Adderall is causing insane loss. Worried.

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Replies

  • on 40mg adderall how much weight will i loose in a month
  • LioshaM
    LioshaM Posts: 129 Member
    My son takes Ritalin and when he first started he lost a lot of weight. The medication does suppress your appetite. My son used to come home and would not have touched his lunch. The doctor stated to feed him a big breakfast with lots of protein and a very big dinner and if he wants seconds let him have at it. He did gain the weight he lost (10lbs) about 6 months later. He actually takes his meds before school starts and then right after lunch.

    So my advice is before you take your meds eat a really good meal... complete with lots of protein, fruits and vegetables.
  • scarrletti_girl
    scarrletti_girl Posts: 479 Member
    when i was younger i took the same drug for adhd. when i took it i was very rarely hungry and it was really hard for me to gain weight because the adderall maintained my weight and then i started only taking it for the school week monday through friday and i started to gain a healthy amount because i was under weight. so it is normal because everyone else that i know that went on it also didn't eat very much and would lose weight or just not gain and some people take it because of it's weight effects. i hated that drug because it caused me to have depression, food problems, and so many other things. but i took it for a lot longer from 1st grade until sophomore year of high school.
  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
    My daughter takes Focalin for ADHD and has for about 4 years, we have never seen an increase in her desire to eat not after 2 weeks, not after 4 years. We do a few things since she's 14 and only 75 lbs (of course she's also only 4'10").

    - she eats breakfast before taking her meds this way she has a good amount of food in her to start the day
    - during the school year at lunch she is always allowed to buy ice cream, which she does about 3 days a week
    - she HAS to eat a protein bar before track/XC practice HAS to no if/ands/buts about it
    - she drinks whole milk
    - I cook with extra fat in her food, olive oil, butter etc
    - she has protein with almost every meal
    - we eat later at night when her meds wear off, usually about 7 at night which is easy since we usually have soccer and track/xc practices to go to

    She is so active we really need to keep on top of what she eats. I tracked her calories about two years or so ago and she was netting in the negative numbers. Also she doesn't take her meds much when school is out or on the weekends.

    Set an alarm to eat even if you have a tablespoon of peanut butter or a handful of nuts.
  • scarrletti_girl
    scarrletti_girl Posts: 479 Member
    I don't know much about Adderall specifically since its not available in Canada, but I do know its in the same drug class as crystal meth, which scares the crap out of me! I'd be really careful with it, its equally as addictive.

    Yeah.... it's really not. Adderall is a schedule II drug and can be addictive to some individuals, nothing compares to meth. The things meth does, chemically and biologically, in a person's brain is terrifying. Amphetimine... not so much.
    Amphetamine is the real substance that is in adderall, methamphetamine is in desoxyn.

    Methamphetamine is amphetamine with a 'Methyl'(Meth) group added to the end of it. The two are extraordinarily similar in molecular structure, although they have distinguishable effects. There isn't a pharmacist or doctor I know who would compare adderall and meth and equals in the addictive-ness category.


    They are virtually the same. The key difference is purity. (lab grade/street additives) The idea that meth is more addictive than any other amphetamine is absurd. The potential for addiction *does* exist, which is why many doctors refuse to prescribe it at all, in spite of a person's medical history.


    when you don't have to take it, it can be addictive but when you are prescribed to it as a child it really isn't addictive I actually stopped taking it sophomore year of high school because I hated it and was not even close to being addicted to it. but it just depends on the people and the situation. that's why it is only a prescribed drug now and not for everyone to buy anymore, like it used to be.
  • How did you loose 5 to 10 pounds a day?
  • attackhamster
    attackhamster Posts: 58 Member
    How did you loose 5 to 10 pounds a day?

    Cut off one of your arms.
  • Autk79
    Autk79 Posts: 283 Member
    I think it effects everyone different. I know two people that werent ADD and started taking it. They both lost WAY too much weight , got anxiety and heart problems and high blood pressure and never had a appitite. And now when they dont take it they seem like they have ADD. I took Ridilin for prob 10 years and never had side effects but because of experience Ive seen with friends I will never take Adderall. Im not saying it happens to everyone. I have another friend that lost a lot of weight and then cut her prescription in half and now has stopped losing weight. But like I said, its diff for everyone but in my eyes as a outsider I think its a horrible drug, especially for children.
  • Act2130
    Act2130 Posts: 18 Member
    I don't know much about Adderall specifically since its not available in Canada, but I do know its in the same drug class as crystal meth, which scares the crap out of me! I'd be really careful with it, its equally as addictive.

    Adderal is an amphetamine but that doesn't make it bad. Vicodin is an opiate- doesn't make it nearly as bad as heroin. Psudaphedrine (I.e. Cold medicine) is the main ingredient in meth-- but most people have taken it at some point in their life.

    As far as adderal making you lose weight--- it is also a diuretic-- make sure you are drinking lots of water. And I agree with everyone else-- your diet should stabilize within a few weeks.
  • KDar1988
    KDar1988 Posts: 650 Member
    My son was 6 when he started on it for ADHD. He lost 10lbs in a month! A 6 year old cannot afford to lose that much weight (especially when he was skinny to start with!). His school lunches came home uneaten every day. Made me sick to see how it affected a small child. He was off those meds quick. We found another that was better and he gained the weight back. He's almost 19 now and hasn't taken the meds for at least 5 years.
  • Methamphetamine is a more potent form of amphetamine...the methyl group allows it to penetrate the blood brain barrier better due to it being nonpolar. It isn't your place to say that a doctor would agree that meth is more addictive than amphetamine unless you are one yourself. I feel that both have the potential to be extremely addictive because depending on your lifestyle and body chemistry you can have different levels of absorption of amphetamine. Also, I'm not really sure why this was brought up on an adderal question when adderal is not pure amphetamine it is a mixture of four amphetamine salts.

    I lost 13 pounds my first week on adderal years ago and I always forgot to eat or I felt sick just at the thought of food. I looked like a skeleton, but it went away after the first month. I found that eating a big meal before taking it helped and also I would leave reminders on my cell phone calendar to eat.
  • sunburntgalaxy
    sunburntgalaxy Posts: 455 Member
    I have been on Adderall for years for my narcolepsy and didn't loose a pound - did gain a lot though. So I think it is going to be different for everyone. Of course because of my narcolepsy I also really just want to take a nap when I get home so I used to grab whatever was quick and easy for dinner, which usually meant take out. So that is part of the problem too.
  • fitnfab_meyer
    fitnfab_meyer Posts: 11 Member
    My 11 yr. son is the same way, he has Narcolepsy and has not lost anything. Which was actually frustrating for him because he put on 30 lbs in 3 months because of the on-set of Narcolepsy.
  • samzapata06
    samzapata06 Posts: 1 Member
    Ok I know this is late like 3 years late but I take adderall. I was on concerta too and it’s the sameness but adderall is stronger no matter what you’re gonna lose weight and it’s not a bad thing. If you are worried just drink ensure do a protein shake because it helps boost it up. I have no problems with loosing weight but I keep myself healthy
  • Greyem93662
    Greyem93662 Posts: 1 Member
    5 years late, but just in case anyone looks and finds this post (like I did)
    I’ve been on my Adderall for 3 months. My appetite STAYS gone while I’m on it. I HAVE finally started to get hungry while on it every so often, but it’s still so ridiculously easy to ignore, that I DO ignore it and keep working (very busy/fast-paced job) and go all day without eating. Easily.

    I make myself eat dinner (or at least something “bigger” at dinner time) and TRY to snack a bit throughout the day, but I also have an issue of finding ANYTHING that sounds good. Ever. And if it doesn’t sound good, I don’t eat it.... there were a lot of foodless days in the beginning!

    I’m now slipping from the awesome-I’ve-lost-weight-FAST frame of mind and into the okay-now-I’m-getting-a-little-thinner-than-I’d-like... I’m hoping to make a change before I get to the “now I just look sick” look.

    One of my best friends works at GNC and I asked him if there were any protein bars he would recommend (even when all I wanted was junk <aka CAKE> I LOVE protein bars!...the chocolatey ones. No idea why, seeing as most are super gritty and chalky, but I love them!

    He actually recommended a shake! A meal replacement shake. Differing from slim fast because it’s not designed to help you lose or make you feel full, it’s designed for weight lifters...so it jammed full of the extra protein and calories they need to take in every day.

    I started with GNC “Pro Performance” Bulk 1340 - Vanilla Ice Cream flavored. Not taking into account that I HATE vanilla. Yeah, stupid move, I know! But... the cookies and cream? 😳(there needs to be a cross-eyed emoji!) 🤤

    Hope this helps someone!!!
  • mom22lyns
    mom22lyns Posts: 5 Member
    5 years late, but just in case anyone looks and finds this post (like I did)
    I’ve been on my Adderall for 3 months. My appetite STAYS gone while I’m on it. I HAVE finally started to get hungry while on it every so often, but it’s still so ridiculously easy to ignore, that I DO ignore it and keep working (very busy/fast-paced job) and go all day without eating. Easily.

    I make myself eat dinner (or at least something “bigger” at dinner time) and TRY to snack a bit throughout the day, but I also have an issue of finding ANYTHING that sounds good. Ever. And if it doesn’t sound good, I don’t eat it.... there were a lot of foodless days in the beginning!

    What dose did you start at? And what dose are you at now? Also, are you taking the IR or XR?
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    It is a horrible medication. It is essentially meth, puts strain on the heart, causes heart damage over time, and I don’t recommend it.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,926 Member
    Adderall sounds similar to Ritalin which is used for severe ADHD.

    of course do not use it other than as appropriately prescribed by a medical specialist - but don't be afraid to use it if your condition or your child's condition, , as assessed by a specialist, warrants it.
  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
    I don't know much about Adderall specifically since its not available in Canada, but I do know its in the same drug class as crystal meth, which scares the crap out of me! I'd be really careful with it, its equally as addictive.

    Yeah.... it's really not. Adderall is a schedule II drug and can be addictive to some individuals, nothing compares to meth. The things meth does, chemically and biologically, in a person's brain is terrifying. Amphetimine... not so much.
    Amphetamine is the real substance that is in adderall, methamphetamine is in desoxyn.

    Methamphetamine is amphetamine with a 'Methyl'(Meth) group added to the end of it. The two are extraordinarily similar in molecular structure, although they have distinguishable effects. There isn't a pharmacist or doctor I know who would compare adderall and meth and equals in the addictive-ness category.

    It's also a first cousin to phentermine, which is a weight-loss drug. I think it's kind of a second cousin to pseudoephedrine, which is (kind of) OTC for nasal congestion.

    We use (prescription) drugs that are similar to street drugs all the time. And people abuse prescription drugs on the street. It doesn't mean they are bad when used as prescription drugs, prescribed by a doctor.