New Adderall User - Please Help | ADHD Information

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Hey -

I was diagnosed with ADHD around the age of 7...I'm 23 now.  I was on meds until around the age of 15, and then stopped.  Academically, I did great in college without medication - magna cum laude from a top 20 public university.  But I started law school about a month and 1/2 ago, so I decided it was time to look into treating myself again.  College was very conducive to my natural learning style, law school is not.  You don't have the time to collect yourself that you have in college.

So I visited a doctor and he wrote me a script for adderall...10mg, 3x a day.  I got the generic Ampheta, and took my first dose around 5pm yesterday.  I was a little jittery but dove into my work immediately.  It did keep me up later than normal, but hey first day, right?

Well today is a different story, I took my first dose at 8:30am and the second around 1.  I ate barely a handful of food, which I expected, and am still jittery around 10:30 at night. I feel weak to the point where my body feels almost hollow, and my emotions were up and down. 

Sorry for the length of the post, but I was just wondering if this is typical of the first few days of adderall, how long till my symptoms level out, etc?

Sorry for the long message, but any thoughts or experiences you could share could really help...

Yes, if you keep stacking them up like that they will effect you just as you noted. They do that to me as well. This is actually rebound, (kind of like drug withdrawal) Last night at 10:30 when you were feeling bad, if you would have taken another dose the side effects would have gone away.

Maybe adderall XR would be a better choice for you. But it's only your second day so it will get better (but the drugs will not work as well)

The generic version of adderall is just awful, and I have heard many people say the rebound was terrible. You could try drinking a caffenated beverage or a beer at night. The idea of the caffeine is like a mini CNS dose, just enough to overcome the rebound. The beer of course is a cns depressant.

The drug is absorbed from your urinary tract. What's in your stomach at the time greatly effects how much medicine you get. You want to avoid citric acid (sprite, orange juice) Research that and you might get some tips. Yes, generics can be vastly different from the real thing. Esp, if it's got a big B on it (BARR Pharmaceuticals)

Hmm..I didn't know the generic version would be all that different.  I only got a 2-week prescription, so next time I'll be sure to get the brand name.  This morning I split my 10 mg dose in half and I can't say my side effects have been present, but I also haven't felt the medicine "working."  I have a lot of work left for the day so I'm thinking of taking the other half early. 

Does anyone have any experiences they can relate as to the time it took for them to get the results they expected? (If you also took the generic brand, or the 10mg 3x a day dose, that would especially help)

Darnit..the generic I'm on is Ampheta, so it is by BARR.  It was all they had at the pharmacy and I didn't think anything of it.  I should get my refill script in 2 weeks and then I'll be sure to get the brand name.  Hopefully I'll be fine with the generic until then. 

It also sucks I now have to stay away from citric acid...I drink tons of OJ and juice.  Today I took 5mg at 1, 5 mg at 6 and its 9:30.  Haven't felt all that better with concentration, but still have the weak, downing effect of yesterday, just not as severe.  Please tell me it gets better...

ADHD brain without Adderall        Normal Brain (above)

ADHD with Adderall (below)

Some pretty interesting pictures - found them http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bizmark strategies.com/ADHDBrainwithAdderall.jpg&imgrefurl=http: //www.brainmattersinc.com/press.cfm%3FPressID%3D1&h=399& amp;w=331&sz=22&tbnid=DTVxCzYeAhAJ:&tbnh=119& ;tbnw=99&start=54&prev=/images%3Fq%3DADHD%26start%3D 40%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

 

Wow, very interesting. :-0Yeah I have no idea what all the red means, maybe it is activity levels.  Makes us feel ADHDers just arnt using their brains.  If you could imagine that Einstein had ADHD and this is how much brain he used, what could he have done on Adderall litigator: if you read this i hope you respond, maybe we can connect.  I am also a 1L and am on adderall.  I have been on the drug for a few years.  I started when I was reviewing for the LSAT and just could not concentrate.  (I took the test teo years ago, i deferred admission).  Anyway, when I started tihnking about he LSAT about three years ago I realized that I could not even read the books, when I did read a question, I would just stare at the answers, it was scary.  Well, the drug flipped that scenario upside down.  Anyway, I cannot speak to your dose, but I take 10mg in the morning )7am) and 5mg in the early afternoon.  If I am going to be up late I take another 5mg around 4pm or 5pm; I usually stay up until 12 or 1 am.  What you eat definitely affects the med.  If I have oj in the am with the med I get pretty wacky feeling in about 30 minutes.  Also, I stay away from caffeine if I have taken any adderall within six hours or so, that is a bad scene when I have that in my system.  As for generics, I've taken the real deal, and two different generics and have never noticed any difference.  My doc has assured me that there is no dif but I do understand that the inactive ingredients in the drugs can be different and wil affect how your body absorbs the stuff.  I say you should talk to your doctor about the generic issue.  Well, I hope you stick with the medication.  I had a hard time when I first started and I still have struggles.  It definitely makes me not eat and I really need to force myself to eat food.  Good luck.My son started on 10 mg adderall 3 years ago.  (The generic form did absolutely nothing for him--He didn't respond to it at all)  He complained of upset stomach unless I made him eat before taking the medication.  I also had to do this because he would not eat otherwise.  Total loss of appetite.   He had major up and downs (Peaks and valleys), but he became a straight A student. I felt like as long as he could focus in school we could deal with the peaks and valleys.  Also, I didn't give it to him in the summer or on weekends unless something major was going on that he needed to be calm and quiet for. About 1 year ago the 10 mg didn't seem to help anymore so they put him on 20 mg XR.  This seemed much better.  Adderall really helped my son for the last 3 years.  He is almost 11  and 5' tall and 117 lbs.  (Very healthyand active)  During his last visit the Dr. decided to try him on Strattera 60mg.  This has been GREAT!!!!!  He takes the dose at night.  He get up on his own in the morning.  He used to be very hard to get up.  He eats his meals.We talk about it.  He seems to like it so much better than Adderall.  I don't even have to remind him to take his pill, he does it on his own.  He also said he doesn't feel sad anymore ( I never realized that), but it helps him stay calm all day long and sleep good at night.  Bottom line.....Kudos to Strattera.  I hope the affects don't change.  It has been a blessing for my son.  Good luck all !