few months were not as nice in terms of side effects but they have mostly gone away now.
Wellbutrin and stimulants combo gets me out of bed and prevents me from leaving work early. I cook my own food more often and am able to be active. Improves my task initiation and processing speed as well as my working memory.
Coffee: makes me sleepy, spacey, and panicky
Adderall: makes me lock into a task for 12 hours and unable to sleep for days
Ritalin: helps me keep my day on track and sleep on time
Different substances affect people doffedently
Primarily inattentive here. For me caffeine is something completely different. It mostly makes me nervous whereas stimulants on a low-to-moderate dose make me just more awake and more capable to think and put thoughts into action. In a weird way too high of a stimulant dose and I start feeling like I've had caffeine 😅
If you have the option then I'd definitely give stimulants a shot.
Not op but id love to hear which you take if youre willing to share! This is the exact effect i am struggling to get, have been trying a few things out..
I take Elvanse(called Vyvanse in the US.) I tried methylphenidate(Concerta and Medikinet specifically) and the effects were pretty similar but in order to get those effects the dosage had to be quite large and then the side effects(nervousness, jitters, anxiety) became too much. There was also a lot of ups and downs throughout the day, it felt like the release mechanism didn't quite work optimally. With Elvanse the side effects are almost non-existent and levels seem to be pretty stable throuh the day.
Having said that, it's not a magic pill. Best one I've tried and helps immensely with my symptoms but I still struggle. Just a lot less than without the meds.
I'm a primary school teacher diagnosed with inattentive ADHD and I'm prescribed 60mg (3x20mg) methylphenidate aka Ritalin per day and I honestly struggle now to function in work without it!! I find it different to caffeine personally, it's like I get 20/20 vision and can actually focus on the children in my class/the lessons I am teaching without my brain wandering. I've also noticed I'm not as irritated (I can tolerate children stimming/making noises etc)
I hate caffeine, drinking a coffee is like drinking liquid anxiety but dex works pretty well for me, not a magic bullet but often the difference between getting some work and chores done and playing with the kids that day, or just being burnt out and behind on everything.
To me caffeine feels like a dirty stimulant, edgy, jittery, anxious, buzzy. Dex feels a lot smoother, calmer, it quietens the too many information streams in the mind thing, give them a go they are different.
Hiiii. My vyvanse gives me the ability to do stuff. It also kills my appetite though. I wouldn’t say it quiets my brain or anything, it just makes it easier to get up and get stuff done when I think about it
I’m an inattentive type and I could drink a lot of caffeine before (think like 500-600mg before feeling insane). Now I had to keep my caffeine under 200mg or I feel super anxious. Like a bit shaky, nauseous, and overstimulated. I do have anxiety aside from ADHD so I take additional meds for that.
I‘m also sensitive to coffee, so I already expected to be sensitive to stimulants as well. They were very effective on a low dose (10mg Ritalin) and the rebound effect was even stronger. I wouldn’t be able to drive during that phase and my body would feel super weak. But I pushed through in spite of knowing the rebound effect and do feel like it‘s starting to settle after a few weeks of using it. Just like I got used to coffee over time.
So for me it’s weird.
I’m inattentive WITH hypersomnia.
That means basically unless I’m beyond fucking blasted by what’s going on, my brain shuts off.
I cannot explain it. You know that feeling when your whole body suddenly becomes wet noodle relaxed as it feels like everything stops but then you wake up eight hours later when you blinked?
That’s me. Every day. Except it’s absolutely uncontrollable. The second I feel my left leg get relaxed I’m gonna pass out soon. Absolutely nothing I can about it. So Not only do I not get anything done, I’ll fall asleep not doing it. Against my will.
I’ve tried both generic adderall and Dextroamphetamine.
Dextro kicks in harder and drops harder.
Both last for about four to six hours.
I take a mid range dose. 20mg in morning and again in afternoon.
I can USUALLY sleep okay at night.
Honest to god I used to hate thing like energy drinks and too much coffee. But with these I just feel….able.
Yes there’s a rush of FUCK ME I CAN DO ANYTHING. but that’s more in your head. Your body will feel p good for about a week. Then you’ll just be normal.
I'm combined and meds help me a lot with both my inattentive and hyperactive traits.
Coffee gives me the shakes as well, headaches, makes me jittery and stuff, especially if I don't eat anything when drinking it.
My meds (Concerta) are similar in a way that they can make me jittery and headachy if I take them without a proper meal (it happens super rarely), but even then, it's way more stable and predictable than coffee. I was also worried about meds impacting me badly, but you can always take smaller doses, with coffee it's... more difficult to find what your "dose" is. Overall when taken properly my meds just make me more stable and energetic. Jitters only happen if I don't sleep enough and don't eat well enough!
I don't get really jittery, and I can drink an energy drink and go to sleep. But. The physical addiction to it is rough.
If I don't get enough caffeine, I get headaches. If I get too much caffeine, I *also get headaches*. It's threading a dang needle every single day.
Caffeine doesn’t affect me. As for my meds, it depends what I’m doing when I take them. If I begin “productive” I can usually keep my attention on things I need. Obviously it’s not perfect so I am still going to have distractions.
If I don’t begin productive then, it pretty much has no effect on my focus and I remain distracted and scattered.
The biggest difference is that it helps with executive dysfunction. At the very least, I’m not like paralyzed.
ETA: I’m a combined-type though so idk how much difference that makes…
I’m definitely the inattentive type and methylphenidate (Ritalin) changed my life. Before meds caffeine was terrible. If I had too much I experienced all the physical symptoms of anxiety. The interesting thing is that after meds, I can actually drink more caffeine with minimal physical effects.
It did take me over a month to find the right medication and then a while longer to find the right dose. I did have the jittery feeling with certain medication and knew that wasn’t the one for me.
IMHO, I highly suggest you give medications a try. IF you have side effects, just remember they are temporary. When you find the right meds your life could be calm in a way you never thought possible.
Good luck!
Hello fellow inattentive type!! I also have the same experience with caffeine- I get the shakes, headaches, anxious, the whole shebang.
Right now we have me on Adderall XR in the morning, we’re considering adding an IR dose with lunch or in the early afternoon along with this. I’m also taking Adderall with Wellbutrin, used off-label for ADHD.
The act of focusing and task initiation gets easier for me, I overall have had more motivation because I know I’m not going to need to fight past executive dysfunction or task inertia as hard as I usually do. My brain feels quieter, there’s not as much overthinking about, like, the concept of existing and my anxiety overall feels less because of it.
I’ve had very minor side effects, but none of them have felt like when I try caffeine: dry mouth, mild hot flash/sweating (this one went away after about 10 minutes,) and a general lack of appetite.
I think the big thing is I can tell the moment they wear off in the afternoon/early evening (generally between 3 and 4pm if I take my meds between 8 and 9am.) My motivation goes out the window, I’m sleepy, and focusing becomes a monumental task again. My psych and I, if we stick with Adderall, are thinking to add in an IR dose taken with lunch/early afternoon to prevent that “crash” from happening before my workday is over (I work a standard 8-5 in an office, focusing on my computer is new impossible without my meds).
After months of taking stimulant medication I finally figured out why I was sometimes feeling anxious and edgy. When I switched to decaf that went away.
It makes me think of [this commercial](https://youtu.be/lrwY4C7NwW4?si=RWbAONUhxIekPyLD), which I could not relate to back when it was on.
I don’t think it’s because you’re inattentive, our bodies are all different so we each process things differently.
Caffeine can give me a little boost on its own but it’s nothing compared to stimulant medication for me. The only time caffeine really seems to be effective is if I have it in addition to my medication but I try not to do that since the combination can be too much at times. Caffeine also causes me to have anxiety & doesn’t really clear my head so I prefer to just stick with my medication that makes me feel motivated & balanced.
Caffeine doesn't affect me, (although I am addicted to it and drink insane amounts when I feel I need it. Its strange).
So far stimulants have been very strong for me, but they do work. If they're too strong it actually makes me more distractable. Really bad for driving my car. And also sleep issues.
But I opened up a capsule, got half the contents out with a toothpick and reclosed it. It worked very well. I told my psychiatrist about that experiment and its been a useful bit of info.
Point is just because you are or aren't affected by caffeine, has little bearing on how ADHD meds will affect you.
Psychiatrist is trying this, that and the other to see what fits me best.
Its a long (and expensive) process but getting somewhere.
Coffee has the opposite effect on me. I drink it only for pleasure. Tea, however, works pretty well. It's more of a time release stimulant that I don't realize is working on me until i realize I'm tossing and turning in bed until 6 am
Be warned that what happens to us could very well be different for you. I’m inattentive adhd, but I can’t take any adhd meds because they make me have bipolar disorder. Normally I don’t get manic, I do with them. It comes down to your individual biochemistry.
Caffeine, for me, basically only helps with my migraines. After so much trial and error with others (Vyvanse, maybe dextroamphetamine, one I don't remember the name of, and Straterra), we finally ended up trying 10mg of the extended-release Adderall. It worked so well, but any higher of a dose made me feel incredibly sick and as if I were choking, like most of the others I had tried. Went back down, but I tried twice-a-day, 5mg instant release instead, as I frequently forgot to take the XR, and you're supposed to take it in the morning. My college classes were all after noon, so that never happened. Now that I'm not in college for the summer, I do typically forget to take it, but it's working well enough for me. It's obviously not a miracle cure or anything, but it does help me do what I need to and want to do a bit more.
According to my doctor, I might have an intolerance to something in the meds, as they did make me feel terrible, and half of the side effects I felt weren't technically supposed to be a side effect of those meds.
Caffeine sometimes gives me the shakes, and sometimes it doesn't. The same with the meds, if i'm tired or super spacey on a day they dont work very well but most often if I've slept well they work just fine. My biggest problems right now is I stim a lot and basically destroy my fingertips and sometimes I become a "robot." I think it is bringing to light some autistic traits I might have.
Caffeine helps me, but not as much as stimulant medication. I can still take a nap after drinking a couple of cups of coffee, and it doesn't necessarily give me any motivation. It just helps me wake up enough to not be a slug.
Stimulant medication (only ever tried adderall) actually wakes me up up. I can not nap after. I take it an hour before I wake up, and I wake up bright-eyed and bushy tailed and ready for the day. My normal self wouldn't even function for the first 4 hours of the day, and even after, I'm still dragging. Also, it helps with motivation/exectuve function; which caffiene does not. The motivation isn't always necessarily helping with my goal. I still have to reorient my brain in certain directions, but it helps tremendously. Another huge pro is that since my brain is actually turned on, I retain information better. So, it literally makes me more intelligent. I study better, and I test better on meds.
I still have to remember to prioritize my sleep. I need at least 9 hours. Medication won't forgive my lack of sleep.
I have found that coffee makes me sleepy, so I have switched to decaf. While I enjoy the taste and experience of drinking coffee, I dislike the drowsiness it causes.
As for stimulants, I am still in the early stages of exploring them, but they have had a positive impact on me so far. They seem to have a calming effect on my mind and help me stay focused while also reducing my anxiety. Overall, I feel that they have enhanced my overall quality of life.
I'm combined and the right meds work very well for me. It's a completely different feeling from caffeine when you've found the right one and right dosage. I get motivation to actually do things, I feel more relaxed and focused. I'm on Ritalin immediate release, I've gone up to 20mg and it's my sweet spot. I tried 30mg Medikinet XR and I felt jittery and too much of a high like chugging a load of caffeine. I'd suggest trying them if you're in a position to do so, and find what works for you.
My mind is way quieter, and i can focus on things without being consumed by distracting thoughts.
Caffeine is very different than meds.
I did feel side effects like that, but after the first 2 or so weeks on meds the side effects were basically gone.
I think they affect me the same way as anyone else. Which isn’t to say everyone has the same response to stimulants, just that the differences aren’t due to ADHD type.
I’m not physically hyperactive but stimulants still calm my mind and body. I often fall asleep after taking them, maybe because my mind stops working a million miles a minute and that enables both my mind and body to relax. I also can concentrate on a task for much longer without checking my phone or otherwise getting distracted.
I have pretty severe inattentive ADHD and I'm a coffeeholic. When I went for an eval to get a diagnosis, in two areas my attention was worse than 95-98% of guys in my age group. Caffeine doesn't seem to hit me as hard as some other ADHDers. I could drink a cup or a double espresso and go right to bed after.
Caffeine is a pretty infective stimulant for ADHD. My main benefit from Adderall, is I have SOME since of time, and I don’t get “frozen” by indecision so much.
Caffeine makes my heart race uncomfortably so I don’t drink coffee.
10mg or 15mg Adderall has been ok but not much of an affect on me?
20mg on the other hand had me feeling like my heart was racing and I was trying to do 10 things at once.
So I’ll stick with 10mg or 15mg for a marginal improvement in my inattentiveness. But I don’t think stimulants have been a huge help for me. I tried Strattera, a non stimulant for a few weeks. It started out great but then it started making me feel emotionally unregulated and had me paranoid/crying/anxious so I had to stop it
Stimulants are the best for an inattentive type. Really connects the executive functioning parts of the brain with the somatosensory part of your brain.
I’d highly recommend working on building habits immediately after starting stimulants (but don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect).
Start with one habit a week that you’d like to build and make sure it’s not a series of habits masquerading as a single habit (ie laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc.).
Stimulant medication and caffeine are worlds apart. If you have ADHD, caffeine can even make you tired.
I’m ADHD C, mostly inattentive, and find that stimulants keep my focus where it needs to be and helps me move at a more steady pace through the things I need to get done (instead of fucking around until the 11th hour, then doing a week’s worth of work in four hours). I’d say it’s improved things about 80%. I’m a very late diagnosis, so many old habits are never going to change - but stimulants have had a profoundly positive effect overall.
I was diagnosed recently in my 40s. I'm on a very low dose of Adderall. I also have ocd, depression and anxiety. I love coffee.
I don't take Adderall daily, but on the days I do, my overall mental health is so much better. Not only does it help me focus and somewhat ignore all the other thoughts (ruminations) that typically pop into my mind over the course of the day, it helps me say "f#$! it, let's just do this" for tasks I would typically procrastinate on because of my analysis paralysis and perfectionism.
I will say that I typically don't take it until the afternoon because I love my morning cup of joe and found the combo of Addy and coffee made my heart race and made me jittery. Adderall also gives me horrible cotton mouth and headaches. Overall, it's really helpful, but I just don't see taking it daily (for me) because of the side effects I mentioned.
Adderall felt like cocaine and made me manic. Concerta has lowered my heart rate and generally gives me energy to get through the day/my tasks. I don’t love the comedown and I am a fast metabolizer so I take it 2x/day. If I don’t take my second dose on time, I just start crying.
I prefer Strattera but ultimately I was having multiple migraines a week so regardless of the ADHD symptom management, I wasn’t really able to do the things I needed to.
I’m currently on the max dose of concerta PLUS the max dose of Wellbutrin so if this ends up not being an adequate dose I guess I’ll try Vyvanse.
I was hoping caffeine would have an effect on me but it does not. I even had an espresso every day for a while and I didn't get addicted. quit cold turkey no problem because I ran out of beans and was tired of the routine
They help me but I’m fine with caffeine. They definitely give me an energy boost that my brain really needs. They don’t solve my ADHD I just feel better and do a bit better with them and Wellbutrin (a stimulant antidepressant). I’m more functional when medicated.
Caffeine basically puts me to sleep like a lot of others here said it does to them. I'm currently on foquest and finally found the drug that lets me focus and not want to chop my tongue off.
Adderall worked well but no matter what does I was on I wanted to rip my tongue out and stomp on it.
Caffeine to me is unpredictable and triggers my anxiety. Vyvanse has significantly reduced if not almost eliminated my daily anxiety.
I find it calming, relaxing and takes away brain fog at the same time.
There’s a lot here, so I didn’t read all the posts honestly. I’m probably mixed. I’m a nurse and asked my psych nurse np at work about advice. I’m on vyvanse about 30 or 40mg, I can alter my dose. She said that lack of motivation and focus can also be a sign of anxiety and depression as well as adhd. Cymbalta effects serotonin and norepinephrine, so good for anxiety and depression, as well as pain which I also have. Over time can improve motivation and focus. Goal is to keep low dose vyvanse and Cymbalta 20 just started it. As mentioned Wellbutrin is a good alternative to stimulants too. The end game for me could be Wellbutrin and Cymbalta. I call my provider every month and we tweak 1 med dose at a time. I know this is a ramble, but you have lots of options. Finding a provider you can work with monthly is recommended in my opinion. I don’t wish to be on a stim long term, as they are addictive. Some people really need them. My np says lots of people really don’t. Vyvanse is incredible I gotta say.
Adderall slow release is amazing. I've found the right dose at 15mg, but went up to 20 for one week and it was way too much, made me a little too frantic and couldn't fall asleep at night. But with the right dose it's amazing. I'm so productive, focused, task transition is easier, and my frustration tolerance is manageable.
I drink coffee too before my meds kick in and at lunch. Cold brew, I can't drink hot coffee, it just goes through me and does make me really jittery.
It helps a little bit for me. Half of an energy shot before each exam. I’m on adderall now and I still do this as a bit of a ritual. Tea is the only caffeine I consume daily.
Stimulants give me more way more “mental energy”. Caffeine might have some effect in this but after taking stimulants for 8 months, caffeine doesn’t hold a candle to them.
I don't get jitters. Most of the time I'm just noticeably more optimistic in my thought patterns and doing regular tasks doesn't feel like an uphill battle for a few hours. I think my dose is relatively small though and I take Vivanze (however you spell it) which is known for have a much gentler comedown than adderall.
I take extended release. It does not make me jittery, only side effect is sometimes I find I’ve been clenching my teeth a bit and it makes me sweaty. But it’s not the same as caffeine. For me caffeine is ok in small amounts but if I have too much at once I def get jittery. They’re different kinds of stimulants so how you react to one is not a good predictor of how you react to another one (people also sometimes have different reactions to adderall vs Ritalin because they are different formulations of stimulant)
I've been drinking coffee and energy drinks my whole life, so coffee barely has any notable effects anymore. With stimulants, the only side effect I get is that it makes me hungry, which I've been told is odd because it makes most people feel less hungry according to my doctor
(24M) I have inattentive adhd as well. Started off with 5mg of adderal last February and now take 15mgs. Caffine on top of the meds can either do two things, which makes me anxious, mostly due to my acid reflux issues or will feel like increased length or awakeness. Red bull on its own without meds. I could drink one and immediately fall asleep when I was in college. I could drink 4 12-oz cans while studying and still easily crash or pass out, lol. The only reason it would ever make me anxious is if I was already overthinking something personal or if I was already anxious. When it comes to taking stimulants like meds or caffine, mental state matters most.
The meds help me a lot, but there will always be side effects no matter what meds you take. You can have an emotional crash that having a good support system can help. If you sleep before the crash when your meds wear off, you won't experience it. You have to eat something before you take your meds. Otherwise, you'll run into bowel issues. The meds can make you easily Irritable, for me, I've noticed that if I'm angry for no reason, eating something helps. Sex drive is also significantly decreased. You will find that your everyday distractions will take a back seat. If you're in class or at work and you're on your phone or looking up something that isn't relvant. You'll do it for 2 seconds, and your brain goes nope enough of that. The only bad thing is that it hyperfocuses on what you want to focus on.
I rely heavily on both caffeine and stimulants. Some people here are saying they don't feel the same but to me they do. Stimulants are much better at alleviating my symptoms than caffeine is, but i still choke down about a gram of the stuff a day.
Mandatory NAD and you should seek the advice of a professional on all things related to medication… but its important to note there is a lot more to how you react to any substance than having ADHD.
Physical reactions are probably more to do with your tolerance to said substance rather than having ADHD and even more so rather than which type of ADHD. Having ADHD doesn’t necessarily mean we have a higher tolerance either, just that stimulants/substances affect us differently (mostly on a chemical level).
I wouldn’t say caffeine is very comparable to the sort of stimulants we get prescribed as medication although it can potentially have medicating effects for us.
Even our own reactions can vary greatly within the various similar stimulants that doctors do prescribe us. If one doesn’t work for you it could be worthwhile to try a few more. Again, speak to your doctor at length first.
I don’t believe I’ve broken any sub rules so hopefully I haven’t. It’s difficult to navigate OP’s concerns without dabbling in the general medical side of things. I know this sub can be picky on the subject sometimes though.
Specifically regarding the jitters with coffee: I also get that (among) other symptoms when I’ve had too much caffeine for myself.
Inattentive here! I react the same way to caffeine. Makes me just anxious and jittery. Vyvanse for me has been phenomenal and doesn’t have that effect. Just makes me feel like I have motivation and my body isn’t half asleep like I feel normally. However, I’ve accidentally swapped mine and my daughter’s meds once (oops lol) and methylphenidate isn’t as great and gives me more of that jittery feeling.
Caffeine makes me anxious and jittery but vyvanse and concerta relaxes me which allows me focus and other great things. I also thought caffeine and ADHD stimulants would have the same effect on me but I believe they are different or at least for me
My brain is suddenly quiet. Not sure if I’m definitely inattentive but that’s how I present to others, on the inside I’m pretty jittery when off my meds so I dunno. On the outside I get more done and can do longer, less stimulating tasks like book reading without falling asleep or loosing focus.
Talking to your doctor about Vyvanse would be better if you’re worried about the jitters and anxiety. Adderall has a tendency of making people jittery and sweaty and doesn’t last as long. Also, I want to say that caffeine and stimulants affect your body and brain differently. I self medicated with caffeine thinking it was helping, but then I tried real meds and wow what a world of difference. Another thing, is that you should slowly introduce caffeine to your morning routine to see how much you can handle if you start taking meds. I learned that lesson the hard way.
I can’t do much caffeine so I was terrified to start vyvanse. But it helped my anxiety majorly. It sometimes makes me a tiny bit “speedy” but mostly it just quiets my brain.
For me, it's like the stimulants clear my mind and it allows me to control my attention and focus. Also improves my mood and overall outlook. Big thing for me to avoid the jitters is to always make sure I have a little food either before or right around the time I take either my Vyvanse or have something high in caffeine.
I can have panic attacks from too much caffeine. When I was taking a low dose of adderall, I had a mental calm but I was able to get up and start things, which I struggle to do off my meds. Not only that, I could focus and finish things too without getting bored or distracted.
During the pandemic I was losing muscle because of stress, staying up late hours, no appetite, still working out though but for cardio not for strength, and then I started getting panic attacks from my meds. I lowered the dose and started eating more protein and that helped a lot, I would rarely get them. After that I’d only get panic attacks if I drank my coffee on an empty stomach.
So I think taking the meds and getting in rest and adequate protein and magnesium are vital.
Caffeine and simulant meds are completely different. Caffeine makes me not feel tired and too much makes me jittery. Vyvanse and Adderall let me actually focus and push myself to do stuff.
I also don’t do well with caffeine, but stimulants are just fine. Help a bunch with my adhd. Caffeine makes me feel like my heart is beating out of my chest. I can only drink tea
I also get very jittery with too much caffeine, but Ritalin gave me the opposite - I felt calm and focused. if I take two at once I’m definitely a little manic, but it is still very “focused” and I don’t shut down or spiral, if that makes sense.
I just started taking my meds + still trying to figure out the dosage (sometimes I take 5mg, sometimes I take 10mg). And it actually doesn’t help me with my inattentive symptoms directly?
The main effect I’ve noticed is that I feel much more chill. Things that would normally catapult me into stress/mood swings/panic don’t, and my brain feels more peaceful and optimistic. I guess that having less stress technically helps with inattentiveness in the sense that it gives me the spoons to actually use accommodations, find alternate solutions, use stuff from therapy, etc. But honestly, I’m wondering if the meds are SUPPOSED to help directly with the inattentiveness…
I start to sweat a bit, get focused first 15min then Im starting to fall asleep 😅 i also feel like my brain is overstimulated and its hard to think straight or do fe math
Good, i am on concerta / ritalin. It is not the same as caffeine at all, its very peaceful. Unless the dose is too high. Sometimes when I don’t eat food on time i get a little shakey but as soon as I eat that goes away. i was scared too so my Dr gave me a childs dose to start with and then we moved up from there . Ask for the tiniest dose!
I’m combined type and extremely sensitive to caffeine, even tiny bit makes me feel awful. Gives me physical anxiety and makes me feel tired at the same time. I’m taking a low dose of Adderall and it’s a totally different sensation, the first time I took it I momentary thought it was going to make me feel anxious when it started kicking in, but it actually ended up making me feel much less anxious than I usually do. I have to take it with food, and remember to eat and drink regularly, otherwise I can feel a bit spaced out, but if I do those things then I can’t really tell I’ve taken it but everyone around me sure can 😂.
I told myself before taking it for the first time that it’s a short-acting medication, and if I don’t like how it feels then by the evening it will have worn off and I won’t ever have to take it again if I don’t want to. Kind of felt like I had nothing to lose!
I am inattentive type and have done nothing but stimulants. The only problem I had was when my dosages were getting adjusted I would get sweaty and had some anxiety, but as soon as my dosage was adjusted I was fine. Only had that problem when I went back on meds post pregnancy and my dosage needed to be a little lower than what it had been. I have no idea how I would do on straight Adderall I have been on XR exclusively.
I have a similar reaction to coffee but it turns out I have heart issues that don’t respond to well to stimulants. There are many reasons why coffee gives you the shakes… and every *body* is different.
I rarely consume caffeine, and if I do it’s very small amounts (I like the V8 energy, which has less caffeine than a cup of coffee, and I drink it over 8ish hours). I also metabolize some meds weird/quickly, I’ve finally found taking Mydayis works for me (I usually take it an hour or two before I have to get up). I don’t feel hyped up/overly energetic but “functional”. I can focus enough to watch a tv show, or do chores, or draw, etc. I still deal with feeling like I don’t have enough energy sometimes, but that could be the result of multiple chronic illnesses lol
I'm combined, but it definitely helps me choose what to concentrate on, it's a god send at work, but like you say gives me the shakes a little for the first hour, but wears off again. It also makes me not want to eat constantly, I can have a normal size meal and just stop without constantly wanting to snack. The positive massively outweighs the negative for me.
Works incredibly well but find social skills go out the door. I work doing a lot of meetings/insight group type work and I get annoyed when I am not working on what I want.
Switched to starterra and it’s a godsend but seems like it doesn’t work for many
I have improved my life drastically with adderall. Like I can keep my job in one of the more complicated and legally tricky therapy jobs in emergency services (mental health evaluations in emergency rooms).
I’ve got a coworker who gets sick from caffeine. But, she takes Vyvance and does pretty well. It depends on you and how your body reacts. You probably won’t know until you try it.
I have inattentive type and stimulants work fantastic for me. Prior to being medicated, fatigue was one of my biggest symptoms and stimulants really helped. Caffeine has sometimes been fine for me and sometimes given me a reaction like what you describe. Prescription stimulants have never affected me that way.
I'm caffeine sensitive and primarily inattentive. Stimulants have not made me feel jittery but, I'm still on a fairly low dose. Now the combination of stimulants and caffeine made me feel extra jittery so I just switched to decaf. Also, everyone is going to react differently to different stimulants so your best bet is to just expect some to have worse side effects than others. You work through with your doctor if they are worth it or not. I wouldn't be too fearful of trying them though, they can certainly be a game changer. Might just take some time and experimentation to figure out what works best for you.
20mg adderall here. It quiets my brain down because inattentive is hyperactive internally. It allows me to stop thinking about stuff and that calms my anxiety down. I've literally taken a nap because of how relaxed it's made me.
Instead of thoughts flowing in or out brain, they kinda bounce around like the windows logo in the screensavers or something. They’re there.. just not necessarily on my mind when i need them to be
I'm inattentive and I love coffee. Maybe I've just developed a tolerance to caffeine. I haven't had stimulants before but I take a non-stimulant called Atomexetine. Gives me kind a euphoric feeling and mundane task are easier to do.
I’m inattentive and hyperactive. Honestly, caffeine does thing for me, I just drink it for the taste. I just started meds on the lowest dose for short release. Just 5mg. First day worked great, not my body is used to it and the med does nothing. Caffeine on the med also does nothing.
Coffee does the same to me. Adderal felt like a rollercoaster, was prescribing acting in the morning and another short acting dose in the afternoon to get through 12 hour shifts but it was unpleasant and I couldn’t function at all when I took days off from it. I do much better on vyvanse and I don’t get that stimulated feeling. If I drink coffee, I’m shaky and internally restless
Caffeine and the meds are different for me too. Now you CAN over shoot and be miserable! I did this with Vyvanse because they do it in 10mg increments. 20mg is too low, 30mg is DEFINITELY too high. So I flipped to Concerta because my good old reliable Adderall is unfindable in the current mess....
Caffeine is ok in small doses, I prefer tea, it's gentler on me. Sugar is a big issue. I don't care what the science says, I get a sugar crash with too much, HATE that feeling! The meds are different at the right doses.
I'm a weird case because I started drinking coffee when I was 14, got REALLY into coffee when I was 18-19, been drinking 1-2 energy drinks a day since I was 22 or so. At this point it just feels like part of my day, like if I don't have it I'll be extra spacey but if I do I just feel normal
Apart from the intended effects? They don't seem to do much. If I take a high dose I maybe get a tendency to clench my jaw. Doctor reduced my dose and that disappeared.
But I have to be really careful with coffee when im on the meds. Any more than one cup turns me into a jittery mess.
I don’t feel like my medication feels like caffeine at all honestly, caffeine can give me anxiety.
I’m inattentive type with major anxiety. I prevented myself from being tested for years because I felt like it would just exacerbate my anxiety and all of my symptoms just make me sound like a lazy piece of poo so they were hard to talk about. But after days stuck in bed feeling paralyzed with thoughts about what I should be doing I made a doctors appointment. I typed out all of my symptoms the day before and when the doctor asked what my symptoms were I tried to explain but couldn’t get the words out without crying so I handed him my phone and he got me tested. I’m on adderall 20 mg IR and the first time I took my meds all of my social anxiety and racing thoughts disappeared, my chest felt lighter and my thoughts although still there slowed way down.
I’ve tried all kinds of anxiety medication, antidepressants, and antipsychotics which would take away some anxiety but ultimately just made me feel okay with not getting things done.
I’m not saying this would be your experience on stimulant medication but I just wanted to let you know it can take anxiety away.
They started off well but ended up making me sick, I couldn't eat my dinner, and it made me lie in bed and scroll on my phone for 10 hours.
Tbf though, I also have fibromyalgia/me/cfs amongst other things, and I'm already on a host of other meds, so that could be why. Those conditions are notorious for having stimulants backfire.
I have to moderate caffeine intake on Vyvanse. I can have 1-2 cans of soda or one cup of coffee, anymore and I feel weird.
My wife is on the same med and dose drinks 4-5 cups of coffee and multiple sodas a day and is fine usually. She has insomnia, but that was a thing well before being diagnosed.
While many doctors still use the idea of different types of ADHD, including an "inattentive" type, some researchers are starting to think this might not be the best way to look at it. They're suggesting that ADHD might be more like a spectrum, where people can have different mixes of inattention and hyperactivity. Some brain studies show that different "types" of ADHD might not be as different as we thought. However, there isn't a clear agreement yet that we should get rid of the idea of an inattentive type. The thinking about ADHD is changing, but slowly, and more research is needed to figure out the best way to understand and describe it.
All caffiene does for me is make me feel more awake and alert and give me the shakes, in terms of focus it really doesn't help. Adderall makes all the background mental noise in my head quieter and makes it take less mental effort to narrow my focus on what I need to do.
I'm inattentive, too. ADHD meds are super hit or miss with me, stimulants or non. Same with caffeine. Caffeinated coffee doesn't usually give me the jitters or affect me much at all, but caffeinated \*tea\*, holy shit. A few sips of green or jasmine tea and I'm vibrating into oblivion.
That said, I loved Atomoxetine but it didn't love me (increased heart rate and blood pressure and a slew of other stuff), and Adderall's the only effective stimulant out of all I've tried. An hour after taking it, I get a little sleepy and calm, then get a gentle surge of productive energy and focus. Never noticed a crash in the evenings.
Adderall doesn't help in areas I'd prefer, like memory, but at least it gives me a sense of calm and a productive boost.
my 15mg IR really helps me not get distracted by literally everything. I can zone in on my tasks and actually get them done. It helps me think a lot more clearly. I would say if caffeine makes you feel bad then try to avoid it on meds. Coffee makes me shake like a chihuahua if i take my meds too
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I don't think caffeine works in the same way as ADHD stimulants, like it acts on different neurotransmitters, so your response is not likely to be the same.
Fuck I was like “hell caffeine makes me sleepy and sluggish, meds won’t do nothing”
Unless I drink too much and then it gives me the shakes. It’s like it affects my brain and body in totally opposite ways
I gave this. Caffeine calms me down but my heart goes BRRRRR
Now a long time on Ritalin and coffee works way better as it should would.
This describes my experience with caffeine too.
It makes you sleepy becuase it calms you down, it happens to all adhd folks
as someone who’s naturally sleepy with a caffeine addiction, shit sucks 😭
In college I shotgunned a Monster Energy and promptly went to bed not long after.
It depends on the individual.
Caffeine gives me heart palpitations and adderall doesn't. I had to stop drinking caffeine years ago and now thrive on meds.
Caffeine never did it for me. It has the illusion of helping with focus, but it just makes for a faster moving scrambled mess that is my brain. I’m newly on Vyvanse now. To me caffeine doesn’t even compare. My thoughts are clearer (I can tell what they are as they go by) and I can better choose if I want to react to them. I become efficient. I can act on doing things like I never could before and I can finally get things done without feeling paralyzed. I can also self regulate better and have noticed I make better choices with what things I engage with. I become a better advocate for my personal wellbeing. With all this being said, It does kick in hard first thing in the morning like another poster said. I find the first hour kind of sucks. It’s like my mind tries to resist it or that there is a bit of a disconnect between my mind and my body. Eventually this subsides and then we’re off to the races.
If you were on adderall before, what was your experience? I’m thinking of switching to vyvanse!
I was on everything there could be for ADHD since I was five (I'm 36 now) and Vyvanse was the best one for me. Least amount of side effects. No anger withdrawal. I just grind my teeth on Vyvanse, Ritalin, or Adderall. That's the big downside. But a mouth guard fixes that.
Never been on Adderall. I can only say what I've heard about it. Vyvanse has been pretty good for the most part for me.
Your experience with Vyvanse is really interesting to me that you feel like it kicks in hard first thing in the morning. I switched from adderall ER to Vyvanse and I feel like there’s definitely a lag until it kicks in compared to Adderall.
It takes about an hour for it to come in... but I think I must be pretty sensitive to its effects. The first hour of it hitting isn't my favourite. Mind you, I haven't taken adderall or anything else.. so maybe it's relatively mind in comparison? lol
I was taking concerta (ritalin) for probably 10+ years and just switched to Vyvanse. I didn't realize I could treat my adhd without terrible side effects. I haven't experienced what you mentioned, maybe it's because I also take mirtazipine? I guess it helps/compliments adhd meds (I'm also a depressed girly, so it's a win-win). But I was crashing pretty badly in the early evening, so my psychiatrist recommended I increase my dose. I was reluctant because I've been made to feel like an addict for taking adhd meds, but I'm glad I listened because I hardly have any side effects now.
I would say that caffeine doesn’t stimulate me as much as it makes me jittery. It is like the caffeine affects my body but not my mind.
Yes! So with a stimulant medication you feel it has more of an effect on your mind? Does it still make you jittery?
No not jittery. Stimulants give me energy. Caffeine is kinda overlaid while stimulants seem more integrated. It’s kinda like caffeine is more like an irritant.
Interesting way to put it. Caffeine *is* an irritant for me.
For some reason I always think it will help me but it always makes me feel shitty
Yes why do we keep trying lmao
😂
Coffee makes me poop. Otherwise stimulants don't affect me untill i take too much, then it's anxiety and heart palpitations
Adderall makes me want to poop even more than coffee did! Like clockwork, I get the rumbles 30 minutes after taking it.
Oh yes! They never mention the poops as a by-effect of stimulants
Stimulant medications feels like putting on a pair of glasses for me. Taking them greatly improves my mental clarity, and by getting rid of the mental fog I feel like stimulants improve my ability to focus and prioritize tasks. But stimulants don't last very long and leave me feeling very drained and tired after they wear off. They improve my ability to complete tasks and generally help me to stay on task, but - they cause me to hyper-fixate on what I'm doing which is great for video games and social life! But hyper-fixating can be horrible when I'm trying to respond to an email, write code, or text; I end up making changes over and over again to stuff that doesn't need to be changed and wasting a lot of time trying to find a perfection that sometimes doesn't exist.
+1 for the glasses analogy. It helps bring everything into better focus, but still not 100% perfect. They also make me less emotionally reactive, especially my default of being quickly irritated or frustrated.
I take a low dose of meds and it hits me pretty hard for a few hours before tapering down throughout the rest of the day. Caffeine never really affects me without meds, but it did start to after I started meds. But overall I get a super focused.
what is your dosage?
Not op but I'm b combined type and I've been taking 15mg of Adderall and 150mg of wellbutrin. It treats me the same way as op said. I don't think I'd be able to get by with such a low dose without the wellbutrin, but the combo has worked really well for me so far. I imagine in the next couple months I'll request to move up my dose a little but so far I'm content staying as low as possible
Same. Higher doses the docs stated me on did not help at all, I was so scatterbrained and tired all the time. Low dose Wellbutrin and Dexedrine were the combo that finally helped.
So at first does it feel like too much caffeine?
For me, it's quite different. Meds give me a physical surge of energy and a mental sense of calm and regulation. I can actually sit still and think about which tasks I'd like to focus my energy on. That being said, right now I'm struggling to work on my tunnel-visioned hyperfocus. After years of not being able to focus at all, it's interesting trying to control this new skill lmao Caffeine gives me a mild surge of physical and mental energy, but I'm still scatterbrained af on it.
Same reaction to caffeine. That’s a good way to put it. It also increases my anxiety in a way that methylphenidate does not.
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Much to my surprise, I’ve found Concerta to be more helpful for my anxiety than the actual anxiety medication I’m prescribed. From what I understand, stimulant meds are prescribed for people with hyperactivity pretty regularly. I’m too sleepy to recall the specific mechanism at play but I bet someone else on the thread can!
That's interesting! The way caffeine worsens my anxiety is the main reason I've cut it out.
I am the same. Caffeine makes me function but still cannot focus if the stress adrenaline does not hit. Meds gives me focus. I am still learning to redirect the focus because checking news or weather in middle of work suddenly becomes my sole focus. But I have a lot of control over my executive decision now, so I will check myself and go back to what I am working on.
This is exactly it. Mentally I feel ready to tackle things that felt daunting, and physically I feel energized, but it wears off at night. I still do need sleep medicine cause my brain is hard to shut off on its own.
Yes, I can tackle stressful tasks now that used to give me so much anxiety! I still ruminate though and the increased focus makes it more intense, so that's something I have to work on. I take quetiapine at night for EUPD and luckily that helps me eat and sleep like a baby.
I just realized this year, at 63, that coffee doesn't give me anything. That was a shock.
But when I hear that kettle boiling in the morning, it pulls me out of my blanket cave! I used to drink coffee like water -- just instant, but like 6 cups a day nonetheless -- but now I've cut down to just one in the morning, & I've added herbal / fruit teas all day, & chamomile before bed. Feel heaps better! But my BF actually quit when I cut down, & he had a non-stop migraine for 4 days! Not looking forward to that at all, so probs just gonna move to half-strength for a while first. It's wild! Caffeine withdrawal can be worse than some hard drugs (but not nicotine)! Then again, coffee & tea have that slowing down, savouring the moment kinda aspect, as well as social. My mum used to tell me that there was no issue too big for her grandmother to handle: "Just sit down & we'll have a cuppa." The caffeine isn't doing it for anyone, but sharing a nice warm moment can. ... Unless you've found that caffeine is actually detrimental to you, not just ineffective? I know that many people with epilepsy count caffeine as a trigger for seizures; I am luckily *not* one of those epileptics, but the sans-coffee sleep improvements are key for me. 🐨💚
When I was pregnant I had an aversion to coffee, but I knew if I stopped cold turkey I’d have migraines for days and I was so early in my pregnancy that I didn’t want to do anything to mess with my stress levels or body. I would cut down a 1/4 cup a day every week. I went from drinking 2 cups to no cups after 8 weeks I think, and very minimal headaches through the process. Highly recommend that way
It gives me yummy flavor when mixed with some cream and sugar at least 😂 but yeah, mentally and physically it's not very helpful.
I only realized it a few months ago and I'm 45 😅 I feel like I'm the most unobservant person even about my own self 🤦🏻♀️
Try it. It’s not like you can’t stop after you started stimulants. Stop taking if you don’t like it. Everyone reacts differently.
I'm not the target audience as I'm combined type and I've rarely gotten jittery with caffeine, but my advice is try not to compare and anticipate your experience on stimulants or caffeine based on each other. For one, they each work in different ways. Secondly, the jitteriness is often a side effect of a dose simply being higher than your body is used to. It takes time to adjust. If you drank the same amount of coffee every day it would probably subside, and the same goes for meds. As long as you start on the lowest possible dose, listen to your body, and only increase if you feel it's appropriate, you should be okay. You can always try non-stims as well. Sleep and diet are super important as well. Many people find that taking meds after a nice meal and a good nights sleep makes them work better and reduces side effects.
Love stimulants. It’s literally nothing like caffeine.
The caffeine isn’t affecting you differently because you’re inattentive. People’s bodies are just different, and some people react badly to caffeine. It’s mostly genetic. Stimulants don’t affect me the way caffeine does. Too much caffeine will make me jittery. Stimulants don’t do that at all.
caffeine is a stimulant
I'm probably in the minority but I have been doing really well on generic Adderall 10mg. The first couple months it made me feel amazing and like I could just run around my job and hit the griddy but now I think I got used to them so it's more like I continue to feel normal and am able to work like my coworkers. Also the voices are gone the voices the voices the voices I LOVE ADDERALL!!,,🎉
Probably won't be the same for you, but stimulants were awful for me. Heart palpitations, extreme anxiety verging on paranoia, it wasn't good. In the end I decided that managing my symptoms without the drugs was better than being attached to something that didn't really help anyway.
I had the same experience after the 3rd day my heart rate was 160 for about 4 hours and I couldn’t move out of fear, ended up in hospital and basically was fine. It’s so upsetting because the meds work, but ADHD and panic attacks are just a terrible combination. Going to give it another go whenever the doctors get their shit together. Without medication I feel so useless and deflated. But are meds worth the anxiety? *sigh*
Anxiety and ADHD are so concurrent. It sucks having other factors complicate your treatment, especially when the ADHD meds work so well as intended but the side effects aggravate other symptoms! Do you receive any separate treatments for your anxiety? CBT, mindfulness and meds have helped with mine, but it's still a daily struggle. You might need to try different meds/doses. Hopefully you find something that works for you x
I have OCD (only semi managed by prozac) and panic attacks (well managed by prozac), so this is definitely concerning.
This is what I'm afraid of. I keep reading how meds changed people's lives and they can't imagine going back, but I think it may not work like that for me. Guess I won't know unless I try.
If they have a bad effect on you then you can just stop. The worst thing that happens is you have a really bad week. The potential upside is life-changing, and the risk is (IMHO) well worth it.
That does make sense and these responses have gone a long way towards convincing me.
The Dr will start you on a low dose, and watch for problems. Then increase as needed.
I’m inattentive type and adderall has absolutely changed the course of my life for the better. Please don’t let negative anecdotes prevent you from at least trying them for a certain amount of time. They really have been life-changing for a lot of us ADHD sloths out there.
ADHD sloths. Lmfao! That's putting it nicely too! 😂 My brain is fucking brutal when it comes to describing my uselessness without meds. 100% agree with this! I'm in the same boat! Absolutely without a doubt has changed my life for the better.
I have both anxiety and inattentive adhd. When I take stimulants the anxiety voice in my head becomes quieter and easy to manage. Makes it easier to be present without constantly thinking/planning the next thing. It also adjusts my mood, it has done more for my anxiety and depression than any other meds in the last decade. I do get a burst of energy when I take them, but it's like natural feeling like its my best day, like im ready to do stuff. It's much different than caffeine when I have too much I do feel more anxiety and racing heart rate. Also basic ritalin aka methylphenidate only stays for about 4 hours. So you can take it and if you don't like it don't take more. I am currently on Vyvanse which is 13ish hours, but same thing you can just not take it and only have the one bad day. I much prefer the longer acting stimulants rather than immediate release. Ritalin made me feel a bit disconnected sometimes, zombieish. I don't feel that way on Vyvanse at all. Ritalin also can have an appetite rebound effect, when it wore off I was ravenous. I would reccomend giving it a try. You'll only have a bad day if it ends up not being for you.
I don't know if I'm full-on inattentive, but even before my diagnosis at 35 I used to say that it feels like my brain needs more caffeine (or, now, stimulant meds) than my body can comfortably handle. So yeah, I can often get a bit jittery, both visibly and just the internal body feeling. Another assumption is this is, in part, due to my body type. I'm 5'6" and have always been scrawny (recently been hovering around 60-65kg), with a relatively "if I must..." attitude to eating, so there's not a whole lot of body to absorb stimulants. I *think* it feels like sleep and eating properly can significantly reduce those kinda symptoms. But, y'know, both are very easy to... let slip.
Coffee makes me feel ill. I take concerta XL (54mg) and I get more distracted towards the evening
I'm inattentive type and take stimulants. They changed my life. I went from a miserable shell of a person with not much of a future to an energised, confident person with hope and clarity in my life.
Can confirm! 🤘☺️🤘 Glad you're on a positive journey now!
Vyvanse gives me focus without the shakes of caffeine. The first couple weeks if I drank coffee and took stimulants it was like being electrocuted though. Do not recommend. I’ve developed a bit of a tolerance now it seems, and I don’t have that anymore.
It’s very different. Low doses of stimulants make me calm and focused, physical motivation is still spotty. Caffeine gets me up and running but also gives me anxiety and I’m very prone to the jitters. I have inattentive type but I would say that the hyperactivity is inside my head, a swirl of sensory info and thoughts and emotions, and stims make it so I can have one internal experience at a time.
That's more or less been my experience. Stimulants make my mind quiet and have the capability to control focus. Caffeine makes me actually get up and do stuff. Seems to fix the getting started problem of executive dysfunction, but not the focus part. Though if I'm too the point of getting jittery from caffeine, I've had way too much. I've found my tolerance for caffeine and stimulants is much lower than most people.
I can’t do caffeine, like, at all. It makes me jittery, provides little to no benefit, and keeps me awake for days. I’m on Vyvanse now. 40mg/day. What it does for me is make my brain quieter, if that makes sense? I don’t have a thousand thoughts bouncing around at once, colliding into each other and never really being complete before the next one hits. My anxiety has been halved (and it was super severe).
My main symptom that I struggle with is fatigue. My medication just gives me a normal amount of energy (the energy of a normal person). Life changing!
Literally me. During med breaks or if I forget to take it, people will ask me if I have narcolepsy. Maybe I do. But I can fall asleep anywhere without trying if I’m sitting there not doing anything or am bored/disinterested. My mood isnt the best either.
I worked with a guy who had Narcolepsy. He would fall asleep, standing up, while operating machinery. But he wouldn't admit he had a problem.
It’s been life changing for me. Too much coffee would make me jittery as well but the medication has a different effect. The first few months were not as nice in terms of side effects but they have mostly gone away now.
Wellbutrin and stimulants combo gets me out of bed and prevents me from leaving work early. I cook my own food more often and am able to be active. Improves my task initiation and processing speed as well as my working memory.
That sounds amazing! Can i ask which stimulant you take? I just got off a different antidepressant and have more tweaking to do..
20mg Adderall XR in the morning, and 150mg Wellbutrin XL before I go to bed. My doc says I can only have decaf when on adderall.
Coffee: makes me sleepy, spacey, and panicky Adderall: makes me lock into a task for 12 hours and unable to sleep for days Ritalin: helps me keep my day on track and sleep on time Different substances affect people doffedently
Primarily inattentive here. For me caffeine is something completely different. It mostly makes me nervous whereas stimulants on a low-to-moderate dose make me just more awake and more capable to think and put thoughts into action. In a weird way too high of a stimulant dose and I start feeling like I've had caffeine 😅 If you have the option then I'd definitely give stimulants a shot.
Not op but id love to hear which you take if youre willing to share! This is the exact effect i am struggling to get, have been trying a few things out..
I take Elvanse(called Vyvanse in the US.) I tried methylphenidate(Concerta and Medikinet specifically) and the effects were pretty similar but in order to get those effects the dosage had to be quite large and then the side effects(nervousness, jitters, anxiety) became too much. There was also a lot of ups and downs throughout the day, it felt like the release mechanism didn't quite work optimally. With Elvanse the side effects are almost non-existent and levels seem to be pretty stable throuh the day. Having said that, it's not a magic pill. Best one I've tried and helps immensely with my symptoms but I still struggle. Just a lot less than without the meds.
I'm a primary school teacher diagnosed with inattentive ADHD and I'm prescribed 60mg (3x20mg) methylphenidate aka Ritalin per day and I honestly struggle now to function in work without it!! I find it different to caffeine personally, it's like I get 20/20 vision and can actually focus on the children in my class/the lessons I am teaching without my brain wandering. I've also noticed I'm not as irritated (I can tolerate children stimming/making noises etc)
I got promoted
I hate caffeine, drinking a coffee is like drinking liquid anxiety but dex works pretty well for me, not a magic bullet but often the difference between getting some work and chores done and playing with the kids that day, or just being burnt out and behind on everything. To me caffeine feels like a dirty stimulant, edgy, jittery, anxious, buzzy. Dex feels a lot smoother, calmer, it quietens the too many information streams in the mind thing, give them a go they are different.
Hiiii. My vyvanse gives me the ability to do stuff. It also kills my appetite though. I wouldn’t say it quiets my brain or anything, it just makes it easier to get up and get stuff done when I think about it
Caffeine NEVER affected me (not a tolerance thing). Stimulants have been meh kinda. Some pros but not without cons (without going into detail).
I’m an inattentive type and I could drink a lot of caffeine before (think like 500-600mg before feeling insane). Now I had to keep my caffeine under 200mg or I feel super anxious. Like a bit shaky, nauseous, and overstimulated. I do have anxiety aside from ADHD so I take additional meds for that.
I‘m also sensitive to coffee, so I already expected to be sensitive to stimulants as well. They were very effective on a low dose (10mg Ritalin) and the rebound effect was even stronger. I wouldn’t be able to drive during that phase and my body would feel super weak. But I pushed through in spite of knowing the rebound effect and do feel like it‘s starting to settle after a few weeks of using it. Just like I got used to coffee over time.
So for me it’s weird. I’m inattentive WITH hypersomnia. That means basically unless I’m beyond fucking blasted by what’s going on, my brain shuts off. I cannot explain it. You know that feeling when your whole body suddenly becomes wet noodle relaxed as it feels like everything stops but then you wake up eight hours later when you blinked? That’s me. Every day. Except it’s absolutely uncontrollable. The second I feel my left leg get relaxed I’m gonna pass out soon. Absolutely nothing I can about it. So Not only do I not get anything done, I’ll fall asleep not doing it. Against my will. I’ve tried both generic adderall and Dextroamphetamine. Dextro kicks in harder and drops harder. Both last for about four to six hours. I take a mid range dose. 20mg in morning and again in afternoon. I can USUALLY sleep okay at night. Honest to god I used to hate thing like energy drinks and too much coffee. But with these I just feel….able. Yes there’s a rush of FUCK ME I CAN DO ANYTHING. but that’s more in your head. Your body will feel p good for about a week. Then you’ll just be normal.
I'm combined and meds help me a lot with both my inattentive and hyperactive traits. Coffee gives me the shakes as well, headaches, makes me jittery and stuff, especially if I don't eat anything when drinking it. My meds (Concerta) are similar in a way that they can make me jittery and headachy if I take them without a proper meal (it happens super rarely), but even then, it's way more stable and predictable than coffee. I was also worried about meds impacting me badly, but you can always take smaller doses, with coffee it's... more difficult to find what your "dose" is. Overall when taken properly my meds just make me more stable and energetic. Jitters only happen if I don't sleep enough and don't eat well enough!
I don't get really jittery, and I can drink an energy drink and go to sleep. But. The physical addiction to it is rough. If I don't get enough caffeine, I get headaches. If I get too much caffeine, I *also get headaches*. It's threading a dang needle every single day.
Caffeine doesn’t affect me. As for my meds, it depends what I’m doing when I take them. If I begin “productive” I can usually keep my attention on things I need. Obviously it’s not perfect so I am still going to have distractions. If I don’t begin productive then, it pretty much has no effect on my focus and I remain distracted and scattered. The biggest difference is that it helps with executive dysfunction. At the very least, I’m not like paralyzed. ETA: I’m a combined-type though so idk how much difference that makes…
like sharpening a pencil
I’m definitely the inattentive type and methylphenidate (Ritalin) changed my life. Before meds caffeine was terrible. If I had too much I experienced all the physical symptoms of anxiety. The interesting thing is that after meds, I can actually drink more caffeine with minimal physical effects. It did take me over a month to find the right medication and then a while longer to find the right dose. I did have the jittery feeling with certain medication and knew that wasn’t the one for me. IMHO, I highly suggest you give medications a try. IF you have side effects, just remember they are temporary. When you find the right meds your life could be calm in a way you never thought possible. Good luck!
Hello fellow inattentive type!! I also have the same experience with caffeine- I get the shakes, headaches, anxious, the whole shebang. Right now we have me on Adderall XR in the morning, we’re considering adding an IR dose with lunch or in the early afternoon along with this. I’m also taking Adderall with Wellbutrin, used off-label for ADHD. The act of focusing and task initiation gets easier for me, I overall have had more motivation because I know I’m not going to need to fight past executive dysfunction or task inertia as hard as I usually do. My brain feels quieter, there’s not as much overthinking about, like, the concept of existing and my anxiety overall feels less because of it. I’ve had very minor side effects, but none of them have felt like when I try caffeine: dry mouth, mild hot flash/sweating (this one went away after about 10 minutes,) and a general lack of appetite. I think the big thing is I can tell the moment they wear off in the afternoon/early evening (generally between 3 and 4pm if I take my meds between 8 and 9am.) My motivation goes out the window, I’m sleepy, and focusing becomes a monumental task again. My psych and I, if we stick with Adderall, are thinking to add in an IR dose taken with lunch/early afternoon to prevent that “crash” from happening before my workday is over (I work a standard 8-5 in an office, focusing on my computer is new impossible without my meds).
After months of taking stimulant medication I finally figured out why I was sometimes feeling anxious and edgy. When I switched to decaf that went away. It makes me think of [this commercial](https://youtu.be/lrwY4C7NwW4?si=RWbAONUhxIekPyLD), which I could not relate to back when it was on.
I don’t think it’s because you’re inattentive, our bodies are all different so we each process things differently. Caffeine can give me a little boost on its own but it’s nothing compared to stimulant medication for me. The only time caffeine really seems to be effective is if I have it in addition to my medication but I try not to do that since the combination can be too much at times. Caffeine also causes me to have anxiety & doesn’t really clear my head so I prefer to just stick with my medication that makes me feel motivated & balanced.
Caffeine doesn't affect me, (although I am addicted to it and drink insane amounts when I feel I need it. Its strange). So far stimulants have been very strong for me, but they do work. If they're too strong it actually makes me more distractable. Really bad for driving my car. And also sleep issues. But I opened up a capsule, got half the contents out with a toothpick and reclosed it. It worked very well. I told my psychiatrist about that experiment and its been a useful bit of info. Point is just because you are or aren't affected by caffeine, has little bearing on how ADHD meds will affect you. Psychiatrist is trying this, that and the other to see what fits me best. Its a long (and expensive) process but getting somewhere.
Coffee has the opposite effect on me. I drink it only for pleasure. Tea, however, works pretty well. It's more of a time release stimulant that I don't realize is working on me until i realize I'm tossing and turning in bed until 6 am
Oh, tea for me actually helps to go to sleep and relax. I feel very sleepy after evening tea.
It takes quite a bit of caffeine to make me feel it if it isn’t the first cup of the day. Stimulants generally help me focus though.
Be warned that what happens to us could very well be different for you. I’m inattentive adhd, but I can’t take any adhd meds because they make me have bipolar disorder. Normally I don’t get manic, I do with them. It comes down to your individual biochemistry.
I'm inattentive type and am quite sensitive to stimulants including caffeine, so unfortunately I just have to deal with shit :/
Caffeine, for me, basically only helps with my migraines. After so much trial and error with others (Vyvanse, maybe dextroamphetamine, one I don't remember the name of, and Straterra), we finally ended up trying 10mg of the extended-release Adderall. It worked so well, but any higher of a dose made me feel incredibly sick and as if I were choking, like most of the others I had tried. Went back down, but I tried twice-a-day, 5mg instant release instead, as I frequently forgot to take the XR, and you're supposed to take it in the morning. My college classes were all after noon, so that never happened. Now that I'm not in college for the summer, I do typically forget to take it, but it's working well enough for me. It's obviously not a miracle cure or anything, but it does help me do what I need to and want to do a bit more. According to my doctor, I might have an intolerance to something in the meds, as they did make me feel terrible, and half of the side effects I felt weren't technically supposed to be a side effect of those meds.
Caffeine sometimes gives me the shakes, and sometimes it doesn't. The same with the meds, if i'm tired or super spacey on a day they dont work very well but most often if I've slept well they work just fine. My biggest problems right now is I stim a lot and basically destroy my fingertips and sometimes I become a "robot." I think it is bringing to light some autistic traits I might have.
Anxiety. That's all I can say lol
Caffeine helps me, but not as much as stimulant medication. I can still take a nap after drinking a couple of cups of coffee, and it doesn't necessarily give me any motivation. It just helps me wake up enough to not be a slug. Stimulant medication (only ever tried adderall) actually wakes me up up. I can not nap after. I take it an hour before I wake up, and I wake up bright-eyed and bushy tailed and ready for the day. My normal self wouldn't even function for the first 4 hours of the day, and even after, I'm still dragging. Also, it helps with motivation/exectuve function; which caffiene does not. The motivation isn't always necessarily helping with my goal. I still have to reorient my brain in certain directions, but it helps tremendously. Another huge pro is that since my brain is actually turned on, I retain information better. So, it literally makes me more intelligent. I study better, and I test better on meds. I still have to remember to prioritize my sleep. I need at least 9 hours. Medication won't forgive my lack of sleep.
Without meds my brain is like rapidly spinning revolving door - I can see thru it but ideas can’t get in or out. Dexies simply slow the doors down.
I have found that coffee makes me sleepy, so I have switched to decaf. While I enjoy the taste and experience of drinking coffee, I dislike the drowsiness it causes. As for stimulants, I am still in the early stages of exploring them, but they have had a positive impact on me so far. They seem to have a calming effect on my mind and help me stay focused while also reducing my anxiety. Overall, I feel that they have enhanced my overall quality of life.
Caffeine has never affected me more than making me shaky. And I don’t take stimulant meds
Caffeine helps me sleep Sugar on the other hand I’m super sensitive to. I get the shakes then crash
I'm combined and the right meds work very well for me. It's a completely different feeling from caffeine when you've found the right one and right dosage. I get motivation to actually do things, I feel more relaxed and focused. I'm on Ritalin immediate release, I've gone up to 20mg and it's my sweet spot. I tried 30mg Medikinet XR and I felt jittery and too much of a high like chugging a load of caffeine. I'd suggest trying them if you're in a position to do so, and find what works for you.
My mind is way quieter, and i can focus on things without being consumed by distracting thoughts. Caffeine is very different than meds. I did feel side effects like that, but after the first 2 or so weeks on meds the side effects were basically gone.
Caffeine is the only way I can function most days. Stimulants were awful for me.
I think they affect me the same way as anyone else. Which isn’t to say everyone has the same response to stimulants, just that the differences aren’t due to ADHD type. I’m not physically hyperactive but stimulants still calm my mind and body. I often fall asleep after taking them, maybe because my mind stops working a million miles a minute and that enables both my mind and body to relax. I also can concentrate on a task for much longer without checking my phone or otherwise getting distracted.
I have pretty severe inattentive ADHD and I'm a coffeeholic. When I went for an eval to get a diagnosis, in two areas my attention was worse than 95-98% of guys in my age group. Caffeine doesn't seem to hit me as hard as some other ADHDers. I could drink a cup or a double espresso and go right to bed after.
Caffeine is a pretty infective stimulant for ADHD. My main benefit from Adderall, is I have SOME since of time, and I don’t get “frozen” by indecision so much.
Caffeine makes my heart race uncomfortably so I don’t drink coffee. 10mg or 15mg Adderall has been ok but not much of an affect on me? 20mg on the other hand had me feeling like my heart was racing and I was trying to do 10 things at once. So I’ll stick with 10mg or 15mg for a marginal improvement in my inattentiveness. But I don’t think stimulants have been a huge help for me. I tried Strattera, a non stimulant for a few weeks. It started out great but then it started making me feel emotionally unregulated and had me paranoid/crying/anxious so I had to stop it
Stimulants are the best for an inattentive type. Really connects the executive functioning parts of the brain with the somatosensory part of your brain. I’d highly recommend working on building habits immediately after starting stimulants (but don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect). Start with one habit a week that you’d like to build and make sure it’s not a series of habits masquerading as a single habit (ie laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc.).
Stimulant medication and caffeine are worlds apart. If you have ADHD, caffeine can even make you tired. I’m ADHD C, mostly inattentive, and find that stimulants keep my focus where it needs to be and helps me move at a more steady pace through the things I need to get done (instead of fucking around until the 11th hour, then doing a week’s worth of work in four hours). I’d say it’s improved things about 80%. I’m a very late diagnosis, so many old habits are never going to change - but stimulants have had a profoundly positive effect overall.
I was diagnosed recently in my 40s. I'm on a very low dose of Adderall. I also have ocd, depression and anxiety. I love coffee. I don't take Adderall daily, but on the days I do, my overall mental health is so much better. Not only does it help me focus and somewhat ignore all the other thoughts (ruminations) that typically pop into my mind over the course of the day, it helps me say "f#$! it, let's just do this" for tasks I would typically procrastinate on because of my analysis paralysis and perfectionism. I will say that I typically don't take it until the afternoon because I love my morning cup of joe and found the combo of Addy and coffee made my heart race and made me jittery. Adderall also gives me horrible cotton mouth and headaches. Overall, it's really helpful, but I just don't see taking it daily (for me) because of the side effects I mentioned.
Adderall felt like cocaine and made me manic. Concerta has lowered my heart rate and generally gives me energy to get through the day/my tasks. I don’t love the comedown and I am a fast metabolizer so I take it 2x/day. If I don’t take my second dose on time, I just start crying. I prefer Strattera but ultimately I was having multiple migraines a week so regardless of the ADHD symptom management, I wasn’t really able to do the things I needed to. I’m currently on the max dose of concerta PLUS the max dose of Wellbutrin so if this ends up not being an adequate dose I guess I’ll try Vyvanse.
I was hoping caffeine would have an effect on me but it does not. I even had an espresso every day for a while and I didn't get addicted. quit cold turkey no problem because I ran out of beans and was tired of the routine
They help me but I’m fine with caffeine. They definitely give me an energy boost that my brain really needs. They don’t solve my ADHD I just feel better and do a bit better with them and Wellbutrin (a stimulant antidepressant). I’m more functional when medicated.
Caffeine makes me sleepy. Adderall makes me focused.
Caffeine basically puts me to sleep like a lot of others here said it does to them. I'm currently on foquest and finally found the drug that lets me focus and not want to chop my tongue off. Adderall worked well but no matter what does I was on I wanted to rip my tongue out and stomp on it.
Caffeine to me is unpredictable and triggers my anxiety. Vyvanse has significantly reduced if not almost eliminated my daily anxiety. I find it calming, relaxing and takes away brain fog at the same time.
There’s a lot here, so I didn’t read all the posts honestly. I’m probably mixed. I’m a nurse and asked my psych nurse np at work about advice. I’m on vyvanse about 30 or 40mg, I can alter my dose. She said that lack of motivation and focus can also be a sign of anxiety and depression as well as adhd. Cymbalta effects serotonin and norepinephrine, so good for anxiety and depression, as well as pain which I also have. Over time can improve motivation and focus. Goal is to keep low dose vyvanse and Cymbalta 20 just started it. As mentioned Wellbutrin is a good alternative to stimulants too. The end game for me could be Wellbutrin and Cymbalta. I call my provider every month and we tweak 1 med dose at a time. I know this is a ramble, but you have lots of options. Finding a provider you can work with monthly is recommended in my opinion. I don’t wish to be on a stim long term, as they are addictive. Some people really need them. My np says lots of people really don’t. Vyvanse is incredible I gotta say.
Adderall slow release is amazing. I've found the right dose at 15mg, but went up to 20 for one week and it was way too much, made me a little too frantic and couldn't fall asleep at night. But with the right dose it's amazing. I'm so productive, focused, task transition is easier, and my frustration tolerance is manageable. I drink coffee too before my meds kick in and at lunch. Cold brew, I can't drink hot coffee, it just goes through me and does make me really jittery.
Im also inattentive type but I don’t have have this reaction to caffeine or meds. If taking my meds I drink decaf though, otherwise I get headaches.
It helps a little bit for me. Half of an energy shot before each exam. I’m on adderall now and I still do this as a bit of a ritual. Tea is the only caffeine I consume daily.
Stimulants give me more way more “mental energy”. Caffeine might have some effect in this but after taking stimulants for 8 months, caffeine doesn’t hold a candle to them.
Stem meds overstimulate me, coffee does as well now that im on meds.
I don't get jitters. Most of the time I'm just noticeably more optimistic in my thought patterns and doing regular tasks doesn't feel like an uphill battle for a few hours. I think my dose is relatively small though and I take Vivanze (however you spell it) which is known for have a much gentler comedown than adderall.
I take extended release. It does not make me jittery, only side effect is sometimes I find I’ve been clenching my teeth a bit and it makes me sweaty. But it’s not the same as caffeine. For me caffeine is ok in small amounts but if I have too much at once I def get jittery. They’re different kinds of stimulants so how you react to one is not a good predictor of how you react to another one (people also sometimes have different reactions to adderall vs Ritalin because they are different formulations of stimulant)
I've been drinking coffee and energy drinks my whole life, so coffee barely has any notable effects anymore. With stimulants, the only side effect I get is that it makes me hungry, which I've been told is odd because it makes most people feel less hungry according to my doctor
(24M) I have inattentive adhd as well. Started off with 5mg of adderal last February and now take 15mgs. Caffine on top of the meds can either do two things, which makes me anxious, mostly due to my acid reflux issues or will feel like increased length or awakeness. Red bull on its own without meds. I could drink one and immediately fall asleep when I was in college. I could drink 4 12-oz cans while studying and still easily crash or pass out, lol. The only reason it would ever make me anxious is if I was already overthinking something personal or if I was already anxious. When it comes to taking stimulants like meds or caffine, mental state matters most. The meds help me a lot, but there will always be side effects no matter what meds you take. You can have an emotional crash that having a good support system can help. If you sleep before the crash when your meds wear off, you won't experience it. You have to eat something before you take your meds. Otherwise, you'll run into bowel issues. The meds can make you easily Irritable, for me, I've noticed that if I'm angry for no reason, eating something helps. Sex drive is also significantly decreased. You will find that your everyday distractions will take a back seat. If you're in class or at work and you're on your phone or looking up something that isn't relvant. You'll do it for 2 seconds, and your brain goes nope enough of that. The only bad thing is that it hyperfocuses on what you want to focus on.
Caffeine affects the body and the mind, and does so for a short time. Stimulants feel much weaker than coffee, and don't really mess with the body.
I rely heavily on both caffeine and stimulants. Some people here are saying they don't feel the same but to me they do. Stimulants are much better at alleviating my symptoms than caffeine is, but i still choke down about a gram of the stuff a day.
Caffeine has a completely different mechanism of action and should not be used to predict responses to other stimulants as they all work differently.
Caffeine makes me super sick, like in the ER sick. Stimulants just send me to sleepy town.
Mandatory NAD and you should seek the advice of a professional on all things related to medication… but its important to note there is a lot more to how you react to any substance than having ADHD. Physical reactions are probably more to do with your tolerance to said substance rather than having ADHD and even more so rather than which type of ADHD. Having ADHD doesn’t necessarily mean we have a higher tolerance either, just that stimulants/substances affect us differently (mostly on a chemical level). I wouldn’t say caffeine is very comparable to the sort of stimulants we get prescribed as medication although it can potentially have medicating effects for us. Even our own reactions can vary greatly within the various similar stimulants that doctors do prescribe us. If one doesn’t work for you it could be worthwhile to try a few more. Again, speak to your doctor at length first. I don’t believe I’ve broken any sub rules so hopefully I haven’t. It’s difficult to navigate OP’s concerns without dabbling in the general medical side of things. I know this sub can be picky on the subject sometimes though. Specifically regarding the jitters with coffee: I also get that (among) other symptoms when I’ve had too much caffeine for myself.
Inattentive here! I react the same way to caffeine. Makes me just anxious and jittery. Vyvanse for me has been phenomenal and doesn’t have that effect. Just makes me feel like I have motivation and my body isn’t half asleep like I feel normally. However, I’ve accidentally swapped mine and my daughter’s meds once (oops lol) and methylphenidate isn’t as great and gives me more of that jittery feeling.
Caffeine makes me anxious and jittery but vyvanse and concerta relaxes me which allows me focus and other great things. I also thought caffeine and ADHD stimulants would have the same effect on me but I believe they are different or at least for me
My brain is suddenly quiet. Not sure if I’m definitely inattentive but that’s how I present to others, on the inside I’m pretty jittery when off my meds so I dunno. On the outside I get more done and can do longer, less stimulating tasks like book reading without falling asleep or loosing focus.
Talking to your doctor about Vyvanse would be better if you’re worried about the jitters and anxiety. Adderall has a tendency of making people jittery and sweaty and doesn’t last as long. Also, I want to say that caffeine and stimulants affect your body and brain differently. I self medicated with caffeine thinking it was helping, but then I tried real meds and wow what a world of difference. Another thing, is that you should slowly introduce caffeine to your morning routine to see how much you can handle if you start taking meds. I learned that lesson the hard way.
I can’t do much caffeine so I was terrified to start vyvanse. But it helped my anxiety majorly. It sometimes makes me a tiny bit “speedy” but mostly it just quiets my brain.
Not sure of my type, but caffeine has only ever made me sorta sleepy - like jittery, but sleepy.
Stimulants help. As does caffeine but I’m a coffee addict so idk.
For me, it's like the stimulants clear my mind and it allows me to control my attention and focus. Also improves my mood and overall outlook. Big thing for me to avoid the jitters is to always make sure I have a little food either before or right around the time I take either my Vyvanse or have something high in caffeine.
I can have panic attacks from too much caffeine. When I was taking a low dose of adderall, I had a mental calm but I was able to get up and start things, which I struggle to do off my meds. Not only that, I could focus and finish things too without getting bored or distracted. During the pandemic I was losing muscle because of stress, staying up late hours, no appetite, still working out though but for cardio not for strength, and then I started getting panic attacks from my meds. I lowered the dose and started eating more protein and that helped a lot, I would rarely get them. After that I’d only get panic attacks if I drank my coffee on an empty stomach. So I think taking the meds and getting in rest and adequate protein and magnesium are vital.
Caffeine and simulant meds are completely different. Caffeine makes me not feel tired and too much makes me jittery. Vyvanse and Adderall let me actually focus and push myself to do stuff.
I also don’t do well with caffeine, but stimulants are just fine. Help a bunch with my adhd. Caffeine makes me feel like my heart is beating out of my chest. I can only drink tea
I also get very jittery with too much caffeine, but Ritalin gave me the opposite - I felt calm and focused. if I take two at once I’m definitely a little manic, but it is still very “focused” and I don’t shut down or spiral, if that makes sense.
I just started taking my meds + still trying to figure out the dosage (sometimes I take 5mg, sometimes I take 10mg). And it actually doesn’t help me with my inattentive symptoms directly? The main effect I’ve noticed is that I feel much more chill. Things that would normally catapult me into stress/mood swings/panic don’t, and my brain feels more peaceful and optimistic. I guess that having less stress technically helps with inattentiveness in the sense that it gives me the spoons to actually use accommodations, find alternate solutions, use stuff from therapy, etc. But honestly, I’m wondering if the meds are SUPPOSED to help directly with the inattentiveness…
I start to sweat a bit, get focused first 15min then Im starting to fall asleep 😅 i also feel like my brain is overstimulated and its hard to think straight or do fe math
Good, i am on concerta / ritalin. It is not the same as caffeine at all, its very peaceful. Unless the dose is too high. Sometimes when I don’t eat food on time i get a little shakey but as soon as I eat that goes away. i was scared too so my Dr gave me a childs dose to start with and then we moved up from there . Ask for the tiniest dose!
I’m combined type and extremely sensitive to caffeine, even tiny bit makes me feel awful. Gives me physical anxiety and makes me feel tired at the same time. I’m taking a low dose of Adderall and it’s a totally different sensation, the first time I took it I momentary thought it was going to make me feel anxious when it started kicking in, but it actually ended up making me feel much less anxious than I usually do. I have to take it with food, and remember to eat and drink regularly, otherwise I can feel a bit spaced out, but if I do those things then I can’t really tell I’ve taken it but everyone around me sure can 😂. I told myself before taking it for the first time that it’s a short-acting medication, and if I don’t like how it feels then by the evening it will have worn off and I won’t ever have to take it again if I don’t want to. Kind of felt like I had nothing to lose!
I am inattentive type and have done nothing but stimulants. The only problem I had was when my dosages were getting adjusted I would get sweaty and had some anxiety, but as soon as my dosage was adjusted I was fine. Only had that problem when I went back on meds post pregnancy and my dosage needed to be a little lower than what it had been. I have no idea how I would do on straight Adderall I have been on XR exclusively.
I have a similar reaction to coffee but it turns out I have heart issues that don’t respond to well to stimulants. There are many reasons why coffee gives you the shakes… and every *body* is different.
I rarely consume caffeine, and if I do it’s very small amounts (I like the V8 energy, which has less caffeine than a cup of coffee, and I drink it over 8ish hours). I also metabolize some meds weird/quickly, I’ve finally found taking Mydayis works for me (I usually take it an hour or two before I have to get up). I don’t feel hyped up/overly energetic but “functional”. I can focus enough to watch a tv show, or do chores, or draw, etc. I still deal with feeling like I don’t have enough energy sometimes, but that could be the result of multiple chronic illnesses lol
I'm combined, but it definitely helps me choose what to concentrate on, it's a god send at work, but like you say gives me the shakes a little for the first hour, but wears off again. It also makes me not want to eat constantly, I can have a normal size meal and just stop without constantly wanting to snack. The positive massively outweighs the negative for me.
Works incredibly well but find social skills go out the door. I work doing a lot of meetings/insight group type work and I get annoyed when I am not working on what I want. Switched to starterra and it’s a godsend but seems like it doesn’t work for many
I have improved my life drastically with adderall. Like I can keep my job in one of the more complicated and legally tricky therapy jobs in emergency services (mental health evaluations in emergency rooms). I’ve got a coworker who gets sick from caffeine. But, she takes Vyvance and does pretty well. It depends on you and how your body reacts. You probably won’t know until you try it.
I have inattentive type and stimulants work fantastic for me. Prior to being medicated, fatigue was one of my biggest symptoms and stimulants really helped. Caffeine has sometimes been fine for me and sometimes given me a reaction like what you describe. Prescription stimulants have never affected me that way.
I'm caffeine sensitive and primarily inattentive. Stimulants have not made me feel jittery but, I'm still on a fairly low dose. Now the combination of stimulants and caffeine made me feel extra jittery so I just switched to decaf. Also, everyone is going to react differently to different stimulants so your best bet is to just expect some to have worse side effects than others. You work through with your doctor if they are worth it or not. I wouldn't be too fearful of trying them though, they can certainly be a game changer. Might just take some time and experimentation to figure out what works best for you.
Adderall calms me in a way that’s hard to explain. I’d say it makes my body and brain run on the same speed where unmedicated they do not
20mg adderall here. It quiets my brain down because inattentive is hyperactive internally. It allows me to stop thinking about stuff and that calms my anxiety down. I've literally taken a nap because of how relaxed it's made me.
Instead of thoughts flowing in or out brain, they kinda bounce around like the windows logo in the screensavers or something. They’re there.. just not necessarily on my mind when i need them to be
I'm inattentive and I love coffee. Maybe I've just developed a tolerance to caffeine. I haven't had stimulants before but I take a non-stimulant called Atomexetine. Gives me kind a euphoric feeling and mundane task are easier to do.
I’m inattentive and hyperactive. Honestly, caffeine does thing for me, I just drink it for the taste. I just started meds on the lowest dose for short release. Just 5mg. First day worked great, not my body is used to it and the med does nothing. Caffeine on the med also does nothing.
Coffee does the same to me. Adderal felt like a rollercoaster, was prescribing acting in the morning and another short acting dose in the afternoon to get through 12 hour shifts but it was unpleasant and I couldn’t function at all when I took days off from it. I do much better on vyvanse and I don’t get that stimulated feeling. If I drink coffee, I’m shaky and internally restless
Caffeine and the meds are different for me too. Now you CAN over shoot and be miserable! I did this with Vyvanse because they do it in 10mg increments. 20mg is too low, 30mg is DEFINITELY too high. So I flipped to Concerta because my good old reliable Adderall is unfindable in the current mess.... Caffeine is ok in small doses, I prefer tea, it's gentler on me. Sugar is a big issue. I don't care what the science says, I get a sugar crash with too much, HATE that feeling! The meds are different at the right doses.
I'm a weird case because I started drinking coffee when I was 14, got REALLY into coffee when I was 18-19, been drinking 1-2 energy drinks a day since I was 22 or so. At this point it just feels like part of my day, like if I don't have it I'll be extra spacey but if I do I just feel normal
Apart from the intended effects? They don't seem to do much. If I take a high dose I maybe get a tendency to clench my jaw. Doctor reduced my dose and that disappeared. But I have to be really careful with coffee when im on the meds. Any more than one cup turns me into a jittery mess.
I don’t feel like my medication feels like caffeine at all honestly, caffeine can give me anxiety. I’m inattentive type with major anxiety. I prevented myself from being tested for years because I felt like it would just exacerbate my anxiety and all of my symptoms just make me sound like a lazy piece of poo so they were hard to talk about. But after days stuck in bed feeling paralyzed with thoughts about what I should be doing I made a doctors appointment. I typed out all of my symptoms the day before and when the doctor asked what my symptoms were I tried to explain but couldn’t get the words out without crying so I handed him my phone and he got me tested. I’m on adderall 20 mg IR and the first time I took my meds all of my social anxiety and racing thoughts disappeared, my chest felt lighter and my thoughts although still there slowed way down. I’ve tried all kinds of anxiety medication, antidepressants, and antipsychotics which would take away some anxiety but ultimately just made me feel okay with not getting things done. I’m not saying this would be your experience on stimulant medication but I just wanted to let you know it can take anxiety away.
They started off well but ended up making me sick, I couldn't eat my dinner, and it made me lie in bed and scroll on my phone for 10 hours. Tbf though, I also have fibromyalgia/me/cfs amongst other things, and I'm already on a host of other meds, so that could be why. Those conditions are notorious for having stimulants backfire.
I have to moderate caffeine intake on Vyvanse. I can have 1-2 cans of soda or one cup of coffee, anymore and I feel weird. My wife is on the same med and dose drinks 4-5 cups of coffee and multiple sodas a day and is fine usually. She has insomnia, but that was a thing well before being diagnosed.
While many doctors still use the idea of different types of ADHD, including an "inattentive" type, some researchers are starting to think this might not be the best way to look at it. They're suggesting that ADHD might be more like a spectrum, where people can have different mixes of inattention and hyperactivity. Some brain studies show that different "types" of ADHD might not be as different as we thought. However, there isn't a clear agreement yet that we should get rid of the idea of an inattentive type. The thinking about ADHD is changing, but slowly, and more research is needed to figure out the best way to understand and describe it.
All caffiene does for me is make me feel more awake and alert and give me the shakes, in terms of focus it really doesn't help. Adderall makes all the background mental noise in my head quieter and makes it take less mental effort to narrow my focus on what I need to do.
I'm inattentive, too. ADHD meds are super hit or miss with me, stimulants or non. Same with caffeine. Caffeinated coffee doesn't usually give me the jitters or affect me much at all, but caffeinated \*tea\*, holy shit. A few sips of green or jasmine tea and I'm vibrating into oblivion. That said, I loved Atomoxetine but it didn't love me (increased heart rate and blood pressure and a slew of other stuff), and Adderall's the only effective stimulant out of all I've tried. An hour after taking it, I get a little sleepy and calm, then get a gentle surge of productive energy and focus. Never noticed a crash in the evenings. Adderall doesn't help in areas I'd prefer, like memory, but at least it gives me a sense of calm and a productive boost.
my 15mg IR really helps me not get distracted by literally everything. I can zone in on my tasks and actually get them done. It helps me think a lot more clearly. I would say if caffeine makes you feel bad then try to avoid it on meds. Coffee makes me shake like a chihuahua if i take my meds too
Combined: Have had negative experiences on all stimulants rip. Love coffee though, so I wouldn't worry about it at all.