![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 3 to 27 of 27. Go back in thread:
Posted by garnet71 on April 15, 2009, at 21:34:06
In reply to new generic adderall xr, posted by CareBear04 on April 15, 2009, at 12:42:06
I was up until 7 this morning with one of the worst panic attacks I ever had. I couldn't get air in my lungs,and was coughing and choking and thought I was going to die, alternated by pacing the house and crying. then I saw stars and started to lose consciousness for a couple seconds then suddenly jolted out of it. Since I had a meeting a school and had to give a presentation today, I had to go to get help from a doctor
She said I was having a severe allergic reaction and bronchial spasms but that my heart rate was good and lungs sounded fine. They had me on a breathing machine of albuteral, then I left with an inhaler and a script for stronger dose of xanax up from .25 to .5, and and only a $30 bill for all that.. All this from only 10 mg adderall I took yesterday. I guess it builds up in your system...I still can't breath right, albuteral only helps with that so much.
But yeah, never again taking Adderall.
But it's all good because I found the greatest doctor around, and am switching over to her. I just went to this random place near my home to see if someone would help me. They took me in less than 5 mintues. We talked for over half an hour, about school, antidepressants, and even drug seeking patients..lol. She just sat next to me, talking to me until I calmed down It was worth the torture finding her. She was definitely my angel today :)
Posted by softheprairie on April 16, 2009, at 7:17:02
In reply to never-ever taking Adderall ever again!!!, posted by garnet71 on April 15, 2009, at 21:34:06
> I was up until 7 this morning with one of the worst panic attacks I ever had. I couldn't get air in my lungs,and was coughing and choking and thought I was going to die, alternated by pacing the house and crying. then I saw stars and started to lose consciousness for a couple seconds then suddenly jolted out of it. Since I had a meeting a school and had to give a presentation today, I had to go to get help from a doctor
>
> She said I was having a severe allergic reaction and bronchial spasms but that my heart rate was good and lungs sounded fine. They had me on a breathing machine of albuteral, then I left with an inhaler and a script for stronger dose of xanax up from .25 to .5, and and only a $30 bill for all that.. All this from only 10 mg adderall I took yesterday. I guess it builds up in your system...I still can't breath right, albuteral only helps with that so much.
>
> But yeah, never again taking Adderall.
>
> But it's all good because I found the greatest doctor around, and am switching over to her. I just went to this random place near my home to see if someone would help me. They took me in less than 5 mintues. We talked for over half an hour, about school, antidepressants, and even drug seeking patients..lol. She just sat next to me, talking to me until I calmed down It was worth the torture finding her. She was definitely my angel today :)
Good to hear a good dr. encounter. Also good to hear from CareBear of the Adderall XR going generic (for those who are helped by it).
Posted by BananaBri on April 24, 2009, at 17:18:47
In reply to new generic adderall xr, posted by CareBear04 on April 15, 2009, at 12:42:06
Hi Carebear,
I am curious what you think of the new generic Adderall XR?? How does it compare to the Brand-name (Shire)? I am currently taking the brand-name Adderall XR (and have been for about 6 years). However, I just received a letter from my insurance company that says that I will be switched to the generic form; and I am wondering if I should pay extra to continue getting the brand-name?
I would really appreciate any input that you might have!
Thanks!
~BD~
Posted by abbleba on April 27, 2009, at 20:18:47
In reply to new generic adderall xr, posted by CareBear04 on April 15, 2009, at 12:42:06
> adderall xr just became available in generic this month. i was surprised when the pharmacist told me this last week when i picked up my script since i didn't think it's been even near the 20 years of exclusivity for the manufacturer. in any case, i saved a lot of money.
>
> i'm wondering, though, has anyone tried the generic form? i want to know if adderall xr is one of those drugs where the generic is indistinguishable from the brand in effectiveness or whether it's a drug where you really need to take the brand to get the most benefit. a couple of years ago, when i took generic dexedrine spansules, i wasn't at all impressed, even though my pdoc had postulated that dexedrine is more potent than adderall. maybe that's true just of the brand form?
>
> anyway, any input would be great.
> thanks!
> cbWhat a timely post/subject. Bare with me please;
I just filled a new script for Adderall XR last Friday. The pharmacist informed me that I was receiving not my usual brand-name med but the new generic form, which I'd only recently found out is now available. Okay I said.
In addition to adhd, I`ve struggled most of my life with depression. But my worst condition now is severe anxiety disorder, which became life-threatening in 2000 when I had my 1st nervous breakdown & hospitalization.
I also have a long & storied history of extreme med-resistance. So much so that I now rely on Adderall 1st & foremost for mood-regulation. I take it on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays only, and I take 40 mgs - just enough to have the desired sustainable level of benefit. I also take 2 mgs of Clonazepam to counteract any possible rebound anxiety later on when the mood-regulating effect of the Adderall wears off. This doctor-approved treatment has done wonders and given me new hope for a better future.
Today is Monday, my 1st "med day" of the week, and this morning I woke up and took my first 40 mgs of the generic Adderall XR, plus my 2 mgs of Clonazepam. I laid in bed, feeling anxious as usual, waiting for the med to slowly & fully take effect, which it finally did about an hour later. I got up feeling like my normal self, and looked forward to the busy day I had planned.
However, less than two hours later the effect began to wear off. Worse, I slowly became more and more anxious. Even the Clonazepam I took didn't seem to have any effect. To summarize, the rest of my day was shot to Hell.
This should not have happened, pure & simple, and I can only guess it had something (or everything) to do with the new generic form of Adderall I took today for the 1st time. I've taken plenty of generics in my time, e.g. Clonazepam vs Klonopin, but never experienced anything like this. I`m now looking in to it, and I`m confident that in a day or two I`ll come up with the answers I need. I`ll begin by researching the whole brand name meds vs generic subject, then talk to my doctor and pharmacist.
BK
Posted by CareBear04 on April 27, 2009, at 22:11:37
In reply to Re: new generic adderall xr, posted by BananaBri on April 24, 2009, at 17:18:47
hi bananabri--
i haven't yet formed a definite opinion on the new generic adderall xr. i keep my meds in a baggie and have been taking whatever i happen to draw out, so about half the time brand and half the time generic. my gut impression is that the generic is not as potent as the brand. as for whether i would be willing to pay for the brand, though, i don't really know--it's a really big price difference for me, anyway. the last time i opted for brand was when i was taking klonopin wafers and the pharmacy kept trying to substitute generic wafers, which were definitely not nearly as effective as the real stuff. it was actually a big pain in the a** to track down a pharmacy that would order the brand name... a lot harder than you would think. sorry if this doesn't help more. depending on your copay for each prescription, maybe you can ask your pdoc to prescribe a week or two's worth, then try it and decide from there whether to pursue the brand name?cb
Posted by BananaBri on April 28, 2009, at 21:24:09
In reply to Re: new generic adderall xr » BananaBri, posted by CareBear04 on April 27, 2009, at 22:11:37
Hi Carebear
Thanks for the update! I normally get a 3 month RX because I get better insurance coverage with the mail-in pharmacy; however, I might try asking my doctor for a trial RX of the generic Adderall to fill at the local pharmacy. Unfortunately, if it is less effective, I will probably fork-over the extra $ for the brand-name. (I am already prescribed a high dosage of the med, otherwise it would be feasible to switch to generic and simply bump-up the mg to compensate for any loss in effect.) Ugh, I really wish that the FDA had a more stringent policy on the "quality" of generic vs. brand name meds...Then we wouldn't have to worry about which is more effective! (And you wouldn't have to go through he** trying to find a pharmacy that will order brand-name drugs!)
Thanks again for your help!!
~BB~
Posted by 7Towers on May 3, 2009, at 10:54:51
In reply to Re: new generic adderall xr, posted by BananaBri on April 28, 2009, at 21:24:09
Hi Everyone , its been along time since I've posted.. Hey Carebear glad to see you..
My daughter and I both take Adderall Xr and this is the first week that she has taken the generic form and it's not going well at all.
The generic is causing her to be irratible in a large way and anxious. My observation of her as well as what she describing leads me to believe that the generic adderall Xr causes a rush of noradrenaline type effects like large amounts of caffine would be or taking provigil . This does not suprise me . I'm calling our doctor and getting her a script for the Brand on Monday.
I have experienced this state and it's highly unpleasent and I'm glad we figured it out this soon.
I want to thank all who posted and I will continue to research this as well.
L
Posted by lawstud on June 18, 2009, at 23:59:45
In reply to Re: new generic adderall xr, posted by 7Towers on May 3, 2009, at 10:54:51
A lot of people are complaining about Generic Adderall XR, from irritability to feeling sick. Basically Teva which is the only generic maker on the market until October 2009 is making a sh*tty generic with the help of Shire. I've read other places that say generics only need to between 80-120% bio-available.
Although they claim the same bio-availability my research indicates that Shire the brand Adderall XR maker claimed to the FDA in their application mean d-amp and l-amp plasma concentrations blood double what they are not claiming or what TEVA on their website is posting. Hell TEVA just copied the study from Shire and posted it under pharmacokinetics like they ran the study.
The only explanation besides the 80-120% BA is that the beads in the XR in the generic have different rates of release. This is wrong, the drugs dextro-amphetamine-sulfate and dextro-amphetamine-saccharate are the reasons why there is a time release. They are metabolized at different rates because of the polymers used on them. The first drug hits right away while the second is slowly absorbed from 2 to 5 hours peaking at around 7hrs in the body, the polymers and bead creation a trade secret.
Also even if TEVA figured it out, they can't copy the blood plasma levels of brand Adderall XR without violating Shire's patent. Thus the levels of dextroamphetamine and levo-amphetamine in instant and sustained release form in the pills are not going to act the same as brand (and although they claim equal amounts of each drug I seriously doubt they are really doing that).
In addition the beads which the drug are in and on are of different structure between Shire's brand adderall and the TEVA generic. Some beads in the pill are made of sugar with dextro coats, some with polymers to time release, dispersing agents, water barriers to delay absorption etc, while TEVA's beads can be of varying quality and use different polymers.
Bottom line, if brand works and you switch to generic don't make a radical shift but mix and match the pills to get used to them before switching over. Then again either October or November months from April 1st) TEVA is not going to be alone, there will be more generic adderall xr makers then.
Posted by lawstud on June 19, 2009, at 0:04:07
In reply to Re: new generic adderall xr, posted by lawstud on June 18, 2009, at 23:59:45
Basically the generic and brand have different polymers for the same drugs in the pill which affect absorption rates. TEVA apparently has made the pills absorb about 30% faster than brand XR. This must be because of the patent and talks that they've agreed to this.
I hear after 4 hours SOME people complain it wears off. This would be borderline instant release adderall which peaks in 3 hours. If there is a time release effect some people are barely feeling it.
Posted by morganpmiller on June 21, 2009, at 0:23:55
In reply to Re: new generic adderall xr, posted by lawstud on June 19, 2009, at 0:04:07
If you can afford it, stay away for generic anything.
Not a fan of adderall but if it works for you without major side effects then that's a good thing. I just worry about what adderall could do to the heart over a long period of time. My best friend died of a massive heart attack. He was on adderrall
Posted by CLS531 on June 24, 2009, at 11:08:42
In reply to Re: new generic adderall xr, posted by 7Towers on May 3, 2009, at 10:54:51
BananaBri,
I've been prescribed 30 mg of Adderall XR from around August 2008 to May 2009, and it was pretty effective for me - I'm a grad student and have a pretty heavy load, so being able to effectively handle the symptoms of my ADHD is pretty important. I was very excited to learn about the generic form of Adderall XR when I went to fill my prescription two weeks ago. I wish I still felt the same level of excitement...
Some issues that I experience related to the medication have gotten consistently worse, such as dizziness upon standing, feelings of being on the verge of panicking, and sleep disturbance; but more importantly, the level of symptom mediation is reduced. I have substantial difficulty focusing while in class/studying, and even things that I want to focus on (such as working on a painting). I (along with my spouse) have also noticed a reduction in the length of time that the generic form works for me. The non-generic brand usually lasts for 12 - 14 hours for me, while the generic lasts 8 (9 on a good day).
As I have been taking the generic form consistently for two weeks (and, from what I understand, there is not a gradual onset of symptom mediation [e.g. the discontinued medication Cylert, or Phemoline, took approx. 2 - 3 weeks]), I can only assume that this is as effective as it will be for me, and am going in to talk with my doctor next week about switching back to the non-generic or a comparable medication.
Please note that I am not looking to discourage individuals from taking the generic form - different people have different results with medications, and I tend to have more negative reactions with generic medications than positive. I simply want to give an accurate account of what I've experienced. I hope this helps - if you have any other questions, feel free to e-mail me at Seizonsha531@gmail.com.
~Chris~
Posted by rosbor on June 28, 2009, at 13:01:12
In reply to new generic adderall xr, posted by CareBear04 on April 15, 2009, at 12:42:06
> adderall xr just became available in generic this month. i was surprised when the pharmacist told me this last week when i picked up my script since i didn't think it's been even near the 20 years of exclusivity for the manufacturer. in any case, i saved a lot of money.
>
> i'm wondering, though, has anyone tried the generic form? i want to know if adderall xr is one of those drugs where the generic is indistinguishable from the brand in effectiveness or whether it's a drug where you really need to take the brand to get the most benefit. a couple of years ago, when i took generic dexedrine spansules, i wasn't at all impressed, even though my pdoc had postulated that dexedrine is more potent than adderall. maybe that's true just of the brand form?
>
> anyway, any input would be great.
> thanks!
> cbI was also given the generic adderal xr 20 mg and I just took my first one....but I don't think it is extended at all. First of all, it isn't even that much cheaper.
Looking at the pill, it is the same exact color, but all it says is amphetamine salts 20 mg. It does NOT say anything about being xr or even er.
Did the pharmacist screw up? because right now I feel sick. I feel like I am getting all of the 20 mg at once.
Please advise.
Posted by CLS531 on June 28, 2009, at 14:12:41
In reply to Re: new generic adderall xr » CareBear04, posted by rosbor on June 28, 2009, at 13:01:12
First and foremost, I need to state that I am not a doctor or a pharmacist, and that they are the only ones that can give you accurate counsel regarding this medication. All that I'm able to offer is my own experience...
With that said, I suggest that you look at the prescription on your bottle - with my medication, the pill casing itself does not state that it is XR - only the prescription listed on the bottle.
I can tell you that when I switched from the brand-name to the generic, I experienced nausea, dizziness, anxiety, increased heart-rate, headache, dry mouth, and almost passed out twice. Now, it's important to note that the same day I switched, I was also bit multiple times by a spider (I'm not sure what kind), so I am unsure of whether it is all, partially, or not at all due to the switch in medications - but I felt the same for a few days after. I've gotten to the point where I've leveled out (if it was due to the medication), but I notice that the generic does not last as long for me. That's about all I can offer from my own experience. If you're having problems, I strongly suggest that you make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the switch with him/her. I would also suggest taking your medication in with you, as the doctor might know something that you or I don't. Good luck and I hope everything works out for the best soon!!!
~CLS531~
> I was also given the generic adderal xr 20 mg and I just took my first one....but I don't think it is extended at all. First of all, it isn't even that much cheaper.
>
> Looking at the pill, it is the same exact color, but all it says is amphetamine salts 20 mg. It does NOT say anything about being xr or even er.
>
> Did the pharmacist screw up? because right now I feel sick. I feel like I am getting all of the 20 mg at once.
>
> Please advise.
Posted by Dorian W. Gray on June 30, 2009, at 21:23:41
In reply to new generic adderall xr, posted by CareBear04 on April 15, 2009, at 12:42:06
First of all, any generic medication should yield the same result as the original, brand named,drugs would have. Therefore, generic Adderall XRshould be just fine. Mentally, some people don't think that it does, hence they feel all the negative/side effects that they might have read or heard about, or deny its good effects, it true purpose, mentally.
So be aware of what you read or hear, try to judge the drug and your behavior/reaction to it on your own, with full honesty, not how you were suppose to feel or not feel (side effects).
More importantly, I would like to suggest talking to your doctor about Vyvanse. I used to be on Adderall, which I loved, because it got the job done. However, a few years ago, my doctor suggested this new medicine, Vyvanse XR, I think they only come in with XR; however, Vyvanses extended release is longer than Adderall. Therefore, I tried it, and I have been on it since. I feel that it works better than Adderall, and I only have to take it once a day, as appose to twice a day, when I was on Adderall.
It is just a suggestion to think and talk to your doctor about. However, if it doesn't help any better or as well then you should go back to whatever drug you were taking.
Good luck,
Regards,
Dorian
p.s. don't take mine or other people's words for anything. Always ask yourself: Does this make sense? If it makes sense, then ask yourself: Why?
If it doesn't make sense, then ask yourself: Why not? Once you know if it really make sense or why it doesn't, then pat yourself on the back for going through the due diligence process.
Every time, we go through this process, we kill a little bit of the moron that lives in all of us.
Every time, we ignore this process, we feed the same moron to flourish within us.
Posted by rosbor on July 2, 2009, at 21:37:21
In reply to Re: new generic adderall xr, posted by CLS531 on June 28, 2009, at 14:12:41
I am convinced that we will be hearing about this generic forms of Adderral on the news in about a year. There will be lawsuits once a private company tests these generics and discovers that there is something different in the binding agent, etc., that makes the absorption different. I was not imagining that my heart was racing, I wanted to throw up, and that I felt as if I had had about 50 cups of coffee at once. I have been on Adderral xr 20 mg for well over 2 years and this happened once (and only once!) after taking the generic version. Both the doctor and the pharmacists insist "it is made by the same company." That means nothing! I could bake 2 batches of cookies, too. I could forget to add sugar to one batch. They would taste very different but heck, they were made by the same person so they should be the same, right? I am saving these generics because I want to find a place that will test them. There is something wrong with them! I hope people don't have to die before there is some kind of action taken by the FDA.
> First and foremost, I need to state that I am not a doctor or a pharmacist, and that they are the only ones that can give you accurate counsel regarding this medication. All that I'm able to offer is my own experience...
>
> With that said, I suggest that you look at the prescription on your bottle - with my medication, the pill casing itself does not state that it is XR - only the prescription listed on the bottle.
>
> I can tell you that when I switched from the brand-name to the generic, I experienced nausea, dizziness, anxiety, increased heart-rate, headache, dry mouth, and almost passed out twice. Now, it's important to note that the same day I switched, I was also bit multiple times by a spider (I'm not sure what kind), so I am unsure of whether it is all, partially, or not at all due to the switch in medications - but I felt the same for a few days after. I've gotten to the point where I've leveled out (if it was due to the medication), but I notice that the generic does not last as long for me. That's about all I can offer from my own experience. If you're having problems, I strongly suggest that you make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the switch with him/her. I would also suggest taking your medication in with you, as the doctor might know something that you or I don't. Good luck and I hope everything works out for the best soon!!!
>
> ~CLS531~
>
> > I was also given the generic adderal xr 20 mg and I just took my first one....but I don't think it is extended at all. First of all, it isn't even that much cheaper.
> >
> > Looking at the pill, it is the same exact color, but all it says is amphetamine salts 20 mg. It does NOT say anything about being xr or even er.
> >
> > Did the pharmacist screw up? because right now I feel sick. I feel like I am getting all of the 20 mg at once.
> >
> > Please advise.
Posted by rosbor on July 2, 2009, at 21:42:09
In reply to Re: new generic adderall xr, posted by lawstud on June 18, 2009, at 23:59:45
Wow. That makes a lot of sense. How can they get away with this? It is definietly NOT "the same drug." This could kill people! I know I felt like I was going to die after taking ONE generic Adderral.
Posted by twinch42085 on July 3, 2009, at 4:21:39
In reply to Adderall (Generic or not) Vs. Vyvanse, posted by Dorian W. Gray on June 30, 2009, at 21:23:41
> First of all, any generic medication should yield the same result as the original, brand named,drugs would have. Therefore, generic Adderall XRshould be just fine. Mentally, some people don't think that it does, hence they feel all the negative/side effects that they might have read or heard about, or deny its good effects, it true purpose, mentally.
>
> So be aware of what you read or hear, try to judge the drug and your behavior/reaction to it on your own, with full honesty, not how you were suppose to feel or not feel (side effects).
>
> More importantly, I would like to suggest talking to your doctor about Vyvanse. I used to be on Adderall, which I loved, because it got the job done. However, a few years ago, my doctor suggested this new medicine, Vyvanse XR, I think they only come in with XR; however, Vyvanses extended release is longer than Adderall. Therefore, I tried it, and I have been on it since. I feel that it works better than Adderall, and I only have to take it once a day, as appose to twice a day, when I was on Adderall.
>
> It is just a suggestion to think and talk to your doctor about. However, if it doesn't help any better or as well then you should go back to whatever drug you were taking.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Regards,
>
> Dorian
>
> p.s. don't take mine or other people's words for anything. Always ask yourself: Does this make sense? If it makes sense, then ask yourself: Why?
>
> If it doesn't make sense, then ask yourself: Why not? Once you know if it really make sense or why it doesn't, then pat yourself on the back for going through the due diligence process.
>
> Every time, we go through this process, we kill a little bit of the moron that lives in all of us.
>
> Every time, we ignore this process, we feed the same moron to flourish within us.
>
I have tried both brand name and generic forms of Adderall XR at 20mg each. I cannot see a significant difference really (except in the price). When I have had to take generic forms of medicines in which I was use to taking the name brand; I would always say to myself "this isn't going to work for me like its suppose to".....nah, doesn't work that way because I just siked myself out of giving the new medicine a chance to work.I have tried Vyvanse in the past. It is definitely a lot smoother than Adderall. I think that is because it consists of 100% Dextro-Amphetamine and Adderall XR is like 75% Dextro-Amphetamine and 25% Levo-Amphetamine. Vyvanse allowed me to focus without the jitters due to the fact that Dextro-Amphetamine is directed solely at the Central Nervous System. Adderall XR on the other hand is directed at the CNS, but only at 75% capacity. The other 25% Levo-Amphetamine is directed towards the Peripheral Nervous System i.e.(blood pressure, body temperature, and for me dry eyes).
Anywho, I said my peace. Take Care
GoodLuck :-)
Twinch
Posted by rosbor on July 3, 2009, at 11:40:08
In reply to Re: Adderall (Generic or not) Vs. Vyvanse, posted by twinch42085 on July 3, 2009, at 4:21:39
My guess is that we all absorb a little differently. That is why some people can have iron deficiencies even though their intake of iron is normal. So those with "typical" systems probably do fine with certain generics that have slightly different binding agents, while others may over/underreact. I know what I experienced was not in my head. It was frightening.
Posted by CLS531 on July 3, 2009, at 13:00:29
In reply to Re: Adderall (Generic or not) Vs. Vyvanse, posted by rosbor on July 3, 2009, at 11:40:08
Yes, that is very true - good point. There is also a sensitivity factor as well. My doctor told me that, in generics, sometimes there are small variances in dosing - not enough to make a different to a lot of people, but for individuals with systems that are just naturally more sensitive, those small variances can make a very big difference.
As a comment to everyone: just in case it seems like I am trying to discount the fact that psychological factors can interfere with a drug's effectiveness, I am not. I understand the concept and the mind-body interaction pretty thoroughly, and recognize that it does happen, and pretty commonly. I am simply trying to give legitimacy that sometimes, it's not "all in your head". All sides of an equation need to be considered.
~CLS531~
Posted by BananaBri on July 6, 2009, at 8:10:43
In reply to Re: Adderall (Generic or not) Vs. Vyvanse, posted by CLS531 on July 3, 2009, at 13:00:29
> Yes, that is very true - good point. There is also a sensitivity factor as well. My doctor told me that, in generics, sometimes there are small variances in dosing - not enough to make a different to a lot of people, but for individuals with systems that are just naturally more sensitive, those small variances can make a very big difference.
>
> As a comment to everyone: just in case it seems like I am trying to discount the fact that psychological factors can interfere with a drug's effectiveness, I am not. I understand the concept and the mind-body interaction pretty thoroughly, and recognize that it does happen, and pretty commonly. I am simply trying to give legitimacy that sometimes, it's not "all in your head". All sides of an equation need to be considered.
>
> ~CLS531~
Indeed, I agree. In fact, the FDA allows a 20% variance in the active ingredient for generic drugs. Thus, generic adderall xr may contain anywhere from 80-120% of the actual dosage indicated on the capsule.That said, I have found that my last rx of generic adderall xr is slightly less effective than the brand name drug. However, after upping my dose, it seems to work on-par with Shire's brand-name adderall xr.
Posted by rjlockhart04-08 on July 7, 2009, at 22:56:38
In reply to Adderall (Generic or not) Vs. Vyvanse, posted by Dorian W. Gray on June 30, 2009, at 21:23:41
Vyvanse is d-amphetamine, mixed with L-lysine, in a formula, so it stay's and releases, litterly in the body, slow, not like XR, it goes, in and slowly releases in the blood stream.
Adderall is dextro/levo/r-isomer/ mixed and it gives a more active effect. More energy, yet, it causes more mood instablity, because the boost of dopamine and noradreanline, deplete after it wears off.
Vyvanse is good in some cases, yet the only experience was, it stay's in the system too long, it was "stated it metolbizes" after 12 hours, nope, only worked a bad 7 hours for me, yet i still had the after effects, for hours. Into the night, and the next the day with dose.
Amphetamine stablizes some emotional reactions, in the correct dose, yet, due, it's known to be abused, years, years, of recoreded history. Concentration, it settles things down, some what in a mood stablizing way, yet it causes "irrtiblity". Really, i'm not a doctor (no backup) but people with depression with a mood disorder (Bipolar 1 or 2) could take it with Lithium, and it could stablize something's. It all depends on a person. I've taken Dexedrine, it's stablized mania, slow's nuerons down, yet it's a stimulant, I don't know why it slow's down electrical activity in some, yet it does lower to the mood, at low doses, moderate doses 45mg, 60mg, it works. Sometimes, I couldnt tell my doctor "the cirmcumstance" why? Alot of times, at home it stablized emotions, yet, the hostility at home is severe.
Funny, think siezure medication, Lamicatal would take care of it, no....it actaully caused more "fog", w/dexedrine, and caused a bad effect, wasnt able to tell my doctor in time, the effect's where counteracting.
But Lithium is old....have to blood check's! that means every month getting a blood sample, YUK!
rj
Posted by Gmill on July 13, 2009, at 16:20:18
In reply to Adderall (Generic or not) Vs. Vyvanse, posted by Dorian W. Gray on June 30, 2009, at 21:23:41
I was also taking Adderall XR and introduced to Vyvanse when it came to market a couple of years ago. To me it does last longer than Adderall and the effects are the same if not better possibly due to its longer lasting effect during the day. I sometimes have nightime insomnia when trying to fall asleep but take 5mg of Ambien which helps. I take 30mg of Vyvanse and all I need as it is available in 80mg. I have been taking 30mg for the past 2 years and really have not developed a tolerance that I am aware of unlike the Ambien but refuse to go over 5mg of Ambien.
> First of all, any generic medication should yield the same result as the original, brand named,drugs would have. Therefore, generic Adderall XRshould be just fine. Mentally, some people don't think that it does, hence they feel all the negative/side effects that they might have read or heard about, or deny its good effects, it true purpose, mentally.
>
> So be aware of what you read or hear, try to judge the drug and your behavior/reaction to it on your own, with full honesty, not how you were suppose to feel or not feel (side effects).
>
> More importantly, I would like to suggest talking to your doctor about Vyvanse. I used to be on Adderall, which I loved, because it got the job done. However, a few years ago, my doctor suggested this new medicine, Vyvanse XR, I think they only come in with XR; however, Vyvanses extended release is longer than Adderall. Therefore, I tried it, and I have been on it since. I feel that it works better than Adderall, and I only have to take it once a day, as appose to twice a day, when I was on Adderall.
>
> It is just a suggestion to think and talk to your doctor about. However, if it doesn't help any better or as well then you should go back to whatever drug you were taking.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Regards,
>
> Dorian
>
> p.s. don't take mine or other people's words for anything. Always ask yourself: Does this make sense? If it makes sense, then ask yourself: Why?
>
> If it doesn't make sense, then ask yourself: Why not? Once you know if it really make sense or why it doesn't, then pat yourself on the back for going through the due diligence process.
>
> Every time, we go through this process, we kill a little bit of the moron that lives in all of us.
>
> Every time, we ignore this process, we feed the same moron to flourish within us.
>
Posted by Lesser Poobah on July 15, 2009, at 19:58:34
In reply to Re: new generic adderall xr, posted by lawstud on June 18, 2009, at 23:59:45
Just fyi re: my experiences...
I was prescribed 20mg of Adderall XR daily by a neurologist for idiopathic hypersomnia (i.e., extreme daytime sleepiness) which is a sleep disorder probably related to my other sleep disorder, sleep apnea. I have been taking the Adderall for many months, after switching over from Provigil 200mg (which was no longer working effectively).
The adderall xr worked reasonably well, 10 mg first thing in the morning and another 10 around noon/12:30pm. It didn't keep me awake at night, didn't really seem to make me more focused, just helped keep me awake.
I refilled my XR prescription at the end of June, and fairly quickly noticed that I wasn't getting the same effect from my doses. (Not enough wakefulness, and not lasting nearly as long.) I started to take the second dose an hour earlier in the day, which seemed to help for a while.
I had not realized that the new prescription was the generic ex version until I took a close look at the pill itself. I thought perhaps my prescription had been incorrectly filled with a lower dosage (if 5mg is available) and went to check the pill for the dosage. Psychological impact of the generic was nil, therefore -- the pill was the same color, so to me, it was the same as I had been taking.
This week has been particularly bad re: sleepiness. This morning I took 10 mg at 9am (earliest I could rouse myself except to hit the snooze buttons on the 2 alarms I set for ~7:30), another 10mg at 10pm, hoping that would set me up for the day, but I had another drop off the edge at around 2pm and ended up taking a third dose. I've *never* had to do that before and even THAT didn't cause any agitation, nervousness, hyper-anything, nor did it bring about any super-alertness.
I'm sure, as sure as I can be with a sample of 1, that I am not responding to this generic version nearly as well as I do to the brand name version.
As always, your mileage may vary... :-)
Posted by chameleon on July 16, 2009, at 22:42:09
In reply to new generic adderall xr, posted by CareBear04 on April 15, 2009, at 12:42:06
I was interested to find this site. Unbeknownst to me I have been taking generic Adderall XR since April. I wondered if I was becoming habituated since I noticed a definite decrease in both effectiveness and length of time before the med worn off and I went to the afternoon dose. Today, the pharm tech told me I was taking generic and when I inquired further told me I had been changed in April. I honestly do not believe this should occur without notification.
I have had another possible side-effect that I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed. I have been having swelling in my feet and ankles. This started in April and I have had no explanation for this. I have tried drinking more water, more exercise ... well, all sorts of stuff really.
I have been on Adderall XR since 2004 and have not had this before. Anyone else?
Posted by CheechWizard on August 11, 2009, at 12:53:44
In reply to Re: Adderall (Generic or not) Vs. Vyvanse » Dorian W. Gray, posted by Gmill on July 13, 2009, at 16:20:18
I took Adderall XR for 3 years, starting with 25 mg in the morning later upped to 30 mg as I was building a tolerance. I was also taking 10 mg Adderall IR in the evening. No side effects, no problems with sleep at all.
Due to increased tolerance I found the Adderall becoming less effective. So I tried focaline and then vyvacne. With both I did not like the side effects and took a break from all meds for 6 months.
In the fall, October 2009, I went back on Adderall XR, 25 mg in the morning and 10 mg of Adderall IR in the evening. (The Adderall IR it take is the oval shaped blue generic tabs manufactured by Barr wich has worked well. I found the round generic made by another manufacturer not good.) I felt, after a 6 month break, that the XR was working well.
In April I was told by my pharmacist that the generic XR was out. I was excited, this meant a $10 copay instead of a $55 copay. In my excitement, I did not even think of the possible difference a generic could have.
The 1st month went by and I started to feel that possibly I was building a tolerances again, maybe because I had one before.
The 2nd month I started getting headaches. I also was waking up at night after sleeping for 3 hours and not able to fall back to sleep for several hours.
By the 3rd month the headaches were constant and I was feeling sleep deprived. I tapered off all Adderal thinking it was not working. I have tried it a few times since when I really had a lot going on. On those occasions, mild headaches and sleep issues, but manageable for the short duration.
It wasn't until yesterday, 4 months later, that I started looking up the difference between the generic and the non-generic and made the connection. I do not believe the side effects were psychosomatic as the difference in generic/non-generic never crossed my mind.
So I am thinking of going to the Dr. to get another script specifying non-generic only (DAW). I checked my coverage and it looks like, since there is a generic, the co-pay for non-generic has increased. I despise drug companies!
Also I will say that generics are not always the same as non-generics. The active ingredients can vary by a percentage. With Adderall this can have a great impact as you are dealing with 4 amphetamine salts and one or all could be different. I read somewhere this is true with the non-generic Shire Aderall IR vs the Barr Generic IR vs the other (I forget the manufacturer) geneirc Adderall IR. I also read that Barr manufactures the Shire as well as the Generic Adderall IR and part of the Shire contract is that they use less of one of the Amphetamine Salts.
I have no facts to substantiate the last paragraph but you can find them on-line. I will find them later when I have more time if anyone is interested.
Sorry if this post was long.... what can I say, I'm not taking any ADD meds. Ok, back to work....
This is the end of the thread.
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