I started taking the stuff 3 weeks ago. For the first two weeks it seemed to be helping me focus. I'm the combined type - I space out, can't concentrate, and have a lot of trouble with impulsivity (mainly verbal), but I also have times when I feel like I'm going to die if I don't move.

Anyway, like I said, for the first 2 weeks it seemed like it helped me concentrate, sort of. It was a small dose (15 mg), but I felt more focused, but kind of dumb. I didn't feel hyper at all during the day, but I got a bit twitchy in the early evening.


The last few days have been wierd though. On Monday I was a total spaz, bouncing off walls, jabbering like a nut, unless I had a specific task to do, then I was fine.

Today I was calm and focused all day, but I had a massive crash this evening. It was like the worst twitchy, hyperactive feeling I've ever had, times 10. Beyond that, it felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster. I was mostly just impatient and irritable. I couldn't handle being sopken to. I tried to make shortcake (4 ingredients, 3 steps?) and had to read the recipe like 15 times. I lost the bisquik on hte counter in front of me at least 3 times, and several times I spent like 30 seconds trying to read the shortcake recipe off a box of sugar.

There're a few other things going on chemically. I quit chewing (Kodiak) about the same time I started adderall. I also took a benadril in the morning with the adderall for most of the last week or so. Today I skipped the benadril, just in case that was the issue. My primary care doc said it should have been fine but to avoid sudafed.


So what is this supposed to feel like? It seems like I'm mostly doing better at work and I feel a lot clearer and more focused. I haven't felt the gray cloud lately when I try to focus. I'm not depressed at all and I actually feel pretty good about how things are going but I'm emotional hs hell and I think I'm startoing to repeat myself so I'll stop.

?

Oh, I went from 15 mg to 20 mg yesterday. Today was the first day on 20.

When i was on rittalin i dont know if this applies to you but everytime i drank coffee i would have a terrible crash a while after. Check how much sugar and caffeine you take. maybe thats the problem?

I smoke cigs every one and a while, and for some reason, Adderall makes you want them. I'm not advocating smoking at all, but the nicotine obviously adds on to the "i can do anything" feeling. However, once you start, its like you can't stop. And, to help minimalize the crashing side effects, my doctor told me to make sure you eat, even food is extremely unappealing. And it works, usually something heavy, because if you haven't eaten all day, then you do, the side effects of adderall ware off really quickly and you tend to eat a lot. Oh, and the orange and lemon-lime gatorade help, because I think it counter-acts because of the citrus or something? I'm not quite sure, but I read somewhere that it helps.

You might (edited by admin, please refrain from diagnosing in the forums. It is against forum guidelines) need a higher dose of Adderall, 15mgs is small.

I correspond with a USA lady 60+ and she takes 4 of the pills abobve every day, she goes foggy brained if she doesn't. She has stayed at the same dose foe 4 years, after 1 year at 20mgs Ritalin 5x daily.

Good luck

I haven't been prescribed Adderall yet, and had some questions about its potential effects. Did those who went on Adderall after being newly diagnosed see changes in things other than focus....for example their overall mood, and patience? How about any other symptoms of ADD?

EDIT: Sorry I meant to make a new thread with this post but somehow ended up just replying to the thread I was reading.

I have tried different ones and have settled into Adderall. They all have side effects at first but tend to go away if you can wait it out. For me it seemed to make a difference what other meds I was taking too. What you describe is what I experienced with the plain ole fashion ritalin. The first week or so it was like a miracle drug - the fog was lifted. Others noticed that my verbal abilities, vocabulary and grammer wise, had improved immensely. I could do things like clean the bathroom without leaving in the middle and more importantly not have an emotional reaction to the disgusting jobs. I just did them. But then it seemed like the emotional roller coaster of the drug became too much. Basic ritalin is pretty harsh.
Now I take Adderalxr 40mg. It was just recently increased by a new doctor. I had been on xr20 with a mid-afternoon chaser of adderal 10mg because I seem to cycle through it sooner than the 12 hours and I have night classes. None of the stimulants have ever kept me from falling asleep. Sometimes it seems like they even make me feel tired. I think my hormonal place in the month has an impact on how well they work too.