well the happy feeling has gone i think. i am not having mood swings like before, im not thrilled and im not sad, im just.....calm or something.

its been an interesting few days. I feel slightly drowsy but i cant tell if its just calmness im not used to. my body doesnt feel tired like before the meds, but i feel slower in the head, which i think is what the point is, its just im not used to it and it feels strange, to me its so different i expect something to be wrong almost.

I was emotional for a few days, spontationously crying but wasnt sad i was crying out of releif. I was able to keep calm in a bad situation also, my thoughts came slower,i felt i had more control,i had a choice wether or not to lose my temper instead of just snapping.

I felt slightly stoned for 2 days. i was at a birthday party and up all night one night so i half expected to feel a bit crap. But i was still calm i just felt very stoned. it has gone now thought pretty much. I just feel a bit dopey a times when people are talking to me, not always just sometimes.

I went to class today. i dont know, i think because im not interested in the subject i was obviously not going to be very focused but there was a subtle change, i spoke in class today a bit too.

I am noticing my words coming out a bit backwards at times and when i read its like im slower or mixing it up. will this wear off, its my first time on meds and my 6th day?

I think ive lost the happy feeling because im getting used to it all. Before everyday was a struggle with bad mood swings and i had no life. Now i find myself not even knowing what to do with myself, its like ive forgot how to live because ive not had a life in years, ive spent so much time wrestling mood swings and fizing all my mistakes that its all im used to doing. now its like theres silence and im suddenly free to do something, i want to do something but i feel kind of unmotivated. i feel calm and in a comfortable silence so much that im not motivated to move-is this me just enjoying the rest after so many years of hell? it was very overwhelming to have my head suddenly slow down.

id appreciate any advice as its hard to find stuff and the pharmacists dont seem to know much.

xx

Hey, i've been on Dex for about 8 days and I just wanted you to know that you're not alone in some of these ups and downs. I can't really offer any sound advice but I've noticed that I've leveled off a lot too. If you're feeling overmedicated then you might try cutting down by like 10-20%? From what I understand trying to get properly balanced is more an art than a science and only you can REALLY tell when a dose is working correctly or incorrectly. Especially early on like this I dont think there's any danger in cutting back some.

The second thing i would note is that, mood swings, anxiety, crying, slow thinking, etc can ALL come from having a bad sleep cycle! So it could be just as much that your sleep has been too up and down and you're simply feeling the results of that. For that I can offer some help. I'm a big believer in Melatonin. It's cheap, at every pharmacy, non-addictive, won't make you feel hung over, and is pretty effective for most people! Try taking 3-6mg 30 minutes before you're going to sleep and then make sure it's completely dark where you're sleeping. Melatonin works with the darkness so that's crucial. If that doesn't work (IN MY EXPERIENCE, AND I AM NOT QUALIFIED TO OFFER MEDICAL ADVICE) you can safely go up to like 10mg but you obviously want to use the least amount you can for an effective dose.

Also, make sure your diet is okay because you can unknowingly start really cutting back on the amount and kinds of food you're consuming. This wreaks havoc with your insulin levels and can also lead to the sluggish thinking, drowsiness, etc. Try eating some long acting carbohydrates and stay away from fast releasing like simple sugars, processed sugars, etc.

Failing those suggestions (or in addition to them) talk to your doc! If he's worth anything he should be very happy to help you, especially in this early period.

Good luck and God bless!

~Hal

I know what you mean. I'm on Dex IR and it does make me feel very calm and mellow. I don't feel stoned, but I do feel content to just sit and think most of the time. I'm introspective anyway, but Dex might make me more so.

I am on my 6th day of taking Dex (spansules) as well, and having similar experiences, although I'm not putting as positive a spin on the "stoned" feeling as you guys. It's worse than being unmedicated for me.

I don't have suggestions, but am so glad you posted this. Can we keep this thread going for a while to try an figure out how this plays out for us and what works best?

If you're interested, here's my expereince so far:

I was on ritalin for a month and it only made me buzzy, distant, and unusually apathetic. My doctor then prescribed 1x10mg Dex spansules daily, which I took last month but nothing notable or consistent happened. That said, my work, sleep, and eating schedules were a total mess. Last week my doc told me to try 2x10mg spansules every morning. I have made an effort to wake up/go to sleep at the same time and to eat regularly and at the same time each day since then.

The first day on the dose I felt a little tweaked out: a lot of lip-licking and way too into menial tasks.

The second day was great. Maybe a little euphoria, but nothing like I haven't experienced on just a really good unmedicated day. It was Sunday and I didn't have work to do so I don't know if it really affected my focus and concentration, but in social situations I was actively following, participating, enjoying myself, saying things right and well.

The third day I went to work and it was amazing. Simple organizational tasks were no problem, and my reading, analyzing, writing, and thinking in general were "in the zone" like I hadn't been in months. It just worked. I could get work done without constantly battling my brain. It was like the best success stories on the forum (I had actually already convinced myself that those stories would never be mine and I had to get more realistic and lower my expectations). I don't know if I experienced "euphoria" or was just happy that I got good work done.

The fourth day it was radically different. I felt tired and groggy; my mind was in a fog, but a thick stagnant fog. It was difficult to do anything. Reading was nearly impossible, even focusing my eyes at the right part of the paper was difficult. Actually thinking about things in a productive way seemed like a vague memory; I definitely couldn't do it, I felt like I "forgot how," and I didn't even really want to. Also, one side of my face felt like there was pressure on it all day, and for some reason I could "feel" and was aware of my forehead constantly.

Fifth day was similar to the fourth, but maybe not as intense.

Today I slept 2 more hours than normal, ate much more for breakfast, and took the pills after being awake for 2 hours (instead of right after breakfast), but the effect is just as bad. It's detrimental, I haven't been able to get anything done. I'm also getting irritable. Someone turned on soft country music in the other room and it made me want to die. I don't know why but I hated hearing it more than anything and wanted to scream or get up and leave, but I was/am so discombobulated I couldn't even organize a plan to get up and tell them to turn it off.

I'm not going to take anything tomorrow.

Sorry that was so long. Suggestions or similar stories would be appreciated!

It could be the Spansules. Extended release meds are inconsistent for many people. I had the same problem with Vyvanse, and its common with Adderall XR too. You might find Dex IR more consistent. I never experience the ups and downs on IR.

I've been on dexedrine spansules before, but I just started them up again three months ago after being off for almost two years. I take 15mg spansule 2x daily.
The first day was euphoric, I felt dopey, and didn't sleep. But the second day I feel 95 percent better. It happens that quick for me. I have been feeling calm and collected since then. I did take a month or so for my appetite to return a bit. But it did....not like being unmedicated, but I eat more than I did when I first started.
The two years I was off the meds was hell for me. I'm happy to be back on. I feel "normal". I like the word "content" for how I feel. I also can sit in silence and just think. It's a nice thing. I really like dex......it works great for me. The only other thing I tried was Ritalin and it made me irritable. I wanted to snap at people.
I am just fine with the Dexedrine Spansules.

After having a complete nightmare on Ritalin and Concerta (memory loss, having trouble finding the right words, exaggerated anxiety) I am hopeful about Dexedrine. Ok, so I only started the trial yesterday, and am increasing the dose daily, but at the moment I feel like me only more so. I am focused, awake (I seem to have been tired for a lifetime) and optimistic about what I can achieve with regards to my PhD, which makes a change from my tendency towards negative thinking. I haven't experienced any euphoria that others have mentioned, only calm and happy with my lot. Let's see how it continues!

Today is my first full day on Dex. My PDoc said yesterday during our appointment that I had "severe adhd." Great! Just what I wanted to hear.

I have a hard time thinking about needed to be medicated my entire life, but if it prevents me from looking like I don't care or that I am lazy (a favorite from my parents.... still at 34!), I am willing to try what I can. Adderall stopped working for me after a few years, and don't get me started on the various crap I tried in the last six months (I thought my husband was going to go insane with my moods and crying and complete disorder), but so far Dex is okay. I took it yesterday and noticed a more focused self (heck I managed to take enough time to sit down here and write for the first time in months so that must mean something), and I let my DH work in his home office last night, fixed dinner, and set the table before telling him it was ready. He was shocked.

So not really sure if it is the meds as much as I want this to work this time (because honestly after this I give up because I am just too exhausted to play the med roller coaster anymore and will end up with a half *** working prescription to just stop with the guessing what will work plan), or a combination of it working/me working with the drug.

Time will tell and will let you all know how it is going. Keep fingers crossed that this is it.

:o