Please help! Past 11 years I had taken 7 dexad. generic 5 mg tabs a day - the fast acting ones...

I also suffer from some low lever BP abd depression for quite some time... so fyi aside from my ADD meds I take daily - 60mg prozac, 250mg Lamictal, and 25mg of Serequel at night.

3 weeks ago, my doc decided after all these years to ween me off the dex tabs and finally try a new ADD med - Adderral XR. started at 10mg and in a few days went to 20mg, and then up to 30mg. I'd like to increase to 40mg, but need to ask doctor.

My biggest problem is this!! All of a sudden I am like over 2.5 weeks late on my period - I never ever am. And it's too coincidental that I tapered off the dex about 3 weeks ago and transitioned to Adderall. I have been extremely disceplined with eating right and lots of exercising also during same past 3 weeks. Knowing me, I should have lost like 7-8 lbs so far. I can't get the scale to budge!!! In fact one time I lost 2 and then put it back on for no reason. I'm terribly frustrated by the inability to reduce my weight all of a sudden...does anyone think it's bc of stopping dex after 11 years?? And that the period is 2.5 weeks late and this never happens to me? Do ADD meds effect your period, etc? Oh- 100% gauranteed I am not pregnant. In stone.

I am 45 yrs old
135lbs
(trying hard to lose 10 - and I am totally stumped as to why not happening!)

First things first- don't forget to breathe!

When you switched meds your metabolism probably went a tad haywire. It will take time to balance out. You can give it a friendly nudge by taking Green Tea capsules. If you are in the US, you can get them at your local WalMart- about $4 a bottle.

I'm a year older than you are. While on Adderall (40mg/day for me) I have had some irregularities with my cycle. I can't say conclusively that the Adderall is at fault because I am also doing the menopause shuffle. This could simply be a shift into peri menopause or it could be a reaction to the Adderall. Either way, you should probably let your prescribing doc know so that s/he can monitor. If you haven't had your annual girlie exam yet, this might be a good time.

After 40, metabolism naturally slows. Believe me, I understand your frustration.

thx so much...also the reminder to breathe hahaha. this all does make sense. question. I know it varies depending on person - but any opinion on dosage levels? I'm at 30 mg now...feeling like I need to talk to doc about trying 40mg. I hear that one side effect is weight loss. Which I wont argue with !! haha. I haven;t lost an ounce maybe it's bc of the late period...but what is our experience/success with the weight loss? Appreciate your input!

thx so much...also the reminder to breathe hahaha. this all does make sense. question. I know it varies depending on person - but any opinion on dosage levels? I'm at 30 mg now...feeling like I need to talk to doc about trying 40mg. I hear that one side effect is weight loss. Which I wont argue with !! haha. I haven;t lost an ounce maybe it's bc of the late period...but what is our experience/success with the weight loss? Appreciate your input!

No worries, sweetie. Glad I could help.

Weight loss. Riiiight. Not for most people. I have to make the conscious effort to control my diet regardless of the Adderall. That would be a sweet side effect though!

You are likely to be retaining a lot of water. If it really bothers you, a mild diuretic (Pamprin contains one) should help. It may also be a signal that you aren't drinking ENOUGH water.

I am finding that I am really impacted by the natural reduction in my estrogen levels that goes along with all the menopause fun. At 30mg, I was really fighting with that- especially during PMS. At 40mg, I am not having the same issue. I take the IR, not the XR but I really don't think it would make that big a difference. I also take a calcium-magnesium supplement along with Omega Three and B Complex. And the Green Tea. That combination is working well for me.

Incidentally, that sudden two pound gain you mentioned in your first post? i would make a bet that it is water weight. I wouldn't worry too much about that.

thank ou again - GREAT help!!