Why does IR work and not XR?

[JV0519]

I just need to get data from other people. And possibly some explianation. So, to cut it short. I am newly “diagnosis” with ADHD. My prescriber tried Adderall IR. The best dosage for me was 10mg twice a day. The side effects were minimal and I was okay with them. Then, my prescriber wanted to try XR because I needed the Adderall to last longer. We started on 20mg once a day. The outcomes were terrible. I felt either a panic attack feeling, irrational thinking, and aggression. Has anyone ever experience this? Thanks!

[Flora Rose]

Good morning! I had trouble with the XR as well… It wasn’t working for me so my doctor added an IR tablet in the afternoon and we figured out that the IR works great if I take it several times a day instead of the XR. I liked not having to remember several times a day, but I like it working even better. I do remember getting upset more easily on the XR, but I thought it was because I had experienced the medication working for me before the XR and I was frustrated when the “magic” stopped working during the XR trial. I’ve noticed on the days where distractions keep popping up all day, I feel annoyed or hostile towards everyone b/c it feels like they are all trying to keep me from accomplishing anything yet at the same time asking more of me!

[Penny Williams]

Let your doctor know that the immediate release works better for you and you’d like to stick to that. It’s absolutely okay to do that.

Penny
ADDitude Community Moderator, Parenting ADHD Trainer & Author, Mom to teen w/ ADHD, LDs, and autism

[JV0519]

The issues is that the prescriber believes that I do not have ADHD since I experienced adverse effects with the XR than the IR. Yet, my wife and I said many times that the IR works like a charm. The prescriber, to me, wanted more of scientific data than anecdotal data.

[JBoom]

I think you should find another doctor for a second opinion, and/or a specialist in ADHD. That’s also okay to do. 🙂

Everything I’ve read on the subject indicates that it is well established that different people have different levels of success on different types of stimulants, including extended release vs. instant release as well as amphetamine based vs. methylphenidate based stimulants. Your doctor should be taking your reports of success/failure seriously, she/he is not doing her/his job otherwise. Your know your experience better than any doctors. Doctors only know the safe parameters within which to help you find what works for you.

[JBoom]

The same thing happened to me, but my doctor started me on XR. For some reason, I never get the “second wave” of the XR, so it ran out after 4 or 5 hours and left me with worse symptoms than taking nothing, and a very aggravated mood to boot. Even with a booster IR for the afternoon, it still didn’t seem to work. Now I’m on IR only, and it works like a charm.

Yes, it’s a pain to have to take several doses throughout the day, but it gives me the the concentration and focus to deal with it. 🙂

And ditto what Penny said.

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