I started taking Vyvanse after being diagnosed last May, started having a bad reaction, and now the same thing's happening with Focalin... The meds will work great for the first couple of days, then, they make me crash to where I'm worse after taking the meds.

For the past couple of years, I've been so tired. To where I can barely get to classes and then come home and crash. I had a number of traumatic experiences and then, for months, I was unable to sleep and I barely ate because I felt so sick all the time -- chronic nausea and headache.

The meds made a difference at first but after a few days, I'd start having a bad reaction. They would work shorter and shorter and the crash would get stronger. I stopped taking vyvanse, only taking some when I needed to concentrate for a few hours. It would allow me to do what needed doing but after, I was useless.

I changed my diet the same time I got a prescription for focalin. I began eating 6 times a day, lots of animal protein and beans, and sleeping 8-10 hrs/night. About a month to the day later, I woke up bouncing out of bed with a smile on my face. I had energy -- I hadn't felt like this since I was 16 -- right before I let myself get heat exhaustion every day all summer. It was amazing. I could think too.

Well, my friend turned 21 and because I don't drink, I was DD and I stayed up late for about a week, I started taking the focalin because it did help, and I lapsed on my diet because the meds made me slightly nauseous.

I got back on my diet but then I had a few stressful things happen and I had a major low blood sugar episode at the end of last week. I haven't been able to think for the past two weeks. I'll sit in class and not understand a thing. I spent a lot of time studying for my midterm and couldn't get my mind to work. I stopped the meds for about 5 days, then took them again this morning for my midterm. Nothing doing. My mind was just as foggy and half dead as it's been.

Feel like I'm going crazy. Just can't function.

what seems to be the problem are you not eating correctly ? You need to sleep and eat well -

It may be adrenal fatigue but it definitely is overall fatigue. You can't run your body into the ground and expect the Vyvanse to prop you up. It already puts a strain on your system- all stimulants do- and then you don't eat or sleep to replenish your natural reserves of energy. No amount of medication is going to work if you are starving and not sleeping.

That was about a year ago. I've been really good about sleeping and eating for about a year now. Even when I have stayed up late lately, it's only been a few days and I still got 6-8 hours of sleep...

And, when I'm "not eating" now, I'm still eating 3 meals a day instead of six. I just need to eat at least every two hours to stay awake/alert...

That night I had the blood sugar crash, I still ate what would be a normal meal for someone my size...

There are some doctors/holistic health practitioners that say that ANY prolonged medication use will affect your adrenal glands. It's just a matter of doing research, finding the right doctors, etc. Chronic stress can cause adrenal disorders from low adrenal reserve to Addison's disease and Cushing's syndrome. Some say that taking any drug for long periods of time takes a toll on the body, stressing it out.

Adrenaline, cortisol, DHEA and norepinephrine are the body's major stress hormones. Under stress, and under prolonged stress, large amounts of these hormones are released. Eventually the stores are low, or in the extreme cases of adrenal cortex underactivity, or if the body mistakenly attacks the tissues of the adrenal glands and destroys them, you can get Addison's disease. Reduced adrenal gland function symptms include weakness, lethargy, fatigue, infections, dizziness, low blood pressure when standing, headaches, memory problems, food cravings, allergies, and blood sugar disorders.

Adderall and other stimulants release NE, and Adderall especially affects the periphery nervous system, involving adrenaline, speeeding up metabolism, putting the body into a state of flight or fright.

At therapeutic doses this should not affect your adrenal reserves. However chronically high doses keeps your body in a state of stress and lowers adrenal reserves, leading to burnout. Particularly when the stress does not allow sleep or eating.

There's dispute over whether prolonged therapeutic dosages can lower adrenal reserves. But it shouldn't too much, unless there are other factors involved- heredity, constant stress, anxiety, etc.

You can counteract any adrenal affect by eating nutritiously, using supplements, getting enough rest, and avoiding stress. Decrease consumption of caffeine and alcohol, try to eat whole foods, not junk.

I got this from "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"

I really question the "adrenal reserve" thing. Most hormones produced in the adrenal gland are Steroid hormones, which are not stored. Steroid hormones are made to order...meaning the pituitary sends a signal, the adrenal receives and then changes DNA transcription to make more cortisol, androgens and mineralcorticoids. These are the adrenal gland steroid hormones that relate to cushings, Addision's, etc. So, you don't run out...your body just makes more from cholesterol (assuming you do not have a problem.

The exception may be the catecholamines, Norepi and epi from the adrenal medulla.....which do fit with the flight/fight model you referenced. I do believe that the exhaustive problems were related to overextending your body via constant stimulation, and having other hormones (cortisol, glucagon, etc.) catabalizing your body for fuel...breaking down fat, muscle, glucose. Plus, you need to turn your body/brain off everyday...7 hours minimum with ADHD so I've been told. However, I don't think that there is a connection b/t the catecholamines made in the brain vs. those made in the adrenal medulla. Wouldn't make sense to make them in your viscera and ship them to your brain. It may be that you overextended the receptors in your brain, and they may have been upregulated or downregulated to compensate, and thus the lack of effect....but brain receptors usually take a couple weeks to change.

Also, the brain runs on glucose...like 70% of glucose goes to fuel the brain. So, if you have continuously low blood sugar your brain may be running on ketones...which isn't as good as glucose. In fact...many people who did the Atkins diet often felt mentally sluggish. So eat.

Just a bit of speculation based on my 2 years of medical education.