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adderall, heart/chest pains, and panic attacks
I am a 25 year old female, I run 3 miles every day and eat healthy, take vitamins. I recently lost 30 pounds after I changed my diet and started running 6 months ago. I take adderall 30 mg in the morning and 5-15 mgs in the afternoon. I am in a masters degree program and am working on my thesis which is due by the end of this month, i plan on reducing my dose and sleep more often and stop smoking after I have finished my thesis, but I have literally a month left to have it finished. I sleep very minimum hours (4-6 hours a day at very odd hours). Sometimes I take an extra 30 mg if I wake up at 5 am and plan on working on my thesis the rest of the night (I know I shouldn't but I kind of have to in order to get my work done in time). Sometimes I feel like I am on my medication 24 hours a day because I take an extra one and then when that wears off in the morning (12-15 hours later) I have to take another. I sleep every other night for the most part but I try to be aware of my medication and how frequently i am taking it because I don't want a buildup of amphetamine in my system. A few days out of the month I usually take off and don't take my medication at all for a few days and get 8-15 hours of sleep to let my body rest. I have bad anxiety and am extremely stressed out right now. For the past 5 months, I have been getting extremely bad panic attacks where I need to call someone to talk me down or wake someone up that lives with me (which can be at 3 or 4 am sometimes). The panic attacks went away last month but then my mostly infrequent chest pains started changing to weird mild pain feelings in my breast, tightness in my ribcage and I sometimes get weird pains in the center of my chest, tightness in my chest, pain that comes and goes in my right breast near my sternum, and on my left side that come and go, sometimes my shoulders feel heavy but I am not sure if that is because I am constantly writing or typing or if it has something to do with my heart. Two months ago I had a painful pulsating sensation in my neck that scared the crap out of me and triggered a panic attack. This has been happening for over 6 months now and it is driving me crazy. I have been to the ER twice to check out my heart and they tell me that the ECG is fine and gave me a shot of ativan and a week prescription for the anxiety. I am also a smoker and smoke maybe a half pack a day (I am quitting after I finish my degree) and I am sedentary (12-15 hours a day) most of the day because I am working on my thesis. This is only a temporary thing for the next 2 weeks- month, but I feel like I have to manage to not kill myself in the process. I have medication that I take maybe once or twice a month that helps me if I cannot get to sleep but usually I am usually too tired to need it. When I get the pains it usually comes with shortness of breath and I start noticing other pain. I start taking deep breaths and try meditating but I start panicking because I feel like I stop breathing and feel like my heart is going to give out on me. I am constantly taking my blood pressure and checking my heart rate. Normally my bp is 112/73 but it fluctuates, and when I get anxious it can get up to 143/95 ish. My heart rate on my medication is usually consistently 75 to 85 and when I am not on my medication my blood pressure drops down to 102/68 and my hr drops to 60-70. However, last week I decided to take 3 days off of my medication before I got back to working on my thesis and when I took only the 30 mg in the morning, my heart rate was 100-115 through the entire day.. my heart rate has never gone this high before after taking a medication break. It was 95-105 the next day. Blood pressure was normal, and I felt fine but I didn't know why my heart rate was so high because I was sitting the entire day and even went to the doctors and I looked at my blood pressure/heart rate and my HR was 103 and my blood pressure was 123/93 I do not know if what I am experiencing is just the result of wearing my body down and being tired and taking stimulant medication around the clock or if this is something heart related that I should check into further. I am aware that medication like I am taking can trigger panic attacks and anxiety and I have underlying anxiety, but I am scared that there is something serious going on that I am brushing off as anxiety.Also, it may be worth mentioning that my back has been constantly bothering me because I am sitting all day and on christmas I let my sisters boyfriend crack my back (which I think he did wrong because it was extremely painful!!) and a few days after I started getting a mild throbbing pain in my right breast that comes and goes and a feeling of pressure or heaviness in my upper arms. I also felt like I couldn't breath last night and was having on and off chest and arm pains for a few hours that only went away after I slept it off. This is something that has been going on for a while.. I figure if I was going to die I would have already, but still i do not know if this is something that I should go see a cardiologist over. If anyone has had a similar experience any help or comments would be helpful.I do not want to stop taking my medication and I do not consume caffeine because this triggers my anxiety sometimes or makes the chest pain worse. I also am very aware of different relaxation technique and mindful meditation, breathing techniques. I am getting my masters in clinical psychology and I have tried everything I know to reduce my anxiety but the chest pains and increasing panic have persisted to the point where I am not able to finish my thesis.
Almost the same thing happened to me today!! Long story short, I am in the medical field, and pretty much do the work of 3 people...not exaggerating. I have been on adderall XR 20mg for more than 5 years, which I take every morning less than 5 days a week, and an additional 10mg if needed at 2pm ish. I went into work today after taking off for a much over due "staycation" for 5 days (of which work called me every day), took my adderall XR 20 mg as always, and started to feel disoriented, short of breath, dizzy, shakey, nauseous, tachycardia, severe headache and tingling sensation in face, hands, and left foot, felt like Breaking down into tears, felt like I was having a heart attack. Checked bp- 132/92 and heart rate 94! I have never had bp higher than 120/70 or pulse above 80bmp on adderall. When I am not taking it I am usually around 110/60 and heart rate is always less than 70. I do have anxiety issues, but it hasn't bothered me since I was a teenager. I believe in holistic alternatives to deal with stress and anxiety, and practice them to deal with overall stress for years. I was a massage therapist for 5 years! Today, however, scared the hell out of me! I am healthy for the most part...I have the occasional cigarette or drink, but I take my vitamins, exercise 4-6 days per week, am 31yo, weigh 140lb, eat mostly vegetarian diet, and lead an overall healthy life. I am aware that adderall is known to cause these symptoms/ side effects, but I have never had this problem in the past. My personal life has recently presented additional stresses lately, but nothing compared to what I have been through before. I was forced to leave work early, but had no doubt that this was an anxiety attack. So I went home, took a bath, meditated, used aroma therapy, and typed this lol. I am feeling much better, but am curious as to your outcome? Did it happen again? Did you speak to your doctor? Have you had the same or additional problems since? I am scared to experience this again and would greatly appreciate any feedback.
Hello,
I too take adderall and have been off work the past two days with the same exact symptoms... Shortness of breath, pain behind my right breast which is slightly swollen, back aches into my right arm heavy shoulders, my legs hurt with flu like pain and I feel stiff..
If possible can you email me back, I am 100 percent sure this is the medication!!!
I too take adderall and have been off work the past two days with the same exact symptoms... Shortness of breath, pain behind my right breast which is slightly swollen, back aches into my right arm heavy shoulders, my legs hurt with flu like pain and I feel stiff..
If possible can you email me back, I am 100 percent sure this is the medication!!!
When I weigh less I don't have to take as much adderall. Adderall is fat soluble and you may find that when you lose weight a lower dose may be just as effective or more effective.
The FDA guidelines say that the maximum dose of adderall is 30mg a day for ADD/ADHD. However, doctors can prescribe any amount they feel will work best.
Chest pains or angina is very common. Often times, people do lost of testing to find out the cause and they all come back normal or inconclusive. Stress may be the cause of your chest pains.
When I've been under pressure or a deadline. I've taken more Adderall than I usually take. It usually backfires. 20 to 30 mg seems to be the perfect dose for me.
You need to find a way to cope with your stress. You may get better answers if you post to an anxiety forum. This seems to be more of an anxiety problem than an ADD problem. Good luck.
The FDA guidelines say that the maximum dose of adderall is 30mg a day for ADD/ADHD. However, doctors can prescribe any amount they feel will work best.
Chest pains or angina is very common. Often times, people do lost of testing to find out the cause and they all come back normal or inconclusive. Stress may be the cause of your chest pains.
When I've been under pressure or a deadline. I've taken more Adderall than I usually take. It usually backfires. 20 to 30 mg seems to be the perfect dose for me.
You need to find a way to cope with your stress. You may get better answers if you post to an anxiety forum. This seems to be more of an anxiety problem than an ADD problem. Good luck.
I had panic attacks so bad that I thought I would die. I started taking Busebarone and it helped tremendously. I take 10 mil of Adderall a day when I need it, 5 morning, 5 night and 5 mil of Busbarone when I feel the panic, but I have almost quit having to take the Busbarone because I rarely have an attack anymore. But it does relax you and help you sleep. I actually need a nap after I take Adderall....I used to have a heart mummer and angina, but I take a product called MSM and Coq10 and don't have that anymore. All the things you describe sound like panic attacks to me. Try the Busebarone with it and see if it helps.
Besides making sure your adderall usage is entirely within your doctors guidelines, it is vital you sleep properly every night.
Clonidine is very useful for many people suffering from anxiety and physical side effects from Adderall.
You might want to discuss that with your doctor. It will make you tired while you get used to it.
Clonidine is very useful for many people suffering from anxiety and physical side effects from Adderall.
You might want to discuss that with your doctor. It will make you tired while you get used to it.
COMMUNITY LEADER
I was wondering how much coffee you were drinking. You might try going to black tea which has much less caffeine. And, of course, the nicotine in cigs is also a stimulant.
Saw the part about wheezing. If it is a relatively new thing, it made me wonder about allergies. Don't know if you get the Santa Ana winds down there, but when they blow here (lots of 70/80 degree days here lately) - they also blow in lots of junk we don't normally get by the ocean and you can really feel the difference. You might try a non sleepy antihistamine like Zyrtec and see if that makes a difference. I think it works all day on one pill.
And yes, your body does need a break from running. I go 5 miles twice a week and then another 3 miles twice a week in the gym and really need the time to recover. But, I am kind of old.
Do try and get out and walk. Go for at least an hour. You can probably write part of your paper in your head while doing the walk. But it might be better if you didn't. It will help the anxiety.
It usually took me about 4 good gulps of air (and then holding it) to overcome that "I'm gonna pass out feeling". Its funny, i kind of get that feeling sometimes when I run. I think its because I start out too fast or just forget to start breathing enough. Try walking (as I suggested) for about a half mile slowly building up your pace before you start to jog, and see if that makes a difference.
Happy New Year!
Saw the part about wheezing. If it is a relatively new thing, it made me wonder about allergies. Don't know if you get the Santa Ana winds down there, but when they blow here (lots of 70/80 degree days here lately) - they also blow in lots of junk we don't normally get by the ocean and you can really feel the difference. You might try a non sleepy antihistamine like Zyrtec and see if that makes a difference. I think it works all day on one pill.
And yes, your body does need a break from running. I go 5 miles twice a week and then another 3 miles twice a week in the gym and really need the time to recover. But, I am kind of old.
Do try and get out and walk. Go for at least an hour. You can probably write part of your paper in your head while doing the walk. But it might be better if you didn't. It will help the anxiety.
It usually took me about 4 good gulps of air (and then holding it) to overcome that "I'm gonna pass out feeling". Its funny, i kind of get that feeling sometimes when I run. I think its because I start out too fast or just forget to start breathing enough. Try walking (as I suggested) for about a half mile slowly building up your pace before you start to jog, and see if that makes a difference.
Happy New Year!
If Adderall is resulting in sleep deprivation, doesn't that suggest that whatever dosage is being given, it is too high for the person involved? We all have different tolerance levels.
Thank you so much for your response! I have actually been thinking of going back and having them re-check my heart since the last time I went to the ER was well over a month ago and was before I started getting the shortness of breath. Doctors tend to look at age and think that people in there 20s are much too young for heart problems. I feel like this is something that shouldn't be ignored in people who experience symptoms.. Especially for those taking a stimulant. I told my doctor about this last week and she attributed the shortness of breath to smoking (I have also been wheezing) so she suggested I try and cut back and see if that helps and gave me an inhaler to open up my airways.but I am afraid to use the inhaler because it increases heart rate and that's the last thing I need! She also told me to take a break from my running once a week to give my body a chance to rest .. I think that I may have strained something in my arm when I increased my distance last month. I also started having panic attacks when I would run so I've cut down to And my chest usually hurtsI have felt great since I started running though and I think that's great advice .. I have heard great things about acupuncture and have always been open to trying it. It sounds like it worked great for you! I feel like anxiety makes whatever is going on here 10x worse than it may be.. I definitely need to get the anxiety dealt with because it is miserable. I am going to try your breathing technique because the deep breathing and techniques I have tried have not had much success. You mentioned the weight loss and this makes me wonder if this could be why this is happening now because when I would try to even drink a few cups of coffee in the mornings my heart rate would increase more than it does when I'm on my meds.Thanks again for your help I am going to try some of your suggestions and hopefully get things worked out! Happy new year to you too!
COMMUNITY LEADER
Opps, just noticed you said ECG and didn't realize that it and a EKG are one and the same. Given that, I think that you would have to go with a longer test. It might be something like a atrial fibrillation, but in that case I think that you would feel very tired for a few hours until it stopped. Which leads back to dealing with the anxiety.
One thing I learned from my anxiety attacks was that when they started coming on I would (unconsciously) hyperventilate. Actually passed out several times. Learned to deal with it by holding my breath several times in a row. Sounds weird, but it lets the C02 build back up in your system. Try it, or if a paper bag is handy - breath into it for a while to get the same effect.
One thing I learned from my anxiety attacks was that when they started coming on I would (unconsciously) hyperventilate. Actually passed out several times. Learned to deal with it by holding my breath several times in a row. Sounds weird, but it lets the C02 build back up in your system. Try it, or if a paper bag is handy - breath into it for a while to get the same effect.
COMMUNITY LEADER
No, the amount that you are taking would not be considered an abuse for someone who has ADHD. Its mildly possible that given your weight loss, its more then you need, but only trial and error would prove that.
And yes, magnesium is very important. I read a lot about it, as I recently went through an atrial flutter thing. Well much more than a thing as I went through cardio conversion and ablation etc. And so, read up on a lot of stuff. Point being - while Mag. is really important. With a decent diet, its pretty hard to be deficient. And the supplements are cheap and easy. I do take one every now and then when I am taking a diuretic.
Since you have never had this problem before, my guess would be that you are not giving anxiety its due credit. I remember (many years ago) what it was like coming down to the final crunch time for my master's thesis. It really was a whole new ball game!
Point being, you cannot, "brush the anxiety off." By the way, people with ADHD are 25 to 30% more likely to have anxiety as a co-existing disorder .
( "The ADD/ ADHD Answer book," by Susan Ashley, p.53). Combine that with the stress of finishing the paper - and that well could be the problem.
Things to try doing (if that is the problem).
When I was going though my heart stuff - I really couldn't jog. So I did acupuncture for about 3 months till every thing worked out. The acupuncture really did help. I would float out of there. I went once a week.
I would start adding to your jogging routine. Exercise is great for a person with ADHD and fantastic for anxiey. You can safely increase by 10% a week. I would start with a half mile or more walk, and after the run - walk another mile. Get up to about an hour a day. Put your favorite music on and lose yourself in it.
Now having said all of this, I don't like the chest and arm pains. For your own peace of mind (and mine). I would go get an EKG. It may be that you might have to wear an overnight halter to monitor for 24 hours. I actually wore a really cool device that monitored everything for two weeks.
And, I also wouldn't panic over what I just said. Wiki lists many or all of your symptoms under anxiety - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generalized_anxiety_disorder#Diagnosis
And here is a pretty good link to anxiety and ADHD - http://www.add.org/page/ADHDandAnxiety
Hope this helps. Keep me posted! Happy New Year.
And yes, magnesium is very important. I read a lot about it, as I recently went through an atrial flutter thing. Well much more than a thing as I went through cardio conversion and ablation etc. And so, read up on a lot of stuff. Point being - while Mag. is really important. With a decent diet, its pretty hard to be deficient. And the supplements are cheap and easy. I do take one every now and then when I am taking a diuretic.
Since you have never had this problem before, my guess would be that you are not giving anxiety its due credit. I remember (many years ago) what it was like coming down to the final crunch time for my master's thesis. It really was a whole new ball game!
Point being, you cannot, "brush the anxiety off." By the way, people with ADHD are 25 to 30% more likely to have anxiety as a co-existing disorder .
( "The ADD/ ADHD Answer book," by Susan Ashley, p.53). Combine that with the stress of finishing the paper - and that well could be the problem.
Things to try doing (if that is the problem).
When I was going though my heart stuff - I really couldn't jog. So I did acupuncture for about 3 months till every thing worked out. The acupuncture really did help. I would float out of there. I went once a week.
I would start adding to your jogging routine. Exercise is great for a person with ADHD and fantastic for anxiey. You can safely increase by 10% a week. I would start with a half mile or more walk, and after the run - walk another mile. Get up to about an hour a day. Put your favorite music on and lose yourself in it.
Now having said all of this, I don't like the chest and arm pains. For your own peace of mind (and mine). I would go get an EKG. It may be that you might have to wear an overnight halter to monitor for 24 hours. I actually wore a really cool device that monitored everything for two weeks.
And, I also wouldn't panic over what I just said. Wiki lists many or all of your symptoms under anxiety - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generalized_anxiety_disorder#Diagnosis
And here is a pretty good link to anxiety and ADHD - http://www.add.org/page/ADHDandAnxiety
Hope this helps. Keep me posted! Happy New Year.
And I was asking the question because I was not sure if someone else who takes a similar dose had experienced chest pain that was similar because I have heard that the chest mains are due to a magnesium deficiency. I have taken stimulant medications on and off since I was in high school and I am terrified of abusing my medication because I have an anxiety disorder and fear my heart would stop. I have a friend who takes over 150 mgs a day and I wonder how she can abuse her medication and still function in a doctoral program. I have never had the chest symptoms I am experiencing now before these past few months which is why the chest pains and pressure concern me. I can brush the anxiety off and attribute it to the high amount of stress I am under that comes with this type of degree, however, it is interfering with my work and I am wondering why this is happening now when I have taken the same medication for years and never had this problem
I am prescribed up to 60 mgs a day if I need to take it.. I am just taking it longer periods.. Instead of taking a second 30 mg at 2 pm I am waiting until the first one wears off
P.S. Your doctor may have prescribed Adderall, but he did not intend for you to use it in this manner. At least I hope he didn't.
I don't understand why you posted your question. Surely you are sufficiently educated to know that you are abusing Adderall. Your symptoms are consistent with this abuse.
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I don't understand why you would respond with such a lack of empathy. As I'm sure you're sufficiently educated to know adderall is an easily addictive Rx and people sometimes may abuse it without realizing until they reach out for help as she is. People who this happens to don't need to be shamed as well. My suggestion is to talk to the psychiatrist that prescribed this and a psychologist to slowly lower your dose since your symptoms may be a result of improper use of the medication. It will in no way be easy to just stop taking it after your thesis and going cold turkey could be near as detrimental to abusing it.
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