Adderall, ritalin or vyvanse? Which helps you most with mental fatigue

Hi there- I don't have experience with either of those medications, but I do have experience with brain fog...

Recently, I've been reading about guanfacine being researched and used as a treatment for brain fog and cognitive function in long COVID. Apparently, it has a history of being prescribed off label for TBI for the same reason. It's originally an ADHD medication. Since you were considering options that sounded similiar, I thought I'd mention it. I read about it here, and it includes a link to the summary of their case studies too: https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/potential-new-treatment-for-brain-fog-in-long-covid-patients/

I'm not sure if you've heard of or used LDN (low dose naltrexone)? That is what I use for fatigue; it helps me with brain fog but I notice the difference mostly in my fatigue. I noticed an immediate difference the first day. It's prescribed off-label from a compounding pharmacy, which can make it harder to persuade someone to prescribe it if they're unfamiliar. But it's been used for various chronic pain and some autoimmune conditions for years. It's thought to have an anti-inflammatory effect.

If you're not familiar, it's dosed at a tiny fraction of the dose of regular naltrexone (down to a few milligrams or sometimes less). At that dose, it's thought to increase endorphins and regulate glial cells, which when overactive are thought to contribute to chronic pain and inflammation. If you're interested, there's a helpful discussion of it here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ldn-dosing-for-fibromyalgia-and-mecfs/ Some of the posts also include links to other resources and studies.

(I totally won't be offended if you're not interested in either or tried both, but I just thought I'd mention it because LDN really helped me and I almost wouldn't have learned about it.) Wishing you all the best!

@emo thanks Ive read About the yale arricle when it esa published. I can ask my doctor at Mayo About it. More than 7 years ago I used low dose naltrexone for pmdd. It didnt work for it but it reduced the menstrual period to 3 days and pmdd symptoms lasted less time. When my autoinmune condition started (still disease) doctors where trying to find my diagnostic I stopped all off the labbel medications and supplements for a better diagnostic criteria. I never took it again then my CPR was extremely elevated while on it so I needed not to experiment with meds but just with what Mayo Rochester staff considered was neccesary to stabilize my new condition. One or 2 years after I took my ovaries and uterus out to be cured of pmdd and keep treating just the 1 condition: still disease. I am 4 years on symptomatic remission on a biologic (canakinumab) and it traerá everything including the fatigue and brain fog but usually 4 days before the next shot I become fatigue and with mental burnout. If I was on low dose naltrexone while my autoinmune condition started it should had stopped the symptoms, or prevented the condition and it didnt. If guarfacine is not off the labró I can ask my psychiatrist about it, and if it’s a temporaly use with inmediate action as the other stimulants (4 to 5 days) maybe she agree. Thanks for your help

Thanks for sharing. It's so tough when juggling multiple, intertwined chronic conditions. It sometimes feels to me like it's all tied up in a knot, and I wonder which thing can I do that can untangle the most things without tying other things up into the knot?

I'd love to hear how it goes, depending on what you do decide to try. Wishing you all the best!

I cannot help with the suggested medicines. But, you can also try remaining hydrated, which affects brain fog, bleary eyes and fatigue. Make sure you get in a daily walk or thirty minutes of stretches, etc. Eat right--avoid processed foods, high fructose corn syrup and eat well--grab and go works if you shop wisely to include protein, veggies and other good carbs. A mid afternoon snack (protein+veg+carb) or something like Mean Green Juice can help you concentrate. Of course, lunch should not be heavy; I like peanut butter sandwiches with an apple, for instance.

Hello I am new to this site so I apologize if I am commenting in the wrong area. I need any help I can possibly get. I have chronic autoimmune severe fatigue. Exhaustion from the moment I wake up, irritability, it’s hard to wake up and getting out of bed and moving around is a huge task as well as just being able to talk because I have so much brain fog and disorientation. It’s a huge struggle to I am instantly irritated with myself and everything around me. I have been taking 70 mg Vyvanse for 2 years. It helped for awhile but it no longer seems to do anything, only time I notice it is when I have stopped taking it and I have the worst withdrawals. I am wondering if anyone has taken this and had to switch to a different stimulant or take another along side vyvanse to help. If there are other recommendations for meds that seem to work better. I realized everybody has a different chemistry and circumstances so meds work differently in some people and what works in one person may not with another. I have tried modafinil with vyvanse and I get the opposite effect with modafinil, worse fatigue and brain fog. I have read Concerta, Ritalin and adderal are others that can be prescribed I have not tried them. I do have ADHD along with neurological issues but the ADHD and fatigue really get to me because my brain is always spinning on high but my body can’t wake up so it makes me very frustrated. I use to be highly active, competitive mountain bike racing, running, I use to be fun and love the outdoors going backpacking and hiking and always looking for a great adventure and now especially the past three years I have nothing in me, nothing to give anymore. I am constantly looking for that person I use to be but I just can’t get there no matter what I do. I eat ( when I can) very well mostly plant based diet, I still get exercise as I own a landscaping company but I can no longer wake up to get to work by a decent time and I struggle to think clearly, remember things I use to know, connect and communicate with clients clearly. It’s literally killing me physically mentally and emotionally. I do therapy weekly, CBT, meditation, journaling, everything I can to keep going but the exhaustion and fog that awakens with me daily won’t cease and only seems to worsen. Any help please!!!! Thank you!!