Really, just one follower?

Off subject today, but I'm off my meds today so I'll blame that.

I'm a little disappointed that I only have one follower! I'm sure your a nice guy, and thanks for reading. I don't really get this blog thing, how are you supposed to get more followers? I can't even figure out how I'd search for other blogs of interest! Does someone just have to trip over my blog?

Sorry, I was just a little frustrated there. Whewwww, it's out of my system now. I really write this for myself anyway. I'm trying to write down my experiences because it helps cement them in my mind, and it brings stuff up to the front of my mind that may be rolling around in the rusty corners like a lugnut in the trunk of a 1974 pinto. You hear it, it bugs you a little, but you don't really take the time when you're driving to see what it is until you stop and pop the trunk and take a look around.

More Observations

So, I'm trying to get comfortable with Adderall, and while it works, I don't feel like it's going to be the best possible medication. Perhaps I will be proved wrong.

Adderall does help with energy level and focus, but I also have almost no appetite while I'm on it which means I get no joy out of eating or making meals. My job in the house is chief cook so this has been a problem. I have also experienced a higher instance of indigestion, or heartburn. I have had heartburn from time to time generally when under great stress, or after eating something really really funky, but no more than a couple times a year. Since adderall, I have had heartburn every few days.

Sleeplessness, and dreams have become an issue. I don't get tired as easily, but I can fall asleep. It isn't as restful as it could be. I find myself waking up more often during the night and I am having more vivid dream sequences. These seem more often to be the sort of in control dreams when you're aware that your dreaming and can direct the dream, but weird dream stuff is still going on. I have had a few nights where sleep has been very difficult, but taking the drugs before 1pm seems to help that issue.

I rarely pee during the day now. It usually hits me in the evening when my second dose should be wearing off and then I'm going about once an hour or more for a while. Not really a big deal, but it drives my wife nuts when I pause the movie we're watching so I can go pee again.

Conversely, I am drinking more during the day. I often feel parched and need a drink during the day.

I think I mentioned this in a previous post, getting and maintaining a stiffy has become a little more work. Things still work, but a little more effort seems to be necessary.

All in all, nothing super serious, just a few nitpicks to cause me to think that perhaps another medication may offer me a better solution. I have been enjoying the added focus. In fact as I write this I remembered I forgot my afternoon dose and I have having a hard time getting things done in the office.

2 pills tohttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3043785899990554405o much

Yesterday I tried two pills in the morning to see if it gave me any sort of improvement. The result was not so good. It made me kind of zombie like. I had a project I was working on in the garage and I found it particularly hard to think ahead or make calculations of any value. I found myself staring into space at one point and realized I had been there for some time with no thought in my mind. It was pretty weird.



I can't say for sure it was the medication. I have been feeling a little off the past few days, kind of like I'm maybe on the verge of coming down with something.

In the afternoon I went back to one pill and felt a bit more normal later in the day but still slightly off.

Oct 2nd

I have officially put my medication to the first real test. I had two days of computer training which would normally be very difficult for me to endure. In the past I would have a hard time listening for any length of time and I would be nearly catatonic by lunchtime.

I was able to keep connected to the class the entire day without any perceivable problems paying attention. This was quite a breakthrough for me. I did have one off experience during the first day. Before the Adderall had a chance to take effect I was pretty sleepy so I grabbed a cup of tea (I hate coffee and didn't have change for a soda. The effect was pretty weird. I had tons of energy and a case of permagrin. I couldn't stop smiling and was really hyped up pretty good. It wasn't all together an unpleasant feeling, but not appropriate to the situation. I get a little of the same feeling but less pronounced when I take my second pill of the day, there must be a little overlap causing a boost of medication. I would take the second pill a little later, but then I run the risk of not being tired at bed-time.

Other observations this week.

My intake of sweets has dropped of quite significantly. I believe that I used to self medicate with sweets when my energy levels fell to a certian point. With the medication I don't have the lows, so there is no need to reach for the bag of candy.

Sex, yep, I'm gonna go there. I've noticed a moderate decline in sexual appatite and a more difficult time performing as I'd like to. Things still work, they just take a little more effort than before.

Forgot pills. One day this week I forgot my pills. I went back to my "normal" state with little difference to report. I did miss the better feelings I had with the pills, but no negetives to report.

Fidgeting. I'm a firgeter, I admit it. Drives my wife nuts. Mostly this is seen with the bouncing leg thing. I had read or been told that this behavior may decline with medication. I haven't seen that to be the case. In fact I might be doing more if anything.

Starting tomorros I am going to change up my routine to see what happens. I am going to go from my one pill twice a day routine to two pills in the morning and one in the afternoon. I want to see if I see any noticable improvement with an extra pill.

Learned a valuable lesson

I've been on Adderall for a few days now, and I think it's helping. I still haven't noticed a huge difference. I think it's filling the voids in my energy level so I don't crash. I seem to be getting more done, but still have some trouble with forgetting things.

I learned a lesson on Sunday. I take two pills per day, one in the morning and one with lunch. I didn't eat lunch until almost 3pm on Sunday. I was up really late Sunday evening. I don't think I got to sleep until sometime between 2:30 and 3am. Monday was a hard day. Luckily the pills helped to keep me going through the day although I could tell it was a fake sort of alert where I had decent energy but my coordination was off. Needless to say, take your meds earlier in the day if sleep is important to you.

Today I forgot to take them. I got a lot of sleep last night, but I can feel that I'm more tired feeling today than I was yesterday.

Tomorrow I will have a good test for my meds, I have a computer training class, that should put me to sleep in seconds!

New Perscription and Pills!

So, after getting the news about the cost about Adderall XR, I called my Dr., and he changed it to regular Adderall 10mg, shich was about $60 rather than $460!

I started taking it yesterday and went out for a day of working in the garage on various things that need doing. I didn't notice a huge change at one pill twice a day, but I will admit that it seemed that I had a bit more energy, about like having a coke or something, but less jittery. I might try two pills in the morning tomorrow to see how things go with that. Overall, I think it's working but I will know better after a few days.

One thing that occurred to me is that I don't really know what to expect. I guess I should have talked a little more about that with the Dr. But on the other hand I don't know that I wanted to know beforehand. This way it'sa little more blind for me so I won't be looking for anything in particular, I can be more objective.

I like the boost in energy and it seems to help me stick with things, but you can't really tell from a one day experience.

A perscription and a disapointment

So, finally I get my long awaited appointment with a psychiatrist and at long last a prescription for medication! Let the healing begin!

Oh, what's that Ms. Pharmacist? My insurance didn't cover the whole prescription? Oh, well, no big deal, I can afford it what can it cost? Oh, $450 you say, umm, well, I can't exactly swing that. I umm guess I'll have to skip on that. No Adderall for me!

I had assumed, wrongly so that since it was a generic medication, and that the drug was widely available and relatively popular that it wouldn't be very expensive. So wrong. I'll have to call the Doc and see if there's a cheaper alternative