I am new here - have not even been diagnosed with ADD, but I see myself so clearly in some of the descriptions of ADD that I read that it makes me want to cry for finally having some clarity on my longstanding self-defeating patterns.

I don't want to offend anyone, but I have a sensitive question about choosing to medicate. Has anyone gone on ADD meds and regretted it--felt like they changed your brain chemistry in a negative, perhaps permanent way or that the downside wasn't worth the gain but getting off was worse so they feel trapped?

On the one hand, I see meds as a huge hope since SSRIs haven't helped my ADD type symptoms. (I know I can try other depression/anxiety meds and am looking into it.) On the other hand, I am terrified given some of the things people say about not being able to function normally off of certain meds or during a crash.

Again, I don't mean to offend - I can tell that the meds have helped a lot of folks, but I just want to know: is going on a med like Adderall a one-way street?

Thank you!

I've considered it, I was on Ritalin for years as a kid... and it's a possibility. However, that sort of thinking is self-defeating, so instead, worst case scenario. If taking these meds causes one to then need them for the rest of their life at least i have access now. :)

On the other hand, I am terrified given some of the things people say about not being able to function normally off of certain meds or during a crash.Welcome to the forums, LongTimeRunnin. Just keep thinking: education, education, education.

Again, I don't mean to offend - I can tell that the meds have helped a lot of folks, but I just want to know: is going on a med like Adderall a one-way street?

Hasn't been so far in my experience. I've been taking Adderall IR (5mg 5x/daily) for the last 6 years with none of the permanent effects you're worried about.

I run out of meds every now and then and have never felt like I was "worse" than I was before meds. The first day or 2 is usually a little more fuzzy than usual as my brain re-adjusts, so maybe that's what people are talking about.

I also haven't noticed any decrease in my creativity or personality, even while on meds. I guess maybe it would look like the meds have changed my personality a bit, but that's only because I have a second to think before doing some crazy impulsive thing.

One thing to keep in mind if you do try meds, is that if you feel like a zombie, you may be taking too much. Docs seem to be starting people on really high dosages lately.

Adderall gets out of your system pretty quickly, so you can try it for a couple days and see how it works without worrying about any permanent effects.

Scattershot,

Can you tell me what benefits you have noticed since going on this low dose of Adderall? (Or steer me to a post if you've written about it.) I have noticed that many claiming negative effects are on higher doses.

Thanks!

On my days off, I don't feel any worse than before my time on medication. Maybe relative to days on the medication, people seem a lot less functional.

If you have a lot of concerns, bring them up with your doc and tell them you want to start as slow as possible. I started with the lowest possible kiddie dosage because I was really hesitant to try.

I'll echo Mochi's comment, LongTimeRunning. I started at 2.5 mg Adderall IR. You can start very, very low if you want to.

I didn't notice negative effects until I was up to 20 mg Adderall XR. That's not a high dose, even, but it turned out to be too high for me.

None of the negative effects (shakey legs, a little bit of pressured speech, failure to sleep but not as insomnia, just working too much and hyperfocused on things) were permanent.

Also, I now NOTICE when I haven't taken the meds because I can tell that my brain feels more "slippery" is how I would put it. But I don't think that I'm somehow worse; it's just that now I know that it could be different.

Finally, you may well find that you can actually sleep better if you use the medications (I do because my brain is quieter) and that will go a long way toward helping you improve.

Sandy

Sandy