ADHD and Drug Abuse | ADHD Information

i used to smoke pot all day,everyday for ten years and i did coke for three years, some of the adderall side effects are exactly the same as coke. such as the jaw tightening and appetite loss and the buzz i get. it does remind me of those party days and when i take adderall, i drink coffee to feel the effects more, which probably isn't smart. i never told my doctor about my coke problem because i thought he might not give me the medication. so i can relate to you're husband, part of him might want to abuse adderall so just watch if he starts taking other stimulants like coffee, redbull etc. to increase the effects.

My husband was a prescription drug abuser for about 1 year 1/2 before coming clean to me. He then in his drug therapy was diagnosed with ADD.  He has been given Adderall for the ADD.  To me this is really not jiving well as its an amphetamine and addictive.  He already can't seem to find 90 pills that are missing from his empty prescription jar I found in the trash?  Hmmm....He claims he lost them as he does not keep his pills in his original prescription jar. (Habit maybe from his drug abuse days where he kept his "illegally bought" prescription drug pills in Altoid tins).

Anway, his psychiatrist who gave him this Adderall prescription has been notified by me in writing of the missing pills but I just have a feeling she will believe he lost them. 

My questions is...is Adderall routinely given to former prescription drug abusers who are diagnosed with ADD? 

I have never been a perscription drug abuser or a drug abuser of any kind for that matter- but for quite a while I think I was trying to ease my emotional pain with alcohol- and I noticed taking ritalin based medications - especially the small 4 hr ritalin and Ritalin LA- suppress my desire for alcohol.

Because he abused amphetines in the past he may have a tolerance to something as simple as a clinical dose of ritalin.  But if ritalin would work for him a clinical dose has an entirely different effect than the large amounts taken by a drug addict.

Do you think he took the 90 pills- or sold them? I don't know what kind of time period we are talking about here but 90 Adderal over the course of say a month would show- is he hyper, or euphoric, is he sleeping? This is what too much adderall could do.

Sorry as for your real question- my brother is a drug addict. He has managed to avoid meth for the past year. Now pain killers are his thing. He is obviously ADD and I have spoken to my MD about him who says that it is possible to treat addicts w/ADD meds but they need to be monitored closely. I would imagine he needs to be seeing the therapist every week - twice wouldn't hurt either. That way the MD could watch the effect of the medication - an experiened MD should be able to tell if he has taken to much or if it isn't working for him.

Food for thought

You wrote the shrink a letter? You follow how much medication he takes, and "found" the empty bottle in the trash? Trying to promote trust and openess huh? That way, he can talk to you honestly when he really wants to solve anything.

Does he "help" you with your problems in the same manner?

He does not resent any of this right? You must have a clean nose huh? How old is your mate? I know you are concerned, but you are not his Mom. It will not help, it will do the opposite. Pls take this in the spirit intended, I am not being critical of your intent. :)