[adeline]

Is it really true that 20mg XR is equivalent to 60mg of regular Adderall? This is what my doctor told me...

I've been wanting to try the XR instead of the regular Adderall for a while now, and today my doctor prescribed it. One problem: my normal dose is 60mg, and he lowered me to 20mg XR, 20mg regular Adderall.

HE said that 20mg XR was equivalent to 60mg of the regular stuff... I have a hard time believing this, considering that most people I've known on the XR are on 40mg (and had been on 60mg of regular Adderall).

Thanks,

Jess

[Jerrypharmstudent]

Your doctor is wrong. The answer is NO. After doing some research I found this:

"A single dose of ADDERALL XR 20 mg capsules provided comparable plasma concentration profiles of both d-amphetamine and l-amphetamine to ADDERALL (immediate-release) 10 mg bid administered 4 hours apart."



Which means that taking one 20mg XR capsule equals taking two 10mg immediate-release tablets spaced 4 hours apart. So, in other words, if you took 10mg immediate-release at 8am and another at noon, you'd have the same amount of Adderall in your system as if you had taken one 20mg XR capsule at 8am.

20mg XR = taking 10mg "regular" Adderall 2x daily.

If you have been taking 60 mg of the immediate-release Adderall TECHNICALLY you should be taking 60mg of the XR formulation - but at a decreased dosing schedule - meaning, if you are taking 20mg IR (immediate-release) 3x daily the equivalent would be 30mg XR 2x daily.

Either your doctor misunderstands how the XR formulation works or he DOES understand but is trying to convince you otherwise for some reason.

Check this out: http://rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/adderallxr_cp.htm and show it to your doctor. You can also call Organon at 1-800-241-8812 and ask them for clarification on the equivalency between the two forms.

I hope this helps!

Jerry :-)

P.S. I take Adderall XR - 20mg 3x daily and it works great.