Lisdexamphetamine is a big help, but the side effects can be devastating. Of course every person is different, but for me this reduced my sleep quality significantly. I can no longer take any of these meds if I want a good restful night of sleep. When I was younger it was no problem though.

I don’t have any issues with sleep and this medication, but I take it pretty early (usually 5:30/6). It is well over by bedtime.

It only really became a problem after about 10 years of being medicated for adhd. However taking it early as well as physical exhaustion does help.

It took me a long time to dial in my vyvanse prescription so it wasn't impacting my sleep, plus not taking it on the weekends.

Stress in all its forms also turned out to be a critical factor in sleeping well, too. Simply taking on fewer responsibilities (which I attribute in part to my particular ADHD) helped a lot there.

I can plus one this. I thought it was the stimulant dosage in the afternoon that was keeping me up all night, but it turns out to be stress! Once that is relieved, things go back to normal.

My doctor suggests I take Vyvanse on the weekends, 7 days a week - I feel like after taking it so long (almost a decade) I don't know who I am anymore off the pills - like I'm a different person almost?

Did your doctor suggest weekend breaks, or is this something you've tried yourself and found works for you?

Every doctor I have had has recommend taking breaks if and when possible. I try to do it myself, and I think it makes a difference. The research on tolerance to medications is not well agreed upon. I am not expert, but I do not see any biological way that the human body would not gain a tolerance to some degree when constantly exposed to an exogenous substance that alters dopamine, GABA, etc..

Nicotine tolerance is real. So is caffeine, cocaine, meth, etc.. I do not see how our medications would be any different.

Thank you for your input :)

That's interesting, I found it actually helps with my sleep. As it wears off (around the end of the work day) I feel pretty tired. Plus I no longer need to drink coffee to get through the day, so I think the lack of caffeine helps too.

I just want to offer an alternative perspective because I think it’s important not to discourage people who might be put off trying meds because of the potential downside. Once I had the dosage, and importantly a second dose at mid day dialed in, my sleep actually improved. My sleep problems were caused by adhd, so having it be treated as I was winding down for the night was a huge improvement in my ability to sleep.

I don't take it myself either. I've always been afraid of the cardiovascular risks associated with stimulants. I've seen recent research suggesting it doesn't increase risk but still.

The medicine completely cured me though.

At least one study found no relationship between hyperfocus and ADHD. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S089142222...

For reference:

Highlights

• We could not demonstrate a higher frequency of hyperfocus in adults with ADHD relative to healthy controls.

• Hyperfocus is experienced both by healthy and ADHD adults although it correlates positively with ADHD traits.

• Age and educational level are important determinants of hyperfocus.

• Motivational, situational and clinical aspects of hyperfocus need to be taken into account in future studies.

Coping mechanisms also help with getting started. Mine are history podcasts and stimulating YouTube videos in the background.

Could you share the links?