How to Lessen/Avoid Adderall Crash (IR)

[aquarius8821]

Hi,

I was prescribed the 30 MG IR pills. I do not take them regularly just when I need to study or want a boost haha.......but when I do take them my crash is terrible. I usually break the pill in half and try taking a 15 mg IR dose first but even this hasn't helped. The effects start to kick in after about 30 min-1hr for me and they are great. I am usually kind of hyper but in a productive way (and very social which may limit my level of productivity). Anyway I usually don't even take the full 2nd dose (30 MG IR) until after the crash has begun and sometimes I don't take it at all. I love the effects of the medication and it helps me a lot with concentration while studying, etc. BUT THE CRASH MAKES IT SEEM LIKE IT'S NOT EVEN WORTH IT SOMETIMES. I FEEL TERRIBLE. IRRITABLE, NO APPETITE, NO MOTIVATION TO REALLY DO ANYTHING. I USUALLY GET INTO REALLY BIG ARGUMENTS WITH PPL OR DEBATE THINGS FOR NO APPARENT REASON DURING THE CRASH PERIOD.
The 30 MG IR that I have been prescribed lasts about 3 hours (maybe a little longer sometimes) but the peak seems to be the first 2 hours. This is hardly enough time for me to begin studying a chapter much less finish it.

My question to you guys IS:

****WHAT HAVE YOU GUYS DONE (TIPS/TRICKS) TO LESSEN/AVOID THE ADDERALL CRASH SYMPTOMS? ******


-I read somewhere that Magnesium supplements would help but when I asked the pharmacist she said that their is no proof that they work.

-Also, would taking adderall with energy drinks such as red bull help to lessen the crash because while the adderall may wear off one could continue drinking the energy drink to "soften" the fall. I have never had any bad reactions to energy drinks, even when taken with adderall.

-I have noticed that although adderall ABSOLUTELY KILLS MY APPETITE most of the time the only things I can bear to eat are fruits (usually sour fruits like Kiwis and Strawberries). Is it possible that eating fruits can help to lessen the crash symptoms?

-Third would music help with lessening the crash? I love hip hop music because it alone is usually enough to stimulate me and give me a 'boost'. Theres nothing better than some Weezy/TI/Jeezy/kanye/T.I. lol to get you pumped up. But it definitely does not make me want to study....just flirt with girls. When I listen to that stuff while on Adderall all I want to do is flirt with girls (even ones I'm not particularly interested in loL)

I really need to find a way to handle the crash symptoms because they are terrible for me. I do not want to change to other drugs such as Ritalin because adderall seems to work for me and I read about a lot of the BAD side effects of Ritalin.



**BTW I am 5'9 and weigh about 150 lbs. I am very athletic and work out a lot so I guess my metabolic rate is too fast for any of the lower doses of adderall (ie. 10 mg IR) to be effective.

[Veggymel]

Im very interested to see the replies here...good question. I just started Adderall and havent had too bad of crash symptoms...aside from the normal exhaustion later on..I have been eating fruit each day though. I would think the energy drinks would make it worse or cause "double crash" since they are less long acting and they have terrible crash symptoms...they make you come down real hard real fast.

[aquarius8821]

but I never really have any 'crashes' as a result of energy drinks

[MECMR]

Personally I find taking Adderall on a regular basis decreases the crash symptoms. Taking it "for a boost" does not give your body a chance to adjust. It's like a first dose every single time you take it. You are going to soar and then slam down.

Sour fruits like kiwi and strawberries...if they are high in vitamin C or citric acid, they will inhibit the absorption of Adderall into your system, and make it leave your body more quickly. So, if you are eating those fruits often when you take your meds, you are diminishing the effects...basically lowering your dose. Taking MORE will not help, you have to adjust your diet to suit the meds. The fact you feel less crash when you do this may indicate you need a lower dose after all.

Energy drinks often have caffeine. Caffeine plus Adderall can make for really horrid feelings of heart palpitations, nausea, confusion, hyperactivity with NO focus...it may feel like it works for you now, but it could come back to kick you in the butt.

There are threads on here about dealing with the crashes and with building a tolerance...however, you don't seem to be building a tolerance at all, and there would be better ways to deal wtih the crashes. I'm not sure they will help you at all.

I'm curious why you don't take a daily dose at a level that is consistently helpful, and instead choose to take it "for a boost" in the way you describe. You might be able to see much better effects and learn much more about dealing with your own behaviors. Why not choose to take it on a daily basis and see what you can learn? If you are prescribed 30 mg pills and only take 15 mg, why not ask for the pills to be cut so you can take 15 mg 2x a day? The pharmacy will cut them for you, or you could get a pill cutter and do it on your own.

I really think you are doing yourself a disservice by not taking the meds in a more consistent way. You might be setting yourself up for problems later on. It's only my opinion, you can discard it if you wish.

I wish you luck.

[DesertDave]

I didn't know pharmacies would cut your pills for you.

Why don't doctors or pharmacists tell you to avoid Vitamin C and citric acid, if that's known to affect Adderall? Any idea?

[aquarius8821]

Hi,

Thanks for the detailed response. A little background... I am 20 years and currently in my junior year of college. I have only recently started taking adderall. I first tried it towards the end of spring quarter (May) after a friend of mine told me about it and I realized that half the campus was using it during final's week. I don't know what level of ADHD I may actually have but I have had the symptoms for as long as I can remember...BUT even though I wasted a lot of time while studying I somehow FORCED myself to get things done by HYPERFOCUSING (which led to me neglecting all other things).
I decided to try out adderall because now as a junior in a Physiology major my classes are very difficult and I have been doing poorly for the past year.

You may be right in that I should try taking adderall on a regular basis. I have never taken adderall for more than 2 days at a time (3 TOPS). But the reason for this is that I am afraid I will become addicted to the medicine or develop a tolerance for it which would render it useless to me in the future. Also, the reports of side effects associated with long term use are a little frightening (especially ED and some kind of effect on libido......although I am almost certain that the effect on me so far has been the COMPLETE OPPOSITE for both those counts loL). In the short term, adderall kills my appetite most of the time (of course taking it regularly might change this) AND I usually can't sleep the days I take it even if I am doing nothing productive. So I have been taking it like before midterms or to study a chapter of ochem...things like that. Adderall also has an initial "buzz" with very strong euphoric effects so sometimes I might "abuse" the drug and take it recreationally to party or something (it makes you feel great like you're the ****...but that might just be magnifying my usual cockiness lol)....but I do this very rarely....not that often because once again I am worried about the severity of the crash.

[MECMR]

Hi Dave:

If your doc orders something that must be split, they will do it. I think the doc can mark it "split tabs" and they must to do it. Ask your pharmacy and they will tell you if they need the note on the script.

I am not sure why the warning is not on the label...it's not on my current bottle, but I think my first bottle of Adderall said to avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice. I read about the citric acid issue on here.

Soda has a lot of citric acid, as do many soft drinks and mixes like Crystal Light. I just avoid them completely, but some say it's sufficient to avoid them an hour before or after taking the meds.

[RoboticPaper]

Dude, have you even tried a lower dose?

You say your metabolism is too fast. I have a really fast metabolism too and I weighed as much as you a few years ago, and I had been on the medication for many years, and was only taking 5mg 4 times a day (20 mg).

Lower the dosage. Right now I'm 175 and there's no way I could handle a 30 MG ir pill. I couldn't even handle a 20 mg pill.

You may be right in that I should try taking adderall on a regular basis. I have never taken adderall for more than 2 days at a time (3 TOPS). But the reason for this is that I am afraid I will become addicted to the medicine or develop a tolerance for it which would render it useless to me in the future.

No, the medication will still have an effect as long as you dont keep upping the dosage. But you are correct to take time off in between days on the medication if you aren't sure you want to commit yourself to it or not.

Read all the info on the forums about the ups and downs of this medication. Educate yourself, don't rely on a doctor to spoon feed you information, because in my opinion they can steer you in a bad direction.

My doctor for example wants to up my XR dosage. Well doing that is going to increase my tolerance to the drug since I'm not used to taking more than 10 mg at a time. So now with 30 mg xr, that means I'd be getting hit with 15 mg at once. No thanks. I've been on this medication for 15 years and even though I still think there should be the oversight of a good doctor, I've made it this far without going up in dose very much and I'll be damned if I'm going to let someone ruin it for me.

Originally Posted by MECMR

I really think you are doing yourself a disservice by not taking the meds in a more consistent way. You might be setting yourself up for problems later on. It's only my opinion, you can discard it if you wish.

I wish you luck.

Yeah I would definitely discard that and I'm open to debate on the issue. Especially after reading other peoples experiences stopping this drug after being on it for a while. As long as he's using it for studying and isn't taking it and going out partying...

Don't let any single person weigh on your opinions too heavily kid. read read and make ur own choices.

[mystery]

Originally Posted by DesertDave

I didn't know pharmacies would cut your pills for you.

Why don't doctors or pharmacists tell you to avoid Vitamin C and citric acid, if that's known to affect Adderall? Any idea?

I think I remember them telling me this when I picked up dextroamphetamine (similar to adderall). It's was on the information they provide.

aquarius8821,
The following are some ideas.

The first thing I would try is half of the 15 mg, or 7.5 mg. You can't conclude that it won't work until you try it. It is possible to split a pill 4 ways.

Dose strategically to ease the come-down. See if you can get your doc to prescribe a few 5 mg adderall tabs, and break these in half. Take 2.5 mg 30 minutes before you would crash. Another thing, is try taking one of these 5 mg tabs initially, then try 2.5 mg initially. If you are just going to take it for an occasional boost, then it wouldn't be surprising if only a small amount is needed for a significant effect.

You might want to try dextroamphetamine sulfate tablets, or "dexedrine". This is one of the 4 salts in adderall, and might result in less of a crash.

To ease the energy slump, you could try caffeine. I just searched the Adderall XR prescribing info (same active ingredient as Adderall IR), and can't seem to find any reference to caffeine. It would be best to ask your doctor if this is ok, and to keep the caffeine to a lower dose than what you usually take.

I like to use Acetyl l Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid to pick up my energy levels and appetite. They seem to work very well for me.

Try a mutl vitamin/mineral. If you can find one that is chewable, then it might be absorbed more quickly, and help up your energy levels faster. It would be best to take this 1/2 to 1 hr apart from your adderall so that it doesn't interfere with adderall absorption. One of the main constituents to energy drinks is often B vitamins, along with other vitamins and minerals sometimes.

Nutrition - If you are not eating enough, then it is likely that the adderall will result in a worse crash. Try and remember to eat even if you are not very hungry. Also focus on eating good food, and not garbage. Like, a few soft drinks and donuts for a meal is just a bunch of sugar and will not provide sustained energy that your brain really needs now that it is being amped up on adderall. Try and eat foods with more protein, and plenty of vitamins and minerals.

Sleep - Do you use adderall on days following a poor nights sleep? Without enough sleep, it is likely that the crash will be worse. Again, it is like you are over clocking your brain, so it is important to give it plenty of rest.

Try meditating once you hit the crash, or take a nap. Drink plenty of water, and just cut off all sensory input to your brain and think to relax. This may accelerate how quickly your brain and body can bounce back.

I think eating fruits could help because they are loaded with plenty of vitamins and minerals which can help pick up energy levels and restore the body from the demands of being in stress mode from adderall. Some contain glucose which is a sugar that can be used very quickly by the body, and will raise energy. They also contain other sugars which are metabolized more slowly and will provide more sustained energy.

I think music, or anything that can help with mood can ease the crash. And if the side effect of listening to music makes one want to flirt with girls, than I don't see how that couldn't be beneficial as well.

[mystery]

Originally Posted by aquarius8821

You may be right in that I should try taking adderall on a regular basis. I have never taken adderall for more than 2 days at a time (3 TOPS). But the reason for this is that I am afraid I will become addicted to the medicine or develop a tolerance for it which would render it useless to me in the future. Also, the reports of side effects associated with long term use are a little frightening (especially ED and some kind of effect on libido......although I am almost certain that the effect on me so far has been the COMPLETE OPPOSITE for both those counts loL). In the short term, adderall kills my appetite most of the time (of course taking it regularly might change this) AND I usually can't sleep the days I take it even if I am doing nothing productive.

I think you have a valid concern. I don't see how there could be a significant problem just using it to smooth out the rough spots in school or work. It would be a good idea to discuss this with your doctor though. If he permits you to take weekends off or something, then say: "On weekends, I still feel like I can study..., but on certain days at school, I feel like I really need the Adderall to pay attention and focus. Would it be ok to use it selectively?" And he/she might have some ideas to help you.

[aquarius8821]

Originally Posted by mystery

aquarius8821,
The following are some ideas.

The first thing I would try is half of the 15 mg, or 7.5 mg. You can't conclude that it won't work until you try it. It is possible to split a pill 4 ways.

Dose strategically to ease the come-down. See if you can get your doc to prescribe a few 5 mg adderall tabs, and break these in half. Take 2.5 mg 30 minutes before you would crash. Another thing, is try taking one of these 5 mg tabs initially, then try 2.5 mg initially. If you are just going to take it for an occasional boost, then it wouldn't be surprising if only a small amount is needed for a significant effect.

Hi,

How far apart should 7.5 MG IR (1/4 30 MG pill) be taken to avoid the crash? Would the effect still last for ~3 hours? Also, I find that the meds have more of an effect when taken on an empty stomach (BUT that means I end up not eating at all that day because of the appetite loss afterward).

Also where would I find Acetyl l Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid? Are those two seperate supplements?

[sees]

for (sudden) withdrawal, i had success using l-tyrosine (sustained my energy). also, a (vicious) opposition to drug dependency and positive mental state helped (prevent whatever a psychological craving would bring: irritability, frustration).

or do you refer to a "crash" at the end of adderall's influence a the end of the day? nothing here, mate, as i dont notice any (unpleasant) occurrences.

as for sexual, capsules were great. i had extensive control over everything. tabs coupled with my life situation are causing me stress, thus causing impatience (less interest, endurance).

[aquarius8821]

l-tyrosine -
do you take this supplement before taking adderall or after? would it work if you have already reached the 'crash' stage?

ALSO-

is there any way to 'force' the remaining stuff out of your system and stop the crash? like if you hit the gym and just start running on a treadmill (5 miles?). would this speed up the recovery?

[mystery]

Originally Posted by aquarius8821

Hi,

How far apart should 7.5 MG IR (1/4 30 MG pill) be taken to avoid the crash? Would the effect still last for ~3 hours? Also, I find that the meds have more of an effect when taken on an empty stomach (BUT that means I end up not eating at all that day because of the appetite loss afterward).

Also where would I find Acetyl l Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid? Are those two seperate supplements?

You'll need to experiment with how long 7.5 mg lasts. I was looking for a specific cognitive effect from dex to improve focus. This effect seems to last longer than the energy boost from it, so if I take less then I get plenty of focus, but not as much energy nor energy crash. My improvement in focus lasts through the energy crash. So in summary, taking less was just as effective for improving focus and concentration for just as long.

Acetyl l carnitine and alpha lipoic acid can sometimes be found together in a ratio of about 2:1, which seems about right. They are separate supplements though. Try a small dose first and gradually go higher, as these can cause some sides like anxiety and insomnia if too much is taken.

[aquarius8821]

Originally Posted by mystery

The first thing I would try is half of the 15 mg, or 7.5 mg. You can't conclude that it won't work until you try it. It is possible to split a pill 4 ways.

Dose strategically to ease the come-down. See if you can get your doc to prescribe a few 5 mg adderall tabs, and break these in half. Take 2.5 mg 30 minutes before you would crash. Another thing, is try taking one of these 5 mg tabs initially, then try 2.5 mg initially. If you are just going to take it for an occasional boost, then it wouldn't be surprising if only a small amount is needed for a significant effect.

Hi,

Would the 2.5 mg pill taken 30 min prior to an expected crash (after ~3hours) help to lessen/prevent the crash symptoms regardless of the initial dose? Like if I were to take a 15 mg dose and then 2.5 30 min before a crash. I would assume that for a higher dose like 30 mg I would have to cycle down to like 7.5 mg then 2.5? Or is the 2.5 mg sufficient to ease the fall from a dose like 30 mg as well?

ALSO...would this help prevent the effects on sleep and appetite loss?