Frequently asked questions
About the PK curves, combined medications, and what kind of tool Samstemd actually is.
Why don't I see a single combined curve across all my medications?
Samstemd plots PK curves per medication and per medication class — never summed across classes. That is a deliberate choice.
Stimulants (methylphenidate, amphetamine) and non-stimulants (atomoxetine, guanfacine, clonidine) act on different biological mechanisms. It is not pharmacologically meaningful to sum their concentrations into a single number. The scientific literature reports effect sizes per class — Cortese et al. 2018 (Lancet Psychiatry, the largest network meta-analysis of ADHD medications) reports separate per-class effect sizes, not pooled totals.
So you get one curve per medication, and a class-segmented total where it makes pharmacological sense — within the same class. That is the most honest representation we can offer.
I take a stimulant alongside an SSRI, blood-pressure medication or sleep aid — anything I should be aware of?
That conversation belongs between you and your doctor, not the app. Samstemd records what you take — we do not assess interactions.
The Norwegian Directorate of Health's ADHD guideline (last updated 2022, under revision since March 2026) recommends regular blood-pressure and pulse monitoring during stimulant treatment, plus an annual effect-and-side-effect review at minimum. Bring those check-ups up with your doctor or specialist.
Polypharmacy — multiple psychotropics or cardiovascular medications taken concurrently — is genuinely common among adults with ADHD. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist about interactions when you start or change a medication. Samstemd gives you a timeline you can show them. That is the role the app plays.
Is Samstemd a medical device?
No. Samstemd is a self-insight tool. It does not diagnose, it does not recommend doses, and it does not replace clinical judgement.
In practice this means:
- You own your data. Everything is stored on your phone, not on a server.
- The patterns and insights the app surfaces are your own numbers, not medical assessments.
- If you're in doubt, considering changing your treatment, or worried about something — talk to your doctor.
We built Samstemd because we wanted an honest, premium tool to understand how ADHD medication works in daily life. But it is you, together with your clinician, who makes the decisions.