Has anyone experienced this? I've been taking Ritalin, (which has been an amazing help, I finally have control of my life's activities now) but was having to take a lot and the amount of the drug was scaring me, 20mgs every 3 1/2 - 4 hours or so to avoid the awful paralyzing crash that happened when it wore off. Even though 60- 80 mg might not be a lot for some people, I didn't like it, nor did I like having to worry about what time it was so I could take it again to avoid "coming down."

So now I've been put on Adderal XR, which is supposed to be good for twelve hours. I took it at nine am, then got really spaced out, slow, and even a little dumb at about 3pm. It affected me the same as the Ritalin, I had no side effects except being able to function normally and multitask to perform my job much better. Then it just "pooped out" after six hours. I see my RX'ing Dr. on Monday, and will continue it once a day throughout the weekend.

My main question: Does anyone that takes Adderal XR get this too? If so, how do you deal with it? ( Note: As I am a poor college student without health insurance, even generic Ritalin is kind of expensive for me each month, and I can get the Adderal XR pretty freely.) Thanks.

mellowfish,

I've spent an enormous amount of time researching what "ADHD" is. My efforts, unfortunately, have only turned up what is true for me - no doubt because we are, psychologically speaking, so unique from one another.

I cannot "load" and then cannot "maintain" relevant threads of thought in "working memory." Let's translate to the practical: I have little control over what I focus on.

You did not mention what Adderall XR dosage prescribed. Docs usually start adults at 20mg. But 25 and 30 mg are also available. You simply may need a higher dose.

Regardless of dose, I discovered that stimulant meds alone are not enough. Try using pen and paper to compensate for "working memory" problems.

I call ADHD the paradoxical brain disorder. Here's why. The challenge of a really "wicked" programming algorithm will stimulate my "half-asleep" brain sufficiently to be productive and "amaze" people, AND, also disgruntle them. Why? They say, "he can write low level code but can't clean up his desk. Must be, he's LAZY." Not so. There is nothing stimulating about cleaning up anything. I honestly can not figure out how to do it because there is no stimulation. No one believes me, but you will because you too are ADHD.

How to compensate? I've discovered that I can clean up my desk by planning it ahead of time. It is a simple ADHD coping skill. We need to plan much more so than the "normals." So try stuff like planning the day before (in detail) what you will do and how you will do it for the next day. It is an extraordinarily simply strategy. But it, at least for me, works.

Another "trick of the trade" is too add stimulation to boring but essential work functions. We've all suffered though meetings where it seemed the purpose was nothing more than for management to tout their brilliance. Us ADHDers end up "sawing wood" at said meetings which usually does little for our advancement. Try doing two or three things at once. The speaker doesn't know you are scheduling. The poor slob thinks you are diligently noting his brilliant ideas. So it is a win-win sit. Actually, I find I pay more attention when multi-tasking not less.

Whatever, Adderall alone is not enough. Not for me anyway.

Bob

My Adderall XR capped at 3-4 hours. The higher dose only lengthened it marginally and the side effects were killing me. I went to the standard Adderall and I take 30mg 3 to 4 times a day (or less depending on if I need it). I'd love for mine to have lasted 6 hours.

It's 25 mgs, but I think the Ritalin worked better for me. Although slight, the difference is there. With classes starting back up I definately have to have something, school is getting too high level too achieve ANYTHING with a scatterbrain.

With the meds, I guess I will be looking at weighing high (IMO) doses of one against just a few doses of the other? I don't notice any side effects from either drug. I just know that when they wear off I am totally stupid for completing even simple tasks like trying to shower, get ready for bed, and get everything all lined up for the next day (like clothes and shoes and stuff). Cheers for the replies.

Good luck with the "balancing".

I let my wife read what you said about the stuff wearing off and being "totaly stupid". I call it dumbing down and it's interesting to see it said from another add'er ;)

My Adderall XR capped at 3-4 hours. The higher dose only lengthened it marginally and the side effects were killing me. I went to the standard Adderall and I take 30mg 3 to 4 times a day (or less depending on if I need it). I'd love for mine to have lasted 6 hours.
Actually, I was counting six hours from when I took it. It seems to take a lot longer than the Ritalin to kick in (even on an empty stomach), although I try not to notice. I'm probably only getting a good four 1/2 myself.