10mg Adderall too low? | ADHD Information
Hi! Im recently diagnosed with ADD (inattention) and am a 32 y/o male. My doctor started me on Straterra and I couldnt take it due to stomach irritability and urinary problems. (<----- nice!) So he prescribed 10mg Adderall X2 day. Initially he prescribed 20mg Adderall XR but when I went to pick it up I was shocked to hear the pharmacist say, "That'll be .99" I choked and she told me about Adderall IR generic form. So, back to my understanding doc who gave me the Adderall IR 10mg X2 day. It works very well. Been at it for 10-11 days. It's no magic pill but it does allow me to focus on tasks longer and it keeps me interested/on task with work and personal projects. Im taking one pill shortly after I get up and another 7-8 hours later. Problem is... seems the pills only last 2-3 hours then a slight let down. Almost as if someone has dimmed the lights. Does that make any sense???? Anyway, is 10mg a low dose? Maybe my dose should be increased? Im a policeman and I picked up my meds in full uniform and still felt like the pharmacist wanted to call the DEA to have me thrown in jail! Which leads me to my dilemma. If I go to the doc and ask for my meds increased will he laugh me out of the office and try to send me to rehab? Sorry, but in all seriousness, is 10mg x2 day a low dose and how long should I give it before I go back to see the doc?
titan -
No the MD won't send you off for asking for a higher dose! It's common for the meds after a few weeks to become acclimated to your system and that you need to adjust the dosage. I don't think you're gettting that though. Most likely it's the common drop in effectiveness that many feel.
Perhaps when you know the effect is going to drop you should drink a caffeinated beverage to bring you up a notch. Many of us (me included) drink coffee throughout the day as it is a cheap and simple booster to help our ADHD.
Also, perhaps time your med dosages closer together as then you won't be feeling that drop in between. Instant release is known for that trouble and it's one reason the XR works best for many - though it is expensive for you in the US.
Another thing you could ask your MD about is Dexedrine Spansules. They last 6 or more hours and at least in Canada they are very cheap in comparison. Don't fear either your MD or pharmacist as they are there to serve you just as on the street you are there to serve us. Any professional who can't see when someone is getting help versus getting high doesn't deserve to be behind a desk or service counter.
Most ADHD meds are short acting and don't stay in your system. You should go to your doctor whenever they aren't working for you. Adderall ir tends to wear off much sooner than indicated for a lot of people. I recently had to add an afternoon dose to my XR in order to finish my workday.
10mg is a really low dose, but your doctor may have intended to bump you up gradually. Better than having to scrape you off the ceiling if the first dosage was too much. If you are having "downs" inbetween doses they will probably get worse as you increase the amount. I don't take Ritalin anymore for that reason- got about 1 1/2 hours of focus from it, then I was tired, making careless mistakes and really frustrated. (In my universe it is like trying to herd cats while doing all the rest of my usual things at the same time.) Ideally, your meds should wear off in the evening when you are winding down and can go to sleep.
I wonder what the deal is with paranoid doctors and pharmacists? I understand the Class II controlled substance stuff - something bad must have happened to make them all scared stiff like that. I am sure you will be like the rest of us. If you keep going to the same pharmacy, they get over it.
I'd say 10mg is too low. I never even felt 10mg - I had to take 20mg to feel ANY effect and mine wears off in about 3 1/2 - 4 hours (IR).
Thank you for all of your informative responses. Im not sure what kind of dog it is but it was the closest to my police dog, a belgian malinois. Sorry, I have done much more research on this subject and have made an appointment with my doc to discuss increasing my dosage or possibly a different med. I really like this med when it works, just doesnt seem to work very long. I havent felt jittery or restless but when it works it feels like someone has their hand on a dimmer switch and they just turn up the light. Everything seems to be clearer, sharper. I can devote all of my effort/attention to a single task. Conversly, when it wears off, someone turns the dimmer down. <----- Does that make any sense??? Additionally, Im 6'2 250 lbs (mostly muscle!) So I was wondering if dosing was weight-perportionate? As I said before I'm recently diagnosed but have suspected for a long time. This web site is a wealth of knowledge and I greatly appreciate all of your responses! Oh and by the way Glen, caffeine is a staple of my diet and unfortunately has little effect on me even when I go on a caffeine vacation!titan - I agree with Reisa that its more your metabolic rate than weight per se. For a person with ADHD at 90lbs a normal dose would calm them and focus while a 400 lb person without ADHD would take the same dose and be very agitated and jittery. It varies so much that it's a person-to-person basis. That's why MDs if they are skilled try a smallest dose possible and work up to see the effect. Every person reacts in their own way.
[QUOTE=titan807] I havent felt jittery or restless but when it works it feels like someone has their hand on a dimmer switch and they just turn up the light. Everything seems to be clearer, sharper. I can devote all of my effort/attention to a single task. Conversly, when it wears off, someone turns the dimmer down. <----- Does that make any sense??? Additionally, Im 6'2 250 lbs (mostly muscle!) So I was wondering if dosing was weight-perportionate? [/QUOTE]
Dimmer switch yup - well for me it is more like the fog rolled in. Or else a group of evil gnomes started moving my stuff around without me noticing. Or some creepy computer hacker deletes random details from all my work stuff... 
I think the dosage may be affected by body weight, but it varies so much from person to person - I don't think it is a critical factor. Some people do fine on 1/2 the dose I take, and some need twice as much. Probably more related to the severity of individual ADD and individual metabolism.
Sorry for being off topic but Titan is it a kelpie on you pic (avantage?)I'm very interested in dogs so :"-)
/Kaks
I'm about to ask for a higer dosage myself. My doc has got me only 10mg for the entire day which is doing nothing fo9r me at all. Unfortunately I'll have to fight for it as she thinks my weight is more of an issue than my ADHD. I beg to differ!!!!!!!!! If I stress I lose weight so it's in my best interest to have a higer dosage I would think.Hey! It does look a bit like an Australian Kelpie, but it also looks like a German Shephard. I'm into dogs too, Kaks
Anyway, Titan
I started on 10 mg and worked my way up. I still take Adderall 20mg XR combined with Wellbutrin. It wears off about 6:00 pm, but, I'm OK with that.
Do you have insurance? Mine doesn't cost even 1/2 of that, was wondering if that is the regular cost. I like Glen's idea about asking for Dexedrine Spansules. Works for him and cost much less. No, not a german shepard, wrong head. (And only cos I say so, it's probably are one :-) )
I'm sorry but I cant help you Titan with you meds, we don't have Adderal in Sweden. Only I can say is that tell you Dr everything you feel about the meds. Every smallest thing cos it might be important.
/Kaks