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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Irene on June 30, 1999, at 15:01:05
Has anyone heard of stimulants/amphetamine drugs (Adderall in particular) having sedative effects?
I just started taking Adderall, and everything I know about this drug and all others of this type prescribed for ADD goes against what's happening... it's literally putting me to sleep!
Posted by saintjames on June 30, 1999, at 22:45:18
In reply to Reverse effects to Adderall/others?, posted by Irene on June 30, 1999, at 15:01:05
> Has anyone heard of stimulants/amphetamine drugs (Adderall in particular) having sedative effects?
>
> I just started taking Adderall, and everything I know about this drug and all others of this type prescribed for ADD goes against what's happening... it's literally putting me to sleep!James here....
This is common in ADD. Try upping the dose w/doc's OK. Some ADD'ers still get sleepy no matter how high the dose. Some take this side effect as a sign you are on the right track, just need to find the right dose or stim. If adderal does not work at higher dose you could try Dexadrine or another stim.
james
Posted by citiboy on July 3, 1999, at 16:30:54
In reply to Reverse effects to Adderall/others?, posted by Irene on June 30, 1999, at 15:01:05
> Has anyone heard of stimulants/amphetamine drugs (Adderall in particular) having sedative effects?
>
> I just started taking Adderall, and everything I know about this drug and all others of this type prescribed for ADD goes against what's happening... it's literally putting me to sleep!What you're talking about is called the/a "Paradoxical Effect"; i.e., you're getting the opposite effect of the drug.
This is the reasoning for giving Ritalin and other stimulants to hyperactive kids. Under normal circumstances, Ritalin would send most people
bouncing off the walls, but hyperactive kids have an abundance norepinephrine and dopamine, and combined with stimulants, a sedating effect
sets in.
Speed freaks, or amphetamine abusers, call this effect "over-amping," which means they're not geting the "lift" as they used to, and it literally
puts them to sleep. Benzo users, after prolonged use, will get a lift instead of the depressant effects so desired.This all has something to do with the amount of norepinephrine and dopamine in your system. In your case, you probably have too much of both
and increasing the dose will only make the problem worse. Consult your doctor.
Posted by saintjames on July 5, 1999, at 12:50:53
In reply to Re: Reverse effects to Adderall/others?, posted by citiboy on July 3, 1999, at 16:30:54
> Speed freaks, or amphetamine abusers, call this effect "over-amping," which means they're not geting the "lift" as they used to, and it literally
The doses this person is talking about and over ramping/over amping are hughly different. Dex stated effective is 10-40 mgs/day and over amping dose is bigger by a factor of 10 ( at least, by IV) what happens to ADD'ers can happen at 5-10 mgs/day, these people also many times have this effect with caffinne. I know some who cannot take any dose w/o getting sleepy. For me if I take less than 10 mgs as one dose i get sleepy but 10-15 mgs seems, for me, to be the point which makes all the difference. Having seen a kid over amp ( 100 mgs meth, IV) I did not find this condition anything like a sleepy add'er.james
Posted by Dave on July 17, 1999, at 16:00:10
In reply to Re: Reverse effects to Adderall/others?, posted by citiboy on July 3, 1999, at 16:30:54
I've developed the same problems with Dexedrine. I was told that by taking L-Tyrosine it would help and it did for about a week after that the drowsiness got worst. Could it be possible that in the beginning L-Trosine was having a placebo effect on me and now my dopamine and norepinephrine levels are even higher due
to L-Tyrosine?This is the reasoning for giving Ritalin and other stimulants to hyperactive kids. Under normal circumstances, Ritalin would send most people
> bouncing off the walls, but hyperactive kids have an abundance norepinephrine and dopamine, and combined with stimulants, a sedating effect
> sets in.
> Speed freaks, or amphetamine abusers, call this effect "over-amping," which means they're not geting the "lift" as they used to, and it literally
> puts them to sleep. Benzo users, after prolonged use, will get a lift instead of the depressant effects so desired.
>
> This all has something to do with the amount of norepinephrine and dopamine in your system. In your case, you probably have too much of both
> and increasing the dose will only make the problem worse. Consult your doctor.
Posted by alan on July 19, 1999, at 2:26:45
In reply to Re: Reverse effects to Adderall/others?, posted by Dave on July 17, 1999, at 16:00:10
It has recently been determined that stimulants usually affect normal and ADD kids and adults (including usually normal grad and med students) the same way: they stay away, they sit still, and they study more efficiently. ADDers just need it more. But if you look at the product inser, which you can ask your pharmacist for, you'll see that drowsiness is a not very unusual side effect of stimulants. Sometimes itgoes away with dosage changes and/or time. I'm afraid I can't speak for speed freaks.
Posted by Irene on July 19, 1999, at 3:28:07
In reply to Re: Reverse effects to Adderall/others?, posted by alan on July 19, 1999, at 2:26:45
> It has recently been determined that stimulants usually affect normal and ADD kids and adults (including usually normal grad and med students) the same way: they stay away, they sit still, and they study more efficiently. ADDers just need it more. But if you look at the product inser, which you can ask your pharmacist for, you'll see that drowsiness is a not very unusual side effect of stimulants. Sometimes itgoes away with dosage changes and/or time. I'm afraid I can't speak for speed freaks.
Even increasing the addrerall dose doesn't help, I still feel like I've been shot with a tranquilizer dart. Which is pretty much how I feel without it too, well, not so much *drugged*, but mentally detached, physically fatigued, and unable to function so that sleep is the only escape from the daily frustration and resultant depression. So needless to say, the Adderall has not been an improvement. (heavy sigh)I have tried Prozac - had a BAD reaction to it, my whole body swelled up. Wellbutrin (which after the prozac incident, I didn't give a fair chance and it has been suggested again and I may give a shot), *thanks for your input Dave, I think I will do just that* Effexor - did nothing. Only recently began to approach my condition as ADD rather than just depression, and I pushed my doctor for a stimulant, as I feel the lethargy and mental fog play a HUGE role in my depressed state. ie: I am depressed *because* I don't feel good, rather than not feeling good as a side effect of my depression.
I suspect the "freaks" mentioned here are people just like us... searching for something to make them feel better. Taking what works best until something better comes along, I'm not sure they are freaks, or that I'm not one.
This is the end of the thread.
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