I recently was diagnosed as well. Everyone my whole life said i had it, but it was only recently I took the initiative to get tested. I was told the same thing by a doctor.
I've been on 15mg adderall for about 2 months now, my doctor says this is just an introductory amount to get used to it, but says that he will increase my dossage over the next few months.
However, these are my experiances thus far:
I'm not as irritable when there is a lot of pressure put on me.
Im not 10-20 minutes late for everyting anymore.
I still forget things, but i dont spend as much time having to find them, i recall where i put them a bit easier.
I hope this helps. Can someone please tell me what to expect as my dosage increases! Are there any exercises i can do to teach myself to focus and calm down, i dont want to be on medication for the rest of my life. I just want to find a balance point, where i can be at peace.
Hello all. This is my first post. I really have enjoyed and actually looked forward to coming to the forum. Thank you all! It's nice to see that I'm not as crazy as I feel sometimes! Ha! Who am I kidding!
I was diagnosed recently with ADD Combine Type, General Anxiety Disorder, and Low-level depression. I have been trying to get my life in order mentally for probably three years. I was initially diagnosed with ADD and was given Adderall right off the bat. I started with 15mg then 20. I finally topped-off at 30mg. Letterman - My doc gave me the 30mg. in two 15mg doses. I took one first thing in the morning and then one around 2 or 3. I have a pretty fast metabolism and would burn through 20mg and half-way through the day be ready to go to sleep. Maybe you could take two 10mg doses.
z0e007 - I had all of the same symptoms that you do. Right down to the tingling fingers. (which by the way in my case turned out to be an unexplained phenom.) I walked away healthy as a horse. But I agree and definately suggest you let your doc know right away! The not sleeping was a pain. The physical effects of being on that much stimulant sucked. But I was clear - sometimes. One of the side effects of Adderall can be some pretty serious anxiety. At the time I didn't know about the severe anxiety that was already present in my daily life that was being made worse day-by-day by the adderall. I eventually decided it wasn't doing the job and stopped taking it.
I think that i'm going to give the adderall another try in conjunction with something to quell the anxiety. I'm told it's that same anxiety that makes me snap at people. Just some food for thought. I hope that something I wrote here will help you out.
Thanks!
BentmoniusMaxximus
Quote: "Are there any exercises i can do to teach myself to focus and calm down, i dont want to be on medication for the rest of my life. I just want to find a balance point, where i can be at peace."
Amen brotha... I want the same thing.
Thanks all for your feedback. Things are getting better on the 10mg of Adderall XR. I did see my doctor this past Monday. That is a great suggest writing everything down. I actually did and brought them to her. She said that sometimes medication helps but at the same time agitates or brings out other parts of the ADHD. She had no opinion on the numbness in my arm and fingers though. She only suggested it was dehydration. I do drink lots of water but I also live in Phoenix where it was 118 this week. One clear thing that my doctor and I know that I am really sensitive to any type of medication. She is also aware I am afraid to take the meds. She wants me to try Wellbutrin. She told me to take half of my Adderall. She said the Wellbutrin should even out the symptoms because if effect the different part of the brain than the Adderall. She also said that I may not even need the Adderall but wants me to mix and match to see how it goes. I will try it this Saturday. I am always afraid to experiment during the week when I have to work.
Has anyone else taken Wellbutrin?
John - I also take mine early in the morning. My doctor prescribed me 10 mg of Adderall single release to take half in the late afternoon if I need it for school. I haven't really tried it until I get my other meds balanced. This might work for you though.
Thanks again!
z0e007
I was diagonosed several months ago and went on strattera 100 mg. It was okay but when I started adderall what a difference with impulive behaviour, postive feelings and better attention. I take 40mg XR. I find that my hands get cold, an occasional headache, and loss of appetite. Overall I am pleased with the meds.I took wellbutrin about a year ago before I was diagonosed with ADD...I was feeling dperessed by life's events so that why I took wellbutrin. Actually the way I felt while on wellbutrin...got me thinking about ADD. I had more energy, completed tasks around the house which had gone unfinished for years, also a decreased desire to drink. A couple of side effects I noted were dry mouth and strange taste in my mouth, and an occasional headache.
Good to hear. I would like the decreased desire to drink. My doctor said that her sister is on Wellbutrin for depression and loves it. She said it works great for people with milder ADHD and has less side effects. I find it weird how some of these drugs overlap into different diagnoses categories.
z0e007
Hello everyone!
I am 28 and was diagnosed a few months back with ADHD. I have had symptoms as long as I can remember. I love this message board. I am starting to feel more comfortable with myself reading everyone's posts. I finally got the patience to sit down and write my own. It's comfortable here because each person I have told about my diagnoses has had a response like, "No, you don't have that!" or they say "I do that too but I don't have ADHD." I have been reluctant for years to go for treatment. I am afraid the medication is going to change me for the worse. My personality often thrives off of my ADHD. This scares me because if I don't have my ADHD symptoms then I am not sure how I will act and how the people around me will see me.
I was prescribed Adderall 5mg. Because of insurance reason's I have had breaks in taking my dosage. I have now been on 10mg for about 2 weeks. The doctor also prescribed me 10mg single release to take a half when needed. I wanted to know what other people's experience is taking this medication. My doctor told me everyone is different. She also said it takes time to get used to the drug before I see positive effects. It would be good to be able to compare with others though. I can feel the drug but can't always tell if it is effecting my ADHD. At times I am focused and my brain is calm but at the same time my body is tense. My boyfriend has said I have become a bit emotional and short. I have also experienced some numbness in my fingers and left arm twice. I am trying to keep my post short so someone can read through it.
If you are taking Adderall, please let me know your experiences at the beginning.
Thanks for you time!
'z0e007
My little brother is ADHD and he is on adderal. He said it took a few days before he saw any change. When it did, it kept him up for several days straight, though! He was working on arcade machines though and was actually able to focus so I guess he took advantage of it.Hello to you........
My name is John..I am 56 yrs old and have been diagnosed ADHD for about 6 months...although there is no question I've had it all my life...............In my day there was no name for it, but my mom tells me I had every symptom possible.
My doc started me on Straterra for a few months.........It didn't work out......She then suggested I go to a psychiatrist because she wasn't really "up to snuff" on this type med.............I did and he put me on Adderall after I asked for Ritalin..I am on the slow release type....I started on 10mg a day once in the am.....Now he has upped me to 20mg a day once in the am...........I think I'm doing well but I do feel I need a little boost around 3 pm or so..............I take my first dose very early (around 4:30 or 5 am).
I haven't had any of the physical problems you spoke of (numbness in arm and fingers), but certainly you should tell your doc.............I'm new at taking ADHD drugs as you are but I got some good advice early on that I'll pass on to you..............Be perfectly honest with your doctor and keep a daily journal of how your feeling, when your feeling that way, and anything else that you might feel is worth mentioning..............Often I forget what I want to say so a journal helps a lot..............and it is a very valuable tool for your doctor to help determine and regulate the proper dose for you..........The dose your getting, I think, is very low so there is probably a lot of room for your doc to work................Dont get discouraged and keep us posted
Good Luck..........................John