Adderall

[JoJo437]

Dear Sir/Madam:
I am 39 years old and three months ago I was diagnosed with ADHD, a disorder that has caused extreme problems for me since childhood and throughout my adult life, which began with my expulsion from kindergarten. I was prescribed a drug called Adderall (30 m.g. RX) after the 10 m.g. and 20 m.g. doses proved completely ineffective. I currently take 1 (one) 30 m.g.RX pill in the morning and it has, quite frankly, changed my life in so many positive ways that I cannot convey the differences to you in words. For the first time I can actually sit down and concentrate on a task without having to get up every five minutes to perform a chorus of jumping-jacks. My problem is this; the pill I currently take begins to lose it's effectiveness around 12 or 1 p.m, as I rise every morning at 6 a.m to begin my day. I am an attorney who works some 14-16 hours per-day, every minute of which requires a great deal of concentration and focus to detail. I don't want to become a drug addict but I need a subsequest dosage (30 m.g.) around noon or 1 p.m. to carry me until that 7 or 8 o'clock whistle, in order for this medication to perform any meaningful role in my treatment. Would that be taking too much Adderall?, or is it justified due to my obviously uncharacteristically severe case of ADHD-(I mean I was really, really hyperactive as both a child and as an adult.) Can one person have an uncharacteristically low level of dopamine production in the brain even for someone with ADHD? Are there any documented cases where an ADHD affected person has required a 2 or 3 (30 m.g.) pill every day in order to bring their disorder under control?

[woozy]

I'm curious as to how your extreme hyperactivity manifests itsself? And how did you manage to make it through lawschool with extremely bad ADHD?
I guess if you want to treat your symptoms with a more natural approach, there are several things you can do.
1. Exercise, esp running or some other form of cardiovascular activity:exercise boosts dopamine levels also as well as other feel-good chemicals. It has to be a routine, at least 2x a week.
2.This is a good one..eliminate as much processed food as possible from your diet. You don't have to be militant but shy away from overly salty, processed food and also avoid sugary foods, like cakes, candy and the like.
3.This one is a bit controversial because while it's taking a "medicine" of sorts neither of these therapies are widely advocated by the medical community. Try L-Tyrosine, an over the counter supplement that has some research and support to indicate it has an affect on ADHD symptoms.If I were you, I would research L-Tyrosine on the internet
4.Yoga and meditation..even a few minutes a day or week can really benefit you.
5. Don't drink coffee past noon, and be sure to drink at least 32 oz water a day assuming you drink other beverages. I do drink tea in the evening though! I love tea with milk and sugar..that's a vice but oh well!
since you take drug holidays, you could implement these during those stretches of time. and see if it  makes any difference.

I do all of the above, but also I take 5 htp, but that is for depression mainly and PMS.. I also take .25 mgs of melatonin to help me sleep more soundly, so about a quarter of a 1 mg tablet.

I went through withdrawal coming off Adderall for about 5 months. I thought it only lasted 4 days but I realized I was craving it for about 5 months because of bad fatigue and depression.
I feel a million times better today though. I was on 20 mgs at my highest dose.  

I also realize I have ADD, the inattentive sort, but I do fit the profile. I just don't want the drugs..at least not the stimulants and not Strattera or Wellbutrin either.
I'm worried you are on such a high dose so early on, but I'm guessing you have really, really bad ADHD..I am surprised you were able to do so well in school.. what were the motivations that caused you to seek out treatment?

[JoJo437]

Perhaps you are correct in your overall assessment as I only take Adderall about four or five days out of ten. I also write long posts when taking the drug and tend to be somewhat wordy. I don't like Adderall either, to be perfectly honest. The thing is, every once in a while it is nice to take a vacation from my extreme hyperactivity. I mean, what are people to do when they have no other options? Do you mean to suggest that we just simply live with this disorder and do nothing at all?  

[woozy]

Wow, I was browsing through your posts..you seem quite worked up about all of this. You've been on the stuff for 3 months?? And I disagree that people with ADHD feel calmer on Adderall by the way. Everyone feels calmer on Adderall initially, everyone)It's like cocaine..the initial dopamine rush is calming..it only gets bad when you keep doing more and more, then the anxiety and nervousness kick in. I've read that info too though and it's just total ****, sorry..Where is the physiology behind that nonsense? Oh, ADHD brains are screwed up and they will respond differently to a stimulant? Why are college students buying it illegally to help them study then..or even just for fun? Because it's calming to everyone and it helps everyone focus.
3 months is not enough time to be on this drug and evaluate it properly..
to: martinishaken--I just read your post, lol..It seems we agree on a lot of this stuff..except I'm a bit more bitter..ha-ha

[woozy]

Adderall used everyday will cause dependence for EVERYONE..not just people who don't have ADD.. it doesn't matter if you drink or not, of course drinking will make it much worse. It amuses me to read these exhaustingly long posts on of all things, the ADHD site, I wonder how many of you are on your stimulant at the time of posting. I used to write marathon posts while on Adderall, now I write a little bit and leave it a that. A friend commented to me that people on Adderall not only talk a lot, write a lot, they assume everything they have to say is terribly interesting. I used to be guilty of this myself..I have to say I can't read posts that go on for miles.. but I do skim through them trying to pick up the salient points. I do agree some people can be helped by this drug in the short term if they take it responsibly.. I tentatively think this might be ok. For the most part, I think Adderall is poison..the side effects are god awful..you can only really get away with taking it when you are younger and resilient to essentially doing a  very mild form of coke every day. You will build up a dependence, though taking drug holidays might work, during those holidays you will feel like **** though because you are essentially in forced withdrawal. Yes, withdrawal. EVERYONE becomes dependent on Adderall..like it or not. I don't care how severe your ADD is. It will also change your personality while you are on it..it boosts up dopamine quite a bit along with norepinephrine..so you feel artificially ok and may not be as sensitve and caring as you normally would be..I think there's a husband posting on here who has complained about this. ADDERALL is POISON.. Okay..just for some clarification, I'm married to someone with ADD..he's on Adderall..when he takes drug holidays he is pleasant, loving..attentive (after first week of being in withdrawal)..when he's on it, he's agitated, filled with anxiety, but can hyper focus..he's also a jerk to me and has no interest in sex..and it's not as if he's being downright nasty, he's just cross with me. He's an extreme case..and actually when I first met him, he had only been on it for a year..he was much cheerful on it then..I even took Adderall for a while, (see my prior post if interested)..but now 3 years post Adderal therapy he's a total mess.
Most people have addictive tendencies..but can rein them in..this stuff is prescribed to help you but's it's addictive and harmful in the long run..
i hope through the years this stuff ends up banned..or maybe re-formulated so it's not so desctructive..I don't know..I smell a Brave New World in our midst..ha-ha, I bet everyone is tired of that old cliche..
yikes, I typed a long post..and I'm not even on Adderall!! whew..

[martinisshaken]

Yes but it's true. In fact, you are becoming a drug addict already. And if you don't be careful, you will have to depend on more and more increased dosages of the medication in time. (that also depends on your condition, but it eventually gets worse with the medication if not used in moderation and with strict application of CONTROL!) I also have ADHD condition, and you might want to read me if you haven't paid attention to the college student girl above nicknamed 'genuine'..

Now I will give you some technical information read me well here:

Adderall, along with other similar medications that affect your central nervous system, are stimulants that create addiction. Adderall consists of dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine salts. Here's a little background on ADHD. Chemically, deficits in dopamine levels are indicated in the condition of ADHD, and current practice of medicine commonly employs the use of central nervous system stimulants such as amphetamines for the treatment.

However, nothing is actually treated. First, here's how dopamine works: Dopamine is commonly associated with feelings of pleasure, motivation, drive, energy, mood, attention, and learning. Dopamine disorders can apparently cause shifts and decline in neurocognitive functions, especially in memory, attention and problem solving. It can also affect self esteem, ability to functionally prioritize needs and follow action, and even cause depression.

Amphetamines bind themselves act similar to dopamine and bind themselves to dopamine transporters, and release high concentrations of dopamine from nerve endings in the system, and keep them available in usage for long periods by blocking dopamine receptors. After the drug wears out, dopamine levels are depleted, hence the "crash" and the following "down".

Each consumption of amphetamines 'stimulates' and reinforces this cycle of dopamine release in increased concentrations, which provides pleasure and increases confidence, motivation, desire, attention, focus, alertness, etc. and regular users of such stimulants become dependent on such stimulation to be able to perform at such levels, as dopamin levels become depleted and non-stimulated without the presence of such stimulants.

This is how medicinal amphetamines as well as the street drug methamphetamine works. Upon using these stimulants, one finds himself/herself easily performing at high levels with high confidence, with increased ability of imporvisation, with more motivation and intent, and more endurance as the feeling of tiredness fades away and one can stay up long and keep working.

The addiction to nervous system stimulants, such as amphetamines, methamphetamine (speed) and even cocaine set deep in time through such viscious cycle, rendering one feeling incapable to perform nowhere near the same capacity without such stimulation anymore. without any further stimulation, dopamine levels in the system drop, which brings feelings of depression, lack of interest and attention, fatigue, lack of confidence, motivation and desire, and even energy, which explains the depression users indicate during withdrawals.. And most people start taking even more doses of the drug during these withdrawals to be able to cope with things again, as the feeling is really ******.

That's how people get hooked on the very dangerous street drug crystal meth, which is methamphetamine in crystallized form. Very powerful.

I don't want to be boring, you can find all this information as well as more in depth detailed information on the net yourself. And I'm also speaking from personal experience as I'm also a patient precribed to use adderall, which I'm limiting myself to parttime usage at the moment. I have also used methamphetamines in the past for a short time, and saw how it affects and how it changed many people's lives dramatically. I was only lucky I resisted and been subject to painful withdrawals willingly, which are very same with adderall and other stimulant medications.

Today, I use adderall very irregularly, and coming from my past experiences, I always observe breaks in usage.. For example, my doctor normally is going to give me a 60 day supply of adderall, but i ask for 30 day supply. I only use it when I really need it, and believe me, once you start taking again, you feel like you need it again the next morning if not later in the same day.. Everyone who uses adderall here knows this.

Point is: you are becoming a drug addict. Know that, and accept that.

Only way you can limit yourself is to try to find an alternative. I try to limit my days of the week that require high focus and high performance to a maximum of 4. I forget about the medicine other than those days. My 30 day supply lasts about 2 months. I accepted the fact that I don't have to be so fired up everyday of the week. And yes I feel down at times and so on. For that, I take lots of Vitamin B, specifically B6, which is supposed to help elevate mood. Try to eat orderly and nutriently. Remember that while performing/living on such stimulants, you are also physically pushing your system on a high level of performance, working long hours, eating less because of loss of appetite, and resting less because of loss of sleap and sometimes loss of REM sleep. It's like driving your car at 100 miles an hour at all times, and not providing basic maintenance like topping off its fluids, changing oil and filling gas.

Anyway, keep in mind all these I have said and others have said, because it's only a matter of time to find yourself consuming double and triple amounts of syntethic chemicals to be able to cope.

Also please don't think I'm trying to act so strong and independent. Like I said, I'm also using the medication, and trying to limit the dose and frequency as well as the amount I use strictly to days heavy with business related traffic only, as like I said I know how it can easily get out of control before you even know it. I'm also researching alternative methods to medication, such as supplements, but currently I don't have much facts in hand.

Good luck.

[JoJo437]

I cannot imagine any circumstances under which a responsible physician would prescribe Adderall, Vicodine, Xanax and muscle relaxants, simultaneously, to a recovering drug addict.

Although you may not have access to your wife's psychiatrist, there is absolutely nothing preventing you from seeking a second opinion from another physician armed with the information as to what your wife is currently taking.

Most states also have legal procedures under which a family member or friend can petition a court to have an individual involuntarily committed to a mental health facility for evaluation and treatment. Usually you must be able to show that they are either a danger to themselves or to others and this is often a difficult standard to meet. Nevertheless, if she is currently abusing drugs and has a history of drug abuse, you may convince a judge to at least detox her for a period of time but again, if she has these drugs prescribed legally, you may need another qualified physician to go to court and back your play, so to speak. Good Luck!