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by tempAccADHD 1684 days ago
Yes, I do. I got diagnosed not long ago. I was suspecting that I have it. There were obvious signs.

Severity and the type are different from person to person. If I understood my doc correctly, I have very severe ADHD.

Pre-diagnosis and pre-medication, I excessively drank coffee (up to 10 Monster Energy Zero a day; also: Red Bull Zero, Rockstar Zero etc.). It calmed me down, and I could sleep with it better. Prolonged fasting. Fasting prompts endorphins, endorphins promote dopamine. Dopamine is supposedly the thing you are lacking on. Also, I hate to plan ahead my food or prepare food, so this is a good way to reduce further stress. I also do it in an alternating manner. Meaning one day I eat my minimum calories (2000), the other day I just don't eat anything except calcium-rich water and salt (coffee too). I can do that without any issues, since I have enough body fat and I can live off of it for some time. May be not for you.

Comorbidities usually come along with ADHD as well, I had at least one.

So you are asking for advice. The problem is you don't know what type you have, if you even have it, or how severe it is. So don't think that you have to drink 10 Monster Energy Zero to fix you up. What works for me, may not work for you! (That's the issue here.)

I was not impressed by the meds, while they "tamed" me (less hyperactivity and impulsiveness), I still have inattention and forgetfulness.

The meds are not a magic bullet. I was naive thinking that way... They approximate (!) your brain chemistry to that of a neurotypical person. Don't expect to get a normal brain with it.

1 comments

Citicoline can increase dopamine and is available as a suppliment.
Hey, giantg2, thanks for your hint!

Citicoline seems promising indeed:

https://examine.com/supplements/cdp-choline/

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205102305.h...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8709678/

I will try this out. I have severe side effects from my prescription meds. I hope that will help me to reduce the dosage or just avoid it altogether.

Could potentially be life-saving advice. I hate the prescription meds. I have to take high doses to notice something, and it destroys me. And all that so that I can get along with the neurotypical folk. It doesn't really help me with attention or forgetfulness, it just helps me to calm down.

Diversity they say, but there is no diversity for us. I hate this world.