I've been on adderall off and on for 4 years. I've tried other stimulants but always went back to Adderall because it worked the best for me. I'm at a high dose, and feel many of my ADHD symptoms coming back. I've tried dexedrine, concerta, ritalin, focalin, vyvanse, and strattera. None were as effective as adderall, and most produced undesirable effects like depression, tiredness, or irritability. I don't know what do do from here. Also, the adderall gives me the absolute worst stomach pain, i refer to this sensation as "my stomach eating itself," because it feels like my stomach is hollow and I haven't eaten in days. I've actually gained more weight recently, because I feel hungry or possibly an attempt to stop the pain. I see my Psych soon, he's very open minded, and let's me try whatever med I think may work. Problem is, I feel like I've run out of options. Any advice appreciated

You still have quite a few options. Here are some ideas:

FDA Approved
Desoxyn

Other Options with support for ADHD
Wellbutrin
Desipramine
Modafinil
Deprenyl
Reboxetine (not available in US directly)
Amantadine
Venlafaxine (effexor)

Is the stomach pain related to taking the adderall or a side effect that occurs later in the day?

You might try XR adderall vs. IR adderall as well.

BobC

How much Adderall are you taking per day?

Any other meds such as antidepressants?

J

Is the stomach pain related to taking the adderall or a side effect that occurs later in the day?

You might try XR adderall vs. IR adderall as well.

BobC
No it usually occurs about 2 hrs after I take it. I've tried XR and IR adderall, its the same for both. I'm taking 100/mg day no other meds except rozarem at night.

You still have quite a few options. Here are some ideas:

FDA Approved
Desoxyn

Other Options with support for ADHD
Wellbutrin
Desipramine
Modafinil
Deprenyl
Reboxetine (not available in US directly)
Amantadine
Venlafaxine (effexor)
I've tired Modafinil and Wellbutrin, they didn't help me. I'm not looking to take any second line adhd meds, especially anti depressants. They just do not help me and actually induce depression eventually. As far as Desoxyn, isn't that methamphetamine? I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be taking that

Hi Danuts,

Here are a few suggests I have for you that might help:

1. Are you taking brand-name Adderall or a generic form? Believe it or not, some people see much better effects with the brand name than the generic, or vice versa. We often naturally think that generic forms are cheaper, knock-offs of the regular drug and are typically less effective. However, some people seem to respond better to them. Not exactly sure why. Yes, it's the same drug, but slightly different manufacturing methods may lead to pronounced effects. So if you're taking one form, maybe try the other one. It may even lessen your stomach pain.

2. You may have been told this already, but stay away from citrus fruits and juices around when you take the Adderall. These can promote irritation and also hinder the drug's effectiveness. Also, try to stay away from caffeine as much as possible. As a stimulant itself, it can sometimes lead to aches and pains and can cause the nervous system to go into overload when taken with a stimulant like Adderall.

3. You said your Psych was open-minded. That's good. Perhaps you might be willing to try a non-drug treatment? One that behaves similarly to Adderall and other stimulants is the amino acid tyrosine. I'd recommend the L-Tyrosine form. Supplementation is often 500-1500 mg, up to 3x a day. A number of medical studies and case reports have found this to be a viable alternative to drugs. Some reports have even featured individuals who seemed to suffer similar results as yourself, they'd have on-and-off success, and then the medications stop working. Keep in mind that L-tyrosine produces many of the same net effects as stimulant medications do, so it's best to stop with the medications while you try this. Taking L-tyrosine and stimulants together may overstimulate your body, especially the nervous system.

Since tyrosine is a natural amino acid found in our body, it might also be gentler on your stomach than most drugs. It absorbs best in the absence of food, so take it at least 30 minutes before eating or at least 1 hour after eating. Some other "natural" treatments out there are Pycnogenol (a type of French pine bark extract) and grapeseed extract, have also had some success. I'd probably consider these as secondary options, but they may be worth a shot.

Finally, it's amazing how many cases of ADD or ADHD are the result of deficiencies in just one or two vitamins or minerals. If you're not taking a daily multivitamin, I'd start with one right away. It may sound like an overly simple suggestion, but it can result in huge positive effects. One key reason is that your body needs several different enzymes to utilize the medications and get their desired effects. In order to function properly, many of these enzymes require one or more vitamins or minerals to be present at adequate levels. If you are deficient in even one of these vitamins or minerals, the enzymes lose much of their ability, and the medications become significantly less effective. Resist the urge to go cheap on these, try to get a higher quality multivitamin, some of those 1000-to-a-bottle bulk ones are much less effectively absorbed by the body because of their cheaper artificially-manufactured origins. Look for one that has at or close to 100% of iron, zinc, magnesium, vitamin E, niacin, riboflavin and other B vitamins. These are among the most common deficiencies for individuals with ADD/ADHD.

Seriously, talk with your psych about giving one or more of these a try. Good luck!



I've been on adderall off and on for 4 years. I've tried other stimulants but always went back to Adderall because it worked the best for me. I'm at a high dose, and feel many of my ADHD symptoms coming back. I've tried dexedrine, concerta, ritalin, focalin, vyvanse, and strattera. None were as effective as adderall, and most produced undesirable effects like depression, tiredness, or irritability. I don't know what do do from here. Also, the adderall gives me the absolute worst stomach pain, i refer to this sensation as "my stomach eating itself," because it feels like my stomach is hollow and I haven't eaten in days. I've actually gained more weight recently, because I feel hungry or possibly an attempt to stop the pain. I see my Psych soon, he's very open minded, and let's me try whatever med I think may work. Problem is, I feel like I've run out of options. Any advice appreciated

It's not only "best" to stop medication before taking L-tyrosine... it is ESSENTIAL! DO NOT TAKE YOUR ADDERALL WITH L-Tyrosine! It will make you feel like you're dying. I've done it... so I know. It's one or the other, period.

Also, just as a note of caution L-tyrosine made my blood pressure go up. Im 37 with normal (to low-normal) BP, after taking L-tyrosine my resting BP went up to the "high side of normal" just below "hypertensive." I'm not sure what that's about, but something to keep an eye on if you switch to the amino acids.

I've tired Modafinil and Wellbutrin, they didn't help me. I'm not looking to take any second line adhd meds, especially anti depressants. They just do not help me and actually induce depression eventually. As far as Desoxyn, isn't that methamphetamine? I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be taking that

Desoxyn is d-methamphetamine. It appears to be very effective; some people might say it has the best side effect profile of the ADHD stimulants. It may have a higher abuse potential, being able to release dopamine in low doses so that's something to watch out for.

I noticed that rozarem appears to be a melatonin receptor agonist. When I took melatonin, I always felt tired and mentally lethargic the next day. Have you tried adjusting the dosage of it, or using another sleep med to see if that helps improve the adderall effectiveness during the day?

Maybe you could try combining with a low dose of Ritalin or Focalin? In another thread somewhere I read of someone who did that successfully, and could lower the dosage of both for greater effect.

Since your stomach pain kicks in hours after taking the med I doubt its a reaction to an ingredient the medication directly. Peptic ulcers in the stomach seem to be more common in people with lots of stress. Since adderall's effects resemble stress on the body it may be worth seeing a GI specialist.

BobC

No it usually occurs about 2 hrs after I take it. I've tried XR and IR adderall, its the same for both. I'm taking 100/mg day no other meds except rozarem at night.

Wow, and I thought I was the only one taking a high dosage of this stuff. I take 120/mg day. (4X30). I have been at this high level for almost four years now. I have been on stimulant meds for 13 years now. I too, sometimes have stomach issues. And on those occasions I take an OTC med called Zantac 150. Works like a charm (for me). Good luck in your quest!:)

You might as well ask about desoxyn if you're taking more than 80mg a day. The only trouble with Desoxyn is, if you think adderall XR is expensive you've got another hit coming when you see it's price tag.

If it was working before and not now you are developing a tolerance. The only way to slow it down is to make sure to take breaks from it, and don't take more than what's prescribed.

Some people do ok with tyrosine + addy, and some don't. I don't do well with it mixed with wellbutrin and addy but that is a pretty strong combo in itself.

Fish oil will almost certainly help more than any other supplement, though. L-dopa helps a fair amount, too. Getting at least a multivitamin is an important place to start. Also, eliminate artificial sweeteners from your diet and free glutamates (fast food, basically).

Make sure you eat before you take it, that will help with the stomach pains and also make it release slower.