HI,
I posted in the other thread about natural remedies and said that I was quitting ritalin and trying to go ALL natural(with mediation cds, vitamins, rhodiola rosea herb, fish oil, yoga and exercise) and when I went to my summer class the first day, I was completely lost and could not follow what the teacher was saying(as usual, like before my diagnosis). I was taking ritalin about a few weeks prior to this and pretty much just quit cold turkey(took a few the first few days and was prescribed 60mg, like I weaned by taking one or two 10mg tabs the first few days after the semester ended.) Basically, the ritalin was not as effective like before and I was having some bad side effects like tummy aches, headaches, and memory problems(yah, go figure, my memory was horrible). So, I tried to change my lifestyle as i have previously mentioned.
To get to the point, I told my doc that ritalin isn't working and that I have these side effects so he wrote a script for adderall IR 30mg twice a day. He claims that adderall is the same as ritalin(as in strenght) but work on different receptors. ANyhow, I took my first adderall yesterday and I CLEANED MY WHOLE HOUSE, I had SO much energy. While taking the prescribed ritalin on the other hand, I just felt focused and normal without this energy. Not to mention, I still felt focused on the Adderall. Anyhow, I was up ALL night long and couldn't sleep, went to school this morning and was having BAD anxiety attacks.(didn't take anymore that I should have yesterday and took my 30mg pink pill this morning like prescribed). Like, we sit in a classroom with chairs in a circle(it's like a discussion kind of class, called Dimensions in Nursing), and I felt like everyone was looking at me and my TEACHER kept looking at me and I was real paranoid and my face turned hot and I just wanted to run out of there, not to mention the mere fact that i was tachycardic(fast heartbeat). I didn't know what to do. And my study buddy(also a friend) from my class wanted to get lunch afterwards and I said yes even though I didn't want to go and finally, as we were dismissed and walking out she says "Are you going?" And I said no i'm tired and just kept walking and wanted to go home. She said, "Wait, what's going on?" I said "nothing." Meanwhile, I was paranoid as ever and just wanted to leave. She's very smart, and she gets straight A's on everything and helps me a lot when we study, and she doesn't know that i have ADD. BUt I did get in trouble from our instructor(in the clinical setting) by not listening to her properly(long story), so I don't think she would be suprised. ESPECIALLY during this time when my meds did a complete 180.(memory problems, headache.) So, I don't know why I was so anti social, i'm FAR from that, I can talk to anybody. So, I think i'm gonna tell her about my condition, what do you think? I feel stupid though cause in our classses we generally learn about children with ADHD(and i'm a 30 year old adult with the combined type, by the way, a very young 30 year old:D ) and I think she'll think differently of me.
My other question is, why do you think I was having anxiety like that? It was horrible! I'm definitely gonna decrease my dose but when I was at home yesterday, I was fine. It was being around people I think. I guess i was overstimulated but are any of you aware that that could be a potential side effect of the med. I never gathered that from reading a lot about adderall. I mean it was anxiety and embarassment everytime my teacher looked at me. I feel like a wierdo saying this cause I never felt like that!:o Now, it ruined my whole day:(

On a good note, when I was preparing my thesis for my research paper, I noticed a faster speed in my reading and comprehension. I was reading SO much faster!:D

Sorry double post, lol. Okay, let me say more words so it processes, ummmmm....I HATE taking MEDS, why isn't there a natural alternative that works for this stupid ADD(combined type).:cool:

That sounds a lot like the panic attacks that I have. But, Yes, the doc told me when he gave me adderall that it could really make anxiety a lot worse.

Wow, I guess this is a wierd side effect of the med and doesn't seem to affect many people. In other words, no one can relate except the above poster, hmmm oh well...I guess I should say that's good!lol
It's day 3 for me on this med and I decreased my dose from 2 30mg adderall IR to one 30mg split up which = 15mg+15mg. Even doing this, i was still unable to sleep but decreasing the dose definitely made a difference. I can HYPERFOCUS for HOURS now but the wierd thing is, is that I HATE to be around people and I feel totally antisocial still but without the paranoid thoughts, hot flashes and anxiety.....however, I haven't been to class and I hope that NEVER comes back!! I felt like a serious mental patient,lol. Do you think that the reason i had an anxiety attack and all those feelings during class may indicate that i'm predisposed to "having" anxiety? I get anxous sometimes but not around people like that it was WIERD, I mean very wierd. I'm taking my vitamins/supplemnts consistently now without forgetting and it also seems to help. What helped mellow me out last night cause I couldn't sleep was valerian root, and 5htp, worked like a charm. Also, I'm continuing my regimen of b vitamins, fish oil, cal/mag citrate, and vitamin c(liquid form). And since i've been remembering (like yesterday and today..2 days in a row WOW) I feel ALOT better. Any comments, criticism...:D

Do you think that maybe it's just that Adderall is not going to be the drug for you? I know "they" say give it some time to get in your system, but it only took me 4 days to figure out that I could not take it. I've been on Concerta for a few weeks now and it has been so much better. I had to try several different kinds before finding one that would work for me.

Do you think that maybe it's just that Adderall is not going to be the drug for you? I know "they" say give it some time to get in your system, but it only took me 4 days to figure out that I could not take it. I've been on Concerta for a few weeks now and it has been so much better. I had to try several different kinds before finding one that would work for me.You know, I don't think it's right for me either, I just don't like how it makes me feel....I don't feel like "myself" and I'm more quieter, withdrawn and I'm usually very outgoing and sometimes I feel like I can't shut up(before adderall and ritalin although i felt okay with that aspect on ritalin). I was prescribed ritalin for a year and half, except for the fact that I DID try Adderall 30mgxr for a month because that's what my doc wanted to prescribe me initially but the Canada thing scared me but he said that RItalin is pretty much the same so after a little thinking about it I decided to give IT a shot but it made me feel wierd but not the anxiety that I'm experiencing now and it was strong. Ritalin worked GREAT the first year or so, and I felt like myself with the added bonus of INCREASED concentration and much better grades. On the other hand, I thought Adderall was too strong and went back to my 40 mg of ritalin for like a year and then about the last 5 or 6 months(something like that) I was taking 60mg of ritalin and then it just pooped out on me completely and all of a sudden gave me bad headaches and red eyes(I looked high all the time,lol). So, I was off that slowly for about 2 weeks and figured that now adderall may work more effectively since I built up a more decent tolorance to stimulants from the increased ritalin doseage. It seems to work wonders for many but not for me unfortunately. I didn't want to increase the ritalin because I think 60mg is the maximum, plus the side effects were horrible and I was tired all the time. Now this adderall does have a smooth effect in a way, like I feel kinda relaxed but then anxious sometimes. I'm taking the Ir adderall (generic). I don't know why I get paranoid, like yesterday my friend called me and I didn't even want to talk cause it seems like the way I say my words or the way I talk is just....I don't know wierd!!lol I was on the computer(MAJOR HYPERFOCUSING) for HOURS yesterday and didn't want to do any of my reading for this class but was SO INTO reading on the internet and I didn't want to be botered by anyone, LOL. I think i'm just gonna use this for times I need to study majorly and try natural alternatives in between. Oh, and I'm not hungry at all and I guess that's alright cause losing 5 pounds won't hurt but anymore than that I think it will!!:eek: Oh well, I may give it a few days. I don't have a euphoric effect either,(I'm glad) but I do feel like I can read for hours but like i said, but I don't feel like MYSELF!! If I take this med, I have to make sure that I'm not going anywhere and i'm just striclty down to business, I even don't mind cleaning for hours, but I don't want to talk to anybody..wierd huh? I hope I make sense. Please, I welcome others to comment...nobody seems to wanna respond.:( :p

DG, I tried to find a "natural" replacement for ADD meds and met with disaster. So, I started trying different ADD meds to find one that really works...ok...I found 3 that really work together...and it's a pain in the you know what to take them every day...but it's something I've learned to accept and it's a minor pain in comparison to what life is like without the meds...or a job...or some days even the will to breathe. I'd say keep looking for meds that work for YOU.

DG, I tried to find a "natural" replacement for ADD meds and met with disaster. So, I started trying different ADD meds to find one that really works...ok...I found 3 that really work together...and it's a pain in the you know what to take them every day...but it's something I've learned to accept and it's a minor pain in comparison to what life is like without the meds...or a job...or some days even the will to breathe. I'd say keep looking for meds that work for YOU.Thanks fightingboredom(love that one, hehe)!
It really sucks that the ritalin gave out on me cause it was like night and day, perfect!
What are you taking? If you don't mind.:)

Thanks fightingboredom(love that one, hehe)!
It really sucks that the ritalin gave out on me cause it was like night and day, perfect!
What are you taking? If you don't mind.:)
Ritalin was the same for me. When I first took it I felt like someone washed the fog out of my brain. I was on it for years. Now, on a really good day it will last about 4 hours and then I just crash.

OK-to cut to the chase I'm on Wellbutrin XL 300mg and Concerta 54mg but I also take generic Xanax (.5mg) almost on a daily basis to deal with my comorbid anxiety. I started the WB at 150mg and Concerta at 36mg and jumped after the first month.

I haven't tried Adderall but there were 6 or 7 other meds that I tried before these.

I also take Gingko Biloba every day. That does help me have a more stable day moodwise.