adderall makes me sleepy!

wonderdaffodil · 12-30-2005, 04:46 PM

I'm a 32-y.o woman. My dad and brothers were diagnosed with varying degrees of ADD long ago. Now Dr (and boyfriend) think I might have it too (I do have lots of the symptoms, especially feeling wooly-headed and overwhelmed, not being able to prioritize things, starting things and never finishing, drifting off in conversation). A friend told me I seemed like a classic case and let me have one of his dexedrine (I now know that's a big no-no...didn't seem like a big deal at the time). I took half a 10-mg pill and it was really nice - my mind felt organized and I was able to see what order I should be doing things in to get stuff done.
I told Dr. all this and she put me on Adderall XR, 10 mg. I hate it. I took it for 3 days and became increasingly sleepy, dopey, frustrated and even depressed. I was also hungry all the time. I've never heard of this happening. I also don't like the XR because unlike the non extended release dexedrine, it takes forever to kick in (and when it does, the above happens).
How much difference is there between Adderall and dexedrine? I thought they were pretty similar. Am I taking too much? Not enough? I kind of want to go in and ask for dexedrine, but from what I gather, my Dr might think I'm planning to do something nefarious with it, since dexedrine seems to be the most abused of all the ADD drugs.
I was so hopeful after the dexedrine, and now I'm just really bummed out because the Adderall so did not work! On the other hand, it didn't make me hyper, which means there must be something going on with my brain (caffeine also makes me sleepy unless I have a lot - connection?)
Thanks for any advice/experience on this.

adderallboy · 12-30-2005, 09:16 PM

I am intrigued by the paradox occurring with the adderall. Stimulants should not make you sleepy.

With your dosage, 10mg XR is relatively small. 20mg XR is the norm for adults with ADHD. Still, you should notice some change with the 10mg and is also a good starting point. It's always better to titrate upwards. Also, the Dexedrine taken was immediate release? Comparatively, XR will be released slowly with peak plasma levels occurring between 7-8 hrs. Instant release reaches a peak in about 3-4 hrs. That maybe the cause with your differing experiences.

Depression commonly occurs when stimulants wear off, particularly with the immediate release. This is often referred to as "highs" and "lows". XR eliminates this for the most part.

Dexedrine and Adderall are very similar. Dexedrine is dextro-amphetamine. Adderall is a composition of various amphetamine salts, including dextro.

Talk to your doc and mention 10mg doesn't do much for you. I have a feeling if you tell him it makes you sleepy, you'll get a funny look.

seriousperson · 12-31-2005, 06:12 AM

An hour after I take 10mg regular Adderall in the morning, I really need a nap.
But I take it at the same time I take Risperdal and Zoloft and Requip for the side effects.
Do you take any other medication that could make you sleepy?

For me, at first the Adderall made me jumpy and manic (as does coffee if I drink it for the first time in a long while).
After taking the Adderall regularly for several months, it does help a little with focus, but makes me sleepy-- or at least does not make me wakeful, although it seems to make me avoid going to bed at night.

Coffee also makes me sleepy if I drink it for a couple of weeks. Coffee also gives me painful muscle spasms, lumps in my armpits, and some other nasty symptoms that I don't recall. (I don't drink coffee anymore-- just enjoy the aroma.)

I stopped taking the Adderall XR (time release) because my body didn't seem to be metabolizing the second release. I am taking the generic Adderall in tablet form. It makes me feel like a little kid because it's bright blue and sweet flavored. I'm supposed to take Ritalin in the afternoon, but I rarely remember, so I tend to take it when I'm working at night since I get really scatter brained by 5pm without it. I think it might be better than the Adderall.

wonderdaffodil · 12-31-2005, 06:02 PM

yeah, I thought it was weird that it makes me sleepy. I've been off it now for a few days and feel much better. The depression/grumpiness/fogginess all reach their peak about 8-10 hours after I take the Adderall. The dexedrine I took was not extended release - oddly enough, there are fewer side effects of any kind (including "coming down") with it than with the Adderall XR. I might be willing to try the non XR Adderall, but I definitely don't want to try the XR again.
The thing is, since the Adderall doesn't make me hyper, I'm pretty sure, ironically, that means I really do need something. If I were "normal" (didn't have some kind of problem), the Adderall would make me hyper, right? I just don't understand how I could have had such a positive experience with non-ER dexedrine and such a bad one with Adderall XR.
I feel better when I take either with caffeine, which tells me maybe my dose is just too low.
I take 5 mg of Lexapro at night for mild depression and have been taking Lunesta at night for the last few weeks to help me stay asleep. My Dr was hoping maybe taking stimulants in the morning would help me stay asleep at night. No such luck - still sleep great for a few hours at night and then wake and can't get back to sleep. All my life, I've slept badly at night and am tired during the day - I think she hoped stimulants would help that situation, since nothing else really has.

seriousperson · 01-01-2006, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wonderdaffodil

...since the Adderall doesn't make me hyper, I'm pretty sure, ironically, that means I really do need something. If I were "normal" (didn't have some kind of problem), the Adderall would make me hyper, right?...

I'd like to know the answer to this question too.