Coming off Adderal

[JW621]

Anyone came off Adderal and have withdrawals?

[Hominid711]

JW what are your symptoms?

[JW621 in reply to Hominid711]

I get stuck , difficult heavy

[Hominid711 in reply to JW621]

And why do you want to come off it?? And are you not also on an antidepressant?

[JW621 in reply to Hominid711]

Well. My therapist lowered my dosage. Now I’m at 40 mg per day

[Hominid711]

I see. Is that too much? Is that why you feel depressed you think? And is this therapist a psychiatrist or a psychologist?

[JW621]

So I belong to a telehealth psychiatrist and by law they have to lower my dosage. I’m in New York. I am looking for therapist currently around me

[BlessedLady in reply to JW621]

The DEA is investigating online only doctors that prescribe Adderall. The Federal Emergency due to covid gave doctors permission to prescribe Schedule II drugs without at least one face to face meeting. It appears this has been abused by number of online doctors only business.

fiercehealthcare.com/health...

[STEM_Dad]

I had daily irritability when my Adderall XR wore off, but I don't remember any withdrawal when I stopped taking it.

I just remember going back to my pre-medication level of difficulty with distractibility, inattentiveness and time-blindness.

(I started on an anti-anxiety medication, which was an SSRI, that I started on a month before I began taking Adderall. A few months later, I went off the SSRI before going off of Adderall. I went through withdrawals from the SSRI, and I was worried that I was coming down with COVID, because it was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. Compared to that, I felt nothing notable coming off Adderall.)

[ordi in reply to STEM_Dad]

You came off Adderall. So are you taking any ADHD medicines now? Does ADHD medicine help you with the problem of time-blindness? I haven't started any ADHD medicine yet. Thanks.

[STEM_Dad in reply to ordi]

Yes, I'm on a different ADHD medication, a non-stimulant called atomoxetine. (The brand name is Strattera, but I'm on a generic.)

I was on the starter adult dosage of 40mg for a year, and just increased to 60mg.

It helps me a lot with my time-blindness, distractibility, and inattentiveness. It is twice as effective for me as Adderall was.

Atomoxetine treats a norepinephrine deficiency, while the stimulant ADHD medications treat a dopamine deficiency.

These two neurotransmitters are related. Norepinephrine is made from dopamine. Both act on attention, just in different ways. Dopamine is linked with motivation, while I think norepinephrine is linked with stimulation & activation...it is tied to the "fight or flight" response to fear.

A person can have a deficiency in response to dopamine, norepinephrine, or both. Atomoxetine is similar to the SSRI class of antidepressants, but it is an SSNRI (selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor). It mildly treats serotonin deficiency that can contribute to anxiety and depression, in addition to treating the norepinephrine deficiency.

[Crystallady18 in reply to STEM_Dad]

Thanks so much for sharing all of this info and your experience!

[Tallis33]

When I went off adderall all the adhd symptoms came back (of course), could it be that is what you are feeling and thinking it is withdrawal? I did not crave the adderall, but the dopamine seeking "craving" came back, so I wanted a lot of coffee again.

[Jozlynn]

Having gone through withdrawal after being on pain medication (prescribed) for many years, going without Adderall was painless. Naturally, all my ADD symptoms returned - but I didn't feel any withdrawal effects the way I did coming off opiates. I hope you're not experiencing withdrawal symptoms! That would just be a terrible experience and I'm so sorry if you're going through it.

[valeofraritan]

What you appear to be describing is too low a dosage, not withdrawal. Two entirely different animals. Explain that to the therapist. Tell them how it impacts your ability to think and it's not helpful. They should be working with you to find the best dosage to help you. Is it XR or IR? That also makes a difference. I'd rather have 40 IR so I have 4-6 hours functional in the am so I know to get anything requiring thinking done in that time frame, than 40 XR which would give 20 MG for the 1st 3-4 hrs and then 20MG for the next 3-4. For me XR makes thinking trying to walk in mud. Rather than asking for a higher dosage XR, I moved back to IR an am happier since I know how it works for me. ADHD stimulant meds are FDA Schedule II, meaning, pretty heavily controlled. A doctor who really doesn't know you beyond phone interaction might be more prone to caution on prescribing.

[Crystallady18 in reply to valeofraritan]

I really appreciate this breakdown, Valeo. Thank you. Just to be clear are you taking 40mg IR at once for those 4-6 hours of productivity? I’m working closely with a psychiatrist to get my sowing right. I was at 20mg IR twice a day and found with each dose, I got a good hour, but that’s it. We are trying increasing to 30mg per dose and he’s also given me the encouragement to try different timing and times of day.

I’d just like to get a few solid hours, otherwise maybe this isn’t the right med. I’ve tried the Ritalin generic but it gave me headaches once I reached a therapeutic dose. If you’re in fact doing 40 at once, I’d love to know how you got there and how your heart rate handles it. Thanks!

[valeofraritan]

Dosage is really patient specific. All methylphenidate meds seem to help children more than adults. That said, maybe adderall/generics aren't the right fit for you. Have you tried Vyvanase? It's a different amphetamine that's triggered by the body differently and splits the dosing into 3, so if you had 60mg, it'd be 20/20/20. I hate XRs so that's not an option for me. I was diagnosed by a team of doctors a really long time ago and have had the diagnosis reconfirmed by others since. Had 2 migraine strokes 20 years ago so my blood pressure is a concern, but since my DO oversees everything and does the prescribing, we're all good. The last psychiatrist I saw (2016) was fine with my DO prescribing ADHD meds bc it turns out we have the same DO. PS, some bp meds help ADHD patients, too. Mine do. It's all trial and error, patient by patient. Adderall/generic IR works for me, so that's what I stick with. Currently on 30MG once a day and am pretty happy with it but I generally wait till 9-10 am to take it bc I don't work, so can plan when I want my thinking meds to kick in.

[JW621 in reply to valeofraritan]

I have tried vyvanse but it gave me anxiety. I feel like I’m so dependent on these stimulants. I don’t know how to ease off it

[valeofraritan in reply to JW621]

Generally, stimulants will work better for ADHD patients, but some find non-stimulants work. Finding what works for you is a process of trial and error. It all depends on how which ADHD symptoms are most troublesome for you. Clonidine often helps some *abt 1/3 will find it helps them* If you're not comfortable with stimulants then talking to your doctor about trying non-stimulant options is on the table.

[Hominid711 in reply to JW621]

Hey not sure if still relevant but if anxiety and depression is mostly the issue and libido problems on SSRIs then ask your provider about Mirtazapine or Bupropion.

[Hidden]

A good Supplement stack is better than generic Adderall in my opinion. I take a very high dose of medication, but my supplement stack is what makes the medication work better or missing days and not feeling flat. They relieve fatigue in ADHD or no ADHD, so that's why even Adhd patients feel fatigued if they suddenly just stop it. It's nothing to feel guilty about.

[Hominid711 in reply to Hidden]

I don't think there is evidence for supplements. If you have low levels of calcium VitD folate or B12 or need Thiamin/VitB Strong if you have been or are alcohol dependent then yes, you need those. But beyond that I would be careful giving depressed people such advice.

[Hidden in reply to Hominid711]

You have no idea what you are talking about. Deficiencies are very common, especially for us with the MTHFR gene mutation, which in itself will cause severe depression.

[Hominid711 in reply to Hidden]

Whether you have the gene or not, you need supplements if you have deficiencies of the said B-vitamins. Otherwise no evidence. So instead of taking your rather obscure "stack of supplements" have yourself tested for these deficiencies if you have treatment resistant depression or the neurological symptoms which you can ask Google about. It all starts with a chat with your doctor, neurologist or psychiatrist, then blood tests if they recommend them, but most definitely NOT with your indiscriminate "stack" 🙄. Especially with the gene mutation you can do more harm than good with your amateur advice.

[Hominid711]

Get antidepressants JW! There's your evidence. And stop drinking if you do. Alc that is. Obviously ;^)