new to adderall XR help please !!! | ADHD Information

Thank you all for your help I will try some of your suggestions and see how they work.

 

Here's my two cents as an adult on Adderall xr for the past two months:

a. reading various official and message-board accounts of side effects of adderall, the one conclusion I come up with is the obvious: everyone reacts differently and reactions change over time.

that said, from my experience:

b. only once did I experience difficulty falling asleep that I suspected was due to Adderall.  However, taking Adderall has diminished my "feeling tired" at my normal bedtime.

c. using Adderall, hunger is a thing of the past.  And so, I can see where "three square meals a day" isn't likely for someone on Adderall. 

Using Adderall, I simply am not hungry anymore.  But I still eat!  I just have to remind myself that it's lunchtime, and remind myself again how much I am used to eating for lunch (or supper, or breakfast) and then I make sure I eat that amount.  I do so because I've always been "thin" and don't want to lose any more weight!  I also snack whenever, wherever the idea occurs to me as a way to adjust to this new situation.  I keep protein bars in the car and at my work desk and at home, as well as fruit and other healthy things.

So, I can see how this "no hunger" can be problematic with a kid (when I was a kid, I never thought about eating unless I was starving! ) Take that starving sensation away and what are you left with?  a real challenge as a parent.   Talk to your doctor about this, but I suspect that as long as your child is getting enough to eat (on a daily basis--forget trying to pack it all in three "square meals") in well balanced proportions when eating occurs, it should be all right.

It sounds to me, if your child "only wants snacks"...then he is hungry--it's just expressed at different times of the day than it used to be.  Go with it, and make sure his snacking is heathful.

d. I've not experienced any upset stomach using Adderall;

e. Ah, the sensitive emotions!!  Poor kid!  I have them too.  Of all the side effects I've had with Adderall xr, this one is the most challenging.  And it changes over time!

I'm afraid that I have no advice on what to do to change it, other than try to be as sensitive and understanding as possible with your son and share your feelings and experiences with your doctor. 

Good luck! 

 

 

The phsyc that my daughter sees put her on abilify to help control some of these side affects.  She has ALWAYS had problems sleeping, but they got much worse after she stared the adderall.  One thing that I had been doing before that was something the dr suggested: giving her 1mg of melatonin with dinner.  It is a herbal pill that helps regulate the body's sleep cycle.  God luck, and all I can say is be proactive in finding information for your child.  Don't let them talk you into something without doing your research.  You know your child, and if something isn't right, don't be afraid to say something.Balbert

It usually takes a few weeks for an adult. The hunger and stomach aches usually do go away. The sensitive emotions may be due to the Adderall working. A newfound sense of awareness and attention could easily be overwhelming, especially for a child. A therapist could probably help your son cope and help coach you.

The sleep thing is tricky. That can be a long-term side effect. Try to avoid evening doses and take the XR as early in the day as possible. Also, if your son has not been very physically active that could contribute. A higher running metabolism will process the Adderall faster. It could also help with the sleep issue.

MaxDad
Hello everyone, my son has just begun to take Adderall XR and he has been experiencing some of the side effects {can't fall asleep, not hungry for meals only wants snacks, stomach ache, and over sensitive emotions}. How long do the side effects last before they calm down? and is there anything I can do to ease the side effects? Sounds like the adderall is not the right drug for your son.  I always thought that, in spite that it is an "upper", it is supposed to calm the patient down so they can concentrate and get their work done.  It calms me down and I can concentrate much better.  It had been like this ever since I started taking it almost two years ago.  By the way, I am an adult, but I don't think that makes a difference.  Your son may benefit better from another drug.Something that's almost garanteed to help him getting him something to occupy himself.

Amphetamine (adderall) makes repetitive tasks extremely enjoyable, and keep a person busy for hours. If I ever experience an agressive thought I just play my guitar and it goes away.

Maybe he could color those fuzzy pictures? (thats always fun on adderall). Let him paint a peice of wood. Coloring is usually the best thing for small children, watering plants with the hose keeps them occupied pretty well too.

As for meals, don't worry about it. I havn't eaten in about 3 days and I'm fine. Try making him one of those instant breakfast chocolate drinks, supposedly they have enough vitamins to make up a meal.