when will this adderall xr kick in? | ADHD Information

I've been taking Adderall XR for about 2 1/2 weeks and the benefits
were immediate and profound. Doc told me to take the 15mg for a
few days and then start taking the second one, which is the only
reason he prescribed it in 15mg capsules, to gradually work up.
The 15mg did absolutely nothing, so I took both 15mg at once, his
instruction, and I was just amazed at the results.

My concern, and his, though, is the blood pressure issue.
Mine has been a little high in doctor's offices for a few years, but not
enough to worry. It was high this day too, so he told me to take it a
few times this month, using the public ones available at many
drugsstores if I need to. Well, I did that yesterday, and the first
reading was so high I think we needed to call an ambulance! Took
again immediately, and it reduced substantially, though still in the
"hypertension" realm at 151/93.   I had been walking briskly for a
while before taking it, and was a bit tense while taking it, so it's
really hard to judge. I may buy one of those cuff bp meters and
check it when I'm relaxed, at home.

If it continues to be high I will have to go off the Adderall. I was
checking out Strattera and while it doesn't have the big warning
signs and flashing lights about bp that Adderall has, if you keep
reading, it seems it also raises bp.

On a medical site (not a forum, in other words) it says that if Stattera
is causing high bp another option is actual blood pressure
medication. There are two bp meds that apparently are effective with
ADD, which is pretty interesting.

I am also on Wellbutrin and have been for a couple of years with
great success — no depression, no side effects after the first few
weeks. Very happy with it. Wellbutrin is also used to treat ADD, but
it wasn't enough to help it with me obviously — and my ADD is
newly diagnosed.

I'm one of those gifted and ADD types — I'm a member of MENSA
and always had great success academically until I finally hit a wall in
my doctoral studies. There is an immense reading list of things not
studied in courses and it's months of just reading and studying on
my own, dense stuff — and nothing in the world could make me able
to do it. To this point, I had always been able to pull off anything
academic on sheer intelligence and a great writing gift.
I took the doctoral comps without having actually studied much — I
tried, I "read," pushing, pushing and not retaining. And I failed the
exams, which was a wake up call. It was then in examing this
situation and not wanting to repeat it in my second try at the exams
in a few months, that made me stop and look at the ADD possibility
that had occasionally crossed my mind. But since I did well
academically, I dismissed it. I never worked as hard as others, but
also had severe procrastination — but again, always pulled it off in
short order — because I could. But that's no fun, and no one knows
how much I wrestled with this inability to focus, to read. I learned
best aurally, and in discussion — reading chunks. I love books, but
the truth is there is a sea of unfinished books stetching over my
lifetime! No one would know that though. This was very hidden
BUT — my examination committee were totally baffled at my failure,
wanted to know if something caused this, and I was baffled and
frightened too — that I couldn't do it. Two of them were very hard
on me, taking it personally! This casued THEM so much anguish and
time and stress! It meant THEY failed. Hey, what about me?
I couldn't believe that — taking it personally.

In any case, after seeing a sement on 60 Minutes on the heels of this
failure my curiosity about this was reawakened, and this time I did
some serious research and it sure looked to me like I've always had
this. Physically too — to this day I cannot sit still, one leg is ALWAYS
bouncing, or crossed legs swinging. When I tried to read for these
exams I got really tired, have to sleep tired, within an hour. I got up
every 20 minutes, distracted myself with anything — email and
internet were good! Now it all makes sense.

I had a previous long career in radio — on the air, and I realize what
a good choice that was because it was so stimulating and there was
constant change and energy, particularly doing morning drive
shows. I never noticed anything then since I wasn't trying to do
something that this ADD interfered with. Now that's different.
I even passed my Masters exams with little study, but those were
self-designed and were things I was interested in particularly.

When my lifelong chronic depression and at time, major depression,
was finally diagnosed 3 or 4 years ago, that was quite a revelation.
Since I was successfully treated I attributed my struggle with studyin
for those, and with moving on the writing of the thesis, to the
depression. Of course I couldn't concentrate! I finally wrote the
thesis in 6 weeks and had a popularized version of it published as a
book! See what I mean? I pulled it off. But no one knew what was
going on behind the scenes.

Anyway, I thought, great — no more depression, so I should not
have that problem with my doctoral exams. But guess what. I had
exactly the same problem. So the question was, "do you really want
to do this," like is this some kind of subconscious self-sabotage
because you really want out — or, is there something else?

The answer is – B! Something else! No one would have guessed
this.

So I called my psychiatrist and went in to discuss this, and that is
how I came to start Adderall a couple of weeks ago. It works well
with Wellbutrin too, he said.
Well, my main concern now is the blood pressure — and if that
precludes these various meds, what then can I do? The BP meds are
one possibility. Alternatives?

ok....so i started the adderall xr 10 mgs about two weeks ago then went up to 15 mgs because it did not seem to be doing much of anything....so for three days i did the 15 mgs and today i took 20 mgs.

i am not going up any further then that though.  i also started taking lexapro 3 nights ago and i think i feel that sooner then i feel the adderall xr.

today i planned a whole list of things to do and it took me seven freakin hours to do them and i'm  not finished yet as i got side tracked at the mall by running into my daughter and grand kids whom dragged me off, lol,  loved it though.

so i got some things done anyways but still not so sure i feel anything from the adderall xr...how much longer should i wait to feel anything and what should i feel?

i think the lexapro is helping already with my dysthymia (light depression) and some of the anxiety stuff i have like GAD, generalized anxiety disorder, but so far nothing that i can tell from the adderall.

 

thank you for the input i really appreciate it.  i dont drink juice anyways but that is good to know.

today is day 2 of 20 mgs and i have a ton of anxeity feelngs running through my body when i'm out and about trying to do things but then i came home and relaxed and now i am feeling sooooo much better much more relaxed an all.

i am to go to 10 mgs xr 2 times a day and see what that does, but i've never heard of such a thing and i do not get the logic behind it eitiher but i guess i willgive it a go and see what happens.

Speak with you prescriber again. I started on 10mg
XR, no effect. Then 20mg XR, nada. Now I am taking
30mg regular Adderall and it in much more effective
then XR. Or maybe the Adderall isn't for you?jamieileana, Truely the only effect I get from the Adderall XR is a feeling of being awake and alert.  Unmedicated I am just dragging my tail all day long and get easily distracted.  I take a boost of 10 mg regular Adderall at 4:00 PM when I remember that helps me get through the evening.  I also seem to actually hyperfocus more medicated than unmedicated.  I started on 15 mg of Adderall XR and moved up to 20 mg.  I don't actually feel anything happen to me other than the first few days I was a bit jittery but that went away quickly.  I do have one side effect that may end up causing me to change medications.  I sleep fine and have lost only an insignificant amount of weight.  The major problem is clenching my jaw continually.  I am afraid ithis s going to start causing some dental concerns.  I just had my teeth cleaned and they found 2 molars with fillings that are cracked and need replacement.  I have had one of these fillings for over 30 years so maybe it was its time but the other was a replacement for a 30 year old molar only 2 years ago.  The best suggestion I can give you is to contact your physician and keep them updated on your progress.  I am 47 years old and I know that not only am I dealing with ADHD but I am also dealing with 47 years of habits and coping mechanisms that are not going to be that easy to alter.  Are you also getting therapy with a pyschologist.  I find this extremely helpful in getting suggestions to deal with everything.  -Gettingagrip-

You should talk to your doctor. The Adderall works extreamly fast. After your first dose you should have began feeling it's effects with in an hour. It may not be right for your or to low of a dose. Also I belive it was Maffia Kiddo who told me that taking it with juice will cause it to be ineffective. We had that problem with our son. The first few days he took it with water after breakfast and he was fine. Then when he went up to 5mg twice a day we gave it to him with breakfast and a glass of oj. All of a sudden 10mg seemed to have no effect on him what so ever. Yet the 5mg dose did wonders. I read on Maffia Kiddo's post that Citric Acid can distroy the medications effects so I stoped giving him juice with it and it started working again. In fact it seemed to be to strong for him and we put him back down to 5 mg a day again. I am not saying that he was right but it did seem to work better for my son and any thing is worth giving a try instead of upping you dose constantly. There are several drugs out there though and Adderall may not be right for you thats why you should speak to you doctor about it only the two of you can judge whats best for your body.

 

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