My girlfriend has been using Adderall for 2 years what will happen?

[CleandUP]

My girlfriend has been using 20 mg XR's (the orange capsules) for 2 years pretty much every day. She is prescribed it but mainly to help her with school. I will say it does help motivate her in school and it really helps her for her waitress job where shes on her feet for hours. I will be honest, I am a college student and once in a blue moon, before an exam she will give me one to help study and it does work wonders. My question is what are the long term effects she will have? I mean, it is a drug (Amphetamine Salts). Will she go through w/d's like from opiates where you get sick and such. Will she suffer from depression for a while? Any help would be great

[godguidesme]

typo meant proud, sorry

[godguidesme]

i dont have any experince with adderall but i want you to know your a odd boyfreind, be proud, you really care about her, and that goes a long way God Bless
Chann

[mom2LnS]

I don't usually post on here. I'm mostly just a lurker since it's my boyfriend who has a problem with pills. I just wanted to say though I've been on and off Adderall since I was 17 and during the early years I took Ritalin of and on. I had been taking my meds pretty regularly from January to July since I started back to school and was on 30mg a day 20 in the am and 10 in the afternoon. All of this was prescribed and I never had a problem taking them or with ever being addicted. I found out I was pregnant in July then immediately cut my dose in half for 2 days and then stopped completely. I slept pretty much through the whole first day without them, I couldn't wake up, but other than that felt nothing else and by the next day I was fine. My schoolwork has been very difficult without it and it takes A LOT more work. I was a little depressed and had some lack of desire to do thing but I attribute that to being pregnant and also having to quit smoking and such. Good luck to your girlfriend! I think as long as sh is taking a "normal" dosage she should be able to get off of it just fine.

[worried878]

alot depends on her and how much she takes...and no..she wont be able to be quite as productive for a while...but it will come bac..she mauy perhaps feel the fatigue for less than a week but for a while she will miss that "feeling' and it will be going thru her mind to take one as she may feel sluggish without them...it is something she has to be ready to do and she is lucky to have u

[emilyanne]

I have taken Ritalin since I was 21 ( I'm 28 now). Although I've had problems with painkillers, I've never abused the Ritalin...it's never made me feel "good" or happy. However, it does help me focus, as I'm now in school for my Masters. I have gone through periods that I don't take it, like on weekends or during school breaks, etc and have never had a problem. That said, I never abused it either. Hope that helps!

[Clamity2]

I took adderall for about 2 months this year.  In the 70s I took Desoxyn which is also a stimulant, for about 3 years. I know the mental part of withdrawal was a much bigger factor than the phsyical part. But no matter what, the hardest part is the lies we run through our heads about being "not as good as I could be with my little helpers". It is a mental struggle to break loose of the illusion that the drug HELPs us.  Some people may really need adderall but I tend to think the same effect can be reached through diet and exercise. Unfortunatly its not as easy as taking a pill but the quality of life is so much better without them, for me at least.

[CleandUP]

Well thanks to both of you, by the way what does the stars mean on your names? Do you run the site? Are you on like all the time or what? That is very admirable to commit so much time to helping others with their addictions

[cathy5841]

i agree with worried i took it for five years...only on the days i worked and did not take on the weekends.  i quit and had no physical w/ds other than being tired and a little depressed...it didnt las too long.  i never abused it though...actually took less than prescribed.

not many ppl on tonite...especially ppl w/ experience with adderall...you should get more responses tomorrow...good luck

[CleandUP]

Thanks worried for answering, do you know how long the depression and fatigue will last for? OR any long term effects? and my last question is , will she be able to study and work as well without it? my guess is no : (

[worried878]

it is not so much a physical wd but a mental wd...like cocaine or crack as it all speed and the dopamiine in the brain gets messed up..the body stops producing as much due to the outside source she is taking..depression and fatigue are usually the main culprits when quitting