i look like a Meth addict! Help!!! | ADHD Information

I have skin "eruptions" that I suspect are from the Adderall SR (which I've been taking for nine months, now)  At first these "out breaks" were random, & would eventually subside.  But now (perhaps w/summer, my compulsive need to relieve the itching) they seem a constant companion.  Granted, they are sparsely scattered to where I can blame them on the kittens, but the permanent scarring & their omni-presence is starting to piss me off.  As my husband put it "you always have something going on with your skin".  I assume this is the drug coming out of my skin, but my dosage has NEVER been increased & band-aids are starting to get expensive.  I do have a history of vaso-constrictor self-medication.  Help!

terrie38919.4910763889You said they've gotten worse with summer, are you spending more time in the sun? Many Meds have side effects for sun exposure. My suggestion for the itching, I'd check with your pharasist or Dr., but try a hydrocortozone cream. There's over the counter doses or your doc and perscribe a higher dose. Also (I've had years of experience with allergy break outs and stuff) I wouldn't use band-aids, let the skin breath, it usually helps it clear up faster.

Good Luck! I know how annoying break outs can be. Presently my fingers are broke out and have been for a couple months, I just figured out two days ago it's because I moved downstiars where the walls are painted with lytex paint, I'm allergic to lytex, Thanks very much for your reply.  Frankly I've been using the sun & tanning booths to help conceal these lesion-looking eruptions.  It seems to help "dry them out".  The thing of it is, it's as if something feels like it's actually physically moving in/just beneath my skin!  So Not Scratching is NOT an option.  I live w/a holster of Cortisone & Neosporin already.  I'm willing to live with the fact that due to prior illicit self-medication this is what I get, it's just that I (without make-up & I can't use that all over my body, especially in summer) appear to be on crazy drugs & I'm the first thing people see when they walk into a law firm.  My husband tells me I need to fix this, so I guess I have to see a Dermatologist...I just feel like they're only going to tell me what I already suspect & that to alleviate it I have to stop taking my Adderall..IMac38947.3915625Terrie

I suspect it's something else. As far as I can tell, there is no evidence of Adderall having ANY skin-related side-effects.

DEFINITELY see a Dermatologist soon!

MaxDad

terrie - with respect to Imac DON'T just cut off the Adderall!!! It's most likely not at all the cause.

There are many reasons that could be for what you have.  Allergies are a big one.  This is summer and there are many things you could be reacting to.  Don't discount it just because you've never been allergic - as we get older allergies can come about on their own with no warning.  Think if you are eating/drinking something new as well as that could be an allergen.  Maybe go in for the pin/scratch test with an allergist to see.

You could have contact dermatitis from cleaners or other environmental causes if you are using something new.  I got it on the hands and arms from water used to tape boxes where I work.  Hydrocortisone helped but eventually I had to shield my hands with gloves and now have none.

Stress breakouts are common with ADHDers.  We are creatures prone to anxiety and it is easy to get eruptions from stress and worry.  I get hives sometimes from anxiety as a chain of welts around my neck and up and down my body.  When the anxiety lessens so do the marks.  It takes a while and it looks like I was in poison ivy.  Benadryl helped but with meds make sure to get an MDs advice on it.

Adult onset acne is a very upsetting and mentally scarring disorder.  It comes with no warning (from what I understand you didn't have to have acne as a kid) and is caused by hormones, bacteria under the skin or other factors.  Peroxide solutions can be bought at the drug store.  I hear it hits a lot of adults and sunshine/tanning makes it worse.

Some meds (not ours though) cause eruptions.  Antibiotics, meds for liver, and other meds can react with sunlight to cause skin lesions.  There are thousands.

Just look at what's new since you got the skin troubles.  I'll bet it's right in front of you and could be as easy to figure out as a new brand of canned fish or new peanut butter.  Or perfume.  There are so many factors to check out first.

Hi Terri, there is this condition called parasitosis.  (And delusional parsitosis) It's a psychological phenomena that souds just like what you describe.  Yes, go see a dermatologist, to make sure there really is nothing there.  They would probably take a skin sampling and look at it microscopically, or take a biopsy.  Feeling like there is something "actually physically moving in/just beneath my skin!"  coupled with the incessant scratching, in addition to past drug use, can possibly exacerbated by the Adderall.  There is often no real cause, like bugs, other than something deeply rooted in the mind somewhere, neuroligically or psychologically.  Rarely, do they find any real bugs.  You can do a search and see if it sounds familiar to you.  It can be an outcome of past meth use too, if that is part of your history.  The treatment is usually pharmacoligical if there are no real bugs.   Also, give your prescribing phsyician the head's up, about it.  Consideration of a change in meds may be in order.   For a quick answer, you can give your pharmacist the rundown and they can tell you if Adderall can do that, or make a predisposition to it.   

calicorose38919.9232060185calicoRoseladyM:  Thx for the feedback.  Ironically, w/in the past 24 hrs since I last posted, I spoke w/my psych (Med Monitor) & we agreed I'm tapering to discontinue the Adderall starting today, after (more than usual) dyskinesia (which I thought was just a rotator cuff problem & hip replacement after-effects).  Frankly, it was watching Saturday Night Live this weekend that prompted this even more:  There was a segment called "Good Morning, Meth" & after watching Amy Poehler jut out her limbs & act out things I'd never even associated with a stereotypical meth user I was frankly mortified at the possibility of appearing even remotely similar.  So during my commute home last night I started needing to stretch my appendages to where I didn't even have room to do so while driving & didn't feel as if I could control it/the need to do so.  Anyway, I guess I feel like all the side effects/things I'm experiencing are starting to outweigh the remarkable weight loss & focus.  I don't know.  I have enough shame from typical childhood, I really do not want the addict-stigma especially after stopping illicit self-medication.  My doctor forewarned potential depression & although I'm almost excited to get off of this & hope for eventual relief from said symptoms, I'm terrified of oncoming narcolepsy because I have the impression that Adderall has helped keep me awake, although I've rarely gone to bed before four in the morning w/ or w/out whatever type of medication most of my life.  Anyway, sorry to ramble, will definitely keep posting & thank you so much for the responses.

Good luck Terri, at your derm appointment.  I hope you find out what it is and find some quick relief!  You've been suffering with this WAY too long.  Let us know what you find out, if you don't mind posting.  I'm sorry if in my post I sounded a little over the top with what I thought it might be.  I have been "around" dermatolgoy for a long time in various capacities.  It could be allergies or dermatitis, but not too many other skin conditions produce the feeling and sensations you described.  It's pretty much limited to bugs, or the thought of bugs. 

On a sidenote after I posted, I did a little reading on parasitosis, and it is a really very interesting topic.  The power of suggestion as a cause is also really interesting, as we are communal creatures, and it has appeared as an epidemic in the workplace and other types of  communities.  Just like the yawn.  Again, not saying that's what it is though, and glad you're getting it checked out to get some relief! 

  

Just wanted to second the suggestion of going to a dermatologist. Also, the suggestion of checking out the possibility of allergies. One of my daughters has allergies and every summer she itches like crazy, and says it feels like there are bugs all over her. A teaspoon of Zyrtec and it all goes away. She doesn't break out though, except for in hives occasionally.

I also wanted to suggest that you drink some water. If it is caused by medication, or the herbal stimulants, you may very well get some relief if you consume your 64oz of water a day, to help flush out your system.

Good luck!

Thx so much, calicoRose!  My appointment with the dermatologist is a week from today.  I'm even staying on my Adderall (when I was trying to wean/taper off) just to ensure I still have distinctive areas to show the doctor & that I've not lost my mind entirely.  The first time I heard of Morgellon's was on local news & they never alluded to the feeling of being bitten (by a small cat/gi-normous tarantula is about the size of it, to me)--it's enough to make you swerve off the road while driving, & I have during my lengthy commute (I'm more used to it now).  Will share my "findings" after the appointment most definitely--thx, again!

Terri, have you had your appointment yet with the dermatologist?  There aren't too many conditions that cause that sensation, but you might rest easier once you know for sure.  Keep us posted.  That sensation has got to be absolutely batty!  The idea of mogollons is very interesting, and I had come across it in my reading and eluded to it i think in my last post, the communal instincts maybe, the power of suggstion, who knows, it's just entirely very fascinating and interesting.  I hope you get to a diagnosis and a solution very quickly.  Try not to worry so until you know exactly what to worry about, OK?

 

Okay, so basically a really interesting update on this topic for me  Morgellon's Disease:  http://www.morgellons.org/ 

The one symptom that absolutely caught my interest was that complainants described a feeling of being BITTEN from the inside of the skin, non-healing lesions, & a majority are OCD/ADHD sufferers...many coincidences, I'm sure, but my blood ran cold when I read the part about the dermal sensation of the feeling of biting.  The CDC finally agreed to pay attention after their quota of complainants was reached.  It's been on some intermittent news segments in the bay area & is reportedly only occurring in the San Francisco Bay Area & a couple other regions in the US, so they say.

maxDadcalicoRoseImacGlenWmarley24365:  Thank you all SO MUCH for your responses.  I feel much more encouraged that my derm appt won't be such a black & white Stop Taking Your Adderall response.  In my gut, I strongly suspect it maybe related (if only "belatedly") to my prior reaction to my past cocaine use, which I am now strongly suspecting was mixed with meth/some other type of amphetamine; the dermal reaction seems far too identical & like none other I've ever had.  My Adderall SR dosage is only 5mg 4x a day & has never been upped.  I'm wondering if my constant use of caffeine/herbal stimulants doesn't worsen the itching reaction.  Thank you all again!You know, Glen's got a point. I didn't even think about allergies. It could be something new around you. Actually, I had the same feeling (the itching under my skin) a couple years ago and finally figured out it was because of my new dresser. There was something on or in my dresser, the finish or wood or something, that I was allergic to and it got onto my clothes and then I wore the clothes and it got onto me. The itching stopped as soon as I got rid of the dresser.

Good luck! And I also agree about talking to a doctor before stopping or changing any of your meds.