Are there any Autistic people who also have ADHD here?

Hi everyone,  I was diagnosed with both Autism and ADHD and would like to connect with similar people for advice please. In particular I would like to hear of experiences from people who take ADHD medication. I have started Elvanse for my ADHD, only three days in now. I wonder if anyone else takes an ADHD stimulant and whether it affects their autistic traits in any way? I appreciate that this is a very personal ask and maybe people won’t want to disclose this and that’s absolutely fine isn’t it? Otherwise, just chatting with others about how it feels to have both autism and ADHD will be so helpful for me, I don’t know any people with both. Thank you 

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  • I am in the process of getting an autism diagnosis and also believe I have ADHD. I also get the same feeling of the two things competing against each other that Expecto_Patronum described and, although I feel that autism is the main thing that shapes me, I think the ADHD element may be more destructive to me.

    This is a very well timed thread for me and I will be reading with interest, as I have recently been reading about Elvanse and Vyvanse and, from what people who take either of them say about what it does for them, I feel it could potentially be very helpful for me.

    How have you found it so far pootalfun? Early days of course but it seems like everyone has a slightly different reaction to it.

  •   I totally understand what you have said, see my reply back to  too. I feel more autistic but I think the ADHD causes my anxiety, my noisy brain and some of my less desirable traits! I think Elvanse and Vyvanse are the same medication - I think Vyvanse is the American name and I’m in the UK so I take Elvanse. As you’ve said, it is early days for me being that I’ve only taken it three times but I do feel calmer and my brain is less busy and chaotic - this could be placebo because I’m so relieved to feel cared for, believed and taken seriously at last in receiving my two diagnoses. I am happy to update you as I go along

  • 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.

  • Sounds positive so far. Hope the headaches pass quickly.

  •    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.

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