Thank you Cyclops. I am definitely missing the pick me up effect and cannot function without sleeping for 2 hours first. I hate that I am on something that I cannot control. I had stopped it once for a few weeks but was having a hard time staying focused at work too. I kept fiddling and looking at my projects instead of actually doing them. I own my own business and it has been difficult to stay on task.
AT this point in time I am confused to whether I need it or just abused it to help me get through my tough time as you did. It was a comfort to know I am not alone in this.
I am a very strong woman and I know I can beat this. I just want to do it smart! I guess I should not go cold turkey and just down the dosage? Something has to happen because I actually feel ill. Ihave never felt this way ever.
Thank you
Yes.
Actually, my plan is -- if my doctor puts me back on it after I missed an appt and haven't seen him in like a year -- to get a lower dosage, say 20 mg. and just take it once or twice a week, when I know I'll have a rough day.
As for law school, I'll use it to help me study -- that's the plan anyway.
No way I'm ever going to take the stuff daily at high doses again!!
Flutterrose -
For certain - don't cut cold turkey unless an MD insists you should!
Thankfully - as long as you haven't gone over 60mg (according to manufacturer's website above that at one dose is abuse), most of the symptoms will be psychological withdrawl. But there's the physical component too and your body expects the med there for pretty much everything it does.
If you can afford it - step down 10mg or so every week. Good thing is dexedrine salts flush out of your system very quickly - so as you drop your body will become used to it fairly quickly.
To supplement you and keep the tired feeling away - you can always have 2 cups of nice hot black coffee during the day. That always helps me.
I have dropped my dexedrine about 3 times in 10 months - so my body has time to rest and recharge and keep the meds from being tolerated. I go cold turkey - but the MD monitors me and I have not had the nastier side-effects - only a feeling of being tired and the ADHD showing up somewhat. The longest I stayed off was 2 weeks and by the end everyone was begging me to get back on - I was grumpy, sullen and tired all the time. Mostly what I was like pre-med!
I know that without insurance it's hard to stay on the meds. Perhaps check out dexedrine spansules - they are much cheaper even without insurance. Also - perhaps check with the manufacturer if you're financially strapped and low income as they often allow low-income people to get breaks on meds. I was surprised when I found that out but it's a nice thing to know.
Perhaps if you are employed and they just don't offer the insurance at your hours worked you might check out one of the med-only private insurance plans? At the amount you spend if you're on meds -perhaps it would be worth it. I know in canada blue cross pharmacy insurance averages 30 to 40 a month and covers 80 percent of most generic meds. A thought anyway.
Good luck - and be sure to get your MD to watch this carefully! Don't want you coming out of this worse off than you were when you started!
[QUOTE=GlenW]
Thankfully - as long as you haven't gone over 60mg (according to manufacturer's website above that at one dose is abuse), most of the symptoms will be psychological withdrawl. But there's the physical component too and your body expects the med there for pretty much everything it does.
[/QUOTE]
Where does it say "abuse" on the manufacturer's website?
It's been a while since I looked it up - I'll find the reference and get it up here. They list minimum and maximum doses and what is considered too much. I might be wrong with the word but it comes out the same way. I'll try and dig it out tonight.I went to look up the info I had before - but shire (the manufacturer) has pulled the SR page (which is where I'm sure I saw that) and only lists adderall XR - and mentions maximum 30mg daily dose but no info on what's considered "too much". It's all changed locations so it might take some time.
Seems they are pruning info - probably to avoid any negative aspects.
I shall prevail!!
[QUOTE=GlenW]It's been a while since I looked it up - I'll find the reference and get it up here. They list minimum and maximum doses and what is considered too much. I might be wrong with the word but it comes out the same way. I'll try and dig it out tonight.[/QUOTE]
Please be careful throwing around the word "abuse". Nowhere on Shire's website does it say that anything over 60mgs/day is abuse. There are recommended dosages - but that's just what they are - recommendations. 10mgs/day is effective for some people. 40mgs/day is effective for others. And some need more. A person working closely with their doctor to find their most effective dosage and is taking that prescribed dosage could be taking more than 60mgs/day without "abusing" it.
I reserve "abuse" for those obtaining Adderall by lying to their doctors for a prescription or those people who don't have a prescription and get it from friends, relatives, etc.
Paritthead -
Fair enough!
However - even a valid Rx holder can "abuse" the meds. Going over the recommended dose could very well be abuse. Abuse by definition is improper or excessive use. Using this definition - if the MD says take it as X per day - and you go X plus a day then it's abuse, correct?
I will be careful of my terms - chalk this up as being too fast at the keyboard please?
There is a cap of medicinally recommended amounts for each med - with a little give for weight, age and purpose of use. But too much is always a risk.
My apologies! Geez - I end up saying that way too often these days - better talk to my therapist about this.
I am new to this forum, but I feel as though I can add my experiences here, especially in regard to the above original post.