I have been using Adderall XR for almost 1-year now. I think I was far more careful initially with the ramp-up/ramp-down of my daily dosage levels and also timed them based on their dual release timing.

But besides the fact that I think I have been sloppier in my timing of my dosages...even though the actual amounts haven't changed...typ. 40mg a day...sometimes 50mg a day...I am having "new" symptoms that I never had before.

Symptoms: Abdominal/stomach pain, major Nausea with some dizziness, upset stomach, heartburn, feeling like I'm going to vomit or actual vomiting, increased Diarrhea with the occasional bit of Fever and sweats/clamminess.

This only seems to happen in the mornings and I do eat breakfast in full. I haven't figured out the exact pattern, but I think it may be either related to fluctuations in my dosage timing...OR...related to reductions in my dosages on the weekend and then increases back on weekdays.

The funny think is except for the occasional Diarrhea...I don't remember ever having these symptoms before. The back pain increase or muscle tightness...yes and Magnesium and Zinc helped.

Anyone have some insight...it's been over 8-months and this is all new for me and I was trying to use it in moderation and think it was helping.

Thanks in advance!

How long have you had these symptoms? They sound like flu, and given that it is flu season... :)

I can now answer my own question for others.

Assuming you have ruled out any other drug or cause such as flu...it seems that biology and metabolism can be a tricky thing.

I was able to figure this out by self dosage modification and timing...your mileage may vary....I am not a doctor...just a dude.

1) The whole "drug holiday" concept floated around here is okay in theory, but some people's biology cannot ramp down and back up on a drug like Adderall over the period of a weekend or even a long-weekend. I would suggest anyone who had such symptoms as above try it only over a long vacation...like a week or more and ramp down and back up a small dosage step at a time....just as we were all supposed to when finding our dosage. The 10mg change per 3-days seems okay if you can manage that...some may be unable to handle even that rate and be stuck at per week. Expensive and painful as it may be...I find having a bunch of 10mg add-on tweak pills to be very handy in either direction and got my doctor to perscribe as such. Some days that 20mg jump if I take two of the standard pills is too much of a sudden hit.

2) The amount of regular sleep you are getting seems to have an effect on this for me...especially anything below 7 hours. When that sleep occurs too seems to have a big effect. No surprise as sleep affects everything, but it still was a tad surprising.

3) Eating schedule and what you eat. I don't have the exact data on me, but the order and timing in the morning that you take the 1st pill, eat then 2nd pill...seems to be a major factor too. What you eat as well, but that is covered well elsewhere. I had figured out ideal timing for myself and there is s direct effect as to the absorption (as with VitC, citrus, etc.).

I need to find or recreate my Excel template that was tracking this, but my body metabolism seems to notice such shifts and thus a near strict schedule on all of the above seems the best solution for me.

As a backup: Pepto helps, but if Adderall induced nausea hits...well a few swigs of extra strength may be needed. Ultimate backup is Gravol aka Dramamine aka Dimenhydrinate, but be careful to not use too much...plus it can make you sleepy...which helps not much. My focus is crap when I am asleep.

Hope this helps some.