How long until I notice that Adderall starts working?

[musicpainter]

I am 23 and have just been diagnosed with ADD. I have suspected for a long time that I have ADD but finally just got "tested" and diagnosed.

My doctor started me on Strattera but that was bad. All day I was mentally exhausted and incredibly lethargic and then around 9pm the fog would lift off but by then my body was physically exhausted because it was late and I was ready to start slowing down to fall asleep. However, I would not fall asleep until like 2:30-3:00 am. Then wake up at 7 or 8 am. So my doctor prescribed me Hydroxyzine to help me sleep. I was also really nauseous every morning and after a week of taking it, I started throwing up from the nausea. That was the last straw, also learning it may take up to a month for it to start working when finals are in a few weeks. So I went to my doctor and she prescribed me Adderall.

I am on 20 mg of Adderall XR and have some 10 mg IR for breakthrough symptoms. I started taking it this morning and am noticing that I have more energy but also feel like I am wired. Like I don't need to blink. But am wondering a few things:

1. How long until it starts working for ADD?

2. Will I feel different? Like with antidepressants, you feel happy, and with anti-anxiety medicines, you feel calm. But how will I feel with Adderall? Will I just notice more motivation? Will I have more energy? Or will I not notice I feel different until I try to do something that involves concentration (like reading, or getting things done that I need to, like cleaning and laundry)?

3. I'm also worried about becoming addicted. I have had problems with pain medicine, benzodiazepams, and sleep medicines. But, when I took large doses of those, I would feel a beautiful euphoria and just general feel of calm. But I'm not noticing that with Adderall. I'm not feeling that right now, and hoping that it doesn't happen in the future. Does a typical "high" feeling obtained with most opiates happen with Adderall?

Any help or tips on any of these questions would be so helpful!!

[excel]

I have taken any medicine for adhd yet.You could aways give you medicine to someone who could give you the medicine as prescribed by the doctor. That way you wont have direct access to it. That would help with the addiction wories.

[Brookeslost]

I too just recently started Adderall XR. I felt like I needed to move get things done so much that I could clean my whole house all day and still find other things need to be done and do them in seconds!
I actually loved the constant having to do things(and doing them) Now on the next few weeks I have found it doesn't do that(which is normal? I read on here~ I thought it wasn't working after a cpl days) but provides a better way to cope and figure things out, get things done but without that RUSH to do it NOW NOW NOW, become more calm because the excess in my head is not there, I can calmly deal with life now for once. I kinda feel badly for things I have done in the past but look forward to the future of a new ME! I love that too I told my therapist I finally feel normal for the first time in a LOOOOOONG time.

[musicpainter]

Originally Posted by excel

I have taken any medicine for adhd yet.You could aways give you medicine to someone who could give you the medicine as prescribed by the doctor. That way you wont have direct access to it. That would help with the addiction wories.

Thanks. That was one of the things I learned in rehab for pain medicine when I had an upcoming surgery after being sober for a while. I will keep that in mind (I had forgotten that technique so thanks for reminding me!) if it becomes a problem. I sorta feel right now that I need to learn to try and practice self control while I'm still living with my parents, for when I move out in the near future and will most likely be on my own again and living by myself and will have to keep the medicine with me, if that makes sense at all. My brain is a little jumbled right now.

[CptNemo]

That makes sense,but for the beginning,having your parents hang on to it will allow you to 'test' yourself,and still not get in 'trouble'.Parental 'training wheels'.

If your parents know about your self-described concern about abusing meds in the past,it would also ease their minds too,in addition to appreciating your wisdom.

Btw,many people claim to feel they are less likely to abuse,when medicated properly.
Lastly,I personally have my own fears,especially with the types of meds you do.
Adderall is a stimulant,and usually has opposite effects as them. Some people do claim to feel calmer with it,but I haven't had much success yet in any positive way.
At least we both know our brains enough to watch out for tell-tale signs,and your parents would seem to be a great tool.

Originally Posted by musicpainter

Thanks. That was one of the things I learned in rehab for pain medicine when I had an upcoming surgery after being sober for a while. I will keep that in mind (I had forgotten that technique so thanks for reminding me!) if it becomes a problem. I sorta feel right now that I need to learn to try and practice self control while I'm still living with my parents, for when I move out in the near future and will most likely be on my own again and living by myself and will have to keep the medicine with me, if that makes sense at all. My brain is a little jumbled right now.

[musicpainter]

Thanks. I have considered talking to my parents. I just don't want to worry them. I know this will sound like a warning sign and all, but I have seen what I have done to my parents over the past 10 or so months (I've been clean a little over 9 months now) and I don't want them to worry too much. My parents know what medicine I'm on. I just want to be responsible. I've come a long way from where I was. Living alone, staying in all day and getting high. Going through opiates like they were breath mints. Taking 30 Norco in 3 days. Taking 10 Xanax a day. But I also know I don't want to go back there. I was okay after my surgery 3 months ago when I was given Vicodin for the post-surgical pain. I didn't abuse it but I know this is a whole new realm. I don't want to end up in detox again, or spend another 3-4 months as an outpatient in rehab. I have learned so much and come so far to screw up so royally again and go back there. I'm in school, and desperately trying to succeed and become employed and think with my diagnosis of ADD, I'm truly on the right track. I have made great progress and hope to never go back. But that worry I think will always be there. Because as some people think (myself included) "Once and addict, always an addict" and I think just knowing the potential is there, and turning to my "Relapse Prevention Guide" that I had to compose upon exiting rehab, I have steps set up for when I see a potential relapse, and if I feel scared that it may happen, I know what to do.

I know this a long and convoluted response and I hope I don't sound super defensive or in denial about my past and possible future problems, I appreciate your suggestion and will probably talk to my Mom today and tell her my plan now that I have done a ton of research so far today on Adderall and ADD, and it's possible problems that may arise.

[umm_lemme]

If you are like me you will feel markedly different. I started on 5mg twice daily of Adderall IR this week. Within 40 mins of taking a pill, my heart-rate jumps from 65 to 85, so most direct effect is coffee-like stimulation.

As far as psychological addiction potential -- I think there's a big difference from the opiates like oxycontin. I was prescribed oxy after surgery last year, and fell in love after first pill. It made me feel good and I actually became quite productive. After the effects wore off, I wanted more. Tolerance, cravings are things to watch out for with developing addiction.

Adderall on other hand makes me feel a bit like I'm on a deadline....when the effects wear off, it feels a little bit like I just spent a day taking exams. I actually don't get any euphoria from it -- coffee makes me more euphoric than Adderall.

[musicpainter]

Good to know. Thanks. I know all about the opiate addiction cycle. Having gone through that myself. It was awful, but it's over and hopefully done with. I haven't experienced any sort of euphoric high with the Adderall so far today, and was hoping it wasn't going to come. That was the part I loved. I know they're different and all but that worry I think will always be with me and when I know I can become addicted, I feel it's somewhat in my best interest to prepare for it and know what the signs are so I don't "accidentally" or not so accidentally relapse because that would suck.

So far, I have not watched TV since taking it (which is a big change from the past few weeks when I watch tv literally all day until I go to sleep) an have been just doing research online about ADD and Adderall so I know all I can about it. But I still have some things to do, like clean up my room, and bathroom and know I need to but feel like maybe I can today, as opposed to putting it off for a long time, like I have been. I just haven't done it yet. But I do notice the motivation is there. I just don't know if I should be feeling anything in particular like with other medicines to know if it's working or not. I feel like it is, but I don't know if that's just my mind playing tricks on me in hoping that it will, so pretending like it is working, or if it actually is the Adderall working.