This is a sign that it's actually NOT working! Tell your MD about this - you need to switch to a different med (or try smaller doses over the day).
Amphetamines when not working on the ADHD can have a false sense of confidence and security. So what you feel when you continue to up the dose is that false feeling. You feel in control and when it acclimates to your body it goes away.
I sincerely recommend you go in and get both a change AND therapy!! The med change should anchor you somewhere you can control things and the therapy will help you change the bad habits and gain more control.
If you continue to increase the dosage eventually it will no longer help at all. The doc will know what should work. If not - find a doc that is skilled with ADHD or preferably a psychiatrist that can both give you therapy and the Rx for meds.
Glen, don't you think it takes time to get the right dose? He did say that when it does work, it works great. Maybe he's just not at the right dose yet? I top out at 90mg of Adderall XR. Seems to work pretty good. I don't want to go any higher than 90- due purely to comfort level.
Landtheplane...let us know how your proposed new regimen (30xr + 10 ir) works (or whatever you change to). I do two 20 xr/day space 6 hours apart, which works ok under most circumstances. My doc doesn't want to prescribe two types of adderall (xr and ir) which is what I'd originally suggested as a more flexible way for me to deal with daily dosing.
How many mgs a day of Adderal xr is safe? i seem to have to be taking more and more every week for it to help me at all, when it does work though, it helps amazingly....anybod help???Ummh - just a thought - could you have been missed diagnosed as ADD, when actually you might have something else?
That is a whole lot of stimulant even for a mind that needs it - you would have to be pretty dysfunctional to require such extreme dosages (not being neg on fellow add/h'rs) to help you function.
Heck we all need therapist at times in life - ADD or not.
Certain bodies are more resistant to medication, however if you are not feeling beneficial effects or the affects are inconsistent then it may be a different issue that you are dealing with and the medication is masking it with a boost (it is speed after all)
I would recommend that you get retested, including auditory processing and allergy tests before you start increasing your doses to drastically, there are side effects to medication, especially long term!
As far as i am aware the FDA only requires 6 month tests and only recommends the product be used for that duration!
I was wondering THAT one myself considering that the last thing I knew it was monthly. And that they STRONGLY recommend weekly weight and height checks for kids - and monthly checkups (mental and physical) for adults. They also recommend trying to take away the meds from time to time to verify that ADHD is actually present - as it should come back.
Hmmmm....
[QUOTE=brainmakeover]As far as i am aware the FDA only requires 6 month tests and only recommends the product be used for that duration!
[/QUOTE]
where did you come up with that information?
I do agree that you take way too much medication. Just one question, how on earth do you get any sleep with a dosage that high?
iowa how old are you? how much do ya weigh? just wonderin... with the adderall xr?You are taking way too much medication!! Are you expecting/seeking a high or are you just not informed about what stimulants are supposed to do for someone with ADHD? Dr. Amen, who routinely prescribes more medication than most doctors feel comfortable giving, tops out at around 100mg of Adderall!!!! And if you have a "mild" case of ADHD, then there is no reason why you would need so much. It obviously isn't working for you. It doesn't work for everyone. You need to switch to another medication and I agree with Glen, you need some help figuring out how to live with ADHD. Even with meds., most of us realize that all our problems don't go away with popping a pill and a lot of hard work is still needed to live a happy life.Honestly, and Iowa, you are not going to like this...if you are taking MORE meds than your Psych/pdoc know about then you are abusing them. Taking it in the morning, afternoon and through the night is not what it is prescribed for. You would probably do better with a different med( focalin xr comes to mind). And for a mild case of ADD, Adderall is a pretty strong med.
Chances are another Psych will reevaluate you,take a medical history, and review your previous records......any good psych would.
sounds like the adderall xr just isn't working for you. why not try a different medication alltogether, instead of overdosing on Adderall? What is your actual prescription for?This first part is for Glenn W: I dont need therapy cuz the only reason i take more and more is to make the adderall work, its not like im ingesting dangerous levels....im not stupid...but it usally works if i take 90 to 120 mgs at 7:00am, then, if i have stuff to do in the afternoon...homework etc...ill take one 30 mg and then maybe one or two as needed through out the night... like everyone else on here...the adderal XR works for a different period of time at different dosages. I think my problem is my psychiatrist...i need to find someone who knows a little more about what there doin....which leads me to my next question. If i do find a different psychiatrist...will they re-test me for adhd? I have a mild case, so what if they decide i dont have it...then im screwed....any suggestions???
iowa - you're just not getting it - you need the therapy which will keep the med level lower! By getting a good therapist and learning new ways to deal with life the meds work so much better!
How much are you being prescribed for? If you're taking more than the doctor knows about then you're not taking it on certain times and taking way too much the rest of the time. That's very imbalanced and risky too.
Anyone who has seen my posts knows I'm not anti med. I'm pro enjoying life. If you end up where the meds simply don't work at safe levels or your health is jeapordized - where are you then?
Well if all you're looking for is the energy to get things done - by all means do what you will. If you want a longer lasting solution - heed my words and find a therapist you trust.
I mean that. Don't risk yourself. And I'm sure John Belushi's final or near-final words were "It's not like I'm ingesting dangerous levels. It's not like I'm stupid"
Honestly I'm not talking down to you - I worry about everyone here dealing with ADHD for themselves or family. Killing yourself over it just isn't a viable option.
I have to say that some of us need higher doses. I am also on a higher dose. 30 mg tabs 4x daily. Adderall has changed my life for the better. For some reason, though, I just need to be on a higher dose for the medicine to work. Lately, though, the adderall has not been working. I am wondering if there is any vitamin or mineral to take with it that would make it stronger; so that I dont have to take more of the adderall.Nothing will reliably increase your dose without some danger or unpredictable results other than more adderall.
However - you may find that med holidays will keep your dose very low. I take one week med-free for every two months of daily meds. It's a struggle at first to get through but when I come back on it's just as if it was day one and the dose I take has been the same for about 2 years now.
Just a thought. Also there are several other similar meds and they can switch you or combine - just find a good psychiatrist who knows ADHD to help you find the right way to go.