Went to the pDoc, and asked him about the ADHD medication Vyvanse. He furrowed his brow, and I explained how I was having trouble concentrating, how at work I never stayed focused on a task, and how that’s been the case all my life. I told him I was taking Ephedra, how it helped me stay focused, and how it sometimes, paradoxically, calmed me down. He didn’t like that at all. He asked me if I took stimulants in college. Well, duh? Of course I did. Lots. And they helped me study. They helped me stay awake in class, helped me drive home drunk, play better intramural football, and march straighter lines in marching band. But most importantly, I could drink a lot of beer and smoke a lot of pot when I was on speed. Of course, I didn’t tell him all this, but I did tell him it helped me study. And it did.

He wrote me the script, a very low dosage. He also raised my Lithium dosage and requested a blood test, but that’s a different story. I took it to the pharmacy, and they told me the insurance company would not pay for my lithium increase as it was mid-month. Big deal, Lithium is $4.00 whether or not insurance pays for it. The pharmacy doesn’t like that, they can’t bill the insurance company for any of it in that situation. But I digress. Because I had the coupon for the free month, they filled the Vyvanse right away. But they said I’d need to pursue pre-approval before my next batch. They also said there are no refills, and I had to bring a paper script to them every month. Ridiculous. But worth it.

Even though it was a very low dose, this stuff is amazing. Good steady buzz for 14 hours. Not so strong that your scalp crawls (remember that?) but enough to keep me awake at work. Hasn’t yet had a significant impact on my concentration, but I think it could. I need to give it some time. But I’m going to do what I can to keep it coming.

Damn. Does this sound like a 50 plus man? It sounds like an 18 year old kid. That’s OK, I’m really an 18 year-old trapped in an over-weight 51 year-old body.

Put on your headphones, maybe torch a bowl if your life still allows that, and give this one some concentration. On the surface, good straight-ahead southern rock, maybe with a pinch of twang. It takes some active listening to understand the lyrics, but it’s worth it. They’re incredible. Trailer park tragedy, southern culture, and deep, searching, introspection rolled up into each album. Some of the songs are laugh-out-loud funny, others are too painful for me to hear. This band gets my highest praise and recommendation.

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