Prescription ADD medication, anyone else take it and how doe
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allroundthesun
Posts: 290
First off, I want to be clear that I'm NOT talking about illegal or recreational use of these medications, I'm STRICTLY talking about them in the context of having been prescribed by a competent doctor, taking them as prescribed, and actually needing them to function. I know there's a lot of controversy about this type of medication, but I would really appreciate it if we could please keep that debate out of this thread, as I'm just looking for advice and input from those in similar situations. 
So that said, I take Dexedrine (it was prescribed to me following an extensive evaluation by a psychiatrist, not just tossed at me like candy by a GP, and my ability to focus, to concentrate, my attention span, my memory, my ability to listen to others speaking and follow what they're saying, and my restlessness are like night and day when I'm not taking it vs. taking it, so going off it isn't an option, I truly need it to function) and I'm finding it impacts my eating habits.
I take 15mg at 10:00 AM and 15mg at 4:00 PM (as prescribed, and my doctor is firm about not wanting the timing altered), and the 10:00 AM dose really messes with my ability to eat breakfast. I can't eat before taking it (weird personal quirk, ever since I can remember, I feel sick if I eat first thing in the AM, before 11:00+ - when I was little my mother would have to send my breakfast as my "snack" to eat at our morning recess at 11:15 :laugh: ) and once I've taken it my appetite is gone until around 3:00 PM. When I say my appetite is gone, I mean that making myself eat is akin to making yourself eat if you have a stomach virus - food is so repulsive that you just can't bring yourself to eat it. As a result, I'm finding it impossible to eat breakfast ,and skip right to lunch around 3:00 PM and then supper around 8:00 PM, plus usually a snack between and/or after those. Oddly, my 4:00 PM dose doesn't affect my appetite very much (maybe for the first hour or two, but not all six hours like the morning dose) and aside from the breakfast issue, it doesn't drastically inhibit my appetite overall, even though that's a common side effect. I know breakfast is an important meal, though, which is why I'm concerned.
I tried several similar medications before this one and had awful side effects, whereas the appetite problem in the morning and having turned into a huge chatterbox who never shuts up (which is admittedly embarrassing :blushing:, as I'm sure it's driving my family and friends nuts, especially since I've always been a fairly quiet person, but I'm working on it) are the only side effects from this one, so I don't want to risk intolerable side effects (agitation, twitching, shaking, racing heart, extreme insomnia, crazy mood swings, etc.) again with something else. Again, I can't emphasise enough that I am NOT intentionally using this medication as a diet aid.
Does anyone else take Dexdrine or anything similar (Ritalin, Adderall, etc.)? How does it affect your appetite and your eating habits? Do you experience any issues regarding those, and have you found any solutions to them? I would really appreciate any input/advice from people in the same/similar situation, or anyone who's knowledgable about this type of medication, as long as the advice isn't, "Quit taking it and try _____ homeopathic thing!" instead, or similar, please, as that's not an option for me. Sorry so long, and thank you so much in advance for any ideas/suggestions/input!
-- Juliet
So that said, I take Dexedrine (it was prescribed to me following an extensive evaluation by a psychiatrist, not just tossed at me like candy by a GP, and my ability to focus, to concentrate, my attention span, my memory, my ability to listen to others speaking and follow what they're saying, and my restlessness are like night and day when I'm not taking it vs. taking it, so going off it isn't an option, I truly need it to function) and I'm finding it impacts my eating habits.
I take 15mg at 10:00 AM and 15mg at 4:00 PM (as prescribed, and my doctor is firm about not wanting the timing altered), and the 10:00 AM dose really messes with my ability to eat breakfast. I can't eat before taking it (weird personal quirk, ever since I can remember, I feel sick if I eat first thing in the AM, before 11:00+ - when I was little my mother would have to send my breakfast as my "snack" to eat at our morning recess at 11:15 :laugh: ) and once I've taken it my appetite is gone until around 3:00 PM. When I say my appetite is gone, I mean that making myself eat is akin to making yourself eat if you have a stomach virus - food is so repulsive that you just can't bring yourself to eat it. As a result, I'm finding it impossible to eat breakfast ,and skip right to lunch around 3:00 PM and then supper around 8:00 PM, plus usually a snack between and/or after those. Oddly, my 4:00 PM dose doesn't affect my appetite very much (maybe for the first hour or two, but not all six hours like the morning dose) and aside from the breakfast issue, it doesn't drastically inhibit my appetite overall, even though that's a common side effect. I know breakfast is an important meal, though, which is why I'm concerned.
I tried several similar medications before this one and had awful side effects, whereas the appetite problem in the morning and having turned into a huge chatterbox who never shuts up (which is admittedly embarrassing :blushing:, as I'm sure it's driving my family and friends nuts, especially since I've always been a fairly quiet person, but I'm working on it) are the only side effects from this one, so I don't want to risk intolerable side effects (agitation, twitching, shaking, racing heart, extreme insomnia, crazy mood swings, etc.) again with something else. Again, I can't emphasise enough that I am NOT intentionally using this medication as a diet aid.
Does anyone else take Dexdrine or anything similar (Ritalin, Adderall, etc.)? How does it affect your appetite and your eating habits? Do you experience any issues regarding those, and have you found any solutions to them? I would really appreciate any input/advice from people in the same/similar situation, or anyone who's knowledgable about this type of medication, as long as the advice isn't, "Quit taking it and try _____ homeopathic thing!" instead, or similar, please, as that's not an option for me. Sorry so long, and thank you so much in advance for any ideas/suggestions/input!
-- Juliet 0
Replies
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my best friend takes dexadrine. she swears by it. she takes it from her boyfriend strictly to lose weight. she also takes ritalin and adderall on occasion for the same reasons. so, you're not alone in that it makes your appetite go away.0
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I know how you feel with the "controversy" of this subject. Our son, Caleb, is on Concerta, and we have heard many MANY people's opinion on it (without asking). Personally, until they have walked a mile in our shoes, I think they can keep their opinions to themselves. We thought long and hard before resulting to medication. It was not an easy decision.
Anyway, having said that, I'm not a whole lot of help. Caleb's appetite is definitely curbed by the medication. We always give him his pill first thing in the morning, and then feed him breakfast before it kicks in. Throughout the day, he usually does not eat much. His lunch bag comes home full more often than not, because he's just not hungry, and we don't force it. By late afternoon, the medication starts to wear off and he eats us out of house and home. It's not ideal, but he is getting the nutrition he needs (according to his nutritionist at St. Jude), so we let it go.0 -
my best friend takes dexadrine. she swears by it. she takes it from her boyfriend strictly to lose weight. she also takes ritalin and adderall on occasion for the same reasons. so, you're not alone in that it makes your appetite go away.
Oh, even though I don't know her, that makes me worry for her. :frown: I don't intend any disrespect in saying that, it's just so dangerous to play with these medications. Any chance you can encourage her to cut back, or do you just want to stay out of it (don't blame you if you do, it's a delicate issue, especially with a close friend)? -- Juliet 0 -
Oh, I so completely understand what you mean, my son has ADHD and I battled long and hard with people regarding medicating, but a friend said to me, if your child had cancer would you give him the drugs he needed??? And now he is on Concerta and I see he finally has a chance at succeeding, he is so very smart you know. His dad has it too and would surely benefit from medication, but we are not together anymore and is not willing to listen so...
Anyway, same with my son, I stuff him in the morning and he eats a bit during the day ( more now than when he first started) and then he is ready to eat when he comes home. He has lost weight, but I think more because he is just a lot more active now and has grown 3 inches in the last 3 months.
So, said all that to say, do you think maybe you could tolerate a good protein drink with fruits blended before the meds kick in in the morning? That may help and maybe another in the afternoon and then dinner.
I wish you the best!0 -
I don't know anything about this family of drugs, but why do I get the feeling they keep people from beheading friends and loved ones? Anyway, if you take the drugs with a glass of milk, does that lessen the effect of the drugs? Milk is high in protein.0
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I take Straterra for the same thing (ADHD). How long have you been on it? With my Straterra it took 3 months for the side effects to go away. I was having the opposite problem, I couldnt get enough to eat.0
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I've never been on Dexdrine. But I used to be on Adderal and I'm now on Ritalin. I never had the eating problem, but I remember my doc suggested that I eat 30 minutes prior to taking my meds to make side effects less servere. Hope that helps.0
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I know how you feel with the "controversy" of this subject. Our son, Caleb, is on Concerta, and we have heard many MANY people's opinion on it (without asking). Personally, until they have walked a mile in our shoes, I think they can keep their opinions to themselves. We thought long and hard before resulting to medication. It was not an easy decision.
Ohhhhh, I know. While I don't doubt that *sometimes* these medications are prescribed unnecessarily, lots of people truly need them and the judgement and having to defend yourself hurts - like you said, it was not an easy decision made without a lot of thought! I'm glad you made the decision you felt was best for your little guy. -- Juliet 0 -
Hey, I take adderall and I have for about 5 or more years now.
I have the exact same problem, I am usually not hungry for breakfast or lunch and I end up eating a way late lunch, then a late dinner just to make sure I have calories consumed. I am supposed to take Adderall 20 mg twice a day. I only take Adderall 20 mg one time a day, if I took the second dose I would never sleep. I already have issues sleeping taking the first dose. I also take mine anywhere from 5 30 in the morning to 8 in the morning. I am in nursing school and work so dependent on what time I have to get to class, clinicals, or work is when I take it. The side effects (SE) that I have: Sweating, and I mean really bad sweating. Just under my arms, no matter what the temperature is outside, freezing = sweating, burning up outside = sweating. The only way I was able to get around this issue was I got botox injections under my arms, they last 6 months and voila no more sweating. SE #2, cold extremiities. My fingers and toes are always cold when I take adderall because it messes with your circulation. It's not a horrible SE though. SE #3, chatter box crisis. I too can't shut up. #4) and a good one in my opinion, adderall is a stimulant, so it stimulates everything in the morning, so my GI system is completely regulated every day as if I drank a pot of coffee. lol.
With all of that said, here is my suggestion to you. If you are having any trouble at all with sleeping then I WOULD talk to your doctor about adjusting the dosing time. There is absolutely no reason at all that you would need to take it at 10am when you are taking a second dose to make sure you last through the day. I would suggest possibly taking it earlier, maybe by 8am, take second dose at 2pm. That way instead of eating lunch at 3 you may feel more hungry around 1 which is closer to a "normal" lunch routine. My doc told me to take my first dose around 7-8 am and take the second around 12 or 1pm. However, I still only take the first dose. I did try the Adderall XR (extended release) but I felt more side effects with it, and got less sleep so I went back to regular.
As for food: Protein shakes!!!!! Drink a protein shake every morning, you can get shakes with calorie ranges starting in the 100's and up. For you I would suggest getting a protein shake that has about 300 calories close to 30g of protein etc. You have to drink water to take your pills anyway so instead drink the protein shake with it. Then just make sure you still get your water in throughout the day. Also, I COMPLETELY understand about the repulsive food thing. Sometimes I can even start to feel hungry, but nothing at all even sounds good or appetizing, not even my favorite foods. My suggestion, for an early snack eat yogurt. It is very light, it's not difficult to get down, I dont feel like I have to 'force' myself to eat it, and it can be eaten quickly. So even if you are not hungry you can take a few big bites of yogurt and be done. Also, light string cheese is pretty easy to eat too. It doesn't seem bulky or disgusting to me for some reason. You can see my diary from yesterday, for breakfast and lunch I had yogurt and string cheese for this exact same reason. (Also I was in school, so it was super easy).
Okay well as with the chatter box crisis I was mentioning earlier, I have gone on and on here. I just hope that any information I gave you is helpful. I know that people can be very critical about others taking adderall, but they just don't understand. I was making C's and D's in college, and the semester I got on Adderall I started making straight A's and have been very close to that range ever since. Some people just can't function the same way as others. I used to be ashamed that I take it, but now I dont give a crap what anyone thinks, I talk to my teachers about it, class mates, co-workers everyone. If they don't like it, I don't care. It doesn't effect my life one bit with what they think AND it doesn't effect their life one bit whether I am taking it or not.
Add me as a friend on here if you would like.
Best of luck.0 -
I don't know anything about this family of drugs, but why do I get the feeling they keep people from beheading friends and loved ones?
Whoa, it is a little insulting to suggest that people that need this family of drugs would be killers otherwise! Try googling them.0 -
I don't take any of these meds, but I'm a teacher and over the years, I'd had several students who take them and struggled with the same eating/appetite issues.
Most of the kids I've known would eat a small breakfast (even something small is still something) before their a.m. dose and then do the same thing with their subsequent doses--if they needed any. I would also let them snack throughout the day, so when the mood to eat struck them, they could.
I'm sure none of this was remotely helpful. :laugh: Good luck to you!0 -
I work in the mental health field and my son has ADD, so I understand what you are going through. You say that you have tried many other drugs with side effects, but there is a newer version of Adderall on the market right now that is called Vyvanse. It metabolizes in your body differently than the other amphetamines and has a smoother onset and offset. There are still some appetite suppressant concerns with it, but overall it seems to cause much less weight loss than others. (Vyvanse.com)
As far as eating breakfast, I'm not big on breakfast either and I find that drinking a protein shake or eating a protein bar helps. There are some good ones out there.
Good luck to you :bigsmile:0 -
Oh, I so completely understand what you mean, my son has ADHD and I battled long and hard with people regarding medicating, but a friend said to me, if your child had cancer would you give him the drugs he needed??? And now he is on Concerta and I see he finally has a chance at succeeding, he is so very smart you know.
...
So, said all that to say, do you think maybe you could tolerate a good protein drink with fruits blended before the meds kick in in the morning? That may help and maybe another in the afternoon and then dinner.
I wish you the best!
I LOVE your comment about how no one would hesitate to take medication for something like cancer, so why not get the help you need for this - you TOTALLY hit the nail on the head! I am so glad he's able to let his intelligence shine now!
The protein drink is an awesome idea! Didn't even occur to me, duh.
I think I could chug a protein drink/smoothie without too much difficulty. I broke my blender when I moved and haven't bothered to replace it yet, will remedy that today! Thank you very much! -- Juliet 0 -
Both my sons have ADHD and are on Focalin. I give them their medicine while they are eating. They nibble though out the day, eat a large supper and usually get a snack between 7-8pm just before they go to bed.0
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Also, you can buy protein shakes at Walmart in the pharmacy area. I buy EAS carbadvantage because I don't want 30g of carbs, but the downside to that is it's less protein. They make a regular version too though that is higher calorie, protein, carbs etc. They don't taste awful either. The ones I drink do taste a little "watered" down to me, so for extra protein and calories I pour in one cup of milk with it. These are easy and on the go, you don't need a blender for them. Blending them in with fruits and veggies would also be a great idea though!0
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I don't know anything about this family of drugs, but why do I get the feeling they keep people from beheading friends and loved ones? Anyway, if you take the drugs with a glass of milk, does that lessen the effect of the drugs? Milk is high in protein.
Uh, no. That's a really ignorant thing to say, frankly. :huh:
I suggest you educate yourself about the difference between ADD/ADHD (http://www.healthline.com/adamcontent/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd#definition) which does not cause serious violent behaviour and which is treated with Central Nervous System Stimulants (http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/central-nervous-system-stimulants-1), and Psychosis (http://www.healthline.com/adamcontent/psychosis), which can cause the extremely violent behaviour you're talking about (http://www.healthline.com/channel/psychosis_complications) and is treated with Antipsychotics (http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/antipsychotic-drugs).0 -
I take Straterra for the same thing (ADHD). How long have you been on it? With my Straterra it took 3 months for the side effects to go away. I was having the opposite problem, I couldnt get enough to eat.
I started taking it in October, and I was reeeallly hoping the side effects would dissipate, but no such luck. :frown: I'm glad yours improved, though, that has to be a relief! -- Juliet 0 -
I've never been on Dexdrine. But I used to be on Adderal and I'm now on Ritalin. I never had the eating problem, but I remember my doc suggested that I eat 30 minutes prior to taking my meds to make side effects less servere. Hope that helps.
Thanks! -- Juliet 0 -
I don't know anything about this family of drugs, but why do I get the feeling they keep people from beheading friends and loved ones? Anyway, if you take the drugs with a glass of milk, does that lessen the effect of the drugs? Milk is high in protein.
Uh, no. That's a really ignorant thing to say, frankly. :huh:
I suggest you educate yourself about the difference between ADD/ADHD (http://www.healthline.com/adamcontent/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd#definition) which does not cause serious violent behaviour and which is treated with Central Nervous System Stimulants (http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/central-nervous-system-stimulants-1), and Psychosis (http://www.healthline.com/adamcontent/psychosis), which can cause the extremely violent behaviour you're talking about (http://www.healthline.com/channel/psychosis_complications) and is treated with Antipsychotics (http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/antipsychotic-drugs).
Didn't mean to come across in a bad way, but thanks for the links.0 -
Hey, I take adderall and I have for about 5 or more years now.
I have the exact same problem, I am usually not hungry for breakfast or lunch and I end up eating a way late lunch, then a late dinner just to make sure I have calories consumed. I am supposed to take Adderall 20 mg twice a day. I only take Adderall 20 mg one time a day, if I took the second dose I would never sleep. I already have issues sleeping taking the first dose. I also take mine anywhere from 5 30 in the morning to 8 in the morning. I am in nursing school and work so dependent on what time I have to get to class, clinicals, or work is when I take it. The side effects (SE) that I have: Sweating, and I mean really bad sweating. Just under my arms, no matter what the temperature is outside, freezing = sweating, burning up outside = sweating. The only way I was able to get around this issue was I got botox injections under my arms, they last 6 months and voila no more sweating. SE #2, cold extremiities. My fingers and toes are always cold when I take adderall because it messes with your circulation. It's not a horrible SE though. SE #3, chatter box crisis. I too can't shut up. #4) and a good one in my opinion, adderall is a stimulant, so it stimulates everything in the morning, so my GI system is completely regulated every day as if I drank a pot of coffee. lol.
With all of that said, here is my suggestion to you. If you are having any trouble at all with sleeping then I WOULD talk to your doctor about adjusting the dosing time. There is absolutely no reason at all that you would need to take it at 10am when you are taking a second dose to make sure you last through the day. I would suggest possibly taking it earlier, maybe by 8am, take second dose at 2pm. That way instead of eating lunch at 3 you may feel more hungry around 1 which is closer to a "normal" lunch routine. My doc told me to take my first dose around 7-8 am and take the second around 12 or 1pm. However, I still only take the first dose. I did try the Adderall XR (extended release) but I felt more side effects with it, and got less sleep so I went back to regular.
As for food: Protein shakes!!!!! Drink a protein shake every morning, you can get shakes with calorie ranges starting in the 100's and up. For you I would suggest getting a protein shake that has about 300 calories close to 30g of protein etc. You have to drink water to take your pills anyway so instead drink the protein shake with it. Then just make sure you still get your water in throughout the day. Also, I COMPLETELY understand about the repulsive food thing. Sometimes I can even start to feel hungry, but nothing at all even sounds good or appetizing, not even my favorite foods. My suggestion, for an early snack eat yogurt. It is very light, it's not difficult to get down, I dont feel like I have to 'force' myself to eat it, and it can be eaten quickly. So even if you are not hungry you can take a few big bites of yogurt and be done. Also, light string cheese is pretty easy to eat too. It doesn't seem bulky or disgusting to me for some reason. You can see my diary from yesterday, for breakfast and lunch I had yogurt and string cheese for this exact same reason. (Also I was in school, so it was super easy).
Okay well as with the chatter box crisis I was mentioning earlier, I have gone on and on here. I just hope that any information I gave you is helpful. I know that people can be very critical about others taking adderall, but they just don't understand. I was making C's and D's in college, and the semester I got on Adderall I started making straight A's and have been very close to that range ever since. Some people just can't function the same way as others. I used to be ashamed that I take it, but now I dont give a crap what anyone thinks, I talk to my teachers about it, class mates, co-workers everyone. If they don't like it, I don't care. It doesn't effect my life one bit with what they think AND it doesn't effect their life one bit whether I am taking it or not.
Add me as a friend on here if you would like.
Best of luck.
Thank you sooooo much for this, I could have written a lot of it myself, it is so, so wonderful to talk to someone who totally "gets it" (since everyone reacts differently; we can all relate to some extent, but it seems like you and I have very similar reactions)!
Adderall was AWFUL for me, especially the XR. It didn't affect my appetite as much, but like you, it made me sweat like crazy (but cold sweat, like when you have the flu), and on top of that I was also soooo volatile emotionally (little issues that wouldn't even bother me ordinarily would make me either in a furious rage or sobbing hysterically upset, and I am not a crier at all, I had crazy mood swings, everyone irritated me, etc. it was nuts, literally :laugh:), I was agitated and nervous, my heart raced so fast I felt like I was going to have a heart attack, light hurt my eyes, I felt permanently out of it, like I was on auto-pilot, and I had really bad insomnia (as in, being awake for 70+ hours), ugh, just the memory is making me shudder, haha.
And yeah, I think you have a good point about the timing. For some reason my doctor has been really insistent about the schedule, but I think I need to bring it up with her again and have a serious discussion, because this schedule just isn't working.
I'm working really hard on not caring what others think of me taking it, and I'm getting there (I think one of my personality flaws is that I worry too much about what other people think about me in general, which I'm also working on) - I think it's so important for people to be open about these things because if not, the taboo and stigma is never going to go away, and it really needs to, because like ANewLucia said above, it's no different than taking medication you need for a socially "acceptable" illness, there shouldn't be any shame in it. So good for you, I really admire that and I hope I can get to the point of doing the same.
And haha, the non-stop talking also crosses over to typing posts and emails that are like a zillion words long for me too, it's so funny! It's embarrassing, but it just feels s awesome to talk and talk and talk (or type and type and type), it's so weird! Anyway, thank you so much again! -- Juliet 0
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