Health - Need advise on ADD medications

[HorseBucket]

I don't do any amphetamines at all and I've never really had much of an interest in them but I'll be studying in college in September and I'm going to need something to remedy my ADD. My doctor kept telling me I should see a psychiatrist and get the ADD test because I exhibit all the symptoms only problem is the test is expensive and I'm only going to take it if I'm positive I need to. I'm having real trouble devoting time to studying anything at the moment. My mind just keeps jumping and I never read anything until the end. Its definitely going to be a problem for me when I start going to college.

I'm a little weary of using amphetamines as a medication because I hear long term use of amps can have adverse effects on the brain.

Can anyone here thats been on prescription amps for a year and up tell me if they have any kind of adverse effects on the mind or not. When taking the prescribed dosages do they still cause loss of appetite and trouble sleeping? Do certain amphetamines like ritalin have less adverse reactions than adderall or desoxyn?

Basically I just want to know if taking ADD meds in the prescribed dosages really is harmless and has no adverse effects on the mind. I know doctors say its harmless when taken in the prescribed dosages but swim wants to hear what people with direct experience think about it.

[GForce]

I was in the exact same position as you. Freshman year of college I get to school and realize I actually have to work (unlike High School which was a joke). Suddenly getting work done wasn't so easy because you don't have much structure to your schedule and I wasn't used to actually having to study. So, I saw a psychiatrist and was diagnosed with ADHD. I went because my brother has been diagnosed with it for a while, and my dad has it but refuses to treat it, so I was pretty sure I had inherited it as well. Amphetamines helped me so much I couldn't even think of an adjective to describe how important they were to my (past and hopefully future) success.

I haven't had any adverse side-effects from taking them long-term. I've been perscribed them at least 2 years now. The only long term effect that seems to be talked about is cardiovascular irregularities, although rare. As long as you get an EKG every 6 months or year you'll be fine in that respect.

Perscribed dosags do cause a loss of appetite and trouble sleep. So much so, in fact, that some days when I take Adderall I don't eat at all. SWIM also uses it to stay awake and sharp for all-night studying because they give you so much energy. SWIM takes larger than his prescribed dose usually though, because of tolerance, so these side-effects could be stronger for him. When I take my prescribed dose I have mixed results with appetite, and I can sleep as long as I didn't take a dose within 6 hours of trying to go to bed. However sometimes I can't sleep even if I haven't taken one in a while, so I also have a perscription to clonazepam to calm me down. Generally people can fall asleep using it as directed though. My brother has been on it for probably 5 years now and the side-effects gradually become more and more marginal.

Honestly, the benefits far outweigh the costs if you have ADD/ADHD and are looking for a treatment option.

[HorseBucket]

Thanks alot. I suspected that taking amphetamines in prescribed doses is completely safe but I wanted some opinions from people such as yourself who actually take it. Loss of appetite may be a problem but you can always force yourself to eat I suppose. Trouble sleeping can probably be counteracted with other drugs.

I'm going to see the doctor in the next few days and find out about that test. I'm interested in the subjects I'll be studying in college but I have a really hard time paying attention in classes and even at home reading at my own pace my mind wanders like mad and I end up turning on the TV and doing about 5 other things on the computer at once and never get anything done. Hopefully prescription amphetamines can help me focus. Nearly everyone says similar things to you that the benefits outweight the downsides so I'm fairly optimistic about it.

[GForce]

Worst case scenario you take Adderall for a month and decide you don't like it. There are plenty of other treatment options. However I do believe Adderall is the best treatment, hands down, for ADD/ADHD.

[HorseBucket]

Did you have to take a test before the psychiatrist diagnosed you? Was it expensive?

[Donmeka]

SWIM will be getting his 20mg Adderall again since he does not have insurance for a bit and ran out of the extras he had of his Desoxyn script and his ADHD symptoms have become a burden again after a month without any ADHD medication.

so SWIM thought to himself and remembered having adderall for months before desoxyn and that it was cheaper with insurance and SWIM bet it was cheaper without. SWIM wont put the prices here but paying for Desoxyn (120/mnth) supply versus Adderall (60/mnth) is a 300% difference.

Adderall works GREAT does what its supposed to and does it well SWIM just responds to Desoxyn much better, the only side effect SWIM gets is mild anxiety but he gets Xanax a well so when taken together SWIM is at perfection. Also desoxyn did not effect SWIMs appetite at all but he remembers Adderall did but marijuana helped with that very well.

to SWIM Desoxyn is the God of ADHD medication but adderall is Jesus so id suggest adderall first and if you get more side effects than u think you should try vyvanse or something or desoxyn which i actually hear is extremely hard to get.

people here have told SWIM his regiment of 20mg adderall 2x daily or 5mg Desoxyn 10mg 2x daily with 2mg Xanax bars 3x daily was rare. o well SWIM lives happier than ever in recent history.

[HorseBucket]

Good to hear Donmeka. The wonders of pharmacology. Cure a mental ailment and live a better life at the same time.

Swim talked to his doctor and he told swim he is going to setup an appointment with a psychiatrist at the end of this month. Swims hoping he can be prescribed something before September because he starts college then.

Does it take long after being evaluated to get your first prescription? Swim knows without a doubt he's going to be diagnosed with ADD because he gets abnormally high marks on those internet ADD tests every time. Swims just concerned about how long it will take until he can get the meds.

[Donmeka]

give it an appointment to 3 MAYBE but they wil give you a simple test and then give a diagnosis

[ShawnD]

Originally Posted by HorseBucket

Basically I just want to know if taking ADD meds in the prescribed dosages really is harmless and has no adverse effects on the mind.

They absolutely do have negative effects. It's not the amphetamine itself; it's the time release part that is a problem.

Your brain is arguably more active while sleeping than it is while you're awake. During the process of sleep, the levels of chemicals in your brain wildly fluctuate, and this is perfectly normal. Levels of acetylcholine drop during slow wave sleep, then they shoot up during rem sleep. Dopamine follows the same path. Serotonin is all over the place, there's human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria.

So what's the problem with prescription ADD pills? The problem is that they prevent wild chemical fluctuations in the brain, and it screws up your sleep as a result. It's nice that amphetamine will make you smarter and more alert, but it's all for nothing if your brain can't retain any of it when you're severely sleep deprived.

Personally, I think amphetamine should be taken sparingly; not every day. It's a very powerful tool, but limiting your brain's rem sleep is like forgetting to change the oil in your car. It's bad, and it gets worse the longer you do it.

[Brothaman]

SWIM has been taking 10mg adderall in the morning for some time now and SWIM feels that it really has a great effect. SWIM also takes 10mg of Lexapro, the combination of which works for SWIMs particular needs but SWIM just recently added this and took the adderall solo for some time. SWIM is a senior in college and in SWIM's opinion adderall is a great tool to help SWIM study. Granted, SWIY has to put in the work, but adderall puts SWIM in the mindset conducive to doing it. SWIM doesn't know about the chemistry involved, but the previous post is definitely research worthy. SWIM hopes this helps!

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thanks for the info

[blackdb1]

Swim just got prescribed adderall recently at 30mgs a day. 20mg morning and 10mg afternoon. This however does not do the job for swim!!! He finds that with 30mgs he starts to notice a difference in his ADHD symptoms.

Swim has been waiting for a LONG TIME because 1st the dr wanted to get suboxone dosage staedy for swim and then he added 4mgs Klonazepam a day because swims Alprazolam .5mg 3x a day wasn't working perfectly by itself! So swim then had to get adjusted to his daily Subs, xanax, and klonopin. So just recently swim got Rx'ed adderall and it has made A HUGE, HUGE difference!!!

Swim had lack of motivation, excessive daytime sleeping, he couldn't stay focused on 1 subject AT ALL and the adderall has cure all that! Swim is doin 1000000% better now as 6 months ago he was so bad into opiate addiction he thought he'd NEVER RECOVER!!! But even as bad of a junkie swim was there was still hope for him and he enjoys life to the FULLEST EVERYDAY now that he can go ANYWHERE and not have to worry about having enough opiates to keep out of withdrawal, and waking up EVERY SINGLE MORNING fiending for oxycodone SOOO BAD!!!

Life can really turn around 180 degrees when dedicated to fixing the problem!!! Swim now enjoys life more than ever now and wouldn't even consider going back to his old ways!!! -bdb1-

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good to hear

[HorseBucket]

Swim was prescribed Strattera for about a month and it didn't help swim concentrate at all so his doctor switched him to Ritalin. He picks up his first batch of Ritalin today. Strattera is weird shit. It definitely has some recreational effects similar to the way your body feels on ecstasy but theres loads of side effects with it. He's glad hes off the shit and he's fairly optimistic about the Ritalin since alot of people like it and say it works unlike Strattera which the majority of people react badly to.

Thats good to hear blackdb1. Whats RX'd Adderall? Swim thinks in his case Ritalin will probably do the trick but he'll ask his doctor about Adderall in the future. Swims heard alot of good things about Adderall. Swim is a classic case of all the ADD symptoms but on top of that he also gets excessive daytime drowsiness so thinks Ritalin is gonna work wonders for him. He knows other stimulants like meth does. Even opiates seems to relieve all swims drowsiness and lack of motivation and all that other crap associated with ADHD. Swim would rather have a Ritalin habit than a heroin addiction though.

[Coconut]

Originally Posted by HorseBucket

swim is a classic case of all the ADD symptoms but on top of that he also gets excessive daytime drowsiness so thinks Ritalin is gonna work wonders for him.

My tree also suffers what he believes to be ADD and/or excessive daytime sleepiness. Everything feels like a dream, almost Matrix-like, he cannot concentrate on anything for long (unless he finds it extremely interesting in which case he cannot stop until it is finished!) and he is always fatigued despite much sleep.

He says he'd be very interested in hearing how SWIY reacts to Ritalin and whether or not it improves/eliminates his symptoms!

[HorseBucket]

Coconut the Ritalins cured my concentration problem completely it seems and gets rid of my daytime drowsiness but at the same time I'm the opposite of jittery and on edge like too much caffeine does. Instead I'm as calm as humanly possible but at the same time I'm ready to get up and work. Its a win win situation. Its kinda mild though I'm gonna try get my doctor to up my dosage.

Its improved things by about 500% and I haven't had any of the side effects people talk about. I didn't have any crash at all and I woke up this morning feeling refreshed. I feel much better than usual, have a more optimistic outlook on life, I get a burst of euphoria if I drink a cup of tea and loads more upsides. Its hard to sleep but thats nothing a bit of nytol or melotonin can't sort out. Hasn't even lowered my appetite, on the contrary when theres food to be eaten I horse it into me. At dinner time I eat 2 dinners now.

The only downsides compared to amphetamines is it doesn't enhance my social skills or make me more confident or anything like that. Its messing with my memory a bit. Certain things which I've remembered for months which usually pop into my head instantly it takes a bit of effort to remember now. Amphetamines on the other hand improve swims memory. It doesn't give me any ambition or motivation though I still have to give myself a little push to make myself start tasks but once I start I'm unstoppable.

That sounds like ADD alright Coconut. Not all people with it are hyper some have daytime drowsiness instead. I definitely recommend talking to a psychiatrist and getting the test. Ritalins like a miracle in my case. I'd say Adderall would be even better but I don't think they prescribe amphetamines in Ireland.

I noticed your in Ireland too Coconut I can recommend a good psychiatrist who specializes in ADHD. He's one of the authorities on ADHD in Ireland so the universities will accept a letter from him so your tree will get special treatment (longer time to complete tests and that kinda shit) to compensate for its disability.

[blackdb1]

Swims glad to hear swiHorseBucket's medication is working out well for him!!! Swim says Adderall is a real life saver for swim, because of his daytime sleepiness and his ADHD!!! He only uses it when really needed though...

To the question about "RX'ed Adderall"... RX is a prescription in the USA, so it just means prescribed Adderall...

Swihorsebucket keep swim updated on swiyour progress with your ADD/ADHD!!! Swim wishes you the best of luck!!!!

[Potter]

As far as long term damage goes, at your age, it's really unlikely, unless you start abusing the hell out of the stuff.

Take breaks when ever possible. Got a day or two you have nothing to do, don't touch the stuff. Try and get a week free of meds every other month or so, and if possible every other weekend.

Lack of proper nutrition is your biggest worry. Make sure to eat every day, preferable two or three times a day. The stuff kills your appetite and can make it hard to want to put food in, but you've got to. Make sure it's healthy food too. Chips and ramens don't count. Vitamins can be a useful prophylactic, but don't think they will replace meals.

[Bajeda]

Originally Posted by Potter

Lack of proper nutrition is your biggest worry. Make sure to eat every day, preferable two or three times a day. The stuff kills your appetite and can make it hard to want to put food in, but you've got to. Make sure it's healthy food too. Chips and ramens don't count. Vitamins can be a useful prophylactic, but don't think they will replace meals.

I feel that this is one of the main factors that leads to problematic side effects from RX amphetamine use. You have to arrange your eating habits so that you remember to eat at the right time, and so that it isn't too difficult to eat a full meal. If you are taking amphetamines to help focus and concentration it doesn't help to sabotage your efforts by not eating! Food is just as necessary for adequate concentration and amphetamines aren't a substitute for this.

Additionally, good hydration is something a person taking prescription amphetamines should keep in mind as the substance can have a dehydrating effect. Its good to keep a bottle of water around within sight so one remembers to keep hydrating with it.

The other main thing to consider is sleep. Amphetamines can mess with sleeping habits of some people, so its advisable to keep track of your sleeping habits to make sure they remain healthy. Adjusting the time at which one ingests their amphetamine dose may be necessary if one is having trouble sleeping at the usual time. Its highly recommended to get a minimum of six hours of sleep. Less than that is likely to result in added strain on the circulatory system, including higher heart rate and blood pressure, which will be exacerbated by amphetamines and have a detrimental effect, so make sure to get enough sleep!

[HorseBucket]

Swims pretty happy with his Ritalin prescription all in all. One thing he finds is that if he takes it early in the day come the evening he has to endure an almighty crash and taking more Ritalin doesn't alleviate this crash in fact it makes it worse but when he wakes up the next morning he feels great for the whole day way better than he usually would when he's not taking stone sober for days. Ritalin seems to have a positive long term effect on swim.

Anyhow on a more negative note swim notices he has mild liver pain. Is this a cause for concern? He thinks its liver pain because its always his upper right side right below his ribcage that hurts. A mild pain but a pain none the less. Swims gonna go to the doctor one of these days and find out what the problem is.

[Potter]

Yes go to your doctor, sooner the better. Livers are not supposed to hurt, so if there is pain, something is wrong. It might be related to Ritalin, it might not be.

As for the end of the day crash, try spreading your morning dose out a bit, say break each pill in half and space them by 45 minutes or so. This can help alleviate some of the issues by faking the slower absorption of an extended release pill, with out the fear of having to deal with 12+ hours of the drug (which can be a lot of not fun). You really don't want to be interfering with your sleep cycle. If the second dose is keeping you up much later then you usually sleep, it may not be good in the long term.

Glad everything is going well.