Earlier this year, I had issues getting my HRT thanks to shortages. I went through a few months of being unsure if I would be able to get my prescribed progesterone. Without this, there is an increased risk of endometrial cancer. In other words, you have to take it when taking oestrogen so as not to die. My brain felt like it was rotting when I became perimenopausal. It was like ADHD on steroids, so it was a relief when I felt my hormones starting to balance out and my mind wasn’t as scattered. Oh and not waking up stuck to the bedsheets was also a bonus.
It’s coming up to a year on HRT soon. Supplies have been much more predictable but now I have another problem. For the past three months, my usual pharmacy has handed back my Elvanse prescription as they are unable to get this in stock. I’ve been able to get it elsewhere from other pharmacies but now these are unable to get stock either. I went to five pharmacies over the last few days and none have any stock and they can’t order it either.
Perimenopause means that my Elvanse isn’t working as well. When I tried early last year to increase this, it made me jittery, tired and made my symptoms worse so went back down to 30mg. A couple of months ago, I went back to my ADHD provider to review and I wanted to try 50mg again. There was sparse supplies of the 50mg capsules so I was prescribed 10mg of Amfexa (Dexamphetamine) once a day as a top-up, or this could be split into 2 or even 4 given the way the tablets are scored. I’ve been taking half a tablet (5mg) twice a day. It makes me tired at the moment but my focus and concentration has improved. My sleep is pretty terrible again, and I’ve had some nights where I’ve been up doing productive things until 2am, having had little productive time in the day. I can also pinpoint the second it starts to work. It’s like someone has just changed my battery or jump started me but then I’m tired all over again. I’m still trying to figure out the best time to take it too, anything after 3pm seems to keep me awake at night. Weird considering Elvanse (lisdexamphetamine) is effectively turned into dexamphetamine by the red blood cells but actually helps me sleep- I actually take this at 10am as it’s still working when I go to bed and helps my brain be quiet when I go to bed around 9pm. Thankfully the dexaphetamine is available at the moment but might not be if people are switched over from Elvanse. I’m hoping the poor sleep and tiredness wears off soon.
Every pharmacy I’ve been to for my Elvanse said the same thing, people are rining them up to ask if they have stock or travelling from different areas. This takes a lot of executive function, which is probably due to being on the meds in the first place.
Honestly, this is getting ridiculous. It’s partly due to a manufacturing issue with Elvanse (or Vyvanse as it’s called elsewhere), but also Brexit and piss poor planning at a government level given the increase in awareness of ADHD leading to higher demand (just like happened with HRT). I’m having to ration my meds now, probably until the end of the year. Ultimately, I have to decide which days I can afford to write off- when even emptying the bin seems overwhelming, and which days I really need to function. I’d like to be able to function every day.
My ADHD PhD 