Strategy Change

I decided a few months ago that I wanted to start seeing a new psychiatrist.  A couple factors went into this decision.  First of all, my doctor was out in Fairfax and I'm not big on long distance relationships.  Another big factor in deciding to break up was that he only wanted to see me for 30 mins every three months and never really wanted to discuss where things were headed.  But the main reason was more than just timing.  I need a doctor to support me, not just write my prescriptions.  


When I was initially diagnosed, my doctor prescribed Adderall 10mg and told me to work with different amounts until I found how much I needed to have the right effect.  At our next visit a few months later, I complained about how drastically it wore off and the highs and lows I would feel.  So he switched me to Adderall XR (extended release.)  But even with the XR I feel a little sluggish in the evenings after it wears off, affecting my ability to do school work at night.  So he gave me a prescription for both regular and XR and basically said to take them as needed.  I ended up with headaches if I took the regular Adderall later in the day after the XR wore off and sometimes couldn't fall asleep.  I went back to just taking the XR, trying to time when I thought it would wear off.  At my last appointment I tried to discuss other options (other medication, changing my schedule, whatever he thought would work best) he suggested I see an ADD therapist to discuss what else I could do.  What??  Why can't I talk to my doctor about these things?  I really wasn't hip on being put off on someone else (he didn't even give me any recommendations, just told me to "look online.")

So while he helped me discover a lot about myself, I needed to find someone who was willing to grow with me. 

My new doctor is a she and after our first meeting, I can tell she wants to be a lot more involved in my life.  Right away she said in order to continue our relationship I would need to consent to blood tests - before our next visit and occasionally at random if she deemed necessary.  While I was a little weirded out by this at first, she explained that in addition to working with adults with ADD, she also specialized in dealing with addictions.  And the two often go hand in hand.  My opinion immediately changed and I understood that she was looking out for my best interest and wanted to make sure that I didn't have any health issues or drug problems.  I can respect that.  And since I don't have any addictions to hide I consented. 

Next she explained her visitation policy - once a month for one hour.  Perfect!  She also has a more open schedule than my previous doctor, which means I can call and book an appointment that week instead of booking for the following month (or two months out which occasionally happened with Mr. Too Busy for Me.)  I'll be addressing a few reasons why I wanted to increase my visits in a later blog post!

After we discussed my history before and after being diagnosed, she asked about the strategies I've used to manage my ADD.  I told her about my issues with Adderall and she suggested I switch to Vyvanse.  She explained that Vyvanse had the same effects as Adderall XR but more gradual and longer lasting.  Oh and less drastic side effects.  Perfect!  I decided to finish out my current prescription and then give it a shot.

So starting tomorrow I'll be switching to Vyvanse.  Wish me luck!