Ambien, Adderall & Citalopram for ADD

janewhite1

Instead of adding Ambien or any other sleep aid, why not just ask the doctor for a lower dose of Adderall, or a non-XR version, so it wears off before bedtime?

chaosmom

I am new to this board. So sorry if you already tried this. Could you take the adderall xr earlier than 10am? That way it would be out of your system earlier? I wish I could try a extended release but with no health insurance I can't afford it right now. I am taking instant release Ritalin 30mg 3 times a day and it only lasts about 2 hours. When it starts to wear off I get a horrible headache. My husband says it also makes me cranky and irritable!
It also makes me tired, I can lay down and go to sleep a hour after taking it.

As for a good sleep aid that is OTC and all natural...have you tried melatonin? It is a substance our bodies already make. My son takes vyvanse and melatonin is safe to take. Vyvanse is adderall based, so maybe ask your doctor. I know he can take up to 10mg per night.

Hopefully you get some good sleep!

Sorry I wrote a book!

katsiebug

Thanks for your reply! I tried taking the Adderall XR earlier as well as the citalopram and still either couldn't fall asleep or woke up multiple times through the night...I will ask my Dr about Melatonin....I am not sure if the Adderall is even working well for my add...

mamaduck123

Chaosmom, I had the same issues with Ritalin. I had taken the short acting Adderall for years and it was a miracle. Then when the shortage happened I switched. Awful. If you cant go on Adderall, you could ask to try Focalin. It's similar to Adderall in that you don't get the moodiness and such. I have used it and it works pretty well.

Katsiebug, you really do need to take the Adderall earlier in the day, and maybe you just don't need 20mg per day. A short acting may be better too. My daughter takes Vyvansse which is also XR and she has to take meds to sleep. As for myself, I never had much trouble sleeping if I didn't take any doses later than around noon or a little after. I had a prescription for Xanax for years and would take a quarter of one if I needed a little help sleeping. Then a new doctor decided it was "addictive" and switched me to Ambien. I hate it, it knocks me out, and you learn quickly that you have to already be laying in bed when you take it otherwise you won't remember how you got there! Now I just take an occasional Benadryl if I need sleep.

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avidsport

Hi! Oh Boy,... I could write a book on the medicine cocktail you are on. I was on Ambien, Adderall and celexa for 15 years and know exactly what you are and will experience. I started adjusting my dosage times with adderall to 7am and I still had trouble sleeping. Everybody's metabolism is different. The dangerous part of the cocktail is the ambien. It just about destroyed me, and it affected every part of my personal and professional life. I felt like I must have the ADD medicine BUT sleep was crucial and precious. It became a vicious cycle. Celexa was the least of my worries although I cried easily and I was very sensitive at 20mgs and then was prescribed 40 mgs. I suggest taking adderall "vacations" often and to try to find alternatives to Ambien. Xanax, clonazapam, ativan may be options. I will look thru my old journals to see if I find more insights as to what helped me thru. Good luck - and becareful of restless legs starting. avidsport