My daughter too developed a tolerane to adderall XR after being on it for 3 years and gradually increasing her dose every 6 months or so. Her psych. said her brain had gotten kind of used to it and switched her to Daytrana which is working well. You culd try to switch to a med in the ritalin group (Concerta, Daytrana, focalin XR, ritalin LA, etc.) He said she could probably go back to adderall in a couple of months and it would be "fresh" again.
Also, adderall should not be taken with juice. The vitamin C as well as the acid really slows the absorption of the med. Are you on regular release or XR? You can open the XR capsules and sprinkle the beads on applesauce if swallowing pills is a problem.
HTH
I've been on Adderall from 2004 and since then, I went from 30mgs to 45mgs and now 60mgs. I grew tolerant kind of fast, I think. Every time I needed an increase, I could feel it. The symptoms were coming back badly.
The last increase was 60mgs and that was a few months ago, so I know its not that, but the meds aren't working like it used to. Now, the most it does it get me up. It's harder to concentrate now, my motivation's been gone for quite a while now. No matter how much I want to get something done, it's hard to start it and the harder I try to, the more energy it takes from me. I had to drop my classes because I absolutely could not get the work in on time and I was failing, big time.
First, it wast the motivation. Now it's the energy. In the past, after I took my meds, I was awake, alert, and I felt great. I take it in the mornings when I wake up. I can't swallow pills, so I crush it and mix it in juice and put it by my bed, so I could take it. Now sometimes it takes hours for me get out of bed even after I take it after I wake up. My energy comes and goes.
It's just not working like it used to and my psychiatrist isn't doing anything about it. He said that it might start working again like it used to, but this has been going on for a while now and I just don't know what to do.
My "good days," aren't very often. or my functional days. I have different names for it. It's the days when I'm feeling more "normal" and able to do regular things. My more balanced days, when my brain is actually working right.
On my "off-balanced days," its hard to get out of bed, then everything is confusing to be and I don't have much evergy. It could be days or just moments, and I don't know how to make them come or go, it just does. So I'm able to do stuff when my head feels like being balanced. I don't have much control over it, so my days aren't very productive.
Before the Adderall, I never took meds for my ADD before. I barely got good grades in school, though I tried. It's a miracle I graduated High School, I had to repeat so many classes, too. It wasn't until college that I got treated for it and my grades went from Ds and C-s to Bs and some As. My head cleared up and felt totally different. But either my symptoms just got worse from HS or I don't know. The meds just aren't working good and I can't do anything. It's frustrating. and I also have Social Phobia, which I've always had, but it's just gotten worse over the years. So I was put on Klonopin for it, and 6.5mg works, though my doctor prescribed 4mgs, but that doesn't work well enough.
But I don't know what to do. It's not all the time that my head's clear enough for me to do stuff, like writing this right now. It'll get all fuzzy again soon. I don't need an increase. My doctor said that the receptors aren't responding to the meds like it used to. Like its gotten to used to it, so it ignores it or soemthing. So then why won't he change the meds? He hasn't given me an answer and its frustrating. I'll be seeing him tomorrow again (I hope). He's not a very good doctor. I've been meaning to change doctors, but its not easy to find one.
My insurance has a listing of doctors, but theres no way to find out about them, so its hard and confusing. That's why I'm still with this one. My energy's dying out again, though I've been in bed for most of the day, I feel like going back in. It sucks.
It's like 5 or 6 steps away from being off the meds. Those days are torturous.
I just feel so lost. But I'm just venting here, so...yeah.
Tootles.