Who takes Aderall,and how has it helped you?


instead of wondering how a specific drug would help you, if you have certain issues that affect your life or work, go to a doctor and they find something that works for you, whether its adderrall or something else. You can try different prescriptions until you and you doctor agree on a regimen. Look at you symptoms first then find a medication that fits. I personally used to take ti but i wouldnt reccomend any prescription without a doctors supervision. there will be side effects that should be monitored by a professional. I speak from experience of using many diffent prescription drugs and sure adderroll helped sometime but it gave me anxiety, xanex helped that but made me angry, it was a circle trying to prescribe myself drugs, until i finally sought professional help and found something that worked. im not trying to be critical just sharing my experience. HTH![]()
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I used to take adderall, but be careful if you have anxiety. It would sometimes cause my heart to beat really fast, and I nearly had a panic attack a few times while on it. It's great if anxiety isn't a problem for you. It really helps social anxiety and it made me really outgoing (I'm naturally shy), and I wanted to do anything and everything while on it. It definantly made me extremely hyper and happy. It's really difficult to get prescribed, especially if you're a teenager or in your 20's, because a lot of college students abuse it and sell it. They call it the "study drug" because it really helps you focus, especially in school and work.
I'm an Aderrall junkie. It's how I maintain a 118 lb frame at 5'8". I've been trying to stay away from it though because aside from the negative health consequences, not eating produces that scrawny, soft pudgy look with bones and muscles sticking out. NOT attractive. Trying to just eat healthy and do my yoga to achieve that healthy, feminine look. Plus, it sucks the fat right out of my t & a.
^^^not destructive if given to the person who actually has ADD. Can actually SAVE your life or the lives of people you may have affected negatively because of your ADD (think car accidents that could've been avoided had you been on an attention medicine) You should go and get an ADD test given by a psychiatrist.
Cavities are only more prevalent if you don't stay hydrated. A dry mouth will get cavities 75% more often than a hydrated one.
Regarding weight loss; in the first year of taking Adderall you will have a weightloss of around 5-7 pounds, but once you are consistant on the same mg dosage your body catches up and you will be your normal start weight. If your body doesn't catch up this is a known indicator of someone who DOES NOT have ADD and therefore shouldn't be on it in the first place. If someone continues to lose weight this means that they are upping their dosage as to increase the inital weight loss effects. I don't care who protests this, it is true and I stand on that statement.
If you have depression or insomnia already adderall may worsen it. Some people's depression symptoms are HELPED by adderall in the short term. More than anything you should seem and feel like yourself on it, if you start losing friends you've known for years something's wrong and it may not be for you.
Regarding addiction, no one with actual ADD gets addicted to Adderall in the "let's get high" sense, if someone is taking adderall to get high they most likely do not have ADD. It is not enjoyable for someone with ADD to take too much Meds, trust me. Regarding having to keep taking Adderall your whole life, well yeah-these meds only work as long as you're taking them and for most people with ADD there really shouldn't be a "choice" there is both a personal and societal responsibility that they have to treat their ADD so they can function normally as others do.
Edited to respond to the post that says there's actual studies or something about it being toxic or bad in all cases.
Amphetamines can cause neurotoxic effects due to excess dopamine being broken down and oxidized. Amphetamines can damage your dopamine system beyond repair. This however is more likely a result of amphetamine abuse. Nobody knows if daily use at clinically prescribed dosages can cause this over many years. Unlikely, considering all the ADHD kids who grow up on this stuff, without adverse effect.
Last edited by Camateur; 06-06-2011 at 11:10 PM.
My mother had me diagnosed with ADD when I was in eighth grade. She took me to the doctor and told her I could never concentrate. I never paid attention in math or science class and my room was always a mess. The doctor didn't really question me about any of this; if she had, I could have told her that I didn't pay attention in math or science because the teacher sucked and I didn't like the subjects and therefore I was bored; and my room was always a mess because I was lazy. I knew damn well I didn't have ADD; I could play a video game for like 12 hours straight, no problem; I never had a problem finishing a book that I started; I had no problem paying attention in any class that WASN'T math or science; and I wasn't really easily distracted. Mom's complaint was that when she told me to do something, I didn't exactly drop everything I was doing at the time do run and do it. So, in the way of most doctors, this woman took my mom's word for it and diagnosed me with ADD and put me on Adderall. Over the years, I was on Adderall, Stratera, and Concerta; that was until I actively stopped taking the meds because I hated them. But Adderall was the worst. I always felt like there was this giant ball of energy inside of me trying to get out, but there was only this tiny door the size of a pin for it to squeeze out. I fucking hated it. I felt like the drug was a way to control me; Mom just wanted me to do more housework and pay attention in classes I hated where the teachers couldn't be bothered to actually teach. It had nothing to do with my actual well-being or quality of life. I didn't know it at the time, of course, but the effects I experienced from the Adderall and Stratera and Concerta were actually me getting high; which, of course, wouldn't have happened if I actually had ADD or ADHD or whatever. I think my experiences with these drugs when I was younger was what made me so averse to taking them for recreational purposes as an adult. I've got no problem with recreational drug use, and I have taken a lot of pharmies illegally. But never once ANYTHING that's normally prescribed for ADD. And I've known a lot of people who LOVED abusing these drugs, especially Adderall. One friend I had in law school used to go through a month's supply in like four days; and it wasn't really because she had so much work, as she claimed. It was because she liked to get high and the side effects of the Adderall suited her.
I do NOT recommend this drug. At all. I firmly believe doctors over-diagnose ADD and ADHD nowadays. These kind of drugs aren't meant to be a quick-fix for anything.
My boyfriend takes it for school. He takes 15 mg before his 4 classes at night. Helps him since he works 7-3 and than has class from 5 to 9 p.m (mon-thurs).
I sometimes take it when im tired, or when i need a jump start to a new exercise routine(and wanna lose a few lbs quick). . Or if its a late night and I wanna stay out I pop one. I dont have ADD, and I try to be careful not to take it too often as I have an addictive personality and have had issues with this drug, and others before.
Drug use is a very grey area and depends on a lot of factors like addiction potential, your state of mind, why you want to use a drug, and how often you use it. I will fully admit to occasionally using drugs for recreational purposes. I don't think there's anything wrong with that considering that I don't have an addictive personality, have never felt "cravings" or as if I "needed" drugs, I don't use them frequently enough for it to be a problem/lead to addiction, and I can also have a lot of fun without them too, I'm just a curious and adventurous person.
I have taken adderall for 2 reasons: 1) to help with school. In those weeks where you have 9 assignments due in one week, it's thursday night, and you haven't slept more than 12 hours since the weekend, and coffee just isn't cuttin it anymore! Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. It definitely keeps me concious and keeps me trucking through crunch time 2) to combat those evil chocolate and junk food cravings I get sometimes when I'm pmsing. Poof, craving gone, and I just saved myself from ingesting 1500 calories of complete crap. Just to clarify, I don't do this every time I have a craving, but once in a while, after a really rough day and the craving is reeeeeaaaalllly getting to me.
Why do you want to take adderall? I wouldn't advise any kind of extended/regular use of it as tolerance increases rapidly and you crash afterwards like crazy so I can't even imagine leading a normal life while taking it every day for an extended period of time. If you need to take it occasionally, start with the lowest dose possible to achieve your desired effects. You don't need to take a full pill to keep you awake, infact if you do often it will give you jumpy/twitchy side effects that will not be pleasant or what you are looking for and you will get a bad crash. A lower dose will be much more friendly to you with little to no bad side effects.



I tried Adderall and the "come down" made me feel despondant. I do not exaggerate when I use that word. While the effects of the pill are awesome as far as concentration (I always wondered how it would be to work at the club on it), I will not try it again for that reason. It is too scary to one minute feel amazed at life and then 5 minutes later wonder what it's (life) is all for.
kind of a long post... but here's my 2 cents
I've been on adderall off and on for about a year now. I was officially diagnosed by an ADHD specialist and given a very liberal prescription and told to play with my dosage to find whats right for me.
a little background... I NEVER would have tried adderall, except my boyfriend who is the most wonderfully sweet man in the world has been on it for about 7 years now. So, that blows the whole theory about people becoming introverted zombies, because he is literally the most affectionate man on earth. Like a giant puppy dog.
Anyways, he started taking it in undergrad to get into med school. Took it all through med school and now is in his 2nd year of residency, and takes a very low "maintenance" dose of 5-10 mg xr per day, often taking days and weekends off.
I am also pursuing a medical degree, (not MD) and decided to give it a try. For me, it works tremendously well. I take a very low dose of 5-10mg xr 4-5 times a week. I suspect when school gets more hectic for me, I'll up my dose. I've never taken more than 20mg at a time, and I'd like to keep my dose that low.
I am ADHD. I am very smart, but I get impatient and frustrated easily. In my chemistry class I was almost in tears towards the end of the three hour lecture because I would look around and see everyone else diligently taking notes while I flopped around in my chair.
Adderall has also helped me with my compulsive exercising. I used to work out 2-3 hours a day, sometimes much more if I worked that night also. It was to the point of me damaging my joints. I was doing it for the endorphin rush which actually calmed me down. I am your typical "driven by a motor" type. stimulants help me relax.
As far as my personality, it definitely makes me more withdrawn and slightly cranky in the evening. sometimes. if I have a lot of studying to do, or am engrossed in an art project, I don't want to be bothered because I"m so focussed. On my days off, I am much more giggly and silly.
Adderall has improved the quality of my life because I started taking it at 30, and was already on a healthy path. I don't think I would take it if I lived on a horse farm in the country. I didn't take it at all when I was at a yoga ashram for a month. Something I found interesting about amphetamines is a study I read a while ago about rats. When rats were given the drug while living in a small cage, they took as much of it as they could get. Later, they were placed in a very large cage with toys, sunlight, fun little habit-trails and they took far less amphetamine.
What I'm trying to say with the rat story, is ADHD is so prevalent today (in MY OPNION) because we live in such an un-natural environment. I HAVE TO study and attend classes for FAR longer than I am capable of. my life is very busy and hectic. Maybe it is an unfortunate sign of the times that we need drugs to cope.
Sometimes I feel bad for needing a drug. I wonder if I'll have to take it the rest of my life. Most of the information on the web is overwhelmingly pessimistic. But, I look at my partner and see how far he's come and what an amazing person he is. He has no anxiety or depression issues what so ever, and has been on it for a very long time.
Common sense is your best friend when dealing with stimulant drugs. don't take enough to get high. I don't like feeling high on it, because it distracts me. Take just enough, get lots of sleep and exercise, and for god's sake DONT TAKE THE GENERIC!!! its not even close to the same drug as name brand. pay the extra and get the real stuff, its like night and day.
and pm me if you have any other questions![]()
also, I ONLY take xr, because it is extremely smooth, I hardly feel it start/stop. All of a sudden I'll just notice that I'm able to read or listen without looking around so much. XR makes me less cranky, I only get moody (like just barely) in the evening if I've taken IR (instant)
Xr is expensive, but totally worth it.





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Last edited by sammii; 12-14-2012 at 06:45 PM.
I friggin live on Adderall. Seriously its a miracle drug. I get the kick I need, and Im mega productive. I dont really feel fucked up off it, and if I am and dont realize it ill take this fucked up any day of the week. Nothing like a level of fucked up that makes you suck less at life lol


Well. I have ADHD, anxiety, and a bit of depression- when I take any form of Adderall, my heart rate gets really scary high- but it DOES help me stay alert and focused. You know that Adderall is an Amphetamine- like Meth (obviously not the same, but they both have similar components).
I have several pills left from my last prescription, and I save them for things like tests in school, or nights when I really need to stay awake. The short-term Adderall is pretty nice, cuz you get 3-4 hours of the effects, and then it's out of your system.As opposed to the long-term releases where it takes awhile to build up in your system and to get out of your system.
I don't like using it unless I absolutely have to though- it gives me horrible dry mouth, so obviously it's not the best for camming, where you have to talk quite a bit- and it just makes me feel "off". It makes me clench my jaw and grind my teeth to the point where it's painful- like lockjaw, when I'm on it- I think this is because of the anxiety... but I'm not sure.
Anyway- if you've had it prescribed, and it really honestly helps you, then it can be a great medication.Just be wary of side effects.





I've been prescribed Adderall XR(15mg) as I have ADD. I'm 100% covered on insurance so it's free for me but I rarely take it unless I need to get shit done. Since I'll be caming soon I believe I'll start taking it Mon-Fri so it doesn't kill me to sit in a chatroom "entertaining" for hours on end. I was coming off of birth control when I first took it and it made my heart beat into panic attack mode. I also had hypertension in my blood because of the BC I was on so I quit that. I took a pill the other day and though my heart was beating a little fast, it wasn't as bad as it was when I was on the BC.
Adderall XR once a day doesn't necessarily do too much for me and I believe I need to have it bumped up to 20 or 30mg before I see major results. I'm still scatterbrained and daydreaming at stop lights/while I'm driving and that's not something to be proud of. I haven't had any traffic incidents yet, but I don't want to jinx myself either. I don't like how it keeps be up at night when I'm coming down but my husband can see a difference in me. If the anxiety spurts and heart papilations weren't an issue this would be my miracle pill. However, I'm not complaining and I'm glad to use it occasionally. I just thought I would be addicted to it (like I was warned) and I've only taken it about 3 times in the past 4 months I've had it. I have to say that I think my ADD stops me from being addicted to anything. I can't even stay on a schedule without freaking out. I also have both percocets and vicodin that I've ignored after the pain (tooth pulling) subsided. I think sometimes having ADD is a good thing when it comes to things like that.

Always buy generic...seriously, its the same drug - its just not brand name. Anyway, I took Adderall for a bit but was switched to Ritalin. I lost too much weight on Adderall and my body was going fast but I felt kind of mentally numb/depressed/zoned out. On Ritalin, my appetite came back and because of all the dopamine I was much happier. Ritalin is also way less addictive than Adderall..and cheaper. (By the way, I've taken generics only - I'm just saying brand names so you know what meds I'm referring too).
But it all depends on what problems you are dealing with and what medication works best for your brain chemistry - ask a doctor, a psychiatrist will know best.
Some people take these meds for add/adhd or because of shift work sleep disorder/chronic fatigue or even for depression!
Nuvigil is also a great med with low, low abuse potential. Great stimulant medication and its only schedule 4 I believe since its so safe. Brand name only so its expensive...needymeds.org has coupons.

Always buy generic...seriously, its the same drug - its just not brand name. Anyway, I took Adderall for a bit but was switched to Ritalin. I lost too much weight on Adderall and my body was going fast but I felt kind of mentally numb/depressed/zoned out. On Ritalin, my appetite came back and because of all the dopamine I was much happier. Ritalin is also way less addictive than Adderall..and cheaper. (By the way, I've taken generics only - I'm just saying brand names so you know what meds I'm referring too).
But it all depends on what problems you are dealing with and what medication works best for your brain chemistry - ask a doctor, a psychiatrist will know best.
Some people take these meds for add/adhd or because of shift work sleep disorder/chronic fatigue or even for depression!
Nuvigil is also a great med with low, low abuse potential. Great stimulant medication and its only schedule 4 I believe since its so safe. Brand name only so its expensive...needymeds.org has coupons.



Has anybody taken Focalin? I wonder how it compares?
I take adderal for school and working out yes it helps cuz i like doing these things while on it but not while im nt on it. Also people reallly piss me off while on it like if pple work out too close to me or watch me workout it makes me so mad.lol. i know weird cuz im nt an angry person but my mood is always different on it kinda weird. plus my bf tells me i look "geeked up" when on it like i snorted a line.but ive never even tried coke.. makes me much less tolerable to people while dancing as well i only have time for asking "do u wanna dance" then if they do good if nt on to the next&i keep goin like that all night.no small talk. oh well it gets me paid still
Focalin is a more potent version of the drug in Ritalin (methylphenidate). I haven't taken it myself, but I've read/heard that it has stronger effects on the central nervous system and lesser other side effects (racing heart, increase in blood pressure, etc). So doses are typically lower for Focalin vs Ritalin because of its stronger (desired) effects on the brain.
I've personally taken Adderall XR for the past year, and it's helped me tremendously through graduate school so far. Obviously there are also side effects associated.
I've got a somewhat *embarrassing* side effect question for the ladies out there taking Adderall or other amphetamine-related stimulants. I've noticed that when I go to the restroom and pee within an hour or two of taking the med, my urine smells strongly and strangely different (bitter-like? I'm not sure how to describe it).I've been taking Adderall for a while, but only just recently noticed this after reading an article on goaskalice.com. The article mentioned the urine smell side effect and the fact that amphetamine can make a pussy taste 'repulsive' (lol...idk). I've heard that amphetamine is excreted through the urine, so it makes sense that the drug and/or metabolites would be concentrated in pee... Have you ladies also noticed this side effect and/or has it significantly impacted your romantic/sexual relationships?
I'm just starting in the dancing business (decided to dance my way through school!, and recognize this would be a great place to ask...lol
I am prescribed Adderall again, and I can say it has changed my life in a very positive way. I was prescribed it when I was 19, but lost health insurance and moved and never cared enough to find a doctor. I am always motivated now and ALWAYS get stuff done. The only thing is, NEVER leave it in a conspicuous place, and don't tell other people you are on it. As soon as somebody finds out you are on Adderall, you will have people blowing up your phone begging to buy some! LOL! Or that was my case, anyway. I made the mistake of leaving it out in the medicine cabinet when I was staying with a friend and her man. . . they always had lots of people over.
I don't abuse it, I take it twice a day like I am supposed to. Although sometimes I do get worried, I am talking long-term usage here. . as I do notice my heart beating fast, and I definitely have a decreased appetite. I also get really edgy at night and get irritated VERY easily whenever I'm interrupted doing something for work. . camming or vanilla job. So I don't know if I want to be on it forever. . and oh yeah. . I've lost about 8 pounds since going on it 1 month and a half ago.
^And that is interesting, Violet. My mouth is the main thing--I seriously use mouthwash like 3 times or MORE a day now because I get this gross taste in my mouth a few hours after I take it. Without being TMI, the urine thing, yeah, I guess I never ruled it out to taking Adderall tho, I thought it was because I've been eating a lot more vegetables. . but now that I think about it, that could be it. That sucks, lol, good thing I'm not sexually active.

I thought Focalin was more similar to Adderall. Anyway, I have taken both Adderall and Ritalin and I haven't noticed any funky smells in my urine or lady parts. Perhaps only some get that side effect?I will say that Adderall is stronger than Ritalin since its an amphetamine. It will give you more physical energy and more of a racing heart. Its harder on your body and more addictive.Ritalin will give you physical energy too but its more of a mental drug...focused, upbeat, ready to go be productive feeling.Its like cocaine with a PG rating, as stated by Dr. House lol....very very mild cocaine.Now I won't argue with you if you say Ritalin makes your heart beat faster or feels stronger for you because everyones brain/body chemistry is different so that might be true for you. But in general, Adderall is stronger for most people because it is an amphetamine. My generic adderall said "amphetamine" on the bottle. Legal speed.
Hi Pearl, sorry it was unclear. I was only comparing Focalin with Ritalin. Those two drugs are chemically very similar, with Focalin being a more potent version of the active ingredient methylphenidate. And what I mean by "potent" is that you get more of the (good) brain-stimulating effects with less of the other (bad) side effects like racing heart, dry mouth, etc. I haven't taken either of these drugs, so I can't speak personally, and this info is purely based on what I've read about it (studying in the health professions).
You're right about Adderall being a combination of four amphetamine salts. Again, I can't personally compare Focalin or Ritalin to Adderall - I haven't ever taken the first two. I imagine that Focalin causes less heart stimulation than Adderall because it (Focalin) was chemically developed to cause less.
I was curious about population statistics on the common side effects for these drugs, so I looked up some info on a drug comparison website for healthcare practitioners (Micromedex - having free access is at least *one* perk of having to slave away at school without being paid...lol).
In general Adderall (A) has more side effects than Ritalin (R):
weight loss - 11%(A) vs >2%(R)
loss of appetite - 22-36%(A) vs 1.7%(R)
headache - 26%(A) vs 22.2%(R)
insomnia - 27%(A) vs 4.3-12.3%(R)
dry mouth - 35%(A) vs 14%(R)
Focalin doesn't seem to have much % side effect info available right now. Generally, all of the stimulating ADHD drugs (Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin, Vyvanse, etc) will have similar effects that may vary slightly in their frequency of side effects...but these %'s don't necessarily predict how an individual will react. People seem to respond better to one drug over another on a personal basis, so I agree, it really is up to the individual and their doctor to determine the best treatment!
Nice excuse to let my nerd streak shine...lol.

Yes Violet you are right! Adderall does have more side effects...not fun at all. It even made my vision blurry b/c my pupils were so huge. I switched to Ritalin and its been much better for me.And good for you - let your nerd side shine! Lol. I can be nerdy too...just been too lazy these past few days to look things up (sad) but I am a fan of science![]()
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