Adderall info and experiences

EastCoastChris

New Member
amphetamine-dextroamphetamine

Pronunciation: am FEH ta meen/deck stroe am FEH ta meen
Brand: Adderall

What is the most important information I should know about amphetamine-dextroamphetamine?
• Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine may cause dizziness, blurred vision, or restlessness, and it may hide the symptoms of extreme tiredness. If you experience these effects, avoid hazardous activities.
• Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine is habit forming. You can become physically and psychologically dependent on this medication, and withdrawal effects may occur if you stop taking it suddenly after several weeks of continuous use. Talk to your doctor about stopping this medication gradually.


What is amphetamine-dextroamphetamine?
• Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine is a stimulant and an appetite suppressant. It stimulates the central nervous system (nerves and brain) by increasing the amount of certain chemicals in the body. This increases heart rate and blood pressure and decreases appetite, among other effects.
• Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine is used to treat narcolepsy and attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD).
• Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.


Who should not take amphetamine-dextroamphetamine?
• Do not take amphetamine-dextroamphetamine if you
· have heart disease or high blood pressure;
· have arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries);
· have glaucoma;
· have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), or phenelzine (Nardil) in the last 14 days; or
· have a history of drug or alcohol abuse.
• Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have
· problems with your thyroid,
· an anxiety disorder,
· epilepsy or another seizure disorder, or
· diabetes.
• You may not be able to take amphetamine-dextroamphetamine, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
• Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether it will harm an unborn baby. Do not take amphetamine-dextroamphetamine without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant.
• Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine passes into breast milk and may affect a nursing baby. Do not take amphetamine-dextroamphetamine without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.


How should I take amphetamine-dextroamphetamine?
• Take amphetamine-dextroamphetamine exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions , ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water.
• Taking amphetamine-dextroamphetamine in the evening may cause insomnia. Follow your doctor's instructions regarding when to take the medication.
• Never take more of this medication than is prescribed for you. Too much amphetamine-dextroamphetamine could be dangerous.
• Store amphetamine-dextroamphetamine at room temperature away from moisture and heat.


What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose or if it is already evening, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. A dose taken too late in the day may cause insomnia. Do not take a double dose of this medication.


What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention.
• Symptoms of an amphetamine-dextroamphetamine overdose include restlessness, tremor, rapid breathing, confusion, hallucinations, panic, aggressiveness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, an irregular heartbeat, and seizures.


What should I avoid while taking amphetamine-dextroamphetamine?
• Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine may cause dizziness, blurred vision, or restlessness, and it may hide the symptoms of extreme tiredness. If you experience these effects, avoid hazardous activities.
• Do not take amphetamine-dextroamphetamine late in the day. A dose taken too late in the day may cause insomnia.


What are the possible side effects of amphetamine-dextroamphetamine?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking amphetamine-dextroamphetamine and seek emergency medical attention:
· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
· an irregular heartbeat or very high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision); or
· hallucinations, abnormal behavior, or confusion.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take amphetamine-dextroamphetamine and talk to your doctor if you experience
· restlessness or tremor;
· anxiety or nervousness;
· headache or dizziness;
· insomnia;
· dry mouth or an unpleasant taste in your mouth;
· diarrhea or constipation; or
· impotence or changes in sex drive.
• Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine is habit forming. You can become physically and psychologically dependent on this medication, and withdrawal effects may occur if you stop taking it suddenly after several weeks of continuous use. Talk to your doctor about stopping this medication gradually.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.


What other drugs will affect amphetamine-dextroamphetamine?
• Do not take amphetamine-dextroamphetamine if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), or phenelzine (Nardil) in the last 14 days.
• Before taking amphetamine-dextroamphetamine, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
· insulin or another diabetes medicine;
· guanethidine (Ismelin) or guanadrel (Hylorel); or
· a tricyclic antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), doxepin (Sinequan), nortriptyline (Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), clomipramine (Anafranil), protriptyline (Vivactil), or desipramine (Norpramin).
• You may not be able to take amphetamine-dextroamphetamine, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with amphetamine-dextroamphetamine. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.


Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has more information about amphetamine-dextroamphetamine written for health professionals that you may read.
 

Guest
I am 48 and take Adderall for my attention span. Years ago I had a horseback riding accident. My horse took off running uncontrollably into a wooded area.
A tree branch struck my forehead; upon falling the back of my head hit a tree root. I was in a coma for several days with a serious closed head injury and contusions on my brain. I recovered without any surgery but have experienced lasting affects.
I look and act normal with no identifiable differences. There are noticeable differences identifiable by people experienced with brain injury victims. It’s a speech pattern called talking around words. It may take me 100 words to say what would normally take 20 words. I prefer to do business in written form so I can edit, clarify and confirm what I am saying is exactly what I mean. I also request information in writing so there is no doubt about what others mean.
I also have a difficult time recalling new information. Often I tape record conversations if important information is being given. I try to document everything to avoid distress of forgetting things and I save all papers that pass through my hands. This has served effectively to help me understand, piece together and recall just about everything. I’ve learned a system of filing and storing and follow a routine of placing things in the same place so I don’t loose them.
I began taking medication when I began having problems with my child’s school ten years ago. The distress and emotional wearing down left me scatterbrained. I took Ritalin with success for years but found I hit a wall and needed something different. My Dr. prescribed Adderall that was much different. It took a while to get adjusted because it slowly adjusts the brain for concentration. Regular Ritalin had a kick-in affect. I’ve found the Adderall doesn’t give me the mental sharpness I had with the Ritalin and my doctor is changing me to Ritalin SR. It seems to be working much better. I think most children do best on the regular Ritalin but I’m not sure if there has been enough documentation to prove this. Regular Ritalin has high’s and lows not found in Ritalin SR or Adderall.
Ritalin affects people different ways. For those who don’t need it, it acts as an amphetamine. To those who need it, it provides a sense of confidence and direction. The amount necessary for effectiveness is a science. I compare it to the cooling ability of freon in an air conditioner. The perfect amount makes the AC work the most efficient. Adding more than enough will cause the system to freeze up and provide a cooling capacity of 20%. On the other hand, having less than the perfect amount will allow the AC to cool with 75% capacity. It’s better to err on the less side than use more than necessary. Having too much medication has the same effect; the child or adult will want to sleep. Having not enough will assist in concentration but not effectively.
I am thankful for such medications but don’t consider it a substitute for learning necessary structure. Children need to learn structure while they’re taking the medication to reinforce important life skills. Without the structure the medication is just a crutch that will fail them later on in life.
 

Guest
My younger difficult child tried adderall for only a few months. While it helped control his adhd behavior, the rebound was just terrible. My son would rage and cry uncontrollably for an hour each night while the medication was wearing off.

We recently tried adderall for my older difficult child (who does not have adhd, but does have odd) to see if it would help control his impulsivity. It didn't. It made him very talkative about an hour after he took it, and it also made him hyper-focused.
 

EastCoastChris

New Member
Adderall was given to my difficult child when he was about 13 to replace ritalin. He had, at that point, out grown the physical hyperactivity but still had a great deal of trouble with attention. He seems to be doing fine with it. We haven't seen any rebound or side effects but he was older when he started.
 

anotherday

New Member
At age 6 difficult child was given a trial of Adderall for ADHD. He was still hyperactive and aggressive. The dose was increased but then difficult child just sat and stared like a zombie. We noticed a decrease in appetite, (as is true with all the stimulant medications). About a year later a second trial was done with the same results. Adderall is the wrong medication for my difficult child.

difficult child was switched to Dexedrine which has done an excellent job of controlling his ADHD for two and a half years.

Elise
 

Guest
Adderall has worked well for my son.

He began taking Adderall after Ritalin quite working. He was 5 yrs old. Ritalin only worked for about 6 to 8 weeks.

difficult child has no rebound from Adderall; rebound from Ritalin was pretty severe.

difficult child is 8 yrs old and getting to that age where he's noticing more and more "things." The fact that students and others at school knew he had to go to the nurse at noon for medications, plus the fact that people at school knew he was taking medications period recently became a problem. In response to this, psychiatrist rx'd Adderall XR. It lasts 12-hours, ie., no more medications at school.

So far Adderall XR has worked very well. difficult child is happy, mom and dad are happy, psychiatrist is happy, teachers are happy difficult child no longer hits a "lull" immediately before lunch and immediately after. So far, so good. Fingers and toes crossed.
 

Sue C

Active Member
Adderal was prescribed to my son for his ADHD after we had tried Ritalin unsuccessfully for several years. It caused major problems with agression. We also had problems with agression with Ritalin, but not quite as bad. He has since been diagnosis'd as Bi-Polar, so a mood stabilizer might have prevented this problem.
 

Guest
we have had good experience with the Adderall....difficult child was very stable on it until she got into this last bit of depression. But the overall effect was great....no terrible rebounds for sure. psychiatrist at the hospital asked if I would like to try her back on the Ritalyn on this admit, cause it did help keep the weight down that the other medications cause her to gain, but I said no as the rebound was just too much and she had already maxed her dosage then and didn't even weigh as much as she does now. My 11 yo went on it end of last school year just to help him focus a little better in school and the turn around in his school work, hence his self esteem has been incredible. So I am a firm Adderall believer...sort of like Addie on Effexor!!!! BLUE
 
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