[OneEmptyHeart]

So I was recently diagnosed with adult ADHD. They put me on the generic equivalent of Adderall 10mg. Told me to take one pill a day for a week and then increase to two. Then after a month he'd reevaluate. The one a day pill is doing absolutely NOTHING for me. Im helping a friend open a business I will be working at in the very near future and I could really use some focus. Just wondering everyone's experience with Adderall or the generic equivalent as I have never had to take pills on a regular basis for anything before so this is new territory for me.

[OneEmptyHeart]

Anyone?????

[CWC3]

I'm not a good example because I have Tourette syndrome, but I did not react well to it. It made me anxious and twitchy :P and therefore it was counterproductive. I've also tried Focalin (same story) and now I'm trying Strattera.

Talk to your doc and see what (s)he thinks. In the meantime, try to "placebo yourself" by saying each time you take it that it will work for you. There is a lot of power in our minds if we can tap into them. Who knows; it may just help. Anyway, drugs just have to be more effective than placebo to be marketed, and people respond differently to them.

It's semi-new territory to me, too. You just gotta keep trying to see if it (or something else) will work).

--CHANGEwillcome

[OneEmptyHeart]

Originally Posted by CWC3

I'm not a good example because I have Tourette syndrome, but I did not react well to it. It made me anxious and twitchy :P and therefore it was counterproductive. I've also tried Focalin (same story) and now I'm trying Strattera.

Talk to your doc and see what (s)he thinks. In the meantime, try to "placebo yourself" by saying each time you take it that it will work for you. There is a lot of power in our minds if we can tap into them. Who knows; it may just help. Anyway, drugs just have to be more effective than placebo to be marketed, and people respond differently to them.

It's semi-new territory to me, too. You just gotta keep trying to see if it (or something else) will work).

--CHANGEwillcome

I appreciate your response especially since you're the only one who bothered
I've been taking it for about a week now and noticed that it does make me calmer and my normally rapid speech patterns are almost at what I would consider normal. However I'm still having a horrible time concentrating on anything, I'm still ridiculously forgetful, and I still have way to many thoughts and projects going on at once.

I could care less if I talk super fast, and if I have more energy than your average person, what I really need help with is being able to focus/concentrate on things without getting constantly sidetracked and distracted.

The only time I can really focus on something right now is if it's something I love doing. Again any responses would be greatly welcome. Especially from people who use meds for their ADD/ADHD

[bipolarmedstudent]

Personally I didn't like adderall. Prefer dexedrine or ritalin. Adderall made me 'speedy'.

[Stoda]

I'm on Adderall for a different reason. I'm on it to stay awake because I have Narcolepsy. Side note - it's totally weird to me that you can take a drug to slow yourself down, but I take it to speed myself up!

Anyway I wanted to say to hang in there. It takes time to find the right drug and the right dosage. You said you've improved some, so try to focus on that. Maybe with more time, you'll become more focused. Or you might have to try another drug, there are several out there. It can be a long road, just try to hang in there. Try to take comfort that you know what the problem is, and that it can be treated, it just takes time.

By the way, I HATE that it takes time. I'm totally impatient. Just wanted to recognize that it sucks. But you do have positives to focus on.

Times can vary as to when meds start taking effect. Depends on ones own physiology etc.. It does take some time to adjust the dose as well. Stick to it and let the doctor know exactly what your observations and concerns are with each evaluation. He needs your input to help him help you. And good luck with it...I have an appointment in a couple of days to see about starting Concerta. I'm looking forward to it helping but realize like any med, finding the right dose and the right drug may take some time. If Adderall doesn't do it for you one of the alternatives [Strattera/conerta etc] may. Good luck again!

[Pink Mist]

That's odd that it doesn't do anything. You can talk to your prescriber and see if they can do anything

[DM05wvu]

I was started on Adderall 20 mg twice a day and then upped to three times a day after a few days and it worked pretty much immediately. I've now been on this for awhile and it's still great

[BlueInanna]

Hi, i think that sounds like a low dosage of adderall. i take it and it helps tremendously. Also, you could have a high metabolism.

[MotherMarcus]

You may want to talk to your P-doc about tweeking your dosage. Good luck.

[sremed]

A few weeks ago I went to a new psychiatrist. He told me Aderall was really the only medication that worked. His exact words, "If Aderall doesn't work there's not much else we can do." I told him I was prescribed Aderall a while back. I didn't remember exactly how it affected me, but I DO know I've never taken anything that has worked yet. He prescribed it anyway, "10mgs twice a day." I took it for 3 days and walked around in the worst brain fog, completely apathetic about everything, biting my wife's head off every time she spoke to me. Every little distraction broke my concentration and the frustration level seemed to be amplified 10 times. I called and he told me to cut one pill in half, (5mg) just once a day. I've een doing that and now feel exactly like I did before going to see him.

I have an appointment with (YET) another new psychiatrist on July 10th.

I don't think your doc should have given you a statement like that. Other stimulant meds are available for this and they wouldn't be out there being used if they we'ren't. How you doing sremed? I'm glad you've found a new Doc. Best of luck. Tell him what the last guy said. Be interesting to get his reaction. Good luck and let us know what comes of it ok? You take good care and best of luck on the tenth. I have an app. on the 13th or 16th July to discuss meds again. [heh...I'd better check...I've forgotten!] REALLY looking forward to this. Best of luck to us both! Cheers

[sweathers81]

I've been on and off it for 10 years now. I have ADD and i take 30 mg twice a day. I feel ok now, i still struggle with it cus as soon as the pill kicks in im good for a couple hours then hit that low until i take the second one, then the same thing. But i have found out that the adderall extended release works alot better than the reg. one. The reason im not taking it cus i don't have any insurance and can't afford it, but if i could i would. And if your just starting out on it its going to take a little bit for it to get into your just system and your brain to adjust to it. I would just keep track of how you feel and im sure your doc can help u find something that works, best of luck to u :-)

[novelagent]

10mg is a very low dose. It works for some at that dose, but it sounds like you could use 20mg a dose (2 or 3x/day). You should try to ask your doc if you can see him weekly while you're titrating (adjusting) the dose-- otherwise, you're stuck with a dose or med that doesn't work, and you just have to wait until the next appointment.

But one thing I advise is to consider taking a step back and questioning your expectations for this drug. It does sound like it is doing something, but you expect it to give you superhuman strength. It can't do work for you, and you will still be distractable at any dose. All it can do is reduce the severity of symptoms you will need to find additional ways of coping with and accepting besides just taking medicine for it.

My doc, when I told him I couldn't write a paper one night while on my doee, so I doubled tbe dose-- he said people with ADD can't always expect to get everything done perfectly and never have problems (no one can). Instead, they take their medicine as prescribed, and accept that sometimes, they won't be able to get everything they want to get done. It was comforting to realize so many other people with ADD also manage to accept they can't be perfect, and appreciate what limits they have, and are okay with that as long as they know they tried their best.

I think it's also important to appreciate the fact you haven't be tempted to take the drug in an unorthodox manner, and instead are being patient with it. Keep sticking to that-- you don't want to get in the habit of telling yourself you know better than your doctor, because that will cause trouble.

You may benefit from a higher dose, but you won't need to go much higher-- 20mg, I think, is what you're on by now, right? I wouldn't go above 20mg, and it seems like you might just benefit from dosing it 3x/day.

You might also want to try Vyvanse, once you find the dose that works well for you with Adderall. Vyvanse works all day, so I just take a single pill in the morning, and don't have to think about it again. Your doctor can convert the dose of Adderall you're taking to the dose that works for Vyvanse by reading the convert chart at vyvanse.com.