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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by verglas on June 14, 2002, at 1:30:09
Hello. I was diagnosed with ADD about 8 years ago. I currently am prescribed 35 mg. of Dexedrine a day but I often up it to 45 or 50, which leaves me short at the end of a month. I hate those days without the Dexedrine and count the days till I can get my prescription refilled again. I feel so unmotivated, sleepy, and foggy without the Dexedrine that it is scary, and I don't know if that is because I'm addicted or because that's simply what it's like to have ADD -- I've been taking meds for a long time and don't really remember if I was that foggy before I was diagnosed. There is no question but that Dexedrine gives me a buzzy good feeling which makes it easier to get through the day. (It also makes it hard to sleep and I self-medicate for that with Benedryl or a drink (just one) before bedtime.) I think the Dexedrine also has made me short-tempered -- though not as short tempered as I can be when I'm out of meds. I'm not sure what to do about this. I am afraid my doc will say "Yup, you're an addict, no more Dex for you!" if I bring it up with him, and then I really will be in trouble, as I literally cannot get anything done without it. I'd appreciate any suggestions.
Posted by JonW on June 14, 2002, at 12:57:03
In reply to ADHD or addiction? Dexedrine question., posted by verglas on June 14, 2002, at 1:30:09
Hi verglas,
That's an awful lot of dexedrine! Maybe others who have experience with addiction will have some advice, but I'd ask myself why I increased the dosage? Was it for the euphoric effect or did it stop being effective for ADHD? You want to be honest with your doctor. If not this doctor, a different doctor. It's in your best interest.
Jon
Posted by XaosSurfer on June 14, 2002, at 13:58:53
In reply to ADHD or addiction? Dexedrine question., posted by verglas on June 14, 2002, at 1:30:09
Dexedrine is a mildly addictive drug. I have to manage myself so that it does not become a problem. The way you describe the days without Dexedrine it sounds like withdrawl. Dex withdrawl starts very quickly.
50mg is a lot of dexedrine. You may also be experiencing a nasty rebound.
Are you taking Dexedrine or Dexedrine SR. The SR can help manage the addiction a little since they kick in slower and the positive reinforcement is smaller.
I suggest being straight with your doctor. A little self-medicating is a long way from buying street drugs or importing drugs illegally. I think you can learn to manage the addiction with the help of a good doc.
Paul
Posted by 3 Beer Effect on June 15, 2002, at 1:14:02
In reply to ADHD or addiction? Dexedrine question., posted by verglas on June 14, 2002, at 1:30:09
I wouldn't recommend telling the doctor about increasing the dose on your own initiative & running out of pills at the end of the month. All the psychiatry/medical textbooks say that a patient who does that is an addict & to take away the abused medicine immediately (cold turkey!).
He would then probably put you on Wellbutrin and there would be no psychostimulants, benzos, painkillers for you ever!- even if you needed them (example: if you got injured a car wreck they would probably tell you to take ibuprofen for pain once you left the hospital, rather than Vicodin or Percocet, since because of the Dexedrine abuse you are now permanently labeled a "drug addict".
I think you should try to control your Dexedrine dose yourself for a month & if you can't control it then switch to something less addictive like Concerta. If you can't handle the Concerta or Metadate CR or Provigil or whatever then as a last resort seek help through narcotics anonymous or a therapist.
You should probably adhere to a strict dosing regimen. Write down that you are going to take 1/2 your dose (20 mg) before you go to work like 8 am and half your dose (15 mg) about 5-6 hours later around 2 pm. Stick to this schedule with no exceptions & no cheating.
You shouldn't have much trouble with insomnia if you take your second (& last) dose at 2 pm, especially since it would be the smaller of the two doses (15 mg). If you take Dexedrine "whenever you feel like it" instead of according to a strict dosing schedule you are more likely to become tolerant & increase the dose. You might want to try Ambien 10 mg at night, or if your doctor doesn't want to order that then 1-3 mg of Melatonin at sundown.
I personally take 40 mg of Dextrostat (dextroamphetamine) per day- 2 10 mg tablets at 8 am & 2 10 mg tablets at 2 pm, with water or skim milk (no acidic coffe, cola, fruit juices). I take 3 mg of Melatonin at right after sunset & a 10 mg Ambien about an hour before bedtime & have no trouble with insomnia whatsoever (even though when on no meds at all I can't get to sleep until the sun comes up!)
If you think you are becoming tolerant to Dexedrine, the "official" way to prevent tolerance to any of the ADD stimulants is to only take the medication 5 days per week & also take a 12 day stimulant-free break every three months.
Ask yourself if you can do without the Dexedrine on Saturday & Sunday & either don't take it on the weekends or cut the dose by half or more. If this is too difficult you could substitute with 100-200 mg No-Doz (Caffeine) q3-6 hrs prn to get you out of bed & through the weekend.
Good Luck,
3 Beers.......
Posted by fairnymph on June 15, 2002, at 23:09:44
In reply to If u tell doc that story hell put u on Wellbutrin , posted by 3 Beer Effect on June 15, 2002, at 1:14:02
> I wouldn't recommend telling the doctor about increasing the dose on your own initiative & running out of pills at the end of the month. All the psychiatry/medical textbooks say that a patient who does that is an addict & to take away the abused medicine immediately (cold turkey!).
>
> He would then probably put you on Wellbutrin and there would be no psychostimulants, benzos, painkillers for you ever!- even if you needed them (example: if you got injured a car wreck they would probably tell you to take ibuprofen for pain once you left the hospital, rather than Vicodin or Percocet, since because of the Dexedrine abuse you are now permanently labeled a "drug addict".
>
> I think you should try to control your Dexedrine dose yourself for a month & if you can't control it then switch to something less addictive like Concerta. If you can't handle the Concerta or Metadate CR or Provigil or whatever then as a last resort seek help through narcotics anonymous or a therapist.
>
> You should probably adhere to a strict dosing regimen. Write down that you are going to take 1/2 your dose (20 mg) before you go to work like 8 am and half your dose (15 mg) about 5-6 hours later around 2 pm. Stick to this schedule with no exceptions & no cheating.
>
> You shouldn't have much trouble with insomnia if you take your second (& last) dose at 2 pm, especially since it would be the smaller of the two doses (15 mg). If you take Dexedrine "whenever you feel like it" instead of according to a strict dosing schedule you are more likely to become tolerant & increase the dose. You might want to try Ambien 10 mg at night, or if your doctor doesn't want to order that then 1-3 mg of Melatonin at sundown.
>
> I personally take 40 mg of Dextrostat (dextroamphetamine) per day- 2 10 mg tablets at 8 am & 2 10 mg tablets at 2 pm, with water or skim milk (no acidic coffe, cola, fruit juices). I take 3 mg of Melatonin at right after sunset & a 10 mg Ambien about an hour before bedtime & have no trouble with insomnia whatsoever (even though when on no meds at all I can't get to sleep until the sun comes up!)
>
> If you think you are becoming tolerant to Dexedrine, the "official" way to prevent tolerance to any of the ADD stimulants is to only take the medication 5 days per week & also take a 12 day stimulant-free break every three months.
>
> Ask yourself if you can do without the Dexedrine on Saturday & Sunday & either don't take it on the weekends or cut the dose by half or more. If this is too difficult you could substitute with 100-200 mg No-Doz (Caffeine) q3-6 hrs prn to get you out of bed & through the weekend.
>
> Good Luck,
> 3 Beers.......Excellent advice from 3Beers....
Posted by Christina on June 18, 2002, at 20:40:39
In reply to ADHD or addiction? Dexedrine question., posted by verglas on June 14, 2002, at 1:30:09
I take adderall xr, and I've found it works much better on an empty stomach. For breakfast, I only have hot tea with a little milk, take the Adderall around 8 am, eat a tiny lunch (mostly protein) about 2 pm, and when it wears off I eat a large dinner, followed by a big fruit salad so I can cram as many vitamins from real food as I can.
I try to go adderall free on Sunday.
This is the best way I've found to make Adderall work.
I would love feedback if anyone has found the perfect dosing/eating regimen for p-stims.
Posted by winter on June 20, 2002, at 15:43:12
In reply to If u tell doc that story hell put u on Wellbutrin , posted by 3 Beer Effect on June 15, 2002, at 1:14:02
I dont have alot of experience with Dexedrine. I have only been taking it for a week. However I do know this because I tend to over inform my self on medications I take. Any addiction you feel is more psychological than physical. According to everything I have read, which is a lot.
I belive that. Think about this a human can survive without water for several days. The exact number I do not know. However If someone were locked in a room with no water no food (you can go much longer without food up tp a month I belive) and they knew they were going to be let out in 5 days(lets say a human can go for 7 days no water, just for this example)You can almost be certain that after the first few days their mind would be obsessing about water. Even though their body did not need it. It is a psychological need.
You can replace it with practically anything. We are so used to having walls around us the first thing we encounter when we are born is a hospital room, then a hall way then a larger room, a car, a house, walls walls walls. Making us feel enclosed and safe if suddenly there were no walls all the buildings collapsed, humans would find caves and holes to hide in a substitute. If there were no enclosures, humankind might have a problem dealing with it being "addicted" to the sense of security an enclosure brings.Do you get my point perhaps if you can start to think of your usage like this as just something you think you need more of whereas in reality you most like just want more of it because you have convinced youself of this because of your feelings. Maybe there is something else going on at the end of the month that could affect you adversly and convince you that you need to up the dose.
It seems that if you just up it towards the end then run out, go dry then start at your normal dosage it really is psychological. Especially if it is only a few days of going dry, its takes a while for drugs to leave your system, and the longer you are on one the longer to leave. So you aren't clean after a few days.
Try using your mind...Its stronger than you think. If that doesn't work take breaks.
I also remember reading something about taking the supplement L-tyrosine to help with the need to increase. Though it was on a message board so ask you doctor. I do know that Vitamin C has been touted as a natural alternative for children for ADD/ADHD. Perhaps Instead of increasing take vitamin c. Try the effevecent ones that fizz in water in or your mouth it might give you an energy boost.
Winter
Posted by v on June 26, 2002, at 11:21:31
In reply to ADHD or addiction? Dexedrine question., posted by verglas on June 14, 2002, at 1:30:09
if you have trouble controlling your intake, you might want to try switching to concerta, which is a slow release form of ritalin... you might be a lot less prone to self-medicate as you don't go up & down on it like you probably do on the dexedrine.
just my 2¢.... hope it helps
good luck
blessings,
v
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