Now that was interesting

Last night I fancied a beer. The medication I am on forbids alcohol so I went in search of a non-alcoholic beer.

The range was very low, but I saw an IPA and thought that this may be close to acceptable. Unfortunately it wasn't alcohol free, but at 0.5% I decided that it was so weak it wouldn't matter.

Well, I was wrong. It tasted perfect. A lovely beer. Unfortunately I did start to get some strange sensations in my head. Nothing major but enough to put me off.

Ah well.

Second Increase

Today I started on 30mg up from 20. 

I am generally doing well. When I started the 20mg last week I did experience some gastrointestinal issues. Gastric reflux and problems going to the toilet for number 2. 

I have noticed the medication wearing off in the mid-afternoon, after which I become quite tired. The benefit of this is that I am having little trouble getting to sleep.

I am also 3 weeks since I had an alcoholic drink. I miss it occasionally but nothing major. 

Blood pressure and pulse are doing really well. Nothing to worry about there.

I am back as a Market Trader now, and have realised that it is easier to focus. I am going to have to go through Access to Work and seek some help. The noise at the Market is very distracting and I am getting through notebooks at a frightening rate.

One more increase next week.

ADHD Medication titration

I have just taken my third dose of Equasym XL 10mg. Here is how it is going.

Day One

Didn't know what to expect. Psychologically I think I was apprehensive and felt it. I seemed to have a bit of pressure in my head, so concerned I took my blood pressure. It was in my normal range, so I relaxed.

I slowly started to realise that the usual reluctance to do anything that I wasn't immediately excited by was absent. I felt free from frustration for the first time in my life. I was so productive it was unreal.

The only downside was sleep. By that time the medication should have worn off, having an effective action of between 6 and 10 hours. Sleep, was elusive but unusually not due to a racing mind.

On the whole though really satisfied with it.

Day Two

First day at work as a Market Trader on medication. More organised than ever. A very slow day which would normally leave a deep set feeling of frustration. Found today to be more disappointing than frustrating. 

Tiredness very apparent today was glad to get to bed. Little trouble sleeping.

Thoughts 

So far so good. Over all very positive, but it it early days yet. Over the next 3 weeks there will be three dose increases. Time will tell.

Well that was a surprise

Hi there,

It has been a few years since my last post and I have faced some life changing events. 

Due to continued episodes of depression I left the NHS and became a Disability Assessor for PIP. I simply couldn't get my head around it and coupled with a sense of deep dissatisfaction in the process left that job. Everyone around me encouraged me to go back into the NHS but I had escaped, I was free, there was no way in hell I was going back!

Just before this I had lost my Mom to cancer, and this was thrown into the mix. I have treated a lot of terminal patients in my time, and I'd had enough.

So in the financial meltdown following this and not being able to get a job, we faced loosing the house. 

We took the decision to sell and became homeless. Shortly after this my Father took died, and we had not been on good terms at the end. Something I regret. 

In the midst of all that, I had started a business as a Market Trader and the business was slowly growing. I am proud to say we had one of the largest selections of incense in the West Midlands (UK).

Eventually, following more family drama we moved into a temporary house. It was in a state and the first week we had a bout of sickness and I for one thought I had reached the end. There is no fun in sitting sideways on a toilet so that you can use the sink as a vomit bowel. It went through the house.

We were then moved into council accommodation for a few months. Oh dear, that was dramatic. So called Road-Men, taking drugs and hanging around. Throwing fireworks at each other with no mind to anyone else that was about. Police raids chasing said knife wielding Roadsters and finally a brutal fight that did not appear to be linked to this bunch of people. 

We moved again into a bigger house and that is where we are now. Not going to lie, the neighbourhood could be better and there have been a few incidents. But nothing too onerous.

A few months after we moved in COVID hit. This was not before my wife terrified everyone on the market with the loudest sneeze possible at the beginning of February.

Lockdown was tough. Enough said the better.

After returning to the Market after lockdown things did not improve very quickly. So we decided to open a shop. In that first year we were flying but then a financial feux par on my part caused a down turn which the government, by crashing the economy, saw us eventually close the shop.

Then the bombshell.

My sibling was diagnosed with ADHD. I don't know why but it hit me like a bus. Looking into it it did make a lot of sense in hindsight. All the symptoms were there. As I researched it I began to recognise traits and two and a half years later, in my mid 50's I took was diagnosed with ADHD. I was also advised to seek a ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) assessment.

I have now commenced medication and awaiting the ASD assessment.

Life has been turned upside down, but now I am positive about the future.

Blessings