I'm supposed to be taking IR 20mg at 8am and 10mg at 2pm. Right around the 4 hour mark (noon and again at 6pm) it seems like
I have a "crash down" or "rebound" effect as it starts to wear off,
where I feel more tired and more irritable than I would be normally.
I start to get really tired, irritable, I also feel hot, and maybe some pressure in my ears? The kids talking to me and basically being kids, making silly noises, etc . . . is agitating me which normally I'd be able to tune it out. I just feel like for a couple of hours I need calmness and silence-- and with 3 kids this isn't going to happen.

My dr just left me a message this morning, thinks I need to go up in dosage. I didn't get to talk to her, but I don't think I need to go up, I just think I need to take the second dose sooner. Or maybe this crashing effect will go away after my body adjusts?? I've only been on it since April 6. I was on 10 mgs twice a day until the 16th, and then for the past week I was to add another 10mgs in the morning. I tried both 15 and 20, both gave me this crashing effect. I feel better when it's working, able to concentrate, focus, remember things, etc.

I'm just really second guessing this advice to go up in dosage.

Jen

Sounds like a crash to me. Has your doctor considered putting you on XR in the morning? It should make the effects of the meds last a lot longer.

Just a thought.

For stimulant medications to treat ADD, the more you up the dose, the more of a crash there will be once the medication has stopped working. You're not really experiencing a crash, though....it's more along the lines that you just don't like coming down off the medication, which is normal.

it's more along the lines that you just don't like coming down off the medication, which is normal.Yes, quite true. I also find that after a while on Adderall, I tend to crash from lack of food. Adderall kills your appetite and seems to make me burn food faster. I therefore have to police myself and force myself to eat. Since I don't really like to eat, this is a pain in the butt. But if you don't eat, eventually you crash from hypoglycemia - and it isn't very pleasant.

We've talked about XR but we're trying to see what dosage suits me first. On 5mg there was little difference, on 10mgs it was a slight difference, on 15mg I felt more on top of things, and on 20mg even more so-- but the coming down from 15 and 20 isn't pleasant. I didn't have this type of thing on 5 and 10. I definitely feel like I've taken medicine on 15 and 20, I don't want to feel "out of it" which I think if I went any higher I would. But I don't know, I could be wrong. Yes, and I agree that the higher the dose the bigger the crash. Does you body at some point learn to come down easier??

I read in another post that if you are eating properly then it won't be as harsh. I have like no appetite on this stuff, I start eating but stop about halfway before I'm done. I'm starving before bed and when I get up in the morning-- so I eat something then, too.

Jen

Looks like we were posting at the same time.

I have bad eating habits to begin with, where I won't eat cause nothing looks good. On this I'm either not hungry or starving, there's no middle ground. My husband made dinner the other night and was disappointed that I only ate like 5 bites. I had full intensions on eating good but after a few bites I didn't feel like eating any more. I think I need to get some protein bars or meal suppliment drink or something so I don't have to eat allot to get some nutrients.

Jen

Same thing happens to me. It wasn't as bad when I was on the XR, but I couldn't afford it so I'm on the regular and it is more frequent now.

I think I need to get some protein bars or meal suppliment drink or something so I don't have to eat allot to get some nutrients.
Yeah, I've been drinking 3 protein shakes a day - to add to meals - just for that problem. I still get weak from hunger - and the 3 shakes are 900 calories a day.

Its definitely a problem with these meds. I work out alot too, and it makes it that much harder.

I just really never liked to eat - and now I don't like to eat that much more.