I was just diagnosed with ADD about a month ago.
My doctor put me on adderall xr 20mgs / day for a month.

I can tell that the adderall is working, but not nearly as well as I hoped. I strongly believe that the dosage is just too low.


MY PROBLEM IS:
From what my doctor says, I can tell that he has really no idea about ADD.

How do I tell him that I need a higher dosage?

Also, do I have to wait the entire month before I can go see him for a higher dosage?




For some reason, I almost feel embarrassed asking for the adderall. Even though my Doctor has never said anything, I feel like I am asking for a "drug."



Thanks in advance for your help!

I have been there and the best thing to do is relax and let him know that it isn't covering your symptoms. Describe how you think things could improve and don't act anxious about it.

You are prescribed Adderall for a reason and for people with ADHD, adderall is no more a drug than Tylenol.

You are prescribed Adderall for a reason and for people with ADHD, adderall is no more a drug than Tylenol.

I was taking 15mg XR at first but had to up the dose cause it only worked for a bout a week. Thats what i told my doc. She said that thats what happens in the begining and now i'm taking 30mg xr/day until it needs to go up again. Sometimes it helps to rite down what symtoms you have that are still a problem when your on the meds so the doc has a hard copy to see.

Hi theotherguy, been there too. The problem is that this notion of 'asking for drugs' and the guilt that comes with it is continuously being reinforced by the media who are all too eager to sensationalise every case of ADD med misuse that they can uncover. And of course, there is a problem there. But because of the emotions involved, people like us, who use these meds in a controlled, safe way are sometimes seen as being 'guilty by association' - which is nonsense.

Don't know, just be honest, don't be nervous or ashamed or any of that crap. Explain that you can feel the med working, but not to the degree you think it could. That's the point of any medication, find the point where the most symptoms are alleviated with the least amount of side effects.

I say give it a week and see how the dosage is working for you. If you are not satisfied, try to meet with your doctor sooner. Tell your doctor that the medication is kind of working but that you think more would help increase your productivity and concentration and performance in school! Make your intentions known, since they are clearly positive.

If you feel strongly that your doctor isn't familiar enough with adhd, maybe you would feel more confident with another doctor.
Otherwise, be upfront with what you need. No doctor can see inside your head, they have to rely on what you tell them.
The time frame for getting a new prescription might be more dependant on your insurance than your doctor. My doctor has told me to go ahead and experiment to see what works best for me (I'm talking about a difference of 5-10mg of IR twice a day, not a jump from 20-80 or anything like that.) and to keep him updated. I assume that's partly for my safety and partly so I can't call up next week and say I'm out of pills!
I don't know if my insurance would automatically cover it if I needed a refill in less than a month. I do know that doctors will often contact insurance companies to vouch for need.