Hello All! I'm new and just want to get info on ADD in general and adderall. I start taking it on Monday and have heard good and bad things about it. What are the major side effects...is it worth putting up with them...meaning is this stuff really going to work. I'm 21 and my doctor whom I actually started seeing because I was a rape victim has slowly come to the desicion that I am ADD. She has seen me once a week since Mid October. Is that long enough to decide someone is ADD. She says that it probably got worse because of the stress of the trauma of the rape. Wich I kinda see because it is a lot harder to focus. I mean I have to get up like every 15 minutes and walk around....and I'm always tapping on things or looking around. I'm freakin in my 20's and I feel like a distracted child....being in the military I work with mostly men....they take it as me just being a ditsy blonde....I had one actually tell me that....I feel so insulted but then I see what they mean. I'm like a kid or something. Anyways...didnt mean to make this email a rant and rave. Any info would be nice.

Nomi

Adderall has been great so far. I've only been on it 2 days and I feel so much better....much more focused. :bouncing:

please read some of the last posts regarding Adderall.They contain some very important info about possible side effects related to heart problems and deaths of children while taking this med.canada just took this med off the market last week because of those deaths.I would have a big chat with your doc about maybe changing to another med.Just be very careful and informed before you decide to actually start on this med.Marcia

I don't get how your past trauma adds up to an ADD diagnosis, I would think more that you are having post traumatic stress, anxiety or panic attacks. Are you seeing a psych or general practicioner?

Don't let the boys you work with get away with anything, otherwise you'll be stuck with it for your entire career.

Well I've always had it. My mom always tried to get me to see a doctor about it but I was so against thearapy back then. It wasnt as bad though. Seemed to get worse. Kinda worried about the Canada thing. I'm not a child though so I should be okay right?

please read some of the last posts regarding Adderall.They contain some very important info about possible side effects related to heart problems and deaths of children while taking this med.canada just took this med off the market last week because of those deaths.I would have a big chat with your doc about maybe changing to another med.Just be very careful and informed before you decide to actually start on this med.Marcia
Oh my gosh! My son was on Adderal for a month or so. He ran out of his script. I was thinking of renewing it but I won't now. Both my dh and I have many family members with heart disease. I don't want my son to be another one. Besides, he's 16 now and is doing better in school despite not having meds. He's getting straight A's in math which always was his WORST subject. He's in the Marine JROTC program at school and is a volunteer cameraman for our local cable tv station. I'm SOOOOO proud of him!!! :)
Barb

Can I still drink while I'm on Adderall? As long as it's worn out right? It only last six hours I think. I wanna go out tonight but I'm not sure if I can drink or not. Hopefully someone can tell me b4 I leave.

Oh yeah JROTC is the best. I was in it all four years of high school. That is a really good program to be in. Just make sure he doesnt join the actually marines. GO AIR FORCE. AIM HIGH

Hey GorgeouslyJealo--

I ran into the same dilemna w/ Adderall & drinking. I've drank a number of times (not a LOT, but socially) since starting Adderall with no real problems. I asked my doctor if the 2 would interact & he said no & told me I'm fine to drink. He said he's never heard of anyone having a bad reaction with Adderall & alcohol.

Just be careful though, don't drink too much at first to make sure your body doesn't have some kinda reaction. Alcohol DOES potentiate the actions of amphetamines (like Adderall), so you may not want to drink a whole lot to be on the safe side. In significant amounts, alcohol can put more stress on the heart & circulatory system when combined with Adderall.

One thing you may notice is that it will take more alcohol before you feel a buzz if you're taking Adderall since it's a stimulant. On the other hand, since I started taking Adderall last year I'm now barely 100lbs so a little goes a long way regardless...

Oh well, good luck, be safe, have fun :)

Oh my gosh! My son was on Adderal for a month or so. He ran out of his script. I was thinking of renewing it but I won't now. Both my dh and I have many family members with heart disease. I don't want my son to be another one. Besides, he's 16 now and is doing better in school despite not having meds. He's getting straight A's in math which always was his WORST subject. He's in the Marine JROTC program at school and is a volunteer cameraman for our local cable tv station. I'm SOOOOO proud of him!!! :)
Barb

Alot of kids outgrow ADD if given the chance. The drugs can prevent that by causing dependancy if taken for years. Congrats on your son....he is proof that those doctors who spell out gloom and doom for ADD kids if they don't stay on medication are not always right.

I just started taking adderol yesterday. I had been on dexedrene 5 mg spansules and doing ok but not great. My dr (Psychiatrist) had decided to up me to 10 mg adderol which is supposed to last 12 hours. I also take Paxil and Clonopin because in addition to add I have high anxiety. She (my dr) even had a name for the condition. Autonomic sensitivity. Wow! It just totally described me. Everything makes me nervous....sound especially...touch...noisy chaotic rooms (even if it's loving family) and I have always been able to cope. I am 60 and I guess that it is just getting harder and harder to cope. Believe me the drugs help and I hate having to take them but I also had high blood pressure and since the therapy my blood pressure is normal again.

If you can believe it my work is as a Medical Technologist. A very very busy hospital laboratory. High stress! Med tech is second to air traffic control in stress. Would you say I chose the wrong career? I'm easing my way out as I only work 3 days a week in the lab. I am also an artist. If I had it to do over again, I would get an art degree instead of this high stress job where people's very lives depend on results that I turn out.

To Nomi, the guy who called you a ditzy blonde is in danger of a harrassment charge. If I were you I would head over to human resources and see what your rights are here. We have to take classes in harassment prevention where I work and this sounds suspicious to me. Good luck

OOPS! Nomi, I went back and read your post again and I had missed the first time that you are in the military. But still, you should have rights against harrassment. I don't know the law there.