Horrible week, is it Adderall? Should I give up?

[AWizardDidIt]

I hate to make a new thread so soon but I am feeling so hopeless right now, I hope you guys will understand.

Anyway, I have mild-to-moderate ADD inattentive-type. I've been trying out Adderall XR for the past couple of weeks. I titrated and 20mg seemed to give me the most effect without making me feel crazy like 25mg did, so I've been using that for the past week or so.

It seems like when I'm in a decent mood and well-rested, I've been getting a bit of euphoria in the mornings? It's a little hard for me to say if it's actual euphoria or just feeling good from being able to focus, maybe some of both. However, I've been having trouble sleeping/getting to bed, quite possibly from the Adderall. Being tired makes me feel worse and cranky of course. But what's really been getting me is the anxiety and depression I've been feeling the past few days. At first I thought it was mostly due to being tired, and maybe it is partially, but it's been really nasty.

So basically I've been really really tired and seemingly becoming manic-depressive. Today I was feeling great this morning until a friend texted me to cancel plans we had. Then I nosedived into an uncontrollably horrible mood the rest of the day.

I don't know what to do. I called my pdoc and he was totally unhelpful of course and just said to just give it more time but I feel so damn hopeless right now. Is this what "treating" ADD is going to be like? Constantly chasing those fleeting hours where I feel good and can focus, surrounded by hours of misery and anxiety and exhaustion? Spending most of my time NOT medicated because the meds are only lasting about 6 hours? Yes, XR is lasting 6 hours. I feel like just giving up on meds.

Should I just take the weekend off? Or try going back down to 15mg? I don't remember feeling so extreme there although I'm not sure it helped with focus as much. Is Adderall just not for me? What else can I try? I already tried Ritalin and it just made me feel sick and anxious, or it did nothing.

I'm so mad because I JUST met with him earlier this week before this horrible week happened and had him write more Adderall scrips. Fortunately I only picked up one of them, hopefully the EXPENSIVE XR scrip can be cancelled or something if it turns out I just need to try something else.

[MrDavidAlan]

Well, I am new to Adderal,

However, when I was younger I was on Ritalin,

That is exactly how I felt.

I personally would take a drug holiday. Sometimes, you just need to be you.

[AWizardDidIt]

So you used to take Ritalin but you're new to Adderall now? What did you take in between? I'm guessing it didn't work since you're trying Adderall now but I'd like to hear from people who react to stimulants similar to how I do.

[silivrentoliel]

there are other types of stimulants out there, maybe Adderall and Ritalin aren't what you need. There are also non-stimulants... don't be afraid to call your doctor and tell him "this isn't working- at all! we need to do something different NOW"

[AWizardDidIt]

Thanks for the feedback, it's good to know that this isn't normal. I think I'm going to try lowering the dose for a few days just to make sure it isn't due to that, but if that doesn't help then I'll give him a call.

Any suggestions on what I should try next? Should I bother trying another amp like Dexedrine or Desoxyn? Adderall is just so popular, it seems weird that it's not working for me.

[MrDavidAlan]

Originally Posted by AWizardDidIt

So you used to take Ritalin but you're new to Adderall now? What did you take in between? I'm guessing it didn't work since you're trying Adderall now but I'd like to hear from people who react to stimulants similar to how I do.

If this is directed at me,

I didn't take anything for many years. Then one day, I woke up and realized how bad my life was falling down.

[AWizardDidIt]

Yes I was talking to you! Thanks!


I took 15mg today, plus a 10mg IR booster later on. I had that tight anxious feeling in my chest + a faster/stronger heart rate for a lot of the day, and I had my usual VERY hard time of getting going on Saturday mornings . . . other than that, it seemed OK? No euphoria or random depression.

I was thinking about it and I was fairly prone to mood swings BEFORE meds. It seems like Adderall amplifies them though as well as makes it easier for them to happen. Are there any meds that tend to work better for ADD people with mood swings?

[Beekeeper]

I don't know how well it's working for my ADHD symptoms, but I am on Vyvanse (2+ weeks now) and I am definitely less anxious almost to the point of no anxiety. I asked DH last night how he feels I am doing on meds, and he said I am much more level and not near as prone to lashing out. He said I'm not "peaking" anymore. He feels it is doing more for my mood than anything else.

I'm on 20mg. Tried 40, felt stoned. Tried 30, just tired and wanted to nap until it wore off.

I want more focus and clarity and motivation (and good grief a less expensive medication!), but anything is an improvement. Plus I'm seeing my pdoc on the 24th so I'll address it then.

I know that doesn't answer your Adderall question, but thought it might be helpful.

[AWizardDidIt]

Thanks! I am feeling more and more like I should give Vyvanse a try . . . even more expensive than Adderall of course!

I've heard of people taking additional ADD meds on top of Vyvanse, like taking small Adderall or Ritalin doses on top. Maybe you could do that? I hope I don't have to, I'd be SO BROKE! At least until I met my deductible.

[Beekeeper]

Wow, your insurance covers Vyvanse? Lucky...mine doesn't at all.

Hmmm, maybe I can do that. We shall see what pdoc says, I suppose!

[ADDinHDefgHi?!]

I know for me the side effects are always worse when I'm not sleeping and eating enough, also try and stay hydrated that's very important.

Sometimes it's not the medication that needs to be changed it's just we need to adjust our routines to allow the meds to work correctly.

That being said I've been taking breaks more often lately, they seem to help increase the effectiveness quite a bit and it's good to feel not stimulated after years of being stimulated everyday.