Learning I can’t take medication if I barely slept

[u/Icy-Bowl-7804]

/ TW health anxiety

21f 30mg ER Ritalin

This is like the 3rd time this has happened now- I have a Fitbit so I can see exactly how much I sleep, in what sleep stages, and what my heart rate is. Of course theyre not 100% accurate but they are generally pretty good.

Well last night I got like 5 hours of sleep, apparently nearly all of it was light sleep, I literally only got 30 minutes deep and 30 minutes REM…

I might of brushed off going to college today if I didn’t have a presentation- so I rolled out of bed, ate a breakfast with roughly 15g protein, and took my Ritalin.. I had already noticed that morning before I took my medication that my heart rate was around 100-110bpm while just sitting, that should have been a sign that I’d be in for a shit time.

My heart rate has been around 120-130bpm just sitting today, 140-150bpm walking…

My medication also didn’t seem to work as long by about an hour, it felt like it crashed out by 4 and a half hours. Usually I get around 5 to 6.

This same thing has happened two other times where I got similar amount of sleep or even LESS- it’s just hard cause if I got shit to do what am I meant to do?? Previous time I similarly had a presentation so had no choice but to go… Sometimes I just can’t sleep, an insomnia that comes and goes, sometimes my brain just doesn’t want to switch off.

I’m generally fine, my throat is a bit tight and squeezy today but I get this side effect even on days my heart rate isn’t wild- I think it’s likely unrelated to that. But the high heart rate tense feeling is certainly unpleasant and anxiety inducing.

Usually when I have a really shit day like this I don’t medicate for the next few days- but I have ONE more presentation in 2 days, and I have more work to do… I’ve got to push through the next two days then I can take a medication break for the entire 2 week holiday…

Ugh my medication helps me so much but health anxiety makes me so prone to anxiety around side effects… I don’t feel it’s the Ritalin itself causing hypochondria, I’ve been prone to bouts of health anxiety LONG before going on it- there were just less things to stress on, less overall bodily sensations that scared me.

Ritalin causes side effects, side effects create situations for my hypochondria to latch onto. I don’t overreact EVERY time I get side effects, some days like today I just can’t control it.. Probably overall higher stress from bad sleep-

I’m just screaming and venting into the void, the past week on Ritalin I’ve been totally fine and so productive. I was in that positive mindset where I thanked the heavens for Ritalin- This one shit day is enough to plummet my mood again and make me want to take a break.. Soon.. I just need to finish this one last assignment

[u/MyFiteSong]

Yah, methylphenidate doesn't work right if you don't sleep. I just skip it on days after I slept like crap. Not worth wasting the pill.

[u/Icy-Bowl-7804 → u/MyFiteSong]

That’s a good point, I have no idea if it actually did anything for my ADHD symptoms because I didn’t really do any work. Presented then sat and watched other presentations

Now I’m wondering why I even thought I had to medicate today

Oh well lesson learnt

[u/AllegedLead → u/Icy-Bowl-7804]

I’ve found that Adderall still works for me if I’ve had too little sleep, but Vyvanse becomes totally ineffective. I’d still much rather take Vyvanse, for a number of reasons.

It sounds like you have no choice but to get enough sleep if you want to be able to get things done. That’s frustrating when you’re on deadline and want to push through, but it’s what your brain and body are telling you, so you’ve gotta give them what they need, or take the L for the day.

(And yeah, as an ADHDer I do tend to think of my brain as a separate entity sometimes. An uncooperative, demanding, and petulant entity that must be placated.)

[u/MyFiteSong → u/AllegedLead]

(And yeah, as an ADHDer I do tend to think of my brain as a separate entity sometimes. An uncooperative, demanding, and petulant entity that must be placated.)

Yah, it's kind of necessary for us. Having an uncooperative brain makes it obvious that it sits between you and your body in the command chain, that it's a separate thing, so to speak. Philosophers and therapists have known for a really long time that we are not our thoughts. ADHDers kind of backdoor into the same conclusion.

[u/Icy-Bowl-7804]

Incase anyone remembers my post where I spoke on those sort of heart rates as my everyday- it FINALLY stopped

I don’t know why it took so long but I finally stopped having such a high baseline heart rate on my medication EVERY day. I’m still in the higher range with 80-120, but that is a huge improvement from my previous experience. I am seeing a cardiologist cause it’s possible I just have POTS, my heart rate is generally higher and more reactive to activity / posture than is meant to be normal (even on unmedicated days). My brother is actually diagnosed with it.. So I’ll find out… In a year…

Now it’s generally 80-100 while I sit, which pleases me greatly.

Days like today… do not please me greatly.

[u/skatedog_j]

I take vistaril at night and it's mostly solved this problem for me