Help. Adderall | ADHD Information

I take 30 mg XR and 15 IR in the afternoon. My insurance doubles the copay for brand rx. So with insurance coverage I pay 0 a month for the two together. Pretty much stinks, but not as much as when I had to pay out of pocket.

I only notices a little difference in strength - but a huge difference in the length of time they lasted. Apparently I metabolize really fast. The brand XR only lasts 5-6 hours, so I need the brand IR in order to function in the afternoons, that wears off in about 4 hours for me.

Finding the med and dosage that lasts the length of a workday is my major issue. The generic IR wore off in less than three hours. I haven't tried generic XR.

i was on anti depression meds before i started on the adderall, but being on both i feel so much better i am getting more done durring the day and at first i felt very tired when my meds wore off, that was when i was on the extended but now being on the reg ones with the anti depressent has helped me so much but i do agree you need to let your dr know how you are feeling and maybe keep a little note book and write everything down i know when i go to the dr i forget half the things i wanted to ask about, it did take me getting my dose changed 3 times before we found the right combo for me it sucks i know but you gotta look at it this way you are on the right track you have been diagnosed you just need to find the right meds that work for you not everyone does well on the same stuff just don't be afraid to talk to you dr about all you are feeling i have gotten books that have been a great help as well with different ideas on things to do to help you stay on task stuff like that hope this helps you good luck and hang in there and remember there is a light at the end of what seems like a dark tunnel

much love

saphire

[QUOTE=jman05] I take 20 mg total. sh*t. it is generic. Is generic just not as long? I hope otherwise it works as well.
[/QUOTE]
I started with short-acting 10 mg 2xday of Amphetamine, which is generic Adderall (only because Medicaid/Medicare will not cover non-generic). I'm now taking 20mg in AM and 10 or 20 mg about 4 - 5 hours later now. Seems to be the first med that is actually working for me (have tried Ritalin and Concerta).

I don't know what brand it is, will ask the pharmacist next time I stop drug store.

I also have been on an antidepressant for several years, and we may wean me off it once I'm on a stim that seems to be working for more than two months. Meanwhile, after the adderall wears off, I have no problems.

I also suggest talking with your doctor about your concerns. Absolutely, you are on the right track.

Hang in there during the trial and error period. It will all be worth it.

[QUOTE=Reisa]

Generic or brand? Generic Adderall STINKS. For a lot of people, Adderall doesn't last as long as advertised. Generic lasts even less time. 3-4 hours is the normal time for instant release. I only get about 5-6 hours out of extended release. Try to time your doses so that you take your next dose 1/2 an hour before the first wears off.

I also take Adderall and would appreciate hearing about your experience with generic vs. brand. I take the generic version and it is helping me a lot, but I wonder if the brand name might have an even more positive effect.

Generic drugs have always scared me a bit. While many of them seem to work just as well as their brand name equivalent, I have had a few bad experiences. For instance, brand name Xanax has always had a much stronger effect on me than generic and Percocet works much better than generic Oxycodone. The FDA allows up to a 20% variance in bioavailability (absorption rate) of generic drugs and, in many cases, this can make a huge difference to the person taking it.

What strength/dosage of Adderall do you take daily? May I ask about how much you pay for the prescription?

It will certainly cost me more to use brand name Adderall, but it could be worth it. Unfortunately, my insurance company will only pay for generic and I have to pay the difference.

I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!Youre not on a large enough of a dose, get it uped and that problem will cease to exist. and sometimes with the XR they give you one in the morning and then like one reguler release at super, but ten miligram's is nothing, i take 60 m.g. of the XR once in the morning--the only problem with that is i have a hard time sometimes wanting to go to sleep, and i dont eat in the day i eat like a GLUTTEN big,big time at night, all night, to make up for the day. Ok. i'm posting again about my adderall. Before I took concerta and would get depressed on it when it wore off. Now I got adderall last week and took it thursday and friday and now mon-wed this week.

I find that I feel different at different parts of the day. At times when I first take the SR adderall I will feel good and focused for about 2 hours but then I will start to feel depressed and out of it when it wears off and this happens in about 3-4 hours. Then when I get home at the end of the day I get tired all of the sudden and more depressed and then it wears off later that night. I have never had problems with depression before but my job is at stake so if the stuff helps I will need to stay on it.

Will the depression wear off? Also do u think I am taking to much or to little and what are the signs? I started at 10mg twice a day. I have add innatentive only.
Dang. I just did some research and I have the Barr brand and people say its the worst by far. I hope this isnt worsening my sides and all. Now I'm pissed. I've got to wait a month to get more to.

you may want to look into getting a anti depression med i am on prosac with adderall and i have never heard of taking the extended release twice a day i would look into that as well also i took the ex release and had some of the same effects you are having so my dr has put me on regular adderall i take one in the morning and one in the afternoon and i like it so much better

hope this helps saphire

its not extended release. Did u have the depression before your adderall? And will it wear off?

Disclaimer: See your doctor for any problems, I am just sharing my personal non-medical experience with Adderall.

10 mg is a pretty low dose. After you get over the side effects, your pdoc will probably up the dose gradually. The higher the dose, the higher the side effects. That is why the med is supposed to be upped gradually. All side effects should get less as your body gets used to the med.

Careful with the caffiene - I was a lot more sensitive to it when taking Adderall. One extra cup of coffee can REALLY mess me up. It is also good for giving the meds a boost when necessary.

Are you eating? drinking enough water? Sleeping? The first few days I took it, I literally didn't think about eating -- until I started wondering why I felt like I got run over by a truck. The worse I am about skipping meals or staying up late, the worse I feel when it wears off.

In the evenings, do something fun and low key. The depression sets in when I continue trying to focus as my meds wear off. *Mental gears grinding-brakes squealing-tires smoking* I am in a much better mood if I just don't do that.

I hope everything works out well for you. I know it is hard to be patient, keep us posted.

I take 20 mg total. sh*t. it is generic. Is generic just not as long? I hope otherwise it works as well.

Brand lasts longer and seems to be a bit stronger. Otherwise the effects are the same, at least for me.

I take 10mg twice a day so 20 mg. I took 30 today. Just friggin shoot me..now!

After reading your last post jman05 I actually starting typing my user name in as " good Lord" !

Please don't take offense b/c if I don't laugh I may cry . I'm one of the most determined people on the planet so I refuse to give up! You better not just be pulling my friggin leg! Misunderstandings do happen..I know, I've been there..and I guess I'm here now!

[Quote jman05] U still dont get it..

Adderall XR and adderal both come in the same increments (5,10,20,30,40 mg)

But adderall is taken twice a day and XR once. So if u got 5mg prescriptions of both u would actually be taking in 10mg a day of adderall because u take it twice but only 5 mg of XR.

If u got the 40 mg of both u would be taking in 80mg a day of adderall and 40 of XR. It doesnt make sence. [Quote jman05]

Yes, if your take 5 mgs.of the regular Adderall and 5mgs of the XR together, that would be a total of 10 mgs. The difference is that all 5mgs of the regular would be released into your system all at once and with the XR 2.5 mgs would be release immediately and the other 2.5 (half) would be release into your system approximately 7 to 8 hours later.

Yes if you take the regular Adderal 5 mgs twice a day that would equal 10 mgs total. And if you take one Xr 5mgs., once, you get 5 mgs total..spread out over 7 to 8 hours hence XR=extended release.

okay..give me a sec. to process this.....yes, if you got 40mgs of both... and you took two of the reg. Adderall then your total for the day would be 80mgs. If you took one XR 40mg then your total for the day world be 40mgs...so...It all depends on what you need as your single dosage.

If you need 20 mgs as a single dose then you would take a 20 mg tablet of the regular Adderall twice a day, that equals 40mgs total for the day.

But if you prefer to take only one "pill" per day, and need (as with the regular Adderall 20 mgs twice a day) you would only need to take one Adderall XR 40mgs.

So, like with me, I have the XR 30mgs that I can take knowing that I'm getting a single dosage of 15mgs twice during the day (while only having to take one capsule) and I'm covered for around 7 to 8 hours... or I can take 15 mgs of the regular in the morning and then another dosage 4 to 5 hours later.

Oh Crap!! I posted the above on the wrong friggin thread!!

Good Lord!! How the heck do I move it?! LMAO......I just crack myself up sometimes