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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Peter on August 19, 2002, at 16:18:54
I'm getting worried. In the mid 1990's I was a drug addict-heroin and cocaine. Years later, after cleaning my life of hard drugs and going to proper programs and therapy, my pdoc decided to put me on adderall. It's been fine for months, and I haven't increased the dose except by doc's orders. Because I'm also mild bipolar II/SP, he has me on 750mg depakote and zoloft (I'm now titrating from 75mg to 100mg). Before I started zoloft, the adderall was causing me a bit of anxiety. But we began zoloft, assuming it would help me with anxiety and depression. However, I have some bad past experience with SSRI's (paxil and celexa) in that they seemed to induce drug/alcohol cravings in me. My pdoc believes the reasoin is that they probably exacerbated dopamine-defiency, causing me to crave stimulation. So, keeping me on the adderall with the zoloft would hopefully now also curb SSRI-induced cravings. Everything's been ok until a few days ago. I began, as I'm increasing the zoloft, to feel very unproductive, lethargic, and craving alcohol on my daily 10mg adderall XR, so I decided to augment it with three 5mg adderall immediate-release tabs, one every 4 hours. I felt more focused and productive, and I no longer craved stimulation. Today, though, I started reading about snorting the stuff on the web and my old addict engine started getting excited and I very stupidly snorted 10mg immediate-release after I woke up. I felt hardly anything, except the guilt and shame of having inhaled it. I'm now afraid that I've increased my tolerance by snorting it, and I feel the danger of getting out of control. I know I'll need more today, and it's too late to take an XR capsule, so I might SWALLOW an immediate-release. Unfortunately, I can't tell my pdoc what's happening because he's on vacation until Sept. 3; I don't know whether to go back to the XR ( which I have alot of) and find a dose that's right (maybe 20mg instead of 10mg, since I'm increasing the zoloft) or if I should switch to immediate-release, which, though I feel it's effects more, I stopped taking because the XR was smoother on my mood. I'm also afraid that I've messed up my receptors and increased my tolerance and I don't even know what's the right dose for me now. Please if anyone's got suggestions, I just feel like reaching out.
Peter
Posted by Phil on August 19, 2002, at 18:28:49
In reply to HELP-adderall addiction?, posted by Peter on August 19, 2002, at 16:18:54
I snorted an Adderall XR and it got lodged in my sinuses. Should have taken it out of the capsule.
~weak~
You've probably done some recovery work and none of us has to tell you that you're flirting with disaster.
Have you or your doc considered Naltrexone?
http//www.rxlist.com <Go there and key in Naltrexone.You need to make the choice everytime the thought hits you. For years and years after stopping crank and coke, I still missed the sensation of snorting, and obviously the feeing afterward. I hate the crap now.
Like I heard in an AA meeting once. The speaker said he wished he had some magic words for us but there aren't any. I would hate to see you lose the ability to do stims as prescribed if they help. But if you start getting out of hand, be honest. I know how you feel but you have to beat this, that's an order! : ^ )Seriously, good luck,
Phil
Posted by oracle on August 20, 2002, at 1:25:45
In reply to HELP-adderall addiction?, posted by Peter on August 19, 2002, at 16:18:54
Tolerance to amphetamine is rather quick to pass, a day or so. I don't think you messed up anything
physical here, the issue is more psychological.Many, many moons ago i was a speed freak; banging speed. Today I can take prescribed amphetamine w/o abusing it. What was a serious drug problem it the past was finally seen as untreated mental illness and my abuse of drugs self medication. I have no desire to snort, shoot, or sniff anything, now that I take proper meds. It seems
to me that a "drug problem" is never the root problem. It is just a sign of a greater problem.I find that it is best to avoid any immediate-release amphetamine. Provided I take slow release preperations I do not get a rush. It is the rush that could start up old behaviors.
Don't beat yourself up. No one beats a drug problem (or mental illness) without a few slips.
It sounds to me like your really want to get better and it seems like you are making progress
toward this goal. Allow yourself to be human and make mistakes.Tell your doc what happened, when he/she returns. In the mean time, someone must be covering for your doc, so you could speak to them.
Posted by Peter on August 20, 2002, at 19:53:12
In reply to Re: HELP-adderall addiction?, posted by oracle on August 20, 2002, at 1:25:45
This is the end of the thread.
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