Maxdad, thanks a lot for the in depth response!
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Also be careful in assessing if you're getting a "benefit" or not. When starting a stim med, you can experience a slight euphoric feeling shortly after taking a dose. This is NOT what you're trying to achieve. In time, your body will become acclimated to the med and this will go away, or happen with less frequency. Instead, look at issues like: [/QUOTE]
Absolutely. Nothing will increase tolerance and dependance on a drug more than chasing a quick high. At that point I might as well switch to coke.
[QUOTE=Maxdad]Nope. All a higher dose does is increase the effect on your system at that time. A dose of 10mg will expire in the same time as 60mg. If you need consistent benefit, IR is a better choice (in my opinion). If your need is less attention to when you need to take your meds, then XR is a better choice.
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That's good to know. I definately prefer the consistant benifit. I was on Straterra for 6 months before stopping and nothing is worse than going back to my old self. You can definately feel yourself reverting back to your ADD tendencies and once you know it can be differant you can't stand what you once thought of as "normal."
I've noticed, after reading the first 20 pages of the forum, that a lot of people take multiple doeses but in decreasing amounts through the day. I'm assuming that the 2nd through the last doses are mainly just replacing the medication that has been washed out of your system throughout the day.
hockeygoalie2938905.5222685185 [QUOTE=hockeygoalie29] From what I have been reading, "helpful" doeses for different people have ranged from 20-60mg of the IR. So I would assume that would be 40-120mg of the XR since it's a double dose. Does that seem reasonable? Or am I completely off and the 20-60mg everyone talks about is a total for the entire day and not individual doses?[/QUOTE][QUOTE=hockeygoalie29]I'm also wondering if stronger doses last longer. [/QUOTE]
Nope. All a higher dose does is increase the effect on your system at that time. A dose of 10mg will expire in the same time as 60mg. If you need consistent benefit, IR is a better choice (in my opinion). If your need is less attention to when you need to take your meds, then XR is a better choice.
Since I have never taken Adderall before, my doc started me at 10mg once daily of XR and said I should play with the dosage to find the optimal amount. No suprise here. He said he would have no problem with me increasing the dose by 10mg every 4 days up to 40mg, twice a day which in effect would be 20mg of IR four times a day.
From what I have been reading, "helpful" doeses for different people have ranged from 20-60mg of the IR. So I would assume that would be 40-120mg of the XR since it's a double dose. Does that seem reasonable? Or am I completely off and the 20-60mg everyone talks about is a total for the entire day and not individual doses?
I'm also wondering if stronger doses last longer. The 10mg XR I'm taking only lasts about 3 hours for each of the two doses it contains. That leaves me with about 1 1/2 to 2 hours inbetween where the first 5mg tapers off and the second begins to build up. So when I increase to 20mg of XR, should it last a bit longer? If not I'll have to switch to the IR to better time my dosage to avoid the lag time inbetween.
[quote]I've noticed, after reading the first 20 pages of the forum, that a lot of people take multiple doeses but in decreasing amounts through the day. I'm assuming that the 2nd through the last doses are mainly just replacing the medication that has been washed out of your system throughout the day. [/quote][QUOTE=Maxdad]
I find that to be efffective I need my full dose ... however, my sense is that people reduce doses to minimize sleep problems.
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After some research and a lot of intuition, I think I will sleep a lot better if I take a small dose about an hour before bed. One of the biggest problems that keeps me from falling asleep is having so many thoughts running through my head: thinking of what I have to do the next day, what I didn't do that I should have today, etc.
By taking the Adderall before bed I think that should quiet down my thoughts and allow me to not only fall asleep and stay asleep through the night but also help me wake up in the moring.
My doctor has said the same. When I have tried that, I am able to fall asleep, but I then run of risk of waking up for some reason, thinking about something and becoming too focused and have trouble going back to sleep.