Here is what is on my mind:
What's the deal with XL... websites say 10-12 hr pill... does that mean 10-12 hr is great function and then the rest of the day is "ok"? A day to me is 14-18 hrs, not 10-12, so what's the deal here?

I was taking 10mg XR, and it started great and I was awake all day the first few days, then I started the stims + tiredness thread because I started getting tired really, really quick taking it. It got bumped to 20mg XR and I just counted 9 hrs before I wanted to sleep and I felt just mentally dead.

I think it is the dose honestly... it isn't strong enough on my fat 200+ body.. but I am curious about the questions in the first paragraph. This is also why I made that usual dose based on kg post since well, I'm fat.

Many people find that the literature provided by the pharmeceutical companies does not quite measure up to the experience of actual users ;)...I am a female with a fairly small frame and took 60 mgs when I was taking Adderall XR and I sure didn't get anything close to 10-12 hours relief!

Some people process medications out of their systems a lot faster than others and I seem to be one of them. I only got about 7 hours from Concerta and they claim that's an all-day tablet too.

Crazy Feet, how do you deal with the other hours of the day? How do you feel after 7 hrs? I feel worse when it stops working than I did before taking it, know what I mean?

That state once the meds wear off is what we call rebounding: a period of time when your symptoms seem to be worse than what you experienced before taking meds.

I used booster doses after my Adderall (and Concerta) wore off, 2 doses per evening. Along the way I discovered that Dexadrine made the best booster medication for me. I now take Dexadrine spansules because the rebound for me is non-existent, but the theory is the same: I do not get all day relief and I still need boosters in the evening. I certainly remember the Concerta and the Adderall rebounds, and trying to fall asleep while rebounding is not a pleasant experience.

I just did some searching for rebound and it seems a lot of people take boosters. Is anyone out there rebound free? Anyone not take boosters, and how do you manage the nights?

How long does rebound last, hrs wise? I'm sure it is different for everyone, but doesn't the brain recover at some point??

I think looking at diet and exercise could be a big help. That's my next step anyway. I'm over 200 pounds, out of shape, take 60 mg dexedrine a day, and feel that rebound kick in around 5pm (10-12 hours duration). Although somedays it's like I haven't taken anything at all. My first dose is 40 mg in the am, and I take a 20 mg booster in the pm. Honestly, I think exercise and diet would help me first, and then doubling my presription second.

I just did some searching for rebound and it seems a lot of people take boosters. Is anyone out there rebound free? Anyone not take boosters, and how do you manage the nights?

How long does rebound last, hrs wise? I'm sure it is different for everyone, but doesn't the brain recover at some point??I'm only on IR, but it really varies by the day whether or not I have rebounds. When I get them, they last noticeably for anywhere from 45 min to 2 hours? Usually I'm just very tired, either irritable or easily teary, and sometimes have a headache. I've found that, if this is happening at night, it's better to go to sleep while the rebound is still happening, because if I push through it, when it goes away I feel very rejuvenated and start to have trouble falling asleep.

I read somewhere that rebounds are less likely if you make sure to eat enough during the day, something that doesn't always happen with the appetite suppression side effect. I know that there are some days when I eat a normal amount of food and some when I don't eat much at all, and I haven't completely kept track of if that correlates with my rebounds (or lack thereof), but that's one possibility.

Since I started medication, I tried Ritalin IR, Concerta, Adderall XR and now the Dexedrine/Wellbutrin XL combo.

Ritalin was ok. Some improvement, but noticeable rebound every 3 or 4 hours. Concerta was a better option, as I didn't have any rebound with it. However, I still was highly impaired with the ADHD, so my doctor suggested I try Adderall XR.

Adderall was a total nightmare for me. I was brain dead all day. I felt sick. I was feverish and couldn't function at all. As if it wasn't enough, I still had rebound after about 8 hours of taking the medication in the morning. I was depressed, felt extremely bored and had no interest in anything whatsoever. So I went back to Concerta until I was able to meet with my doctor again. It took me a whole week before I was back to normal.

At my last appointment with my doctor, she prescribed Wellbutrin XL and Dexedrine spansules (with a dexedrine booster). I decided to try only one new medication at a time, to avoid confusion in case of secondary effects. So I started with Wellbutrin, 150 mg for the first week, 300 mg afterwards, while keeping up with the Concerta.

Wow!!!! What a difference! From one day to the next, I became a fully functionnal human being: happy, energetic, strong, more connected to the world and to my emotions, sociable, more articulate, disciplined, able to concentrate... and that's without the antidepressent effect of the Wellbutrin, which only kicks in after about four weeks.

Two weeks later, I switched from Concerta to Dexedrine. I was expecting a nasty rebound, as I had with the Adderall. Well, nope, no rebound whatsoever. I still need to take the booster, but only when I have to drive or do a task that requires intense vigilence. Otherwise, I don't need it, which is amazing considering that the Dexedrine spansules do not last nearly as long as Adderal XR or Concerta.

The thing is that Wellbutrin is working for me 24h a day. It is so effective for me, that I suspect it is what reduces the need for a booster in the afternoon.

Adderall XR could simply be the wrong medication for you. Or if you are happy when the Adderall is effective (before the rebound), then IMO you need a booster dose or two to complete your day.

What other medications have you tried so far? Is Adderall the only thing that works for you?

cwb: my diet/exercise is actually great since starting Adderall

mafa: i absolutely hate wellbutrin with a passion. i tried it up to 450mg/day. i then tried adderall. technically i tried provigil first, but i cant get it anymore, but i loved it. adderall has been #1 out of the 3 of those.

i will see what happens on thursday. i assume a dose increase. this rebound has been horrible and i am still having it 4 hrs later. i feel stupid and have no concentration ability... i cant wait to go to sleep soon.

Hello again Optimum...


I no longer have rebound issues. The 20mg Adderall XR I take, lasts me all day. Now enough of the evening for me to survive. And I can sleep with not having to take anything to aide me.

Now I used to, have issues with rebound, pre-bipolar & lamictal, and had to o take 20mg xr 7am, 20mg xr 11am to have the "effects" all day. The rebound was bad at night, when I was trying to get to bed. had to use the Risperdal to go to sleep then.

Interesting, that I belive metobolism has a lot to do with it. I have a slow one, a little on the "fluffier" side of things myself. (about 20lb over weight) and don't get much exercise either. And most of the medications I have taken over the years, have worked close to the amount of time they needed to.
I am 5'9 1/2 (large boned) and apprx 185 . I never took more than 40mg, never took boosters.
My sister however, quick metabolism, about 5'6 and 110-115lbs...takes a "higher" than average dose of IR. The XR is a waste on her...all gone in a couple hours?

Update:
Last night was terrible. I was depressed and couldn't sleep till 3-4AM and then I woke up depressed... took the dose this morning and felt great.
Thing is, if I tell the doc that I can't sleep at night, isn't he going to take me off adderall? I need the dose increased but if I say I can't sleep he probably won't up it? Before Adderall I was depressed and tired but couldn't sleep all day, and when it wears off, I go back to that...
Any thoughts on this?

Not necessarily....Rebound is normal, for many of us.

It's not the Adderall keeping you up. It's the ADD rebounding after meds...it's like a mutant form that happens after you are "levelled" out on meds all day?

If you are feeling great on the increase, then it's probably a good increase for now, meaning might be a good dosage for you to stay on?

Sometimes, we have to take...other things to help us avoid the rebound.
Of course you are going to hear me say this again (shrug) talk to the doctor. They usually have suggestions? Is this a good ADD doctor, btw?

This is what ( I ) did.

For my kiddo's...I used, use Melatonin, works for younger ones, and my older one when he was younger.

Prior to BPD..he and I both took Valerian Root, about 2 hours before bed.
Slept through the whole night. (melatonin I still woke up middle of the night)

Post BPD, he takes Seroquel.
I take Risperdal ,if my rebound is bad, which usually results in a attack of hypomania?

I also use a sound machine to help block out the "outside" noises ...and not use the TV or radio which can "distract" me too. (suggested by my doctor, works well for me and kids)

Don't know if that helps?

The reason I am scared he will make me stop taking it is because I don't officially have AD/HD. If he hears I have insomnia, part of me thinks he will stop treatment, but I had insomnia before.. I think he might just hear insomnia and think no more Adderall. I only feel great for 9 hrs after taking it, then life goes back to the hell is was before Adderall.. it isn't lasting so I think it should be increased or a booster added. If I had to choose between life before Adderall and life now, I would clearly choose life now since 9 hrs of happiness is worth the following 10 hrs of hell. Part of me thinks about not telling him about the sleep issue...

I use melatonin but it hasn't seemed to work well lately :/

My husband's Concerta only lasts about 9 hours. So he takes another one when the first has worn off, for a total of 18 hours of relief from his ADHD symptoms.

"All day" was originally touted for the length of a kid's school day plus maybe some homework time (i.e. around 8-10 hrs). Adderall XR only lasts me around 6-7 hours even though it's supposed to last 10-12, then I crash. I had the option for a while of taking a dose of the IR at around 3 or so to get me through the rest of the day, but that just intensified the rebound later, so I stopped, and just learned to "live" with the shorter day, which I realize isn't really an option for some people.

The reason I am scared he will make me stop taking it is because I don't officially have AD/HD. If he hears I have insomnia, part of me thinks he will stop treatment, but I had insomnia before.. I think he might just hear insomnia and think no more Adderall. I only feel great for 9 hrs after taking it, then life goes back to the hell is was before Adderall.. it isn't lasting so I think it should be increased or a booster added. If I had to choose between life before Adderall and life now, I would clearly choose life now since 9 hrs of happiness is worth the following 10 hrs of hell. Part of me thinks about not telling him about the sleep issue...

I use melatonin but it hasn't seemed to work well lately :/

Any reason why you can't get a dx of ADD?
It seems if the medication is working for the symptoms of ADD? It might actually be that? I know they use Adderall and some others for narcolepsy, which you clearly have the opposite of ? Can you remind me why is he treating you with and ADD med, if no ADD? If he can dx you wiht the other stuff you have? ie the depression? if he did? Can't he add the ADD too?
I'm a little confused here? If he can't can you find a doctor that can? And help wiht the other issues too? And that reminds me, our discussion earlier? He's giving you Lamictal for pain? It's a mood stablizer/ anti convulsant? Want to get a clear picture here?

Justhope, sadly my situation is complicated. I used to be an amazing student, straight A without studying type stuff, which would instantly mean I don't have ADD, at least inattentive type. I maybe had a little ADHD, but I don't know really. I hated reading and writing, and I'm pretty impatient/impulsive, but I was introverted which is kind of weird if I was ADHD? Fast forward to last year and I was afflicted with an illness no doctor can find... seriously, and I've been to like 15 or them. Currently I have Peripheral Neuropathy which is nerve damage in my hands/feet (pain/numbness), depression, anxiety, chronic tiredness, and an inability to focus/remember stuff like I used to, and insomnia. The inability to focus is greatly corrected by adderall, but is it actually AD/HD, I don't know... sure seems like it.
So pretty much without meds I am constantly tired, but can't sleep, in pain, depressed, and can't focus well. Adderall for those 9 hours fixes virtually everything, except it then dies, all the problems come back, and I still can't sleep well at night.

About Lamictal, it's used offlabel for neuropathic pain. Does it work? No :/ but I still have to take it.

I obviously can't make a diagnosis and you seem to have other things going on as well, but if you used to be able to get straight A's without studying, it's possible that you are very intelligent and were able to use that to compensate for the ADD until a certain point. That's what happened to me; I got great grades up through high school, but once I hit college and actually had to study and pay attention and put time and focus into my work, everything fell apart and I ended up on academic probation. The counselor I was seeing said that if schoolwork used to be so easy for me that I didn't have to put a lot of focus into it, the ADD might have gone unnoticed up until this point (although I was always exhibiting non-school-related signs- disorganization, "spacing out," etc). So, success in early years of school doesn't always remove the possibility of ADD, especially if you had that success without having to put a lot of studying in (ie, you never had to really employ a lot of focus).

I am new to Adderall XR. I am a 6'2", 200 lb guy who has had ADD symptoms all my life, and fiannly got on the drug last month. I take 10 mg in morning, and to be honest, it seems to do the job all day until about 4:00, when the "old Jim" comes back gradually. I now this because I have tried to read a book in the evening, and the concentration just isn't there, as it is in the morning.

I have always exercised profusely, and find that a good exercise program has helped me control the the ADD...without daily exercise, I was a confused and random wreck. Now with the drug, exercise is still important, but not as medication.

I am wondering if 10mg is enough? It has made a difference, but could a dose in the middle of the day increase the benefit?

Weight doesnt matter outside of a clinical environment, its not like alcohol.

I have to tell you - I'm on cymbalta for depression, but the ADD ruminating at night was still keeping me awake, so my doctor gave me 1 mg ativan to take before bed. When I started the Adderal, it helped so much with the racing thoughts (also gave me the focus to get things done during the day, so I had less to ruminate about) that I tried sleeping without the ativan. (I've never been a big fan on taking medications, but that's changed over the last few years. . .) I didn't sleep well, but the Adderal kept me going, and kept me happy during the day. After a few nights, I gave in and took the ativan before bed, and I sleep like a log. In fact, I sleep better with the Adderal and ativan than I ever did with just the ativan. There aren't any interactions to worry about, and since you're taking the ativan after the adderal is out of your system anyway, you're not really sending your brain conflicting signals. Your doctor might recommend something different, but his job is to prescribe the stuff that's going to improve the quality of your life. If he denies medication that has clearly shown an improvement for you, it's time for a new doctor - but go talk to him with the attitude that he wants what's best for you and see what happens.