Is Adderall working? I'm not sure. I'm doubting it.

[Traveler5]

I'm new to adult ADD and Adderall. I was diagnosed a week ago and have been on Adderall IR 20mg since then -- 10mg in the morning and 10 in the early afternoon -- but I'm not sure if it's working for me.

I just haven't had the "Ah,ah!" moment when it becomes clear to me that I went from one state of mind to a better one as a result of taking the med. I do see some vague improvements. The drug seems to give me somewhat of a calming effect and I do seem to be a little more focused on things at work but not enough for me to think: "Wow! Adderall is really working for me, the improvements are noticeable."

Maybe I won't get a sudden feeling that Adderall is actually helping me. Maybe the benefit from Adderall IR comes slowly over time and is subtle in its affect on my brain until one day I realize that I'm much better. I don't know. I'd prefer to have the immediate Ah,ah affect.

My biggest ADD symptoms/hang-ups are sever procrastination, terrible at remembering to do things and appointments, extremely poor listening skills, and easily distracted while doing something that I find boring -- which is a lot of things.

I have slightly improved (by just a tiny bit) in these areas since a week ago but I'm far from being where I need to be from taking a ADD med.

So, is Adderall not working for me? Do I need to give it more time? Do I need to increase the dosage? Or just get another brain?

Your thoughts about this would be appreciated.

[Traveler5]

I have noticed one improvement since taking Adderall, I seem to be doing a better job of finding my car in our office parking lot.

[sarahsweets]

10 mg of adderall IR twice a day isnt all that much. 40 mg a day is the recommended maximum dose with 60 mg being approved for narcolepsy. Ir meds work almost instantly so you will know whether or not they help. I was taking adderall xr with IR boosters and this worked well.

[Traveler5]

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

10 mg of adderall IR twice a day isnt all that much. 40 mg a day is the recommended maximum dose with 60 mg being approved for narcolepsy. Ir meds work almost instantly so you will know whether or not they help. I was taking adderall xr with IR boosters and this worked well.

That's great to know. Thanks.

[ana futura]

You're taking a lot of other medications, right? Those will impact adderall's effectiveness. A psych doctor should be really helpful with getting this all sorted out for you.

[Harrier]

I never feel it kick in, but am aware when I go off it. After a day or so, I get uncontrollable hunger and my speech gets super impulsive. Eeek!

[Scottie83]

This is my first post on the ADD forum. I'm a 28 year old and I was recently diagnosed with ADD. My doctor prescribed 10mg IR once a day in the morning and can say I've seen any changes. My main issues like the OP are procrastination, easy distractability, and lack of attention during conversations and meetings.

I've only been on adderall for 3 days, but can't seem to tell when it "kicks in". From what I've read browsing the forums and Internet, 10 mg seems like a light dose. I'm not familiar with the way adderall works, but does body weight factor into the dosage?

Also, if it simply seems like my dosage is too low, what's the best way to describe it to my doctor?

[spunkysmum]

Originally Posted by Scottie83

Also, if it simply seems like my dosage is too low, what's the best way to describe it to my doctor?

You could start by simply saying you feel no effect.

[Unmanagable]

Let me know if you find out about a brain-gettin' place. I'd like to test drive a few. lol

I ended up having to increase my morning dosage and decrease my afternoon dosage. ( IR - 20mg, then 5mg 3ish-4ish hours later, as needed - usually, the max is 3) However, none of the docs or therapists ever suggested trying that - I learned it here and discussed it with them. Luckily, they were on board with it. (Yay, ADDF!!!)

The only "A-Ha!! This is working fabulously!!!!!" moment I experienced was the very first dose. I don't "feel" it kick in, literally, but I damn sure notice when I don't take it.

Call up the doc, discuss the effects you're experiencing, and get their feedback on the next step. Be sure to have notes with you to help you remember specifics. Best of luck!!

[spunkysmum]

To the OP - that's a pretty low dose. I started out low like that but eventually ended up on 30mg 2x a day. Sometimes I will split that to make the pills last or to take it easy for a day, but the benefit is just not the same. In fact I suspect that I really need more than I'm taking but have just not felt like I wanted to push a dosage increase with the docs. My original prescribing doctor said that I'd need to see a shrink if I wanted a higher dose, and the psychiatrist I saw a couple weeks ago said that I was on the max dose they generally prescribe (I did not ask, he just brought it up). In the past on some particularly demanding days I have experimented with three a day, and it seemed to work just great but doing that leaves me short at the end of the month and that's no good.

I wonder if I should ask the doctor about trying 20mg 3x?

Sorry. Just thinking aloud there. This is your thread, not my diary. As you were.

[starrykitten]

I agree that it sounds like a pretty low dose. You might also want to look into the XR instead of the IR. I haven't tried the IR so I can't say anything about it, but the XR is supposed to last longer (though many people say it doesn't last as long as it claims to).

Just tell your doctor you don't feel any effects. Most doctors start with the lowest reasonable dosage.