Are there any Autistic people who also have ADHD here?

Hi Pootalfun  yes, I am an AuDHDer too. I don't take ADHD medication but I do live with the push and pull and, as you put it so well, the noise of the two, side-by-side. Never a dull day!

Hi Pootalfun, not sure if you are still on here but just thought I'd see how you were getting on? I remembered chatting a bit about elvanse on here with you. I started on it about 7-8 weeks ago and have titrated up from 30mg to 50mg and now been on 60mg for a few days. I think this is where I will stay now as I am really pleased with the effect it has had. I didn't get the immediate changes on 30mg that some people talk about, but 50mg was noticeable in terms of focus and executive function. Appetite has reduced as well which is very welcome. I am really finding that my patience for boring tasks has increased hugely. I used to rush through so much stuff impatiently, doing the bare minimum, but I am really able to take the time needed to do something properly now and I feel much calmer. I have noticed that I have stopped biting my fingernails, I feel less self conscious (which surprised me) and I feel calmer overall. Sleep isn't fantastic but it's not much worse than before and cannabis oil really helps with that. Hopefully you are still having positive effects from it?

I don’t know anything about the non-stimulants because I’m on a stimulant but I presume they do the same things to the brain, so your experience sounds promising

Sounds positive so far. Hope the headaches pass quickly.

 McFrost  so far so good, had a work day today and felt that I could concentrate better on one task at a time, which is rare for me. Still feeling calmer. I do have a low level headache on and off but can cope with that and would expect that if this is a side effect, it’ll pass.

 Blue I understand that. I take antidepressants and was reassured by my ADHD prescriber that the two medications will be fine together, so I am lucky.

 profdanger I appreciate your comments, thank you. My medication is already calming down my chaotic and noisy brain so I feel positive it will help me. I am 50 now and I only wish I had this support before now! Better late than never I suppose.

I have both and I've been taking a non-stimulate ADHD medication for about a year now. It has helped a LOT with executive function and surprisingly with misophonia as well. I'm much more able to tolerate noises like leaf blowers, chewing, wrappers ETC. 

Good morning from America Pootalfun!

Another AuDHDer here. I take medication for ADHD, but not the one you are. The one I take has actually helps a bit not only with focus, but has also alleviated some of the brain fog I have in social situations. So as a result it’s made me a little more sociable than when I was off it for about ten years.

I’ve been on this medication since… 4th grade? I was diagnosed with ADHD around that time and ASD when I turned 30. I attribute the late ASD diagnosis to a degree because I was able to mask a lot easier while medicated. I stopped about midway through college because I was taking wayy too much of it and it made me hyperfocus to an extreme degree. But now I’m on a safer dosage and I feel much more balanced.

I agree, and I love to learn.!!

That's what I like about this forum, we share authentically, which helps so much.

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Then we’re on a learning process together! I think I’m the other way round - I’m living how my ADHD brain wants and my Autism is struggling with that life. Hearing from others like yourself is helping so much so thank you.

 Stuart333  this is a really useful way of looking, a perspective I’ve never tried so thank you. Interestingly I have started to think about engaging in my interests more on my days off. It’s such a juggle as my autism craves solitude but my job is with many people so I’ll have a think about solo interests to balance. I think the ADHD is more of a battle because it wants constant stimulation and the Autism doesn’t!!! As I’ve mentioned on a different post I’ve began ADHD meds so this may help that craving novelty side of me.

I think the solution may be to accept no job can be novel and  interesting all the time. So view it as stability and a steady income, a routine.

Look for novelty and new things elsewhere. Do a new thing at the weekend or in the evening.

If work is boring, it can help to regulate you so you have more energy for living rather than working.

If you really want your job to provide all the stimulation you may struggle and changing too much will become harder. You need to do something you really love, or that is very stressful, if you want it to fully occupy your mind. But it won't leave room for much else.

Thanks Pootalfun. Having read others responses here, I am even more certain that I also have ADHD, as so much of what has been said feels familiar to me. It would be very interesting to hear how you get on with the meds, but only as and when you feel like updating of course.

HiPootalfun 

Yeah I have both!!

I am only just starting to understand how it all fits together, it can make things complicated though.

Part of me loves adventure, travel and meeting new people.

The other part loves routine, solitude and predictably.

When I put myself where my ADHD wants me to be my autism suffers terribly.

I think on reflection my autism has held me back, but looking at it another way it's probably protected me in some ways too.

 ArchaeC  yes I agree that having both conditions is exhausting! I crave routine, stability, sameness and structure and then get bored and change things up but regret it. I am always changing my mind, which is so frustrating and I have lost confidence in making decisions. I have changed job soooo many times because I get bored once I have finished learning everything and that stimulation the learning brings has finished. Then I feel highly anxious starting a new job, new workplace and meeting all of the new people. I am unfortunately at that stage once again (have been in current job 18 months) and this time I am resisting the urge!!

I’m autistic and I’m on an NHS waiting list for an ADHD assessment. An excellent article on AuDHD in the NAS magazine a few months ago made me more sure that I have ADHD. My brain is constantly torn between rigidness, structure and silence, and the need for novelty. I am highly organised in some areas, yet disorganised in others. It’s exhausting as it feels like I’m constantly trying to bring my autistic brain and ADHD brain together in a way that is fit for daily life. 

 HighToryPsychic how interesting and I like how you’ve learned to manage your contradictory parts of yourself which shows you have that understanding that I am seeking

I have Autism and ADHD. Its like having a conflicted brain, because my autistic people doesn't want to do anything, but the ADHD part has all this energy, wants to race around and then it gets tired. Haha. So I have let the ADHD part of me out to run around, make faces and sings, then it feels okay and I can go back to being autistic. 

I work two full days a week and I’m exhausted after those two days because my work involves daily changes, different environments and some level of socialising. I used to work three days but it became unmanageable for me and my employers allowed me to trial a two day week for the last couple of months. I have a Manager and HR meeting tomorrow to find out if they will allow this to continue. I am anxious about this.

I Have no side effects so far so maybe I’ll be lucky, only a slight headache that I can put up with.