Adderal Daily or When Needed | ADHD Information

[QUOTE=AddMe]I am on Adderal 20mg and I tired of it causing me to loose sleep.  My doctor says I don't have to take it daily and that I should only take it when I think I need it.  I am not sure if that really works as well.  
Does everyone on addearal take their medication daily?  Is there anyone out there that takes adderal on a need only basis, i.e. workdays only?
Need your guidance.... AddMe

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I take Adderall pretty much every day, but I only take it when needed.  My job, telemarketing, doesn't require it at all.  I only take it when I read or do homework, or something that requires sustained mental stamina.

I took 30 mg of Adderall XR for about 5 years, and found that if I took it every day, I would build up a tolerance to it and need to take more.  My doc also said to take it as needed, so I just took it on workdays.  I had to stop taking it during my pregnancy and breastfeeding, but when I started it again it seemed to do nothing for me at all. 

I am now taking Focalin XR, 20mg.  It has been 3 weeks and seems to be working fine.  On some days when I am already stressed and have a lot of anxiety, the Focalin seems to make it worse, but I think Adderall did that too.

Has anyone else tried Focalin?

 

 

Adderall affected my sleeping for about 6 months.  After that, no problems!  Your doctor seems rather lassaiz faire--letting you take it or skip it as you please.  My only thought would be that by taking it irratically you will delay, postpone, or prevent the possibility that your body will get used to it and that sleep will no longer be affected.  If you are taking the slow release, XR, form, try switching to the regular release form.  Might also try Melatonin at bedtime... 1.3 mg is supposed to work best.

Personally, I find that taking adderall all day is necessary. My ADD Coach
can always tell when I've stopped taking my evening doses- I have
absolutely nothing done. But for some people with mild ADHD (it's a
spectrum afterall) or even moderate ADHD it may not be necessary. It also
depends a lot on the rest of your life. Some people naturally have more
structured lives and spend more time doing things that aren't very
dependent on skills that ADHD tends to be a negative factor in.
Hi, AddMe. 
    I was on Adderall and a  Adderall XR for  long time.  I used to take Adderall XR every day.  Then over time, I either started having or started noticing mood side effects that I didn't like- no sense of humor, grouchiness... 
    So, I stopped for a year or so.  When I started taking it again, I was told by my doctor that I could take it as needed, and that's what I've done for years.  I have to say- the side effects are worse than they ever have been, to the point where I am going to try other meds.  I think it's a safe bet that in a lot of people, taking this medication as needed will cause more side effects, and taking it every day will let your body get used to it more, resulting in fewer side effects.
    I ended up taking it less and less often, until I was down to once a week or so, and I ended up just cramming for exams in one day instead of keeping up on my work (I'm in nursing school).  And, my house is still messy.
    So, I would say, in general, people who need meds for ADD need them every day, and taking them every day may make them more tolerable.
    You didn't mention your dosing schedule- I found that Adderall XR made it very difficult for me to fall asleep, no matter how early in the day I took it.  Regular Adderall was a much better option, as I usually only took it once a day.  Maybe you are taking a second dose, and you should be taking it earlier in the day?  Otherwise, maybe your doctor could prescribe a lower dose for that second dose of the day.
    Lastly, if you really think this is the drug for you and you love it and the only problem is sleeping- you can also get a prescription that will counteract the effects of the Adderall before you sleep, like Ativan or Klonopin, which are CNS sedatives.  But, I think adding more drugs to counteract side effects of the first drug is generally unwise, as they have their own new side effects.  Good luck.
I am on Adderal 20mg and I tired of it causing me to loose sleep.  My doctor says I don't have to take it daily and that I should only take it when I think I need it.  I am not sure if that really works as well.  
Does everyone on addearal take their medication daily?  Is there anyone out there that takes adderal on a need only basis, i.e. workdays only?
Need your guidance....AddMe