Adderall side effects

Hi,
I just turned 25 years old, and was diagnosed with ADHD as well as anxiety after taking an EEG about three years ago. Before that time, I had been suffering from depression, anxiety, and I couldn't control my ridiculous cravings for sugar and carbs. I know that this sounds weird to people who do not have ADD or ADHD, but for those of us who do, these symptoms might not seem so odd. I had been in counseling and seeing Psychiatrists from age 15 on. Finally, I developed a terrible eating disorder due to not being properly medicated. Some deal with their issues differently than others, but I needed to feel in control of something in my life. As it was, I was completely unorganized, unable to focus on any one thing, unable to study and recall information, tired, unmotivated, and eventually Bulimic/Anorexic. Once I was forced to go to an in-patient clinic for a month and a half, I learned from numerous tests and great specialized doctors, I was finally able to start living again. At age 22 my doctor, at the time prescribed Adderall XR and Xanax XR and three years later, I am still taking both medications. I admit, sometimes I don't want to take it, because I like to feel my emotions and be in the moment of life, but I know without it, I am a wreck and completely out of control again. I let things go, become a total hermit, sink into my own pool of sorrows, and am not anything resembling my old self. Just one problem though, I am a singer and find that when I take my Adderall, I am so dry that my range is cut short- very short, and the tone of my voice is dull. I sing for a living, so this is a major concern. I also find that I don't seem to have the same emotion when I am singing. I can handle the emotional thing, but you can't hide not hitting the notes! What can I do? Is there anything to counteract this side affect? I asked my doctor and she said lemon drops- well, if you are lucky enough to find lemon drops- that's great, but they definitely don't do the trick. I drink nothing but water all day and still- I just can't stay hydrated! What am I going to do? If anyone has any advice or is experiencing the same problems, please drop me a line. Thanks so much for reading and take care!

Adderall has been an excellent drug for the treatment of ADD. It took me from a lethargic, disorganized adult, to a more productive one who finally could finish her work and leave her desk organized at the end of the day. Unfortunately...
...there are many side effects to this drug which has, reluctantly forced me to quit taking it. The weight loss was a welcome side-effect as was getting rid of the lethargy I have experienced on a daily basis since the age of 11 (anti-depressants did nothing). However, my infrequent migraines became daily and excruciating after starting Adderall and its generics. My insurance could not keep up with the coverage of the migraine meds I needed. I began experiencing ear problems (primarily in my left ear) that felt like I constantly had the pressure associated with a cold. After visiting my doctor (who told me nothing was wrong), an ENT doctor, getting a hearing test, and an MRI of my ear canals and Eustachian tubes, I finally found out it was due to the Adderall. The worst side effects, however, was a gradual increase in dermatitis (dry, itchy, scaly, skin). My complexion looked sallow and my back and neck broke out in horrible cyst-like acne (not typical AT ALL for me). My eyes became so dry (not to mention the cotton mouth), that I began trying to reverse this effect with pills from a Lasik eye center (helped, but didn't solve the problem). Perhaps the worst side effect, however, has been the hair loss. Long, beautiful blond hair, has been replaced by very thinning hair (comes out tons at a time in my shower), which is now brittle and breaks all the time. I have finally decided to quit this medication despite its benefits. I only took 15mg 2/day. Once my body recovers, I hope to take on an as-needed basis for important work projects or hectic weeks where productivity is necessary. Other than that, I won't take it any more. The side effects are too severe, even for me.

It works for me; calms me, helps me focus. I have had no side-fx, and on "Adderall-break" days, I have felt no withdrawal symptoms. This drug is well-tolerated by those with true ADD.

Im 12 going on 13 and i have been taking adderall for a couple weeks now i'm on 30mg but now that its the summer my doctor lowered it to 20mg but i feel like its been helping me in class like i can finish my homework now and i pay attention now in class to. But i have not been hungry lately at all and some times when i get up i get kind of dizzy and my mouth gets a little dry some times to, i feel like i cant fall asleep as easy. But i feel happier when i am on adderall. but for like a couple days i didn't take it and i felt a change i started to get hungry and eat and my mood changed a little though i noticed i wasn't as happy as i am when i am on adderall. has anyone felt a difference on adderall then off??

im 14 and take 50 mg of adderal a day for ADHD and Bipolar, and i am unsure of it. I weight 96 lbs.... and i am almost 5 1/2 feet tall... so i am very underweight... and i do notice that when i take it, after it kicks in i seem more aditated, and cranky, and i obvleisuly dont eat.. and my mouth is always dry. i am just unsure about the whole crankyness change after i take it... does anyone else seem more agitated when they take this meds and it kicks in.../ plz reply. thanks

I AM ON ADERALL XR AS AN ADULT FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS NOW. I AM 34. I TAKE ONE 20 MG PILL A DAY AND HAVE HAD SOME CRAZY MOOD SWINGS. I FIGURED IT WAS MY AGE WITH NO KIDS. ONE GOOD THING IS THAT IT HAS HELPED ME CONCENTRATE AND IT HAS HELPED ME STAY THIN! ALTHOUGH, RECENTLY I HAVE BEEN GAINING WEIGHT. IM NOT SURE WHY, IM DOING THE SAME THINGS. I GAINED 10 LBS IN 3 MONTHS. I DID GO FROM ADDERALL TO ADDERALL XR, BUT MY DOCTOR HAS BEEN SWITCHING ME THE WHOLE TIME IVE BEEN TAKING IT. IVE ALSO HAD WEIRD STOMACH GURGLES AND STRANGE OTHER PROBLEMS WITH MY BUTT. NOT SURE IF THEY RELATE, BUT I REALLY AM JUST LOOKING FOR OTHERS WITH THE SAME ISSUES. THANKS. DO THESE PILLS EVENTUALLY STOP WORKING?

im 12 years old, and i didn't start on adderall, but on a generic of prozac.
ive been on both for over a year now, but i just noticed that ive lost my appetite, i don't eat school lunch, im reluctant to eat dinner, i just feel horrible.

im scared please i want to know whats going on!

My 9-yr-old daughter was just prescribed Adderall for a one-month trial period. The first day was incredible. She was such a joy to be around. It was like I had my little girl back. She has been so trying for so long that I was just ecstatic. Although she did suffer from a bellyache throughout the day, which I hope will subside. The next day was not as wonderful. She was still a little hyperactive but her concentration was still improved and she was on her best behavior all day. The third day was almost as good as the first day, but that night she came into our room saying she heard voices whispering. When I asked her what they were saying she couldn't tell me what was said but was very scared. I have been distraught ever since. Is this indicating she does not have ADHD or is it a side effect from the medication?

Please help, as I don't want her to continue on this medication if her mental stability will be sacrificed.

My son was diagnosed w/ ADD/ADHD when he was 7. My husband and I were not advocates of giving drugs to a child and avoided it for some time. But as I watched him struggle and become depressed because he couldn't focus, etc .etc, I remembered what it was like when I was his age. (I am also ADD). You can say what you want about drugs but when my little boy was looking up at me crying and pleading for help "please help me, please...please come to school with me and tell me what to do, remind me because I forget what the teacher says right after she says it".... To see him struggle like that at such a young age we had to do something. He was a very confident and happy kid prior to starting school and after being in school for a few years being the kid that was always getting corrected by the teacher or being called out more than others for not paying attention was taking it's toll on his personality.
He did not start out on Adderall, but another Ritalin type drug. But it made a drastic change in his life - he was happier, able to focus and his self esteem came back. Later he was changed over to Adderall. He said it didn't make him feel nervous like the Ritalin type drugs. I am also on Adderall and it has made such a positive difference in my life as well. I didn't realize how much I had to struggle to stay focused, how much I procrastinated and how overwhelmed I used to feel on a regular basis until I stopped having those issues...what a relief!!! I don't have the stress eating issue anymore because I don't feel as stressed. The only side effect I noticed was my eyes getting red and a some dry mouth.
Adderall has a calming effect on me, I don't feel nervous, I don't feel detached, or any of that stuff several other folks wrote about. My son doesn't either, he is calm and happy and is doing great in school. Neither of us have any issues when we don't take the medication - as far as craving it, etc. In fact, from the initial research I've done and my own personal experience,many who are truly ADD and not misdiagnosed are less apt to become addicted than those who are not truly ADD. When we don't take it we might be a little less apt to remember that important thing we were supposed to do because we got distracted! But we don't seem to have any other withdrawal symptoms or tiredness, etc. So far it has been positive choice.

So for all you people having social issues, hearing voices, having chest pains, feeling strong urges to take the medicine even when you don't want to - YOU PROBABLY SHOULD NOT TAKE IT! All medications effect everyone differently and not all people can take or tolerate the same medicine. And for all you folks that are able to spend 10mins w/ your kids and get good results...well good for you, but DON'T JUDGE those of us for which that technique didn't work. During the summers we usually don't make him take any medication and we spend a lot of time talking through the issues that arise, practicing focus without medication, etc. We spend a lot of time reassuring him that it's OK to make mistakes when you're trying to change your behavior and that we love him just like he is. We hope that eventually as he matures that he will find it easier to do this on his own with out medication to help. However, if he doesn't, then I would rather see him be happy on medication than to struggle and be depressed without it.

Peace.

I am a 34 year old make, who has recently decided to go back on Adderall. I had been diagnose with ADD when I was in high school. I was then placed on Ritalin. It worked pretty well for my focus at school. For the first time in my life I had actually finished a semester better than a C average. As time went on, while I was doing well with my studies, I felt it was kinda hindering who I was, and my personality. After a Little while, I took myself off the meds.

Now that I am working, and I am 34 years old, with kids a wife, and a responsibility to them not just to myself. I wanted to go back and investigate myself possibly going back on Ritalin, or at least something similar. I went to my primary physician, and he prescribed me Adderall. I was warned about the first week, and trying to see what dosages would work for me. I was excited to be honest. I had been going through quite a bit of depression, and was hoping the Adderall would perhaps be able to help me out of it. I know that there are no miracle cures, but at the place I was mentally at that time..I could have certainly used a little help. Weather that be in pill form..Or whatever.

So the Doc scripted me 5mg tablets. The 5 mgs are working well right now. It took a little while of feeling on edge during the first couple of days. I take them twice a day. I am trying to get the timing down. And I think the dose of the second tablet may be coming on a little too strong. Or maybe I am taking it while the tail end of the first dose is still in me? I take 5mg at 10am, and at 2pm. Right after that 2nd does I feel up a wall. Way too bugged out. I feel like I am almost ticking. I know that I need to get that 2nd does right (either in side, or timing). Plus I am thinking that eventually I will need to up my doses. 5mg doses sound pretty small

I was prescribed adderall a few years ago for mild ADD, 10 mg once a day, and it was great at the time. My grades went up and everything else was good for about a year. I decided, though, that I wanted to go off of it, as I was sick of feeling like I relied on a pill.
Well, I went off of it, for the next couple of months I started getting panic attacks and depression more and more frequently until I reached my worst point-- for 5 days I couldn't eat, sleep, or even get off the couch. I couldn't recognize myself in the mirror and felt no joy at all whatsoever.

After that for about a year things were okay, but I wasn't quite myself. I didn't enjoy things like I once did, and I was plagued by constant worrying about things that I didn't need to worry about.
Soon I started taking it again, and became addicted again for a few months. Once again, went off of it, had a bad few months, things got a little better.
Then I started again. Now, for the past few months I go through weeks at a time when I take it and weeks I don't. I'm trying to quit once and for all.

My point is that this drug really had an enormous impact on my life. It changed me in a lot of ways I didn't like, made me sort of emotionally numb-- in fact, the only time I felt pleasure and joy was practically when I took the drug.
I am not the kind of person who gets addicted to things easily, and I'm not sneaky or secretive, but let me just tell you:
The other day (since I don't fill my perscription anymore), I wanted some adderall and I actually picked the lock on my mom's drawer to get to hers.

That's extremely out of character for me, and it freaked me out.

Nobody ever warned me about this drug, and people act like it's no big deal, but it almost made me kill myself.

Other than that, I have always been an honest, happy, motivated person.

I am 15 years old and I attend a College Preparatory School.I used the perscribed medicine "adderall" and my experiences in the school day were anything but usual. During the day i was very positive about what I was doing and i enjoyed doing whatever the activity was. I would go to class and experience something that I had never felt before, AN ENJOYABLE CLASS IN WHICH I ACTUALLY LEARNED SOMETHING!. To me this was the greatest feeling i have experienced because i felt i was on top of things, like lectures during class and the homework i did at home. I did seem to notice i was not very hungry at lunch. This drug is addictive and once u start, well thats that.

I am 29 years old, I have been taking Adderall XR for about a year and a half. It wasn't working too well until recently. Note that stress depletes the nesessary brain neurotransmitters necessary for focus, and optimal functioning. The very first time I took Adderall, I was taking 15mg and the night before, I had the proper amount of sleep which is about 7-8 hours. It worked very well. I woke up at I think, about 8AM, and the medication started helping me focus in approximately two hours later. But unfortunately that day, I had just received some very depressing news. The next day, the medication did not work properly again until now. I'm assuming the stress from this news depleted my brain's natural chemicals and did a number on me. On the other hand, if I had not of experienced that bad stuff, and I was going to school or work on a regular basis, my symptoms of AD/HD would of been a lot less and that Adderall would have consistantly worked. These medications are much more effective when taken properly, when you sleep well at night, exercise helps, and when there is very minimal stress in your life.

Since this August I have been seeing a specialist, a psychiatrist who specializes in AD/HD. Before August, I was taking 20mg of Adderall XR and 20mg of Prozac every other day. Today I've had Adderall increased to 30mg. So now I take 30mg of Adderall XR, 150mg of Wellbutrin XL and 20mg of Prozac every third day. Today I seem to be more focused, more energy, less procrastination, and less figiting.

Also, I would like to comment on the fact that for that 21 year old who was prescribed a lot of Adderall to start with----- 20mg of Adderall twice daily-- I believe that is too much. If I were her, I would of either started with 5 or 10mg of Adderall or even start with 10mg of Dexedrine instead. Before I took Adderall, I had been taking Dexedrine ever since I was 17 years old. I had been taking Dexedrine on-and-off. I think I started with 10mg of Dexedrine and 20mg of Prozac. My psychiatrist then, told me we would start the Prozac also because Dexedrine sometimes has the tendency to give people a bit of nervousness. So the next day, I knew Dexedrine was a miracle drug because I could actually listen to what the teacher was saying, study, learn, focus, keep info. in my brain and have conversations with people,without forgetting what I was about to say! It was amazing. From that point on, I knew that I had a brain and in that brain there was actually a high level of intelligence. Before the meds, I had always thought I was dumb.

It is also my opinion that in combination with medication, people with AD/HD should see a counselor or AD/HD couch to help them with their planning in life, goal setting, follow-through and to just sort of push them along positively.
So good luck everyone.....If anyone with ADD or AD/HD has had simular experiences or wants to chat, e-mail me or leave a message on this post.

For everyone who says don't give Adderall to kids or that it is the easy route, you obviously have never had to deal with a severe case of ADHD. I find it difficult to believe that you have spent years struggling through homework, or tears at least once a week when your child is punished in school. I find it difficult to believe that you spend years, time and money to try to find out what is wrong with your child--because you KNOW something is wrong! And once diagonised--be grateful that know you know--now you can start to deal with it! How many minutes or hours did you spend in one on one time with your child and within 5 mintues of ending that one on one time you find your 6 year old in a very dangerous situation from his lack of attention ability. I could write 11 years worth of experiences here and unless you are dealing with the same situation, how dare you judge any one!

We all need education on this subject and passing judgement on others and critizing parenting ability shows that ignorance. Until you feel our pain, don't even consider the possiblity that you understand. Society as a whole needs more education on ADD and ADHD, as we are failing our children.

I may not always have done the "right" thing for my child but I can honestly say I have done the best I can do---always! And everything has always been out of love for them----always!

Yes, there has been some side effects that wore off after 3 weeks they were gone. They have been well worth tolerating, and never would I put my child through another miserable year of school without the help of counseling and the medication he so desperately needed--that would be cruel!

I am 21 years old and my doctor prescribed me 20mg of Adderall to take twice a day. I've been taking it for about a week (only in the morning, I'm still too wound up to take it 4 hours later!) and I have already lost 10lbs. Also I've been having trouble breathing deeply, chest pain, tingling in my arms and legs, and no appetite whatsoever. Are these symptoms normal?

I'm on 240 mg a day and its no fun at all. I've built up a big tolerance to it, so much that even at this high of a dosage, I could fall asleep in no time at all. I've been at this dose fir like 4 years now. The good thing is that I have lost a lot of weight and managed to keep it off - going from a juniors size 11 to a 3 is the best thing thats happened though. Probably the only good thing. Otherwise, its made me different in many ways. I get to feeling that I just want to be left alone a lot so I can do my own thing, whatever that may be cause it varies. Some days I have a lot of energy, get lots done (cleaning, errands, some exercise classes, stuff like that), and other days I just feel like doing nothing. Mood swings are not uncommon for me, but I have always been that way I guess. Oh well, I guess if it works for you, take it. Its worked for me, but its about time I start to think about getting off of it as its effectiveness has run its course, at least I think it has. And I don't want to try anything else, its simply time to quit the ADD drug scene entirely. But like I said, if it works for you, then go for it. Just watch out cause it can build up on you fast like it did me, and you don't want to be taking as much as I do. (Its prescribed that way for me, BTW. I don't use it illegally).

I am not prescribed adderall and I don't even have ADHD or ADD. I am a 20 year old college student, and I heard on a Dateline show on TV about students abusing Adderall and other ADD medicine's while they are in college. I will take a 20 or 30mg Adderall and then it will keep me awake and alert so that I can stay up all night studying. It is a great way for me to be able to stay up and study, write papers, and then not have to sleep and be able to go to work and school the next day. The first time I took the Adderall was about a week ago, and I have taken it almost everynight since. I have probably slept 30 hours in the last 7 days. It is a stimulate and acts like speed if you don't have ADD, but it will calm children down who do have ADD. I just think that it is a great way for college students to concentrate on their school work and be able to stay up all night! Oh, the only down side that I've had for taking Adderall is that I will start to hallucinate and see bugs crawling on my arms or hands, but I'm not sure if this is a side effect of the Adderall or is just a side effect of having no sleep.

When I first started taking Adderall, it seemed amazing. I had no problems with it at first, except for coming home after school and falling asleep, but it didn't bother me much. After I had taken it for a few months I started to get severe crashes in the late afternoon. It was like, when I was on Adderall I was awake, happy, confident and outgoing, then I would come down from it and be the exact opposite. I would experience things like feeling very depressed and abandoned randomly and I was often the downer of the whole group, putting everyone in a bad mood. I started getting upset with my best friend for the littlest things and feeling like she had suddenly turned her back on her good friends.
Looking back now, I realize how rediculous and off-base my fears and insecurities were. After a while, I was just pushing my friends away by feeling unloved. That's the thing, Adderall takes away your ability to feel natural love, success, happiness, energy, and motivation. It puts up a block in your mind from the real world. Nothing you feel is real anymore.
I stopped taking it completely one day. I realized how much it had destroyed my life. Stopping was hard, but worth it. I remember the first time after stopping that I actually felt happy and tired at the same time. When I did Adderall, the feeling of being tired was tied to coming down from the drug, so I lost the ability to be tired and happy, because tired meant unhappiness was coming.
Unfortunately, I had to recently start taking it again, for it was the only thing I could think of to help me with school. With about four weeks of school left I'm currently facing four failing grades out of six classes. So far it has been extremely hard, and I still despise this drug. This will be the most challenging next couple of weeks I will have ever experienced, but I have to.
I can tell you that I can't wait for summer vacation when I can rid this of my life forever. Even though the high still makes me feel unbreakably energetic and happy, I know that this happiness is not nearly as good as real life happiness. I'm just lucky I have some amazing friends to stick by me this time, so that when I come out of this in four weeks, I wont come back to a life abandoned by the people I pushed away unknowingly. I can't wait for the day that I can actually live and feel my own life, and my own happiness.

I have been taking adderall 30mg immediate release twice a day for a little over 2 years now.
My hair won't grow. I have gone from a size 12 in women's to a size 0 in juniors. I am 36 years old and the bones in my face and body show through my skin.
I get very dizzy and I get anxiety really bad.
My toenails are paper thin as are my fingernails.
I have pushed everyone in my family away. I don't even play with my children anymore.
I am currently seeing a counselor once a week to help me with issues, which I hope will help me get off of this medication.
PLEASE DO NOT BEGIN TAKING THIS AS IT IS SO HARD TO GET OFF OF IT.
As another person stated, people I work with think I am on crack!

Hey,
My name is Krysten im 14 and im in the 8th grade. I'v been taking adderal for almost 4 months now. Before taking adderal I wasent doing good in school, I would always get into fights. My life was miserable. So I asked my doctor if I could try adderal agian. Before when I took adderall my stomach hurt and I wasent feeling the same. Then I wanted to give it a try. A week after I started to feel my self agian, my family and my teachers noticed a huge diffrence in my academics and my ADD. I went from getting E's and D's to getting on the honor role last quarter. I got the most improved in my grade and I was very happy. Now its the final quarter and now im feeling that adderal isant helping as much as it use to I'm worring about if I'm going to do as well as last quorter and im feeling a little anxiety. I went from taking 30 - 40mg in less than a month, Since I take 10mg after school. I also have been exeirencing weird things. When I get up from sitting down, I sometimes get a huge headach, I cant breath for about 30 seconds, I sometimes see stars and Its like a black out also, I get up then I cant see anything its all black, then slowy I can see agian. I would really like to know if i should raise my Mg higher for me to focus more and be happyer over time. I think adderal was a life changer for me. Please answer my question as soon as poosible!

My 4year old grandson has been on 20mg adderall Xr for aprox 2 months .. It has helped with his hyperness but soon after taking the drug he becomes emotionl and completely beligerant. He acts out and screams at you. This goes on for hours. Ive discussed this with doctor and he wants to up the dose.. Almost afraid to. Dont want to think that grandson could get anymore beligerant. He was hyper before the meds not beligerant. Where can I go to find more on this.?

My husband has recently started taking adderall for a month now. He gets very angry over simplist things. He has now become verbally belligerent, and he rapidly goes through drastic extreme mood swings. Are these side effects to this medication?

blurred vision?

calves in legs hurt

depressed mood

I'm sorry so many of you have bad experiences with Adderall. My side effects went away in about two weeks.

The amphetamines in Adderall have been used for 70 years, so if they were that dangerous, they would not be around today and one of the top 10 most prescribed pediatric drugs in America.

To Spoiled Rotten,
Apparently you can't read all that well or don't know how to do research, maybe you should have been on Adderall as a kid. RITALIN, CONCERTA, FOCALIN, DAYTRANA are all Methylphenidate, which IS NOT AN AMPHETAMINE.

Be a Big BOY/GIRL and do your own research about these drugs. Real research, not a side-effects website where people who know nothing about the drugs themselves hear something from someone, who knows someone's sisters friend who ABUSED their medication.

ALL DRUGS can be bad. You can die of an aspirin overdose. It's how they are used. Adderall and Ritalin are "very safe" when used properly" (Driven To Distraction).

I'm sure 99 percent of you don't even know what ADDICTION really is. This is a huge health problem in America. Yes, the addictions, but MORE so the ignorance and stereotypes of people with them.

African American 47,
You DON'T just get addicted to a drug. You can BE DEPENDENT on a drug, and not an addict. Cancer patients take very large amounts of NARCOTIC pain killers and THEY ARE DEPENDENT on them. For pain relief and physical dependence. They DON'T crave the drugs though.

So with SPOILED rotten's philosophy, the 20,000,000 people on Adderall or Ritalin (NOT AN AMPHETAMINE, similar, but not the same thing) who's quality of life has been improved 100 fold just like mine. I would have benefited GREATLY from medication but did not get diagnosed until 3 months ago at the age of 24.

Medication IS NOT for everyone, as "it doesn't work very well for about 80% of people who take it." (Driven To Distraction, Dr Edward Hallowell).

IF anyone has questions about ADD read "Driven To Distraction". The Author(s) both have ADD themselves and are psychiatrists.

Too many people with ADD refuse medication because they think "oh no, I will get addicted", which is 99 percent of the time not the case for ADD. They miss out on at least an option that could help them immensely.

I am so irritated with the ignorance and lack of knowledge from people who bad mouth things they know really nothing about. It didn't work for me so I am going to demonize the drugs and spread lies that they turn kids into zombies and cause them to shoot up schools..........C'mon, you're how old? I'm probably 1/2 your age and I have twice the common sense.
I'm not saying your a bad parent Spoiled, but your NAME IS Spoiled....you seem to be on a high and mighty chair, and you seemingly have a very self centered mind. Doesn't work for you then it must be the work of the devil.

Learn how to do research, form educated opinions, maybe read a book. Use your rights as a patient to see a different doctor if you don't agree with one. Do something productive.

My son 12 yrs took 30 mg yesterday and he said it felt like an elephant was sitting on his chest and his chest was shaking rapidly. Later that night we had a disagreement about how the pin pong table gets put together. It turned into a full blown anger rage to the point where he went into e sezier. I was so scared and so was he. This morning he doesn't even remember anything about last night. I call ed the doc and he stopped the meds and they now want him to try concerta 30 mg. I hope this drug does not have the same reaction. I waited 7 years to start him on meds for his ADHD. I hope I am making the right decision.

my daughter has been recently been put on adderall xr 5mg. she is 6, the only side effect so far is decreased appetite. i only give it to her on school days and her teacher said that it really makes a difference. i don't plan on giving it to her for a long time, but i heard that when i stop giving it to her that her weight will increase 2x. is that true?

I started taking adderall xr 20 mg about 6 mo. ago. I am 31 and was 185 lbs @5'11". It definitely raises my focus and I get more done at work. I lost 20lbs. and when I went to the gym to work out last week I could barly bench 135 when I used to work out with 190 or more. This tells me it is very tough on the body. My friends think I look like I am on crack. As far as the addiction thing goes it is true. If I try to take a day of I simply cannot function. It is not a insatiable craving when you don't have it. It just puts you in a major fog. For example, if you drink coffee or cola and you skip a day and are a little off you can still get by fine. If you skip a day of(or try to skip) adderall xr it is litteraly 20x worse! I plan on tappering off for good soon. I will find a better way to deal with my add. My main reason for posting this is to say: DO NOT GIVE THIS DRUG TO GROWING CHILDREN. I believe It will definitly do permanent harm.

My just recently found out my mother is taking adderal. She has been acting very strange latley. She has pretty much cut of all ties with her family. She has been acting irrational and just not herself. Could this really be the medication doing this to her? What can i do to help her and is anti-social behavior a side effect of this medication

My son has been taking Adderall for about 4 and 1\2 yrs. and I will tell ya'll that it help him at first but as the yrs went by it is like he is not taking anything. He just got off of taking the Adderall XR and it wasn't even helping him any. It was like it was giving him a boost. I have read all of the storys that ya'll have put on here and they all sound just like what I am going through. There is one thing that I noticed about everyones and that is that no one put on here what was in Adderall. If you do some looking into it Adderall has amphetamines in it. That is why you only have so many days to get it filled. If you look it up in a PDR or in THE PILL BOOK it will tell you that it is pronounced ADD-ur-all and then under that it says "Generic ingredients: AMPHETAMINES" So if you are taking this I would say that it is time to get off of this med. I have taking my son off of it and he seems to bwe getting better. Adderall is just like Ritalin. Ritalin also had Amphetamines in it as well. I just thought that I would share that with all of ya'll. I am glade to see that there is a place to do this and share story's and just maybe keep someone that has not ever taken this med and that might just be thinking about putting a kid on it that just maybe this will change their mind.

I toko Adderol this past Sunday as well as last Sunday and have had a horrible experience. Raither than helping me focus I feel as if I can't think at all. i haven't taken any pills since Sunday and feel as if I'm getting worse day by day. Is this withdraw. How long does it take to get this out of your system. My eye wont stop twitching, i'm getting panicy and I can't study. Can anyone please send me some adive on thi?

I start taking Adderall, xr about 9 months ago. At first I had the expected side effects, dry month, restlesness, loss of appetite. I felt extremely alert, and much more focused at work. My husband even noticed my attitude was much more calm and relaxed, which made him much more calm and relaxed. So it seemed like it was a miracle drug. Well, here lately I have been feeling more tired and unmotivated than I ever have in my entire life. I have been taking 10 mg since I began, and usually only once a day for only the days I work. I never take it on my days off. So I am not sure if that is the problem. And I am not sure if it is because I need up my mg, but honestly, I feel that it is not worth it in the long run. I am beginning to think my body is reacting because I need more, and I refuse to do that. So my results are worse than when I started 9 months ago. I have decided to stop cold turkey and very concerned about withdrawl effects. But I would rather go through that than the rest of my life be dependant on a medication that is obviously messing with my body.

i started taking adderall almost 2 years ago. i didn't have any medical problems, for some stupid reason, out of curiosity i guess, i decided to take one of my daughters pills to see what they do. i know how i was before that night. 225 pounds, slept all day, never wanted to do anything, not even my hair, depressed, and never any energy.

that night, with only half of her dose, i think i got more done than i have in 5 years, but not just that, i was happy!! the feeling of crying for no reason magically dissappeared. after years and years of trying every single anti-depressants out there, it was sitting here in my medicine cabinet all along. i talked to our family doctor and asked him to prescribe me too, that it helped me get things done and i feel happy for once. so he did.

that was august of 2004, it is now feb 2006, not even 2 years later and i have a lot to be thankful for, but i have paid alot of prices

by the end of the first year of my prescription, i have lost 95 pounds. woohoo, but not in a good way, i think i lost the majority of it within the first 6 months, people and my family thought i was on crack, by august of last year i became vitamin A deficiant, i have acne so bad, and they don't heal because of the vitamin deficancy, and the ones that did, left the worst huge red scars and lumps. but the major side effect was this january i had to have my gall bladder out because of gall stones which is related to the medication side effects

i have been to court 3 times this year for not paying bills, because i get so into other things that i can't tear myself away from them

i sleep about 3-5 hours a day, by friday i am exhausted that i just don't want to do anything with my family

but the truth is that after all of this, i do't think i would change a thing. just for the fact i'm not a big fat slob anymore, i don't lay in bed all day and eat box after box of twinkies

i don't think i will ever give it up unless i definatly have to just for the fact, on the days that i run out and don't have the money to get my script refilled, i see how i really am, and i never want to feel like that again

in certain ways this was my miracle drug, it was a cure for alot of my problems, i guess my suggestion to anyone out there, is to make yourself aware of what is changing within yourself

I'm an 18 year old female and I just started taking adderall this morning. I've been extremely anxious and nervous. But when late afternoon and evening came I started feeling very very sad and depressed as well, which really sucked because my boyfriend had this big romatic dinner and gifts for me for valentines day and I couldn't even be happy even though I wanted to. I cried severeal times today. I think I was also pretty irritable. I really want to know how long these side effects are expected to last?

I have been on adderall for six years. I have taken adderall xr, as well as the shorter lasting adderall. I am upset with my doctor, because I trusted him for years with my health, and because he was recommended to me from people I know. If I would have been told the truth when I asked about the side effects, and withdrawl symptoms, I never would have taken these drugs in the first place! By placing this, I am hoping that maybe I can prevent someone else from ever starting this horrible drug in the first place. I wish I would have known about behavior cognitive therapy years ago (which is natural), because I would have gone that way instead of taking adderall. Over the years, it has made my symptoms worse.

I have been taking adderall for 5 years now, 10 mg a day. I must say that it truly works when its comes to focusing. However, I hate the way my body feels when I am on it. I do not take my medication on weekends, over the summer, or anytime that I am not in school due to the fact that I would prefer not to be addicted to the medication. I can focus in class, and take notes, and study and do well in school because of it however, I always feel like crap. I have dry mouth, I can feel my heart beat, I get headaches, I am constantly tired, yet mentally aware. Sometimes I even get horrible stomache aches. My eyes always seem like there is a screen infront of them, and even on the occasion my body is tingly and itchy due to it. And I also tend to have a soar throat on a regular basis. I would not take the medication everyday, only when it is needed and that completely depends on your level of needing it. However, I would stay away from it if you can avoid taking the medication. Be Aware of whats going on around and inside you. It also has the effect of causing seizures, epilipse, ticks and tremors. Serious side effects come from this drug. Be informed and take this seriously. It is not a drug you should mess around with. Exspecially if you may have an eating disorder, this will only make it worse, considering the fact that it lowers your appetite. Good luck

It causes weight disorders, and after a while it only makes your symptoms worse. It causes you to lose a feeling of who you are, and if you stop, your old symptoms can cause a lot of problems with your family.

I am 43 yr old African American male recently diagnosed with Adult ADHD. I have been taking Adderall for about 2 months now, I have not experienced any of the side effects most people talk about with the exceptiong of the weight loss. I have lost approx 15 lbs since I began the medication. I started out with 1 10mg in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. I noticed a change (as well as others around me) in the first few weeks. I do not eat as much as I used to, but I am still always hungry (can't explain), but eat very heartily when I do eat. Like another respondent, I am very leery about taking the drug because of what I have heard about the addiction possiblities. I intentionally did not refill my prescription (one week) to see how I would do and I thank God (literally) I was relieved to know that I did not craaavve the stuff. Although I did once again start to lose focus and the ability to finish tasks. I started taking it again today, I will keep everyone posted as to how I am doing.

My prayer is that they will find out more about this disorder so that we do not have to rely strictly on meds. I am looking for a doctor who is not just interested in filling out a prescription and getting paid large sums of money for a fifteen visit, so I have begun looking into Cognitive Behaviorial Therapy, and natural alternatives as well. If anyone knows anything about these, please post.

My 10 year old daughter took adderall for 4 years, and we took her off when she was having problems with restless leg syndrome and hot extremities. Both of these symptoms went away immediately. I did not realize until this summer how much happier she was, and we tried one dose of Adderall yesterday as she is having great difficulty in school. It was horrible. She was irrate in 30 minutes after taking it. When I picked her up from school she could not stop tongue thrusting and her throat was constricting and releasing so much she was coughing. That said, her teacher said she did great with her focus and school work. Well, the teacher is just going to have to deal with less attention. I can't ever put her through that again. She couldn't stop the tongue thrusting all night long and was so busy coughing that she could barely drink water. It is over today, and she seems back to her normal self. I think we delt with lots of behavioral issues in the past years that were actually med side effect and she had no control over. I agree with you who said - don't give it to kids! they don't have the insight and power to refuse to take it - and we don't live in their bodies.

I take 30mg XR and I have been taking it a year, I am 22. My sister and mother both have different forms of ADD, mine is the inattentive type without hyperactivity. I found that by taking adderall I was able to finally retain the information discussed in my classes to be able to put them back down on paper for a test, among other things. I used to have to try SO hard to learn and I could not ever quite grasp learning anything. With the medicine my grades improved drastically and with the same effort as before, I was able to gain knowledge and feel normal for once. I love the fact that I am now able to learn my new job and retain the information. I HATE that I get headaches in the afternoon lately and that my boyfriend finds me to be moody and too serious on the medicine. When I take a weekend off of Adderall I become a vegetable and my muscles are very weak. I also have trouble driving or getting anything done if I am awake because I feel like I am in a daze. I hate all of this, I would love to find a different medication that would help with my attention, but not cause these side effects. Any ideas?

I am a 14 and a half year old girl, 112 lbs., and I've been on Adderall Xr for about 2 years. It gives me dry mouth like Hell. Whenever I stand up, I get so dizzy I can't see. If I don't eat, it feels like my stomach is ingesting itself. It does help my ADD, I take it everyday. When I miss a dose, the day after is literally Hell. I like to hurt myself, basicly for fun and out of boredom. I took an herbal sleep aide for a long time since Adderall gave me severe insomnia (sleep just never came), but I've recently gone on strike since I don't want to have to take for the rest of my life. I usually do fine, except when I've had a certain amount or more of caffine, which was the same on the sleep med. I also have an eating disorder where I know I'm hungry, but I just don't want to eat. I've also become a lot more angry and irritable. I naturally keep things that bother me inside, and I'm extremly vindictive, so that sometimes stupid things just set me off for no reason. I take 25 mg everyday at about 7 in the morning.
Good luck to everyone out there. =^..^=

Well I have been taking Adderall now for 4 months. The first 2 weeks I was hyperfocused to the point that I could barely pull myself away from the office to go home. I was irritable and once went so long without eating or drinking anything that I got seriously light headed and thought I was going down. I still get the dry mouth, I have lost 25 lbs. over the last 4 months and am now extremely prone to severe sunburn. Or so I was until I developed the tan that I have now, and I think the Adderall is hiding the fact that I am seriously in need of sleep. I have never been much of a sleeper, I usually go to sleep around midnight or later, sometimes as late as 2AM and my alarm goes off at 5:15. However it catches up with me about every 4 months and I am exhausted by the time dinner is over and I have to go to sleep right away. After that 10 to 12 hours of sleep I am good again with the little sleep for months. However today and last night I found myself getting extremely angry for no reason. My wife and I just had our second child 4 weeks ago so my sleep has been even less than usual. One night I went to sleep at 1:30AM, got up at 3:30 to feed the baby, went back to sleep at 4:15 and got up at 5:15 to go to work. I think I am ready for one of those body shut downs but the Adderall is keeping me from realizing it. I sat at my desk this morning with my fist clenched, gnashing my teeth with tears streaming down my face and nothing had happened to cause it at all. I am not sure about the Adderall yet. So far I have really liked the increased focus at work and I am now going back to College which I have effectively put off now for 5 years. So it seems to really have helped my focus and motivation. I am EXTREMELY ADHD by the way. Whenever I used to have trouble falling asleep I would pound a Mountain Dew and sleep like a baby. Caffeine has always had a calming effect on me, so I assume the Adderall works in a similar manner. I am going to try and force myself to sleep early tonight and see if the unexplained anger subsides. I will post with my results.

I am a 25 year old man who was diagnosed with ADD about a year ago. My Doc put me on adderall xr 10 mg one per day. We then upped to 20 mg, and then 30 mg. I must say the drug is wonderful! I only wish I was diagnosed and put on this when I was a kid. I never could concentrate or finish anything in school. I would hear words from people and teachers but they just did not register. I would drift from thought to thought but still hear the words. I truely belive that ADD has been a huge factor in me never finishing school and also loosing a long term relationship. In the relationship I had same thing. I would hear her speak, and want to listen but something literally would not let me!!! So, to her, i just was "Not wanting to listen". We broke up over it! Two years later I told my doctor about my concentration problems. Since being placed on Adderall this has disappeared. I can totally listen and concentrate. My life has totally been improved. I have been promoted twice at my job now since being diagnosed. The only side affects i have experienced so far is for the first 2 days a headache and yes i was restless. Its IS an amphetamine. That dissapeared in two to three days. Also, dry mouth is a problem. To me the benefits totally out weigh the side effects. To the parents of younger children or teens, this drug is widely abused. Please keep it away from them and only administer it to them by recommended dosage. I feel most of the negative comments on this drug are from the EFFECTS OF ABUSE!

Our doctor started two of my children (one diagnosed ADHD the other ADD) on Adderall after watching both of them struggle at school for a couple of years. The older one was held back for lack of attentiveness and disorganization (diagnosed ADD). He was 14 at the time. My younger son was 9 and was not only inattentive but terribly disruptive at school.

Upon taking Adderall the younger son calmed down noticeably (20mg of Adderall XR). It was absolutely amazing. The teacher noticed immediately that this restless boy who would ask the same question over and over without listening to the answer was suddenly attentive and well-mannered. The side-effects are concerning however. This child is naturally thin and not a terribly good eater. His eating diminished and I took to forcing him to drink an Ensure every day. He also was not sleeping as well. I noticed that the side-effects passed after the first couple of weeks. I refrain from giving him the Adderall on weekends and days off, as I am worried about addiction and long-term addiction. He has now gone all summer without any - but there are days that his ADHD is especially frustrating (for everyone around him - and him too. I will see his face fall when he has annoyed someone and he gets barked at for bothering others) and I wonder if I should have continued so as not to shock his system again when school starts in the fall.

The older child takes the Adderall very rarely now. When he knows he will have a big test at school or feels "out of it" he will take one...but seems to have learned to deal with the ADD problem a bit better naturally. He is not a straight A student - even though I know he has the potential to be one. I feel that for him it is optional and at present, he dislikes the feeling he has on it - so chooses not to take it.

I can only hope that the decisions that we've made are the right ones. I have read a lot of posts here about not giving this to children. We have tried other methods, but nothing else seems to work. One person here mentioned focusing for 10 minutes a day on something and giving the child more attention. Sounds like a good plan, but in action nearly impossible. This child's attention span is almost non-existant at times. He cannot focus on the activity at hand and interupts constantly. He will ask a question and when I respond he will ask the same question over and over. I can tell him something 10 times and it doesn't seem to "sink in" to his brain. When he takes the Adderall he is focused and attentive and I will only need to tell him something once in order for him to understand.

I've been on Adderall for years, and I haven't had any problems with addiction. I've never taken it regularly though, but I've still experienced the euphoria, the dry mouth, the suppressed appetite, the hightened sense of awareness, on and on. My doctor has given me a new medication for bipolar, but told me to remain on Adderall (not caring that I may not even have ADHD, as with bipolar it is often a symptom that is misdiagnosed as ADHD) to counteract the drowsiness associated with the particular med. I have to take it every day now and I hate it. I don't feel that I should be taking it just to counteract a side effect of the other medication. Next, I'll be taking something else to counteract the dry mouth, etc. that comes with adderall.
**AND PLEASE, PEOPLE. DON'T GIVE THIS DRUG TO YOUNG CHILDREN. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?**

READ THIS!!! 5 YEARS OF ADDERALL ----I dont really know why I am doing this, because I am not really sure how often this website even gets looked at - but the danger of adderall is something that needs to be talked about.. I am a female, and am going to be a senior in college this year, and have taken adderall for 5 years. I take 30 mg a day, and throughout those 5 years I have gone about 3 weeks TOTAL of not taking the drug. In the beginning I thought adderall was the best thing in the world. I was diagnosed with ADHD - but it wasnt that severe, I was always a very energetic kid and was always happy and healthy. I did fairly well in school, but the doctor thought adderall would help me more. When I took adderall for the first time, all of my senses were hightened, everything was SOOO wonderful - so much easier, focusing in class, doing homework - adderall, really, is just a pill that gives you motivation and makes you feel like you could accomplish ANYTHING - sounds great right? Well 5 years later, I have realized now that I am so screwed. I have tried cutting back, but I cant.. I am SO dependant on it, and CAN NOT function whatsoever without it. I cant even get out of bed, or hold my arm in the air without taking it.. I am so weak, I feel like my normal self(without adderall) is like a vegitable. I feel like I have no desire to do ANYTHING, i just want to lay in bed all day and sleep. But when I take it in the morning, my heart POUNDS in my chest, my mouth is so dry, i get headaches, and my eyes feel like they are fuzzy - but i still cant stop taking it. I am 100% addicted, and I hate it. I am trying my hardest to cut down because eventually I want this to be out of my system.. Adderal replaces your brains natural ability to motivate, it replaces all the natural ways that your brain works to produce happiness, it trains your brain to work ONLY when the drug is present - and the longer you take the drug, the less of a chance your brain has to ever function normally by itself..Anyway, the point is - if you or your child is thinking about taking adderall - really evaluate their degree of ADD or ADHD, because if it is not too bad then DONT TAKE IT - its not worth it!!.. OR if your child REALLLLY does need it, make sure they take it only when it is important - for school, and not on the weekends - make sure it doesnt become a routine thing where he/she takes it eveyday.. ok, thats it...

I have been taking for over one month. 20mg one time daily, female 31yrs old. Adderall seems to be helping focus quite well. I am not as obsessed with having a perfectly clean house. I can slow down, read books and focus, actually LEARN something. Thats something I've never been able to do in 30 years, nice change! I experience a dry mouth and appetite decrease, slightly. Its a good thing, I can read instead of eat, or accomplish worthwhile tasks rather than let neverending task lists spin in my head while not producing much at all. Its been well worth the side affects. I've been against drugs for 31 years, finally realizing that to be able to break through and accomplish more in my life I would need some assistance. (I've read several books on ADD, tried to control as much as possible on my own with out meds, and to a small extendt I could. But awareness is all I could control, I could never really control the focusing. IT felt so difficult to try, as if I was playing tug a war with myself and at the other end, several people are pulling. Wht shopuld focusing be that hard for anyone???!!!! I was fine with myself when not medicated, however I could tell the ADD in me, was disturbing to those around me. I just wanted to be normal, and was tired of having teachers or private coaches tell me to focus. AS if their words/advise would suddenly be able to make a change in me. DUH!!!! This finally got me ticked off enough to try a different route. I think I'll stick with this med.
My doc swithed me to the generic brand, same ingred.....wierd side affects, paranoid, couldnt sleep, mentally I was a mess, like a scitco... got off of that after 5 days. Would have rather not taken med at all. But I understand, its all about trying to find the right dosage and you have to be willing to experiment. (just hopefully if you put children on this, they may not understand what wired side affects are happening, it took me awhile to notice in myself... you wonder if its just you, or if your imagining side affects,,,,hard to tell) They should take the generic brand off the shelves! I also noticed b/c it (generic)was in tablet form, the benefit of focus seemed to wear off way sooner than Adderall.
Now Im back on Adderall and doing better. ( not as well as before I took the generic, but possibly that my imagination) My doc said Addreall would last 12 hrs. It doesn't seem to last that long..... hard to know when its worn off.

Just diagnosed with ADD (without hyperactivity) and I am a 42 yr old male, married (8 yrs) with a 2 yr old daughter. Past problems and behavior fell under the "classic" AAD category and have been struggling to be functional my entire life. Just started taking Adderal 15 Mmg (twice daily) and the have experienced the following: DAY 1- fast HR, dry mouth, heighten hearing, sensitivity to touch (sexual), slight euphoric feelings and was not able to sleep that night. Day 2 - much better except for cotton mouth taste (Smoothies!) and loss of appetite - slept fine, not as intense. Day 3 - feeling pretty normal except much more focused and clear. Mind does not flit from thought to thought. It seems to place you "in the moment". I am not too interested in taking this long-term, but something was needed as I was in a downward spiral and headed for doom. I am 5'11'' and 190 lbs. I train as a triathlete and am quite able to workout and function with this medication so far. I have never taken a been addicted to anything or have taken Med's before so this is all new. If it's for your, child take precautions that this is the right path. If it were my daughter, I would certainly try all the alternatives I could before medicating, but speaking from experience - I know that this is something that has to be managed and confronted as ADD is a very real thing and not something that they will "grow out of". Most of all, give them your love and patience.

For those of you mothers that think that "drugging" your children is wrong, I wish to God that my parents would have when I was a child. They thought the same as you and I suffered because of it. They were both school teachers and didn't want to admit that their child had a problem. I have been diagnosed wt ADHD and now take medication. I only wish I could have stopped the heartache I experienced throughout my childhood. Spending those "10" extra minutes a day didn't work for me. I remember many nights when I sat down to do my homework and I just cried. My only memories of school were those of me throwing my books across the room, tired from looking at a wall for hours, clueless. I suffered and there was simply no reason. For this, I never forgave my parents. Later on, my mom told me that she had the choice to put me on medicine and she didn't think that I needed it. Now she admits she was wrong. Don't be selfish Mothers.............

I am taking Adderall for the first time today, for ADD-like (inattentive rather than hyperactive) executive function symptoms resulting from a brain injury (frontal, especial left frontal, and temporal lobes) I sustained 8 years ago. I have had extremely bad problems with productivity ever since. I am a twentysomething female, 5'8" and 135lb and I took 10 MG an hour ago. I would say I am feeling unusually alert for this time in the morning, senses feeling more "awake," my heart rate a little elevated but not too abnormal, and also in a particular sense feeling calmer/less anxious than ordinary. I feel less compulsion to websurf, which is something I have a serious problem with. I'd say I am also finding it easier and smoother to compose this writing than I would ordinarily, I am hyper-literate and have a strong desire to write, but writing is usually like pulling teeth--very slow and very hard to organize my thoughts. I am starting to feel a buzz; I find a caffeine buzz very unpleasant and distracting, and caffeine doesn't seem to help my attentiveness and productivity all that much. But I am more alert and focused, and that part feels good. It is so tiresome and frustrating feeling "lazy," unfocused, foggy, and restless like I normally do. The buzz I am feeling is getting a little more intense and my heart rate also up a little more, I feel kind of tingly. I kind of don't like it and time will tell how much it bothers me after I am more used to it. I suspect that I may find it a reasonable trade-off to feeling focused. And again, in a particular sense I feel more peaceful than normal because I'm not having the stray thoughts and spacyness I normally do. That feels like a relief. I think I can see why people eat less on this drug, because of the heightened physiological state and the reduced feelings of boredom or restlessness that often drive people to eat. If I can use it to eat less sweets that could be good, but I will try to be careful to keep eating regular healthy meals. It's now an hour and a half since I took the pill and I think the effect is perhaps plateauing. My sinuses feel very clear and my mouth is perhaps a little dry. I was a little afraid to take this thing but the buzz feeling is probably not quite as bad as I feel after a 12 oz cup of black coffee and much less bad than a bad dose of nighttime cold medicine I had once, and with more benefit. I'm going to leave this posting at that and see what more I can get done today. Hopefully these observations help someone.

To the 15 year old wondering whether he/she should take Adderall, this is something you can/should ONLY decide together with a doctor. The doctor will be able to give you much better advice than anyone on the internet. Seriously. But if it puts your mind at ease any, you should know that underweight, unless it is extreme, is not in itself a serious health risk. If being underweight makes you self-conscious that is also a consideration, but a doctor can probably help you somewhat to manage your weight whether or not you take a stimulant.

My sister's son (age 18) was given some adderall to "try" by a friend who has ADD. It was the first time he ever tried any kind of drug or alcohol. I'm sure he took more than a normal dose (he says he took 2 - a capsule and a tablet). He had gone to dog-sit for my brother, who lives 3 hours away when he took these, and had an "episode" after taking them. He heard voices telling him to get out of the house & he didn't belong there - he was totally paranoid. He thought the neighbors were out in the streets having a meeting about him and then he thought people were hiding in the bushes watching him. He called us & told us someone had come in the house and changed all the locks on my brother's doors. My sister, parents, & I drove down to see what was going on & as soon as we walked in the door he said he thought we were "wearing wires". He was very frightened and confused. He really believed someone was in the house & in bushes, & had chewed the side of his mouth so bad he had a bad sore inside his mouth. I don't know what this drug does to people with ADD, but I would never give this drug to my child or take it myself. It appears that this kid that gave my nephew this drug needs to learn that it is ILLEGAL to give someone else your prescription medicine.