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Simcha · 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaotic13

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaotic13

I am on Adderall and I feel... what I consider normal now. When off this medication I tend to zone out and get very agitated when presented with a busy environment. My patience is much improved while on the Adderall.

Occasionally I will take a low dose of short-acting Propranolol when I know I am going to face a particularly stressful situation (like therapy this week). I don't feel the racing heart and throat restriction as much. I don't feel mentally impaired, more talkative, or more emotional.

(((((((chaotic)))))))

That's interesting... I had never heard of Propranolol before (I had to look it up!). Was the Propranolol prescribed on an "as needed basis" to augment your Adderall for your ADHD treatment, or is it for calming you down?
Either way, how does the Propranolol affect you after you've taken it (I couldn't tell if you were saying the Propranolol calms you down or what-not). Is your Adderall the sustained release variety?

I'm always looking for something better. I like the Dexedrine XR Spansules (for those who might not know, the XR is extended release), but I'm a fast metabolizer, and about half the days of the week it doesn't feel good when it wears off (I can get very hyper and/or slightly agitated). I find it takes about an hour and a half during for the period where it wears off to have those negative symptoms go away. Mostly I try to stay away from people during that time period, but it's not always possible. I take the Dexedrine XR Spansules 30mg in the morning and I can augment with 30mg in the late morning/early afternoon as needed (and usually I do). When I take it, I feel calmer, more able to make decisions, able to prioritize, and my focus is definitely improved. My mood is also better and more even. I am far less impulsive. It doesn't hurt my creativity either. However, I'm a fast metabolizer, the maximum time the benefit from them seems to last is 4-5 hours at best

, which is frustrating. I'm much more "emotional" when I'm not on the medicine, and I also will get incredibly annoyed at loud noises, especially at things like the T.V. (mostly commercials). I get frustrated easier at things that just don't matter. I have noticed that the longer I am on the medication (almost two years now), the more I improve over time.

For me, I also find that maybe a day or two out of the week the Dexedrine XR Spansules isn't as effective. I don't know if that is normal or not. I've never taken anything else for ADHD other than the Dexedrine immediate release tabs (at a lower dose). The immediate release tabs were intended to work faster in the morning (it takes 30-45 minutes for the Dexedrine XR Spansules to kick in), but they made me feel agitated more than increase focus. I think that too, is because I'm a fast metabolizer. I have thought about trying another medication in place of the Dexedrine XR Spansules. I do not want to increase the dose of Dexedrine XR that I take, as I'm not sure that would extend the timeframe the beneficial effects work anyway. I also do not want my body to start to need higher doses for the same beneficial response.

Questions for chaotic (and everyone else who is on meds for ADHD):

Do you ever have some days where the ADHD medication doesn't work as well as others (include the name of med) ?

What other medications have you tried to treat the ADHD, and if so, what works and what doesn't?

Does the medication for ADHD you take have any noticeable side effects, and how does it feel when it wears off and leaves your system?

How long does the beneficial response to the medication last?

What other treatment strategies (including alternative and psychotherapy) have you tried that works/helps?

Maybe I'll write another thread post to explore this topic more too. Thanks for your input!