Can you be prescribed Adderall/Dexedrine with a history of recreational drug use?

[Sarah22]

I want to switch from Concerta to Adderall or Dexedrine for several reasons.

But....
I was self-medicating my (what I now know as) ADD symptoms for a while with small amounts of a "recreational" drug before diagnosis of ADD.

Will I therefore be ruled out of ever being prescribed Adderall or Dexedrine?

Is it likely to be different in UK to America?

[index.html]

Technically, I don't think stimulants (including Concerta) are supposed to be prescribed for anyone with a history with a drug abuse. That said, though, it seems to happen all the time so you never know, it could happen!

[feelbad]

I can tell you from my sons exp[erience, that he had told the doc that he had been through drug treatment for alcohol just a few months before and the only things she would Rx is the non stimulating meds.I don't think that you would be able to find a really GOOD doc that would take a chance in doing this for you,it is just a little risky.But you might be able to find a not so good doc that would do it.But i don't know if i could even trust a doc that would actually do this.Hope you find something that works for you.Marcia

[malibubarbie999]

Well, you're already taking Concerta, which is a stimulant, so why would getting a script for Adderall or Dexedrine be a problem? Concerta is methylphenidate and Adderall & Dexedrine are amphetamine. Both are stimulants that work very similar in the brain, but are made up of different chemical compounds. If your doc is giving you Concerta already, I don't see what the problem is. As long as you have some *valid* reasons for wanting to change meds (like negative side effects or something) I don't see why you'd have trouble switching meds.

[Sarah22]

Have found out that Adderall has not been approved for prescription in the UK.
This leaves me with Dexedrine. On the guidelines it states that Methylphenidates (i.e. Ritalin and Concerta) should be used with caution in those with a history of drug or alcohol abuse and Dextroamphetamines (i.e. Adderall and Dexedrine) have 'a history of drug or alcohol abuse' under contraindications.

How do they define 'a history of drug abuse' and how strict is this?
I'd have thought that if the (minor use) use of non-prescribed drugs was due to undiagnosed ADHD, and that prescribed drugs could help this, surely it's better treat medically, non? But maybe it's not seen this way in the UK.