Exercising and using ADHD meds | ADHD Information

Do any of you exercise and take ADHD meds regularly?  Have you had any problems?

Thanks in advance!!

I run several times a week and take medication (Ritalin, Zoloft, Topamax). What kind of problems are you asking about? I have some typical side effects from my meds (dry mouth, supressed appetite) but these are not affected by exercise. My doctor actually recommended very intense exercise for alleviating my mini bursts of rage. 

Thanks for replying - I was wondering about effect on heart rate and that sort of thing.

 

 

[QUOTE=Better~Late]...(dry mouth, supressed appetite) but these are not affected by exercise. My doctor actually recommended very intense exercise for alleviating my mini bursts of rage.[/QUOTE]

Yep--I hear that.  Mini-bursts of rage--that's a very creativeterm...

My heart rate increases.

As long as i take it easy when exercising it isn't an issue, but if i start to push myself too hard my heartrate increases rather quickly.

When i go to the docs one of the first things they check on me now is my heart rate and blood pressure.

Yeah I got that. I use to drink protein shakes before I would work out but now that I am on ADHD med's it causes my heart rate to go sky high. I feel it every time I do cardio. sometimes it gets a little scary and I just have to stop my work out. I also noticed a similar reaction when I took 100mg of Strattera on a empty stomach. I was up late one night (3 hours before I had to go to work) so I just took my pill before I went to bed on an empty stomach. I woke up about an hour later just dripping in sweat and all I could hear was my heart beating.

-hey, has anybody talked to their doctors about rapid heart rates during exercise. I would really love to know if it harmful or dangerous for us ADHDers

Thanx

Just as a precaution, I try not to exercise heavily while on my meds (although, I used to do this quite often & am still alive). I've just decided that it's not worth putting the extra stress on my heart. If it doesn't kill me now, it's sure to have a long term effect. Now, I just make sure that if I want to exercise vigorously, I do it in the morning & take my meds immediately when I get home & then shower, etc. I have been on stimulants for 8+years and have never had a problem with doing intense cardio workouts. My heart rate does increase, but not any more than it normally would for someone doing cardio. I also have low blood pressure so I don't know if that plays into it or not. I would just talk to your doctor.  Great...I'm a fitness instructor.....me2.  You'd think I'd been running for my life if you saw how red my face gets after high-impact class--yep, I'm one of those--it's terribly attractive, let me tell ya'.  Anyway, the nurse asks me if I even have a pulse @ routine dr. appts., so maybe that's why the Adderall doesn't seem to make my heart rate increase.  But then why does my mom take high blood pressure medicine?

I exercise frequently.  My job requires a lot of movement that could be defined as aerobic.  It has not given me any grief.

Check with your MD to ensure that you have good cardio-vascular health.  Barring unseen cardio issues there is no reason not to exert yourself on a normal dose of ADHD stimulants.

I find that it actually "burns" off excess amphetamine-induced energy if I keep my output high.  At the end of my day I'm not extraordinarily tired - merely feeling well spent and happy.

I must say though that I take my meds about one to two hours before work.  This allows me to acclimate to the days' dosage without feeling that rush during my heavy work period.  I think it does help.

I know that when I am not working or working out sometimes I feel the hightened heart rate.  When working I feel no change whatsoever.

I'm not saying that I say stagnant on meds, by any means. I do light exercise on meds, I am simply saying that if I want to go out for a 6 mile run, I'd do it before meds.