Treatment · 6 min read
Titration, explained: finding the right medication and dose
Diagnosis is the beginning of the work, not the end. What titration involves, how long it takes, and what is monitored.
Titration is the process of finding which ADHD medication suits you and at what dose. It is not a formality between diagnosis and prescription — it is the treatment, and it is worth understanding before you start.
Why it takes more than one appointment
There is no test that predicts which medication will suit a particular person. Response varies considerably, as does tolerance of side effects. The only reliable method is to start low, review, and adjust.
Both stimulant and non-stimulant options have strong evidence behind them. Your consultant should set out the realistic benefits, the side effects, and the monitoring involved, then help you choose rather than choosing for you.
What gets monitored
- Whether the medication is actually helping the difficulties that brought you in
- Side effects — appetite, sleep, mood, headaches
- Blood pressure and heart rate, at each review
- Height and weight where clinically relevant
Reviews continue until you are stable: a dose that helps enough to be worth its side effects, held steady over time.
How long it lasts
Titration typically runs over a period of weeks to a few months, depending on how quickly a suitable option is found. Some people settle on the first medication tried; others need two or three before something fits.
Once you are stable, the aim is usually to move ongoing prescribing to your NHS GP under a shared-care agreement, so you pay standard prescription charges rather than private ones.
Medication is dispensed by a pharmacy and paid for separately during private titration. Ask what a month is likely to cost before you start, so there are no surprises.
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