Finally, a 'working' diagnosis of ADD... Prescribed Adderall XR.

Questions: Should I not drink any caffiene while on it? Should I take care when I exercise, not to get my heart rate up too high? I've heard some scary things about Adderall.

Doc was nice enough, but didn't go into much detail.

Thanks for any information.

Hey Blue --

First off, don't believe all the hype you read about how "scary" Adderall is. Everyone reacts differently to meds. If you're an all-around healthy person, you probably have nothin to worry about. Adderall deaths are mainly linked to people with predisposing heart problems.

I've been taking Adderall XR (20 mg/two times a day) since last fall & it's worked out pretty well. My focus, attention span, comprehension and motivation have all improved drastically. My only complaint about the drug is that it made me lose a ton of weight. I started out at my ideal weight of 125 lbs (I am 5'6"), and through the course of treatment I've dropped down to a scrawny 100 lbs. I'm currently trying to gain some weight. Besides that, I get occasional mood swings which are aggravated by Adderall. That's about it though. So far, I've been pretty happy with the drug!

Anyhow, here's some tips that may help ya:


1. Lay off on the caffeine. Even a little bit can lead to over-stimulation, which you don’t want. My doctor told me to abstain from it completely.

2. You can exercise, but don’t over-do it. I exercise regularly, but don’t do the cardio I used to do. Adderall is already making your heart work harder & heavy exercise could complicate things.

3. Don’t dose late in the day. It’ll lead to insomnia.

4. If you drink, do it in moderation. Alcohol tends to potentiate the action of amphetamines.

5. You will likely lose your appetite from this drug. To ensure you’re getting the nutrients your body needs, you may want to consider taking a multivitamin.

6. Adderall (or any stimulant for that matter) tends to be dehydrating. Drink lots of fluids!


Hope everything works out for you! Good luck & take care :)

Hey Blue --

First off, don't believe all the hype you read about how "scary" Adderall is. Everyone reacts differently to meds. If you're an all-around healthy person, you probably have nothin to worry about. Adderall deaths are mainly linked to people with predisposing heart problems.

I've been taking Adderall XR (20 mg/two times a day) since last fall & it's worked out pretty well. My focus, attention span, comprehension and motivation have all improved drastically. My only complaint about the drug is that it made me lose a ton of weight. I started out at my ideal weight of 125 lbs (I am 5'6"), and through the course of treatment I've dropped down to a scrawny 100 lbs. I'm currently trying to gain some weight. Besides that, I get occasional mood swings which are aggravated by Adderall. That's about it though. So far, I've been pretty happy with the drug!

Anyhow, here's some tips that may help ya:


1. Lay off on the caffeine. Even a little bit can lead to over-stimulation, which you don’t want. My doctor told me to abstain from it completely.

2. You can exercise, but don’t over-do it. I exercise regularly, but don’t do the cardio I used to do. Adderall is already making your heart work harder & heavy exercise could complicate things.

3. Don’t dose late in the day. It’ll lead to insomnia.

4. If you drink, do it in moderation. Alcohol tends to potentiate the action of amphetamines.

5. You will likely lose your appetite from this drug. To ensure you’re getting the nutrients your body needs, you may want to consider taking a multivitamin.

6. Adderall (or any stimulant for that matter) tends to be dehydrating. Drink lots of fluids!


Hope everything works out for you! Good luck & take care :)
What about ritalin?

Thanks for the reply, MalibuBarbie!

No problem, Blue! Hope everything works out! Keep us posted.