I was forced to go off of my medication (adderall XR 25 mg), because I had a surgery, and the pain killers are massive downers. Originally I switched from Adderall XR 20mg to 25 because the 20 wasn't lasting long enough and it was having a mid-day low point pretty frequently. I had no side effects that I noticed during that transition. But I suppose being forced to quit cold-turkey and start again has caused me to get side-effects.

The first night I started taking the adderall, I didn't sleep at all. I layed in my bed and was extremely restless for the entire night. I didn't think it was the adderall, right off, because I had been in the passenger seat of a night head-on collision that night (wed. 25th of Jan) and some people just can't sleep after something like that. But I took my Adderall again yesterday, and I'm fairly certain that it's what causing the insomnia.

So, are their any coping methods that I can use to get by until this unfortunate potential side effect dissipates? I just need something to make me sleep, but I can't afford to have something knock me out completely, I need be able to get up when my alarm goes off, and I can't really plan bed-time very much. But seriously, if anyone knows home-remedies that help you sleep and actually work, I'm all for it. I've had three hours of sleep in the last 48...

I've been dealing with this too.

Try one of these-

Valerian from a health food store
KavaKava, health food store (maybe more of a relaxer than sleep aid)
Melatonin-health food store

and those tylenol pm's that they sell everywhere always worked well for me, before the adderall, havent tried them since.

I find that if I take the valerian, and force my mind to ONLY focus on sleep, and the deep falling feeling, or any dreams that might start popping up I can get there, but it's work! sometimes it takes and hour, so i go to bed early.

Melatonin puts me to sleep the best but i only sleep for like 5 hours on it, andI need like 8 at least.

have you thought about lowering your dosage until you get used to it again?
best of luck
cheers

I had a little problem with insomnia when I first started stims too, but I'm sure you know that the problem doesn't stick around for more than a few days, if you stick with it. I have to say, that not sleeping is about one of the worst feelings I can think of, other than having your leg sawed off slowly! The thing I have found that really seems to work the best is Melatonin. It really makes you tired, and it makes you have some good dreams! When I take one, I usually feel very refreshed in the morning. It's made from the chemicals that your body produces in response to darkness. Here's some info on it:
http://www.melatonin.com/

I hope you get some sleep!!!

Yeah, but I didn't "first start" Adderall this time; I had already been on it for about a week. I didn't present this side-effect the week I started taking this dose. Which makes me curious that I would have such a massively different reaction to a drug I've already taken and experienced for a week, quit so I could take pain meds, and then started again.

I discussed this with my surgeon today, because I was there for a check-up, and I had him check my head because I had a small cut from the car-wreck, so he knew I was in that wreck the same night I started taking my Adderall again.

My doctor says it's not his specialty and it COULD be the adderall, but his opinion is that it's a "trauma-induced Insomnia" (as he says this with a 3rd year psychology student next to him, who didn't disagree...). He made sure to reiterate that he wasn't sure exactly what Adderall did, though.

Oh, and I function perfectly on just 5 hours of sleep... my thing is that I need SOME sleep. (5-7 hours and I'm good to go, any more than that and I'm very lathargic the next day) I'm just saying that I NEED to be able to wake-up in the morning when my Alarm goes off. I have my day some-what fixed to a schedule, especially with school, but if I screw up the morning part of my day the rest of my day sucks.

Cool, try the melatonin then, it's good stuff, and works well for alot of people.

It might help you until the trauma stuff subsides

best of luck 2 u

I've had insomnia too with Adderall. I tried Melatonin, Benedryl, Tylenol PM - none of them worked worth a hoot for me. But I had a cold about a month go and took some generic liquid Nyquil and slept wonderfully!

I'm sleeping much better now, but occasionally I'll have a few nights when I'm wide awake. So I'll take the Nyquil stuff to get a good night's sleep, maybe once a week.

Most antihistamines (benadryl, but make sure it's not "nondrowsy") or hypnotics (like tylenol PM) will work, but try a cup a warm milk first. Just pop some milk in the microwave until it's not quite hot. It releases and enzyme in the milk that helps you relax.

Don't force yourself. That will only make it worse. If you find you can't sleep after these, get up & watch TV or read for a while.

Don't force yourself. That will only make it worse. If you find you can't sleep after these, get up & watch TV or read for a while.
I'm going to try that, and drink a few glasses of warm milk whenever I get thirsty, yadda yadda.

Although, I've had my fiance's father personally re-assure me that melatonin works, and I'll actually wake up whenever I normally would the next day. So, if I don't sleep tonight, I'm going to walk down to the health food store and buy some of that.

Ok, tried warm milk, must not have nuked it long enough... I'm taking a shower and then going to the Health Food store to buy some Melotonin.

Granted, I did sleep last night, it came very hard and was interrupted after about 3-4 hours, but it's nice to know I still can sleep, I just need to be able to sleep for that extra 2 hours or so...

Tried melatonin tonight... is it safe to play with the dosage on this stuff?
I took a 1 mg (time released) pill about 9:30 PM, had a little trouble getting to sleep once I really felt it hit me about an hour later, but I slept. I kept having dreams about people getting on my computer... lol....

I only stayed asleep for a couple hours though. I woke up around 1:30 am, and couldn't get back to sleep after a 1/2 hour of restlessly trying, so I got up and took another... lol... still waiting for it to really kill me.

am I gonna be really groggy in the morning for the "time released" part of this?

Tried melatonin tonight... is it safe to play with the dosage on this stuff?
I took a 1 mg (time released) pill about 9:30 PM, had a little trouble getting to sleep once I really felt it hit me about an hour later, but I slept. I kept having dreams about people getting on my computer... lol....
Summary of what the research says:

Melatonin is moderately effective in helping short term sleep problems -- on average, people fall asleep 4 minutes sooner and sleep approximately 13 minutes longer. There's probably a wide variation.

No consistent results for long-term use.

Research on dose seems to indicate that the optimal dose is MUCH smaller than commercial products give, but it sounds like you've got a good one. The optimal is about .3mg (you're probably not getting more than that w/time release), but the majority of available products are about 10mg.

You don't want to take more, because higher doses lead to tolerance quickly - about 10 days.

My own opinion --> Melatonin is a hormone. ANY hormone you take is likely to change your brain chemistry. Why would you mess with that when you're already taking medications to correct it? Anything that alters brain chemistry has the potential to reduce the effectiveness of your medications.

There are plenty of alternatives that are not hormones. Mild hypnotics, like in Tylenol PM, are a better choice IMO.


am I gonna be really groggy in the morning for the "time released" part of this?
You shouldn't be. The hormone regulates circadian rhythms; it's not a sedative. Likewise, hypnotics don't have lasting sedative effects.

Good luck!

It makes sense. A head on collision is a pretty traumatic event. Were you hurt badly?

No, I got a small cut on my head and a pretty nice knot to go along with it (I hit a CB radio bracket, the corner of it cut me a little). But I'm not emotionally effected with it... I had absolutely no problem getting right back into a car 2 days later and driving 50-60 miles to go see my surgeon... Aside from the lost sleep and the cut, I am completely unneffected, and it baffles me to no end.

Mild hypnotics, like in Tylenol PM, are a better choice IMO.

Yeah, but I can't necissarily dedicate myself to a "full night's sleep". I NEED to be able to wake back up the next day, as I normally would...

It took me six months untill I could sleep naturally. 40 then 60mg/day

Yeah, but I can't necissarily dedicate myself to a "full night's sleep". I NEED to be able to wake back up the next day, as I normally would...She said it doesn't have lasting sedative effects, so you should be okay in the morning.

Likewise, hypnotics don't have lasting sedative effects.
Can you give 7-8 hrs to sleep? That should be plenty to be able to wake up okay. I thought what you were needing as 8hrs from one of your posts above.

She said it doesn't have lasting sedative effects, so you should be okay in the morning.

Can you give 7-8 hrs to sleep? That should be plenty to be able to wake up okay. I thought what you were needing as 8hrs from one of your posts above.
There's no possible way I could give 8 hours to sleep... at all. I live in a house with 4 younger siblings, 2 of which are below the age of 5. My mother seems to think that they're my responsibility.

and no, I'm fine on 5-6 hours...

Sorry, I misread then. I thought you wanted to sleep longer than that. I've never personally taken Tylenol PM. I've taken Nyquil, but I can take that during the day too and it doesn't make me sleepy, so I couldn't tell you about how long it could make you groggy or sleepy for.

Have you seen any improvement yet maybe as you adjust?

Sorry, I misread then. I thought you wanted to sleep longer than that. I've never personally taken Tylenol PM. I've taken Nyquil, but I can take that during the day too and it doesn't make me sleepy, so I couldn't tell you about how long it could make you groggy or sleepy for.

Have you seen any improvement yet maybe as you adjust?
I feel myself getting really tired alot, but it always just "goes away" once I try to sleep... The melatonin worked for me last night though, I got about 5-6 hours.