Any Ex-Ritalin/ aderall users out there?

NeonNikki
NeonNikki Posts: 87 Member
edited October 1 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi- I have begun to cut back on my ritalin. I never abused and always took breaks so I didn't really notice any withdrawals. In fact, I feel much nicer and more pleasant while not on ritalin. However, my apatite is up and I have gained 10-15 pounds this summer. I have been on ritalin since I was 17. I am now 21 going on 22.

Anyone have experience coming off Ritalin or Adderall or any other ADHD med? Did you experience weight gain? Did it stop after awhile. Do you feel it has affected your metabolism or adrenal glands in any way??

Any help/ advise would be great!

Replies

  • elinsofie
    elinsofie Posts: 69 Member
    Bump
  • Krull_the_WarriorKing
    Krull_the_WarriorKing Posts: 650 Member
    I was on Adderall for a while and when I stopped taking it I did have weight gain. I found myself snacking more than I did while on the medicine.
  • harley0269
    harley0269 Posts: 384 Member
    i went off ALL my meds. adderal was one of them. it was rough at first. had to force myself to get up & move. coffee in the am helps with that. no serious appetite problems, other than i got mine back.
    my weight gain was from not be able to move (im disabled) & from all the other major meds i was on.
    mfp is great. just keep logging & keep moving. you'll do great.
    good luck
  • NeonNikki
    NeonNikki Posts: 87 Member
    thanks! bump-anyone else
  • blacksbjr
    blacksbjr Posts: 7
    I and all three of my kids have ADHD, and when we forget to take our meds (Adderal, Concerta, or Celexa) our appetite increases. But if you still need the medicine why are you trying to get off of it? You may feel that you are nicer off of the meds, but what do the other people around you say? Sometimes we cannot tell when we really need it except through the observations of others. :smile:
  • NeonNikki
    NeonNikki Posts: 87 Member
    i'm just worried about the long term ill effects. You can't take ADHD med's forever. I did need them- I was very impulsive in my teens and made many bad choices. So yes. The medicine was a godsend. However- I heard you build up a tolerance so I am giving myself as many breaks as possible.

    I don't want to permanently deplete my dopamine levels and end up worse off than I was.
  • xHelloQuincyx
    xHelloQuincyx Posts: 884 Member
    still on adderall but hopeing to get off soon :/ i like how productive i am on it, but it makes me feel jumppy and i dont really eat anything. so i guess this is a bump lol
  • NeonNikki
    NeonNikki Posts: 87 Member
    Bump???
  • cownancy
    cownancy Posts: 291
    I was on both Ritalin and Adderall and YES, I gained weight after I got off of it. After Ritalin worked for 15 years, I have a new doctor who is trying to say I am NOT ADD.....what a tool. Gonna give her a couple of visits and if she doesn't change her mind, I'm going back to my primary who WILL prescribe it. I don't want it for weight loss, I just need to get my concentration back.
  • weinsteinharriet
    weinsteinharriet Posts: 1
    I've been on Ritalin for excessive daytime sleepiness for 8 years.I am 61 years old. I am not allowed to drive without Ritalin in my system. Over the last few months I've been decreasing the daily dosage of Ritalin. My doctor suspects that Ritalin may be causing chat pain and irregular heart beat.I decreased from 40mg/day (20 mg SR at 7:00 am and 20 mg SR at 10:00 to 10 mg am and 10 mg at noon..Ritalin has helped me be more engaged in life.However, decreasing the dosage is making me less engaged.
    I find that I'm putting on weight since I decreased the ritalin dosage . I crave carbs a lot. I have sleep apnea and insomnia. If I don't take ritalin my restless leg syndrome and insomnia are worse.
  • lblert
    lblert Posts: 55
    I quit taking my Adderal XR a couple of months ago. I haven't really noticed a difference in my appetite and I am continuing to lose weight at the same pace as when I was on it. The only thing I've noticed is that I don't get excessively hot like I did on Adderall. My body temperature seems more regulated.
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