Dexedrine Complications

Suddenly, I started having strange reactions to the prescription medication Dexedrine. I am being prescribed this medication to treat ADD. I am prescribed 1 15mg SA capsule every morning.

I had been on the medication for 2 months (without issue). When the prescribing physician gave me scripts for 2 months worth of medication, before leaving the country on vacation. While he was gone, the medication became ineffective, during an especially academically demanding time (I was putting in long hours). I took the medication improperly by taking two capsules, and chewing a few of the spansules from 1 capsule with my teeth to make the medication work faster.  

After a few mornings of doing this, I started to feel this "warmth" wash over me. It should have been alarming, but it was not at all unpleasant. In fact, quite the opposite. It was bilateral and ran the entire lenght of my body. The next morning this "warmth" faded to numbness/tingling along the entire left side and weakness (loss of fine motor control on the right side.) By this, I mean I had a hard time writing, and things became more "deliberate" than they should have been. like shaving, retrieving things from my pocket with my right hand. The leg on my rightside was weaker than on my left, I discontinued the medication and the symptoms completely resolved withing about a week and a half. After about another week, I started to struggle in school. So I resumed taking the dexedrine. THIS TIME I TOOK THE MEDICATION EXACTLY AS PRESCRIBED.

After about 2 weeks, I began having the same symptoms, but less severe. I was on Adderall (adderrall) in high school and for about 3 years. My doseage reached 60mg Instant Release daily. I had NO issue with the drug what-so-ever.

4 years ago , I had an issue with cocaine use at a party(I had used it maybe 5 times prior over a 3 year period and had no prior reactions). I insufflated what would be considered a small amount. I had trouble sleeping that night and most of the next day. That night I fell asleep and awoke to EXTREME diziness, rightside weakness/numbness, word recall issues, despression. I told the neurologist that I saw, all about the cocaine,  still at that time he felt confident that it was MS, and it was unrelated to the cocaine

MRIs were done. The physician's report is as follows:



"                                                         MRI OF THE BRAIN
                                                WITHOUT AND WITH CONTRAST

CLINICAL DATA:   Ataxia, dizziness, right-sided weakness;  18cc of IV contrast due to abnormalities on the precontrast portion of the study.

There are scattered foci of signal abnormality present within the periventricular white matter, the most prominent of which is in the right centurm semiovale, measuring approximately 8mm. This lesion does demonstrate some mild enhancement following contrast administration. Patchy signal abnormality is seen in the periatrial white matter as well. 7mm leisions are seen in the right periatrial white matteras well as adjacent to the frontal horn of the right lateral ventricle. Several other white matter leisons are present. There is also a focus of abnormal signal within the pons on the left, as well as in the right cerebellar peduncle. These two lesions demonstrate some increased signal on the diffusion weighted portion of the study, but are also slightly increased in signal on the ADC map. The leison in the right centrum semiovale is also of increased signal on the diffusion weighted portion, and also slightly increased on the ADC map. Overall, the findings are quite suspicious for a demyelinating process such as MS. The ventricular system is normal in size and position. No abnormal extra-axial fluid, shift of the midline structures, mass effect or hemorrhage is seen.

IMPRESSION:   There are several scattered focal reigon of abnormal signal in the periventricular white matter, with some patchy increased signal in the periatrial white matter as well. Signal abnormality is also present within the left pons and the right cerebellar peduncle. Overall the findings are quite suspicious for MS"


I had another MRI done, 6 months after this one. The Head of the MS clinic at the University of Michigan reported that the MRI showed no new disease activity and discharged me from his care.

I saw another neurologist a few weeks ago, I had another MRI done (I don't have the results yet). I showed him the MRI's from the first time, and described my symptoms. I told him I was on Dexedrine, yet I failed to mention the cocaine. He diagnosed me with MS. However, I am now positive it is the medication. There is an undeniable correlation.

I have not been taking ANY drugs (besides caffeine) with the dexedrine, which includes alcohol or ANY street drug. What are your impressions? Can someone suddenly develop an intolerance to stimulant medications? I am afraid to bring it to the attention of my neurologist, because I NEED the medication to be able to function in school. Any help would be appreciated.