# hoping for advice regarding medication having opposite effect **URL:** \ **Category:** Q&A (Run by volunteers)\ **Created:** [June 13, 2026, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.adhduk.co.uk/t/hoping-for-advice-regarding-medication-having-opposite-effect/286 "2026-06-13T17:14:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@shaun](https://community.adhduk.co.uk/u/shaun)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.adhduk.co.uk/t/hoping-for-advice-regarding-medication-having-opposite-effect/286/1 "2026-06-13T17:14:10Z")
hi folks, this is my first post. Im 56 years old and was diagnosed with inattentive adhd a couple of months ago. To give a brief backstory most / all of my life i struggled with the things that other people with adhd do like lack of focus, hyperfocus , various “obsessions” / collections, being late for everything, losing things ALL of the time, taking everything i perceived as slightly negative like it was a personal attack breaking my heart, self medicating ( i thought i was just prone to chasing a good time), finishing jobs, finishing sentences, not actually listening to other people talk while just waiting for my turn to talk, talking before its my turn to talk… the list goes on. With the wealth of adhd videos on my feed (thanks algorithm… and thanks spellchecker!) it was like they were speaking with direct knowledge of how i lived my life for over 50 years thinking i was just a lazy goodfornothing \*&ck up. I evolved various methods of policing myself Anyway there were two things that led me to getting a diagnosis. firstly a friend of mine offered me his lads old elvanse 40mg and just thought ok nice, some free pharmaceutical amphetamines to help me focus when i have a sunday i dont want to completely waste and do productive things but when i took them it was like a curtain lifted and i was suddenly supershaun!, totally managing to do normal things normally like cleaning up after myself, hearing what people are actually talking about without getting uncontrollably bored and just feeling better about myself in lots of ways, it was fantastic! … secondly my 26 year old son had been having lots of problems through his life VERY similar to mine but worse (not quite the same as it turns out he’s autistic adhd, also previously diagnosed with severe ocd and depression, hes just finished getting diagnosis and going through titration but had to stop with concerta as was getting quite bad paranoia and anxiety, hes waiting for next meeting where i assume theyll suggest other things ) and ive always taught him how i manage myself with routines, focus on fitness and strict rules, sometimes coming across as being too self critical so i was hoping there was a better way for him to go but i knew he wouldnt without me setting example. anyway after the diagnosis i started on concerta xl 18mg going to i think 36 then 54, i was slightly focused but nothing like previously on the elvanse btu my other adhd traits seemed to get worse. i was losing keys etc more than ever, buying up all the fragrances available on the internet without even a thought. i was noticably more agitated overall just day to day. Wasnt a positive result at all so they changed me on elvanse ( i have to be honest now i hadn’t told them id previously tried it as i didnt want them to think i was just after amphetamines and would abuse them) 30mg at first which didnt do much other than make me a little more agitated again (normally im one of the more chilled people putting the sometimes overenthusiastic conversations i have to the side) they upped it to 40mg for 14 days which im on now which was more of the same , im still losing stuff and doing the same old things ( i realise its not a miracle drugg and i have to put the work in but its nothing like the first time i was taking elvanse for a 90 days period its just seeming to make my adhd parts even worse) and i have 50mg to start in a few days, i have 14 of those. Im going to see them through but to be honest i cant see the stronger ones helping. They increase my resting heartbeat by 20pm (im fairly fit i do cardio daily and weights etc) which i wouldnt mind if i got the benefit but its feeling like all cons with no pros right now. im not sure why they arent working now ( those other ones i had in the past were out of date , no idea if thats relevant) but im curious to hear if the other non stimulant meds can be effective for inattentive adhd? I will obviously have a good read on these forums but im hoping someone who sees this may have had a similar experience and found a way forward that worked for them sorry about the ten page post and thanks for reading x ---
**Author:** ![Joe](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex006/user_avatar/community.adhduk.co.uk/joe/32/93_2.png) [@Joe](https://community.adhduk.co.uk/u/Joe)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 9:24pm UTC](https://community.adhduk.co.uk/t/hoping-for-advice-regarding-medication-having-opposite-effect/286/2 "2026-06-22T21:24:00Z")
Hi, welcome to the forum and thank you for sharing openly about your experiences, which I’m sure will be helpful and relateable in different ways to others who read this. Medication and titration can feel like a balancing act with ups and downs. Hopefully others will add some things which have also helped them along with the below. I’m not able to advise specifically about prescribed medication doses or how to approach your medication, as I’m not a medical professional. However, I can share some links along with tips for supporting the process. With some of the challenges you’ve shared above, it can be helpful to note these down (positive as well as well as difficulties, negative experiences, challenges, through even a sentence a day on your phone notes, or a notepad). This can help you build a picture of what might be needed to support you going forward if/ when you further discuss medication with your provider. Other factors can also influence your experiences during titration as youve mentioned, including medication timing, the amount, quality, and consistency of sleep, physical exercise, the effects of different types of food and drinks, hydration and other areas. > **[Episode 2: Deep Dive into ADHD Medication Part 1 with Henry Shelford and Dr....](https://adhduk.co.uk/deep-dives/episode-2-deep-dive-into-adhd-medication-part-1-with-henry-shelford-and-dr-shyamal-mashru/)** > > Watch the Deep Dive series to explore and understand the various aspects of ADHD. Learn practical strategies from the experts on how to manage the condition. > **[Types of ADHD Medication | ADHD Health Clinic](https://adhdhealthclinic.co.uk/types-of-adhd-medication/)** > > Behavioural therapies play a role in managing ADHD, but ADHD medication is often essential to effectively control symptoms and improve quality of life. Some things that might help during titration are as you mentioned, combining your trial of prescribed medication with practical strategies. New patterns and routines can take time, along with practicing patience with ourselves as we find and build a personal toolkit of strategies, and what works best for us individually. Community and sharing experiences can also be a huge help in this. Thank you for sharing here, which I’m sure will help others feel understood and less isolated, and the link below is for our support groups where there are more spaces for sharing and learning together: > **[Support - ADHD UK](https://adhduk.co.uk/support/)** > > The challenge of ADHD is lessened and any burden shared when we support each other and share effective strategies. We bring in experts for informative lectures and Q&A sessions. > **[Useful Resources - ADHD UK](https://adhduk.co.uk/adhd-useful-resources/)** > > We have substancial communities on Facebook and virtual support groups. Links and information here.