but my doctor said I just wasn't trying hard enough. Broke my spirit.
That's how you know you're talking to the wrong doctor. "Just try harder" is not a solution to executive function disorders. If it were, I would have been a "straight A" student instead of a barely passing one. Stimulants revealed, among numerous other things, that I actually can do math and I'm not a complete and utter moron. My brain just has a physical defect whereby some parts of it are unable to sufficiently absorb neurotransmitters.
Through my extensive experience with doctors, I have learned that generally speaking -- not always, mind you -- doctors are familiar with their own narrow field and nothing outside of it. They also often have as much hubris than the average person and, much like the rest of us, tend to feel threatened by the unknown.
You need to find a doctor that that is either familiar with ADHD and how to effectively treat it, or one who is at least willing to work towards improving your quality of life and is willing to do some serious trial and error to that end.