Requesting Adderall: Dumb Move? | ADHD Information

Hey all,

thanks for all the help so far. I have an appointment to go to a Dr. tomorrow at 3pm who has already told me that he diagnoses and prescribes medicine for ADHD (I asked because I did not want to go to him and then simply be referred to a specialist).

I have researched this a great deal and I believe the two medications most likely to work for me are Adderall first and then Ritalin. Is it dumb to tell the Dr this? Without insurance (my first appointment alone will cost me 0) I don't have the money or the time to try out the lower level meds that have a far less probability of working, only to eventually get to Adderall. I am thinking of requesting to be started on Adderall, because I have done all the research on the drug. I have no history of drug abuse or addiction at all. But will asking for Adderall get me flagged as a potential drug seeker? Or does it depend on the Doctor? I don't know this Dr at all so I cannot say what type he is. Any input given will be great,

THANKS

All I can say is there is no way you can know from researching which medication will work for you. Medications work different for everyone and everyone reacts differently as far as side effects go. The generic medications are not necessarily "lower level" meds. They have just been around longer and have generic form as they are widely prescribed (because they work). My suggestion is to keep your mind open. It is ALL about trial and error. Of course you can discuss your research with your physician, but try to keep an open mind and hear him/her out. If you have no insurance a generic med may be a better choice as the brand names are quite expensive.

Good luck with your appointment.

i read your topic and seen that i had similar thoughts and questions as u recently. i'm refering to "will the dr flag me for asking for adderall". i asked a few of my friends what there opinions were and i got mixed reactions. anyways, went to dr last week to switch adhd meds and i asked him if i can try adderall xr and he wrote me a script w/ no problem. the dr can suggest meds to u but u do not have to accept. it is your choice and you are able to make suggestions.

i also did alotta research on adderall and thought that this medication was the right one for me for some reason. I dunno if it was just a gut feeling or what but i had my mind set on it and there was no changing that till i experienced adderall for myself. so i understand where youre coming from.

 

[QUOTE=h22aaa] you really need to talk to your doctor and let him decide which medication is best for you, but from my experience i think ritalin is the worst because it is short acting and has lest effects on motivation and happiness,[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=gypsylass]
I tried Ritalin first, because it's cheap and insurance covers well, it was horrible, each dose gave me about 15 minutes of clarity and hours of grief. I really feel sorry for kids that take it...uggh[/QUOTE]

Well I ended up getting Ritalin, because I decided I had no idea what would work best. But from what I read on forums, Adderall sounds like the best for me. I have to agree with these two quotes. Ritalin calms me down, makes me a little tired, but does little for motivation or focus. I'm thinking about in my next appointment telling my doctor about Adderall.you really need to talk to your doctor and let him decide which medication is best for you, but from my experience i think ritalin is the worst because it is short acting and has lest effects on motivation and happiness, next comes dexedrine which has been my favorite medication for some time, but i just switched to Adderall and i am really liking it so far, it seems to kick in somewhat faster and last somewhat longer, i think 15mg of adderall is equal to 10mg Dexedrine.

will asking for Adderall get you flagged as a potential drug seeker? 
No, i would not think so because drug abusers are more likely to sniff ritalin, or take dexedrine. i think if you were asking for a larger dosage that would be a red flag for your doctor.

Or does it depend on the Doctor?
any psychiatrist should be board certified and pass the same standards and know which medication is best for what symptoms you may have, but he may feel you should start with a certain medications based on his previous experience with his patients. if that is the case you should be open to taking his advice and trying what he recommends.

xtreme

good luck at your appt, the fact you are cash pay ( no insurance) increases your odds of getting what you need, not what your insurance wants you to have, I tried Ritalin first, because it's cheap and insurance covers well, it was horrible, each dose gave me about 15 minutes of clarity and hours of grief. I really feel sorry for kids that take it...uggh

I take adderall xr now, it's good for me, but doesn't last very long, I take multiple doses during the day, and if I am late on a dose, due to being out and about and no water available, I have a meltdown, not pretty.

but it is trial and error, totally. can't really tell what will happen till you try them, good luck and keep us posted

When my son started meds his doc said she always starts with ritalin as it's been around so long and has such a high percentage of people who respond well to it.  As someone else pointed out, there is a generic form, and name brand ritalin is still cheaper than adderall (at least in my area).

Be sure to let your doctor know that you have no insurance- sometimes they will just prescibe whatever the drug rep. has been pushing lately (the newest and most expensive) but if he knows you're paying out of pocket he will take that into consideration.

Also, check out the sticky at the top of this board about help with prescription costs.