feeling better | ADHD Information

I don't take Concerta, but I do however take 20mg of Adderall.  I experience a "speedy" feeling once the medicine kicks in, and it seems to last about an hour or so.  I've experienced headaches from coke I've drank after taking the medicine.  As soon as I start to experience the crash feeling when the medicine wears out, I drink a lot of coke to get some caffeine in me to help relieve it.  I did take a decongestant with my Adderall yesterday that contains pseudoephendrine, and felt a sleepy feeling come across for about 30mins during the day.

I called my doctor yesterday and she thinks that I was having the "speedy" feeling and insomnia from the coffee and mostly from the AllegraD.  She is going to have me continue on Concerta 54mg to see how I do.  Yesterday I finally slept and slept good last night.  I thought I was coming out of my skin.  Yesterday I tried cutting out the caffeine but it resulted in a terrible headache so I drank a half a cup of caffeinated coffee and took some ibuprofen. 

I want to emphasize to people just starting on medication that most oral decongestants contain pseudoephedrine that will cause these side effects.  My doctor stated that it is okay to use nasal sprays such as "Afrin"  to relieve the nasal and sinus congestion.  Just remember to speak to your doctor regarding any medications that you are taking.  I know now that I will not take any allergy medicine such as ClaritinD, AllegraD, or ZyrtecD in the future.  I hope this information can help others.  By the way, I am a nurse and should of known better. 

One more thing,  any suggestions on stopping caffeine intake?  I would like to know from some of you who stopped the caffeine intake how long the headaches persisted and how you managed the withdrawl.  Thanks for all the support!

I take 20mg of the short acting adderall 3x a day....I have built up to this dosage over a couple of months. I am metabolizing the meds after about 3 -4 hours. I am going to try the XR next week. IF I have a really early morning...I have even taken it a fourth time if I needed to focus well into the evening. Michaelanne...oh, what a pretty name! Anyway, I won't say I told you so about the coffee and AllegraD. But really glad you're feeling better! You know I'm on Concerta (54mg now, too) and I still have my morning coffee (I don't miss the several cups I used to have after that, which could be the meds working). I have not gotten headaches from cutting back from several strongs cups a day to one. So I'm really not much help, am I? However, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to have 1/2 cup of decaf or even reg coffee, along with ibuprofen, if it helps.

I am able to go to sleep, although I usually stay up until 11:00. However, last night I was up at 11:30 and wasn't that tired, so I had a cup of expresso (I made my own) and drank about half the cup, and was alseep before 11:45. Go figure.

Johnnboi, Concerta is a much milder stimulant than Adderall, and longer acting. 6-12 hours. I, myself, have never crashed, or felt I was off the med. I also never feel "speedy" in any way on Concerta. I just feel my mind is clearer, both visually and mentally, most likely from my mind slowing down so I am able to focus on one thing at a time, or nearly. Still only been two months on Concerta.GypsyWomyn38437.0607986111I noticed when I took XR yesterday that it's much milder than instant release Adderall.  However, I still had a crash only 12hrs later lol. Johnnyboi38436.8781134259I too feel that the short acting Adderall is stronger than the released. How long does your short Adderall work for you, and then do you take another? Have you been on anything else... how does it compare?I was on 20mg of instant release for the last 4 months, until yesterday when I tried XR with the same dosage.  I only took the short acting Adderall once a day, and would normally crash after about 4hrs (not so pleasant).  It felt as if my energy had been drained.  I thought I was taking XR the whole time, and couldn't understand why I crashed so early.  I learned earlier this week that XR comes in capsules, and not tablets.  The XR worked 12hrs for me, but it felt different than short acting, it's hard to describe, very mild and I felt more relaxed.  It almost felt as if I was going slower than I would on short acting adderall.  I also felt tired, but not sleepy like I do when I crash.  Nothing seemed to stress me out at all, I thought short acting was good at helping to reduce anxiety, but XR did a better job on that.  However, when I read something, I didn't seem to absorb it as well as I do on short acting.  When I ate lunch, my jaws felt a bit sore, maybe the XR caused me to put more pressure onto my jaws? I don't know.  I haven't tried anything else besides Adderall, but I'll write more as I further experience my usage of XR this coming week.  Do you feel as if you're performing slower on XR too? Also do you take short acting once or twice a day, and what amount do you take?Caffeine,nicatine,citrus lesson absorbtions rates.I take none of those with Adderall, but thanks for the info though.I was diagnoed at age 48 or 49. I am 52 now. I am ADD not HD.

Started with Ritilan. I'd take it at 7:00 a.m. needing my other dose by 10:30.   About 1:30 or 2 here I am back to trying not f up until I could leave work at 3, 4 or 5 .

Sometimes the brain pwr and remaining time required at work forced me into cheating, I'd take another. I could tell the demishing affects of the med hour by hour then by 1/2 hour.

The long acting 20, too mild to begin with so as it wore off, I just couldn't deal with it. I metabolize very quickly too so....not good.

I decided at this point to see a shrink who was supposed to be very knowledgeable of pharmachology. Turns out that he starts you off at the top rather than the usual attack of lowere to higher.

First crack out of the box, I remember now, I was on 60 mg time released Ritilan or Adderall plus Stratera 2 18's or 16's ? Wow!!! 2 weeks later I stopped in to say... I didn't like it and I had lost over 10 lbs. He took off the Stratera. I didn't feel badly on the 60 mg time released alone, but I continued to loose weight and was clenching my teeth.

I tried Adderall 12 hr too. Maybe long ones need to have a higher dosage.

Each month we decreased dosage to it's lowest point 30 Ritilan (yuch) now to 30 pills each month of Adderall 30 mg short acting with fudge room when I have to take more.(dont take on days off). He is aware of my fudging. This dose is too little but w/in acceptable range since I can manipulate my intake somewhat.

Monday he said that I was building up a tollerance to my med and that I had an incredibly high metabolism. I'm glad that he IDed the fast metabolism cause I've grown tired of being prescribed for example even a decongestant, and the Dr. goes ape when you run out too soon. SORRY doc!

Adderall, I feel lasts longer, stays level longer, and I ease down. I am interested in trying something else just in case it might work better. But I am pretty satisfied with the Adderall.

I write books. I've always been insecure about that.     

Good luck Marie, let us know how it works out for you.  I found the XR to be much more milder than the short acting, but I will see this coming week as I continue to use it.