2nd day with Adderall - Complete disaster; Feeling depressed, manic, and mood swings

[euler271]

I was first diagnosed with ADD last month and Thursday was the first day I began taking any medicine. My doctor prescribed me 15mg Adderall XR. She pick Adderall because it was the same medicine that my bother has used for years. The first day I took it I did not really feel much and I thought that might be because of the dose. BTW I'm a 21 year old male and weight 215. My appetite was definitely lower and that night I had a very hard time going to sleep. That all seemed normal but later that night I started to feel really sad. Then I started to feel like crying for no reason. But almost at the same time I was happy. It was like I was happy and sad at the same time.

On the second day I noticed that my appetite was very low. Also I noticed my endurance on my bike was much lower. In the early evening I started to feel sad again but this time I got really depressed. Music sounded dull, I did not want to hang out with friends, and I felt nothing. I felt numb to everything. But then all of a sudden my mood would change to really aggressive. And then back to super depressed. While I was depressed I decided to drive out and get some food. I started to feel normal again while I was driving. Then I got my food and tried one of the fries. It was salty, very salty. This irritated me a lot. So much so that I went back into crazy aggressive mode. The best way I can describing it as feeling complete rage. I started driving 10+mph over the speed limit and thought about just throwing the the fries out the window. Instead I throw the bag of food to the floor of my car and food went everywhere. I started screaming every curse word I could think out and felt like honking my horn and holding it down. Once I got back to campus I thought there where no open parking spots and thought about parking in a no parking zone. Then I was thinking about buying a gun to kill anyone that tried to tow my car or give me a ticket. Lucky there was a parking spot and I went back into my dorm. Once in my room I was still raging and started to throw stuff on the floor. Then all of a sudden I went back into depression mode and started crying that I had no food.


I looked up the symptoms of bipolar disorder and it was almost exactly how I was feeling. It was almost like Adderall made me feel bipolar. However I don't have any of the symptoms of bipolar disorder while not using Adderall. I'm not depressed and I have never been know to get so angry so fast over the smallest things. Also I have never had mood swings like that. I stopped taking Adderall and I'm going to my doctor to try something different. Has anyone else had such a bad reaction to Adderall? I don't think I have been misdiagnosed but is that possible?

[Ninja]

Originally Posted by euler271

I was first diagnosed with ADD last month and Thursday was the first day I began taking any medicine. My doctor prescribed me 15mg Adderall XR. She pick Adderall because it was the same medicine that my bother has used for years. The first day I took it I did not really feel much and I thought that might be because of the dose. BTW I'm a 21 year old male and weight 215. My appetite was definitely lower and that night I had a very hard time going to sleep. That all seemed normal but later that night I started to feel really sad. Then I started to feel like crying for no reason. But almost at the same time I was happy. It was like I was happy and sad at the same time.

On the second day I noticed that my appetite was very low. Also I noticed my endurance on my bike was much lower. In the early evening I started to feel sad again but this time I got really depressed. Music sounded dull, I did not want to hang out with friends, and I felt nothing. I felt numb to everything. But then all of a sudden my mood would change to really aggressive. And then back to super depressed. While I was depressed I decided to drive out and get some food. I started to feel normal again while I was driving. Then I got my food and tried one of the fries. It was salty, very salty. This irritated me a lot. So much so that I went back into crazy aggressive mode. The best way I can describing it as feeling complete rage. I started driving 10+mph over the speed limit and thought about just throwing the the fries out the window. Instead I throw the bag of food to the floor of my car and food went everywhere. I started screaming every curse word I could think out and felt like honking my horn and holding it down. Once I got back to campus I thought there where no open parking spots and thought about parking in a no parking zone. Then I was thinking about buying a gun to kill anyone that tried to tow my car or give me a ticket. Lucky there was a parking spot and I went back into my dorm. Once in my room I was still raging and started to throw stuff on the floor. Then all of a sudden I went back into depression mode and started crying that I had no food.


I looked up the symptoms of bipolar disorder and it was almost exactly how I was feeling. It was almost like Adderall made me feel bipolar. However I don't have any of the symptoms of bipolar disorder while not using Adderall. I'm not depressed and I have never been know to get so angry so fast over the smallest things. Also I have never had mood swings like that. I stopped taking Adderall and I'm going to my doctor to try something different. Has anyone else had such a bad reaction to Adderall? I don't think I have been misdiagnosed but is that possible?

I felt the same on Adderall so I switched to dex. Some people don't tolerate Adderall's ''kick''. I'm pretty positive that if you switch to dex you'll feel fine, 99% positive. You're like a mirror of myself.

When I was on Adderall I was mad. Like, if I wrote an equation down and it was too long, I would get mad on how long it was and press down on the pen to the point of breaking it. I would tear the page apart and punch the wall. The lighting in the room made me mad too. Bright was too bright, dark was too dark. Food tasted bad, salty foods made me mad because it was too salty.

This happened to me during an important exam. I became so angry that I couldn't reason anything anymore. For example, the author of the exam kind of set a ''trap'' in the problem. Instead of putting the usual KM unit he put Kmol, to see if we paid attention. I noticed the trick and I got so mad at the idea that the teacher wanted to trick us that I couldn't think of anything else for 20minutes. It was blind luck that I had oxycontin with me that day so I popped 10mg and 30min later I was calm and able to finish the exam on time. It's a very dangerous thing to happen during an exam because if it happens, you're 10x worst than in your normal ADD mode. I would recommend to stay away from Adderall and switch to dexedrine.

[euler271]

Originally Posted by Ninja

I felt the same on Adderall so I switched to dex. Some people don't tolerate Adderall's ''kick''. I'm pretty positive that if you switch to dex you'll feel fine, 99% positive. You're like a mirror of myself.

When I was on Adderall I was mad. Like, if I wrote an equation down and it was too long, I would get mad on how long it was and press down on the pen to the point of breaking it. I would tear the page apart and punch the wall. The lighting in the room made me mad too. Bright was too bright, dark was too dark. Food tasted bad, salty foods made me mad because it was too salty.

This happened to me during an important exam. I became so angry that I couldn't reason anything anymore. For example, the author of the exam kind of set a ''trap'' in the problem. Instead of putting the usual KM unit he put Kmol, to see if we paid attention. I noticed the trick and I got so mad at the idea that the teacher wanted to trick us that I couldn't think of anything else for 20minutes. It was blind luck that I had oxycontin with me that day so I popped 10mg and 30min later I was calm and able to finish the exam on time. It's a very dangerous thing to happen during an exam because if it happens, you're 10x worst than in your normal ADD mode. I would recommend to stay away from Adderall and switch to dexedrine.

Asking my doc for Dexedrine seems to be good advice but I noticed it came from someone who just had his account suspended ಠ_ಠ. Being Dexedrine has 75% of the amphetamine salts that Adderall has I don't understand how it will be so much different.

[namazu]

Euler --

Sleep problems and appetite suppression are common side effects of ADHD meds, and can often be addressed with changes in dose/timing/formulation or meal timing.

HOWEVER, major mood swings, unusual anger, crying spells, etc. are potentially serious side effects you should discuss with your doctor ASAP. (Give him/her a call and leave a message or page.) Edit: it sounds like you already made an appointment? Good. If it's not soon, give him/her a call in the interim.

It's possible that you have a predisposition towards mood disorders that will need caution/treatment, particularly if you have a personal and/or family history of depression/bipolar disorder. But it sounds like perhaps you don't.

It could simply be that you're very sensitive to Adderall and need a lower dose. Or maybe Adderall (or amphetamines, or stimulants in general) isn't the right medication for you.

Don't panic! Fortunately, stimulants leave your system relatively quickly, so assuming it's just a side effect of the meds and not a more substantial mood disorder suddenly rearing its head, it should go away soon after you stop taking the medication or after you reduce the dose.

This is why you need to check with your doctor ASAP.

I'm not sure Dexedrine would be the most sensible next choice of medication, because it is chemically so similar to Adderall. (That said, responses to medications are not always as straight-forward as one might guess.) This is something you should decide with your doctor, based on your medical history. You might have better luck with methylphenidate or with a non-stimulant medication.

I would also suggest that the other poster's advice to keep an "emergency opioid" on hand to counter effects of amphetamines is irresponsible and potentially dangerous. (In some cases where a person has a co-existing anxiety problem, or where stimulants work but cause jitteriness, a doctor may prescribe an anti-anxiety type medication...but this is not a "do it yourself" kind of fine-tuning!)

Good luck with the (often longer-than-we'd-like) process of finding meds that work and don't cause intolerable side effects. Take care!

- Namazu

[TroyADD]

I had a similar experience to you, it turns out I'm hyper-sensitive to stimulants. Even 2.5mg of Adderall is a big dose for me.

[euler271]

Originally Posted by TroyADD

I had a similar experience to you, it turns out I'm hyper-sensitive to stimulants. Even 2.5mg of Adderall is a big dose for me.

If you are hypersenstive to stimulents are you on any medication? I only know of Strattera being the only non-stimulant ADD medication.

[namazu]

Originally Posted by euler271

If you are hypersenstive to stimulents are you on any medication? I only know of Strattera being the only non-stimulant ADD medication.

In addition to Strattera, there are also non-stimulants approved for, or used off-label for ADHD, such as the anti-hypertensives (blood pressure meds) Intuniv (guanfacine) and Kapvay (clonidine), Wellbutrin (bupropion - an antidepressant with effects on dopamine), and the tricyclic antidepressants, which were often used before it became standard practice to treat adults with stimulants.

Even non-stimulants can cause adverse reactions (including mania and depression) in some people, but these might be options to consider if it turns out you can't tolerate stimulants at all.

Best wishes,
Namazu

[TroyADD]

I've tried Welbutrin for a few months and it didn't do anything. Concerta didn't work either. I was initially prescribed 20mg of XR and that gave me all the symptoms of anger and irritability and feeling like garbage when they wore off. I'm now on 2.5mg of Adderall IR 3x's a day, I take it with plenty of food and milk and that seems to smooth things out really well. I no longer have any difficulty sleeping either.

[mimi86]

Hey OP, are you sure you got the brand name when you went to the pharmacy? I've had horrible experiences with certain generics making me very cranky (<---extreme understatement). My fiance told me I'd turned into a monster, it was like PMS 24/7. All I could think about was how much I wanted to get in a fist-fight with someone O_O.

I did some research and this is not unusual if you have a bad 'reaction' to generic formulations! If you look on the label of your prescription bottle it should say something like "Labeler: TEVA" or "CorePharma." It might be worthwhile to switch to the brand name and try that, if you can!

[fatality]

Originally Posted by euler271

I was first diagnosed with ADD last month and Thursday was the first day I began taking any medicine. My doctor prescribed me 15mg Adderall XR. She pick Adderall because it was the same medicine that my bother has used for years. The first day I took it I did not really feel much and I thought that might be because of the dose. BTW I'm a 21 year old male and weight 215. My appetite was definitely lower and that night I had a very hard time going to sleep. That all seemed normal but later that night I started to feel really sad. Then I started to feel like crying for no reason. But almost at the same time I was happy. It was like I was happy and sad at the same time.

On the second day I noticed that my appetite was very low. Also I noticed my endurance on my bike was much lower. In the early evening I started to feel sad again but this time I got really depressed. Music sounded dull, I did not want to hang out with friends, and I felt nothing. I felt numb to everything. But then all of a sudden my mood would change to really aggressive. And then back to super depressed. While I was depressed I decided to drive out and get some food. I started to feel normal again while I was driving. Then I got my food and tried one of the fries. It was salty, very salty. This irritated me a lot. So much so that I went back into crazy aggressive mode. The best way I can describing it as feeling complete rage. I started driving 10+mph over the speed limit and thought about just throwing the the fries out the window. Instead I throw the bag of food to the floor of my car and food went everywhere. I started screaming every curse word I could think out and felt like honking my horn and holding it down. Once I got back to campus I thought there where no open parking spots and thought about parking in a no parking zone. Then I was thinking about buying a gun to kill anyone that tried to tow my car or give me a ticket. Lucky there was a parking spot and I went back into my dorm. Once in my room I was still raging and started to throw stuff on the floor. Then all of a sudden I went back into depression mode and started crying that I had no food.


I looked up the symptoms of bipolar disorder and it was almost exactly how I was feeling. It was almost like Adderall made me feel bipolar. However I don't have any of the symptoms of bipolar disorder while not using Adderall. I'm not depressed and I have never been know to get so angry so fast over the smallest things. Also I have never had mood swings like that. I stopped taking Adderall and I'm going to my doctor to try something different. Has anyone else had such a bad reaction to Adderall? I don't think I have been misdiagnosed but is that possible?

I'm not a medical doctor nor a psychiatrist.

I'd recommend trying this medication for 3 days. If you are still feeling manic / bipolar - call your doctor immediately and get a professional opinion on this matter. I had problems with this medication starting out - mood swings, fatigue, irritability, random anger. It's mellowed out now, although, I do still get mood swings when I miss a dose or don't get proper sleep.

[Killface1981]

It seems many people get suspended for all sorts of reasons. Dexedrine(in my experience)is far smoother than Adderall. The side effects you've had are pretty serious though, and ones you have to tell your doctor. I'd usually give a med a few days, but some people just aren't tolerant to any type of stimulant. Perhaps your psych misdiagnosed you... but you can always ask for Klonopin or something to take the edge off. Most psychs realize that stimulants with rough crashes call for something else being prescribed to help.

[hollywood]

interesting. Can't say this has ever happened to me, I will say when adderall works sometimes I have felt a bit aggressive. Not sure why I take it now and I just seem to feel tired, maybe since I switched from a high dose of ritalin my receptors just need rest. Oh well, I'm sure the switch will turn on eventually. Anyways, who keeps oxycontin on them just in case?? Geez...........

[fatality]

Originally Posted by hollywood

interesting. Can't say this has ever happened to me, I will say when adderall works sometimes I have felt a bit aggressive. Not sure why I take it now and I just seem to feel tired, maybe since I switched from a high dose of ritalin my receptors just need rest. Oh well, I'm sure the switch will turn on eventually. Anyways, who keeps oxycontin on them just in case?? Geez...........

I agree - keeping oxycontin on hand when it is not perscribed anymore (* say you were perscribed it for back pain and you no longer have it*) or are using it for a non perscribed condition is ILLEGAL. It is always illegal to go above the doctors perscription in terms of dose and or using it for other conditions not perscribed.

I know I told OP euler to wait it out for 3 days, but, reading his post again - the behavior he is exhibiting is not normal - (* wanting to buy a gun to kill people & throwing food / trash out the window *). Therefore I strongly advise you to stop the Adderall and call your doctor immediately to see whether you should continue or not.

[den4]

I'm glad nobody tried to diagnose you with bipolar after sharing this. If there were no bipolar symptoms prior or when you don't take it...it is not bipolar disorder. It sounds to me like it is definitely a bad reaction from the medication and I hope the doctor will find something that works well with your body chemistry. No worries, not all medications are the same for everyone. Some people have great experiences on a certain med, and some people bad ones.

[den4]

Originally Posted by euler271

I was first diagnosed with ADD last month and Thursday was the first day I began taking any medicine. My doctor prescribed me 15mg Adderall XR. She pick Adderall because it was the same medicine that my bother has used for years. The first day I took it I did not really feel much and I thought that might be because of the dose. BTW I'm a 21 year old male and weight 215. My appetite was definitely lower and that night I had a very hard time going to sleep. That all seemed normal but later that night I started to feel really sad. Then I started to feel like crying for no reason. But almost at the same time I was happy. It was like I was happy and sad at the same time.

On the second day I noticed that my appetite was very low. Also I noticed my endurance on my bike was much lower. In the early evening I started to feel sad again but this time I got really depressed. Music sounded dull, I did not want to hang out with friends, and I felt nothing. I felt numb to everything. But then all of a sudden my mood would change to really aggressive. And then back to super depressed. While I was depressed I decided to drive out and get some food. I started to feel normal again while I was driving. Then I got my food and tried one of the fries. It was salty, very salty. This irritated me a lot. So much so that I went back into crazy aggressive mode. The best way I can describing it as feeling complete rage. I started driving 10+mph over the speed limit and thought about just throwing the the fries out the window. Instead I throw the bag of food to the floor of my car and food went everywhere. I started screaming every curse word I could think out and felt like honking my horn and holding it down. Once I got back to campus I thought there where no open parking spots and thought about parking in a no parking zone. Then I was thinking about buying a gun to kill anyone that tried to tow my car or give me a ticket. Lucky there was a parking spot and I went back into my dorm. Once in my room I was still raging and started to throw stuff on the floor. Then all of a sudden I went back into depression mode and started crying that I had no food.


I looked up the symptoms of bipolar disorder and it was almost exactly how I was feeling. It was almost like Adderall made me feel bipolar. However I don't have any of the symptoms of bipolar disorder while not using Adderall. I'm not depressed and I have never been know to get so angry so fast over the smallest things. Also I have never had mood swings like that. I stopped taking Adderall and I'm going to my doctor to try something different. Has anyone else had such a bad reaction to Adderall? I don't think I have been misdiagnosed but is that possible?

You know what, I re-read that middle part of your paragraph. I must of been half asleep last time I read this. I apologize about that. That actually did sound like bipolar and the way your moods were flopping around, and how you felt sounds scary. (Thinking about hurting others, etc) I'm not saying you have it, but this medication is definitely no good for you. I hope you have seen a psychiatrist already or made an appt to let them know about this. Take care of yourself, don't take it again if possible.