End of the Adderall
Well, insurance never did refill my 60-mg-a-day Adderall prescription. The doctor got a letter in the mail saying they had approved it, and I got a copy of the same letter. But apparently insurance didn’t actually tell their own billing department; Walgreen’s never was able to run it through the insurance billing system.
But I was taking it on a sort of provisional basis anyway; it wasn’t so much helping the things I wanted it to. I didn’t know it before I started on this whole escapade, but there are several different types of focus. I used to think there were two, but during the past day or two I’ve started to think there are at least three:
- The ability to get absorbed in a task, and not easily pulled back out of it. Tends to make you forget about trivial things like food and sleep. The technical term is “hyperfocus”. It’s a bit counter-intuitive, but ADD people (the people who are supposed to have problems concentrating) are the same people who get hyperfocus.
- The ability to concentrate on the details of what you’re doing, and keep them in your brain long enough to get something done. I call this “detail focus”. When I’m having a bad-detail day, my thoughts are slippery: I’ll start to do something, and suddenly realize that I have no idea what I was working on. I’ll write down the next thing I need to do (so I won’t forget it), and I will have forgotten it by the time I look up at the monitor. That makes it darned hard to program a computer, or even to carry on a conversation — someone will say something, and it will slide right in one ear and out the other, and I’ll blink stupidly and have to ask them to repeat themself.
- The ability to stay on task, and not let your mind wander off into a daze. This one is insidious, because you don’t realize your mind is wandering until you’re already looking out the window at the birds. I’m not quite sure what to call this one yet; it’s only within the past day or two that I started to suspect it’s different from detail focus.
Odd list, eh? None of them seem to go together. Yet I can have #1 and #2 at the same time, and then moments later be having problems with #3, even though #1 and #3 seem to be diametric opposites. Some days one of these is worse than the others, some days not. It’s all rather bizarre, really.
The Adderall was giving me more hyperfocus, which is not altogether bad, but not altogether good (besides which, hyperfocus really isn’t something I’ve ever had too much trouble achieving); and it didn’t seem to be helping a great deal with the detail focus, or the mind-wandering. It also, on a few occasions (especially if I hadn’t been taking it for a few days), gave me the shakes and made my heart race (last time this happened I measured my resting pulse at 120). It didn’t do that too often, but it certainly wasn’t pleasant.
After some discussion, we decided to drop the Adderall, but stick with the stimulant-based drugs for a while longer, since it takes them hours to kick in, as opposed to months for non-stimulant drugs; much easier to tell if they’re working. There are a couple more he wants to try next: one is Focalin, which is chemically similar to Ritalin; and the other is dextroamphetamine, which is chemically similar to Adderall. He asked which I wanted to try. I asked if either one was available in a generic. So I’m on dextroamphetamine now.
The way he explained it, both Adderall and dextroamphetamine have the same active ingredients, consisting of several related molecules (he described them all as variants on one “mother molecule”). But dextroamphetamine has all of those compounds in equal weights, whereas Adderall has more of some than others, surely as the result of much research. But I wasn’t included in that research, so it’s possible that dextro may work better for me. (Too bad — it would’ve been fun to skew their results.)
I asked if we could just get each individual compound separately, so I can try my own relative weights. He laughed, and said that unfortunately, they don’t package it that way. Phooey.
He started me on a lowish dose, since he wasn’t sure whether it would affect my system differently than the Adderall did. I have the usual instructions to experiment with the dose. Alas, dextro isn’t available in a time-release, so I have to remember to take it every four hours through the day. (Remember? Hah! That’s what Outlook calendars are for.) But on the good side, insurance didn’t make a peep about my prescription for 180 tablets — just went ahead and filled it. After the grief filling 60 tablets of the Adderall, that’s a welcome change.
May 2nd, 2005 at 9:47 pm
Sleep study, and general ADD update
May 22nd, 2005 at 9:01 pm
60 mg a day? That seems pretty high. I thought my 30mg script was high!
I usually take Adderall on an "as needed" basis… Mostly for motivation.
I just can’t imagine taking 30mg a day consistently. My health would deteriorate quickly.
mhsnate@hotmail.com
July 22nd, 2005 at 5:44 pm
Wow, 60mg seems like maddness.
I have ADD and I currently take 20mg of Adderall (original recipe not XR). I switched to Adderall from Ritalin 6 years ago (I’m currently 20); I don’t recommend Ritalin. You will eat even less than you did on adderall. I had terrible stomach cramps, and by the time it wore off I would forget all about taking the second pill. The stomach cramps were definitely reminiscent of ulcer pain, I’m almost positive that it was related to the metallic fillers used in the pill. The generic adderall, on the other hand, is filled with sugar pill. I guess I have no scientific basis for my assumption about the metallic filler, but I know a tidge about it based on what I’ve taken from chem class and read in other places. I hate the drymouth more than anything. If I took 60mg I would just foam at the mouth.
Does Adderall XR seem a little crazy to you? An extended release version of a time release drug just seems like a bad idea. I’ve taken it and for a month I got only what sleep was vital to survival. lol
August 10th, 2005 at 6:13 pm
Good commetns of the different types of focus. Very insightful.
September 28th, 2005 at 9:59 pm
I take Adderall as well, and I take 40 mg a day… They give dose based partly on body weight or mass. I’m 6’1" and 20 mg doesn’t do much for me for long…
October 22nd, 2005 at 7:26 am
i take a 30mgxr and 20mg regular twice daily. my doctor tell me i’m a high metabolizer and that doses don’t really depend on body size, but your bodies ability to metabolize the drug. i’m a 120lb 5’5 28 year old female.
November 9th, 2005 at 7:25 pm
wow, that is high, taking one 10xr and one regular once a day, early morning so I can sleep at nights.. Any more would put me through the roof..
Went backwards on the dosage just to make sure I take the edge off, and it seems comfortable.. not druggy feeling
December 7th, 2005 at 12:02 pm
My grandson took his first 10 mg of the XR yesterday and a perfectly wonderful day at school (kindergarten-5 years old) but about dinner time he became extremely agressive, only wanted his momma, and screamed and cussed uncontrollably for about 3 hours. He finally fell asleep on the couch. Has any one else experienced these effects?
December 28th, 2005 at 4:28 pm
I take 20 mg 3x a day and am totally satisfied. I am 32 yrs old and weigh 138.
January 11th, 2006 at 10:01 pm
I have a love-hate relationship with my Adderall. I am not able to do my work and concentrate at school. However, I have lost many friends because of it. I am not the same person when I am on it, I am irritable and short-tempered, and I have no personality or humor. I often get annoyed by people just when they begin to click their pen over and over again. Usually people can block the clicking out and I can too, but not on Adderall. People see that I am getting mad and they think it’s funny b/c I’m usually a humorous person, but I begin to get pissed off and one time I began to cry. I cannot even do my homework at home because of my mom banging pots, etc. when she is making dinner. I know she is not doing it on purpous but I am not getting annoyed on purpose either, I wish i didnt. I also become very emotional too, I will cry over the littlest things for no reason. I am also never hungry. People at school think I’m anorexic beause they never see me in the lunch room. At dinner I just pick at my food usually. Just looking at the food makes me feel sick. When i began taking adderall 3 years ago, i weighed 105, now i weigh 95, but i am 4’11”. with the adderall i am capable of losing more weight, so i think to myself, if i can, i might as well. When people ask if they can have some, it pisses me off. They do not know what I have gone through with this drug.
January 15th, 2006 at 1:05 pm
I am a 24 year old female taking 15/mg just once a day. I cant imagine taking anymore than that, it makes me feel so strange. My boyfriend told me that I have turned in to a b*tch since I began taking it, which was about 6 weeks ago. I am also so much more irritable and my sex drive is almost non-existant. Does anyone else have that problem?? I have always been a sexual person but now I have no desire and it’s hurting my relationship. I have also lost a few lbs since I began taking the drug, which is fine cuz I needed to anyways. I am just trying to decide what to do b/c when i dont take it, I feel somewhat out of control. I hate this!!
January 19th, 2006 at 2:42 am
Adderall is plain madness. XR is out of control.
bad taste in mouth
no sex drive
power up and then crash and burn on XR
going to try something else
Reclusive
January 19th, 2006 at 5:35 am
Wow, I certainly seem to be hearing from a lot of people who’ve had bad experiences with Adderall. That’s interesting – I didn’t have any of the negative effects people are talking about; it just made me jittery on a handful of occasions, and didn’t help what I wanted it to.
January 21st, 2006 at 5:00 pm
Sorry, I accidently posted without typing. Disreguard about one liner. Anyway, I seem to post alot about adderall on other boards. Some feeback is good and some is bad. From one guy saying your an addict, being fooled by my brain, and im in for a serious serious rehab, to another saying that my meds (which the other person was on) saved his like almost.
I learned to take feedback as just an option , not a 100 percent answer, because the person giving you feedback really doesnt know your entirel mental makeup. Just what you posted in 3 or 4 lines.
But, Anyway, I look at it this way, Not because its schedule 2 and joe shmoe takes 10 a day. In my case, i list the positive aspects ofhe drug and then negative. Here is what i came up with.
Positive:
80-90 percent increase in my entire mental state, including motivation, like doing things again, no drug use or even cravings, and my opiate addiction and G addiciton was crazy.
Very much into doing mental activites, like computer , reading, researching.
I dont abuse it. I take a higher dose, but througout the day. 75mg total. Sometimes 90mg.
I dont get "speedy" semi euphoric, except for the first 1-2 days on it, or if i take a few days off, then start up. But its working , you can tell.
I have limbic ADD, where I may or may not have enough dopamine out put from the claudet nucleus , or reward center, but also lack of neurotransmitter activity in the prefrontal cortex.
I tried ritalin, dexedrine, welbutrin straterra, (except meth) and adderall was and is the best, IR form.
My Refractory depression has seased, after trying about 10 meds and no use
I can think of many more.
Negative:
About one month ago, for about 5 months, i was staying up 24-30 hrs a few times a week actually doing mental activities, but still, sleep is like gold.
Now i sleep ok, not every staying u over 24hrs.
Need to take my 30mg dose every 4-6 hrs, 3x day. It gets rough always thinking and looking at the time.
I am dependant on it, meaning i cannot stop it, or I go into a deep state of adenonia, and axiety fatigue feeling.
Well, In my opinion, i believe the positive out weighs the negative. Sleep issue was really changed and now im sleeping better. I take a low dose of .5mg klonpin 2x day to knock of any anxiety from it.
Last My theory after 10 yrs of Psychopharm research is that number one, if someone is a drug addict, I dont care how many people, posts, or police tell them to stop , they wont.
Everones brain chemistry is different so effects from certain drugs may differ, thus one person my love the effect of drug x , and become addicted, esp if he or shie is self medicating. Also, Just because 5000 people got addicted to oxycontin lets say in one town, it just may help the other person who is suffereing severely from a spinal injury.
nobody really knows what mental ailment is wrong in ones head, until they get a SPECT scan or Fmri of the brain, where neuroscientist can see the activity. So, If someone is even asking a pdoc, whats is the problem and usually they are in the room for 5minutes so how can you get proper treatment. And due to alot fo symptoms which many illnesses have, you often are misdiagnosed.
Literally I have been to 12 doctors, tried 15 medications , tons of supplements, also did the 1 yr clean of everything. I believe this last year i have felt the best in my life. I dont mean high feeling but at an even keel
January 25th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
I started taking adderall the 2nd semester of freshman year and a huge change happened! I was able to focus and get my grades up and everything was going awesome. I lost alot of weight and look alot skinnier, no muscle at all though. I have tried many times to get off because of the SIDE EFFECTS and i feel like i am cheating and its hurting my body, when i try and get off its the WORST! I cant focus, i eat like crazy, and it feels like i am getting fat. After this week I am done with it, its ruined my life! Any suggestions on how to cope with it when getting off?
January 29th, 2006 at 11:18 am
I have tried a lot of medications, as I have been treated for major depression, an anxiety disorder, and insomnia.
Antidepressants didn’t work. Basically, I took a really high dose untill I began to get mroe physically active, then dropped off and worked with a therapist to restore my life.
The feelings of intense anxiety became esier to deal with after this. I still have them (it’s like having an asthma attack, needing to use the bathroom, and needing to vomit all at the same time, only its strength varies, and is now generally very mild), but I have the hope and optimism to accept them and live in spite of them.
Insomnia is a killer, though. All I want is to be able to sleep less than 16 hours, yet more than three. I want to be able to go to an entire schoolday again. I want to sleep at night. I want to eat like a normal person. I want to be physically active, I want to read whole books again.
I haven’t gotten everything on my list yet, but one non-time release 10mg Adderall has given me the first good day I’ve had in years. I didn’t feel like I was going to pass out or fall over.
I didn’t resent the people around me, whose level of activity and movement was before a painful, exhausting intrusion.
I don’t care if this stuff kills me. I don’t want to sleep through the rest of my life. It might seem odd that a symptom of insomnia is oversleeping, but not being able to EVER have restful, uninterupted sleep is ruining my life. I spend my hours in a haze of lethergy.
January 30th, 2006 at 8:30 am
I want to know if anybody has stomach problems because of adderall. I want to stop but its hard because it helps me go to the bathroom and when I don’t take it I get very constipated and I have really bad stomach pains. Does this happen to anybody else?
February 1st, 2006 at 9:02 am
yesterday i took two 30 mil adderall xr and it was all good for about six hours then suddenly I started to get way messed as though i was on tweek it only got worse by the hour and then I got so confused and my heart was all messed up so i called poison control and they told me to go to the E.R. so i did and they said that i could have DIED if i didnt come in. How scary is that adderall is the DEVIL and if it dont kill YOU it will kill your SOUL!!!!!!
February 5th, 2006 at 1:56 am
i never really noticed the problem with sex drive until a few days ago and its major! is there any way 2 fix this? also, is it bad for you to crush up the pills and snort them?
February 5th, 2006 at 7:13 pm
In order to prevent unwanted side effects from adderall it is important to begin with the smallest dose possible and gradually increase (ie.week to week) the dose until you see marked improvement in your ability to concentrate. If you begin treatment with 30mg you get exactly what you deserve as far as negative side effects. Adderall is a serious substance and should ONLY be taken as prescribed. Medicating yourself is only going to make matters worse. This drug affects your brain function. Taking some one day to focus, skipping the next, and then doubling two days later is extremely unhealthy. If this were a vitamin that would be one thing. Adderall is a controlled substance and should not be treated as a recreational pick me up.
I have been using this drug for five months after using ritalin. Ritalin made me a walking zombie taking 20mg 2x a day. I was unable to concentrate because of my extreme fatigue. My sex life became nonexistant and I experienced terrible mood swings. Adderall has given me the ability to concentrate without these side effects. However, everyone experiences different side effects with different rx. Finding which one works best for you is key. A plus to these rx is that you can switch brands easily without withdrawl. I recommend experimenting with a different med if you are experiencing a side effect that you cannot ignore.
BY THE WAY- anyone who asks if it is "bad for you to crush up the pills and snort them" needs a reality check.
February 27th, 2006 at 4:08 am
i’ve taken/abused it since 1995/96 when it came out.
1. if you try snorting it, i hope you like sugar, cause that’s what they put in it to make it more swalloable for younger kids. its more effective just to swallow it.
2. XR, not as potent as regulars. to solve that undo XLR caps, pour balls into round metal container, smash/crush balls into powder, pour powder back into capsules, swallow.
3. instead of water, try mixing gatorade, water and pedialyte. it will solve that dry mouth for good.
4. if you must stay up, eat lots of protein (meat) and eat it often. if you’re not hungry, chew with your front teeth then swallow with liquid like you would a pill. just get it down, your body needs to replinish muscle (if the food is greasy and fatty, that will help with the calories your burning through) . if you’re tired the next day, that’s cause you didn’t eat enough, train harder.
5. your pupils might only get dialated at nighttime.so buy some glasses you can wear at night
6. weed and alchohol will counteract it.
7. if you take some, don’t go to any shopping center with lots of money, also avoid ebay.if you must go shopping make a list.
8. when dreaming of "ill do that in the future." you won’t if the adderrall wears off.
9. put everything you just took out of your drawer/cabinet back where you found it. there should be no reason for you to organize or analyze old junk.
10. if you learn how to do something on adderrall, prepare to have to re-learn it once you’re not taking it anymore.
11. avoid taking a victim stance while on it. nobody is against you, trust me, its all in your head.
12. avoid grinding teeth by keeping mouth half open
13. love someone else, but don’t be suprised when that feeling changes when you’re not on it.
14. adventures are fun, just leave weapons at home.
15. you could have done the same amount of studying you just did on adderrall , without it in half the time, (especially when that website was just so darn interesting you had to read on) .
16. if you’re not an alchoholic/addict like me then most of this won’t make any sense. so reality check, some people are, some people aren’t. that’s reality bub.
17. people can tell when you’re on it. period
18. if you haven’t slept, and feel like shit, enjoy it, embrace it, have fun being all silly, what else can you do.
19. don’t mix other stimulants with adderrral, bad.
20. if you’re getting addicted, try to stop, don’t end up like me writing this insane list at 7am after partying all night.
March 6th, 2006 at 10:35 am
hey bro i hear you on all that stuff, if your like us then all this guy said is totally true, also may i add that if you have a video game you want to beat pop 30mg of XR and just game for 8 hours its a blast. i dont know if i saw this on this site or another one but if you are giving your kid addy and they are under the age of about 8-10 then you are a horrible bad parent and should be beaten with a big stick. listen carefully all you parents that like to dope your lill-uns. KIDS ARE HYPERACTIVE AND THEY HAVE NO ATTENTION SPAN IT IS PART OF BEING A KID. if your kid acts out in school then just find out whats wrong and try to fix it, send him to a doc for meds as a LAST LAST LAST resort. if you think you can solve your kids problems with drugs then YOU are most likely the kids problem and should think long and hard about what YOU are doing wrong. sorry for the rant but people talking about there 5 year olds getting messed up on adderall really bothers me.
March 7th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
I’m a 24 year old female, 5’8 and I weigh 140, and I use to take adderall (20 mg/day) for about ayear and a half. I mostly took it for college, and my grades were great. Once I graduated though, I didn’t really think about stopping, it was like a part of me. If I didn’t take it one day, I would eat like crazy and have this lazy/cloudy feeling. Then I satrted doing some research, and I found out A LOT of horrible things about this drug.
First of all, It causes premature aging, especially in women. I noticed my normally combination skin felt dry and looked drab. Second, although the weight loss is a great thing, once your off, it pretty much affects your metabolism for a LONG time (especially if your older). Thankfully, I spoke to my doctor and he put me on Provigil (also a stimulant, though VERY mild, and not nearly as harmful-no bad withdrawals) as a replacement for about a month, so that I would’nt gain massive weight and so I dont experience such horrible withdrawals.
Adderall also affected my vision, sex drive, mood and sleep. I had to take xanax or ambien to be able to sleep at night. I jsut felt really crappy, and like a dependent druggie.
It was really hard to stop, but it is SO worth it. This drug is nothing good. Don’t get me wrong, once in a while is all good. I might take it every now and then for that extra motivation. But taking it every day is detrimental to your health.
March 7th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
Also, Please dont let children take it!!! Do as much research as possible before putting a child on it. There are alternatives that many doctors don’t know about. (my own father is a doctor, and he always told me that adderall is bad news). If children start taking it now, what are they going to do when they are 30, 40, 50? Once you build a tolerance you have to keep increasing the dose….BAD!!!! It really screws with your head, causing depression and violent thoughts!
March 7th, 2006 at 11:59 pm
i have been using adderall for about a month now without a perscription but not everyday. I am 16 and have always had good grades. when i am in school while on adderall it seems to go by alot faster and i hate to say makes school fun. i have many friends who are perscribed to it and they either sell it to me or give it to me for free(mostly on the weekends) i have broken up the beads in XR and snorted it and it kicks in alot faster but is not as good of a feeling when i am on it i seem to think alot deeper and get more involved in the task at hand also i have a drug test for my baseball team coming up will it realy show up as meth? and what is an easy and fast way to flush thc?
March 16th, 2006 at 8:04 am
I am in so deep with adderall. I know I should stop but I live for the twice monthly prescription pick ups, mine and my daughters. I took her to the doctor with the intention to abuse her meds. How sick is that? I am then prescribed my own 20mg x 2 a day. I have been going through 2400mg a month for the past three months! I am not kidding and am not proud of this. The thing is I do have ADD, unfortunately I also battle with addiction. I have been "sober" for almost three years, that is I have not drank alcohol. No wonder. This is going on my fourth day without sleep. I am in graduate school and am finding I am spending hours downloading music and then rearranging the music. Meanwhile…I am 2 weeks behind in one of my classes.
WHAT THE HECK!!! I need some Jesus in my life!!!!!11
How is it possible to take that much?
Hope no one ever has to pose these questions
March 19th, 2006 at 3:55 am
I just popped two 20 mg adderall xr at 7 PM and it is now 7 AM and I am wired I cannot goto sleep and I was on the computer all night getting absolutly nothing accomplished I was just browsing and the next thing I know its sunny outside and time flew by….. Btw I am 16 years old and weigh 120 pounds is 40 mg xr a high dosage for me? And to let you know I have a fast metabalism…… Get back at me please thank you
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:33 pm
Of course its too much for you….people have had heart attacks and aneurisms, as young as 7 years old, byt taking too much. 40 mg with your weight is rediculous. Why would you do that to yourself?
March 26th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
I just switched from 20 mg of Focalin XR to adderall (short acting). Stimulant drugs only help me with concentration for 6 – 12 months, then I have to switch. I don’t take it every day either. I only take the meds three days a week, so I can get through class okay. I feel fine when I don’t take the med and I don’t get high from it when I do take it. If anything, it slows me down and makes me kind of sleepy.
Adderall has made me lose my appetite completely…even when it wears off I’m still not hungry. Has anyone else experienced this? I think I will start taking a multi-vitamin if I don’t get my appetite back. The last thing I need is to start losing my hair or something from malnutrition.
It’s also making sleep difficult, but again, I am going to stay on it for a little while. Hopefully it is a temporary side effect.
to Tufo… 40 mg of XR is equivelent to 20 mg of regular adderall, twice daily. From what I understand, that is a pretty normal dose for an adolescent or young adult.
March 26th, 2006 at 4:01 pm
I had something like appetite loss a few times, although it was almost more of "it didn’t occur to me to stop what I was doing to eat". I usually only noticed when my stomach started to cramp. It seemed to happen most often on days when I took the Adderall, but hadn’t taken it the previous day or two.
I think appetite loss is fairly common with stimulants in general. Obviously, if it’s causing major problems, you’d want to talk to your doctor about it.
March 28th, 2006 at 8:14 am
i am a 22 yr old senior in college and started taking adderall in like 8th grade. When my parents originally were controlling when/how much i was taking, adderall was "effective", but to be honest with all of you…IT HAS LITERALLY DESTROYED MY LIFE, it wasnt worth getting better grades in highschool. i TAKE 2000 MG A day now, or in other words 10–20mg tablets. I started as a 3.6 gpa student at USC, and now i havent gotten anything above a C- in two years. I sit around all day and do the same routine, smoke cigarettes and whatever other impulsive/compulsive are available. If you guys think that euphoric high is great and feel more social on it…give it only a little time, because you will avoid most people in your life, and forget who you once were.
IF YOU ARE IN ANYWAY COMPULSIVE, OR OBSESSIVE, YOU ARE IN FOR A WORLD OF PAIN.
i AM ONLY SAYING THESE THINGS BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THERE IS A "POSSIBILITY" THAT ADDERALL WILL AFFECT YOU NEGATIVELY, AND IF IT DOES YOU WILL ONE DAY LOOK AT YOUR GAUNT FACE IN THE MIRROR AND WONDER WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU. i HATE LIFE WITH ADDERALL, BUT I DONT KNOW HOW TO ENJOY IT WITHOUT IT.
pARENTS…IF YOUR KID HAS TROUBLE CONCENTRATING, WHICH I CLINICALLY DID, FIND A NON-STIMULATING WAY TO DEAL WITH IT…PLEASE FOR YOUR KIDS SAKE.
April 2nd, 2006 at 7:34 pm
Yaw – i take 120 mg of adderall a day!!! one hundred and twenty holy moly. i can’t wait to hear yaw’s reaction to that!
April 5th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
THERE IS HELP OUT THERE!! I STOPPED TALKING IT AFTER 2 YEARS OF TAKING ADDERALL EVERYDAY! GO TO REHAB, OR TALK TO DOCOTR, DONT KILL YOURSELF, ITS NOT WORTH IT!!! STOP GIVING THESE DAMN PHARMA COMPANIES SO MUCH MONEY AND SATISFACTION…YOUR LIFE IS PRECIOUS…REALLY…
April 6th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
i feel as if i am crawing in my own skin sometimes i will just start freaking out for no reason an i feel lik i cant breathe an there is wieght on my heart an i feel lik i could rip my heart out or i could kill someone an i feel lik my chest is so tight it kills me i am telling u i need to kno what to do so pleas help
April 7th, 2006 at 5:23 am
Dude. Talk to your doctor.
April 9th, 2006 at 11:55 am
My daughter began taking Adderall about 2 yrs. ago late in college after she found a doctor to diagnose her w/ ADD. Since then she has exhibited extreme paranoia and jealousy. Her behavior has become ugly, manipulative, and frightening. She will not discuss the issue with me, stating that I am just trying to make her look like a drug addict. Has anyone else experienced this with a family member? I am at the end of my rope.
April 10th, 2006 at 8:25 pm
I was like that when I was taking it, and I didnt want to admit it either. It truly is an addictive drug. If you care about your daughter, get her off it, whatever it takes. Do a little bit of research on the internet, and jsut look at the ridiculously harmful effects that this drug has. Its like real speed. And if she doesnt stop this now, once her tolerance has built up, she might graduate onto the real street drug (amphetamine/speed). NO GRADES ARE WORTH RISKING YOUR HEALTH!!!!
April 11th, 2006 at 7:37 pm
I could have been a major league baseball player. I was that good. I’m not deluded or crazy, I had the gift. I was better than anyone I knew. I could have set records. I could have played in a World Series. I could have done things not thought possible by regular people.
I was also smart. My IQ was tested several times and the scores were so high that I won’t even post them here, because you wouldn’t believe me. I could have gotten a degree in Mathematics or Physics without an inordinate amount of effort.
I was good-looking. Kind of like Andrew McCarthy, but more muscular and way taller. I could get any girl that I wanted and never had any problems in serious relationships. I was outgoing and funny and sought after by females.
I had everything you could ever hope to be born with. I’m not kidding. My family was also rich, my father a surgeon and my mother a nurse. I am not posting this out of vanity, it’s the truth. I once had a great deal of money.
I am a recluse, waiting to die. It’s almost over.
April 12th, 2006 at 2:37 pm
Was all this due to Adderall? Where are your parents? I want to help you.
April 14th, 2006 at 9:19 pm
I am 20 year old male who has been taking aderall 20 mg 2x daily for the last 3 months and I seriously feel that I am becomming addicted to do it. My highs only last 4 hours (fast metabolism), but after it wears off I suddenly become depressed, irritable, flat out mean, and suicidal. But when I am on it, I always tell myself that its worth it because how good I feel while I’m on it and how much it helps me focus/do well in school/get things done.
April 15th, 2006 at 9:12 am
im a mom with 3 kids, im 30. i have always been a very ambitious outgoing person. I was never addicted to anything in my life like i am adderall. This is the most horrible presc. drug ever. It sorta makes you feel like a supermom. Im a neat freak with ocd (was a neat freak) it honestly blows my mind how this shit messes with you. i can honestly say i would do anything to go back to that firts day when i tried that first dexi and made the choice to say no!!!! i hate drug abuse and alcoholism and always have, but to have a simple little orange pill called adderall have such a hold over me, its truely sad. im trying so hard to stop but it is scary to own up to it. even my husband doesnt really know how dependant i am on the adderall. i just take my prescribed dose every day no questions asked. The thing is why hasnt anyone noticed im a total diffrent person?
April 19th, 2006 at 7:55 pm
WHY THE FUCK DONT YOU PEOPLE GET HELP??? I WAS ADDICTED FOR 5 YEARS!!! IM CLEAN FOR ALMOST 2 NOW, AND I FEEL BETTER THAN EVER!! NO ONE HAS SYMPATHY FOR THOSE WHO DONT CARE ABOUT THEMSELVES, AND DESTRY THEMSELVES…ESPECIALLY HEATHER, YOURE A MOTHER FOR CHRIST SAKE!! CHECK INTO REHAB OR DO WHAT I DID, GO COLD TURKEY! IT SUX FOR ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO, THEN ITS BETTER THAN EVER….PLEASE TAKE CARE OR YOUR BODIES, YOU ONLY GET ONE…
April 27th, 2006 at 2:04 pm
Can some experienced adderall user give me some advice?
Note: I do not take my prescription everyday…usually only 2 to 3 days a week.
The dosage taken during experiences similar to this one is 20MG regular (not XR) taken all at once.
When I take adderall, the only time when I feel like its effects are actually helping me is after 30 minutes of taking it orally…thats when the rush of energy and mental clarity come in which lasts for only about 30 to 60 more minutes…I know this is just euphoria because my mood is elevated and inflated sense of well being is present. Following that – roughly 1 hour – euphoria and total concentration with the ability to multi task and do anything I tackle is GONE and then have a 6-10 hours coming down sesion. This coming down makes me emotionless (not necessarily depressed), zombie like, and I can focus on ONLY ONE THING … just staring … but unfortunately my brain cannot process what i am focusing on during this LONG phase of the drug. In other words its like im zoned in on one thing but my brain is too exhausted to process the information. Even though im still focused, my brain is fatigued for these 6 – 10 hours and thus the drug is not beneficial.
Concluding, adderall is only working durnig the initial "high" lasting only about 1 hr sometimes less. Why do people say they are getting the concentration effect and stamina for a 6-8 duration??
April 27th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
johnathon, you should not take regular strength the way you are because it is stronger than xr and xr is time released
What you are describing sounds like an overdose
Please stop
April 28th, 2006 at 1:25 pm
What is the maximum milligram dosage that one could take of XR in a 24 hour period. I believe I ingjested somewhere in the neighboorhood of 255Mg within a 31hr period, I woke today and I feel fried. After that inital rush I would give into the desire to eat another, so I’m curious; how much is too much within a day? Is it unwise to take XR, which are intended to be a once-a-day pill at varying time intervals of the day, and would staggering the pills at different times through the day have a negative effect, or would it allow you to acheive high regular dose at the extend release’s duration? What are some tell tell signs that I should stop popping? Online pharmacy side effects are full of technical terminology.
April 28th, 2006 at 6:32 pm
Great writing! I can definately tell a difference from the people taking to much Adderall and those posting without.
My expereince with Adderall is confusing sometimes. Being diag’ed around 23 with ADD. Since then (about 14 years) I have tried life with Med’s, without, sometimes, all the time, and have come to the conclusion, if you got ADD you’re are hosed. Just read the colum, hopeless, huh? Well maybe not every post but a majority are over doing it, don’t need it. Ahh, into the ether this blog goes.
Ok, so someone wants answers to dosage and to much. Again if your asking your risking alot reality as you know it. I want to remind everyone that elimination from your body is about three days. This can build up in your system and boom you have taken to much.
For me it is different, as I increase dosage past 75 mg (depends on how you metabolize), it is a bell curve of inverse corralation to going up. The more you go up the more straight and blurry things get. You pass the I feel good dose and scream into the hyperfocus. The world for me actually slows almost to a crawl on higher doses. ADD and Adderall do what they are supposed to do – slow me down.
I like the list of things on Adderall. True.
I like the feedback on XR not as strong. I thought my tolerance was going up. Switching back to regular 3 x 30 mgs per day. I have to cut pill in half and take every 2-3 hours. But works much better for me that way. XR just is either to much or not enough. Really hard to throttle it. Can’t waste my time playing with 10 mg xr at a time to figure it out.
I have figured several things out with Adderall.
1. Vitamin C reduces effect of Adderall. (vitamins at night)
2. Acidic body PH will reduce effect.
3. Taking a 1 tablespoon of baking soda mixed in water boosts the absorbtion. Less really is more. Hence you can get toxic, if you take to much Adderall. Blury Vision, body temp rises, nervous, agitated, etc.
4. Coffee is also a base and your body absorbs Adderall more. But then caffine can make you have problems forming words.
5. If you can’t talk right, you have taken to much. 2hrs later (its to late)
6. Eating extends out when your dosage peaks. It still peaks but 1-2 hrs later than you would have on an empty stomach.
7. Protien seems to not interfear with absorbtion.
8. Fats interfer with absorbtion.
9. Eat a meal replacement bar with at least 1/3 daily value protien, if you are not eating. 700 – 800 calories are not that much and atleast you won’t lose alot of muscle.
10. Heat stroke on Adderall is a real thing. Heat & sun & Adderall are a sure way to get sick. Water bottle in hand at all times – if in heat.
11. Sports on Adderall. You decide. Remember the heat stroke factor.
12. Once you get moving in a direction on adderall, your most likely to complete it. Sex, work, reading, writing. But breaking away from the crap you shouldn’t be doing and start to pay attention to what you should doing is not that easy. Just do it and see how things get better.
13. Organize the night before going to sleep to get yourself out the door seems to work.
14. Weight lifting is recommened. Any exercise is recommened.
15. Bodies in motion tend to stay in motion.
16. I can’t believe I am writing this. I must stop! I laugh at these kind of posts that go on, and on, and on.
Over and out
May 2nd, 2006 at 7:27 pm
I have a question that I’m hoping to get an answer to. I have 2 adult family members who have been taking Adderall for 1-3 yrs – My son and my sis-in-law. A common denominator in behavior that i have seen in both of them prompt me to as this question. For instance, my son, who has always been very family oriented – very close to mom – never missed a day calling me – hasn’t called me in almost a year. Totally avoids me, his dad, and younger sis – no email responses, nothing. Then there’s my sis-in-law, who has hurt her mother deeply. She was always close to her and very dependent. Now, when her mom (my mom-in-law) is in her 70′s, she decides that she can’t stand her,etc, etc… and hasn’t talked to her since before Christmas. Has anyone every heard of any behavior issues like this related to Adderall? This is totally out of character for these 2. Any comments would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
May 4th, 2006 at 3:46 pm
Wow. i’ve been taking adderall for like 10 weeks now and i’ve lost 25 pounds. I used to weight 125 and now i weigh 105, i thought i was becomming anorexic. I never thought it may have been a side effect of the medication. But basically what happened when i started taking it was my grades went up, i stopped being hungry all the time and i lost weight. Thinking i was becomming anorexic i would skip doses, because for some reason i thought i burned more calories while on the drug, but on those days i would eat alot of food. I now see that it was the drug, not me. wow
this is so weird
i’ve been thinking i had an entirely different disorder.
May 5th, 2006 at 1:51 am
1. Has anyone here who needs help with focus or has a sleep disorder, but does not tolerate amphetamine-like drugs take Provigil–a non-amphetamine like Stimulant that you don’t build tolerance to, and can’t take more as a "booster"? It has few to no side-effects, and you can even fall asleep on it if you decide to. It’s made my Cephalon. It’s very expensive–$10 a 200mg pill is what my insurance pays. But–within 6 months generic (Modafinil) hits the market. It’s a very unique medication. I take this as well, for its ability to help memory and cognition.
And the feature presentation:
I take around 200mg of a Bi-Amphetamine (Adderall), or 160mg Dextromphetamine (Dexedrine) a day so that I can stay awake and not sleep more than 8 -10 hours a night. Waking up is hard, and not due to crashing–due to the incapability even with 4 alarm clocks. It was like this for about a year before I ever took any psychostimulant.
The first time I took adderall (the first psychostimulant I took) I swallowed 2 30mg XR capsules 2 hours apart, and within 3 hours I fell asleep for about 4 hours.
I am prescribed Dextroamphetamine–though not as high a dose as I take due to insurance and such nonsense. A "person I know quite well) gets a prescription of Adderall XR and freely gives half of it to me.
My prescribing psychiatrist, social worker, therapist, family members, & friends are aware that I consume an average of 160 to 200 mg of l/d-amphetamine (adderall) or d-amphetamine (dexedrine) daliy. And it has no side-effects.
Prior to this, I tried Methylphenidate (Ritalin), in tablet form–and found it was effective, but I had some psychotic effects, due to mental illness, and presumably the added methyl-chain on an amphetamine Analogue, making Methylphenidate closer to Methamphetamine in terms of overall subjective psychological feeling.
Then, I tried Concerta (12 hour slow-release Methylphenidate) after one month it stopped working entirely. I ended up taking 612mg (comparable to around 540mg Adderall XR, in terms of wake-promiting capabilities for myself) in a 24 hour period and it did nothing. I did this as I awoke every few hours. Down 4 more, fall back asleep. My body had no effect or side-effect. No metabolising took place.
There is a possibility that I might be moving on to Desoxyn (methamphetamine HCI) soon. Yes, it is legally available by prescription–it is Schedule II substance, it has medical value as determined by medical community consesus and the FDA with DEA input.
I hope not to go to that. As I have a chronic mental illness–a psychotic disorder–I shouldn’t take any of this according to most doctors, and according to ones who actually read research and think–a small dose, about 1/3 of the Max. Daily Reccommended should be used on medicated patients–as they fix a whole set of symptoms that no other drug does! I was on an atypical anti-psychotic medication for a few months that left me with: Chronic Akathisa, Dystonia, Hyperglycemia, all sorts of muscle tics, tremors and spams, and one hell of a severe sleep disorder.
With my illness–which has been assessed by over a dozen psychiatrists out-patient and several more during hospitalizations, I should go into an acute amphetamine-psychosis with half this amount. But, the medication I was on, while not helping the illness, also gave me significant CNS damage, and one hell of a hard time existing. Worse than before taking medicaiton, as the illness still exists as much as ever, and I am left with chronic disabling functions both mentally and physicall due to its "side-effects." This happens to nearly all who take anti-psychotics for more than a few months, much less years and sometimes a few weeks.
What I hope everyone considers is this:
Not a single Anti-psychotic medication that exists is Schedule. Not one is a controlled Substance, not in category 1 all the way down to five.
If, as the DEA claims, that one of essential criteria for Scheduling of a controlled substance (as not all prescription medications are illegal to possess/consume without prescription) is "safety", then why is this so? Amphetamine is Schedule II–you can’t even get a "refill" status on it and is considered highly dangerous but with medical value. Certainly–I agree with no doubt that they are quite addictive and potentially dangerous.
However, the side-effects of anti-psychotics give a person whose mental illness, when known or obvious, often its both, make the stigma worse, the illness worse, and can lead to physical disability.
Let’s all consider this: The DEA is not interested in Safety. They are interested in "recreational value." We are not to alter our minds in what our minds and bodies interpret as satisfying ways. Safety is the last thing on their minds. If it was, anti-psychotics would be Scheduled–all of them, especially of the first generation typical type.
I also tend to weigh 15 pounds more when on these medications than off. And, I never get a "speedy" feeling no matter the dose–not once. Strange?
Note: This isn’t hyperfocus making me write this much, its just another diagnoses of another illness under a different axis from the main one. I am obsessive, and mental-auotomatism is definately present. I’d thank you for not lynching me for the long post.
May 5th, 2006 at 2:07 am
The Dude: 255mg Adderall a day is, to say the least, profoundly unwise unless you truly need it. If it takes that much for you to function, you either have an addiction and built a tolerance, or a severe case of ADD/ADHD or a severe sleep disorder. Try switching to Dexedrine, if that doesn’t work–the next step has to be (legal, pharmaceutical) Methamphetamine, such as Desoxyn.
And yes, a dose like that might keep someone up long enough that they crash really hard. I have a friend who unwisely took about 300mg over 36 hours and was up for 4 nights and 4 1/2 days. He proceeded to sleep for about the next 2 and a half days, and felt awful when he awoke.
Also: The Prescribing Information provided to psychiatrists may be full of technical jargon, but if you take medications, it is important that you take the time to look up words, and understand what is within ones range of experience and knowledge. Prescription drugs can do more long term damage and be more addictive than smoking crack or snorting street-methamphetamine. Learn all you can about a pill your doctor gives you before you swallow it. Read the PI, read the methodology for the clinical trials to check for accuracy in method and read the clinical trial information to best know how it can affect you and others.
I made the mistake of not doing that, and my above post shows you what happened. Doctors don’t necessarily know much. Research is rampant and our understanding of the brain and body is rapidly growing and doctors don’t have to renew a lisence and take a new exam in their area to do so ever, let alone every 5 years, which is my proposal. They themselves don’t always bother understand the implications of the medications short and long term.
Even if some do, they don’t always tell the patient about the associated-problems.
May 15th, 2006 at 1:36 pm
I’m 12 and I take 40 mg of adderallXR every day, but I’m normal weight wise
May 18th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
Psychostimulants, especially synthetic or drug company manufactured ones, are the most dangerous drugs one can take..
i come from experience…i have been a cocaine abuser for two years. it wasnt frequency that was my problem, ( i would only use once every 1-3 months) but the amount i would do in one sitting. i was a binge user.
i would always get and use at least one gram of cocaine per sitting. which would last a night. by myself.
i suffered from severe OCD since i was about 18 years old, and this diminished my capacity to judge whether i was doing too much or not. my obsessiveness would just MAKE me do more.
i am clean now, its been one month, i will never use again, but this is my story with Dextroamphetamine or dexedrine.
Being obsessive compulsive i had a very keen understanding of my mind, the way it works, and the way id feel day to day … i essentialy lived, and still do, in my mind.
after the cocaine abuse i did notice some differences, feeling less pleasure with thoughts or activities which once gave me a very large amount of pleasure and satisfaction. and a sort of blockage in my neural pathways … particularly my frontol lobe.. it just seemed as if i was blocking off a part of my brain …by three months later my brain would start returning to normal .. and inside i always felt it was reversible as long as i didnt do it again, and lived healthy ( excerised, ate right, and rested ect.. )
i had been clean from coke for about 6 months and had never planned on taking it again, but i was fighting cravings … although i felt good, my mind was normal.
one night a friend came over with ADHD, he had his dexedrine prescription with him.. we were drinking lightly and i complained of being tired, and mentioning that when i was using coke i would have been able to stay up all night …
he offered me pills of dexedrine …
i took the pills and it was the worst decision ive ever made in my life … i first took 20mg, then about an hour or two later took another 15 miligrams .. both orally …
i had been feeling speedy and euphoric but i was used to the binge coke high, so i asked him for more pills when he left …i told him i only took four … and i planned to do them over the next week,but i had lied to him and really took 7, and i couldnt control my consumption of them…
over the next ten hours or so, i proceeded to snort the rest of the pills .. when all was said and done i had done 110 milligrams all together …
now i had no idea that if i snorted them, the effects would last so long …i was used to doing coke, and being the idiot and OCD ridden person i am, i didnt think twice about the duration of effect with the dexedrine .. i snorted it as i would cocaine …
the two days afterwards i didnt feel any immediate damage or horrid effect from the drug …but then again i still felt high during this period …
on the third day .. after some sleep … i woke up to the most horrible and terrorfying day of my life …
i felt as if someone gave me a lobotomy, and this is no exaggeration. i couldnt think, my consciousness felt as if it receeded into the back and center of my mind, and i didnt understand what was happening to me…i could only think in basic and instinctual terms, and all i could feel was terror. i remember thinking i had done it, i had turned myself into a vegetable, and i prayed and prayed for god to save me, or return me to a state where at least i could exist and function…
about one week later .. my mind slowly started returning to where i could think.
its been one month since i overdosed and my mind is still not functioning well…. my abstract thinking and insightfulness seems diminished. where once i could read a complex book, and formulate abstract thoughts and theories as well as develope insight into what the author was saying, without any effort whatsoever, i now feel as if these areas of my mind are darkened and harder to conjure …i also dont feel "centered" … i cannot feel my center of being ( as weird as this sounds its the only way i can explain it) …
i have a burning sensation in my brain and a numbness which is most prevalent when i first wake up in the morning …and this groggyness and "burnt out" feeling takes about 3 hours to subside ..where as prior to this i was always able to wake up and get into my day quickly … even after the 3 hour mark .. the "burnt out feelings" dont completely leave me … and the prospect of having to live like this for the rest of my life scares the SH** out of me …
deciding to read up on the drug to find out why i am feeling the way i am i have learned that these stimulants attack the neurological system of the brain more maliciously than any other drug you can do … they are KNOWN to attack and possibly damage, and in the least deregulate the dopaminergic and seretonin systems …
it may be easier to overdose and DIE from heroin, but nothing i repeat no other drug causes as much brain damage or deregulation of neurochemistry, as these stimulants they are EXTREMELY neurotoxic .. even in regular prescribed doses .. which over time produce the same effects as abusing, or binging on them….
now granted there is emerging evidence that prolonged abstinence leads to healing and that in fact the brain damage may be reversible … but this includes long periods of time up, to four years
i plan to do whatever i can to heal myself, i also am going to see a neurologist to see if i have done damage to my nerves within my brain or if in fact i am just suffering from after-effects, and a chemical imbalance caused by the overdose …or maybe even a sort of "psychosis" which does emerge from long time stimulant use or overdose …
i have written this to warn you all of the horrid things that can happen from stimulant use .. and to really communicate how destructive these substances really are … these large pharmecuetical companies repress and block any research into the adverse and negative/damaging effects of these drugs, with their powerful lobbying and control of the medical research mediums, and community.
but recently .. the "crank" epidemic, crank being methampetamine which is the substance in desoxyn, has provided an avenue with which the medical research community to do serious studies on these stimulants and their destructive power …and against the will of the pharm companies that support and lobby for their prescription and acceptence into the pysche ommunity, researched are able to correlate their findings to the other stimulant drugs in this family …(amphetamine, dextroamphetamine, methylphenidate, ect..)
May 26th, 2006 at 10:55 pm
i was on adderall during my middle school years. i experienced many of the side effects mentioned. i am now 20 and a recovering addict/alcoholic working 12 step program. i have been clean over a year and 1/2. i have recently been put back on adderall after trying other alternatives that proved to be ineffective for treating my severe adhd. i was hesitant to go back on the adderall but after consulting a number of other fellow recovering addicts/dr/therapist/etc i decided to give it a try. this time around i have been pleasantly suprised. i’ve found many of the side-effects can be avoided by doing some very simple things. i am 5’11 180lb good physical shape and currently taking 60mg/day with minimal side effects. the most important thing is to listen to the signals your body sends ie eat regularly, drink water, sleep, etc. if it affects your sleep dont take it after a certain time of day. i am also active and exercise frequently which also helps me stay regular. so really no drug is evil it is just your response to the drug that causes negative side-effects. if your an addict make sure dr and others know before getting on stimulant medication. if taken as prescribed it can increase quality of life for people with overactive minds. it has been working for me, i just have to continue doing the next right thing and remember i am taking the medication for the reasons it was prescribed.
June 2nd, 2006 at 9:17 am
I’m 21 years old and was prescribed Strattera 5 months ago and had no such luck on it. I was just switched to Ritalin and after reading most of these posts I have one major question… Is this a drug that only has effects WHILE you are taking your dose or does it change behavior for things like motivation even when you are not on it at that second? For instance I still have problems actually getting out of bed in the mornings because I have no desire. Should I take a 10mg at the first point of conciousness and hopefully when it kicks it I will feel more compelled to wake up or what?
June 7th, 2006 at 10:15 pm
Adderall , I think that abuse over a year or more snorting causes one to become less intelligent. At least it definitely feels that way.
June 13th, 2006 at 8:15 am
Adderall can be very helpful and benificial for the people that take it correctly. Unfortunitly it is getting a bad name because of idiots, like many on this site posting, that abuse it.
I take it like i was prescribed to take it. I have little side effects. and occasional shakyness occasional appetite loss etc. but when i am on it i find myself able to focus alot more and i get so much done. I have found that it has really helped me and i have no problems taking it.
June 13th, 2006 at 3:25 pm
I was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD when I was 12 I was put on ritalin. I am now 25 and I am on adderall I was on the ritalin for 9 years and have been on the adderall for around 4. The only break I have had with my adderall that was long term was when I was pregnant with my daughter, but I got on it after I had her and was done breast feeding. I have built a great tolerence to it. And I can take 40mgs in the morning and it has not affect on me. So now I take up to 100-120Mgs a day and when I run out early I panick and find other ways to get it. It is ruining my life. But no one knows I take it not even my husband, I beleive everyone just thinks I am completely NUTS. I want to stop but I cant I hate the adderall it was very affective for me until I began taking more than prescribed
June 19th, 2006 at 2:28 am
I think THE ONLY BAD THING about Adderall is the ‘tolerance’ that is developed. I went through a divorce in 2004, my wife leaving for her X-husband (romancing for a year behind my back) taking my daughter with her. I worked long hours in the oil field (everyday) and would come home and booze real heavy and smoke alot of cigs. I couldnt think of anything else when work was over, but speeding home to crack that first beer. It was horrible (15 months every day). The depression was so bad I lost interest in everything. I had alot of ambition and interests before the divorce. Then I was introduced to ADDERALL. I remember a focus coming back, a peace of mind, a letting go of the past. I felt goals and ambition come back to me as it was before.
I was given adderall by a friend who was seeing the booze kill me slowly. Within a few weeks I had COMPLETELY stopped drinking. I was an alcoholic before. I couldnt go one night without delirium tremens if I didnt get booze. I have started back to school and am making straight A’s, where I use to make C’s because I couldnt focus. I have a prescription now, and take 60 mgs a day.
I know everybody’s system is different, and I have seen many bad side effects listed on this page (from the Adderall). I know how frustrating that is, because I couldnt stay on anti-depressants for that reason. As far as the Adderall goes, I have no ill-effects. It has made me normal again. I had no energy (from the depression) and now I have loads of it. I couldnt even focus on spending time with my daughter (when I had her) because of the depression and lethargy. Now, I play with her as if I am 5 years old (her age), and I dont even think about the mistakes and guilt of the past. Use to I couldnt be around my X-wife and her husband without severe depression (like I let my daughter down not making our marriage). Now I can even go to their house to drop her off. I can even put a smile on my face and ‘hold my head high’, because the Adderall has let me see that it wasnt all my fault, and I HAVE A FUTURE with someone else someday. Its brought back a sense of confidence, where ‘social anxiety’ and insecurity had set in previously. The obsessive thoughts are gone, and so is the depression.
THE GREATEST MIRACLE OF ALL is that before I stared using adderall, I had to start buying cocaine to ‘face the day’ (that was only for 1 or 2 months prior to the Adderall introduction). I was really scared I was hooked, and then my friend introduced me to adderall. I quite cocaine without one look back at it (cold turkey). The adderall took the place of that dreadful powder.
I love music and movies again (which has always been my passions). It had got to a place where I couldnt focus on anything but the sorrow. Once again, I have my passions back. I had lost interest in finishing my education (and even quit) due to my constant thoughts of wanting to die (no hope for tommorrow). Now I am excited about my future.
As I said, I know we all have different systems which bring different results to the meds. However, I wanted to speak up for my medical savior. One more thing I need to mention is that during the last 3 months (of my 15 month depression) I started smoking pot (along with the beer) to help me forget even more. So my depression led me from heavy boozing and cigs, to include daily pot smoking, and finally coke just to be able to get up from all that bodily torture I put myself through nightly. I was a mess.
Thanks to Adderall I am free from cigs, alcohol, pot, and coke; and Adderall is better than any of these illegal drugs.
I’m not trying to argue with anyone here. I know my comments are in direct contrast with some others in here. I just wanted to present my testimony to you all, and the positive effect this medication has had on my life.
June 20th, 2006 at 10:47 am
I started taking adderall about two weeks ago. I currently take 15mgs per day. At first things were great and I felt like I could take on the world. I did have some side effects things like nervousness and a total lack of patients but I was able to think clear and fast. Now however I feel like my thought process has become more foggy and I am not sure why. Has anyone had this problem and if so what should I do?
June 22nd, 2006 at 1:24 pm
Are you intaking any caffiene an hour or so before the adderall? How about during the adderall? Caffiene doesnt effect some people on Adderall. I can use tobacco, caffeine, or chocolate. However, some people may be sensitive to stimulants and an ‘extra’ stimulant would add to the ‘stimulant effect’. Also, it could be psychological (the clouded mind, and nervousness). That is something you must examine for yourself. Why did you feel so good at first and now its different (a question to ask yourself). You may need to talk to your doctor if this doesnt work. Be aware he may take you off the adderall and put you on a ‘ADD drug’ that is not an amphetamine, or he may lower your dose. I’m not a doctor, just guessing.
BTW, I have noticed my mind gets clouded if I havent had sleep in a while (while on the adderall).
You didnt say whether your building up tolerance to the dose yet, thats something I could give you some pointers on (that could help), if your dose isnt kicking in. You may also want to check the web for ‘medications’ and other things that might be hurting the adderall. For example, its best to never drink any juice while your on the adderall, because it hinders it. Soda’s do too.
June 28th, 2006 at 7:04 pm
This is in response to the May 18 letter from Steve on his overuse and the drastic consequences of adderall.
I am interested in where he got his information on the healing process of adderall. I have a college son that was given LSD for a birthday present. He wasn’t going to take it, spent all day saying he wouldn’t take it, and was finally convinced to take it after it was broken in three parts and he eventually took all three. He said it fractured his brain.
He left for college, and even though he was an overachieving A student his entire life, I could see he was struggling, thought I didn’t know why. I guess he started taking Adderall in Jan. He’d only take it on weekends, but took 3-4 pills. I don’t know the mg rating. Got it during freshman rush from the Frat boys. Adderall is SO easy to get.
when he came home from spring break, he was pyschotic. When he told us all kinds of crazy stuff and told us about taking the adderall, he said he was done with it. Well, later he told us he felt he had to finish "rewiring" his brain to get back to normal. He had 13 pills left, and after I left him, he took all 13…what the doctors said was a lethal dose.
This made him extremely psychotic and resulted in him taking Zyprexa…which heavily sedated him and made him gain weight, but quieted his thoughts. He was then switched to abiliy….which he quit taking. He seemed to do okay for a while, but now is pyschotic again.
The psychiatrists can’t really say what he has, though it looks like symptoms of both bipolar disorder and some of schizophrenia.
My son is home again, and between reading as much as I can find on both of those disorders, and talking to him at length, neither of those seem exactly right.
I am once again looking into adderall psychosis, and wondering about long term brain damage, and if there is any help for this.
Any information or places to contact would be really helpful.
Steve, I wish you the best with your struggle. You sound really intelligent, and I appreciate your information. It gave me a lead.
June 29th, 2006 at 6:28 pm
Lynn,
I’m sorry to hear about your son. What makes it harder is that it could be any number of things that he is dealing with. For background purposes, I am a 21 year old senior biochemistry/pre-med major and have been taking adderall for about 4 years (minus almost a year where I tried concerta, ritalin, strattera [yikes!], and even neurofeedback therapy).
The one thing that I CAN say with complete confidence is that LSD does not cause psychosis, or hurt or "fracture" the brain in any way shape or form (besides maybe feeling tired the day after a trip). Despite the government scare tactics of the past, LSD is now known to be one of the safest drugs you can take. The LD-50 (lethal dose in 50% of subjects) is extremely high, and there is no known short or long term damage from LSD use whatsoever. Some claim that it can precipitate latent psychosis in those who already have a predisposition to it, but it seems this would be the case with ANY psychoactive drug (hallucinogens, pot, alcohol, stimulants, ANY psychoactive) that alters consciousness. So, you can rest a little easier knowing that the LSD didn’t do this to your son.
Adderall, however, is a different story. I know quite a bit about adderall and its effects, but at the dose your son took I don’t really know what kind of damage could be done. You said he took 13 pills, and assuming they were 20mg pills he took a total of 260mg. This is quite a bit for one time, and will almost certainly precipitate amphetamine psychosis. However, amphetamine psychosis goes away as the drug is metabolized, so when the adderall started to wear off he should have become less and less psychotic until he hit baseline soon after it all wore off.
The fact that he is STILL psychotic, with no prior history, is the open ended part of the story. He could have always had latent psychosis which was activated by the high amount of adderall he took (but if this is the case, he would have shown psychosis even on regular adderall doses after a short while). He could have also done some neurological damage with the high addy dose, but I am completely uncertain about the effects of high doses of amphetamine and I am thus unsure if this would actually cause physical brain damage. However, if this is the case then it is likely that he will fully recover in time (maybe a month, couple months, hard to say) since research with amphetamine and cocaine "damage" has typical shown full recovery over time.
I would definitely not wait on this, though. I’m not doctor (yet), and my knowledge may not be dependable for your child’s specific case. But, unless your child had the psychosis predisposition scenario it is likely that he will recover.
-Mike
July 17th, 2006 at 10:05 am
Okay, for me the Adderall has had both positive and negative side effects. Before I started taking it, (and now-I’ve stopped taking it)I was not a very motivated person. I had a lot of good intentions, but they never seemed to ever happen. Another thing I’m famous for is I AM NEVER ON TIME!!! Most people say I’ll be late for my own funeral… I get so mad at myself. When I took Adderall my life changed. I was always in a good mood, always ready to do something & actually got things done most importantly. Side effects were shaking, big loss in appitite, and a hard time sleeping at night– which was a BIG deal for me! OH, and my heart would also beat a little funny sometimes. My husband always said that I talked really fast too! One of the worst things for me is that I smoked A LOT MORE!!! I sometimes will go two to three days without one, but when I was on the Adderall I felt like I had drank a few drinks. I went through about a pack or sometimes a pack and a half a day! Does it make anybody else feel more confident?
July 24th, 2006 at 7:25 am
How about this – I’ve had an addictive personality my whole life – after breaking an opiate addiction, a benzo addiction that put me in the hospital due to a seizure, quitting cigarettes, I learned to actually control my adderall intake. I take between 5-15MG immediate release a day as needed (usually 3-5 days a week tops) to control my ability to concentrate at work (28 yrs old now, been having concentration problems my whole life, dropped out of college, up and down grades in high school etc). I *know* the difficulties that come with trying to control a substance that controls you, but believe me, I’ve been in the worst thick of it, and it can be done. This is a great medication that can help you with a problem that no other medication can help you through, and a neccessity in some cases. Would you deny a diabetic their insulin? Learn to use it right, whatever dosage you need. Don’t take it when you don’t need it. Sometimes its fine to be a vegetable.
August 1st, 2006 at 11:43 pm
I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 10. I’ve now been taking adderall for the past six years and im up to 40mg xr a day, but for the past week or so i’ve been taking 60mg every four hours or so and I haven’t slept or eating in 5 days. Its great I got more accomplished in the past 5 days then I have in a month. The only real side effect is that I keep having these wild hallunations for the past 2 days. I dont know why all you people are saying its a bad drug. ADDERALL IS GREAT!!!!
August 7th, 2006 at 12:19 pm
I have observed from the above messages that Adderall when taken at dosages between 5mg and 20mg seems to be helpful. Messages from people who report using dosages higher that 20mg appear to be unable to maintain a disciplined schedual of medication and experience overdose reactions, addiction and there consequences. Some messages seem completly unreal and biased against the use of medication to treat ADD. Some messages are obviously from people who are not ADD but simple use drugs. I am a recovering addict. I have been diagnosed with ADD and do not use adderall but read these messages because I am considering adderall as one part of a comprehensive treatment.
August 16th, 2006 at 6:56 pm
My son has been on Adderall now for a while and he does really well with a dose thats 20mg or less. He starts to get terrible stomach aches when he was taking 30. It definately has helped his focus and behavior. Unfortunatly he has been taken off of it for the summer by his grandparents and am now fighting to get him back on it for school. They have turned him against it and we’re having a terrible time. They don’t understand that it really helps him. Has anyone else ran into this kind of problem?
August 24th, 2006 at 11:04 am
I take 120mglike once a week. I get awful side effects but they’ve been getting alot better and the feelings not as good so I moved up to 140mg and I get loads of side effects. Is 140mg alot?
August 27th, 2006 at 1:30 pm
When I first started taking adderall (w/ no SSRI / Wellbutrin) It would be too intense and the comedown would be even worse..
I am now on 50mg zoloft daily + 150mg wellbutrin xl daily and 30mg adderall xr in the morning and 15 mg dexedrine in the evening, and it works better than ever. The uncontrollable uneasiness and anxiety is way down.
August 29th, 2006 at 5:42 pm
Hi, I have been taking ritalin/adderall for 10 years now and I will be entering college. It has helped me pass the time and get all of my schoolwork/homework done during school. I have trouble gaining weight- and no it isn’t because of the loss of appetite. When I entered highschool I forced myself to eat food, I have been eating at least four big meals a day but I can’t gain any weight. Even when I’m off of it I can’t gain any weight. I just wonder if by taking it for such a long time if it caused any damage to my stomach/brain that would cause low nutrient absorbtion. I can perform just as well physically as other people but I am below the recommended weight for being 6’3", I am 140lbs.
August 29th, 2006 at 5:48 pm
O yeah I forgot to mention I have been that weight for four years now. When I exercise I get stronger but I don’t gain weight.
September 3rd, 2006 at 3:48 pm
To the Adderall regular release, Adderall xr and other Adderall branded prescriptiton drug users, please understand that you are ingesting an –amphetamine.– What is this drug and its major ingredients actually doing to your vital organs, including our heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and so on over the short and long-term duration of use? Are the benefits that it produces for us now (increased focused, decreased appetite–weight loss, energy, etc.) worth the negative effects (brain damage, kidney damage, live damage, heart damage) it is simultaneously causes over the very long-run in our lives? I AM a user of Adderall XR. I orginally used it to aid me in my academic studies, including critical gradaute entrance examinations. I have used no more than 30 mg at any given time during my use which has been over 2.5 years. i am currently using about 15-20mg XR daily. i cannot deny the benefits that has given me. duh. why would have used for so long? but i have begun to weigh its ultimate benfits/drawbacks more deeply and seriously. although i have not done so in this posting, although i will in subsequent positings, more FACTUALLY evaluate what we are doing as users of this drug and more generally speaking, as people. we all want simliar things in life. we are all concerned about our health and the health of those we love (family, friends, etc.).
i feel this drug has, over the long-run, done more bad than good. i has however, like almost all bad things, reveal at least a lesson or good thing that helps you move forward much stronger and just damn better (like failure makes ‘winners’ stronger and ‘losers’ weaker). i feel less creative and by being such, less me. i have had scary episodes of rapid pulsating on the sides of neck and in my chest (heart). i have lost sexual interest in x-girlfriends that would make any straight man slap me silly for doing so. i have become too narrow-minded and focused, not seeing the "bigger picture" in aspects and large parts of MY present life and future life. i have become a drone or zombie-cookie-cutter product that has partly dummed down or cooperated with mediocrity. i have chosen to slowly get off this drug and become….well….me again…..spontaneous, funny, exciting, horny, wild, creative, intelligent, hungry, just the one you dream about and want to be around. if adderall has done any good for me, it has helped me realize (however damn corny this sounds or however much Hollywood seems to have capitalized on this epiphany-like experience in human civilization’s history), is that i love being me.
-A
September 7th, 2006 at 7:20 pm
Check out http://www.rxconsumers.com for people’s experiences with Adderall as well as other meds like Viagra, Lipitor, Lexapro, Zoloft, Cialis, etc.
September 9th, 2006 at 9:34 am
Adderall is one of the safest medication on the market and ever made. That is if you dont have any kind of heart(cardiovascular problems)ect.Ritalin is extreamly useless and unsafe to use medically in the long run and it is unkown what it can do to your overall health and well-being. Adderall is in fact safer than anti-deppresants, benzo’s you name it. Take it as prescribed!!! The safest max dose in a day(24 hours) is 90 MG flat out. Im meaning working your way up over a period of 9 months!!!
September 10th, 2006 at 9:15 pm
Just in case it needs to be said: I think the previous comment should be taken with a grain of salt…
October 14th, 2006 at 6:21 pm
Hi everybody.
My name is skip, it’s nice to meet all of you.
I appreciate this chat board, LOTS of great information.
I am taking Adderral XR 20qD which I am realizing is probably a little too high for me, maybe taking 10mg and seeing if that works might be a good place to start.
I’m being treated for depression, 450mg of Wellbutrin and I’m on a mood stabilizer too called Trileptal at 300mg a day. I have a presciption for xanax at 0.5 to 1.0mg a day which I will sometimes take, and I have a real nasty pinched nerve I need to have treated for and take percocet for that pain, over the counter medications like aleve at extremely high doses haven’t helped and the pain is dealt with well with the Percocet and I can’t lie, it is a great antianxiety agent and helps with my depression, I don’t abuse it, but I know I could find myself and I am very careful to not go crazy with it.
I notice that I get obsessive and hyperfocused at something that should be easy for others to let go, but I am dealing with a double edged sword, in one respect the Adderrall I take has tremendously helped me in my ability to focus, organize myself, etc., but at the same time the same power the drug has to help me focus, has also caused me to hyperfocus on things which caused me emotional pain and it can drive people away.
I know I am dealing with this right now with a female friend of mine who is a source of stress in my life right now, and I don’t know the answer.
I went to the Amen clinic and got a SPECT scan and now have a different doctor but no drug is a magic bullet and it’simportant to always remember that.
I have worked myself free of a real nasty substance abuse problem and my life is much better today than it ever was, but I have a lot of mixed feelings about being on Adderall, I hate it, but without it, I’m a total mess and can’t organize myself at all.
Maybe the answer is more exercise, supplements, and I welcome any suggestions about what has worked for any of you or if any of you have had similar experiences you would like to share. Thanks.
October 21st, 2006 at 6:29 am
Adderall is bad news, I was on it for close to two years(only would be taking it during the school semester and not in the summertime), and it has had some serious negative side affects on me..
At first- it was a blast.. I was getting good grades, I felt good about myself, it gave me energy, just everything about it i loved..
It wasnt till about a year and a half into taking adderall i no longer would expierence any of the postive side affects of adderall just the negative.
My legs would hurt
My vision is now terrible
I use to have no trouble sleeping, and then I would take an XR at 8 in the morning and wouldnt be able to get to sleep till 3 or 4 in the morning.
It has increased the aging in my face( im only 19 so it isnt because im getting older)I have now have wrikles around my eyes.
Please do yourself a favor- and get off adderall. I know how great it can seem at first but think about it- ITS A DRUG!!! it will eventually catch up with you.
October 26th, 2006 at 7:18 am
Hi everybody this is the first time i ever wrote on one of these. I have just graduated from college and struggle to get by and in high school. If it wasn’t for my athlete abilities i would not have made it that far. now i’m in the real world and have a good job that demands alot attention and brain power. i always knew i could not focus but i didn’t no it was this bad. i’ve done my research and i have concluded that have add. today is the first day i have taking adderall and i’m concern with my height 6’1 and weight 220 it won’t benefit at 30mg per day. everybody complains about its destroying their life well i’m telling you i have been missing life. i can’t stay focus long enough to learn anything but football and to me i think there is alot more to life than just football. add is an illness that need to be treated and i will use any method to treat it. to me life is about family but in this world you have a good job to support your family. you can not have a good job unless you have a good education. people knowledge is power!!!!!!!!!
October 28th, 2006 at 3:34 am
Gimp–be patient with the dosage–within a few weeks you will know what is right for you. Don’t try and take too much at first. I have been taking it for a couple of years now and fortunately have experienced none of the drastic side effects and dependency expressed here–only some insomnia at times. I lay off of it on the weekends and get good sleep then. It has been amazing for me–especially at work. Good luck to you and I hope you will have a good experience with it!
October 31st, 2006 at 2:53 pm
ok everyone listen to me;
adderall should be pulled off the market, it nearly destroyed my life.
ive always had add since a kid, but my mom thank god waited untill i was 18 to put me on any meds. these little kids all cracked out on adderall is crazy. for a year this little pill controlled me. now im living with life long -long term effects. it fucks up your mind, and stomach seriously. this is was adderalll does to you. yea u lose weight and its all good at first. then you become a total cranky moody bitch, that chain smokes, never wants to have sex, gets fired from 3 jobs bc of ‘emotional distress’ which adderall causes. get 20, i said 20 speeding tickets bc you are all craked out on adderall. THEN WHEN ADDERALL ISNT ENOUGH U TURN TO COKE OR METH….. OK SO MY POINT IS, GET THE HELL OFF THIS DRUG IF YOU ARE ON IT. SPREAD THE WORD. SHIRE LABS NEEDS TO STOP MAKING ALL THESE ADD MEDS BC THEY ARE FUCKIN EVERY ONE UP! AND THE DOCS WHO PERSCRIBE IT DONT EVEN THINK TWICE. I HAVE AN ADDICTIVE PERSONAILY WITH A HISTORY OF ADDICTIVE DRUG USE. DID THEY ASK THAT?? NO. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS ONLY 18 WHEN PERSCRIBED SO I DIDNT KNOW SHIT ABOUT MEDS… I PLAN ON SUING ADDERALL FOR NOT GIVING ENOUGH WARNINGS, AND A MALPRACTICE LAWSUIT ON MY DOCTOR. IM ONLY 22 AND MY BODY IS ALL FUCKED UP NOW. PLEASE DONT TAKE THIS DRUG!
November 4th, 2006 at 2:29 am
Help….I know it’s killing me…I know it.
4 years ago I was prescribed this so called "miracle" drug. The only thing "miraculous" about it is that it "miraculously" changed the person I was into an empty, dry, reclusive, self-centered, addict, before I knew what hit me. And I did this directly under my doctor’s supervision. So did three of my friends. One moved on to the real meth.
For all you beginners….ya, it’s cool now, but, what’s even better is the ability to get even the simplest of tasks done without having to pop a couple of addies.
For you parents who are allowing your children to take adderall…stop now!! An A+ in 6th grade math is not that important. Not compared to a chance that taking adderall might desensitize you child illegal drugs later in life, or take away his/her personality.
I started taking adderall 4 years ago when I got out of college, got married, and had a baby. It really helped me make that extra push to support my knew family. For a year or so I didn’t noticed anything really negative about it, but gradually I began to realize that I was thinking more about my adderall fix than supporting my family (Monetarily and emotionally). I’ve been addicted for at least 3 years and it is eating away at my body and mind. Every bad decision I’ve made in the past two years I’ve been on adderall. I’ve tried to quit but I go into deep depression, and cannot get anything done.
My wife is 8 months pregnant so now is not a good time, but I need a way out. Should I tell my wife what is going on? How do I stop?I’m ashamed… I’m a meth addict.
November 9th, 2006 at 1:56 pm
I am 18 years old and I was diagnosed with ADD 4 days ago its all alot to deal with at once. I have always had ADD symptoms ut had never really taken them seriously, since in high school i was able to make good grades. Today is my second day on Adderall XR, i am planning to take 15MG in the morning 6 six days a week. The first day felt great I felt like I could finally get that long list of things that I had been writing for monthes done. I payed attention in all of my classes and was happy like I use to be when I was in high school. In high school I got good grades played three sports and had great friends, my ADD has always been a struggle my whole life but in high school it was manageable. But in college i was always stressed and upset because my ADD symptoms got worse. my grades are terrible and I am use to straigt As. I felt like i didnt have the time or energy to do anything I loved anymore just becuase I spent all my time making lists and stressing over things i should be doing, or just day dreaming about how i wish my life could be. After i was diagnosed i decided to try adderall but I am scared to get addicted.
also i have a few questions for anyone who knows because I will probably try out adderrall for at least the rest of the semester then stop for xmas break.
-Does XR work immediately or does it take time to kick in?(should it be taken right b4 classes or earlier?)
-Should I only take this medince with water?
(on the second day i took it with raspberry ice tea and i felt tired throughout the day and less focused then the first day…which i think is weird for only the second day.)
-does it take a few days or weeks to get the full effects of adderall?
just wondering about it bc some ppl seem to be very against it…I don’t want to loose who am in taking it bc iam a very loud and fun person who loves to have fun. I just feel my ADD is holding me back in school. Like someone sed above I feel the b4 the drugs i was missing my life because I was day dreaming it away. If anyone has any feed back or anwsers to help that would be great. thanks!
November 9th, 2006 at 11:14 pm
I’ve been taking adderral for over 7 years. For the first 6 its was amazing, i plowed thru college and law school (although it certainly had a negative impact on my personality, in addition to other side effects) but now i’m in my late 20s and I am hopelessly and dangerously addicted to adderral. I regularly stay up all night popping 20mg pills every hour or so, and I regularly shove well over 100 mgs down in a 24 hour period (I am NOT kidding or overestimating the amount, believe me I wish I was). Despite all the common sense in the world telling me to stop (not to mention the alarming health effects) I just can’t do it. I’ve asked my wife to gide the pills but I just find them, we got a lock box but i busted it open. I regularly fake pxs to get it and when i run out or try to lay off for a day i’m a wreck, i can barely stay awake and i sleep all day long (also SEVERE depression). I know my abuse has seriously messed up my cardio system (my heart flutters, aches at times, my circulation in my feet in poor and they swell up with fluid, a condition that typically occurs in 70 yr old men, but i haven;t told my wife or anyone about this for fear they would take the adderall away) at this point I’m really no different than a junkie addicted to crack. Let my experience be a lesson, adderral is great but it is deceptively dangerous. If you EVER find yourself taking an extra pill or something like that so whatever you possibly can to stop yourself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 9th, 2006 at 11:15 pm
I’ve been taking adderral for over 7 years. For the first 6 its was amazing, i plowed thru college and law school (although it certainly had a negative impact on my personality, in addition to other side effects) but now i’m in my late 20s and I am hopelessly and dangerously addicted to adderral. I regularly stay up all night popping 20mg pills every hour or so, and I regularly shove well over 100 mgs down in a 24 hour period (I am NOT kidding or overestimating the amount, believe me I wish I was). Despite all the common sense in the world telling me to stop (not to mention the alarming health effects) I just can’t do it. I’ve asked my wife to gide the pills but I just find them, we got a lock box but i busted it open. I regularly fake pxs to get it and when i run out or try to lay off for a day i’m a wreck, i can barely stay awake and i sleep all day long (also SEVERE depression). I know my abuse has seriously messed up my cardio system (my heart flutters, aches at times, my circulation in my feet in poor and they swell up with fluid, a condition that typically occurs in 70 yr old men, but i haven;t told my wife or anyone about this for fear they would take the adderall away) at this point I’m really no different than a junkie addicted to crack. Let my experience be a lesson, adderral is great but it is deceptively dangerous. If you EVER find yourself taking an extra pill or something like that so whatever you possibly can to stop yourself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 13th, 2006 at 8:08 pm
Well I was reading everything else people put up on here and thought it might be wise for me to put my story so far up so people can check it out too.
and a bad sign I know~but I’m a drug addict so I’m good at what I do.
he also gave me another 30 so I could have some extra just Incas.
Well lets see, I was diagnosed with ADD after I got out of high school. Of course before then I would always tell my parents how it wasn’t fair that I was getting bad grades all the time and how I wasn’t able to concentrate on anything other then something that gave me great joy, like driving/racing online, or DJing, something that kept my mind going.
So I was told about ADD and soon enough I was ADD victim number 1 in my books, it opened up a whole new chapter in my life and gave me meaning to this crazy world I was living in before.
So skip to a year after that or sooner when I was like 19 I found out about Adderall, and whatever I found it at I got this great feeling that it was going to solve my problems and make all that pain from before disappear perhaps, at least thats what I would have envisioned by now being that I’m 26
Anyhow I was put on it and after a couple months my parents, well my dad was on my ass about how it’s not good and this and that, of course he was no stranger to drugs as he smoked pot and who knows what else that I didn’t find out about. What I was trying to say was that I was getting moody I guess, and for somebody like me that never does this came as a shock to them, and my girlfriend at the time said I was a different person so I went off of it. Before this by the way I was a pothead(or drug addict) from the beginning of high school – smoked too~still do, tried some other street drugs but pot was my main hobby, or should I say way of life cause I wanted to make my feelings of being useless go away by using drugs……
Ok so I’ll skip over a few years to the present time.
So I convinced my doctor to give me something like 2 20mg of generic adderall a day for a month. Knowing me I was out in a couple weeks. I would just pop one and instead of waiting 4 or so hours my mind would just tell me hey it’s been 2 hours or your initial high is basically gone so pop another one. This would only get worse so I ran out like 2 weeks early as I said, not such a good thing
Then I just got my last prescription but this time I told him that I needed more so he gave me a note for 3x30mg a day for a month, enough said I feeling good
So this is where I’m starting to worry a bit. I went to the store and picked up one of those pill grinders, and a pill container. I forgot to say before I just ran out of my other stuff I got the idea from the INTERNET and some drugged friends that snorting it is "better" so I did that and man I loved it, still do….but anyways I’m looking at my new pill box I got with 120 30mg pills and looks like I took about hmmmmmm 30-40 already and it’s been like almost 5 days. I really don’t know how I did it, well I do but I can’t believe it. Now It seems I’m more addicted to grinding them up but the problem is that I usually snort about a pill or more at one sitting. And I could have 6-10 settings a day maybe. This really doesn’t sound good when I read about people dying and overdosing but nothing I can do will make me want to stop. Lets just say I’m not the happiest camper in the forest so even at the thought of having some major health risk doesn’t make me want to cut down. I’m still doing bumps and that was after about 5 hours ago that I must have done 60-20mg of adderall powder let me tell you at almost midnight I’m starting to feel very active again. Before about 15 minutes ago I felt like crap because I haven’t have sleep in 2 days, and I’m starting to see crap, well out of the corner of my eye, and hearing random stuff for a second only to find out it’s not really there. I stayed up one while doing the street drug speed and got the same effects after 3 days of being up, but this is so much worse I believe cause when i look how much I have left it occurred to me I have enough to OD if I really wanted to, or should I say if I didn’t care as much and just did too much.
I don’t know what I expect out of you people that are reading this but maybe you have some thoughts on it because I haven’t read on here about people really abusing it in it’s powder form. And the person above is talking about an extra pill, I’m talking about a couple days worth in a few hours……My heart feels like it’s going to jump out at times and my mind is telling me to take more and feel good. But I know this isn’t coke, I believe that it’s safer to do more of that right? I don’t mean to say it’s safer doing coke but if you do the same amount of them which one has more of a negative effect?
Anyways thanks for reading this I’m just jumpy right now and I’m about to go racing online for a few house at least, thats one thing I do when I’m bored or especially at times like this……Take care people good luck
November 15th, 2006 at 10:29 am
I absolutely love my AdderallXR. I have been on all types of different pills for ADHD and i’ve fallen in love with this one. when i take 20mgXR everyday and i find that i am a completely different person.
little noises people normally dont hear, drive me F-ing crazy! chirping birds? forget it, give me a gun and i’ll kill it…babies crying? better hide that damned kid…i’ll shut it up for you! when i go crazy about stuff like that, people look at me like i have 60 heads…i love my adderall and refuse to live without it…so damnit, i hope my new insurance covers it or i’ll be killing somebody! 
In high school, i wasn’t what you called a THIN person…but i wasn’t huge. I weighed like 180lbs and was 5’9"…i started taking it and dropped 50 almost instantly…by summer, i was down to 130lbs. everyone thought i was anorexic but i wasn’t…just looking at food made me want to VOMIT!! when i got pregnant in 2004, i had to stop taking it…i gained 70lbs during my pregnancy and after my daughter was born, i was up to 202lbs…i was soooo horrified…i got back on my Adderall and once again dropped significant weight. then i lost my insurance and had to stop taking it yet again…i was back up to 190 when i started working again after my daughter was 16 months old…i got back on it shortly after i started working january of this year…i’m currently at 138 and sadly…i’m off it again…(stupid insurance) i dont get back on it until January 2007…sigh…so i’m starting to gain some weight again…blah!
people can tell when i’m not on it though…around 3:00, people in my office say "oooh, guess what time it is?!" when i start jumping around and acting like i’m on drugs (though i’m not…haha) my relationship is starting to suffer b/c my boyfriend says i’m "mentally exhausting" and "unstable" but i can’t help it and people here, back me up on this one…
November 20th, 2006 at 11:15 pm
I’ve been taking adderall for about 4 years now (I’m 23) for ADD symptoms (sometimes I experience symptoms of ADHD) and have noticed a significant difference in my, grades, social life, and the world around me. At first, the doctor prescribed me to take Ritalin, however, it gave me too many headaches and forced me to change to Adderall.
I began taking adderall during my sophomore year in college due to my attention span in class and my inability to focus/listen to what the professors were teaching me. Also, I noticed (for many years) that people were constantly telling me that I have a listening problem and that I need to pay mroe attention to what people say – this is nearly impossible for me to do whenever I’m not on the medication.
Side Effects from Adderall: some weight loss, cotton mouth, talk fast, hands shake, minor hair loss
It is a scary thought to think that I may be addicted to this drug because I NEED adderall for all aspects of my life. Currently, I am taking between 60 – 70 mg (2 x 30mg + 1 10mg as needed) a day and am finding that I need a higher dose so as to perform to the best of my abilities each day. Unfortunately, I’ve been taking an "extra pill" every so often to give me another boost at work or whenever I’m around friends just so that I’m up to "par" with everyone around me. For those of you with ADD/ADHD you know what its like to to lose focus during a conversation, cut the other person off when they’re speaking, or , worse, have to tell the bossman that you couldnt complete an assignment on time.
A few months ago, I went to a doctor here in the city and informed her that the Adderall prescription that I have been taking lately, was wearing off faster each day. At that point we decided to do the following:
1) She made me back down my dosage and take as little as possible each week until our next visit – This didnt work and only made the situation worse
2) She then concluded that I was "addicted" and stated that she would no longer prescribe me the medication.
Its frustrating to hear a doctor say he/she is going to make you feel better, and, in the process, gets you hooked on a drug and then sporadically decides to take you off because you have exceeded the 60mg limit. Considering where technology is today, I cant understand why there is not a "sound" medication yet for ADD/ADHD !
3) The doctor put me on Straterra which didnt go over with me at all. I took the prescribed dosage of Straterra for several days and didnt notice a single change – NOTHING !
. I called the doctor’s office and told her that this wasnt working and we scheduled for a sooner appointment. I told the doctor that without a medication which would take effect immediately, I risked losing my job!
4) On my next or last visit to this doctor, she prescribed me Concerta (cant recall the dosage) and Adderall XR (10 mg) to be taken for several weeks, at the end of which, I was to quit taking Adderall altogether and only take Concerta. Based on the information that I’ve read on the Internet, I concluded that I didnt have time to risk "experimenting" with Concerta and Adderall XR 10 mg – I have yet to hear a whole lot of positive feedback regarding Concerta. After reading multiple forums across the web, similiar to this one, I have noticed a trend regarding Adderall after the 60 mg + marker.
*It is apparent that there is not anything a person can do once they have exceeded the 60 mg – 70 mg limit of Adderall, except begin taking an "unsafe" dosage OR switch to the alternatives which, in many cases, do not appear to have nearly the effect. After reading various posts about people who take 80 mg+ per day, I am very weary about the side effects (long-term effects)that I could begin experiencing should I take that high of a dosage.
Tomorrow, I am going to see a new doctor and am hoping that we can find a coctail that will work. Ive been frantically searching for an alternative to Adderall, however, cant seem to find anything that has nearly the effect. The only medication that I’ve run across is Focalin XR. Has anyone heard of this medication? and is it any good ?
November 23rd, 2006 at 12:39 am
Hi all. I came along to this blog and it interested me to hear all your stories about addiction/how you’re going to end adderall.
I’ve been on adderall for, gosh, 6 years. Under control for the first year, 5 years of abusing. Just now able to get some form of willpower. I’ve done everything except inject it.
My tolerance is very high. As an example, I took 7 30xr and 3 20 short acting pills at once. That’s 270mg. And I barely felt anything except weird heart palpitations.
Yes, the feeling you get when you first take adderall does go away. It is saddening. No more euphoria, no more productivity. Eventually you settle into some pretty weird behaviors (more or less related to the dopamine dysfunctionality now in your head).
Memory/learning is impaired. I read websites and yet, I feel like I am absorbing nothing from them. If somebody were standing behind me and asked me a question about one I just read, I wouldn’t be able to answer in the slightest. THAT is the damage I am CONFIDENT adderall has done to my brain. It is my god damned fault.
However, I think the pharmaceutical is hiding more than we believe. Look up adderall and brain damage on google.
How come every result wants to link it to MDMA? Could this be a coverup move? If one stumbles onto a decent site, they get a lot of vague statements at best. However, with methamphetamine, there is an abundance of information.
Someone told me the other day that I should just quit and learn to work hard again. That’s what we’re meant to do as humans. At the time it seemed absurd, but I don’t think its impossible for me to carry on my life without adderall.
Different habits will have to be formed in my case. My current lifestyle habits stem from 11th grade, when I first started taking it. I am locked in there. So I have to pick up from there.
That’s also assuming I don’t have liver failure… some very clear symptoms are emerging and I am quite scared.
My message to anybody taking this stuff is.. DON’T go over your dose, DON’T think doing it once is harmless, DON’T do shitty things like read websites or surf porn while on adderall… your brain will adapt to those habits!
ALWAYS have a plan of what you need to do on the adderall you have. Like, I need to do 5 pages of my exam after I take my adderall. And then you do those 5 pages. Don’t fart around. DON’T.
Even if you feel shitty, make sure you keep your friends close. You won’t want to hang with them. Instead you’ll want to do homework all the time. DO NOT LET ADDERALL FOOL YOU. A drug cannot replace human-human interaction on mood.
Anyways, thanks for hearing me out on this..
My email is jonknet@gmail.com if people wold like to swap stories.. I may want to get a unified source of "stories" like mine and these up on some website. I would appreciate any help. (Nonprofit of course, personal)
Thanks yall
November 30th, 2006 at 4:17 pm
ADDERALL CAUSES MASSIVE WRINKLES! Now that I stopped i realize how great my skin looks, mind you Im only 25. While on it my skin felt dry and uneven…now its nice and shiny again
I recommend you all get off it ASAP!! Its speed and we all know how bad that is.
I know how hard it is considering I took it for about 4 years, but its better than slowly damaginf and killing yourself. Nothing is worth the abuse your body will endure and in the end, your body WILL retaliate…
December 12th, 2006 at 2:39 am
First and foremost its the caudate nucleus not the claudate nucleus. There seems to be some very keen individuals who have intelligent input to share on this board. As for the "others" I think you need to enter yourself into rehab. What I mean by others is….. that some of you actually ask if its ok to crush up the Adderall Xr’s and snort them. Are you fu**’in kidding me. Actually I think you should light them up in a spoon and make your own IV adderall that should help. Or better yet, why don’t you drug addict little kids make your own adderall suppositories. I hear that will get you nice and high. Have you ever heard of amphetamine psychosis?? Probablly not. What about Parkinson’s?? Even though Parkinson’s is primarily linked to methamphetamine…. the only difference between the the 2 active isomers in amphetamine/adderall is they lack a methyl group. And to shine some light on everybody Adderall was simply an over the counter diet pill named Obetrol manufactured in the 80′s. It was removed from the shelves due to bs, then miraculously remanufactured by Shire as adderall. If anyone has questions I’d be more than happy to answer them…. just don’t ask me anything totally stupid.
December 12th, 2006 at 2:59 am
Jon K … Relax…. the reason it has the opposite affect on you is becuase you flooded the receptors sooo much that it would defy the laws of human neurology for the amphetammines to work the way they once did. Absatin for a while and you’ll feel the effects of a medicinal dosage once again, but a tab less potent than you once did. Howver, don’t blame the pharmaceutical companies because you did that to yourself. For the record you won’t suffer any liver damage from amphetamine especially if you got them prescription as in they are real. However, a lot of people don’t know this, but Straterra can act as a "methadone" type drug to stop the withdrawls from adderall, ritalin, dexedrine, desoxyn,etc. It will also help you focus but without any kicks or rushes. This means you don’t have to be a drug addict/abuser and still be able to focus.
December 12th, 2006 at 3:30 am
ZARA … EITHER YOU’RE A FED OR A FU**IN IDIOT. YOU ARE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR SOMEBODY TO SELL YOU SOMETHING THAT IS BELIEVE IT OR A NOT A CII narcotic (even though I personally don’t think it should be class 2)You’re basically asking for someone to sell you something in the same category as morphine, cocaine, dilaudid, methamphetamine.
For all you junkies on this site all i gotta say is don’t ever take anything stronger than adderall for ADD like desoxyn or methedrine becasue you drug abusers will wind up dying.
December 12th, 2006 at 4:04 pm
All I have to say about adderall is: moderation.
If you can moderate your dosage then it is not a bad drug. The sex drive diminishes initially, but if you are consistant you will level out and be able to function more regularly.
I weigh 180 lbs and only take 10 mg a day. I take 5 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon.
I try to be a minimalist because it is a drug, and it does and will have permenant side effects regardless.
AS FOR AN ALTERNATIVE:
And no, I am and do not work for this company and this is not a promotional gig. But there is an energy drink based on the b-12 vitamin that has proven very effective for me in times of fatigue / low mental energy — it actually has been more effective than my adderrall but when I take it in conjunction with adderrall it is a great cocktail.
Anyways — the product is called Zipfizz for those of you looking for an alternative and it is not a caffine based energy drink so you dont get the UP and DOWN crash — the increase in energy is subtle yet effective and the energy decline is very linear and much easier on your sytem. Again, Im just like any of you who had an encounter with this energy product and it has had great results and I am just spreading the word.
December 13th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
Horrible SKIN!!!
Anyone know of a way to stop the uneven skin+wrinkles+dryness caused by adderall? I am 26 and with skin 10 years older after a week of usage.
Do Strattera and Ritalin have the same effects?
I try to drink 50 oz of water a day–it helps a little–is there anything else?
December 13th, 2006 at 9:03 pm
hello, I’m one of the unfortunate children to have been put on ritalin as a wee 8 year old. I am now 21 years old, I was on that mind scrambling speed for about 13 years. I am completely disgusted by it. It is a drug, a derivative of a hard, addictive, mentally debilitating drug and it should NOT be diagnosed for anything or anybody. If your child enters americas equally as corrupt learning institutions and finds him/herself unable to focus, gauge the social dynamics inside the overwhelming assimilation box. RELAX. If you are OH SO embarressed because Sandra Supers child can already read the NEWSPAPER and is just perfect, polite and popular.. while you’re poor spawn just isn’t giving you enough accolades to drop while you and Mrs. Super try and one up eachother…listen. You’re caught up in bullshit. Let your child be who they are. They were created perfect, just as they are. Although your child may stray from the mainstream there is nothing wrong with this. Your child may be a projection of many of the struggles you had, don’t mentally alter them to fit a mold you yourself might have always had, or just the opposite, you always just breezed by and can’t even comprehend these behaivors and "inadiquicies". Do Some reading, find alternatives, there are special schools. Find the BEST therapist possible, DO NOT TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT. Read about famous minds who’ve struggled as youth. Perhaps you should pick up a biography on Einstein. You’ll see just what I mean.
ANWAY, This drug created a serious identity crisis for me as you can imagine any pschyoaltering substance will do. See, I remebered laughing and playing and having precious time to think about the big picture of existance and such. Suddenly, you are a new human. The you outside the drug, and the drug you create quite a self reflective mess. The details have faded now and a fog of feeling and reflection is all i can really summate. Adolescense is when I really started to rebel my drug self. The good ignorant drone began to realize something was very wrong.
I spent 5th grade in the hospital for unknown stomach ailments, as well as engaging in obsessive hobbies that would last for months. I wasn’t ever really happy. My Mind was being controlled and i was just a mere passenger. I had no friends and would sit in front of the computer all day. I also had terrible anxiety. I was nervous and irritated. I was ostricized by my awkward mental fluctutation, emotional side effects, tangential speech most of which all came out sounding very nonsensical. I became enveloped in a state of egoism (which is ever prevalent to this day) to compensate. My body image has suffered as well. When I came off it i was happy. My mental state completely elevated. In middle school I stopped taking them behind my parents and schools back. My school work was still average to poor (even on adderall it hadn’t made the profound rise in academic performance my parents hoped for) but they didn’t know what to do. Or didn’t care enough. In High school I started burning out. I was doing horrible. I started rebelling and became extremly depressed. Everything in that period was a blur. I never really got into the drug scene. They put me in the alternative school yet i still did poorly. Everythhing was foggy. I could never focus. Anhedonia. Apathy. I could barely remeber to get dressed. I didn’t want to shower. I had nothing to say. Eventually I dropped out.
As I said earlier I’m 21, I’m in a local college. The long term effects from adderal I believe will never go away. I have no memory. No mental recall whatsoever, I feel as though I read and information just slips through me. I forget everything. I can not remember anything. I also feel like I’ve been depleted of dopamine forever. The nuero connections have been overworked. I feel fried. I have nothing but contempt for this drug.
December 13th, 2006 at 10:57 pm
It sounds like many of you are whiney self absorbed victims who should have never taken Adderal, or you found an ineffective treatment for an undiagnosed or miss diagnosed condition. I am 41 years old and was recently diagnosed with ADHD. I read the book Delivered from Distraction out of curiosity and it was like reading a personal dairy. After a thorough evaluation I was prescribed Adderall xr. The first day was a miracle. I am so pissed off that it took forty years of walking through a fog of noise and confusion to discover what it was like to feel "normal". I have no side effects other than a new life filled with gratitude and happiness. I have an enthusiasm for life like I did as a child, and no it is not because I am getting high. It has the reverse effect. I can finally get a good nights sleep. When I take an afternoon dose it keeps my mind from spinning when my head hits the pillow like it did before. I am calm and can enjoy doing things that I have never been able to without becoming frustrated by my overactive senses. I am more creative in my profession. Sex has never been better because I now know the meaning of patience. Turn every appliance, television, and radio on in your home ask your family to all talk to you at the same time and sit down and try to focus on reading a book without getting frustrated and you will get an idea of what it is like to have ADHD. Many of us with ADHD experience the same feelings sitting in a quite library alone. That is why we are constantly tapping our toe or fidgeting, because it helps us concentrate by doing something to tune out everything else that we are sensing in the background, so we can focus on the thing that we are trying to focus on. Confusing? No shit! Fortunately, when I was young I developed effective coping techniques to compensate for my ADHD and made it through graduate school and now have a successful architecture practice. Many people with untreated ADHD develop antisocial behavior, are considered grumpy, self centered assholes, and a quite a few end up in prison. I was lucky. God knows how much more I could have achieved to date if I had been diagnosed early on in life. It is ironic that people who suck down alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, caffeine, and carbohydrates like there is no tomorrow, either for thrills or because of personal weakness, turn and bash people who have a medical condition as real as diabetes, or hyperthyroidism, and accuse them of being addicts, because they are on a therapeutic drug that has been shown in study after study to be an effective treatment with relatively minor side effects compared to the aforementioned. (Sorry about the run on. I’m getting worked up) Sure there are many who should not take it because they happen to be in the very small minority who has serious adverse side effects. Hey you know what; there are kids who die from childhood immunizations too, so let’s all go back to having polio. If you are an abuser, or if you were not properly diagnosed and were prescribed the wrong medication, be angry with yourself or your doctor, not an effective medical treatment option. Most of all don’t scare people who are looking for treatment for a very real medical condition because you are uniformed or have a non scientific personal bias. There are some of us out there who have had a miraculous change in their quality of life from this medication.
December 16th, 2006 at 2:24 am
hey skip! i noticed you said you have substance abuse problems….well, i’ve been reading this site and it seems like there are a few different kind of people on it. some have ad/hd and benefit. some don’t, and just want a pick me up. some were falsely diagnosed as kids….and some have ad/hd but developed a problem with the meds.
at any rate, i think those with substance abuse problems should be careful. it seems to me that though adderall helps with all symptoms, everyone (or nearly everyone) experiences increased hyperfocus above all else as a result of the drug. in other words, whether your dose is too high or too low, you will get that effect. many people experience hyperfocus at lower dosages and only see improvement of other symptoms at higher doses. and you will have to deal with it.
so…do you really want to draw your emotions into this? you say that’s the kind of thing you focus on. if you have insurance, get on some non-stimulant medication or try another, really.
what help is it to be an organised basket case if the drug makes you a basket case?
i’ve tried just about every recreational drug in the book, and if you want, adderall will get you high. it looks pretty easy for an addict/substance abusers to slip into that trap with this.
even if you really have ad/hd, you aren’t immune from stimulant abuse. be very careful, and never use it for a "pick me up". when you are tired, you need to rest. bottom line, skip, be very careful. if you get too much "hyperfocus" move on to something else and definately work with a counselor on how to manage your symptoms and live with the illness. if all else fails, NOT winding up like some people on this board is a helluva lot better than suffering the full blown effects of adhd.
December 16th, 2006 at 1:55 pm
Hi Zoe & Skip. I don’t want to sound like I am an authority on the subject because I am not, but I have researched ADHD extensively after being diagnosed. It is unnerving to be told that you have a mental disorder, so I keep trying to learn all I can about the disorder and have begun to pay close attention to my behavior. Hyperfocus is a typical for people with ADHD. Everyone seems to focus on only the hyperactivity, distractibility and impulsivity components of the disorder and forget that it is much more complex and can vary greatly between individuals I have dealt with hyperfocus my whole life. I understand that it can be caused by the dysfunction or developed as a coping mechanism to deal with distractibility issues. Before I began treating my ADHD people that know me would joke about the way I would become so focused on something that the world around me could come crashing down and I would not notice. I would not hear the phone ringing on my desk. When I was working on a project I would get in a zone where people would have to touch me to get my attention because I would not hear them repeatedly calling my name while standing right next to me. Then at other times when not in a zone I could not read more than the first couple of sentences in an newspaper article, with out my mind wandering. After reading the entire article I would notice that I finished reading it even though I was thinking about something else the entire time. I truly believe many of the components of the disorder are a blessing if you can gain control and use them to your benefit. Those of us with ADHD usually have high IQs, and are very creative. We are funny, romantic, and more out going than average people. We are valued by others for our ability to do many things at once and think of things out of the box. Multitasking is a piece of cake because we don’t know how to do things any other way. We think differently, some of our ideas have turned into some of the greatest inventions, creations, and art work of modern times. Edison, da Vinci, and Hemingway are a few of the great thinkers thought to have ADHD by modern researchers. There are many different avenues to treat the disorder. Keep searching until you find the right one. Becoming organized should be far down on the list of your concerns. Surround yourself with a group of people who love and support you.
Adults with untreated ADHD have a much higher risk of getting into car accidents, abusing drugs and alcohol, and engaging in other risky behaviors. At its most harmless, (untreated) adult ADHD is a disadvantage, both personally and professionally. At its worst, it can actually be dangerous. Research shows that adults with ADHD have much higher risk for certain problems than adults who don’t have ADHD. Adults with ADHD are:
More than twice as likely to have been arrested
Twice as likely to have been divorced
Twice as likely to have held 6 or more jobs in the past 10 years
December 22nd, 2006 at 9:27 am
I found many of these comments to be very interesting and useful. Its always great to have opinions from others in a similar situation and hear about their personal experiences. In this case, its the drug Adderall, and both positive and negative responses have been posted regarding its use. I do not have the time right now, but I would love to post a comment related to my use of Adderall, and its many side effects, to include amphetamine psychosis that lasted close to 3 weeks (it was BAD, BAD, BAD), the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of it all, from my personal experiences with it. Not all bad, but certainly not all good.
Oh, by the way, I am being prescribed 270 m.g. per day of Adderall. Thats no typo. That consists of 9 (nine) 30 m.g. tablets PER DAY.
Some interesting things have happened to me, and I really have to stop this drug before it kills me, literally. I’ll be back in a few days to post my comments, just in case someone might be interested in reading them. God, how I want my old life back so, so bad. The cure seems worse than the disease, or whatever the saying is.
BE careful with this stuff…
December 26th, 2006 at 8:14 pm
As someone who has tried both Adderall and meth before, I can tell you that if you take enough Adderall (probably about 40mg), it has the same exact effects. That shouldn’t suprise you all based on what alot of these people have already written. It sucks to say it, but sometimes you shouldn’t trust doctors, especially when they are prescribing you 270 mgs a day. Is it really worth a lifetime of cravings to be able to conecntrate better? That said, a little bit of Adderall is fun every once in a while if you keep a level head about it and realize that you can’t feel that way forever, but meth is never good.
January 1st, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Random Dude I think the meth has screwed you up. Don’t take illegal drugs dipshit. Don’t take controlled substances either unless they are prescribed as a treatment for a medical problem. 40mg of Adderall is moderate dose. I take 60mg daily and two cups of coffes give me a better buzz. The buzz went away after a few days and there are no side affects. SpaceCase either you have alot more going on that your average run of the mill ADHD or your doctor is a quack. 90mg is the max recommended dose for adults. Look it up. If your are a run of the mill guy stop taking 270mg a day or it will kill you.
January 8th, 2007 at 5:31 am
hey. i dont have any adhd, i take adderall xr 30mg once in a while. helps me a bit in college, helps control my appetite, helps me concentrate like crazy. my first time taking it i took about 360mg, within a few hours. it was insane. i felt like i was gonna die, and hell w/ that amount it’s possible. (oh i weighed about 130 at the time, im like 115 now, thanks to it). other than that first time i’ve only taken 60mg once, and no more than 30 any other time. oh exept the other day when i snorted about 15mg. yeah, i dont want to become an abuser, hell, i dont even take it every day anymore (mainly bc i could notice i was developing a tolerance real quick). but i used to have other ways of dealin w/ my issues n stress (not drugs, cutting. shh.) and i just feel like i need something and i have it right here. im saying this tonight bc i found this site googling fatal doses of adderall, cuz i wanna know how many to take to fuckin kill myself. i wont do it, might snort some more, or if i could fall asleep anytime soon i could just do that. my bf says its just like real speed when u snort it, and he tells me not to become a druggy, and that i sound like one. and hell, my first week or so on it he thought i was already addicted. if i do abuse it i can blame him though, its his prescrip, he gives me the pills, so i can lose weight easier for him. but idk, when we fight i just need somthing and he said if i start cutting again he’ll dump me and i need somthing so bad. i dont know. last time i snorted it i felt like hell after the day or so i was up. he said i probably was dehydrated cause i didnt drink at all, tellin me how bad that was. i read almost every post up here, and it makes me feel kinda stupid cuz im just on my way to abuse and adiction. but i really need something right now, and its better to snort some than to take the whole fuckin bottle like i want to. oh yeah, slight history of depression/suicidalness. better an adict/abuser than a corpse?
January 17th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
This goes out to billy……I just wanted to say that I am on your same boat….coke does make you depressed and I’ve tried adderall and have been wanting to get a prescription so I as well can end this nightmare and love life again and never have to put myself through that hell again. I was actually wondering if you might have any advice that can help me get a prescription of my own. Well thanks and once again congrats on getting back on track! please feel free to respond at your earliest convienence to my email at nysupermodel212@hotmail.com
Thanks!
January 21st, 2007 at 8:02 pm
The first few times I took Adderall, it was because a friend had sold me his script. I was at a time in my life when I was heavily addicted to multiple drugs and functioning poorly. With Adderall, I was suddenly able to both party and get my school work done. It was amazing. I was able to perform at a level I didn’t know was possible.
When my supply ran out and I couldn’t find anymore I began to get nervous. I had the initial crash which was terrible, but once that was over I was able to remember how I felt when I was on Adderall and bring that to mind. I can only speak for myself, but honestly I think that anything a person does on Adderall they can do without it. However, that is a skill that is really very difficult to learn.
I am have yet to learn that skill, and I wish I could so I didn’t feel dependant on Adderall. I currently take 10mg IR twice a day, which is plenty for me.
I initially formed a lot of misconceptions about Adderall. The "rush", the confidence gain, all of it. I though it was purely the Adderall. However, now that I have been on it for awhile and those things are gone and it simply wakes me up and helps me narrow in on things, I believe that all the drug gives a person that they didn’t have before is the ability to access that part of themselves more easily.
For those who take it and believe that the medicinal properties of the drug are the euphoria, confidence, social enhancement and mastery I ask that you re-examine your opinions. Adderall is not prescribed for "lack of euphoria in life". It is prescribed for "difficulty concentrating". The people that believe that they are somehow entitled to the rush they can get from this drug are the people that have made it difficult for people like me (an EX drug addict) to get a medication that can really help them.
I beg of you, re examine your ideas surrounding amphetamine.
January 26th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
It’s clear from this thread just how much abuse there is out there among those who are prescribed stimulants for legit. reasons. Adderall — and all stimulants — are powerful drugs, and need to be respected.
One thing I have come to realize is that many of the "side effects" people complain about are not so much side-effects in the way that ‘sexual dysfunction’ is a side effect of Prozac.
Rather, these effects are predictable primary effects of Schedule II stimulants; in other words, ‘loss of appetite’ is something that is going to occur in 95% of individuals taking Adderall.
In fact, you are more likely to experience loss of appetite than increased concentration, according to the trial literature. Stimulants do that; that’s why they are prescribed for weight loss. Same goes for insomnia: they are prescribed to narcoleptics for a reason.
So the question becomes, are your symptoms, your ADD, so unmanagable that medicating them in this way, and with these side-effects and risks, outweighs the alternative? For many of the people responding here, I think the answer is self-evident.
For all those kids and parents out there under the assumption that higher grades are alone worth the risks: stop and think.
I can tell you that as a now-grown ADD child too much value is placed in these kinds successes, and any lingering social and emotional problems WILL eventually catch up with you if they are ignored. These problems will render any success in school trivial by comparison.
That said, if you are one of those who honestly need stimulants to function at work or school, then you shouldn’t get too worried over the horror stories of abuse or the couch-jumping, Tom Cruise anti-psych. rhetoric out there. Just be reasonable, and communicate with your doctor, and respect the medication.
February 1st, 2007 at 8:56 pm
i just chowed down on a million milligrams!!!
February 4th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Cameron-you are an idiot. I do not like what you said about heather-anyone can become addicted to something-anyone-any age, any race, any range-you CANT choose whether or not you want to be one!
As far as people on the site bragging about using-that ius just messed up-get a real life, I mean c’mon your life is that great??? I guess-for the people on here trying to get help, or advice, or just venting, or saying whats up-good for you! It takes alot to be honest with yourself, and sometimes writing it before actually saying it is the best way-I have been in recovery 7 years, and I am here for anyone who needs to talk-that is what SOMEONE WHO IS REALLY in recovery would do. Good luck to you all, and remember to take it one day at a time. I have been on diff. rxs for diff. things in the past, and remember anything can become addictive-TV, food, drugs, sex etc-dont feel bad-just get help!
February 4th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Hi, I am taking adderall 20′s, and I usually get the orange oval ones, except this time I got the pink round ones-can u sniff those too?
February 4th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
ROB is really an idiot too-wow so many morons on here…..really sad to see that…get a life ya jerk offs. Didnt your mommys ever tell you about the "if you have nothing nice to say, dont say anything at all" quote?? Half of you jerks being snot nosed and mean are probably in your houses/apartmets, all alone, fat, lonely, geeked out, and without a clue, with NO ONE so this is what you do for fun…that is PATHETIC.
February 5th, 2007 at 7:48 am
I am a 25 year old rookie attorney and was diagnosed with ADD about three weeks ago. I suspected that I had ADD all my life and I always just found my owns ways to get by with it through school. Now, however, I have to work very long hours, and I simply can’t stay focused and motivated for as long as I need to to be successful.
My problem is this: I am scared to death to start taking adderall. I have had my doctor’s prescription for it sitting on my desk for almost a week. I have never been a big medicine taker to begin with, but it seems like starting adderall is going to be a life-altering decision.
I have done a good bit of homework on this drug and read literally every single comment on this blog. Some have been extremely helpful and extol the vitues of the drug. Some are just ridiculous lies. But there are some that seem like very honest accounts of the horrible things that can happen to normal people that get hooked on adderall.
I feel like once I start this there is no going back. I know a lot of you out there must have experienced the same feelings I’m having. My life is really in pretty good shape except that I cannot fulfill my potential at work. The last thing I want is for an addiction or dependency on this drug to make me a hot shot at work at the expense of everything else that’s important in my life.
I would really appreciate any advice at all from people who really want to help someone out who is in the same boat they were. Tell me if medicating at all is a huge mistake and I should get a lower stress job. Tell me that a responsible person without an addictive personality has nothing to worry about. Tell me about the sexual side effects (one of my biggest concerns!).
I just want to know everything I can before getting into this, and quite frankly I feel like this is the best forum for cutting through all the bull crap out there. Thanks for your help.
February 6th, 2007 at 11:12 am
I am a junior at college who has recently been prescribed to adderall. It helps me focus in school and get my shit done, and if any of you try to say theyre bad for you fuck you. life is better on adderall, it doesnt change what kinda of person you are, you CAN control that, and if you cant then you have no self control in the first place. I take 20 mg xr usually once every 2 days and sometimes these 10 mg amphetamine pills. And who ever said that adderall is not for little kids is absolutely right, dont ruin their heart when their young. I can also move things with my mind when i take enough of it, pCe
February 6th, 2007 at 12:30 pm
I am a junior in civil engineering. As I grew up, school was very easy for me. I came from a small town, so I had the opportunity to participate in several extra carricular activities. To all of the teachers there, I seemed to be "the perfect student". However, I never could be organized. If we had notebook checks, I failed miserably. I often spoke out of turn, and had a huge problem concentrating. If I ever had a problem in class, even the principals blamed the teachers. It was if nobody could believe that the "golden child" could do any harm.
I am telling you this background so that you understand how hard it was for me to discover my disability. Once I hit an ABET accredited college for civil engineering….all those great credentials just slipped away. I couldn’t sit though a class, when I did, I couldn’t even come close to summarizing what had been discussed. I couldn’t remember my homework or dates of tests. I was always always always late, and I had a terrible time of prioritizing. My relationships were unstable. I had no focus on anything in my life. Pretty soon I lost interest in everything that I loved. At first I was diagnosed with depression. I was put on several different antidepressants prior to discovering effexor xr. This med helped me to cope with things long enough to get headed in the right direction. Instead of feeling bad about being "such a disappointment" to my family or town or whatever, I was able to discover that my problems had nothing to do with ability, depression, or drive. I researched ADHD and discovered that I showed all of the classic signs and symptoms. I visited a psychiatrist who prescribed Adderall XR and suggested that I get off the effexor xr. Getting off the effexor was a nightmare. I wouldn’t have traded the good that it brought me for anything, but there shouldn’t be a medicine on the market that causes the side effects that it did.
Anyway, I am taking 20mg of adderall xr twice daily (I’m fixing to up the dosage a bit i think). The only negative side effects that I have experienced would be a slight loss of appetite and some difficulting making myself go to sleep.
I believe that most people who have experienced such negative side effects do not need the medication. ADHD is over diagnosed today, however I wish that my parents had taken more stock in the condition when I was younger. It would have saved me the horrible downward spiral that occured for the last couple of years.
While on adderall xr, I am able to focus on any given task. Some tasks are obviously more interesting than others, but when I put effort in, I see results- that’s a new concept for me. I am currently working 50 hours a week on my state’s largest bridge project and I am taking 7 credit hours toward my civil engineering degree. My work has improved significantly since taking adderall, and I am able to discipline myself to exercise frequently, eat healthy, spend wisely, listen to instructions, wait my turn to speak, keep my house neat, sleep through the night, etc.
For those who have trouble sleeping when on adderall…I’m a bit surprised. Because I feel good about what I have accomplished, I sleep well. I’ve never slept better. It is sometimes hard to stop a task to go to bed, but once I make myself….I’m out and sleeping like a baby.
I can’t say enough good things about the medication.
- To the poster who stated that adderall was like cheating, you obviously are not ADHD/ADD.
-To the poster who stated that children shouldn’t take medications for ADHD, I am one of the many who wish that their parents had paid attention to my condition. I believe that children shouldn’t have medicine used as the first attack to the situation (teaching a child how to function w/o the med is probably easier than teaching an adult who is out of control due to a lifetime of neglect for the situation)
- To the poster who is a rookie attorney- it is obvious that you are considering both the positive and negative affect this drug may have on your life. I see no harm in a trial period of the drug. You have taken a responsible approach to the decision, and I trust that you will make the appropriate decision as to weather or not the medication is for you.
Hurray for medicating a health problem….It’s like insulin shots for diabetis- it taken as needed the meds are a life saver- if abused, you end up in some serious shit
February 8th, 2007 at 9:10 am
Hi everyone,
Ya know what-its true-some people adderall works for-myself-and some people it doesnt. It is a FACT that if you ACTUALLY need adderall, the side effects of speeding, losing weight, and no hunger go away in 3 days-for those of you on it saying how you get all these side effects from it-dont need it. I have been on it 3.5 years, I eat, sleep, function, and weigh 135 and I am just fine-its when you abuse it, or take it when its not for you do these things happen. See ya….food for thought.
February 8th, 2007 at 9:13 am
The only difference b/t XR and regular is one is extended release, so you should only have to take it once in a 24 hour period, and the regular ones some people take 2-3 times a day, as they are FAST acting-it isnt unnormal to see someone taking the reg. ones 2-3 times a day-I only take 20 mg’s of the reg. adderall, and I do just fine on that-besides at the end of the day if you really have Add/adhd you dont need anymore of the drug in your system.
February 8th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
I read all these entries and i have to say that it feels good not to be the only one
February 11th, 2007 at 10:41 pm
Hey 2/4/2007 1:18 PM Sara why are you calling me (ROB) an idiot and a moron? (…“this is what you do for fun…that is PATHETIC”… )I have no idea what you are talking about. I am trying to help those who are reading this site to try to learn about ADHD and Adderall that it is not always the poison that it is so often claimed to be. Do you have a problem hearing the truth? Adderall for some people is an effective treatment for treating ADHD. Also some people are out to pin their problems on everyone or everything they can find but themselves. I am sorry if you think my comments are too harsh, but it makes me angry to hear people say that the drug is, “a derivative of a hard, addictive, mentally debilitating drug and it should NOT be diagnosed for anything or anybody”, “DO NOT TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT”, “ADDERALL CAUSES MASSIVE WRINKLES!” DO NOT LET ADDERALL FOOL YOU” or “Adderall should be pulled off the market, it nearly destroyed my life”, they are saying these things because it was not the right treatment for “them” or they are ABUSERS. It is positive to share your experiences to help others to become informed of the side effects and potential risks of the med, but if your disorder(s) is quite severe and way outside the norm or you are an addict from recreational use it is irresponsible to advise others to avoid this treatment entirely based upon your unique condition or addiction to the medication. There are millions of people struggling to find a way to deal with this disorder and this medication may be a viable option to drastically improve their quality of life. It has been a miracle for me. These comments may potentially scare someone away who might find exactly the help they need to finally have a chance at a healthy and happy life. Unfortunately it does not work for everyone, and they may have to turn to another treatment. Behavioral therapy should always be the first, and continue as, a primary form of treatment for any physiological brain disorder. It is irresponsible and INSULTING to hear others trivialize the disorder as something that is a mild concentration problem that you should be able to just deal with. You may think that I am full of it, but I take 60mg a day and I have not had any side effects. I feel great. I lost about 10 pounds (that I needed to loose) at first. I am not sure if it was from the temporary appetite suppression or because I was able to exercise regularly again because I didn’t feel so overwhelmed with my life. My weight has been stable for a long time now and I am actually trying to loose a few of those pounds that I have gained back. I am in the best physical, mental, and spiritual health that I have ever been in. My health is being closely monitored by my doctor like it should be for anyone taking this type of med. Believe me I have seen the effects of drug abuse first hand and my comments are not meant to be "mean". I have friends and family members that have destroyed their lives and caused their loved ones great pain and sorrow because of drug abuse. My sister suffers now from schizophrenia that was caused from years of illegal drug addiction. Her addiction ruined her life, two marriages, and the lives of her three children. Her oldest son is now in prison because of his drug addiction. At her lowest point, after being a middle class mother of three with a great marriage, she was prostituting herself for drug money and eating out of dumpsters. A close friend, after nine years of working towards her master’s degree, lost her nursing license and ended up in jail for a year because she was caught stealing her patients pain killers to feed her habit. My brother almost lost his marriage and his life because he was taking crystal meth and sleeping around on his wife when he was high. They are all being treated for ADHD now and are trying to pick up the pieces of what is left of their lives. I understand the loss of control associated with addiction, but it doesn’t excuse the addict’s wake of destruction or their initial decision making that started them down the path towards addiction. We are all accountable for our actions and until an abuser accepts the responsibility for their own actions and recovery they will continue to suffer along with those who love them. Should we all needlessly endure the various ailments treated with stimulants because they have been pulled off the market because people who get caught up in abusing the drugs don’t like the control the drugs have over them? If you are a drug abuser accept responsibility for your life, your health, and your happiness and get the help you need. You may not be able to recognize its full extent, but you know you and the people who love you are suffering from your behavior and will continue to suffer until you do something about it.
I’ve grown tired of this site and I’m moving on,
Good luck everyone
February 14th, 2007 at 12:24 am
adderall is like any narcotic… you need to become familiar with its side effects and have a strong mind.
February 14th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
I’ve been taking it for a while and it seems like it ahs no effect on me anymore. the other day i took 2 30mg XR 3 times in a 30 hour period. I really didn’t feel the effect like i use to. why is that?
February 15th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Litteslug,
I had the same thing happen. I think it was because it felt so great not to feel the ADHD symptoms. Then overtime my frame of reference shifted and life with fewer ADHD symptoms became my new norm. I started to notice a few lingering ADHD issues, nothing like before, so we slowly increased my dose over a 4 month period. My doctor said that with most meds you want to use as small of dose as possible, but with ADHD meds like Adderall the goal is to achieve optimal dosing, meaning that you want to make sure you take enough to fully treat the effects of ADHD without any negative side effects. I started at 1-20mg xr (8am) then, + 1- 30xr(@8am), + 2-20xr (1@8am, 1@3pm), + 2-30xr(1@8am,1@4pm), + 3-20xr(1@8am, 1@1pm, 1@5pm). I have been on the 3-20mg Xr schedule for quite a while now. I tweak the times when I take them based on how I feel. I metabolize meds quickly so xr’s only last about 4-5 hours for me. It probably sounds crazy to take an xr at 5pm, but having it onboard during my evening family time is as important as during the work day, and it actually helps me sleep better. I tried the tablets and hated them because of the drastic on and off feeling. Make sure you exercise & watch what you are eating. Eat lots of proteins, drink water, take fish oil, and folic acid, no caffeine, take a multi Vitamin at night (Vitamin C reduces the effect). It works, my son takes Adderall also and he has had problems sleeping sometimes so he takes a Vit-C a couple hours before bed. Great books: Delivered from Distraction; Hollowell & Ratey, What Happy People Know; Baker & Stauth
Good Luck.
February 19th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
yeah i cant do well in school without adderall and i feel like i cant think or just became dumb when it wears off. i am so irritable on it and my boyfriend hates it. i am super emotional. has anyone found anything else that works for them?
February 19th, 2007 at 10:07 pm
im horrible in school without my adderall xr. i take 20mgs. if i dont take it i will be extremly impulsive. i almost got myself expelled. it is 1:30 in the morning and i cant sleep because i took my adderall at 11:30-12:00 around then. its horrible how i cant sleep and i have school tomorrow. i also take it with Lexapro an anti-depressent. i take 10mgs of Lexapro and i cant miss day with that either because ill be extremly depressed. towards the end of the day it wears off and i become hyper again. i have ADHD. a very bad case of it. but ive gotten better from when i was younger. i was over the top crazy. until i went on adderall. then i went on ritalin then adderall xr then concerta then strattera (worst medication ever it made me fall asleep in class all the time and i got way too skinny for someone who was 5’0 70 pounds wasnt normal then i went back on concerta then i went on adderall then i went on focalin now im back on adderall. for my anti-depressents i was on wellbutrin 300mg (the highest dose) it was horrible for the fact that it made me even more depressed and suicidal. then i went on lexapro which save my life. for mood stabilizer i was on Lithium i dont remember what dosage i was on that last year it made me gain a lot of weight. i just stopped taking the lithium around june last year. now im really happy. my life has been really bumpy but now its really smooth.
February 23rd, 2007 at 1:11 pm
I do not have a prescription to XR. But I manage about 4 10mg pills a week. Sometimes I take 20mg.
Why do I take it?
-I’m more outgoing. This has been positive, I am liked. Days when I’m not on the XR I’m a bit more shy but I think that my experience with them has helped me open up to others still.
-I’m less hungry. I move around more and feel that if I take them regularly I will lose weight. But like you, I don’t want to get addicted.
Some draw backs… When you take them you should know what you want to accomplish. If you are a math or science major I can definitely see the upside. However, I am studying philosophy and English. So for me using XR makes it difficult to think abstractly and slow down – and that is what I love most about myself.
So when it comes down to making a decision to use recreationally, think about what you want to accomplish for the day. Try taking on a Friday morning. You may get all your work done and still be up for a fun night and free weekend.
Know your limits and if you think you can’t be responisible with the pills don’t take them.
February 27th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Wow, that is great – I thought I was the only one w/that problem. The issue is though that my Dr. is afraid of the drug it seems and will only give me 30 mg per day (not XR). Needless to say, I always run out way before my prescription is due next because I have to take 3 a day. How do you get your doctor to prescribe you so much? Is he/she a general practioner?
re: End of the Adderall 10/22/2005 7:26 AM jennifer
i take a 30mgxr and 20mg regular twice daily. my doctor tell me i’m a high metabolizer and that doses don’t really depend on body size, but your bodies ability to metabolize the drug. i’m a 120lb 5’5 28 year old female.
April 1st, 2007 at 10:44 am
Wow guys chill out.
If Adderall is making you sick stop taking it. Talk to your doctor about another solution.
I have some mental anguish about taking any man-made pills but that’s about as bad as it gets with my usage… 20-30mg daily, most days 20.
It helps me focus and I am the opposite of a recluse which I am without it.
Everyone is different. Find what works for you.
April 25th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Dear All,
I have spent the last hour or so reading over, most, of your comments/posts.
I too arrived at the conclusion that there are, basically, two types of posts here; 1. those of us with a ‘concentration/attention’ problem and 2. the other group who like to get high.
I’ve been battling depression since 13; when I was first hospitalized after a failed suicide attempt (I tried again when I was 19). My state of despair was triggered by severe/debilitating panic attacks (which took 4 YEARS to erradicate). I’ve been on and off meds since then (I’m 32 now) and have tried all kinds, shapes, colors and flavors (yuck).
I have had problems studying since I can remember. When I was about 10, I remember my father hitting and humiliating me when I had problems memorizing French vocabulary.
In college, I switched from engineering to art, partially, b/c I had anxiety for not ‘understanding’ what was being taught.
In graduate school, you often saw me sitting alone in the library, with ear plugs in, facing a wall, hands forming ‘blinders’ so that no passing person would not distract me, having to read a sentence 20+ times in order to begin focusing on what was being written … and the list goes on and on. But, I made it. I got an MS in computer science, yeah – its a long way away from art
, but the process wasn’t easy.
I now have a good-paying job that requires me to focus and use my mind. A specific, desired, skill is being able to ‘manipulate’ complex structures and remember where and how the pieces fit; I’m talking about writing software.
Yesterday, I finally (after about a year out of grad school working this job) realized that all of this time, I was taking a back seat and watching my co-workers do the work; I was just a spectator. When it, finally, came time for me to work independently (we work in pairs), I choked. I spent 4 hours in agony. I couldn’t remember how I got to a place in the code base – having just made a 2-page diagram with pictures (pictures have been my way of coping w/ the confusion over the years) of the path … I had to leave and walked around the black several times to alleviate the anxiety and the NOISE in my head.
Luckily, yesterday was also the day that I met w/ my psychiatrist. I explained my day and said that my depression, which I continue to be treated for, is now manageable, but I was/am worried that I will loose my job if this continues.
He talked about the options and got me 30/10 mg Aderall RX trial prescription. I popped the 1st one this morning at 8:30 and began reading about peoples’ experiences.
I don’t know the pills are helping. Its only been 3 hours. I have felt a sense of alertness that I seldom get, but I have to be patient and see how the 10mg/once-a-day will work.
I hope that I can, at LONG last, find a solution to what I have battled with for most of my life.
Best to you all and good luck!
April 25th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
Adderall is the plane, and whoever takes it is the pilot. Adderall is the sword, and you are the samurai. I have always seen it kind of like the symbiotic suit from Spider-man. It may increase your powers, it may help you fight crime better, it might allow you to do things you never thought you could do on your own previously, but it WILL change who you are in some ways. This is not good or bad, but it is quantifiable. Personally, I like to keep it like a fire axe behind glass (read: for emergency use only!) This is doubly advantageous, you can maintain a relatively healthy weight, libido, mental health, etc. but on the same token, when you do take it, the drugs effects are amplified. Adderall, to me, is a weapon. And I, like a samurai do not want to wield my sword all the time, but some times I must. My advice, as a veteran, is quite simple: use it in the right proportion. Fuck, an overdose of anything can kill you, even Tang or Nesquick. If it starts to take over and change who you are, and you notice this, do what Peter Parker did and forcibly remove it from your life for a little while.
Love,
Will
June 9th, 2007 at 11:01 am
DO ANY OF YOU FEEL AS THOUGH ADDERALL MAKES YOU AGE??? I feel like my skin gets dry and im afraid of premature aging. i take 20mg XR a day…no more.
June 22nd, 2007 at 10:45 am
I feel exactly the same. I’ve been taking 30mg Adderall XR and Wellbutrin 300 XL for the last 4 years or so and now i feel as though the quality of my skin has greatly degenerated; i also now have major dark circles, bags and wrinkles under my eyes that i didn’t have before.
I’ve also noticed that my eye sight has quickly become worse. my vision is blurred, but blurred in a different way then when i first realized that i needed glasses. i feel a constant pressure of some sort behind my eyes (sort of like the way you feel after you’ve been crying all night). they feel swollen and it adds to my incessant feeling of fatigue.
has anyone else noticed this aging or blurred vision phenomenon? Any info would be greatly appreciated!
June 30th, 2007 at 12:47 am
The blurred vision this is not a good sign…apparently related t high blood pressure caused by adderall…do you get numbness or tingling skin too? Talk to your Doctor for sure, cuz thats bad…. and Im the one who made the aging remark (AGING???)…I haev been using alot more moisturizer and drinking 3 liters of water a day….it makes a HUGE differece!!!
August 2nd, 2007 at 6:22 am
My parents scoffed at teacher recommendations to put me on ADHD meds all throughout school. I did well but at 18 had never read an entire novel, I shook both legs up and down almost every waking moment; I seemed to be the most popular guy in school yet never really formed close relationships with anyone, and not only did I loose everything I got my hands on in a matter of seconds – but I could never seem to keep track of anything in my life. When I got to college and got a script it changed everything. I take 3 10mg fast acting everyday and now there is no shaking, I can read for hours, I have great friends that I share close bonds with. I jumped from almost failing high school algebra to calculus in a matter of months.
Unfortunately my family has a history of high blood pressure and I myself have a heart murmur. The Adderall gives me chest pains that are quite intense sometimes, I can feel my heart palpitations-slowing down and speeding up all the time it seems. My skin tingles and sometimes I even get red faced and purple hands. Also my eyes have a lot of trouble adjusting to light. I feel like I’m killing myself but I won’t tell anyone about this stuff, I don’t want to give up this new life I have. I’ve tried a few other things and adderall is the only one that works so well. I don’t like having no idea whats going on in my life…
August 4th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
I’m pretty confused by everything I read on here.
My doctor and I concluded last year that I was ADHD, so he started me on 10mg twice a day of Adderall. I’m 22 and in college, so the reasoning was simple and "concentration" related. I dropped my journalism major and switched to Art because I couldn’t pull the grades in a "book" class any longer. The first thing I noticed the very FIRST day of taking the meds was a clarity of thought. Clear mind, and ONE-TRACK. I finally felt like I could focus on what someone was saying to me.
At the same time, I felt like I lost my ability to do any MORE than one thing at a time. Having more than one thing going on bothered me. It caused me to lose my appetite completely, and I had to find a new eating schedule. Light breakfast, light lunch, light snack at 330PM, light supper, light snack at 930PM. BUT almost all eating seems to be a FORCED time, and not because I’m hungry.
Today I am feeling like I would like to stop taking this if it’s really NOT for me…because maybe I don’t need it. BUT–If it’s not a big deal, I’d like to keep it. I feel irritable when I drink any caffiene, and it makes me jittery and OVERLY excited about even mundane events in my day, which doesn’t feel normal.
Would all of you ACTUAL SAFE USERS say that experiencing these side effects STILL would probably mean I don’t need to be taking this medicine anymore? I’m not hooked. I could stop tomorrow. I’m not taking any more than 20mg a day. Ever. But I don’t want to keep hurting my body if I don’t need to. That worries me.
Any suggestions or comments would be SERIOUSLY AMAZING. Thanks.
September 14th, 2007 at 1:59 am
just take it when you need it. but don’t kid yourself if you have an addictive personality. when you "don’t think its for you" but you still find yourself taking it, it might be a sign of dependence. it raises your heart rate to about the level of some heavy exercise. which should be ok most of the time, but you should avoid athletic activity when you’re on it. other than that, if you have a healthy heart, the only thing you might want to look out for is high blood pressure. if you family has a history you might want to be careful. but to be completely honest the biggest risk you’re taking is addiction. adderall is on par with some the most addictive drugs out there. the risk for dependencey is severely understated.
September 23rd, 2007 at 1:53 am
I’m 20 years old and was just prescribed hAdderall. I’ve had issues concentrating for a while but I really feel like it got out of control in my first two years of college. A 4 hour homework seemed like a mountain to me. I had ZERO motivation to do anything. This has never been a problem until college because I was always smart enough to get A’s and B’s without ever studying. I’d also sleep all the time. I’d sleep 10 hours, then get up, watch tv for a few hours, then sleep 6 more. This would go on for months. I NEVER had enough energy to make it through the day. As soon as i got back from class (if i went) i’d fall asleep.
So I’ve been taking the adderall for two weeks now and all i can say is WOW just in time. My course load is INSANE this year. I find myself having over 10 hours of homework on a daily basis. This stuff has worked wonders in my life . I can’t believe how enthusiastic I am to get to work on my assignments. The best part is that I now have enough energy to make it through the day. No more napping three times a day. Additionally I feel like adderall has made me more confident socially. I’m usually shy and reserved (although im really outgoing when i get to know people). Now I’m much better at interacting with strangers. I also used to have SO MUCH anxiety as assignments would build up. I also used to worry extensively about stupid things that normal people shouldn’t obsess over. These worries were taking over my life. however, on the medication, I find myself calm and collected. I take one issue at a time and deal with it. I also never used to open up with my parents and i think it really disappointed them. Now I feel really open and can talk to them about anything. It doesn’t feel as awkward as it used to.
I’m not sure what else to say. The only negative side effect has been some issues controlling my blinking but when i’m concentrating on it and am making progress at getting it under control. I also stayed up 36 hours straight the first time i took it but not I’m sleeping fine.
So that’s my story. It’s worked wonders so far BUT after reading all of these comments im afraid of becoming addicted. Should I be worried? I have an addictive personality but I don’t do drugs before (i’ve only smoked marijuana four or five times) These people who have had so many issues seem to be junkies with no self control. I can’t imagine snorting this stuff. Should i be concerned? Are the people posting so many bad things on here a large minority?
With adderall I’m happy, productive, full of energy and more outgoing. The depression that has gripped me for years is gone.
I REALLY hope that it doesnt turn into a negative.
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:27 pm
I’ve been on adderall now for about 1-1/2 years. I’m 55 years old. I’ve been "scanning" the blogs and the question I have of myself is, why isn’t the adderall helping me "focus" more on reading, paperwork…I guess you could call it "administrative" work. It gives me lotsa energy and I prefer to clean my bathroom bowl than to sit still and read a book, health plan info, etc. I’m a massage therapist and it gives me energy to do that. Is this "energy" a form of "focus?" Because, I’m not sure it’s doing what it’s supposed to be doing…my house is clean though…
. Any comments?
October 17th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
I’ve been addicted to adderall for a few years now. i CAN’T SEE MY LiFE WiTHOUT iT. I WENT TO DETOX IN DECEMBER AND THEY TOOK ME OFF BECAUSE OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE. I FOUND ANOTHER DOCTOR WHO I WAS RELUCTANT TO GET SCRIPTS FROM. WHEN SHE FOUND OUT ABOUT MY SECOND DETOX (WHICH I HAD TO GO OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN SECTIONED) AND A MONTH SCRIPT GON IN A WEEK SHE GAVE ME ONE LAST SCRIPT AND TOLD ME TO GET A NEW DOCTOR. I CANNOT GTE AND SCRIPTS I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF. IVE BOUGHT OUT EVERYYONE IN THE ARE. IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO GET A SCRIPT OR CAN FIND ANY PLEASE LET ME KNOW! I GOTCHU
October 20th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
I was previously on bupropion (Wellbutrin) for diagnosed depression at age 17, and took this for a few periods of 4-6 months. It turned out to be the best script for me at the time, working on DA (like amphetamine) and also NE, improving my mood while not sedating. I learned that a lowest effective dose is important. High doses of any p-med are mind numbing. For me 150-200mg of bupropion daily, divided over two doses worked great. I’m now 20, living away for the parents, and not significantly depresses. I went back on the bupropion in college as I got run down by the stress of classes and also some social anxiety. It was controlling my mood too much since I was not depressed, so I am tapering off it slowly. I now have a script for 15mg Adderall XR and have taken it 3 times now, cutting the third dose in half due to excessive stimulation. Bupropion/Adderall combo not really recommended long term as it might be a bit harsh on the stimulation, but what do I know. Once I am clear of the bupropion (a long acting drug with many metabolites), I will try the XR again at 7.5 mg. Its important that I remember this is a potent, fast acting drug. Unlike bupropion, which should be taken consistently at LEDosage, I need take the Adderall XR at LEDosage but maybe not every day since it doesn’t seem to rely on a bodily "steady state" to work effectively. It seems as tho those who have developed a steady state are having big problems. I am worried about a swinging metal state I experienced with this drug (great at first, then loss of "detail focus" after a day or two). Any advise? I hope I will be able to get the attention results at 10 mg XR. I will report back when I get a better feel of its action.
For those of you who are having difficulty with your Adderall (taking million milligrams, are experiencing mood swings, or have strong addictive mentality toward the pills) and/or all other ADD meds, I might suggest you do some research on bupropion. Its way different. It requires more mg than addy, its metabolized more, and it lasts a longer time. It is less potent but provides a very mild effect somewhat related to adderall. So many crazy drugs to choose from, I know.
Thanks for your stories! Let me know what you think about lowest effective dosage, frequency (days per week), and your state of mind on reasonably small doses of adderall. I will let you all know where this journey takes me in the next month.
-J
October 23rd, 2007 at 7:34 am
I’m a 37 year old ADDer. Its been an interesting read. Recently "officially" diagnosed a couple of months ago. I’ve known my whole life about this and adapted good and bad ways to deal with it. With the recent prognosis, my doctor suggested trying adderall.
Frustrated at my current situation in life with my ADD personality type, I decided to give the pills a try.(20m adderallxr)
I’m approaching it scientifically. I’m keeping a journal of things. This way I can remind myself how to do this without the drugs. After my first dose, I knew this can’t be a every day drug.
I took it everyday in September and now 3 days a week in October. And I’m slowly weening myself off. If you know me you would laugh at this. Especially the "keeping a journal" part. But I’m doing and its helping me on those days now when I don’t take the drug. I can relate to the younger people on this board. I wish I knew then what I know know. I’m grateful that there is much more dialog.
The one thing I noticed is that I don’t get "bottlenecked" as much. I call bottlenecking having 6 ideas on my mind at the same time making it impossible to complete anything. I work in a collaborative setting with a small group of people who are constantly brainstorming and I’m great for railroading sessions because I interupt people to share my idea before I forget it. I don’t do that much now. I’ve been able to focus to outline what I have to do and sticking with it.
Good luck to all,
Titus
November 9th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Despite the amazing results you can gain from a proper dose of Adderall and the way it can make you feel like a superhuman, your body requirements have not changed. You still need to eat regularly, exercise, breathe fresh air, get some sun, SLEEP, and change things up from time to time. I can focus on a project for an extended period of time with Adderall but I know that my brain is still capable of fatigue just as it is without Adderall. Reminding yourself of this fact can help you achieve the things you want in life on the medication and still prevent the self-inflicted side effects that many on this board are experiencing. Adderall does not help with emotional or psychological disorders and appears to only enhance them with some people. The first doses can have extreme effects but they balance out over time. Use the drug to assist your life and help you manage your ADD/HD. This is all you should expect from it. It does not make you a mentally enhanced being despite the impressions you may have from your first experiences with it. The proper dose can help you achieve your greatest potential, whatever that happens to be before the medication.
November 10th, 2007 at 3:23 am
DAMN! i finally got through reading this entire blog archive from the beginning and ya know what, that’s an achievement for someone who usually can’t get through a paragraph without getting distracted by something i read or heard and going off in a mental fantasy, creating my own parallel world, only to snap back into reality 20 mn. later realizing i was staring at the last word on the bottom of the page and i don’t have a clue what i read.
anyway that is a perfect example of how amphetamine/methylphenidate has changed my life in more ways than one.
like many of you i have known from a young age that i learned different from most other children. i was always a very hands on little girl and i learned best by doing it myself and figuring it out, a natural born leader with the attention span of a goldfish. as soon as a teacher/adult/whoever started giving instructions or lectures or basically said more than just one or two sentences i would be lost, staring at all the different outfits and colors in the room, wondering how they made those cool little chairs or what the squirrels outside were thinking when they chased each other around. then i’d realize with the onset of child laughter that the rest of the class was waiting at the door to go to recess and i was left sitting in my chair, confirming the faculty’s view of me as mentally slow. ohh if they only knew what wonders i could muster in the endless caverns of my youthful mind.
my parents agreed with me in middle school when I told them that i genuinely had a difficult time forcing my mind not to drift when hearing or reading instructions… well i’m not much of an oral learner anyway, much more visual/physical learner. anyway…
just a side note, i feel that a LARGE part of the problem with this ADHD "epidemic" is that instead of just recognizing that there is a whole generation(s) of people who learn just as well, but so differently that the current educational system is simply not designed to account for them, and the result may be that it is harder for them to take that forced learning path and they may be slower than most of the class, but they are not less intelligent. someone pointed out earlier that people with ADHD typically have higher IQs and are more creative and inventive, having the ability (usually the tendency) to think outside the "box". I agree with whoever said earlier (wow i guess it was WAY earlier like 2 years ago earlier… thats cool) that everyone should research Einstein’s early life and his struggles to fit into (be confined by) the public school’s teaching style. hey i’m not saying all us ADD/ADHD’ers are little Einsteins but it proves a point.
let me try to rephrase a bit. the only reason i was frustrated by my ADHD was not because i perceived any personal comprehension problem, but because of the way i couldn’t meet the expectations set out for me. I couldn’t follow the ONE and ONLY official path to intellectual enlightenment. Instead of having uniqueness and individuality celebrated as part of the miracle of diversity of life, i was forced to assimilate and eventually fully convert to the mainstream "normal" teaching/learning style. but ultimately it’s like calling Picasso dumb because he couldn’t do algebra, when clearly there are multiple forms of intelligences.
ok bear with me while i try an analogy
keep in mind the subjects were chosen arbitrarily
it’s like you are a science major, that’s what you love. you eat, breath, live science. and everywhere you look you see science. It comes so naturally you think in terms of science and you know science way better than most other kids your age. but then you go to school and all they test is English. All the other kids are great at english. and even though you know in your heart you are better at science than all of them, you are still the one who fails, you are still the one held back, made fun of, and still the one with an IEP. when this whole problem could be solved if there were just two (or more) schools and one taught in the "english" style and the other in the "science" style, and so fourth. I am sorry this analogy didn’t come out as good as i had hoped it would, but you understand the point
in an environment geared towards ADHD learning styles, students who would "fail" in traditional public schools, would be allowed to thrive and learn their own way, at their own pace.
what i am saying is that if i could do it again i wouldn’t wish i had started ADHD medication during childhood/Grammer School, but rather, i would have wanted to attend a creative super-stimulating learning environment where i would not be judged on how closely i resemble the "ideal student" in behavior, testing, attention and so fourth. A place where i would be surrounded by teachers who know how i learn and how i think, and students who empathize with my struggles in an outdated, homogenized, confining environment which is our public school. but hey i can’t make generalizations about other ADHD children’s childhood experiences with education. Classroom dynamics have changed a lot since i last taped "Maya" to my cubby.
it’s like, if the goal is education, because that’s what it’s really all about (i know this is quite idealistic, disregarding demands for employment marketability and such), than it’s not like children with ADHD can’t learn, or even that they can’t learn fast, they just need to be taught differently.
ok ok ok i’ll stop ranting about non-adderall related issues. it’s just my mother’s been a teacher since i was young and the trend is that IEP students or "coded" students, as they are sometimes called, are beginning to outnumber the so called "normal" students. Out of 18 total students in my mother’s 2′nd grade class, 11 of them have IEPs. Sorry that’s "Individual Education Plan" for those who don’t know. I feel overwhelmingly grateful that my mother encouraged me to embrace my learning style and go with it, i learned to focus my energy on things i excelled at and basically worked my ass off for everything else.
anyway so having said that i understand that this idea of ignoring the mainstream learning approach will only get you so far and then at some point you are going to be in a high-school class writing a paper about Philo T.Farnsworth’s invention, the same day presenting on Germany’s post WWII economy, which happens to be right before a pop spanish quiz that you honestly tried to study for, but will inevitably fail. so basically what i was trying to say is that for younger aged "children" we should embrace their unique, high-energy, crazy, creative ways instead of prescribing them drugs which heavily tax their growing minds and bodies, resulting in stunted development, when they aren’t even old enough to conceptualize, let alone agree to life/mind-changing medication treatments. now i guess i don’t want to get into where exactly i see that line or distinction between a child and someone in high-school for example, who is SUFFERING, honestly suffering from a debilitating mental disorder. but hey, this is just my opinion… and i know many others are glad they started ADHD medication as children, and many more wish they had.
now i always managed to get A’s and B’s but i noticed that as i advanced grades, the difficulty of achieving those marks increased exponentially, to the point that by the time i was in high school i was nearly being driven mad with my inability to control my mind enough to stop daydreaming for 5 minuets and listen to the assignment. I never got tested for ADHD in High school, although i wanted to so badly because i knew i had ADHD, and i knew i would benefit from medication. but i was one of those kids who didn’t like being an inconvenience to others even if it’s at my own expense, so i never pursued the idea. the funny thing (and seemingly contradictory thing) is that when i got into working on something that i was passionate about, it would consume me wholly and completely, leaving the rest of the world behind, allowing me to devote great periods of uninterrupted time, disregarding breaks and meals altogether. this was one reason i thought maybe i didn’t have ADHD, because i had that incredibly ability to become hyper-focused and produce incredible works of progress, with an ever-perfecting energy and creativity, rivaled only by my fellow ADHD’ers. not to toot my own horn, but hey i had to make up for my other areas when i was barely scraping by.
but the point is i struggled the whole time knowing that if i were competing on a level playground with all the other classmates, they wouldn’t be so far ahead of me, ya know! but alas, i did not hit rock bottom and seek help until the second semester of my freshman year of college. After nearly going crazy the first semester, trying to crank through the dictionary sized textbooks required for my Physics major (which were actually easier for me to get through than a novel because they actively engage with me) i had finally had enough. I could sense my academic world slipping apart and my feelings of utter self-frustration were paralyzing. The A’s i got the semester before seemed so far away and all i could see in my mind’s eye, were "F"s. I had a mental breakdown. I eventually stopped going to class and i immersed myself in my daily fantasies, utterly removing myself from the frightening reality of academic failure i had created for myself. I would just lay in bed all day, paralyzed by the fear of the reality of the consequences. my back had finally been broken by that last straw and i no longer believed in my ability to be academically successful, and i had long ago lost the childhood overconfidence i had in my creative use of ingenuity to save the day.
Although i don’t like to emphasize the importance of grades, because i think it’s far more important that you actually expand your mind and acquire knowledge, I have gotten many A’s where i couldn’t now tell you anything we went over. and i have had classes where i failed and i will never forget the life-changing things i learned in that class. now with that little disclaimer said… i still felt ENORMOUS pressure to not just academically succeed, but dominate. my oldest sister was the top student of her class of 350 and both sisters went on to graduate from ivy league colleges with 3.94 and 3.97 GPA’s. So i had some pretty big shoes to fill. the problem is they weren’t "blessed" with my "gift" of ADHD, so while they can plop down and fly through a novel during dinner, i could count on one hand the number of books i had read (completed) in my life.
so the point is i was out and done with school… yet after taking a year off, my thirst for knowledge, coupled with the boredom of a stagnant life, drove me back to college, but this time i brought backup. i made an appointment with my Dr. and explained how i’ve felt my entire life, and after he determined my diagnosis of ADHD i got a prescription for Concerta. now the reason he started me off with concerta is because i told him that one time back in college i had taken my roommates concerta and it was mentally the best day i’ve ever had at school. i told him i finally knew how everyone else felt when they could listen to a professor speak and then without using too much effort, continue to listen and actually take it all in. i remembered everything perfectly, not that it was necessary with the verbatim notes i frantically scribbled, complete with diagrams and my own personal side commentary reflecting my thoughts on these new things i was learning. My roommates concerta that i took was 36mg and, being my first time taking any stimulant stronger than a coke (yeah i hadn’t even had a coffee) i defiantly noticed a lot of side effects. i was basically on fire all day, and Concerta is a time release formula which works for almost exactly 12hours. so, hey just in time to get to bed… supposedly.
So, unfortunately since that time my mind has shattered and i have slowly reconstructed it, leaving an imperfect remnant of a once efficient storage and comprehension machine. in other words i now have a lot of things i can’t remember, one being why my Dr. decided to start me off at (yeah that’s right START me off at) 54mg of Concerta, which was not the type of amount that my 135lbs could handle every day without some seriously strong effects. but that’s ok because i guess with my personality type (enjoying non-sober states of mind), i didn’t mind the few negative side effects (including jaw clenching, minor shakiness, compulsive skin picking etc. for the amazing mental clarity i felt.
i can honestly say that when i started methylphenidate, i felt like i was fully awake for the first time in my life. the greatest effect for me was that it forced me to be super-present, and always in the moment. so i never day-dreamt, which had up until then become the standard mental process for me during most of my days. i now had the ability to focus and remember where i put stuff, and what i was going to do when i walked into a room (which used to be hard for me).
so things were going great there for me for a while, but little did i know that due to previous traumatic events in my life and a predisposition for psychosis, i was playing with fire taking such a high dose of amphetamines which have been proven to trigger psychosis in some individuals (like… me for instance…).
so basically this is how it happened for me the first time. i woke up and took my "wonder pill" as usual. and after about 30 mn. or so i started to feel the effects and shortly there after i was buzzing all day, feeling on top of the world. now this particular day i went over to one of my hippie friend’s house and proceeded to smoke some marijuana (just out of a pipe, no gravity bongs or anything crazy). and mind you i smoked probably 3 moderate intensity hits (as i had done countless times previously in my life). now i should preface this by saying that i have had times in my life when i smoked at least once a day, every day, and times in my life when i would go 6 months to a year between smoking pot. just for reference i started smoking marijuana when i was 14. so anyway this was the first time i smoked after i had started taking the amphetamines.
well anyone who’s got a decent amount of experience with smoking pot knows that at least once or twice (usually more for people like me) you get a little bit paranoid when you get high, sometimes depending on the quality/type of bud. now usually this is something that can be handled with a bag of chips and a good comedy. but anyway the point is, immediately as i started to feel the effects of the high, i started to become incredibly paranoid. like BEYOND paranoid. I later read of the many conflicting studies which have shown links between marijuana use and psychosis (i must emphasize this is not a causal relationship but merely a correlation). well this seemed to ring true to me because the combination of marijuana and amphetamines triggered a psychotic episode with me.
basically my paranoia developed beyond the normal fears of getting caught or whatever normal high paranoia is. and it turned into a completely debilitating delusion where i became convinced that everyone and everything in my life was part of a government’s/alien power’s experiment on me. i was ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED that my friend, a best friend since we were 5 years old, was working for this "big brother" type power and he had been lying to me my entire life. i started to overanalyze every thing he said and i would read into his slightest mannerisms or bodily gestures, concluding that he was in fact acting all along. i felt that i was finally able to see the truth.
this evolved to an overwhelming sense that "they" (whoever was behind this whole thing) could read my mind and thoughts… and they knew i was on to them.
i sat there in complete silence, looking simply high on the outside, while my mind raced conspiracy theories.
my friend turned on the TV and i felt that the actors on the show were sending me signals and making references to things that only I knew… everything i saw or heard or noticed overwhelmingly confirmed my delusion.
basically i was living the "Truman Show", but instead of an innocent show about my life, i thought that the government (or aliens or whoever was controlling this) was testing and experimenting on me. and that every thing that happened in my life was just an experiment to prove or disprove their hypothesis… or to see how i would react to certain "life events". i was absolutely convinced that i had a tracking devise implanted in my right ear and i felt incredibly compelled to cut off my ear…
i started overanalyzing past events in my life, specifically traumatic events, concluding that these were all intentionally induced the was a lab rat is injected with cancer to "see what happens". I started realizing that these people who are in control of all this have created me, starting with a clone of Hitler, and introducing all these thoughts and feelings which conflicted with my conservative mormon upbringing… again all part of the experiment.
my heart raced along side my mind, and as the minuets added up so did my theories/delusions. i did not have any significant visual hallucinations that time, but i started hearing noises that didn’t really exist external from my mind. Eventually i heard people having conversations in my head… but they were talking off in the background… like they weren’t talking to me, it was just like i was overhearing them talk amongst themselves.
this continued for hours, leaving me speechless and paralyzed. i just sat there, eyes darting, mind racing, heart pounding, jaw clenched, while my hippie friend munched nonchalantly on junk-food… Eventually i couldn’t take it any longer and i told my friend i was going home… driving home was indescribably frightening. every car on the road worked for them… they were all staring at me… trying to maintain their characters… when i got home i immediately unplugged my computer and telephones and locked myself in my room alone, where i remained until after hours of full speed mental thought, my mind collapsed into sleep. i awoke sober and non-psychotic.
This was just the first of many experiences like this. i did not make the connection at first that it was the amphetamines that changed weed’s effect on me. i thought i just became allergic to marijuana or something, but i kept smoking anyway, hoping each one would be the last one.
another time i smoked to "chill out" and ended up convinced i needed to kill both of my dogs in order to save them. now i LOVE my dogs… they sleep in my bed with me every night and we bond so much i feel like we know each-other more than me and some of my friends… but i became completely convinced that the only way to "save" my dogs was to kill them both….
i kept telling myself once i sobered up that it would never happen again and "this time" i smoke it’ll be fine…. but it got worse and worse and i started hallucinating that everyone in my life was following me/after me, and that they would talk to each other with hidden radio communicators in their ears… i started memorizing the plates and makes of every car around me when i drove and then later in the day i would see if any of them had returned to "follow" me. the sad part is i would always see one that would follow me all day. once again i became convinced that i had to kill, only this time i became convinced that the only way for me to save my brother was to kill him, and kill his best friend too…
now it’s scary as hell to have these paranoid delusional thoughts take over your mind… but i can’t even tell you how F***ing scary it is when you’re staring at your loved ones sleeping and every inch of your body and mind is telling you to stab them and kill them in order to make things "perfect" with them and save them from the system.
these episodes initially were triggered by the amphetamines and marijuana combination, but eventually they took over my entire mind and i had complete psychosis which i cannot fully recall, but resulted in a failed suicide attempt, hospitalization for 10 days in a state psychiatric ward, a gut pumped full of anti-psychotics, and one humiliating arrest.
i now stay packed full of a hefty amount of anti-psychotics (Risperidone 8mg daily) and besides one relapse (when i decided to take myself off my anti-psychotic because i didn’t like how it limited my ability to think abstractly–bad idea, resulting in another hospital stay) i’m totally psychosis-free!!!
anyway i am terribly sorry that this is so long-winded but i wanted to include my entire history with amphetamines and how they changed my life forever. after a year or so break from the amphetamine Methylphenidate from Concerta, i recently started Adderall XR and i clicked on this sight to read up about it and see what to expect. so far i haven’t experienced any psychotic symptoms at all, but i just wanted to present this record as a warning to anyone who has a predisposition for psychosis (as in family members with schizophrenia, severe bipolar disorder etc) or who has experienced intense trauma in their lives, BE CAREFUL AND IF YOU START TO EXPERIENCE ANY SYMPTOMS OF HALLUCINATIONS, DELUSIONS, PARANOIA, or basically any derangement of personality or loss of contact with reality causing deterioration of normal social/mental functioning, THAN STOP IMMEDIATELY, AND TELL YOU PSYCHIATRIST/THERAPIST IMMEDIATELY!!!
anyway i hope no one else ever has to go through the truly CRAZY experience and i wish good luck to you all and thanks for reading my obnoxiously long post!
-Maya
December 6th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
My son has ADHD (which is very common in my family) and was on Concerta (36 mg) for almost a year. Over the course of about a month, his medication seemed to lose the desired effect. His schoolwork began to suffer, along with his behavior and overall volume. I spoke with his doctor and she switched him to 20 mg of Focalin (whatever the extended release is). We tried that for a month with no change in his symptoms. His schoolwork has continued to deteriorate and he is beyond excitable. He’s comparable to the way he was before he began taking medication. I spoke to the nurses when I was getting his prescription this month, and they decided to give him a different prescription. He was prescribed 30 mg of Adderall XR. He’s 8 years old. I had a lot of difficulty with my insurance when I went to pick it up, which threw up a red flag for me. I had a bad feeling about it all the way home. So, I get online and do some research, only to find such horrible posts and websites based on the deaths and hazardous side effects of Adderall.
My husband and I have discussed it and decided not to put him on the Adderall. They say that it’s only a problem if there is a pre-existing heart condition, but being 8, he’s never been really tested for anything. His father has aneurysms, so that’s enough to scare me. I can see that it’s time to find a new doctor for my son. I just can’t believe that she didn’t even speak to me at all about this medication. No one at the office or the pharmacy did. I wasn’t warned about anything other than the little information sheet they automatically give you at the pharmacist.
December 10th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
i am wondering exactly wahtside effects you are refering to, because the most serious potential problems with Adderall XR are the same as Concerta and if you were giving an 8 year old 36mg of concerta for a year (ps this is CRAZY you must have a nutty doctor) he has probably already been damaged/developted a tollerance to or even an addiction to amphetamines.
carefull
i’d recomend using the chinese "Ma Huang" look it up. it’s basically herbal ADD medicine.
December 11th, 2007 at 2:22 am
I’ve been taking adderall to study for several years and am still trying to figure out if it’s possible to avoid the crash. I’ve heard advice about vitamin C and eating despite a lack of appetite but I was wondering if anyone has found any techniques that make the crash bearable.
My gut tells me that the crash can never made truly painless by simply keeping food in your stomach.
Anybody figure out any good methods for this?
December 14th, 2007 at 11:22 am
I notice the crash only if i have taken adderall at night and stayed up studying or something. then the next day i take another to keep myself alert after an all-nighter then that night i crash. but if i just take one in the morning I’m usually ready to sleep when i "crash" so it’s not a problem. i haven’t heard that food alleviates this crash but good luck!
January 6th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Wow this place is chock full of gross misinformation, hopeless addicts blaming Adderall for their many addictions and mental issues, Jesus Freaks trying to "save" people, and hovering moms exhibiting Münchhausen’s Syndrome by proxy. .
It’s just a freaking chemical compound, people. Do some research (outside this sad, misguided thread), and take some damn responsibility for your own actions. Many of the same whiny complaints I see here you could just as easily make about chocolate.
January 6th, 2008 at 7:53 am
To be clear, I’m referring to certain delusional posts in the comments, and not the parent blog, or this site in general. The better-informed posters are spot-on, as well.
January 9th, 2008 at 4:51 am
Adderall addiction doesn’t only effect people with previous drug problems. I personally am 21 years old, have been taking adderall exactly as prescribed for over a year, and am in misery thanks to it. Mind you, I’ve never had drug issues in the past nor have I used them. Additionally, I’m not someone with an addictive personality. Adderall has truly ruined my life and though that is ultimately may be my fault, I would have been just fine if only I had known how awful this supposed "miracle" drug really was.
Taking adderall, no matter your self discipline, is not a good idea. I was always acknowledged for being a strong person, and now I’m a lethargic zombie who can hardly function without my daily pill.
I have a friend who has taken adderall even longer than I have. He’s screwed too.
We were awesome people with good heads on our shoulders, now, we’re merely a waste of oxygen.
I speak from experience. I speak the truth. If you think about taking adderall after reading all of the negative side effects, you’re an ignorant fool. Theres a small chance you may not end up like me, but it’s not worth the gamble, that is, unless your in the mood to suffer endlessly. You’re better safe than sorry.
I’m half alive, but I feel mostly dead. I used to be beautiful. I used to be fun. I used to have fun. Now, I’m losing intelligence with each day, and my face is full of zits. I don’t care about myself. I’m depressed- and to think, I always was the definition of happiness to my friends and family.
I used to preach of anti-suicide. My favorite quote was "suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem." Guess who attempted suicide and constantly considers it now that adderall has completely adjusted her once sane mentality? That’s right. I have. I’m a different person. I’m not well. And the cure is a state of depression and lethargy that could last years.
I want to stop taking adderall. I want to sue the hell out of the manufacturers. I want to find alternatives to ADD and promote them and inform people on the negative effects which are literally life crushing. But- I won’t, because I can’t. I’m too sick. Adderall has ruined my immune system and isn’t being at all lenient on the rest of my body.
If you are considering taking adderall, consider yourself LUCKY that you made the decision to become informed and think it out prior to beginning your perscription. You’re lucky to be able to say NO. It’s hard from an outsiders perspective. It’s hard to understand how the severity of the addiction having not taken the drug. But, trust me, once you pop- you just can’t stop, unless your superman. And if you do have super powers or some amazing cure- you can’t escape the brain and organ damage nor the inability to stay awake.
I REPEAT. IT DOESN’T TAKE AN ABUSER TO BECOME ADDICTED TO ADDERALL. YOU CANNOT ESCAPE IT.
If you chose to use this drug, you might as well sign over your life and your soul before you start, because ultimately, it will ruin you.
I’m sharing this with you in a completely selfless way with the hopes of preventing someone else from unintentionally falling into the most deceiving trap of their life.
I’ve neglected a ton of advice in my life due to my desire to "see for myself," but I wish more than anything that someone would have warned me. YOU’VE BEEN WARNED.
Please, feel free to e-mail me.
emlaincz@comcast.net
January 9th, 2008 at 5:20 am
Maya! Don’t do it! You’ve come so far. You’re so fortunate. Don’t take the adderall, its going to be sooo much wores than the initial psychosis ultimately. I’m CERTAIN. You sound so smart and you’re amphetamine free- don’t sumbit yourself to adderall of all drugs. It’s the devil.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
i need some help….if i take adderall xr 20mg at 8 am. when can i have a glass of freaking orange juice…i’m really not sure if i can’t have any vitamin c or just when i’m taking the medication….pissed at my doctor wasn’t more specific.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:55 am
Greg, if your doctor didn’t answer your questions, you should call the store where you got your prescription, and ask to speak to a pharmacist. They should be able to answer all your questions about the meds. Pharmacists actually have to go through more school than doctors do, so they’ll know the answers.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
I have been voraciously reading these entries. the majority of them basically claim this drug to be really detrimental
But how many of these people take more than they should, have a prexisting drug problem
or administer it incorrectly(i.e. SNORTING).
Its that simple, take it as recomende and you won’t be screwed up. this isnt a party drug. I take 30mg daily
and experience really minimal side affects other than loss of appetite, though i still maintain eating well.
This drug can be very beneficial to those who need it if they take it properly and in moderation.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
reality check, you said it perfectly. Thanks.
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:46 pm
I posted last September 23, 2007 (post #135), but haven’t seen any replies or acknowledgment of my concerns. My post was about having lotsa PHYSICAL energy, but still not wanting to actually SIT STILL and read something. Any suggestions?
March 6th, 2008 at 11:47 am
I have had similar problems with adderall as emily posted, except i took it only as directed and any changes i cleared with my doctor~it just burned out my neurotransmitters and so i stopped taking it, gained tons of weight because i also quit smoking at the same time…just decided to quit everything, but the adderall, the drug that once gave me great clarity and focus…i know that is what destroyed me.
i am looking for healing from mother earth’s natural remedies to bring my brain back. there must be something that can help put my brain back into natural function. i was never great, but i was better than this before i started taking that stuff!!
March 9th, 2008 at 1:43 am
Originally, my mom forced me to take Welbutrin in 6th grade. I didn’t want to take it but I wasn’t paying attention in school because I had “ADD” a made up disease to put the blame of lack of interest in school on the child when really its due to an out dated, boring education system. Anyways, I had horrible stomach problems and became extremely depressed. Welbutrin caused so much stomach pain that I eventually switched to adderall. Now Im half way through college and I take so much adderall im scared im going to die. I take like 90 mg a day some times ill take 90 mg of adderrall xr and like 30 or/and 50 mg of vyvanse (which is supposedly the newer form of adderroll that goes through your digestive system instead of into your blood stream, but i dont think it works) Anyways Im 5″7 146 lbs and am a 20 yr old girl. I never sleep. Ive gone 4 days without sleeping before. I usually dont sleep but 5 hours. Ive started fainting alot and bruising easily and I think its actually making me have visual and audio hallucinations now. Im literally going crazy. I got addicted to it in high school because Ive always had a weight problem and I realized if i took it I would loose weight. Now I depend on it. What pisses me off is that I was force fed adderall for 6 years of my life and told that I was the one with the focus problem, rather than teach me to sit still, they took an easier way out and now im addicted to adderall and will probably die of an overdose. Maybe Im overreacting, because my brother said that when he was in college he took so much adderall to focus, that he’d actually throw it up. My body has never rejected adderrall, and I get alot done nowadays, and when I don’t take it, I sleep all day and eat and fail all my classes, 30 mg just doesnt seem to be enough for me, I just think that Ive taken it for so long that ive formed a tolerance for it. I dont ever talk about how much adderaall i take with anyone, Im just starting to get scared because I hear people talking about how they take like two 20 mg of adderall a day and thats like a big deal. I take like 80 or 90 mg a day and dont even think twice about it…. This may be a dumb queston, but do I have a problem?
March 11th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Two nights ago I went on an Adderall binge and took 850mg in one 24 hour period. It was one hell of a ride. I still haven’t slept in 48 hours. I am so stupid because I also have a heart defect. I would never ever recommend what I did to anyone! It’s stupid and I’ll never do it again!
March 30th, 2008 at 12:32 am
I’m a female, age 36, lifetime ADHD. Never treated until this year.
Each morning, I take 15 mg quick acting Adderall. Within 20 minutes I’m focused, alert yet calm. No more lack of concentration. Zero anxiety, scattered thoughts, depression, agoraphobia, etc. Works all day.
Even though I have to force myself to eat three meals (healthy stuff like fish, chicken, brown rice, fruit, veggies, soy milk, cheese), I’ve actually gained weight from 110 lbs to 115 lbs since starting Adderall. For the record I am 5’6.
I’ve used both the Adderall and some behavioral modifications to the best of my advantage. Scheduling, scheduling, scheduling. Lists help as much as the medication. I can get my work done, pay bills, read and remember, get out of the house for social events, visit the gym 5 times a week for a walk on the treadmill or dance classes. It’s saved my life.
Creativity and libido are low, but I hope that will vanish, much as the initial dry mouth did. No other side effects so far.
It pains me to read all these posts regarding people abusing this drug — snorting it, buying/borrowing/acquiring it without prescription, overdosing — some of us really (REALLY) need it to function normally. You are making it harder and harder for us legitimates to get our meds refilled from our Doctors.
When you NEED it for ADHD and take an Adderall, you feel calm and focused. Not any sort of euphoric high or speed trip experience. If you are using it for the latter, you shouldn’t be taking it at all. You should be looking into rehab.
April 5th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Hi everybody! Being an “ADDer” myself I stumbled across this blog. First, I have to say that I am fascinated with the wide spectrum of commentary. I am pleased to know that the ADD world is so diverse.
Second, I am impressed with the amount of judgmental remarks regarding meds, addicts, grammer, etc. I am afraid to write anything out of fear of being labeled as an idiot. A bit ironic considering the fact that most people diagnosed with ADD spend a good majority of his or her life convinced that he or she is stupid. The Good news? I got nothing to lose.
Ok so Before you think I am just another phony hippy trying to rid the internet of negative energy, hear me out. I am all for freedom of speech and I genuinely value the opinion of others, but I am a bit disappointed that my fellow ADDers are so focused on meds, (I too struggle to find the perfect remedy) they seem to have forgotten why they were diagnosed in the first place.
More so then not we ADDer’s are creative, smart, empathetic individuals who get overwhelmed by a poorly structured system. I am not attacking society and I am certainly not trying to play victim. It is what it is, life happens, but don’t sell yourself short by thinking that without meds your a waste of life. Be proud to be different. Remember who you are. I know I may be accused of being a flake or simply unrealistic but I too struggle on a daily basis to keep up with the rest of the world. At 24 I still fall victim to feeling stupid,frustrated, and even envious of those who just seem to get “it”. ADD or not in the grand scheme of life everyone is just as clueless as the next guy.
Let go of unrealistic expectations, have compassion and empathy for everyone (ok start with a low number and work your way up), and do not give up on yourself. I know it is not easy, and even with the ongoing debate of whether or not ADD exists the fact is for some reason the society we live in has yet to conform to the ADD brain. I like to think that we as the “abnormal” breed are actually a step ahead instead of a step behind. I mean lets face it those of us who are diagnosed along with the infinite number of people out there who could be diagnosed usually know how to have a damn good time…even though we may not make it on time…or remember to even go…details, details.
I don’t mean to be dramatic. But it’s true. It makes me sad to see so many people say that after the first time they took meds was their first glimpse at what it feels like to be normal. I don’t know much, but I do know that that way of existing is just too exhausting. There are nooks out there for brains like ours, they’re just a little more challenging to find, that’s all.
I don’t have a lot of advice to give on the whole med topic, except to each his own. I go back and forth on where I stand with ADD meds. I know without them I’m happier and well I guess thats what matters. But I still keep refilling the empty bottle. Morally I say flush them, practically I say keep them. I apologize for the long post, I read in previous posts that some people get annoyed with wordy bloggers. I’m guessin most of them are written right after a fresh dose of adderall. Just so you know this post is med free which is why it is full of grammer and spelling errors. Think I just spelled grammer wrong.
One last thought: Personally, I wish that more (didn’t say all) doctor’s would push yoga, good health, and other options like moving to a different continent, before handing over a script. It’s amazing how a little piece of paper can have such a huge role in changing the quality of a human life.
April 6th, 2008 at 12:35 am
With Care it is people like you who get under my skin. You just got on the damn drug so who the fuck are you to say you don’t understand how some get addicted. I started the DANGEROUS meds six years ago when my parents forced me on them. My shitty doc started my on 60mg a day, way too high. Before I knew it I was popping pills and not realizing I was addicted. DRUGS are dangerous. I hope your life is fucking torn apart a few years down the road. I HAVE BEEN ON THIS DRUG SIX YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A CIGARETTE. I BARELY EVEN DRINK!!! I WORKOUT FIVE DAYS A WEEK. TODAY MY GRADES ARE WORSE THAN THEY WERE WHEN BEGINNING THE MEDS. HERE IS SOME ADVICE: GET OFF THE MEDS BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. IN TIME THE DOSAGE WILL BE UPPED BECAUSE YOU WILL BECOME TOLERANT. USE YOUR BRAIN!
April 12th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
taking this is comparable to doing some meth every day and all you talk about it’s “greatness” everything in moderation…
April 17th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Oh yes, I remember having the exact same “pro-Adderall” stance and cheer as “WITH CARE” has in my first few months of taking Adderall. Yes, it did help me and does still help me to a certain extent, but I notice it has now warped into having other types of reactions and less than positive side effects..I am 34 years old, on 30mg/day and have been on it for 2 years now.The side effects seem to change as time goes on and the cons are really starting to outweigh the pros..and I don’t like it because I know it’s time to fess up and to say goodbye to Adderall….I admit that I am now dependent on it which really sucks because I know the uphill battle that I am about to face with going off of it.
As SUZANNE says I too will clean, clean, clean the shower for an hour and a half or I will get stuck into organizing my receipts by date order..
I have noticed the side effects have now taken a new direction..which I am pissed about because I really love my Adderall..my teeth have started to shift, I have killer headaches and my jaw got misaligned because I have now started to grind and clench my teeth at night – all of which I never did in my entire life…My dentist had to fit me for a nightguard and reshape my teeth because my “bite” was off… I don’t know if it’s from Adderall but I know that it probably is…I don’t tell my dentist this..he doesn’t know I am on it…So yeah although it has helped me a great deal the bottom line is, you have to be strong enough to know when it’s time to say goodbye to Adderall because there will come a day when you will have to..I firmly believe that everyone will see that day, as long as you prepare yourself for it along the way you may be okay.
May 13th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
I’ve been taking the generic for Adderall for about 5 years. My prescription is for 30mg up to 6 times a day (so 180mg a day). Two months ago I was diagnosed with heart failure, with my heart only pumping 15%. I’m out of breath just walking up a few steps, have to sleep sitting up because I gasp for air if I lie down, and feel like vomiting just loading my car with groceries (due to the enlarged heart). I have two little boys and I’m afraid I’m going to die. I’ve gone through test after test, doctors, cardiologists and heart failure specialists and, two months later, I still don’t know what my future will hold. No one told me this would destroy my heart. No one told me my two little boys might grow up without their mom. No one told me I could die. Until now.
May 25th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
I was on Adderall since I was 12 years of age. I am now 21. My experience overall taking this drug has had a lot of positive effects on me, as a person. However getting to this state of positivity has taken the whole course of these 10 years. I was started on 5 miligrams, then got raised to 10, then 20, then to 30, and then all of a sudden my dosage shot up to 60MG….I am not going to lie to any of you, my skills at writing poetry and lyrics were almost prodigy like during these times. I lost a lot of weight ( I was also regularly jogging enhancing that weight loss) I thought life was going well for me.
Well it was for a little while. Out of most of those 10 years though, my personality was that of a mindless conservative poetic zombie that would focus on nothing other than politics and poetry. To simpily cut to the chase, I have tried 2 times to get off adderall. The first time was the summer time of 03 when my mom made me quit cold turkey. I will tell you that was FUCKING HELL! Eventually I got back on it, but at 30 MG. The 2nd time was the summer of 05 and once again this period was like hell for me. so then I went down to 15 and 15 felt great. So then for almost a year and half i was taking 15 MG and then it occured to me, as my insurance was cancelled, instead of taking 15 I should only take 5 (cutting my 15′s in half and doubling the 30 pills to 60) it took awhile to get adjusted to, but when I knocked my dosage down to 5 I realized that there were some days where I ACTUALLY FORGOT to take my adderall because I felt as if I didnt need it….so here we almost in June of 08 and……I am ready to begin life without adderall. It is going to be a test, but I think I can manage it for awhile, and if worse goes for worst I will go back on adderall only to 10MG and stay on the current and RIGHT dosage for me. To those of you who are taking 250 260 MG of adderall….I think you are out of your minds and you need serious help. To those of you who want a smooth way to get off, cut your dosages in half.
June 25th, 2008 at 5:16 am
hi does anyone know what 60mg of adderall would be in strattera please email me if you know at kittykill840@netscape.net
July 8th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
jake: You’re joking, right? There’s no exchange rate for drug dosages. It’ll be different for everyone. Some drugs work better for some people, and side effects (including the dangerous ones) vary tremendously from person to person. That’s why there’s more than one drug, you see.
The real question is, why aren’t you following your prescription?
August 15th, 2008 at 8:56 am
hi im a 17 year old boy and iam starting to take adderall once school begins i used to take adderall last school year but only for 4 months the doctor started me on 30 mg i took one everyday for the remaining 4 months of school i could honestly say it helped my school life and improved it also but it also had its moments at times in class i would get annoyed easily by classmates some examples are if classmates where to ask dumb questions or get up and sharpen a pencil it just annoyed the hell out of me at times i would think that its the only way to pass my grades well the summer started and i stoped taking them i didnt have any urgues to take them except for school i see no other reason to take them is this safe??
August 16th, 2008 at 6:46 am
Jesse, what you describe doesn’t sound unsafe in any way. But if you start Adderall again in the fall, be sure to talk to your doctor about it first. That easily-annoyed thing might mean the dosage is wrong, or it might be side effects that will go away over time, or it might even mean Adderall isn’t the right med for you. It’s your doctor’s job to help you figure that out.
August 18th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Great thread. I’m 20, female, 5’9, 110lbs. My doctor recently prescribed D-amphetamine salt combo 10MG tablet (generic adderall), to take twice a day=20mg a day. 3 days, barely sleeping, barely eating, drinking wine to to go sleep. 4th day, pulse was about 160 AT REST for 30 mins or so. So I went down to 10mg a day, just 1 pill at noon. It’s barely doing anything. My doc’s out of town, so I spoke to one nurse who told me she’d write me a script for 5mg tabs, taken 3x a day=15mg a day. I called back, and another nurse told me I can just cut pills in half, take 10mg at 11am, then 5mg no later than 4. main question: CAN I CUT THIS TABLET IN HALF????
Thanks in advance for all replies…I can’t believe there are ppl out there who are still alive on over 60mgs a day! I nearly had a heart attack on 20
( Otherwise I love it, i want to start this 15mg thing tmrw, so please respond, bc i don’t trust my nurses lol
August 18th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
came to mind to call a pharmacist! lol…to answer the question in case anyone was wondering…YES, IF IT IS A TABLET, NOT A CAPSULE, YOU CAN CUT IT IN HALF. hooray! forgot to mention that when my pulse shot up, i had a green tea “drink” with chromium in it, which just maaaaay have had something to do with it.
basically, if you are suffering from a disease called “stupidity,” stay off this drug!!
)) if anything bad happens on 15mg and no caffeine, I’ll let you guys know…
PS, It’s likely if there are any responses to my situation, my weight will come up…I’m not pickling my health or anything, been thin all my life, so these effects aren’t a product of over exercising or anorexia. Though obviously weight has a lot to do with the effect of the drug!
August 31st, 2008 at 8:35 pm
for the idiot who said kids are just hyper. try doing a little more research.
when the normal pattern for your infant child is to stay awake for more than 30 hours, only
sleeps for 4 or 5 hrs then is awake for another 30 or more it may be a sign your kid is
hyperactive.
there’s a HUGE difference between healthy energetic children and hyperactivity. you apparently
don’t know the difference.
i’m 5″8′ and weigh around 150lbs. i take 140mg a day and have for over 6 months,
obvioulsy not lethal, plus 60mg of wellburtin
now, can anyone tell me if they’ve been able to find any real information about
lethal amounts of adderall?
September 30th, 2008 at 3:54 am
It’s a shame that so many irresponsible individuals are on Adderall. I’m no math whiz but a large majority of the negative feedback on this page, some obviously fictional, others terribly exaggerated (no doubt typed while on the drug) because like any potentially habit-forming stimulant, if used correctly and responsibly, you might actually discover the beneficial attributes of it.
Most of these posts are tattered walls of text cranked out by kids who are “speeding” on the stuff or (the exact opposite,) are non-prescribed addicts going through withdrawal that choose to smear their misery with livejournal-like contributions to this board saying how it ruined their lives in terrible ways. I’m not calling everyone who has had bad experiences liars, but I am going to insist that current users as well as potential or soon-to-be users consider a few simple concepts:
1) “Addy” is prescribed for a variety of reasons, from disease to depression, ADHD to narcolepsy. Those who aren’t in a condition congruent with a medicinal use for it are basically taking speed, and are suffering very similar effects as a result.
2) Addy isn’t meant to be a permanent solution to your life. See above regarding the term “responsible.” Amphetamines when taken as a regimen are supposed to build a tolerance in the user’s body chemistry, thus modifying the effects as your body becomes used to it. Acting like a surprised victim only proves your stupidity, and that you probably didn’t read the (required by law) documentation that is included with every refill.
3) (to heather, the above poster) there is no standardized “lethal dosage” since dead people cannot access the internet and provide that information, and everyone’s body metabolizes the drug differently. Add the factor of pre-existing heart problems, possible allergic reactions, or family histories of irregularities of the heart and you’ll be asking yourself that question forever. And not to pry or seem offensive, but are you sure you don’t have the two drugs/dosages reversed? Wellbutrin usually exists in 100 to 300mg doses, whereas 140mg of Addy would at the least require you to ingest four 30mg doses during the day.
4) Recreational users (most of this board) will find that it will elevate you to the clouds then decay your life away as your unqualified body chemistry pines for more speed.
I speak from experience. I was on it for 3 years for severe depression and “grief-induced ADHD” which began with one 20mg XR capsule during the day, and ending with a 20mg IR just to get up in the morning, a 30mg XR around noon, another 30mg XR in the evening, and an “as needed” 20mg IR if I had the desire to go out, thus tolerance and dependence of the stuff was always growing. When I started I did my homework on the drug, experimented a little (snorting, quidding, huffing) then simply ceased abusing it. I was a pot-head in college and have a very addictive personality, so I expected myself to get hooked and see “how high I could get” but I was able to realize the drug was solving a problem that if left alone would’ve resulted in things I don’t want to even think about, so I decided to respect the drug instead of ruin it, along with myself.
Cold turkey is not possible for many people looking to stop taking it, and I was one of those people. Simply lowering the dosage gradually over the course of a few months is the usual approach, and it worked out fine. I don’t smoke pot anymore, I don’t feel depressed, and I very rarely feel a craving for it, almost in an ex-girlfriend sort of way. Addy served its purpose for me, and I’m far from perfect but I will say that it worked, and I would even recommend it to someone if they bore the symptoms I had prior to being prescribed it.
Get off the bandwagon and actually consider the points I made. In a few years I fully expect lines of picketing soccer moms to crowd the streets shrieking “NO MORE ADDERALL IT MADE MY KID INSANE” when in actuality, they should observe the sanity of their kid more closely and maybe even ask themselves if blind censorship is the message they wish to send to their children because they lack the intelligence and consideration to learn and understand these types of medicines and what, and who, they are truly meant for. (I’m not sexist I just found the idea of angry picketing soccer moms pretty brilliant.)
October 19th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
My friend is literally dying from being prescribed this drug w/out having any ADHD symptoms. He is 35 yrs old and took antidepressants for years until one of his friends turned him onto adderall. He went to his dr and asked him to change from antiDE’s to adderall and w/out hesitation his dr prescribed a high daily dosage of this dangerous drug. He has now developed an insane level of self inflicted OCD and since bought a nice new collection of handguns to coincide w/his new affliction (agoraphobia)–his hallucinations and mood swings are off the charts and I have since stopped hangin out with him; one of the most decent people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. (without bein tweaked out of his mind) When he finally snaps I believe he will either kill himself; or someone else — or maybe even a number of people–scary thought
I worry about what will happen to my friend. Not to mention all of the female “friends” he’s come into contact with…they all have young children and collect goverment aid while claiming they are “disabled” because of ADD. Most of these chicks are methheads who have no motivation to actually go out and make a living and it’s sad to see them collect DISABILIITY each month while partying day in/out and not really caring who their babies are left with to watch over them while they tweak out for days at a time. The only reason social security won’t be an option in the future is the mere fact that the idiot stick government is enabling these people to thrive as drug addicts while living off of government aid.
I work for a living and was raised better than this. It makes me sick to see the way the world is “evolving”–if we can call it that…doubtful–blech
October 29th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Here is an interesting article about adderall. Check it out:
http://www.collegecandy.com/body/11342
November 2nd, 2008 at 12:18 am
I have been on adderall (generic), can’t afford the XR kind, for well over a year now. I take 40mg 3x’s a day. I take it exactly as prescribed, no more no less. I am concerned about possible long term effects. I see a LCSW for therapy. He would like to see me get off the drug. I have talked to my doctor and he says that he will help me if that is what I decide to do. I have missed my last dose of the day a couple of times. I can’t stop the noises in my head when this happens. I can’t concentrate. From those two incidents I am afraid to upset the apple cart. I have adult ADD, struggle with depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive personality disorder. To make it through the day I have to take a very fragile balance of adderall, elavil and xanax. All of this is the result of three trips to the psych ward at my local hospital about two years ago. I am sooo afraid of having to go back. I feel as if I am dammed if I do and dammed if I don’t. I think I have had all of these problems most of my life but some where in my late 40′s I woke up and couldn’t deal with it any more. I see my psych dr. and LCSW on a regular basis. I was so ashamed in the beginning but have had to move past that. WOW, I didn’t know I was so messed up!
November 7th, 2008 at 5:42 am
IF YOU HAVE REACHED THIS POINT IN THE BLOG, THEN YOU HAVE TAKEN TOO MUCH ADDERALL.
NOW GO PLAY WITH SOME LEGOS, A-HOLE.
November 18th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
I have a 6 year old son, who doesn’t know how to behave. I have done everything from spanking him to taking every toy he owns away. He really doesn’t have anything to do because he has lost it all. I feel so helpless as to what to do. I have had history in my family of depression and anxiety but never this ADHD or ADD. The lady that works in the office at school told me that I should have hime checked by a doctor. I have made him an appointment but I am so scared that he will be put on medicine that will make him a zombie or even some of the things you all have listed here. I still want him to be my little boy- Ijust want him to behave and listen and think about the consequences of his behavior. I really just don’t know what in the world to do. He is not currently on any meds but what is everyone opinion on this matter. Thanks sincerely
November 18th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Make sure to talk to your doctor about your concerns. Unfortunately, not every doctor will take the time to listen — and if yours doesn’t, find another doctor.
And it’s very likely that meds will not be a solution all by themselves. People typically also need therapy / counseling to help them learn how to meet the meds halfway. I’m not sure what that would be like with a 6-year-old, but definitely talk to a doctor about it. I’ve known teenagers who have gotten the meds but not the counseling, and they fall apart when they miss their meds for a day. That doesn’t have to be the case.
Also look into family counseling. You need to know how to deal with him when things go wrong, and counseling can help you with that.
Good luck. And make sure your doctor listens to you.
November 28th, 2008 at 12:13 am
I have been using/abusing adderall for 7 years and am a 34 year old guy. I do have a prescription for the drug. Although I was diagnosed as ADD as a child which I gives me a legit reason to take it, I abuse it in hardcore fashion every month. I started out taking 30mg pills twice a day but soon I developed a habit of taking the entire script in about 10 days instead of 30. I asked my doc to lower my dose to help wean me off a couple years ago but I’ve never been able to quit. I currently take 10mg pills the same way as before. My average binge is about 7 days straight during which I take about 70-150mg a day. The side effects/withdrawl are worse than anything I’ve ever experienced yet the addiction is so strong I keep going on taking the sh*t! My side effects have also been multiplied by drinking when taking the pills. My hands/feet swell & turn red or shrink becoming ice cold, my face swells, I have insomnia, suffer from depression & paranoia…
My advice is this; whatever you do, please don’t drink alcohol while using the pills to keep drinking large amounts. I used to drink 12-18 beers at least 3 nites a week while popping adds. BAD IDEA. I was so toxic I would sweat, shake, have nite terrors…
I’m not looking for compassion here since I am the one to blame but let’s be real, this combo has put me thru the 7th circle of hell and left me a shell of my former self. I am clean about 2-3 weeks a month but its no picnic withdrawing. Its like I have 2 faces, one in the morning which is a puffy, hollow eyed mask then one at nite which is usually normal while being flushed dark red. This drug can creep up on u if u are “weak willed” like me. It will suck u into its tractor beam and steal your face, humor, friends & self respect. It has aged me in ways I never expected but realize I deserve for being so reckless. My eyes are dark, skin wrinkled, hair turning white even in my beard which has not happened even to my dad or grandfather. If u are doing like I have & are suffering any similar symptoms PLEASE STOP! I wouldn’t want to see anybody younger than myself putting themselves thru this. I know other people out there are who are starting this habit. Do NOT think u are invincible. After 2 years things went from bad to horrifying. Take care.
April 17th, 2009 at 7:44 am
I didn’t realize how strong XR was. I took 4 30mg capsules at once. Will I be okay
June 6th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
When I first started taking adderall I loved it, it increased my focus, stamina, and overall feeling of well being! Fast forward 6 years, I’m addicted and take 60mg of a 120mg daily script every day! It has screwed up my teeth, my vision, my sex drive, and it makes my hands shake and my lips quiver. However I can’t get out of bed in the morning without my add fix! I am currently looking for a rehab center that can help me kick this terrible vice. Adderall is for kids and short term use, it is as dangerous as cocaine or meth for adults. Please somebody help me out with a recommendation for a rehab center! The rest of you please hang in there!
June 9th, 2009 at 12:44 am
Just been reading everyone’s experience, or story,or advice. It’s been very helpful. I want to thank you all even the one’s who are fakes…not actually saying there are any.Even so I want more people to write in w/ their comments.
July 6th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Hm.. this is a very useful blog. Ive been prescribed adderall xr 20mg for 8 months, and ive been wanting to quit but havnt had strong enough motivation to quit until reading this.. im a somewhat experienced drug user (marijuana, alchohol, opiates, antidepressants, sleep meds, you name it), and i know how to use drugs with moderation so that negative side effects can be avoided;
1)no doubt adderall makes you lose weight. force yourself to eat healthy. you will not lose weight, but youll get into the habit of it which is hard to do when your not on adderall.
2)NEVER take adderall after 10pm in the day (at least for me on 20mg weight 170). It takes around 12 hours for the effects to wear off, but i take it at 9am usually and i can fall asleep at 11pm with no problem.
However, there are some things i did not have any control over. Before going on adderall i was somewhat extraverted, and a funny easy going people person. I feel like it has just about killed my social skills, and i have become intraverted, only caring about myself. I also do not think as clearly and as before when i wasnt on adderall. I used to be great at making witty comments and telling stories, but now i very frequently find it hard to start up a conversation about anything, and ive lost all humor. after my experience, i would say
AVOID ADDERALL
it is great for a while, but in the end (unless your a alcoholic or a meth addict not ready to quit yet) you will regret it. adderall brings you to another world: a world of motivation where everything seems easier, with a little boost of euphoria. once you take it for the first time, no matter who you are, you will want more.
BEWARE of its deception. if you havnt tried ADDERALL, DONT. your better off without it
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:03 pm
I hate Adderall. I become so non social when I am on it.
It helps me concentrate, but I have to break up the dosages. I take 20 in the morning,
and 15mg later.
I am short tempered, annoyed at lazy people, and over annoyed. Although two of the five people I work with lie and say bad things about me all the time, I let it bother me too much.
October 3rd, 2009 at 3:53 pm
I don’t quite get why people who are taking adderall and then complaining about the side effects. If it’s got a black box warning on it, its probably addictive, creates more problems than it solves, and is a great money maker for the companies that sell these drugs. I should be so lucky.
November 26th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
So, I am 36 and a mom of four children. I began taking Adderall two months ago for ADHD and was so excited because my appetite was so suppressed and I felt absolutely AMAZING. I started with 20 mg’s and then that wasn’t enough for long. Soon, 30 mgs, and then 10 in the afternoon, because it wears off. I take Effexor XR 75 mgs for anxiety, and think the combo has been bad news. I suddenly have REALLY bad neck and lower back pain. I have gone to chiropractors, massage therapists, and YOGA all the time, and the next day wake up miserable again. The drymouth is bad news, too. But… here is my problem. I LOVE IT! I love the euphoric feeling, love that I can concentrate and feel smart, and the VERY best, is the weight loss. I read SCARY listings about long-term effects and it scares me SO bad. However, I feel like I have finally found a great solution to so many of my issues. PLEASE give me your advice!!!
January 22nd, 2010 at 11:54 pm
My doctor just prescribed Adderall for my 25 years of depression. I have taken every SSRI. Once the doc actually sat down and listened to me he realized that I may have been somewhat misdiagnosed; My depression that starting in highschool could have been related to ADD (and crappy alcoholic parents.) He feels comfortable prescribing Adderall to me because have not shown the compulsive or substance related addictive behaviors that are so prevalent in my family. So far the Adderall at 5mg 2x/day is fine with no side effects. I am maintaining use of an antidepressant and trazadone to sleep – both are also lower than the lowest recommended dose. I am a cardio junkie (yeah, exercise) so I have been careful to watch my heart rate as I push myself into the mid 90% MHR without meds. Unlike many posts that I’ve read my libido has blown through the roof. It was normal before, now it’s a little extreme. My appetite is fine and I can focus on one task vs. doing 6 different things and never finishing one. I do find that I am a little more pithy and a little less concerned with how others perceive me which has been a major problem since the depression started. Luckily I wasn’t a bitch to start. Only time will tell if this will be for the good, or if I will end up sad, angry addicts and poor spellers like so many before me.
If you are considering Adderall please also consider using exercise and nutrition as your main meds, and use the pills to gently supplement the deficits, only with your physician’s blessing of course! On another note I also agree that most kids are playful and a little wacky by nature, not ADHD. And yes I do have kids- two nearly perfectly behaved teens. If your kids are out of control and need meds then make sure that you take a hard look at your parenting. Try watching the Dog Whisper … Caesar may actually teach you how to control your pets AND kids. Be the pack leader!
And to you people out there who are taking any meds without medical supervision, please get help!
January 27th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
Adderall is great, but ignorance is bliss. If you don’t like yourself, take it, cause you won’t be yourself anymore. If you want more in life, go for it, that’s why I did and it worked great for that, but don’t forget who you are, and don’t get lost in the illusion, ie stay grounded. You CRAZY ASS MOMS IN MINIVANS DRUGGING YOUR KIDS to compete with the Jones’ SHOULD ALL GO TO JAIL, YOU ARE FUCKING YOUR KID UP FOR LIFE TO THE LEVELS OF MICHAEL JACKSON SYNDROME, YOUR TAKING AWAY THEIR CHILDHOOD, unless of course your kids got narc. ALSO, DONT ABUSE, use your damn brain, that’s why you take the shit in the first place. When all is said and done life is about the journey, not the destination, make sure to step back here and there and see if your happy, what works, what doesn’t, and work on fixing what doesn’t and doing more of what does. ALSO, don’t let it turn you into a giant vagina of comfort OR an asshole of control. DO YOU SON, be happy, do it with love and good things will come. One last thing is be careful because it can kind of be like that black goo shit in Spiderman 3, it makes you feel invincible, like you can do anything, but you lose control, you lose who you are, AGAIN don’t get lost in the illusion. DONT TAKE THE EFFECT AND MAKE IT THE CAUSE, a drug is only as strong as you let it be. ONE LOVE, I’m off to smoke a bowl of ganga and be HAPPY!
February 25th, 2010 at 1:03 am
I kind of agree with what they were saying just not so direct
April 28th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
It seems that there are many people on this thread who are either not taking the meds as prescribed, or taking them for short-term or recreational purposes. I am 29 and have been diagnosed with ADD. I am currently on 30mg XR. I have noticed no major drawbacks to taking it AS PRESCRIBED. The brain chemistry of a person with ADD and a person without ADD are completely different. If you are getting a high by taking Adderall, then you probably do not have ADD. The purpose of this med is not to be snorted,chewed,etc. It is to be taken for a legitimate medical condition. If your doctor has not diagnosed you please don’t buy it from friends, because for the Non-ADD person, it has the same effects (though not as powerful) as meth. In ADD people it helps them calm down and be able to function.
Some of the posts are concerning. If you need to take more than what you are prescribed to get the same effect, do not do it until the doctor has written you a new script. And for those of you who are taking in excess of the maximum dosage that can be prescribed, then you are no longer taking it for the right reasons. You take it to help your ADD. You do not take 200mg to get high, stay up all night, or ace an exam (unless a doctor has prescribed it).The problem is that non-ADD people are prone to become addicted, while ADD people are less likely to. To all the people who are taking excessive amounts, you are an addict who needs treatment. People who abuse this drug give adderall a bad name.
April 29th, 2010 at 12:02 am
Well I am prescribed 30mg twice a day.
I love how it make me focus, cause I’ll actually be productive for once and get thongs done.
Also when I don’t take adderall, I’m pretty much emotionless.. Idk it’s wierd. But when I do I function like a normal human.
It kinda trips me up know that those feeling are fake, but I’m very insicure so I’m okay with it, as long as I am fiction normally.
The only problem I have is while the effect in on I tend to clench my teeth (I dunno if it’s a hubbit or what) but then the next morning my jaw will be sore to the point where I can’t eat (which I guess isn’t a problem, cause I barley eat when I’m on adderall) but it’s still annoying as hell! And if it is just a habbit, I’m trying to stop doing it at all. But when I don’t clench my teeth then my jaw feels really wierd and the feeling makes me wanna clench it again..
The one other thing is I hear some people get “stomach cramps” or there tummy always hurts. I don’t really get this but when the effect wears off I get this really Nauseaus feeling in my belly (&the back of my throat), like I could through up at any second. Though I don’t, it’s not a comfortable feeling.
I do take adderall kind of unconsistantly, which I probably shouldn’t. And I’m sure that if I took it like I should be, then I would be feeling the effect 24/7 and wouldn’t feel the nauseous feeling but I don’t.
So.. Does anyone else have these side effects? Any suggestions?
August 8th, 2011 at 11:27 am
I never thought I was ADD, I thought it was depression. My doctor put me over several different meds for my depression but nothing seemed to work. He gave me a test to see if I was ADD and I passed with flying colors, sorry to say. I have been taking 20mg of adderall once a day for about a year now and I feel it does work for me. The medicine makes me a little bit aggitated, my appetite is not what it used to be and it does upset my stomach but these are side affects I can handle. I understand what Joe White meant by hyperfocus. I do get over crazy when working on a project, I look to much into it which makes the project more than it should be. I am working on trying to control this issue.
December 13th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
Use adderall recreationaly…started with 20ir cut in half 10 in the morn then the rest around noon. Worked great. A year later I find myself taking 60mg of xr a day. The past week I’ve cut it down to just 15mg xr a day. I have to say it works better fpe me in a much lower dose. I can sleep at night..I can eat. Next week going to take it down to 10mg..then 5..then I’m off it. I don’t need this garbage to live my life. For all of u who use like me and feel hopelessly addicted, u can get off it….r u going to let this little pill control ur life? Every human is stronger than that. Remember…its mind over matter.