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Adderall

My laptop is being screwy, sorry about the other blank posts.

Anyway, has anyone here taken adderall for ADD, etc. after a pain pill addiction?  I know it can be addicting just like the painers so I was looking for someone who might have some experience with it.

Thanks..
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Avatar universal
I just spent 40 minutes writing an answer to your question based on my first hand experience. Even though it probably was pretty interesting, the length took away from the only important thing I wanted to say.

After a pretty serious injury, I'm sure you can guess the story, but it was even harder than I imagined getting off what turned into a pretty heavy-duty habit. A few years later my then girlfriend made an appointment for me to see her daughters psychiatrist because she said I had the worst case of ADHD she ever saw. After all the interviews and testing, the psychiatrist pretty much agreed. Adderall and dextrostat (I switch every few months) have changed my life. And for me there is really no "high" feeling at all. At first I had way more energy but that has settled down. There is really no "feeling" except maybe "normal" (being able to think and focus without my mind constantly jumping all over the place. That said, there is a downside to amphetamines that for some reason people don't talk about. I'm on a schedule with built in periods when I don't take any. I started this (all decisions made with the doctor) when I noticed that if I went for an extended period without a break my sleeping patterns would get messed up and I would generally feel pissed-off and impatient. The doctor explained that that's how the stereotype speed freak ends up the way they do. If you just take more and more to compensate for feeling crappy, eventually you end up with two distinct mental states; the psychotic unbearable hell of not being high and the dangerous and psychotic unbearable hell when you are high. And from what I've heard first hand, getting off of a heavy-dutyl amphetamine or meth addiction makes narcotics withdrawal look like a vacation. Everyone is different and you have to do what works for you but I can't see playing with something that can turn even a peace and love hippie homicidal. I think almost every guy I met when I was inside who was doing serious time for something really violent said they were all iced up at the time. No thanks.
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Avatar universal
Thank you so much, that is so sweet of you to say.  I really appreciate that.

My ex-husband used to always joke that I was bi-polar.  A couple of years later my family doctor sat me down and told me he really thought I was.  He knows of the manic episodes I have had and my whole life history.  Then my therapist last year agreed, as did the pysiciastrist I saw a month ago.  I have been on meds off and on for it for years now.  The last two months I have made a real effort to get back on the Geodon (bipolar med) and Lexapro (for depression) and I really can tell a big difference.  I went through several combos of meds before finding one that 'clicked' with me.  So I guess I would have to say I am in fact bi-polar.  There are two different types from what I understand.  My doctor also said it was hard to treat for so long because of my heavy use of alcohol and prescription drugs.  That totally counteracts the effects of the meds so they don't do their job like they are supposed to.  Now that I'm clean I see the difference.

I'm not sure with the adderall.  He basically asked about my concentration, etc. and how my study habits were when I was younger.  He didnt' even really talk to me much about it so I don't know if it's just a drug he tends to throw towards people.  I know that some docs come up with a condition and kind of treat anyone and everyone for it.  

I really do like the energy.  It is also used for extreme fatigue.  I know I don't have chronic fatigue due to an illness, I just have a 2 and 3 year old who run me wild.. LOL

You are pretty sweet yourself and I enjoy talking to you.  
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177036 tn?1192286635
Hi this is pre-written for new people… hope this helps:

It’s good to come clean with your doc concerning your desire to get off.  Ask him to prescribe clonidine, (not klonopin), and ativan.  These will help with sleep, RLS and anxiety.  These are best to try before formal detox and drugs like Suboxone.  I had to do formal detox because I tried everything else, including alcohol to get off and nothing worked for me.  Keep in mind that when you try… make it a good one!  Have some time off of work if you can… maybe a four day weekend or more.  Make the last day of work without any drugs, because the first day is usually the easiest.  Try your best to get clean and stay clean because the other methods require more potent drugs and you have to come off of those.  I am still on Suboxone and am a little worried about that… It does work well but the jury is out on, “At what Cost.”  I also learned while in detox, that the mind can psychosomatically create pain to “get’ the drug.  Another was that healing while using opiates greatly diminishes.  I would have sores on my hands that would take way too long to heal.
Best
Fish
I have to say this from the bottom of my heart,  Please do not keep playing around with these drugs they are very powerful ….. kinda like heroin in a pill and just as hard to get off once you attain the, "addicted" status.

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Avatar universal
You know, I do not believe I have ever heard of anyone having "withdrawal" with Adderall, so maybe that would be better if it meant you could quit your other stuff?  I could be totally wrong, I just do not recall ever hearing of people becoming physically dependent, I know they can have a hard time stopping just because they start to really like the energy.  I wish some doc would decide that I needed it, it just does wanders for my work and since i get paid by the line, it means more money. So you are really bipolar?  I have a friend who should be a poster girl for bipolar disorder,really.  I hope yours is under control, cuz I know this girl really suffers, very extreme ups and downs, in fact to be around her every day just watching it would wear me out.  That may be one of the few afflictions I do not suffer from, thank God.  Oh about the Adderall, maybe at least if they can start you on the very lowest dosage,  I bet that is all you would need anyway to see a difference.

Good Luck.  Have I ever told you that I think you are a very nice person and I always enjoy reading your posts?

Love, Cindy
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Avatar universal
I'm not going to lie - when I first tried it, it wasn't through the proper channels either.  But I saw my doc who thinks in addition to being bi-polar he thinks I have ADD too.  I found the same thing with the pills, could take less of everything else and had energy that wouldn't quit.  But I don't want to set myself up for another fall...
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Avatar universal
I have taken it only a couple of times I am ashamed to say not through the proper channels.  I will tell you one thing, it gave me so much energy, I could actually sit here and type for hours without falling to sleep and it had no negative side effects that I could see.  I also found that I could get by with only half of my usual meds when taking the Adderall.  Even though I obtained those couple pills, I do not have access to any more which I suppose is a good thing in the long run.
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