Do you think psudoephedrine affects Inattentive ADD?

I used to be hooked on psudoephedrine decongestents.
Not sure if I was actually hooked or not, but I took 30 mg twice a day from the first-aid locker at work. (they stocked them with the aspirin, etc.)
I started because of my allergies.

I never knew I had ADD until I was researching it becuase of my son. but now I am positive that I have Inattentive ADD.

I quit taking the psudoephedrine decongestents "cold-turkey" two years ago after a coworker voiced her concern at me always popping the pills and I realized I didn't ven have a stuffy nose at the time. :confused:

Anyway, either my ADD has gotten worse because of stopping the psudoephedrine, or I just notice it more becuase I have recently become ADD aware.

Any comments on psudoephedrine?

It makes me go from cold even to rage in ways that even catch me by surprise... and I can justify almost ANYTHING... so i have had to give up on them even when my nose is stuffy.

However, my stimulants actually help with my nose some...

Psuedo-ephedrine is just a "false" adrenaline... stimulants do part of the same thing.

30 mg isn't a lot for ADHD, but it isn't (probably) the best drug for ADHD either.

Share you experience with your doctor and get something for ADHD and see how it compares!

Good Luck!

I took a lot of pseudoephedrine a few years ago when I was having severe sinus problems. It actually didn't agree with me at all ... I had very intense, vivid nightmares, and found myself getting enraged by very trivial things. But since it is chemically similar to amphetamine, I can see that it might help you focus if you can tolerate it.

Prescription stimulants are better and safer, though!

Thanks for the input.

I find it very interesting that I was trying to self medicate before I knew I even had ADD.

people "self medicate" all the time. it is pretty interesting how that works.

We find as a society, it works better to have someone "detached" regulate the medicating... an interesting step in the process...

I know exactly what you mean, I have found over the years that
different cold medicines, as well as Diet pills contained something
that actually made me fell normal!.It was as if I looked forward to
having to take them as I knew that on them I could function quite well for a change!.I assume it was the Pseudoephedrine or like that was making the difference for me.

I used pseudoephedrine for quite awhile after I discovered like you, that it helped me to think clearly and focus. I stopped after a long period (two years ago) but have no doubt I was probably addicted to them. The ADD seems a lot worse with out it.

well, you learn something new every day.....I was pseudoephedrine Hcl (generic) pills, too. Luckily it was only ever for 3 days at a time, and only the one dose in the AM, but I never paid attention to what it did, other than clear my congestion, and make my scalp itch.
thanx for the info.

pseudoephedrine and all the cold meds containing anything similar made me very depressed .. Like I was coming down from cocaine .. Not as severe but along the same line of .. outside I would be calm with tingling ontop of my head , and inside i was uncomfortable , heart raced , sweat more , actually I would lay down for it to pass but be unable to fall asleep .. it left me feeling very strange , so I never took cold meds again ..
This cold med that I took was only 30 mgs of psephedrine ..
I am very sensitive to epinephrine .
Dentist use it in the novicaine and while none should pass thru to the blood stream it does with me , my pupils dialate due to receptors in the eyes and I see halos , my limbs shake and my heart feels like it is coming out of my chest .. It is an awful feeling ..
I seem to be very sensitive to noradrenaline , adrenaline ..
That is why initially when I was perscribed ADDERALL I got a little concerned , because dopamine synthisises to norepi which in turn is broken down to adrenaline ..
But to my suprise Adderall gives me none of the effects that Provigil , effexor , and welbutrin did .. All these meds caused basically the same feeling but to different degrees .. I also got headaches from effexor and welbutrin as well as provigil ..