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April 06, 2026
Are you on the right medication but with the wrong dose?
Maggie Alexander is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who has spent over a decade treating ADHD in teens and adults. Since 2013, she has worked with hundreds of patients using a holistic but grounded approach that includes medication, micronutrients, and targeted strategies.
When she first entered the field, she did not even believe in ADHD. That changed after a patient came to her suicidal, despite looking like he had everything together, and then improved within days on the right medication. That experience pushed her to question what she thought she knew and learn how ADHD treatment actually works.
In this episode, we talk about why stimulant medication fails for so many people, how to find the right dose, what side effects are actually telling you, and how labs, genetics, and hormones can shape treatment.
If medication has not worked for you, this conversation may change the way you think about it.
“Stimulants are like eyeglasses. A little more, a little more, and then you fall off the mountain. Dosage is everything.”
- Maggie Alexander
“If it's not working, don't go up in dose. Go down. That's the opposite of what most people do.”
- Maggie Alexander
“Test, don't guess. Check vitamin D, B12, zinc, copper, and magnesium. These minerals help make your neurotransmitters.”
-- Maggie Alexander
"When your stimulant works, you can finally stay organized enough to take your supplements consistently."
-- Maggie Alexander
"You (with ADHD) are the advocates. You go out into the world and defend the underdogs and stand up for those who are being poorly treated."
- Maggie Alexander
"Start with education, then biology. Find the right medication. Test your labs. Take the right supplements."
-Maggie Alexander
- Maggie shares she initially did not believe in ADHD and held common stereotypes about it
- A suicidal patient with prior Adderall success led her to reconsider ADHD as a root cause
- Early realization that proper medication dramatically improved functioning and quality of life
[10:09 – 30:32] Why ADHD Medication Often Fails and How to Fix It
- Explains importance of choosing the right stimulant type, correct dosage, and full-day coverage
- Many patients fail treatment due to wrong drug, incorrect dosing, or lack of titration
- Emphasizes that side effects like anxiety signal wrong dose or wrong medication
[30:32 – 53:24] Genetic Testing, Hormones, and Holistic ADHD Care
- Genetic testing helps identify medication fit, neurotransmitter issues, and nutrient deficiencies
- Hormones, especially estrogen, significantly impact ADHD symptoms and medication response
- Optimal treatment includes medication, lab-based supplementation, and foundational habits like sleep and nutrition
ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem.
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- Website: @maggie-alexander
- Website: @Shine-ADHD/Maggie-Alexander
- LinkedIn: @maggie-alexander
