Hi there, I stumbled upon this forum, did a few searches and didn't find quite the information/similar experiences as to what I'm experiencing so I figured I'd make a new thread.

I am 18 - about 105lbs, female and approx 4'11". I was just diagnosed with ADHD a month ago, despite being advised to special programs since I was in elementary school. I started Dexedrine last Tuesday, starting at 5mg a day and then slowly building up to one 5mg tablet per 3-4 hours. I have noticed the same side effects that have not lessened in their intensity, despite hearing that everything should start to "level" out quickly.

1. Doses take approximately 1 hour to feel any sort of effect, in my case, a slightly easing of the speed of my thoughts and slightly more concentration.

2. At this point my heart begins racing and I am highly aware of my heartbeats. Also, I feel extremely sleepy and "out of it"/"spaced out". Vision blurs a bit but able to function.

3. By about 3.5 hours after the dose, my heart begins to throb/race more intensely and my vision blurs more - slight "head rush" feeling. Taking another dose at this point leaves me disoriented and uncomfortable for about an hour until the next dose begins to take effect. Re-dosing slightly relieves heart discomfort.

I have been feeling lethargic, but still having trouble feeling calm and relaxed with the near-constant feeling of my heart racing. After taking my most recent dose, my heart throbbed intensely and my head seemed to tingle/throb near the back of the dome of my skull.

My questions are:

1. Since I am only experiencing slight effects in addition to the lethargy and increased heart rate - could it be possible that I am either allergic or in some way not responding correctly to the medicine?

2. If it's just the dosage - would the problems be addressed by an increase or a decrease in per-3 or 4 hourly dosage?

3. Could a switch to a different medication or non-stimulant type medication be the best way to address these issues?

I know none of you are technically capable of giving professional advice but your personal experiences with these matters would really put my mind at ease until my doctor gets back in town on Thursday! Thanks in advance!

Hey,

my experience so far with dex:

1) Side effects become less and less over time - but it takes more than 6 days (at least for me). I had "palpations" when i started dex, not an issue anymore

2) Dex starts working in my brain after approx 20 minutes, after approx 1 hour I
m on my high - eg best effect. Side effects occur mostly when it wears off.

3) It sounds as if your dose isn't right - you should talk to your doc. I assume that you need an increase - but that could be difficult, given the side effects. Maybe another med?

Andreas

Heartrate increase is simply a part of stimulants theres really not much that can be done about that. What you're describing is pretty consistent with dexedrine in higher doses (5mg is pretty small). Maybe you're just particularly sensitive to stimulants or theres other possibilities such as having a specific variant of the COMT gene or lacking correct levels of a liver enzyme.

Amphetamines may just not be the right answer for you.

Thanks for the responses.

I forgot to mention that I have never taken any form of medication before besides an asthma inhaler. The effects from this are frankly disconcerting to me because after taking my 5mg in the morning, I feel completely foggy and dazed with intermittment waves of intense heartbeat/a little dizziness.

There's no positive mental effects at all at this point. I merely feel lethargic and distant - my mind just seems semi-functional at most. I think I'm considering your suggestions that I might just be sensitive to amphetamines.

In these cases, have people found success with switching to Ritalin?

Ritalin is more like Cocaine in it's action (driped thru molassas)-Amphetamines are stronger, Methamphetamine (even script, 'Desoxyn') is 'speed'


maybe you are alergic to the Tratrazine in SKF Dex try another brand or try Methylphenidate?. I'v been swimming in Generic Ritalin, 10-120mgs IR tabs for over 2.5 years, and it's not what it was, maybe Dexamphetamine is? Do you have the 5mg SKF e19 triangle Dexedrines?-lets swap?-i'm due to pick up my 240 Ritalin tabs so..

gd lck:)

That striked me as an odd first drug and first dosage schedule.

Usually you have to try several combinations of long/short acting and amphetamine/methylphenidate based meds to get the right thing.

You could also try straterra which is not a stimulant. I use straterra and dexedrine, about 40 mg. a day, i.e. two 5 mg tabs four times a day - it works pretty well and I get very few side effects. I noticed though that stimluant side effects take awhile to wear off. You adjust quickly, in say a week or so, to the worst of them, but then two or three months later you are even less aware of them.


But everyone reacts differently. Also you are a lot smaller and younger than I am so you should not take too much from my dosage schedule. And don't swap meds with anyone, do it through your MD.

I'm a little surprised that your doctor started you off on Dexadrine (although it works well for many people). Usually one would be started on Ritalin (methylphenidate), Focalin (dexmethylphenidate), or Adderall. I was just 'officially' diagnosed with ADD and I am 34, but I have had it my entire life. Teachers told my mom to put me on Ritalin starting in kindergarten, but she wouldn't do it. I was recently started off with Focalin at 2.5mg 2x ED, and the first dosage I took made me feel like I was going to die (e.g. headache, pounding heart, stomach pains, and anxiety). However, I kept taking the same dosage for about 14-17 days and 90% of the sides went away. Since then I have been able to move up to 30mg per day (in less than 3 weeks). I would try breaking the Dex in half and taking it in two daily dosages around 4-5 hours apart (5mg per day total). If you still feel the same in 10-12 days then switch to Ritalin/Focalin.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

Good Luck!<o:p></o:p>