The First Few Days of Adderall XR

October 28, 2009 6:05 PM

AdderallFilter: I've just started a new prescription, and I'm wondering about some of the effects and what I should be feeling.

I've read the backlog of what AskMe has to offer about the medication, but I've got a few specific questions that I couldn't quite find.

Background: The usual. Couldn't focus, couldn't concentrate, couldn't do any project without checking e-mail 30 times, refused to do work. Went to the doctor (GP), ADD diagnosisgot a scrip for 10mg of Adderall XR, as needed.

The Co-Conspirators: I'm also on Buspar for anxiety, which has been absolution amazing and transformative.

Questions: I popped my first pill around 5pm today, and it's about 8pm now. From what I'd heard, I was expecting "WHOA," but I got more of a "Huh." I did manage to feel a bit more focused, but I also felt hazy and a little... weird? Just like everything was a bit off. I did manage to get some work done, which was uncharacteristic for me.

I know that pharmacological reactions vary by the person, but was I expecting too much too soon? I had friends that used to abuse Adderall like crazy in college (I don't think it was XR, though), and it would hit them pretty fast. I feel focused, but it's not WHOA, like they seemed to get. I understand the XR principle, but am I ever going to get like that WHOA? Or was that just their uncontrolled dosages?

Is it like SSRIs where you need to take it for a while to get the most effect? Will tomorrow's dosage feel different than today's?

Side Question: I like the increased focus, but I'm having trouble harnessing it. I was doing great on some work I had to take care of, but then I switched on the TV, and BAM - TV was in my focus. It's like I have a laser, and I'm swinging it a bit wildly. Is something that just takes practice?

Thanks in advance for the help, medicated (and non) MeFites.

posted by SNWidget to Health & Fitness (11 answers total)

I would ask the doctor to change to instant release and give that a shot. Adderall should work right away for instant mental energy with no buildup... in fact the first doses should be most noticeable.
posted by crapmatic at 6:11 PM on October 28, 2009

Best answer: Side Question: I like the increased focus, but I'm having trouble harnessing it. I was doing great on some work I had to take care of, but then I switched on the TV, and BAM - TV was in my focus. It's like I have a laser, and I'm swinging it a bit wildly. Is something that just takes practice?

Yes. Amphetamines give you a lot of focus, but you'll aim that focus at whatever has your attention. You know the cliche of people on speed cleaning the bathroom floor with a toothbrush? Yeah, it's because they're really, really focused on cleaning the bathroom floor.

From what I'd heard, I was expecting "WHOA," but I got more of a "Huh." I did manage to feel a bit more focused, but I also felt hazy and a little... weird?

Sounds about right. If you're feeling "WHOA" you're taking a recreational dose. The haziness means you were right on the edge of taking too much.
posted by Justinian at 6:25 PM on October 28, 2009

Depending on your body weight and personal neurochemistry, 10 mg XR might not be enough to feel a subjective WHOA-type rush. However, ideally, it's supposed to be something that you don't feel super affected by in a consciousness altering sort of way. The fact that you got some work done and that it's uncharacteristic of you to do so is at least anecdata than maybe it's doing the trick.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 6:26 PM on October 28, 2009

Response by poster:
I don't think there's any drug out there that's going to magically transform you into a motivated amazing person overnight. If you want to watch TV, you're going to watch TV on any ADD treatment.

I realize that. I'm doing some other things besides just taking the drug to try to change the underlying habits. I was just wondering if the ability to focus that laser is something that takes practice, or if it's the effect of the drug. And I'm already beginning to suspect that practice will make perfect on this.
posted by SNWidget at 6:31 PM on October 28, 2009

Best answer: I can't imagine taking XR "as needed;" it is really meant to work at a therapeutic load, not randomly. And if you don't work nights, 5pm is not when I would take it.

When my husband was on it, it was a pretty strict schedule of first thing in the morning, with a midmorning snack of fat (usually cheese) to trigger the extended release. By 9pm he was a grumpy bear, and generally took one day a week off to de-amphetamine a little. But there was no "whoa," only "oh."
posted by Lyn Never at 6:34 PM on October 28, 2009

Response by poster: When my husband was on it, it was a pretty strict schedule of first thing in the morning, with a midmorning snack of fat (usually cheese) to trigger the extended release. By 9pm he was a grumpy bear, and generally took one day a week off to de-amphetamine a little. But there was no "whoa," only "oh."

Yeah, I did that in a bit of my own stupidity. I've been dealing with this for so long, and I was so excited to finally get something that might possibly help that I popped a pill as soon as I got home, as opposed to waiting until tomorrow morning. I figured that if it was going to last about 8 hours, I could stay up a little later, knowing that I had plenty of work to accomplish this evening.
posted by SNWidget at 6:36 PM on October 28, 2009

Best answer: I can only tell you that for him, it was not instant, but it was soon and it was obvious. And what the drugs did for him was open up a whole bunch of bandwidth he didn't have before, and enable him to use it. It was, he said, his first perspective on "normal." He did a shitload of work to learn new habits, a new career, learn how to adapt to his kind of wiring, and then after 10 months went off it (and as far as I can see, has not needed a refresher in 5 years). That's kind of a golden case, not everybody can do that, but for him that was about as long as he could tolerate the side effects and still get a benefit from it. You do need to give it at least a week or so to build up before you can really assess what's starting to happen.

I would skip tomorrow and take the next dose Friday morning. Whether you need "drug vacations" one or two days each weekend will be something you'll have to figure out after a few weeks or even months.
posted by Lyn Never at 6:50 PM on October 28, 2009

Best answer: Adderall XR is designed to specifically not give you the speedy feel. It's meant to be an all day thing, that just tunes in your focus a little. When I started it, I did notice the exact same thing with the TV- whatever I pointed myself at, I could/would focus on it. With this new power comes great responsibility...
posted by gjc at 7:26 PM on October 28, 2009

Best answer: The first time I took Adderall was also a 10mg XR pill in the early evening. I hope you slept better than I did that night. Otherwise, it was like a hazy "huh." Definitely not a WHOA.

I have had the WHOA. But it took time, dose tweakage, and perspective. And by WHOA, I don't mean the feel of it kicking in - that's more of an "oh, hey there!" The WHOA started to happen when the difference between my abilities on and off the Adderall became more evident. That takes time - it isn't totally obvious at first.

Give it a few weeks at least before reaching a verdict.
posted by granted at 2:09 PM on October 29, 2009

Response by poster: Just an update for anyone that cares - took another one this morning, at about 9am. I was on fire today. It's amazing - I was just able to make a simple list and tick off things, taking care of certain activities that I'd been putting off for over a year.

I'm not sure if this dosage is right - I can't tell if it's too strong, or not strong enough, or whatever. But on day 2, I'm feeling amazing, and I'm feeling like I can actually accomplish things.

Better living through chemistry, indeed.
posted by SNWidget at 2:48 PM on October 29, 2009

Response by poster: In case anyone is vaguely following this, I ended up having an allergic reaction to the Adderall XR - itchy welts on the lower half of my body, plus a weird rash. I thought it was from bug bites due to being outdoors, but they got worse and more numerous as I stayed indoors.

I'm switching over to Strattera this week, so we'll see how that goes.
posted by SNWidget at 7:59 AM on November 11, 2009