Hey,

I just recently began to take Adderall again. I have been on it before (for 5 years) without problems. I stopped taking it 4 years ago to 'go it alone'. After realizing I was limited my potential, I resumed using the medication.

I take Adderal (generic, not XR). My starting dose is low. I have been on it for 5 days now. Up until today, there haven't been any issues other than the fact that I caught myself biting my lip profusely yesterday and with lips that are dry (constantly licking to moisten) and chapped (and a little swollen/tingly).

I am not freaking out yet. I have no other side effects.

I am just curious as to whether or not anyone else has had these symtoms before and whether they reduced with time.

Thanks!

Stimulants can cause actions like this. Obsessive teeth grinding, lip biting and scratching can be side effects of them. This can be while sleeping or completely awake. In the movie "Requiem for a Dream," one of the characters is accused of being on stimulants (which she was) because she was audibly grinding her teeth.

Your dry lips and biting are probably caused by the dry mouth, and you're subconciously licking your lips and taking other measures to rehydrate them.

Water, gum, and chapstick are your friends. Stimulants are dehydrated (most are natural diuretics) and water will help with rehydrating and providing water to the mouth. Gum stimulates saliva flow, and is excellent to keep your teeth clean and moisturized (having dry mouth all day will probably encourage a build up of bacteria, and a decrease in enzymes used to fight off harmful bacteria), and chapstick to keep you from licking/biting your lips.

...that is, until you get used to the medication. If I were you, I would play it safe and titrate deliberately. Play it out on your starting dosage for more than a week. It sounds like your compulsive lip biting is a symptom of ADHD, actually. I assume that at a higher dosage, it will subside. Although you may not have experienced that symptom before, keep in mind that you still are under the effects of medication to surpress such activity, so it may change before it subsides at a higher dosage.

It sounds like you have more experience with Adderall than I do... but I figured I would chime in and tell you that there's nothing to be worried about, unless it's happening three weeks from now and you end up swallowing your lip.

+ 1/50 $

- Glen

When I got home I put some chapstick on my lips. The licking stopped. I took a benadryl for the (real or perceived) swelling. I do not know if my lips are swollen or just have it in my head that they are swelling. They look a little larger than normal but that is probably from biting and irritation.

What freaked me out this morning was that I noticed a red speckly rash on my skin on my torso and chest. I thought I might be having some type of allergic reaction. So I started to do research on it..when I saw the warnings for swelling and rashes I went nutso and started to see swelling and feel tingling everywhere (mostly perceived).

Turns out that the long underwear I was wearing (I get cold easily) was probably put on after I showered (before I was entirely dry). This caused a heat rash type of thing. As soon as I changed into a t-shirt and jeans everything started to become less red and clear up.

I am still pretty freaked out. I took 1/2 the recommended evening dose. When I wake up tomorrow, I will take the full dose (hopefully I will stop worrying about this) and see how it goes.

No more lip problems. The chapstick saved my life here.
As for the redness on my skin. It isn't a heat rash, but it hasn't gotten any worse. My skin usually reddens and becomes overly sensitive, dry and itchy as winter approaches. I'll keep an eye on it though.

Skin reactions don't seem to be very common with Adderall. However, don't pay too much attention [no pun intended] to your localized rash. It may not be a side effect of Adderall.

Just eliminate the variable by keeping the SAME showering/cleaning habits. I believe that the effects of the medication are causing you to produce more thought processes about what you see. When you look in the mirror, you may seem to "notice" more about yourself.

Don't discontinue the medication due to anxiety. You will know for sure if something is seriously wrong; If you're debating this early on whether or not a side effect is worth discontinuing the medication, then it isn't worth discontinuing.

If you're still uncertain, just ask your doctor. I hope things pan out for you. Adderall can be a great medication.

yes they will after a week or two try asking for klonopin. it works well for anxiety and last for over 24 hours and isnt that sedating

yes they will after a week or two try asking for klonopin. it works well for anxiety and last for over 24 hours and isnt that sedating

Klonopin does work well for anxiety but it's a benzo, and many people become physically dependant on benzos very rapidly if used regularly. Tapering off of a benzo can be a very, very long and uncomfortable process for many people, so be careful. (Been there---don't ever want to go there again). Occasional use is rarely a problem. Daily, or almost daily use can leave you chained to the stuff. This doesn't happen to everybody, but it does happen to a lot of people and there's no way to know ahead of time whether it will happen to you.

-tom

Does anyone else constantly tap their foot or move their leg when sitting down or leaning back in a chair on Adderall XR?I'm on my second day, 20 mg.