Adderall being discontinued..... A little nervous

[youngdude421]

Hi All,  I posted a couple months back about how I was diagnosed with Adult ADD and my doc starting me on aderrall. I had some difficulties adjusting to being on the med which many of you shared your experiences with me which was a great help. Well I have been taking aderrall about 2 to 3 months. The feelings of paranoia, suspicion of others and rage have come back. So when i see my doc this week he will be switching me to something else. Adderall also makes me sweat horribly and raises my blood pressure. I am assuming he will put me on concerta or straterra I don't know. I have read many posts about peoples battles with adderal addiction and how trying to stop was a living hell. This is scaring me about coming off the med. Luckily i have been taking it a couple of months as opposed to years of use.  Has anyone had any experience getting off this med? Can i stop cold turkey? Should I taper off? Am i in for a real nasty experience? Any feedback or experience is welcomed. Thanks and happy fathers day!

[aDaisy4me]

I was interested in how things are going for you? I noticed you mentioned your "cocktails" which it sounds as if that may not be of your choice but what you have been prescribed by a "doctor".

I too was on my "doctors" choice of cocktails, trusting him with my very life. Please make sure you do ask him/her the hard questions, show them the article. I was too trusting, thinking because my "doctor" has the degree on the wall, he must know what he is doing. I took that chance letting him control my life, instead of looking to myself or a second opinion. I hit rock bottom and kept going!

I am now picking up the pieces of my life, or what is left of it. If only I could go back, but I cant. What I can do is be a voice, a voice for those that dont have one any more, or cant find their way out of the drugged haze they are in.

Hello world,  I am a recovering addict, it's been 96 days since I last took my prescribed Concerta...

[Bh324]

I may be wrong but I think you are correct that the name brand Adderall made by Shire will be discontinued and replaced by Vyvanse. That being said, you will continue to be able to get the generic brands. It was explained to me that the whole reason Vyvanse was released was because Adderall was coming off patent and Shire needed a "latest and greatest" to compete with the generic manufacturers. I'm sure I'll be corrected if this is wrong but that's the story I was told.

[kstn]

YES, I concur.  I take it and go on and off even after steady use of over 5 months.  You may go back to feeling a little less focused.  I have also heard some take it as needed.  

[kstn]

I've been taking Adderall pretty much steady for months now.  6 or so I think.  I recently went off and had absolutely no problems.  I think the addiction may be more like dependency.  I just went to coffee.  I will pick up another script when I got in for my appt.  Anti depressants and the like are definitely something to be really careful about.  Slowly taper.  Good luck finding something new that works.  One of them should help.  

[youngdude421]

He's a psych

[Sandman2]

  What kind of a doc is he?  It may be he is unaware of the interaction.  My guess is he does not know or he would not have tried the adderall.   He needs to know this info.

[youngdude421]

Thanks for the article! Very insightful,I would like to take the article to my doc. Honestly I am a bit hesitant too. My doc even increased my Prozac while I am on the adderrall. So he probably disagrees we with the article. I've never walked into a doctors office before and showed the doc medical articles. Lol I know I'm being a big wussy. I don't know what I should do.

[Sandman2]

   Yes, you can stop the adderall.  The others you can not stop, but must be slowly taken off them.  
  HOWEVER,  I think you reason for your problems is the prozac.
    I quote:  "We will cover more details later, but for now just remember this: Prozac and Paxil both significantly block the pathway for the metabolism of Adderall and all the amphetamine products. [Wellbutrin and Cymbalta can block 2D6 at their higher doses.] If you take either of these two antidepressants together with an amphetamine, just watch out. You can significantly become overdosed on the amphetamine and suffer significant side effects. Often this interaction can unpredictably occur several months later. The patient becomes toxic to the amphetamine, angry, irrational, can’t sleep, can’t eat, and can become dangerously destructive. The Adderall or Vyvanse often gets blamed. The Prozac and the Paxil are the problem. More about Adderall in a later post.

Read more: http://www.corepsych.com/2006/11/adderall-prozac-and-paxil-problem-not-solution/#ixzz34s4dNkML

    This would explain the symptoms you described.  Read the above link.  Print it out and take it to your doctor.   Its not the stim meds.  Its the Prozac.  Dr. Parker recommends getting off the Prozac and trying " Effexor, Celexa, Lexapro and Pristiq are all clean on both pathways

Read more: http://www.corepsych.com/2006/11/adderall-prozac-and-paxil-problem-not-solution/#ixzz34s5q0McV

     Hey, and thanks for answering my question about the other meds,  I knew there was something familiar about the problems that you were having.  A lot of docs are not familiar with this interaction.  Let me know what happens.  Best wishes.

[youngdude421]

I am on a bit of a cocktail of meds to be honest. Prozac wellbutrin and klonopin. Really? I can just stop it?

[Sandman2]

   There is a huge difference between someone addicted to speed (meth, etc) and someone who has ADHD and is taking the prescribed amount of the medication.   You can literally stop and start it any time.  The only effect is that you go back to the feeling you had before going on the med.   So, in your case, there should be nothing to worry about.   You could stop it tomorrow, go off it for a few days, go back on it, etc.  Many adult users can use it on an only "as needed basis".
   I certainly would think that trying a low dose of Concerta would be worth trying.  As you doc mentioned trying any anti-anxiety meds?   Oh - that reminds me - are you are any other meds now?  For some meds there can be an interaction.