Adderall and adderall

I am 58, and attention deficit has always been a part of my life. I am the space cadet type, ADD but not ADHD. I discovered it had a name when I was 45. Adderall is something I take to keep myself on track and actually get things done. Before Adderall I self medicated with lots of sugar, caffeine and occasionally pseudofed when I needed to focus. What I wanted to add to this discussion is this: those with ADD have a different response to stimulants than those without it. When I was in college, some of us scored some funny white powder ( yes, the Real Thing (grin)) to try out. I found everyone else running around talking nonstop, eating like crazy and prancing around the room. I was filled with an immense inner calm, and finally went outside for some peace and quiet. It was the first time I felt clear headed and connected to the flow of time around me. The good news was I was a student, without a job or money, and with ADD, so I never got around to repeating the experiment or I could easily have become addicted to the stuff. The moral here is to remember different folks have different responses to the same drugs. My personal opinion is that if stimulants make you feel agitated, you probably don't have ADD. If you drink 6 cups of coffee and four colas then sleep like a baby, you might consider getting checked out.

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.

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.

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 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 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!

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.

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 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

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.