Breaks from Adderall...HOW? | ADHD Information

I'm with ya, Satisfaction...It's just that many many people suggest going off it for a while and say the effects are much better after a break.  It's just that I don't know how I would make it through my work day without it. I hope I'm not addicted to it! Anyway, it's still working, but sometimes the anxiety in the evenings is too much to bear.  And sleeping is sometimes tough...that's why I take a Xanax sometimes because it helps me relax and go to sleep.  The only problem is that I wake up after 5 hours and am wide awake.  I suppose that is when the Xanax is wearing off and sometimes have trouble going back to sleep.  I cannot survive on 5 hours of sleep.  It catches up with me after a while. breaks from adderall?? ha!!!!!!!!! why would anyone be dumb enough to do that.. i would have no mindcontrol, extremely impulsive thoughts and anxiety and id go crazy.. who ever thouhgt of that dumb idea anyways... adderall is the best medication in the world ya know for add...  i would not recfommend doing it.. i couldnt do it.. thats for sure...

Your MD/psych is SUPPOSED to remove the meds periodically to check on symptoms (in Canada its listed on the Rx as a possible).  This can be the only way sometimes to see if it was a short-term disability you've had or if it truly is ADHD.

"Med Holidays" don't work for everyone but do for me.  Whenever possible about every 2 months I take a week off to allow myself to come back off meds and give my body and mind a short break.  When I do it helps me keep the dosage low (I've been on 20mg dexedrine now for about a year and a half) and keeps my mind sharper and more in tune.

Anxiety is normal for ADHDers.  Most times the meds take the edge off this but sometimes therapy can help.  I highly recommend that therapy be used in conjunction with any meds.  If you don't - you'll never unlearn the bad habits of ADHD and get back on track.

Hi everyone~

I have been taking Adderall everyday for almost a year now. I can't tell now how much actual benefit I'm getting from in anymore or if I just use it to "going in the mornings".  In the beginning, it was such a dramatic change and I was so happy to have found the "answer!" 

But sometimes, I get so antsy and irritable towards the end of the day, that I have to come home and take a Xanax just to take the edge off.  Does this sound like my dosage is too high or I need to take periodic breaks from it. And theirin is my next question.  How do you take a break and not feel total exhaustion? Sometimes the thought of getting through the day without it scares me.  I'm a busy hairdresser and on my feet all day and feel like I need it sometimes perhaps as a performance enhancing drug. Does this make sense to anybody? I mean there's no question I'm ADHD, but I'm wondering if I've used this drug to be able to do more than I normally could have without it.  Any feedback would be appreciated. I'm complentating trying to go today without it, but am scared I'll be so exhausted I won't be able to work all day. 

I've heard that taking periodic breaks makes it way more effective when you go back on it....and frankly, that would be fabulous. It's just taking the break that freaks me out.  Any suggestions?

Sakura~

I'm the same as you as far as days off are concerned.  Before medication, my days off were filled with one project after another being started (house work, errands, lunch with a friend or my sister, putting photos in an album...etc.) and by about 3:00, nothing was done except for lunch! My brain was like a treadmill that never stopped. Now, I actually get things done and am VERY organized. I laughed out loud when I read about you not running out of toilet paper for a year! I would do the exact same thing.  Using paper towels for the days I couldn't remember to stop and get it! OUCH!!! LOL!

Anyway, I guess we can see that the benefits outweigh the concerns about this medication.  When I think back to what my life was like before diagnosis and meds, I can't stand it.  I can't stand to even think about it!

Anyway, it's good to talk to someone else who has the same concerns.  You made me feel better.  Thanks!  Angela

Not sure if MD’s are “SUPPOSED” to remove the meds (as Glen said), but when I changed docs, the new doc told me to stop the Adderall.  I didn’t really want to, but I had only about a 10-day supply left.  I took those pills throughout a 30-35 day period with no meds for one 10-day stretch.  The times I was not on meds, I found it easier to screw up and I seemed to have forgotten all the coping mechanisms and behaviors I used before my time ON Adderall.  

Angela--your post rings SO true in many ways for me.  [Some days I’m] antsy and irritable, come home and take a Xanax (if I had and xanax I would be taking them!), exhaustion when not on Adderall, performance enhancing drug concerns; use it to ‘get going’ in the morning, no doubt I’m adhd, use adderall to be able to do more than I normally could have.”  I share A LOT of your concerns!!  

Also, I’m NOT convinced the break from meds made my current adderall more EFFECTIVE, but I do APPRECIATE it and notice its benefits more.  The ‘slightly euphoric’ feeling I got the first two days on adderall (about 1 year ago when I started) was back for the first day or so after the month break.  I have to remind myself that it’s not the ‘slightly euphoric’ feeling that makes my life better, it’s the power not being cut off due to non-payment, and it’s that I’ve not run out of toilet paper in over a year.  My dog eats DOG food, not tuna fish and boiled eggs for dinner ‘cause I no longer forget to buy him his chow.    I suspect my doggie prefers me being off meds—he uses to eat some great meals—poor guy…

I digress… ummmm…I think I do recommend a week or more break.  Get your coping mechanisms in place and make sure your dog (or kids or whatever) have food. Maybe your boss is going on vacation?  That might be a good week!?!? And lastly, make spare copies of all your keys and stock up on toilet paper!  

Sakura - I would put up a very big warning flag if my therapist or doctor was offended by me asking a question.  That would tell me that he/she is either incapable of considering options other than what they believe or that they are incompetent and truly are worried you'll wander off.  A medical professional should never be worried about you leaving - your health is supposed to take precedent always.

CBT is practiced by many psychiatrists/psychologists.  Try your local mental health unit with your government or CHADD for someone in your area.  I'd be surprised if you didn't have a good pick of people practicing CBT near  you.

Also sakura the MD/psych IS supposed to periodically check on your progress by removing meds to check.  As I said in Canada it's on the small printout they give with warnings/dosages when receiving your Rx.  You cannot see if it's ADHD or other disorders if you don't remove the meds and gauge the difference.

 

Sakura~

OMG! We are VERY similar. I am soooo scattered when I'm not on meds. I can't even complete a thought process! I've been in counseling (CBT) for about 6 months with a psychologist who specializes in adult add and adhd. He is so awesome.  He's been working with children and adults with ADHD for over 30 years.  He has taught me some things that I probably never would have learned without him.  He also said interestingly that in his years of practice, I'm about as severe a case as he's ever seen. He even had my mother come in to talk about my childhood and I learned things about myself that I didn't know. I walked at 8 and a half months, was reading by age 3 and was supposedly a very active child.  I don't think I ever learned to relax. I became bored very easily and still do sometimes, however, it's not nearly as bad now that I'm medicated. 

The positive changes have majorly been noticed in my work.  I've been a fairly successful hairstylist for 18 years now and my boss told me last week that my work and business have gone through the roof in about the last 8 months.  WELL....that's about how long I've been on Adderall.  The cool thing is...now that I can focus, my creativity has hit an all time high!  I have more clients than I know what to do with.  And I LOVE MY JOB! I mean,  I've always enjoyed doing hair, but it's different now.  It's like my work has meaning and purpose now. I'm not trying to get off on some psychobabble, but the positive changes in my life are major!

I GOTTA try this CBT thing.  Can you tell me how you found your doc (any chance you can private message me their location like city or state).  The current doc seemed a little offended when I asked him about CBT (like maybe I was gonna leave him—I don’t know, but he sort of blew it off).

The first doc that Dx’ed me with ADHD said I was a “poster child” for adult ADHD!  I am SO grateful for the medication and Dx that makes all of my ‘issues’ understandable.  

For me the positive changes are noticeable in my work life only in the sense that I haven’t totally sabotaged myself and kept this job for 389 days (as of Monday whoo hoo).  

I was gonna say in the earlier post something about this, but cut it out ‘cause I tend to ramble, but it IS pertinent here!  That is:
Adderall (I take the XR kind) exacerbates my sleep onset problems.  When I first admitted ADHD is a medical problem and treatable, I was very concerned about using Adderall it to gain an unfair advantage/performance enhancing effect.  I only took it on days I had to work.  I slept all day during my days off.  Then after about 3 months, I took it on an off day.  That day I finished reading a book for pleasure, took the doggie for a good long walk, spent a couple of hours at a book store (one of my favorite past times).  I did a lot of stuff I wanted to do and felt good at the end of the day.  Now-a-days, if I forget to get my refill and realize I’ll be short addreall on a weekend day, I’ll SAVE the addreall for an off day.  My outside of work life means more!

That is GREAT your work is going so well AND you’ve found your working niche!  I keep looking for my career niche (and a better job) and one day I’ll find it!

Sakura~

I would love to talk to you privately. Do you have Yahoo instant messanger?  If you do, I'm angela71104

If not, e-mail me at angela71104@yahoo.com

I'd love to chat...I also have a bunch of stuff to tell ya and share, but don't wanna always bore everyone on the boards. LOL

Anyway, look forward to talking later.

Angela