My story:

I started taking adderall about 3 months ago. My doctor started me on a very small dose, 10 mg per day, and currently I am taking 50mg a day of RX (two 25 mg pills every morning before work).

I have experienced mild side effects, and occasionally more severe ones, and I am wondering if anybody out there has gotten to a point with the adderall where they feel no side effects any longer. I was told that, as my body got used to it, the side effects would eventually either go away or become so mild they wouldn't be a big deal.

Every so often I get a really bad headache, typically towards the end of the day.
I used to pop out of bed in the mornings and hit the gym before work. Now I feel like I am glued to it, and when I do drag myself up I feel pretty drowsy until I take the adderall. I haven't worked out consistently in about two months; before that I was the kind of guy who didn't miss a workout.
During the day, usually around 2 in the afternoon or so (I take the pills at 8:15ish), I get a very hot feeling and can feel myself sweating. In a suit and tie this can get ugly. I also find myself sweating more almost all morning as well, although I don't feel hot.
If I skip a day or a weekend the results are completely unpredictable. Even if I half my dose for the weekend. Sometimes I'll get this lethargic feeling that is beyond anything I've ever felt before. I can barely move. While it's rare, it makes me nervous enough where I just take the stuff every day now.

So, with all of that in the picture, frankly part of me would LOVE LOVE LOVE to go off the stuff. But, in my case, the pros outway the cons. I can actually do my job for the first time in my life. That simple sentence can't convey all the emotions that are built up over years of feeling horrible about myself when it comes to academics or work. I can actually see a light at the end of the tunnel now, so to speak. I can plan a future because, for the first time ever, my present is somewhat secure. It feels great.

The adderall also allows me to pursue interests I could never seriously consider before: further education in my current field, education in other fields, certifications in anything I am interested in, etc etc etc etc.

I really just want to find a comfortable place with it, and am hoping that the norm is for this to happen with most people taking adderall. Aaaaanyone?

I've had great success with it! It was the first and only thing that helped me.

You might benefit taking the regular Adderall instead of the X.R. I take the regular and must take it every 4 hours. I like that because I know when it's going to release and when it's going to wear off. Exactly.

There's always going to be some side effects. Some you just get used to - others you work with. It's all based on what's unbearable. Some of them go away with time. It's about the benefits outweighing the inconveniences.

Hi My son was switched from Adderall to Strattera (a drug with its own side effects from what i read) for some of the very reasons you are stating. I cannot see any difference in the way they each work for him, however, the doctor wanted him off Adderal as it is addictive and does not store up over weekends. she said he could miss doses of stratera for several weeks at a time once it was in his system. He does seem to take lots of naps which the doc says is still the adderal in his system but it has been a long time already since he switched.
As the previous person said though, the trade off is not being able to accomplish much but not being tired. I guess you cannot have everything in life. You might try Strattera if the side effects get to you.

Thank you both for the replies!
I guess it really all comes down to balancing the good with the bad, and ultimately making a decision.
My psychiatrist wanted to hold off on strattera (even though it had been recommended by my pyschologist), as it is a much newer (ie, less studied) drug than adderall, and he had observed many more instances of negative side effects. I am still keeping it open for the future, but for the immediate future I want to continue to work with adderall.
Also - and this goes back to balance - I prefer the RX simply because taking that second dose was a hassle. Either I am at work, in which case I feel I need to take it covertly, or I'm out and about and that can provide it's own set of challenges - not to mention that I kept forgetting my pills when I was taking the regular adderall.
Thanks again for the feedback and sharing your experiences!
I am in the process of getting my ticker checked out (my pyschiatrist is requesting it of all his patients on adderall, after it was pulled from the Canadian market a few months ago), and so far everything looks fine (I'm a healthy 29 year old, so that would seriously freak me out if I had any issues with that).

Hi-I felt the need to respond to your message. I am a 35 year old woman who also takes adderall xr, but I take 30mg per day. I've found that I will get that dreaded lethargic feeling if I have taken too much of the medication. I used to take 30mg of the regular adderall, and would be so tired, if I missed taking the meds, that all I could do was lay in bed. It wasn't until I started taking the xr that I realized I was addicted to the medication.
I am glad you mentioned the sweating, since I have recently started sweating more. I couldn't understand why this would start all of a sudden, but didn't even think it was associated with my medication.
My jaw also gets very tight if I take too much medication. Are you having any other symptoms, or tightness in your jaw?
Are you drinking soda with aspartame in it? or chewing gum with aspartame?
This seems to give me headaches, and makes me feel confused and irritable.
Good luck...
Anna

Hey Anna - I just noticed the tightness in my jaw a few days ago! Like I was clenching it all day, but didn't notice it (well, that is until I *did* notice it). Very odd.
I just switched from 50mg XR to 40mg regular (20 morning/20 afternoon), and I am hoping this helps me out. It's a tough balance - I've been working on this for months but I feel like I keep losing my footing with this stuff.
It seems kind of odd that your dose didn't change, but you started sweating all of a sudden. Did you switch the timing around?
As for aspartame, I have a little bit in my coffee in the morning and afternoon, and an occasional diet coke, but it has never bothered me before. Something to think about, though.
*sigh*
I'm getting there! (I hope)...
Of course, the next worry is: How long can one take this stuff??? I'm 29, and can't imagine being on it for 10, 15 more years. Maybe accounting was the wrong field to choose for someone with ADD??? ;)

Brian

I think the time you are having sweats is probably about the time the medicine peaks. I notice that about 5 hours after I take my med, I seem to have this burst of energy. I think even my heart rate increases. I am taking 30 mg of Adderall XR.