New to ADD Meds and scared | ADHD Information

Some of the new ADD meds like Straterra seem to have different side effects on different people.

I take Concerta which is similar to Ritalin. This drug has been around a long time and the effects (and side effects) are pretty well known.

It is a stimulant and in very small doses if it does not agree with you you may feel jittery and impatient (like having way too much coffee). If you take way too much I guees you could get very sick to your stomach, paranoid, get high blood pressure, or maybe even a heart attack if you have a weak heart.

But if you are working with a doctor and taking proven medications and starting in small doses, you should be fine. If you feel like you are having a problem, call the doctor right away.

Hey, I'm 49, started methylphenidating at 42, pursuing legally what I'd been self medicating for years with caffeine, coke (I hate pee-psi), coffee, methamphetamination, adrenaline, etc.

They put me on a glory ride for 7 years, dx'g me with one thing or another (add, adhd, wildly adhd, depressive, adhdepressive, bipolar, tripolar, monopolar (cuz I am always up, energized, rarely down), then that movie came out, so now I was beautifully crazy to the point my wife attended a "Beautiful Mind Support Group), etecera ad nausea), so they could explain their mx'g failures. Probably been ranked, spanked, cranked (& de-cranked) on 15 or so psycotropes, from lithium to zoloft to serzone to the "p" one (forgot its name, but it was VERY popular), to effexor, to adderall, to some greenleafy one (brainwart, I think it was called), to abuspar, to paxil, to badbutrin (didn't make me well, but rin tried it), ritalin, ritalin L.A., provigil, Cymbalta, the butterfly one (lepodopter?), amd Anbien, melotonin, sugar, and more I've forgotten, I suppose.

But, the methylphenidation, coupled with provigilation, has been the best. I'll spike it from hour to hour as necessary with caffein inclusions, to make up for demanding schedules or lapses in mx'n releases. I drink about 4 cokes / day, starting off with a 1/2 litre of Cafe' Mocha, triple skinny, no white stuff on top, hot. Cold coffee is so peer pressure.

Read "Driven to Distraction". It lists 20 benefits/symptoms of ADHD/ADD . One of them was inventiveness/creativity; another was distraction to the point of forgetfulness. Creativity runs so strong in me, that I invented a 21st benefit/symptom, but forgot what it was...

Welcome to the westering wanderers, assuming that is, that you're in California. ADHDers tend to be westerly pioneers and pointmen. If you haven't made it to the Pacific barrier yet, your offspring will.

Cheers, and happy adderallationating,

Davidornado the Adrenelator

whoops, i didn't mean to make a dot point but oh wel.. :P yeah, im new to medication too and i realllly don't want to take it but i want to at laest try it but no one seems to want to perscribe me anything even though im diagnosed proberly and everything. ahhhhh. hope the adderall goes wel :D

Hey bluebird38,

About the Zoloft, what time of day do you take it? When I was on Efexxor, Dalk told me to take it in the morning, but it narcolepsied me, so I started taking it at night. Ask your Doc if maybe that's it. Or if maybe he's overdosing you on it. That was another thing, my Doc knows my resistance, so he starts me kind of high, and works backwards. When I sleep more than 12 hours a day he backs off the doses.

If you are talking only ADDerall at 1/2 the lowest dose, sounds like you might be a sensitive to meds person, and Doc may have you too high on the Zzzs.

Best of luck,

I was afraid of Adderall at first too. I take Zoloft by the way, and maybe that's why I'm tired all the time? I got sick on anti-depressants at first too, but Adderall makes me feel great. I take 1/2 of the lowest dose, two times a day (if needed). It really works for me. I feel awake but not hyper like on coffee.

ArtBabe32, soon to be ArtBabe110,

Hey, your first dalk was stupid. I've had some of those. Especially at Kaiser. ~Quacks~ Like we can't know as much as them... Good thing I didn't make it into med school (not the IQ of 144, but the lack of color in my integument). I make more money now, anyway.

I found that I have to research their dxs all the time, read up on the Rxs' pharmacology, and adjust treatment accordingly. For example, I'm borderline FAT, overweight about 50 pounds. So, I'm borderline hypertensive, also. As an EMT, I know my anatomy / biochemistry / physiology / microbiology / advanced life support / etc. As an 8 year victim of mis-diagoses for ADHD, I know my psychopharmacology, and something of psychology and psychotic physicians. I could fake I'm a doctor. Some do, you know, even with their degrees and licsenses. Anyhow, after loosing 15 pounds in about 2 months after I started to download off Effexor (a de-sexing en-fattening anti-depressant-depressant-cuz-it-desexed-me-and-de-skinnied -me psychotic medication), I've decided I WILL NOT accept someone else's dx of me without a triple rinse, with me in the loop. I'm not bitter, just fat. So anyway, read up on it for yourself, and see if you can help out the diagnosticator by supporting your position with documented facts. So I showed Dalk that Effexor can contribute to hypertension, not only documented on its label, but I dalkumented it via taking my blood pressure three times a day, writing it down, and making an extra expensive appointment to show him that he was wrong and Effexor can raise one's BP (160 / 95; once was 210 / 120 after a salty lunch and an MVA), so he prescribed me a beta-blocker which did lower my BP (120 / 80), but lowered my sexibility as well as the Effexor did. So now, months later, he's weenying me off of Effexor onto something else, so maybe I can have sex and loose wieght more. Thanks for your honesty. It sets a standard. I'm 49, 5'8", and weigh 219 pounds, but weighed the highest ever in my life, and didn't fit into my clothes 235 pounds this past May. On the BRIGHT side of things, this what we are pioneering with our suffering flesh and tankmixed blood will make it easier on future generations and their encounters with AD/HD...

You are so sweet----I have very look concerned parents---who never let me forget that I look better thin-----I even over heard my mother saying this to a woman she had just introduced me to--at a wedding reception-----The lady said---oh she is lovly---my mom said --you sould see her when she is thinner!!!! I grew up being tiny-fit and adorible---I am pretty much reclusive at my present weight----Good grief, ArtBabe. Would you ever say that to a child of yours? I wouldn't. Could your mom possibly be living vicariously through you so much so that your weight affects her life somehow? That is, she derives her value through how well you do or how you look? Maybe not, but sort of sounds like it (from personal experience).

My aunts say the most gawd-awful things. I have to take Xanax when I go to visit them because they get under my skin with things like, "Are you dating anyone? At your age, you're sort of dying on the vine." <bug eyed look>

One time my aunt went with me to a car mechanic when I was 18 to get a tuneup on my car. The service guy walked up and before I could open my mouth, she said, "Hello, I'm Mrs. X and this is my neice. She comes from a broken home."

WHAT THE F*#???!

Dance them right out of your mind.

You're perfect whatever size you are.

bbird

Ok back----It is nice to see someone relates----I have about 30 lbs to lose that I have yo-yoed on and off over the last years-- thank you antidepresants!!!!-- I told the doctor that I will never be truely happy if I can not get it off----I am a performer---singer dancer---who will not partisipate in the activities I love due to this extra pounds---The docter giggled a bit and said---"do not worry---Start this med and the weight will fall off----" How fast will I lose??? I have an opertunity to start teaching tap in the fall---but there is no way I am putting my fat tushie in a leatard and tights!!!! Any one lose at least thirty pounds ??? And I should mention---I am 32years old 5ft4in and weight 150lbs-----120 -115 in perfect for me ---as a dancer a slimmer but still heathy weight is needed---any how if any one has lost weight --I would love to hear--and how fast---what did you weigh befor and after????--- I have gained weight this year too, but only about 10 lbs. I go up and down a bit too. The best way I have found to lose weight is to start incorporating some water, green tea, and fresh veggies into my diet (the yucky deep leafy kind--spinach, broccoli, etc.).

Most of us know the basics, but here is what gets me back in shape pretty quickly.

My advice is not to "diet" or else your body & mind could panic thinking that it will be deprived. So, eat your veggies first (lightly steam; no oil; lemon, vinegar &/or salt for flavor as needed) and then eat your normal stuff if you are still hungry after that. It will help you start to just naturally lose the taste for refined, salty, sugary, oily or beef-type products if that's what's adding the pounds.

And, here's the biggy...go dance. Two of my close relatives are VERY overweight and they both tap (one is an instructor). If they waited until they were fit, they would lose their skill, confidence, and/or motivation. Just wear something that feels comfortable if you don't want to get into tights. They are both in their 50s and get so much joy from it. One is enjoying the fact that she is losing weight as she dances.

Also, the one who is an instructor is so good that she would be depriving others of her teaching if she waited to get to her ideal weight. No one cares about your weight as much as you...they really don't. I have had to learn that. Just show up and enjoy having watching your weight come off. Also, if you dare to show up with extra weight you might attract more students who will dare to dance if they are also overweight. Weight is just not that big of deal (other than health wise).

I am a very thin girl and I always feel bad when I see my women friends feel bad about their shapes...or especially if they compare themselves to me and make comments. It just really doesn't matter. I love my friends no matter what and would never think anything bad about them either way. It's just generally something I really don't notice or care about. ..even when I can't get into my own clothes. I just buy looser fitting pants for awhile and know that things will turn around at some point.

An awesome book is the new "What Not to Wear" book. They REALLY drive this point home and give such excellent suggestions for how to dress any shape. I have a friend who is my exact same size and we cannot wear the same types of clothes due to our shape differences. Just dress for your shape and you'll feel publicly acceptable no matter what size you are. Seriously. I feel ugly if I put her clothes on when I'm thin or if they are a yucky color on me.

So, chin up and get out there and DANCE!

bbird

bluebird3838562.6476851852 [QUOTE=ArtBabe]I have been a constant disapointment to myself and everyone who ever counted on me or invested anything into me and one of my dreams. [/QUOTE]

I can relate to everything you said.

bbird

Hello to all---I am new here---been reading a bit and have desided to join--I am new to adderall--4 days now---I felt it right away---it feels great--I take 10ml 2x a day ---three x's if it is a long day--(-like if I wake up be for noon-)--anyhow I have been on and off antidepressants for about 9 years----Welbutrin did the most for me but It stopped working after about six months----I have been researching-Adult ADD FOR THE PAST YEAR---I knew after reading a ton of personal stories and studies and such that I have been suffering with this my whole life------NO WONDER i AM DEPRESSED---I have waisted so much of my life and so many of my talents not wanting to do anything---If I did get excited about doing something I would jump in full force only to quit soon after-----I have been a constant disapointment to myself and everyone who ever counted on me or invested anything into me and one of my dreams. Any how---I had a hard time convining my Docter---who admits he knows little to nothing about adult add---that Iwanted to try a med for add and see what happens----he said no----what???Have we not been doing just that with all these stinking antidepressant that just cause me to be tired and fat and---depressed???? Well---I got a new doctor!!! Victory!!! He sat with me for a long time so I could tell him my story----And to shorten it up here---he took me off the antidepressants and started adderall---he thinks I am depressed because of the lack of being able to finish anything---and all that----oh --gottta go finish later---

I am 44, male and new to Meds for ADD. I was given Adderall today and Thursday 7/21 I will take it for the first time. Needless to say I am worried. Any funky things I should worry about? I am afraid of being agitated around my kids if this stuff isn't working. I just got off Zoloft after 3.5 years and tried Wellbutrin for a week but was sick to my stomach and had bad headaches. I am still going through withdrawal, I think. I have what seems to be bedspins with my eyes open!

Will Adderall perk me up and give me energy or make me not feel like doing anything. I DO NOT want to be a couch potato like I was on Zoloft.

Hi! Welcome to the forums!

How high a dose did your MD/psych put you on? Typically they start you small and you work up and let your body become accustomed to it.

Adderal is dexedrine salts and I'm taking a relative drug dexedrine. I found it less altering at first then a couple of cups of coffee (which you should avoid until you know how the adderal affects you).

I don't know much about welbutrin but the room spinning - you might want to see your doc and mention that as it could be something else that you want to fix.

Adderal should make you feel more focused and alert fairly quickly. If your doc started you low then it will work quite well for you a few days, even weeks and you may find it begin to lessen. The nice thing about the amphetamines in regards to ADHD is that since they are on a month-by-month prescription you'll have to consult your doctor/psychiatrist before they refill for you. Make sure they do their job and check you for side effects, and check your blood pressure and weight regularly. They are supposed to do that and you may have to remind them if they are not experienced with these meds - and I hope they are as it helps.

It IS a stimulant so you may feel some effects. The info that came with your pills will mention what you should watch for. For the most part they are mild and I hardly noticed any - except for rapid heartbeat which the doc checked and said was normal for taking the meds.

You should probably take it with food and a tall glass of water. It's been known to give tummy troubles (it makes smooth muscles like in stomach/intestines squeeze sometimes causing cramps) and is easier if you take some food.

Agitation should be nil if it's a good dose for you. Maybe take while you know they'll be gone for a while during the day. If it's normal adderal it's gone out of your system in a few hours - XR can take half the day so just be prepped. Don't fuss though most undesirable effects I'm told take longer to show up. They are generally mild as I've said.

You will certainly feel more focused and goal-oriented. Some may say driven.

I find that if you perform some exercise a couple of hours after taking these that you find your energy jumps up. Don't know exactly why but it works for me anyways. I like the extra bump-up in energy and it feels very natural.

I hope you get positive results with the adderal. Don't be discouraged if it does not do the trick for you right away. Be prepared to tell your doc you'd like to try the other meds available if adderal doesn't work for you. There's ritalin, dexedrine sulphate spansules (I take these), concerta, strattera, and I've probably forgotten a couple. Each has good and bad effects and discuss with your doc. Make him/her earn that cash! LOL

If you have any questions feel free to pm me or put it here. I or hundreds of other good souls here would love to help you along. We all need a good hand from time to time.

Just know you are NOT alone!!!!!!!!!

[QUOTE=ramahler]

Will Adderall perk me up and give me energy or make me not feel like doing anything. I DO NOT want to be a couch potato like I was on Zoloft.

[/QUOTE]