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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Katalina on May 6, 2002, at 19:11:53
I'm hoping somebody can help me with this situation. I take 30 mgs of Adderall per day along with 75 mgs. of Effexor XR and .5 of klonopin. Started with just the Effexor about 6 months ago, added the Adderall about 4 months ago and the klonopin 2 months ago.
I'm feeling really great - the Adderall has been the key to everything that was missing. The only problem is that I'm experiencing severe weight loss. I'm 5'5" and 97 lbs. and look like a crack addict! I have always been small boned and look good at 112-115. All of the smallest sized clothes hang on me and I look terrible (you can always count on your mother and sister to tell you the truth).
Anyway, besides being grossly skinny my veins are just popping out on my arms and legs like crazy. I've always had veins that phlebotomists love, but now it's really bad, they're just popping out everywhere. I can't even wear shorts because the veins on my calves and legs are bulging out. I don't know if this is a result of losing too much weight or if it's some type of cardiovascular problem. My blood pressure is always extremely low, so I don't think I'm hypertensive or anything.
I know I'm not eating enough and I try to make a conscious effort to eat when I think of it and I'm very busy all day running around after my two kids (3 & 1.5 yrs). I don't know if the Adderall is just increasing my metabolism and I won't be able to eat enough to look good again or if I force myself to eat a lot of high calorie foods I'll be o.k.
If anyone has any insights, I would be most appreciative. The vein thing is what's bothering me the most, I've never heard of that being a side effect of an amphetamine or Effexor. I don't want to stop my regimen, for the first time I feel like everything's under control. I don't want my neurologist to think I'm anorexic and cut out the Adderall, I don't want to live without that stuff now that I see what life can be like.
BTW, I find when I take the klonopin at 5:00 p.m. or so, I usually can get a pretty good appetitite going. Do you think if I took another .5 in the a.m. it might offset the lack of hunger caused by the Adderall?
Thanks for reading if you made it this far. I'm starting to feel/look like a freak!
Katalina
Posted by JohnX2 on May 6, 2002, at 20:06:23
In reply to Adderall help - I look anorexic!!, posted by Katalina on May 6, 2002, at 19:11:53
> I'm hoping somebody can help me with this situation. I take 30 mgs of Adderall per day along with 75 mgs. of Effexor XR and .5 of klonopin. Started with just the Effexor about 6 months ago, added the Adderall about 4 months ago and the klonopin 2 months ago.
>
> I'm feeling really great - the Adderall has been the key to everything that was missing. The only problem is that I'm experiencing severe weight loss. I'm 5'5" and 97 lbs. and look like a crack addict! I have always been small boned and look good at 112-115. All of the smallest sized clothes hang on me and I look terrible (you can always count on your mother and sister to tell you the truth).
>
> Anyway, besides being grossly skinny my veins are just popping out on my arms and legs like crazy. I've always had veins that phlebotomists love, but now it's really bad, they're just popping out everywhere. I can't even wear shorts because the veins on my calves and legs are bulging out. I don't know if this is a result of losing too much weight or if it's some type of cardiovascular problem. My blood pressure is always extremely low, so I don't think I'm hypertensive or anything.
>
> I know I'm not eating enough and I try to make a conscious effort to eat when I think of it and I'm very busy all day running around after my two kids (3 & 1.5 yrs). I don't know if the Adderall is just increasing my metabolism and I won't be able to eat enough to look good again or if I force myself to eat a lot of high calorie foods I'll be o.k.
>
> If anyone has any insights, I would be most appreciative. The vein thing is what's bothering me the most, I've never heard of that being a side effect of an amphetamine or Effexor. I don't want to stop my regimen, for the first time I feel like everything's under control. I don't want my neurologist to think I'm anorexic and cut out the Adderall, I don't want to live without that stuff now that I see what life can be like.
>
> BTW, I find when I take the klonopin at 5:00 p.m. or so, I usually can get a pretty good appetitite going. Do you think if I took another .5 in the a.m. it might offset the lack of hunger caused by the Adderall?
>
> Thanks for reading if you made it this far. I'm starting to feel/look like a freak!
>
> KatalinaHi Katalina,
I had a weight loss problem on Adderall. I think it was mostly
due to a cut in caloric intake. The medicine killed my appetite.
Not getting enough food (fuel for the body) also seemed to make
me feel very worn out and chewed up after a number of days.If the medicine makes you nauseas one suggestion is to
get health shakes (packed with RDA nutrients) and a sufficient
amount of calories. Then if you don't feel like cooking or
whatever, just take the quicky shake. You can buy a brand like
"Ensure" or whatever. Doesn't upset the stomach.Hope you feel better.
John
Posted by Cressida on May 7, 2002, at 0:27:25
In reply to Re: Adderall help - I look anorexic!! » Katalina, posted by JohnX2 on May 6, 2002, at 20:06:23
You can try eating directly before or after taking a dose, before the Adderall has had time to influence your appetite. JohnX2's suggestion about nutrition supplements (health shakes, etc) is a good idea. Go to your local GNC or Vitamin Shoppe and look around for meal supplements; MetRX can make a great tasting, calorie packed meal in a chocolate/vanilla/strawberry shake. I used to take Adderall at the same dose, so I know what your going through. I didn't, however, lose much weight - but my appetite was hardly existent. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water; and perhaps nibble on snacks between meals. Good luck with everything.
~John (a.k.a. Cressida)
Posted by Katalina on May 7, 2002, at 13:18:25
In reply to Adderall help - I look anorexic!!, posted by Katalina on May 6, 2002, at 19:11:53
Posted by sl on May 7, 2002, at 20:09:05
In reply to Re: Adderall help - I look anorexic!! » Katalina, posted by JohnX2 on May 6, 2002, at 20:06:23
> If the medicine makes you nauseas one suggestion is to
> get health shakes (packed with RDA nutrients) and a sufficient
> amount of calories. Then if you don't feel like cooking or
> whatever, just take the quicky shake.Yeah. You can do the same with SlimFast and just substitute it for any liquid you want, (like if you'd normally have a glass of milk, have chocolate-slimfast)...I had a friend in high school who did that a lot cuz she could never eat enuf to gain weight.
Also try to specially eat fatty high-calorie things, nuts and cheese are good and healthy, for example. I'm not saying chips and soda and ice cream, but choose the higher-calorie of the healthier things. :)
Luck,
sl
who has never had a problem *gaining* weight
Posted by sl on May 8, 2002, at 21:44:32
In reply to Adderall help - I look anorexic!!, posted by Katalina on May 6, 2002, at 19:11:53
OH! I almost forgot...
You probably don't want to try this unless you're getting to the point where your health is being threatened by your weight-loss, but you could certainly try taking a little bit of something well-known for provoking appetite, such as Zyprexa. :)sl
Posted by katekite on May 9, 2002, at 10:14:54
In reply to Adderall help - I look anorexic!!, posted by Katalina on May 6, 2002, at 19:11:53
Have you checked your blood pressure lately? Probably not anything, but my husband's veins stand out a lot more when he is watching basketball finals (and his blood pressure goes way up). Since the stimulants can make blood pressure go up. You might try to take it both when you've been resting and when you've been running around.
kate
Posted by Ritch on May 9, 2002, at 13:04:04
In reply to Re: Oops, almost didn't think of this!, posted by sl on May 8, 2002, at 21:44:32
> OH! I almost forgot...
> You probably don't want to try this unless you're getting to the point where your health is being threatened by your weight-loss, but you could certainly try taking a little bit of something well-known for provoking appetite, such as Zyprexa. :)
>
> slYeah, I second that idea. You could try 250mg of Depakote at bedtime, that might take care of it too. :-)
Mitch
Posted by Christina on May 10, 2002, at 8:18:33
In reply to Re: Adderall help - I look anorexic!!, posted by katekite on May 9, 2002, at 10:14:54
LMAO! Isn't that funny that men get so worked up over sports games on TV? I used to have a boyfriend in college who kept a bottle of tums on the coffee table when he would watch "important" games such as play-offs and such.
Me? I need them when I watch the news.
Posted by Rakken on May 10, 2002, at 22:21:01
In reply to Arm-chair quarterback stress..., posted by Christina on May 10, 2002, at 8:18:33
I have the exact same issue but I think I know what the problem is. Adderall ups the amount of adrenaline in your system and definitely ups your blood pressure. Even if you just take one dose in the morning, I have found that my heart beat really gets going in the afternoon sometimes and always goes crazy after any exercise. I too have been asked "Wow. Did you lose a lot of weight?" And have also actually been told "You looked cracked out." Eating 2000 calories a day is very difficult for someone whose appetite is suppressed. Even when the Adderall wears off it still is in your system. I find that unless you stop taking it for a day or two, you won't get complete relief of its effects. I think that Adderall's appetite suppression eventually causes the condition "Ketosis" where your body turns into a constant fat burning machine. Even when you sleep, fat,carbs,and calories are being burned. Say you manage to force yourself to eat three generally large meals in a day and you gain a few pounds. The next day you may lose those few pounds and another pound as well if you don't pack enough calories into your body. I took 20 mg Adderall in the morning and 20 in the afternoon. Recently I've cut it to just the morning dose. I also take 1 mg of Klonopin in the afternoon. It doesn't help appetite, but Adderall causes anxiety in some (me) and the Klonopin takes care of it decently. I hope to add in a morning dose of Klonopin to help moreso. Just so you know, I'm an 18 year old male ~5'10 and currently 134 lbs. Usually I weigh 129 lbs and could realistically be back to that weight tomorrow. If you want my opinion, don't take Zyprexa. It sounds like a very sketchy drug to me. I drink at least two Ensure Plus and Boost Plus shakes a day as well as trying to eat as much else as possible. And so far I have only maintained the weight (sometimes I've gained a few pounds, but often fall back if I don't eat enough one day). I'd recommend buying a weight gainer powder shake mix. They don't taste that great, but they definitely work better than Ensure Plus or Boost Plus. Boost and Ensure are aimed at the buyer who wants to "Maintain" or Gain Weight. In my and probably your case, they don't help gain anything. Don't worry about the crackhead look. It's not your fault and its correctable. You could always try as well, switching over to Dexedrine which has less blood pressure raising side effects in comparison to Adderall. I'm guessing that like me, you had a good metabolism before the Adderall (could basically eat what you want without worrying about gaining weight). Write me back and let me know what you think.
Posted by JohnX2 on May 11, 2002, at 21:08:36
In reply to Arm-chair quarterback stress..., posted by Christina on May 10, 2002, at 8:18:33
> LMAO! Isn't that funny that men get so worked up over sports games on TV? I used to have a boyfriend in college who kept a bottle of tums on the coffee table when he would watch "important" games such as play-offs and such.
> Me? I need them when I watch the news.My friend almost had a panic attack when we were
watching a great college football game. (My college
team beat his at the last second; both teams scored
over 50 pts).John
Posted by Katalina on May 13, 2002, at 10:15:25
In reply to Adderall Weight Issue, posted by Rakken on May 10, 2002, at 22:21:01
> I have the exact same issue but I think I know what the problem is. Adderall ups the amount of adrenaline in your system and definitely ups your blood pressure. Even if you just take one dose in the morning, I have found that my heart beat really gets going in the afternoon sometimes and always goes crazy after any exercise. I too have been asked "Wow. Did you lose a lot of weight?" And have also actually been told "You looked cracked out." Eating 2000 calories a day is very difficult for someone whose appetite is suppressed. Even when the Adderall wears off it still is in your system. I find that unless you stop taking it for a day or two, you won't get complete relief of its effects. I think that Adderall's appetite suppression eventually causes the condition "Ketosis" where your body turns into a constant fat burning machine. Even when you sleep, fat,carbs,and calories are being burned. Say you manage to force yourself to eat three generally large meals in a day and you gain a few pounds. The next day you may lose those few pounds and another pound as well if you don't pack enough calories into your body. I took 20 mg Adderall in the morning and 20 in the afternoon. Recently I've cut it to just the morning dose. I also take 1 mg of Klonopin in the afternoon. It doesn't help appetite, but Adderall causes anxiety in some (me) and the Klonopin takes care of it decently. I hope to add in a morning dose of Klonopin to help moreso. Just so you know, I'm an 18 year old male ~5'10 and currently 134 lbs. Usually I weigh 129 lbs and could realistically be back to that weight tomorrow. If you want my opinion, don't take Zyprexa. It sounds like a very sketchy drug to me. I drink at least two Ensure Plus and Boost Plus shakes a day as well as trying to eat as much else as possible. And so far I have only maintained the weight (sometimes I've gained a few pounds, but often fall back if I don't eat enough one day). I'd recommend buying a weight gainer powder shake mix. They don't taste that great, but they definitely work better than Ensure Plus or Boost Plus. Boost and Ensure are aimed at the buyer who wants to "Maintain" or Gain Weight. In my and probably your case, they don't help gain anything. Don't worry about the crackhead look. It's not your fault and its correctable. You could always try as well, switching over to Dexedrine which has less blood pressure raising side effects in comparison to Adderall. I'm guessing that like me, you had a good metabolism before the Adderall (could basically eat what you want without worrying about gaining weight). Write me back and let me know what you think.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rakken,
Thanks so much for your post. I'm curious to know if the adderall is increasing my blood pressure. Last time I had a dr. appt. is was at 8:00 a.m. and I hadn't popped my morning dose of adderall yet. I have an appt. in 2 weeks and will take my 20 mgs. prior to going to see what the difference is.
I'm also weaning myself off of Effexor and have been eating a lot the past week. I look much better and have probably gained 3-4 lbs. I think getting off of the Effexor will also help. I lost quite a bit of weight on that before adding the Adderall. The thinness doesn't bother me as much as the vein issue. My calves have major bulging veins in them. It looks absolutely disgusting. I don't know if its phlebitis or what, but if I don't get rid of it by packing on a few more pounds I won't be able to wear shorts all summer!
I'm also leary of telling my pdoc, as the Adderall is the only thing that has ever let me participate in life as fully as I have since starting it. I tried reducing my dosage and I just felt like my old tired apathetic self. I can't bear the thought of living like that again.
Well, thanks again for your input, I'm probably going to pick up some weightgainer fuel the next time I'm at the healthfood store!
Katalina
Posted by dove on May 13, 2002, at 10:22:20
In reply to Adderall Weight Issue, posted by Rakken on May 10, 2002, at 22:21:01
I must say that Adderall has never caused me to lose weight. In fact, as soon as I started taking it I started to put on weight, to my great unbelief! Prozac initially helped me lose some of the pounds I had been putting on due to the Adderall, but that's flattened out. I'm not the only one who has actually gained weight while taking it either. I know for a fact that St. James (also a long-term user) has experienced the same.
In my experience, I believe Adderall causes me to sit down and actually finish a whole meal. Even if I'm full and not particularly interested in the plate of chow set in front of me.
I am also a busy mom with five (5) kids under 11, and the klonopin can and does increase my appetite, and my doc has me taking 1MG 3-4 times per day. I almost always stray a little bit under that amount, I don't like feeling mentally dulled. However, 0.5MG of klonopin has even increased my appetite.
Another idea for putting on weight (if this is seriously what you're after), eat lots of carbs (even complex) and then purposely rest (even take a nap if at all possible); this is one method used my Sumo wrestlers to keep the poundage on.
Make the most out your meals by starting with non-blood sugar rollercoasting snacks (usually a small amount of protein--a tablespoon of peanut butter or refried beans and/or a complex carb), and then add your everyday carbs (tortilla's, bread, pasta, rice) followed by carb-rich veggies like carrots/potatoes and some fibrous fruit. This routine definitely put some meat on me in high school; and my sister (a personal trainer and nutritionist) uses this basic outline for her anorexic clients with very good success, cutting back the simple carbs once they're at a healthy/livable weight.
dove
Posted by Christina on May 15, 2002, at 9:29:10
In reply to Re: Adderall Weight Issue, posted by dove on May 13, 2002, at 10:22:20
That's interesting that there are a few people who have gained weight on Adderall.
I gained weight (40 lbs) on every AD..including Prozac. But I have managed to lose about 15 lbs in 2 months on Adderall.
My appetite has really decreased,and Adderall has really helped me to overcome my debilitating and compulsive over-eating.
I don't crave junk food as much now, but more importantly, my life FOR ONCE does not revolve around meals and when and where I will get them.
I feel so much more in control so that I can make a conscious effort to eat wholesome nutritious meals.
Not to mention what it's done for my ADD :)
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