since I have a high tolerance for Adderall XR my doc has suggested taking a week to two off to bring down my tolerance so that I dont have to increase my daily dose. He says its the "easiest & healiest" option vs. switching meds. I have been taking this med for 2 + yrs on a daily basis w/little side effects but my body quickly metabolizes the medicine recently giving me only 3 + hrs on the extended release.
Admittedly I am really scared to take a vacation as this med has brought so much more order to my life, slowing me down to the details of everyday that I seemed to have skipped over in past. As a mother of a very busy/active child & job outside of home I dont have the option of taking any time off (away from everyday responsibilities) from my life on weekends or weekdays. I feel like if I tell my doc this "fear" of a med break he may think I am too dependent on my meds - which have improved my life more then I would have ever anticipated. Any suggestions from anyone who has had/has a similar experience? What is the best option/what has worked for others (med vacation vs. temporarily taking diff stim med)
Sorry for so much info. Interested in feedback from others.
Hbone
I take med holidays on dexedrine and have since I started over a year ago. About every 2 months I take a self-started week off. Well sometimes only 4 days but usually the whole week.
It's not that bad! Try to have it coincide with long weekends, vacation time and other things where you won't be needing the focus and attention so much. Warn the people around you first - that way your extra forgetfulness and grouchy demeanor will be recognized as you being off the meds. It helps believe me!
You'll coast for about the first 2 days or 3. Then you begin to get tired a lot. Drink extra coffee is what I do. Then about day 5 you really feel dragged out and listess. Sometimes very angry and irritable but that passes.
By day 7 you'll be glad to be back on the meds and all together again. It brings my 20 mg dose back to when it was fresh and new again. I've kept my dose at 20mg almost the whole time I've been on and that's quite good I think!
Just get ready - as if you were going to say quit smoking or work on a project. That way you'll have the groundwork set to avoid disasters.
And you won't get the shakes or anything - just tempermental and more typically ADHD. That's not all that bad for only a short time.
Best of luck to ya