I just started taking this on 4/14/09. I dont like the dizzy thing. Headaches are getting better though. I have combined type adhd. I am not irritable like I was. My coworkers have noticed the change. I dont snap at people when I am interrupted in the middle of a task now. I dont constantly interrupt people when they are talking as much. My mind is not scattered in all different directions. I am a little fuzzy headed but I am hoping that wears off in a few days. I still forget stuff but not as much and its easier to remember what I started to do and where I put something now. I am a 37yr old Hiv + recovering crack addict. I had reservations about the stimulant meds but since the wellbutrin didnt work I decided to give it a try. So far so good. My impulsive behaviour has been almost totally arrested.I have had a little bit of diarhea but it has been tolerable. I hope this is helpful to someone. Please feel free to contact me. I would love some feed back from anyone.

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First off I was diganosed as mild (PI.) I mention this b/c I have heard that sometimes what symptoms you have makes a diiference in the effectivness of the meds. I took the Adderall XR over the summer after my sophmore year of college, for the first week I had headachs and insomia, then I felt perfectly fine. I had a nine to five job auditing (grading) CATS essays and 4th grad portfolios. It was a great job and I did so well (fast and accurate) I was promoted to a superviser. I think that the med gets the credit for this because, normally I would of end up daydreaming for half the day.

However when I went back to school and had a different schedule every day, plenty of distractions around me to concentrate on instead and needed to seriouly concentrate for three hours at a time not for 7. The Adderall XR was a really bad idea, I would clean my appartment all day and forget to go to class or go to the library to study after classes and instead watch tv shows on hulu until the library closed at 1am. The regular Adderall that last for 4 hours at a time was a much better fit at school.

Also I had headachs any day that I forgot to take the Adderall RX, say on the weekends and after I switched for a week or two.

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Alyssa-

I was going to log off but had to read more posts then I saw yours. You are right about the Adderal XR in that the danger of focusing on one thing but forgetting the important task of getting to class on time or studying it was awful. In fact so bad I have decided to to taper off the meds. Now, the 4 hour pill is a better fit but one must be careful. There is also the stigma that you might be using those pills for something else other than focusing. The sad thing is that I really do need the help but those pills can also be addicting. Have you tried Strattera? Anyone out there? Basically, I understand about the XR it is also frustrating when taking XR because you can lose your appetite and I do love food so in some ways I feel XR is worse. Good luck.

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Sorry, but this stuff was a nightmare for me. I was still in enough mental control to know that was I was feeling was not real, in terms of things or situations happening in my family.. no, not hallucinations, but reading remarks wrong.. hyperdramatic conclusions to small things.. etc. I finally fell into what I have seen called Zombie mode, and would simply sit in a chair for hours if allowed to do so.. withdrew from everyone, considered leaving my family, marriage, you name it. Flatline emotionally to the point of not caring about anything or anyone, or sudden outbursts of rage at nothing at all. Stopped taking it as it grew worse every day, and that's it for me. I could focus on one thing, yes, to the exclusion of everything else, but I already know how to hyperfocus so that was rather redundant. Clearly I am in the minority on this, but just be aware.

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Hi, I was just officially diagnosed ADD this week and started the regular Adderall today. Ask you doctor about the non extended release form. My doctor started me on that so I will have to take it in the morning and again at noon. I have to say that I am not my normal groggy self! I realize I just started, but I am thinking that maybe the other form may suit better since you have more control over the dosage...

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My 8 1/2 year old is on Adderall XR 5 mg. The biggest problem with this med for her is coming "down" toward the end of the day. She gets very depressed, cries a lot, and gets very moody. We have an appointment with her doctor next week, so I'm going to ask him to switch her to something different again.

She was on Dexedrine the first time; but, the problem with that med was she totally lost her appetite. She went from 60 pounds to 56 in a little less than 2 weeks. IShe's so thin anyway that it was way too much weight loss for someone that definitely doesnt need to lose weight. With the Adderall XR her appetite is still suppressed but not as much as with the other one. Is there anything that doesn't suppress the appetite so much and will still help her to focus in class and not be depressed by the time I get home from work and start homework??

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Adderall is an amphetamine and amphetamines are known to have appetite loss properties. Please be very careful in using this drug. It is highly addictive and have very nasty withdrawal symptoms.

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I was diagnosed with ADD about 3 months ago. I don't have the Hyperactivity, but very much the inattentiveness. Anyway, I've tried a few different meds, but all in the Adderall scope. First, 20mg XR, but generic, Barr Labs. First day great! Second day on, major headaches. Then, tried the immediate release tabs. My doc thought it may have been too much at once. So she had me do the IR 10mg morning, 10mg after lunch for the first week, then 15 and 15 and finally, in the third week, 20 and 20. Headaches. Seemed like the 15 and 15 gave me the least headaches. So, I did some research and found that there was a big difference between generic manufacturers. I then discovered that I was taking dextroamphetamine salt (Adderall generic) from Barr labs and then Corepharma (which I understand is the worst). I read some good things about Sandoz (EON Labs) so I asked my doctor about it. She then prescribed 20mg XR, but the pharmacy only had those in brand name Adderall and I also got 20mg IR Sandoz Dextroamphetamine. The brand name Adderall XR was great. Smooth, no headaches, focused like no other. Sadly, I tried to replace the XR with the Sandoz 10mg in the morning and 10mg after lunch. Still get light headaches and I don't think I focus as well. So my doc told me to keep those for a booster and continue with the 20mg XR which is going to be a much bigger dent to my wallet, but worth it I guess. I will prob try the generic once I have been headache free for a while, but for now, I will stick with brand XR. Good luck to all.

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I'm so glad to see the many issues people have had with Adderall. I had no idea the continuous headaches I had a few years back might have resulted from Adderall. Short bursts of anger? You betcha. I actually stopped using the drug because I felt it was going to end my marriage. I was frequently really mean verbally to my husband which caused him to withdraw or tip-toe around me.

Also, I am very hyper-focused as it is, and that didn't improve with the meds, it got worse. In all, it caused me even more anxiety on the drug than off because I knew I wasn't "keeping it together" at work.

Lastly, when I went off the med and changed to another I actually got shingles and the worst headaches I've had in my entire life. It lasted months.

Hopefully, this forum will help me head in the direction for a new med. I know I need something.

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