Your Guide to Self-Titration of your ADHD Medication
As we talked about in "What is Titration?", titration is a process Frida supports our patients through where we will work closely with you to find your right medication, dose, and timing of administration. For some, it can be helpful to take part in the medication increases while working with Frida, which is why we have created this Guide to Self-Titration.
Please do not self-titrate your medication if your clinician has not recommended self-titration for you. Self-titration is also only for certain ADHD medications. Please do not self-titrate anxiety or depression medications.
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If your clinician has recommended you participate in self-titration, the below information outlines the things to keep in mind, as a reminder, that we had spoken with you about in your last appointment with us.
When should I adjust my medication?
It is best to base the need for adjustments off of consistent symptoms you observe over many days and not off of the experience of a single day.
If you’re not feeling like there’s enough of a change in your symptoms:
This is a sign that it might be worth trying a larger dose. If your Frida clinician has recommended self titration - follow the instructions on your prescription to increase your dose as recommended. If you have not been recommended to self titrate - speak with your Frida clinician about your dose at your next appointment, or you may reach out to book an earlier appointment if you feel this is needed.
If you feel like the medication is not lasting long enough:
You can either increase your dose that you take at the same time, or try taking another smaller dose 1 to 2 hours after your first dose of the day.
For example, if your total dose is 40mg Vyvanse daily, you could trial taking 30mg first thing in the morning followed by 10mg 1-2 hours later to see if coverage improves.
It’s important to note that taking stimulant-medication later in the day can affect your sleep, so if you’re going to try taking more later in the day, we still strongly recommend taking the larger dose early in the morning.
Do not exceed the maximum daily dose prescribed by your Frida clinician.
If you feel like you’re heart is racing, feel jittery, or can’t sit still or sleep:
This could be a sign that your dosage is too high. Reduce back down to the previous dose you were on. Should you require a prescription for a lower dose - please reach out to our team. It is also safe to discontinue a long acting stimulant medication. Do get in touch with our team for next steps if this is something you’re considering.
You can also look at adjusting when you’re taking your meds - if you’re struggling to sleep, it’s often helpful to make sure you’re taking your medication as early as possible in the day.
What to never do:
It can take days/weeks/months to find the right dosage. Part of that is that it takes more than just a day or two to understand how different amounts feel.
Do not make drastic changes on a day to day basis.
Never increase your dose past the recommendation of your prescriber.
Please refer to your prescription for the maximum dose you should trial before your next appointment.
It is also recommended to stay at a dosage for at least 7-10 days before you try increasing it.
Follow your prescriber's recommendations for how long to maintain a dose before increasing again.
When should I reach out?
You should reach out to our Frida support team if you’ve decreased your dose and you’re still feeling like it’s too much. Please do get in touch with us before your next scheduled appointment so we can assess with you and best support you.
