Crushing extended release beads: does it really make a difference?

[frankie_DJ]

SWIM crushed 20mg of Dexedrine ER (equivalent of Adderal XR) and didn't notice much different high from taking 20mg uncrushed spansules (except that the onset is 20 minutes faster and it doesn't last as long).

Furthermore, it kinda makes sense to SWIM that there shouldn't be any difference - 20mg is 20mg, can't make 40mg out of it by crushing the beads.

SWIM guesses it would make a difference if you are snorting it, but if you swollow it...same thing,

Someone correct SWIM if he is wrong. Or confirm his experience. And BTW, YES, SWIM crushed them to a very fine powder, using his mortar and pestle, so that is not an issue. Thanks.

[Benzeneringz]

Technically, crushing the extended-release beads will make a difference. In practice, however, I believe there are other factors (enviromental, tolerance, previous use) that influence how a drug feels. Those factors, combined with the route of delivery, comprise an experience. For example, SWIM has taken clonazepam several different times at different dosages. Each time, the intensity of the effect varied greatly, even with similar dosages. Since I'm talking about a benzodiazepine here, it's fair to guess that the variation in drug effect is/was a result of stomach content, biological state at the time, manufacturer of the tablet, etc..

But back to the topic at hand: the XR mechanism of the beads. A 20 milligram capsule of Adderall XR isn't exactly 20 milligrams, like you were saying. It's like taking two 10 mg tablets of Adderall 4 hours apart. Half of the beads are coated with a thin coating of sugar phosphate; the other half of the beads carry a much heavier coating of the stuff. The heavier-coated beads (or packets of D-amphetamine or racemic salts if you're talking about Adderall) don't get dealt with by your body for roughly 4 hours after swallowed. Crushing turns it into an IR formula so to speak. And everyone knows that the pleasurable & addictive aspect of a drug is largely based on how quick the dose can cross into the brain. Imagine it like a spike in a line graph- that's what you get when you crush the beads- and a gradual sort of mound- which is swallowing the beads whole. The mound never peaks in the same pleasurable way of the spike. Does this make any sense? SWIM is a little intoxicated with amphetamine so this is a choppy-sounding post.

[frankie_DJ]

benz thanks for the reply.

So what swiy is saying is that if one *doesn't* crush the beads, *double* amount should be taken to achieve the same effect as with the immediate release, and it will last twice as long, Right?

Well swim guesses that makes sense if the mechanism of release is the way swiy described. And Wikipedia backs swiy up in the case of Adderall XR. But none of this is mentioned in the case of Dexedrine ER.

What bugs swim, however, is the article that he read some time ago (and swim can't google it up right now for the life of him) which describes a different release mechanism. Something about some polymers being chemicaly bound to amphetamins. This provides steady release for extended period, as the body breaks the polymer down slowly. If this is indeed the mechanism, crushing the beads will hardly change much - chemical reaction would be needed to break amph's of the polymers.

Swim will try to do an experiment with the greater amount (50-60mg) next weekend and let swiy know. Swim was kinda hesitant to do this as he has severe inattentive add and don't want to develop tolerance. (Swim is trying to sit on two chairs here - he wants his meds to work as they are supposed to, but also would like to use them recreationally once in a while. )

[izzy31]

Taking 20 mg XR is just like taking 10 mg IR and then another 10 mg 4 hours later.