Hi everyone,
I really need some help hear. I have been taking Adderall for almost a year now and it has changed my life tremendously. The problem is that it also makes my insomnia far worse. I have tried taking sleeping pills but that is not a great long term solution.
At night I get a terrible empty-anxious feeling inside. Its like a terrible thirst that nothing will slake. It feels almost like being very hungry and low blood suger, but I know that isn't it. This feeling makes it so hard for me to think or concentrate or relax. I can't play with my kids and I'm not nice to be with. Is this a craving for the adderall? Is this rebound? Is it a craving for the sleeping pills?
Please someone, tell me what is happening to me?
Hello HappyMagics,
Have you been having this anxiety for the entire time you have been taking the Adderall? I would think that if it started soon after you started on Adderall that this med is not working well for you, or at the very least you are on too high of a dosage. However, if this only started fairly recently (or after several months of being successfully treated with Adderall) then I would believe your anxiety may be caused by something else.
People like myself with ADD often have a lot of anxiety and/or depression along with (or as a result of) their ADD symptoms. I also had the "hunger" feeling that you describe. For me it would come very suddenly, often accompanied by headache or nausea. Once it was so severe, I had to pull over on the highway to vomit. I went to my primary care physician a couple times, but the problem was never root caused. I thought that I was becoming hypoglycemic, but apparently my blood tests were normal. The only thing found was a slightly elevated cholesterol level. The hunger problem eventually went away.
In retrospect, I believe I was experiencing anxiety attacks caused by an unusual amount of stress in my life at that time. This coupled with ADD tendencies, like "obsessive" or "what if" thinking, was not a good combination.
As a person with ADD, I'm curious to know if you worry (or obsessively think) too much? Do you have a lot of "What if" thoughts? Headaches, stomach pain or digestive problems, shoulder, neck or back pain?
Ask yourself what has occurred or what has changed in your life when these problems all started. Sometimes it can be something obvious, like money or relationship problems, and other times it can be something more subtle like changes in your routine or job related pressure.
I don't know what the side effects or withdrawal symptoms are when building a dependence on sleeping pills. You really should see your doctor about your ongoing sleep problems. In the meantime stop taking the sleeping pills! I know this is easier said than done. Instead try a little aerobic activity before bedtime. A simple 20-30 minute nightly walk can be very helpful (boy am I a hypocrite). I know this is cliché-like, but it may help you sort out your thoughts and, in turn, relieve some anxiety & stress. Maybe you can also try something less addictive like melatonin to help you sleep. I believe melatonin really helps, but I don't know the details on the risks if any.
Finally, who prescribed you the Adderall? Was he a family doctor or a psychiatrist? If the former, I would highly recommend seeing a psychiatrist for these types of issues. Tell him/her all of your symptoms or issues you are having, even if you think it's "no big deal" or petty.
I am currently taking Wellbutrin XL (SNRI) for depression (which has done wonders for me!!); I am a different person now. I am much more patient, understanding, loving to my wife and friendlier to my co-workers. I am also taking Paxil (SSRI) for my ongoing anxiety and obsessive thinking ("what if") thinking which creates anxiety. As an unexpected positive side effect, it is also helping me deal with a problem I have had for years with viewing pornography. Finally, I was taking Strattera for my ADD, but had a very poor experience with it. I tried for about a month now, but it was destroying all of the positive effects of the other two meds and started to cause some regression, so I stopped. I haven't gone back to my doctor since, but plan to try stimulants again.
Anyway, let me stopped rambling on and get to bed myself. Please, let me know how you're doing. I am very interested in knowing more about your hunger feeling since you are the only other person who I have ever talked to who has had that symptom.
-JA