I know it's nigh impossible what with the prescription racket and the quality of doctors out there, but the meds are out there and it's possible to create a regimen that would make your brain work like you want to.
We've tried everything short of antidepressants (e.g. Wellbutrin). I was treated by specialised ADHD centre (they don't treat anything else) that we have here in the Netherlands.
In a lengthy conversation with the specialist after having tried and shot down every option under the sun, I was asked why I believed none of them worked and what I was then expecting. Turns out what I was experiencing was the norm; Current ADHD medication options are a lot like crutches or wheelchairs. Mitigations, nothing more.
My doctor was similarly surprised when I inquired about applying for the disability tax credit. I believe he said something like "Doesn't the medication work?" and then went on to emphasize the tax credits use for mainly severely physically impaired people. Yes, it works a bit, but it doesn't give me sufficient short term memory recall, it doesn't work if I haven't taken it, it doesn't help me maintain a livable sleep cycle or prevent me from burning out and keeping a job, or having even a remote sense of time passing. It helps me focus, a bit, under the right circumstances.
There are outliers to everything. I'm in a similar boat as the parent comment. I've tried multiple classes, multiple formulations, multiple dosages, and all of which I have tried multiple times.
It's been 7 years, and I eventually settled on one that worked the least worst, and just try to do the best I can. I am even considering quitting all together. I believe if the withdrawal effects were not so serve, I would have already.
This was my experience as well -- having the less worst med. Withdrawal was hard, but doable. I've been clean for a year and a half. My symptoms are still wild but it was a choice I made, I was medicated for about 5 years with different meds, trying out different stuff and it got to the point where I didn't really know what was working and what wasn't. Now that I've been off meds for this long I feel like I can re-evaluate them again. I guess I'm trying to say, it's hard but doable.
I know it's nigh impossible what with the prescription racket and the quality of doctors out there, but the meds are out there and it's possible to create a regimen that would make your brain work like you want to.