Adderall and dry mouth

I am almost 21 and i have been on Adderall XR since i was in 8th grade, and i was on Ritalin from 3rd grade to 8th grade. I was off of Adderall from when i graduated (because of lack of insurance, the med is expensive) to about a month ago. Before i stopped taking it, i weighed approx 125-130 and i am 5'7''. For the 2 years i was off, my weight skyrocketed to 155-160, and now i am in a constant struggle to get the weight off. The only side effects that i have ever had were dry mouth which leaves a weird taste in my mouth, and lack of appetite, which i dont mind since im trying to lose weight.
During the time i was off of the Adderall, i was LAZY. (which im sure also helped the weight gain) I wanted to do nothing but watch tv and play The Sims. I was easily excited, and i would blurt out sometimes inappropriate things that i should have thought about before saying.. I was a mess at work, always distracted and disorganized, and always forgot what i was supposed to do.
Now that im back on it, I have been cleaning at home a lot more, and going to the gym, im a little bit more quiet, which im sure my roommates don't mind. I have also noticed that i am little bit more grouchy, but i think that i just am a bit more serious, and i don't want to be pestered. ( for example, my roommate is watching Family Feud and hes yelling out all of the answers, and im about to strangle him as im writing this, but who wouldn't.) This medication may not work for some people, but for me, it absolutely helped 100% at school, and at home. And without it, i am a disorganized mess.

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.

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

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 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

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!

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?**

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.