first day on adderall | ADHD Information

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so today i was prescribed and took my first adderall (well the pharmacy
gave me a generic that is blue and has e111 on it) today. 10mg once a
day.

i don't take any other medications, and i'm 25 years old.

so i really can't say i felt any different at all. just normal. i even felt like
taking a nap about 2 hours after taking the pill. (around a typical time i
feel like napping during the day if i got up early that day.)

is this typical or normal? i'm not expecting to feel all hopped up or crazy
or anything (thankfully) but i thought i would at least feel SOMEWHAT
different.

i didn't really have anything to do today that required heavy
concentration, so i don't know how that would go....but if i feel the same
as i always feel, is it possible there will even be a difference?

i don't want to feel weird..i just want some sort of clear indicator that it's
working at all.Yeah you should check that out. They have books on what meds are supposed to look like. If it was adderall I would be shocked that you didn't feel anything. Adderall is an immediate reaction that may come on gradually or not (least that is what my doc said) But I feel sleepy sometimes after I take don't really know why since it is supposed to keep me up and alert.i checked it out before i took it... here is a link that shows it/describes it,
etc:
http://www.idthispill.com/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?
Cat=&Number=20686&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&vc=1

i'm suspicious of pharmacies after i picked up a med for my cat...and they
gave me the wrong thing. luckilly i'd been giving him the pills for a few
months, so i knew what they were supposed to look like. the incorrect pills
they gave me would have killed my cat with liver failure. scary stuff! so yeah,
i was sure to look it up first.

are generics notoriously not good when it comes to adderall or what? is it
really that unusual that i didn't feel any noticable change?oh and by the way, i didn't ask for the generic..they just gave it to me.

i have nothing against getting the "real thing"...my copay is only higher
for name brand. ( as opposed to for generic.)

and i had to go to two pharmacies to even get that...the first one took my
script and whispered to somebody else and told me it was a controlled
substance and would take a week. made me feel like a criminal or
something. and i'm in new york city, too...When I started on my med I didn't notice anything speciall but ppl around me did. They said I was more focused when talking, I didn't get so stressed and could plan ahead better. The only thing I noticed was that I could whatch tv whitout walking around every commercialbreak and that when I drove for a long time my head didn't went for a walk.

So talk to ppl around you and see if anyone have noticed any change.

/Kaks

When I first started taking ritalin IR. I went to get my prescription filled and I overheard the pharmacists say to some one else. "I can't believe doctors these days they will prescribe medicine to any who thinks they have a problem, I would never give someone this much"

I was shocked and like you I felt like some kind of drug addict, I was so embarassed. It makes me mad now b/c that is the type of stereotype everyone that has ADHD has to defend themselves for. 

That's Eon Lab's 10mg generic Adderall. You're lucky you got Eon - most pharmacies only have Barr on hand (which sucks, in my opinion) and Eon is hard to find.

Anyway...I started with 10mgs also and felt nothing. Upped it to 20mgs and the world became clear.

Maybe you need to up the dosage. I don't think anyone gets it right on the first try, it takes trial and error.

10mg daily dose is fairly light but I admit that even at that amount I found a rush when first taking dexedrine (pretty much like Adderall).  The rush was short lived but was there - heartbeat up from 80 to 100, blood pressure slightly elevated and a feeling of power.  Nice but thankfully it was replaced with stability and focus.

Generic thankfully in ADHD meds has been from reports mostly good.  As it's a controlled substance quality control is high.  They can't flood the market with cheap knockoffs as that would certainly cause government concern. 

If you find that you do get some help with focus and control then you may want to go back to your doc and get a slight increase until you find the relief that is expected.  10 mg increments are small and for almost all if you need to drop it for reasons of jittery feeling, etc then it's flushed out fast.

I am very concerned that a pharmacist can act as they did to you. One week? The whole idea of multiple-copy scripts is to avoid the worry of abuse.  I know that there is a street trade in the meds but at the amount they give you for one trip in it's hardly a big deal.  I'm disappointed in the US as usual.  Up here I got it fast and with a one-sheet script my MD ran off his computerized script machine.  When I get it from the psychiatrist I visit it's off a special pad that he gets a copy of the paper with.  Either way all I get from the pharmacist is a smile.  Man I love Canada!!

i'm on day 3 and i still don't feel much of a change. i guess i'll bring it up
to my doctor when i go back in a couple weeks.... i'm okay with giving a
lower dosage a try, because i'll only be back in school for a week before
my next appointment.

i'm not supposed to take them over the weekends (which is fine with me).
this also leaves me with a couple extra pills for the month..should i
maybe try one day taking 20mg just to see if it makes any difference?
since i'm a student, i'm also kind of afraid to ask my dr. for a higher
script, because i know a lot of college students abuse this stuff or use it
recreationally and i don't want to seem suspicious? (i've personally never
done any drugs ever, so i'm not interested in potentially getting high off
the stuff.)

also, is XR any better or noticably different than the "regular"?

Hello everyone, well it's been 6mons since I posted and 9mons since diagnosed ADHD. My business is growing fast and I feel like my life is on track of course I have good days and bad...Seems like the only thing I can't get together now is I'm always late for everything!! oh well atleast I'm focused when I get there...I don't go off adhd because I'm late I just stay focused and it seems to catch up by the end of the day. The following is a letter I put together from reading we a'll have to say...

''David ,so when was the last time you slept?''

What "NOT" to say to an ADHD person

ADHD is the world's most researched disorder. There have been many posts about ADHD being a "normal dimensional disorder" that most people display some symptoms of during their lives, as well as a disorder that impairs the Executive Functions of your brain. They are the "management " or "supervisory" part of your brain.

------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ ------

1. Hurry up!!

2. Well, if you would just try harder, you could focus.

3. Where's your self-discipline?

4. Well, maybe it's all the "speed" your taking that makes you tired (said to me by an

ignorant, ex-friend, whom I eventually educated)

5. I bet if you really tried, you could handle this without drugs.
6. Did you take your pill today?

7. Maybe you should take another pill?

8. Come on make your point? spit it out"

9. "So what, who doesn’t have ADHD these days? . . ."

10. I will tell you what your problem is? you worry to much and over analyze everything" yada, yada, yada . . . (said to me by an I ignorant ex-friend whom I eventually educated)

11. "ADD is caused by drug abuse " Yea . . . or whatever harmless, neutral behavior I’m exhibiting that might be inconvenient at the moment.

12. It can't be that bad, you own your own business . . . Yea . . . Some days, barely.

13. We all forget what we were doing and lose track of time . . . Yea. . . . But all the time?

14. Try writing things down to remind yourself . . . Yea . . . Like I haven’t tried that either.

15. If you'd just listen . . . I hate it when you ignore me."
(Yeah, RIGHT! Like I ignore you on purpose . . . )

16. yelling "But I told you that yesterday!!!"
(Yeah, maybe you did.) But did you write it on the calendar? Did you write it on the white board? Did you tell me this morning? "Then quit whining!"

 

 

 

 

17. WHY DON’T YOU THINK BEFORE YOU ACT?

18. CAN’T YOU JUST RELAX AND TAKE IT EASY?

19. When someone who does not have ADD over simplifies it. I just find that annoying.

20. The one that really bothers me is trying to explain ADD. And the automatic answer
seems to be. "Oh I do that too"

Then I have to say, everyone does ADD things, except they do it once in a blue moon. Whereas the ADD’er does it, nine times a day, everyday !

I'm also tired of the joke, when someone messes up they say, "I must be ADD" and then laugh.

 

My keys are in one of three places . . In the ignition, my front left pocket or next to my

wallet, pocket knife and sunglasses! (Wherever they are)

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those

who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss

ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING?

 

 

onday, September 05, 2005

Hello everyone...

Hey while I was digging up that old post you just read...I came across a letter I wrote in my early stages of trying to keep it between the lines. ""I realize now more than ever how important it is to find out you are not alone""

 

David’s ADHD

I always knew that there was something wrong I just didn't know what.

I think a part of me was always fighting taking medication because I felt it's somehow cheating, that I should be able to get things done if I just had enough self-will and determination. I *know*, intellectually, that my ADHD is real and biological, but emotionally...

When I first began taking medication for ADHD, I was overwhelmed by the amount of quietness in my head. It was extremely scarey and made me hesitant to do anything. For the first time in my life I could actually hear my own thoughts without interruption. It's difficult to explain but I will try to explain by an analogy. It was like sitting at a rail road crossing watching as the train goes by and trying to read the graffiti written on each car, wondering what’s in each car, how long is the train and how many cars are there, does the conductor like his job and I wonder how does he get back home? The train disappears in the distance, some horn blows, the lights green and I can't remember what my last thought was....... Driving forward waiting on my mind to catch up! So I can get back to what I was supposed to be doing. I have become accustomed to the diverting traffic in my head, but now on medication the traffic has come to an immediate halt. But, because of my experience, I am afraid it might be a trick to get me in the middle of the road, where the train would come speeding down the track and kill me. With Adderall I have gained the ability to stay focused and trust that I’m not going to lose concentration and get hit and learned that it is safe. Not panic and start passing cars and run to the other side of the road in the wrong direction or wait for other cars to go by, so that I could make it to the next parking lot to pull over and get my thoughts together.

I started looking into ADD a few months ago and said "this is just like me." It angers me sometimes that I wasn't helped a long time ago. I hated school, hated my job, never really had friends ( my way or no way), and my parents were so unaware of my problem. Of course, my self esteem lacks, because I was always told that I was lazy, a dreamer, always take the easy way out, overly sensitive, never finish anything, unapproachable, etc. The knowledge coupled with the medication has given me the freedom to be able to change. In essence, however, medication does not change one; there is still work to be done. I wish that it were like a magic wand because I struggle in many areas of coping with what some view as basics.

I have been doing a lot of reading on the internet, message boards and chat. Trying to gather as much information as possible on how to implement some necessary changes, adjust to the quietness and comparing medication dosing and reactions. There are many POTENTIAL risks involved with stimulants as with ANY medication. I don't want to be scared off from them just because of the horror stories I have read and heard. When I read of people taking 10mg a day and having bad side effects, it makes me think twice about asking for a dosage increase. Although there are far more success stories than failures. On October 3 I will be 40 years old, I was diagnosed a few months ago with ADHD. I am currently prescribed Adderall xr 30 mg/once daily. I'm 6'5'' and weigh 235lbs. I have been involved in starting my own business the last year. I wake up around 3:30/4:00a.m. go to the gym and out the door to work by 7:00/7:30a.m. Business moves at the speed of life, so I never know when I am going to have a long day or a really long day.

Within the past few months it has become easier to recognize when the medication is increasing my concentration and focus and when it is wearing off. Taking my medication as prescribed (1x30mg) the past three months, I’ve experienced about 5 hrs of focus and concentration max before I start to hear the train coming. More often than not my business requires me to work late physically and mentally. I tried taking my dose later in the day, but that’s like putting out a forest fire with a squirt gun, might as well let it burn its self out. I feel on and off again in the afternoon starting around 1p.m./2p.m. The release of the medication is unpredictable especially after the first initial hrs of focus. Taking it later in the day just seems as if the hrs of focus are spread apart (not all in a row) and this effect seems to make me feel unusually tired. So, I have realized that taking one 30mg xr is just not enough for the entire day. I understand the extended release capsules were designed for easier dosage control for children and to control potential abuse of the medication. With my financial situation being more of a concern than the potential to abuse my medication, I will not be able to continue my treatment if I have to take more Adderall xr. The cost of #30 Adderall xr 30mg is 5 and there is not a generic substitute. Through my research online and asking the pharmacy, I have found that the cost of regular Adderall and Ritalin is much less and there is a generic substitute. I am not interested in taking non-stimulant substitutes. My doctor added 20mg Ritalin, I am taking one daily at approximately 5pm. The Ritalin is helping fill the "afternoon gap" and the generic brand cost much less.

I've had a really good few months: Clarity, depression better (because I can think better), less squirming, better concentration, etc. Not a single bad effect, and I have had no adverse effects from the med. In fact, in my opinion I'm calmer, sleep better, coffee consumption reduced dramatically, my appetite is fine ( not taking Zantac on a daily basis) and certainly not having any negative effects on my sex life ( because we get along better). I exercise (cardio and weights) almost every day. My personal relationships as well as social have improved dramatically. When I hear of these horror stories people tell about Adderall it leaves me to believe that they must not suffer from the same thing I have for the last 40yrs. The medication creates an instant quietness in my head which has given me the ability to attempt to change many of my ingrained coping with ADHD mechanisms... I realize the medication is not magic. Yet, it is so much better than it ever was prior to the medication. Now I know, I have spent most of my life unaware of my behavior, and these behaviors have greatly impacted the quality of my life and the lives of those around me. For example my poor time management, confusion, interrupting others, poor study skills and even overeating have fostered low self-esteem and ill with others.

When it comes down to it, I personally believe that every individual should weigh their options and choose what's best for them. For me, it is to take Adderall. Yes, there are many potential side effects from it, but you only get one chance at life, and for me, I would rather spend my life at least somewhat "put-together."

Quite frankly, every drug has its dangers and side effects..it's a matter of what works for a particular person.

I'm finally being treated and I'm looking forward to a better and successful life ;)

David Mauller

Thursday, September22, 2005

 

6 mons ago I wrote this letter and it still gives me chills...My meds have been bumped up since then...I am now taking Ritilin and Adderall and doing fine I must say.

Hmm, you might want to look for a better physician.  Are you seeing a psychiatrist?  It's a bit odd that you were told to take only 1 10 mg Adderall,  without the option of taking another 10 mg if it wore off early.

Regular release Adderall usually lasts anywhere from 4-6 hours, depending upon the person.  Also, he told you that you are not supposed to take it on the weekends?  ADHD is a constant disorder, and not only consists of obvious symptomology ie: inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.  ADHD more oftent han not goes hand in hand with mood lability, anxiety disorders, and sleep disorders.  Adderall helps me with all three I have just mentioned.

I personally take Adderall XR and find it more effective.  It is meant to be taken once in the morning and lasts me about 10-12 hours.  I am prescribed 30 regular release Adderall/per month if I need to do something later on in the day that requires sustained attention or if the XR wears off a bit earlier than normal.  But I probably only need to take about 10 a month because the XR is so effective for me.

I see I am not alone in the every other day dose.

 Xr is very potent to my system. once every 2 days is fine with me.