Im 15 years old and i have been on aderal XR for a few months for ADHD and ive noticed it calms me down but it also makes me tired and to lazy to work, if that a side-effect? whenever im on it im not motivated to work

That totally defeats the purpose of taking adderall, you should switch to regular.

You simply need to discuss the effects with your physician. One thing I have learned so far about ADD meds is that it's a trial/error thing - and often there is a lot of switching around to find what works best for you as an individual. Tell your parents and your doctor how the XR is making you feel.
Good luck!
Laura Lea

sounds like you are on too high of a dose, if you are taking too much it can make you tired! i would discuss this with your DR about lowering your dose.
Beckie

Adderall is speed and will never make you tired. I take 40 mg. a day XR and I weight 145 pounds. I have never felt tired on adderall especially around 30-60 min. after ingesting two 20 mg. capsules. I suggest you take more adderall and you eat it on an empty stomach for full absorbtion. Also don't eat or drink any dairy products or protein because they will significantly decrease absorbtion of adderall. Also, taking sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or any other anatacids will increase the absorbtion of the amphetamines. Though I have not personally done this, it reads on the pharmaceutical information that anatacids increase the absorbtion of the amphetamines.

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Open your eyes! The doors of perception must be opened.

Adderall is not 'truely' speed. The bio-chemical make-up more related to speed, is dexadrine.
Amphetamines will most definatly make some people tired, it happens with people with AD/HD. This is the reason trying a stimulant and seeing ones' reaction is a main indicator if they do indeed have AD/HD.

Many people with AD/HD are able to fall asleep easier and faster with amphetamines. This is thought to be due to the recticular activating system, and it's inability with inhibitions of certain activity/screening external and internal stimuli throughout the brain. In fact, researchers recently have thought that amphetamines help AD/HD indivduals not by the dopamine transporter system, but through it's influence on seratonin. However, scientific literature shows norepinephrine is AD/HD's main deficiency, which is why most research is based toward the recticular activating system.This is the reason meds like straterra are even 'more' promising than amphetamines.

umm....amphetamines do the exact opposite of letting people fall asleep. Thats why adderall is also used for people with narcolepsy. And adderall is a composite of various isomers of a sigle entity amphetamine. This is speed. Thats why there is a high risk of abuse for adderall. Also if people take somewhat higher doseages of adderall daily. If they stop a day, many experience over eating and depression. Adderall also causes the increase of norepiphrine and epiphrine which causes less production of serotonin. Adderall can cause depression and increase bi-polar behavior with people who have a history of being bi-polar. In the end, call it what you want. But adderall is just cleaned up speed. And thank Jebus for that.

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Open your eyes! The doors of perception must be opened.

Adderall is an amphetamine, a 'salt mixture' but not all amphetamines are chemically related to the street drug 'speed'. Adderall does not 'speed' up individuals with AD/HD, it in fact slows them down and brings them to normal levels of stimulation. By doing this amphetamines help the recticular activating system 'start/help' inhibition.

Taking Adderall for narcolepsy and AD/HD are two completely different conditions/disorders and cannot be compared. Adderall doesn't affect norepinephrine very much at all, wellbutrin does but adderall does very little. Adderall mainly effects the neurotransmitter dopamine and the dopamine transporter system; although, is now recently thought to also affect seratonin.
Dopamine is the 'feel good' neurotransmitter that is thought be very involved with the 'pain-reward' mechanism. If somone doesn't have the
"addiction gene(s)" they won't become an addict to anything/substance much less amphetamines. However, AD/HD and the addiction gene(s) go hand-in-hand.

AD/HD has a very different mechanism of action than narcolepsy, depression, bi-polar; however, people with AD/HD do have a very high depression rate and a good chance of having both AD/HD and depression. Bi-polar has very similar symptoms as AD/HD, however the area of the brain involved is different. Bi-polar 'usually' surfaces as decreased 'activity' within the temporal lobes (more specifically the left) and increased 'activity'( activity meaning metabolism ) within the limbic system.
If amphetamines 'sped' people with AD/HD up, what would be the purpose of taking them ?
Amphetamines calm AD/HD people down and very frequently make ADDers tired, I'm sure other ADDers can agree.

since many of you have some knowledge bout aderall, i have a question for anyone who can help-- i have been on aderal about 6 months, not XR due to insurance reasons, it's helped me with concentration alot at first, bout 3/4 months into taking it i was having trouble again, so they raised me from 20(2x pr day) to 30(2x per day) which i was told is the maximum dose, i am noticing now strang things, i have been trying to eat healthier- i felt i was having vitamin deficientcy from not eating well, i started taking vitamins(OTC kids flinstone), i always drank caffine each day (which i know if your on aderall yor suposd to cut out) so i am finally trying to do that-- I feel like the aderall is not working anymore, i am gaining weight and i certainly don't over eat, i am getting tired alot, i get enough sleep! having problems concentrating but only sometimes, but i mean needing to take a nap everyday is rediculous, i have a new psyciatrist(my old one moved away) and i dislike him ALOT, so i almost don't even want to go to him bout this, i don't think he understand me, as a result of taking a stimulant(aderal) my OCD has gotton worse which i know is normal, i am trying really hard to control it, it was bad i went to him an he said it wasn't a big problem and did nothing--even tho my family doc. AND therapyst were adiment i call him about it (they said it was serious). So i know there alot of people on this board who are so helpful i am very greatful for that!:) background info it may help- I am 23 years old, meds i am currently on are Zoloft, Aderal, BC(Yasmin), and my OTC flinstone vitamin. If ya need any other info. please inquire, i really would like some opinions on this, thanks so much!!!:)

Liz

You have built up a tolerance. Start taking drug holidays. Magnesium and zinc help you absorb the medication better (as well as baking soda, not powder) while certain foods (orange juice, milk) can reduce the amount of medication you absorb.No matter what though, you have to take a nice long drug holiday.

so how long do i stop taking my medication? do i stop taking all of it or just aderal? also, i have run out of the aderal once and not taken it for 2 days, for those 2 days i slept bout 19 out of the 24 hours in each day, and it was not because i wanted to, it was because i HAD to, i could not open my eyes most of the time i kept trying to get up, but i couldn't see, i was so tired. i can't afford to go through another day like that(which is why i make sure i always pick up my refill ontime now) i am a full-time student, as well as mother of 2 very busy children, I just can't afford to be extra tired, which is the reason i am most concerned in the first place. i was not given very much info. on aderal b4 i started it, now i am getting worried it's doing all these strange things to me--making me worse, however, the help with concentrating in school was priceless, and i will not be done with school until april! i am very torn on what i should do, thanks for the reply, i am just very confued:( and worried:(

Come on now, it's not that bad, that sleeping spell was the crash. :-) Get on the internet and search this information out. You should never take a medicine until you understand what you are taking. You want to detoxify your system, stay off stimulants, which includes caffeine, for as long as possible (at least a week) drink plenty of fluids and the supplements I spoke of, kids Flintstone vitamins are a waste.

Then start using them more carefully in the future, always keeping in mind that we build up a tolerance really fast. Some amphetamine abusers have been known to do 15,000 grams of dex in one sitting (with no adverse effects other then the wallet). That's about 50 30 MG adderall caps.

There was a time when 1/2 of a single Ritalin 10MG would keep me focused for several hours. But it no longer helps me in any way. I'm going on a business trip for the next week and I'm leaving my meds at home. These drugs put my life back in order and so I want them to be effective.

ok an thankyou so much, i wasn't even aware that your tolerance keeps building on these kinds of meds, i thought there was something seriously wrong with me :eek: (er besides the obvious) i guess thats it, i will take your advice and look up more info--thanks again man :wave:
Liz

PAmermaids,

Excuse me for butting in here, but I wanted to add my 2 cents worth...

If your primary symptoms are fatigue along with weight gain, I'm wondering these things. Did your doctor do a good physical? Did he do any lab work? Do you have any other physical symptoms like feeling cold (more often than other people), dry skin, brittle nails? Tingling in your hands or feet? It is possible that your symtoms aren't related at all to the Adderall. Yes, I know your family doc referred you to the specialist, but I still wonder if he did a thorough exam first.

My other thought is this. Check with your psychiatrist before stopping any psycho-active meds (like stimulants) cold turkey. He may have advice about "med holidays" and some weaning advice that would make the process less uncomfortable for you.

That's all.

Good luck!

PAmermaids,

Excuse me for butting in here, but I wanted to add my 2 cents worth...

If your primary symptoms are fatigue along with weight gain, I'm wondering these things. Did your doctor do a good physical? Did he do any lab work? Do you have any other physical symptoms like feeling cold (more often than other people), dry skin, brittle nails? Tingling in your hands or feet? It is possible that your symtoms aren't related at all to the Adderall. Yes, I know your family doc referred you to the specialist, but I still wonder if he did a thorough exam first.

My other thought is this. Check with your psychiatrist before stopping any psycho-active meds (like stimulants) cold turkey. He may have advice about "med holidays" and some weaning advice that would make the process less uncomfortable for you.

That's all.

Good luck!

Yes, yes, wise advice - I was too focused on the other, which is why you should trust your doctor. :-)