Starting on Dexedrine

[junkhouse]

Hey,

I haven't posted on this forum for awhile so forgive me if this belongs elsewhere! I have been on Wellbutrin for just under a year now at 150mg a day, in September that dosage was increased to 300mg a day. Just today my physician and I decided to give Dexedrine Spansules a try at 10mg twice daily. I am a male in his 20s, tall and just under 200lbs, so my tolerance level for chemicals is quite high.

With Wellbutrin (or as I call it, my Wellbuty, because somehow nicknaming it makes me more interested in taking it) I noticed some actual effect, like my mood stabilized and my ability to focus and function was increased at certain times.

My question is, after I ease myself of Wellbutrin and start my dosage of Dexedrine, what should I expect to experience? Is 20mg daily a dosage high enough for me to see effects the same day? Or does it take time to build up in the system? My doctor and my pharmacist both gave me different answers! So any ADDForums help would be greatly appreciated.

[Matt S.]

Speaking from personal experience with both meds you are inquiring about... their effects are different and I guess it is a matter of brain chemistry... I take 50 mg of dexedrine but on wellbutrin i can not handle the rapid heartbeat so it is used as a temp deal for dexedrine vacations at 100 mg max Im male 5'8" and 140 lbs... im increasing to 70 mg this week when i see the doctor I know that there is a liver enzyme test that my doc used to see if i really "needed" it or just wanted extra and my body metabolizes this drug faster than most so my "therapeutic level" due to my limited elimination half life he projects will be accurately 90-120 mgs and i have been taking stimulant meds since i was a child and also recently transitioned from 2 30mg adderall xr tabs twice a day to this dose and this dose works even better... some small children require Desoxyn (methamphetamine in rx form) the strongest there is at doses of 60 mg and above and there are 300+ lb men who can take a 5 mg short acting ritalin, the "weakest stimulant" med in the adhd med pool, and split it up into 2 2.5 mg doses and that is their "therapeutic range" its a combo of liver and brain response rather than size from what i can tell so if you havent been on stimulants before then it is good to "test drive" dosages to assess what is needed to manage symptoms

[junkhouse]

thanks for your reply!

I never knew that about the liver, I knew that a bit of it was on brain chemistry (well obviously i guess, it is a chemical imbalance ) . I was supposed to slowly decrease my Wellbutrin but in my eagerness to start Dexedrine I read up on how I should ease off it while introducing the new med. I'm going to ask my doctor for advice but tried a small dose today. Wow! Wellbutrin had nearly no effect on me compared to this. Dexedrine had me clearer and more energetic in an hour than i've been in probably forever. I'm going to go back to my Wellbuty and follow my doctors instructions to the letter, but am I ever happy with Dexedrine!

I'm a smart guy and have accomplished much in my short life so far, but man, what I wouldve accomplished with a mindset like today. Although I'm not getting my hopes up, you know how that can be.

Another question, when a dexedrine dosage wears off does anyone find that they are a little mentally slow for a half hour or so. I was in a class and I just couldnt get what was going on, and now that I look at my notes I totally should have. Is this a sign that I should retarget the time/frequency that I take my doses? I know that one day is definitely not reflective of my real reaction to the drug. :P

P.S. I'm all excited now, I think I may have finally found a tool to crack my ADD problems and to start using my ADD benefits!

[QueensU_girl]

You may want to try ONE of the 10 mg Spansules first.

Side effects tend to be "dose dependent" for all medications. [The higher the dose, the higher the risk/intensity of side effects.]

It would be a pity to start high, and quit due to side effects.

Start low, go slow.

PS. And remember to (a) monitor your blood pressure monthly and (b) go get your EKG (electro-cardiogram) done.

[Matt S.]

i have adhd with the h so i tend to "speed" up for those short in between periods that you describe