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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Peter on March 7, 2002, at 12:05:33
Hello:
I have been taking adderall XR 10mg for almost 2 weeks now. I take it in the morning and it usually lasts about 5-6 hours, so my doctor is having me take one or two additional short-acting 5mg adderalls mid-day and late afternoon so that I have better coverage throughout the day and night (I'm a musician, so I tend to work late at night).
The only thing I'm noticing though, is that the short-acting adderall seems to have a much more pronounced drop-off, so that when it wears off I feel much more rebound anxiety and depression than I do from the adderall XR. I am wondering: Is it plausible to take 2 adderall XR pills daily (about 6-7 hours apart) instead of one in the morning followed by multiple short-acting pills? This would be alot more economical and possibly smoother in action for me, but I just want to know if it can be done, or if there is something about the xr version that really limits it to a once-dialy administration.
Thank You,
Peter
Posted by Ritch on March 8, 2002, at 9:14:22
In reply to Adderall XR - maybe twice a day?, posted by Peter on March 7, 2002, at 12:05:33
> Hello:
> I have been taking adderall XR 10mg for almost 2 weeks now. I take it in the morning and it usually lasts about 5-6 hours, so my doctor is having me take one or two additional short-acting 5mg adderalls mid-day and late afternoon so that I have better coverage throughout the day and night (I'm a musician, so I tend to work late at night).
> The only thing I'm noticing though, is that the short-acting adderall seems to have a much more pronounced drop-off, so that when it wears off I feel much more rebound anxiety and depression than I do from the adderall XR. I am wondering: Is it plausible to take 2 adderall XR pills daily (about 6-7 hours apart) instead of one in the morning followed by multiple short-acting pills? This would be alot more economical and possibly smoother in action for me, but I just want to know if it can be done, or if there is something about the xr version that really limits it to a once-dialy administration.
> Thank You,
> Peter
Hi Peter,I don't see why you couldn't just use the XR version twice a day like you mentioned. I have read some stuff about giving a small dose of Ritalin to *very* restless ADHD kids at bedtime so they can sleep. The bottom line really, is.. are you sleeping OK without needing any or just a little help? If so, that is really the only reason to lump most of the dose earlier in the day. If you are working late at nite-then maybe you really don't need to take the Adderall *first thing* in the morning? Maybe some coffee will do fine until midday(since you aren't working anyway). Just some thoughts,
Mitch
Posted by alley on March 8, 2002, at 9:30:15
In reply to Adderall XR - maybe twice a day?, posted by Peter on March 7, 2002, at 12:05:33
> Hello:
> I have been taking adderall XR 10mg for almost 2 weeks now. I take it in the morning and it usually lasts about 5-6 hours, so my doctor is having me take one or two additional short-acting 5mg adderalls mid-day and late afternoon so that I have better coverage throughout the day and night (I'm a musician, so I tend to work late at night).
> The only thing I'm noticing though, is that the short-acting adderall seems to have a much more pronounced drop-off, so that when it wears off I feel much more rebound anxiety and depression than I do from the adderall XR. I am wondering: Is it plausible to take 2 adderall XR pills daily (about 6-7 hours apart) instead of one in the morning followed by multiple short-acting pills? This would be alot more economical and possibly smoother in action for me, but I just want to know if it can be done, or if there is something about the xr version that really limits it to a once-dialy administration.
> Thank You,
> Peter
hi..i have never taken the short acting adderall but i am recently taking adderall xr 30mg...and was upped to 60mg at once at a time..but that only lasted for about a week because of fainting and breaking out in sweats and my heart rate going up...when i first switched to the 60..he told me to take the 30 in the morning like i had been and then to break it in half and take the half in the afternoon..i was like umm its a capsule and he had no idea..i was like dont you know what your giving me...and he didnt really..so thats when he told me to just pop two of them in the morning and that was a big no no...even my pharmisit was concerned because of the reaction that celexa has with stimulants...it was like a double whamie...but i guess if you take maybe a small dosage it would be probably okay...stims dont do much other then focus me..i used to get less restless and not shake my legs or move around as much or jumpy... and get up...but that wore off with time with each one..i wish i could find one that does the trick in correlation to my other meds..or i guess i wish my doctor could...but oh well..i guess its better to be focused...anyway hope you figure out what combo is best and it works well...
Posted by Peter on March 8, 2002, at 11:05:05
In reply to Re: Adderall XR - maybe twice a day? » Peter, posted by Ritch on March 8, 2002, at 9:14:22
> Hi Peter,
>
> I don't see why you couldn't just use the XR version twice a day like you mentioned. I have read some stuff about giving a small dose of Ritalin to *very* restless ADHD kids at bedtime so they can sleep. The bottom line really, is.. are you sleeping OK without needing any or just a little help? If so, that is really the only reason to lump most of the dose earlier in the day. If you are working late at nite-then maybe you really don't need to take the Adderall *first thing* in the morning? Maybe some coffee will do fine until midday(since you aren't working anyway). Just some thoughts,
>
> Mitch
> Hi Mitch:
Believe it or not, I don't take the first XR pill until noon, but since it still only lasts @ 6 hours for me, I take another at around 6:30. I usually go to bed around 2 or 3a.m anyway, and it seems as if I need that dose to cover me through the evening. Also, for me it's not a question of having severe ADHD-my pdoc mostly prescribed me the adderall for periodic depression, since every conventional antidepressant caused problems for me. So I find if I just take one adderall XR at noon, by 6:30 I'm feeling down. So it sounds reasonable for me to take the 2 adderall xr's ( 1 at noon, 1 at 6:30). But I still wonder something: a) I'm now taking the 10 mg dose-If I took a higher dose, like the 20mg, and took it once at noon, would that last longer than the lower dose? If so, I could take one pill daily and it would cover me through the evening. Also, the thing that disturbs me is that I sent Shire Pharmaceuticals an email asking if Adderall XR can be taken more than once daily, and they said it should be taken only once. What's wrong with them? I told them it only lasts 6 hours for me. Oh well. Thanks for your help.
Peter
Posted by edward602 on March 8, 2002, at 13:09:42
In reply to Adderall XR - maybe twice a day?, posted by Peter on March 7, 2002, at 12:05:33
I think you are taking too little and that's the problem. The XR version should last 11-12 hours. With 10 mg. you are getting a little lift 2-3 hours after you take it but you are on too little to notice that it continues to be in your bloodstream thereafter. Before you try playing around mixing XR with non-XR and taking it twice a day, try going up at 5 mg. a time for once a day relief. Many 8 year olds take 30 mg. once day, of course they don't stay out until 2-3 a.m.
I was just reading that adderall XR has already - afte 3 months -- captured 12% of the ADD/AHDD market so hundreds of thousands of people are finding the once a day works better for them.
Posted by Ritch on March 8, 2002, at 13:53:52
In reply to Re: Adderall XR - maybe twice a day?, posted by Peter on March 8, 2002, at 11:05:05
>
> > Hi Peter,
> >
> > I don't see why you couldn't just use the XR version twice a day like you mentioned. I have read some stuff about giving a small dose of Ritalin to *very* restless ADHD kids at bedtime so they can sleep. The bottom line really, is.. are you sleeping OK without needing any or just a little help? If so, that is really the only reason to lump most of the dose earlier in the day. If you are working late at nite-then maybe you really don't need to take the Adderall *first thing* in the morning? Maybe some coffee will do fine until midday(since you aren't working anyway). Just some thoughts,
> >
> > Mitch
> > Hi Mitch:
> Believe it or not, I don't take the first XR pill until noon, but since it still only lasts @ 6 hours for me, I take another at around 6:30. I usually go to bed around 2 or 3a.m anyway, and it seems as if I need that dose to cover me through the evening. Also, for me it's not a question of having severe ADHD-my pdoc mostly prescribed me the adderall for periodic depression, since every conventional antidepressant caused problems for me. So I find if I just take one adderall XR at noon, by 6:30 I'm feeling down. So it sounds reasonable for me to take the 2 adderall xr's ( 1 at noon, 1 at 6:30). But I still wonder something: a) I'm now taking the 10 mg dose-If I took a higher dose, like the 20mg, and took it once at noon, would that last longer than the lower dose? If so, I could take one pill daily and it would cover me through the evening. Also, the thing that disturbs me is that I sent Shire Pharmaceuticals an email asking if Adderall XR can be taken more than once daily, and they said it should be taken only once. What's wrong with them? I told them it only lasts 6 hours for me. Oh well. Thanks for your help.
> Peter
Peter, I would just go with what seems to work for you and not sweat it too much. The pharmaceutical company is going to toe the line with anything in their Rx insert. It is just CYA-IMO. I am on a small dose of just plain immediate release Dexedrine (with other meds) and that lasts about 6-7 hrs for me and that's fine. I just split it in half and take one chunk midday and the other chunk about six hours later. When I get off work I am getting tired and I sleep like a rock.Mitch
Posted by Peter on March 9, 2002, at 1:35:19
In reply to Re: Adderall XR - maybe twice a day?, posted by edward602 on March 8, 2002, at 13:09:42
>Hi guys:
Thanks for all your advice. I tried taking two 10mg adderall XR pills today, the second one 7 hours after the first, and in the evening I was completely zombified-just staring at the TV, not really registering anything, and just sort of in an apathetic trance. Is this because this is too high a dose for me? If this undesirable effect occured from taking two XR pills 7 hours apart, I dread to think what I'd experience if I took both together in the morning, which was another option I considered (like you mentioned Edward). Of course, I've run this all by my pdoc, but he keeps saying it's different with everyone, and he just places the decision in my hands on how to take it. This in itself is quite annoying, as I would like him, being a doctor, to just tell me exactly what to do instead of saying 'sure, you could try that, but it's up to you.' So it's really confusing. Thanks for your help, though, and sorry for rambling on and on.
Peter
Posted by helenbpd on March 10, 2002, at 1:53:44
In reply to Re: Adderall XR - maybe twice a day?, posted by Peter on March 9, 2002, at 1:35:19
Hi Peter,
I can't be of much exact help, but I also take 10mg Adderall XR in the mornings and find that it wears off by the late afternoon and I need to take some short-acting 7.5 mg adderall to get me through the evening.
Re. the zombification, when I began trials for stim meds, I started with concerta (also an XR formulation) at its lowest dose and it totally knocked me out all day long, I was miserable and switched to Adderall.
My pdoc also claimed that this effect is usually due to too high a dose, so I'd have to agree with your assumption that taking two 10mg Adderall XRs, too close together, is what's flattening your pancake. You might be stuck taking the Adderall XR 10mg first, then later topping off with standard Adderall at 5 or 7.5 mg.I do love the Adderall XR version for the exact reason as you: less drop-off and a much smoother ride all day -- plus I have less trouble forgetting to take it! As a classic ADDer, this is heavenly.
Let me know if any other solution works for you!
best,
Helen
Posted by helenbpd on March 10, 2002, at 2:01:10
In reply to Same troubles here, Peter, posted by helenbpd on March 10, 2002, at 1:53:44
Just wanted to add that my personal experience/suspicion is that the Adderall XR does not release quite as much stim into your system as the short-acting stuff -- I need a bit higher XR dosage than I did with the standard blue pills. So perhaps you should simply try a 20mg XR pill one day and see what happens?
It might not be equivalent to 2 10mgs, and might not knock you out....and then let me know..? :)
Thanks, fellow guinea pig!
Helen
Posted by Peter on March 10, 2002, at 11:34:08
In reply to P.S., posted by helenbpd on March 10, 2002, at 2:01:10
Hello Helen-fellow guinea pig:-)
Thank you so much for your input. It really sounds like we're on similar tracks here. In light of what you and Edward said, I've decided that I'm going to try taking two 10mg XR pills at the same time today (I don't have any 20mgXR pills, or I'd take one of those). The reason is because I think, like Edward said, I'm not taking enough at one time, and therefore not feeling the effect past the 5-6 hour point-I only feel the peak level. It's funny, because I don't know if the undesirable effects I'm feeling are because I'm taking too much or too little; like you said in your first post, too much adderall can cause that zombie-like effect I experienced. On the other hand, you have a point in your second post that maybe 20mg at once might work better. I don't know, I'm going to give this a try today, and if I'm Mr. Zombie again, I might just quit adderall altogether. Thanks again-I'll tell you how it works out.
Peter
Posted by Peter on March 10, 2002, at 23:43:51
In reply to Re: P.S. » helenbpd, posted by Peter on March 10, 2002, at 11:34:08
Well, Helen, here's what happened:
I tried taking the 2 10 mgXR pills when I woke up. Within 2 hours I was just sitting staring out the window! Completely calm but totally inert. Like I couldn't think or do anything. A few hours later, I felt alot better, focused, etc. The good side of it is that it did in fact last longer to me (like 9-10 hours!) because more of the drug was in my system to begin with. And there was no crash whatsoever, which was great. So I emailed my doc stating the pros and cons, and he said some of his patients on adderall reported that effect; but he doesn't think it's as much an issue of taking too high a dose as it is an issue of my body needing to adjust to the new dose. So he said I should try it again tomorrow, but if I still don't tolerate it well, he's going to taper me off the adderall altogether. Well, that's the update for ya.
Peter
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